Claire

It’s been three months since Titanic went down and since the death of Jack and Rose has found herself in the one place she could feel close to him…the one place she knew for a fact he once was…Chippewa Falls Wisconsin. His hometown. It took three months and two days to decide to come here and now there was no going back. Besides, she was positive it was the smart decision. No danger of running into anyone she might have known in her old life as Rose Dewitt Bukater here. There’s only one person that her and the townspeople had in common and that was Jack. Jack…her wonderful Jack. How she had loved him and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him…if only the lifeboats came back sooner. He might have lived.

"Jack," Rose’s voice caught in a sob as she remembered how his eyes sparkled each time he laughed, how good his artist hands felt in hers…how was she ever to go on without him?

"Stop it Rose," She hissed to herself. "Stop thinking about him! It only makes you want to cry and give up and that’s what you promised him you wouldn’t do. Keep your promise Rose and move on."

Pushing Jack out of her mind for a moment anyway, she walks to a small building right across from the trainstation. It was a general store. She wonders if Jack came here a lot.

"May I help you mam?" The storekeeper asked politely.

"Yes. I was wondering if you could tell me where the Dawson’s lived," Rose asked, hoping that her destination wouldn’t bring up too many questions.

"Why they used to live right on the outskirts of town. But why would you want to go there? That place has been deserted for years. Some say it may even be haunted. Weird things go on there at night."

"Like what?" Rose is immediately skeptical.

"Strange noises. Sometimes you can hear a lady crying. Like a couple of months ago…April I think it was, old man Sykes said he sworn he heard a woman wailing her heart out, crying that someone was dead. But of course, that’s only speculation since he was the only one who heard it."

"And this happened in April? When?"

"I think it was either the fourteenth or the fifteenth. The day the Titanic thing made the papers. What? You don’t think that had anything to do with the wailing do ya?"

"Pa are you telling ghost stories again?" A girl with blond hair and blue eyes bounds into the store. "What is it about this time? The lady in white on lake wissota? Or the headless horseman on Cheskapeak Way?"

"I was just telling the young lady here about the Dawson Place," The old man explained. "I was telling her about all that wailing Ed heard last April."

"I’m sorry about my father Miss. He’ll tell a ghost story every minute he gets the chance," The girl laughed. "How may we help you?"

"Yes, I was looking for the Dawson place, but he already told me where it was," Rose smiled, backing up the door, but the girl’s stern voice stopped her.

"Why are you going there for? It’s deserted. Why don’t all you tourist people just leave it alone?"

"Claire!" The storekeeper exclaimed angrily. "Don’t use such a tone with the young lady. If she wants to see the Dawson place, let her."

"Why? So she can cook up some ghosts?! Well let me tell you something Miss. There are no ghosts. And if there was they wouldn’t show themselves to a stranger to you. Just let the Dawson’s rest in peace!"

Rose couldn’t take it anymore. She suddenly bursts into tears. Rest in peace? Jack wasn’t resting in peace? He was freezing on the bottom of the ocean. How could anyone call that resting in peace?

"See what you did?!" The old man hissed and comes out from behind the counter to put a comforting hand around Rose’s shivering shoulders. "Now now Miss. It’s ok. Nothing to cry about."
Rose looks up at the man with tear stained eyes and cries some more. "Jack," Is all she’s able to say between sobs.

"Jack?" Claire come to attention.

"Claire…leave it alone," The man warns. "Here Miss. Let me lead you upstairs where we keep our apartment. You can get some rest there and some alone time. How about that?"

Rose simply nods, not being able to stop the flow of tears. Maybe some rest will help her gain some control over her emotions.

"Come on then dear," The man leads her upstairs and into a comfortable bedroom. "Just stay in here for a couple of hours and try to get some rest. I’ll be back in to check on you in a minute."

"Yes sir," Rose sniffs, taking a seat on the bed. It’s a half hour later when the girl appears in the room.

"Listen…I don’t know who you are and you don’t know who I am…but one thing’s for sure is that you knew Jack Dawson," The girl crosses her arms. "Even though my father thinks that’s unlikely, but I saw the look in your eyes and only someone who knows Jack has that look. So tell me. Where is he and when is he coming back home?"

Rose stares at the girl in disbelief. Who was this girl? And what was she to Jack? She was afraid to ask but she had to know. "What’s your name?"

"Claire Penn. Jack and I…we were…close before his parents died and he took off out of town without even saying good-bye. I always hoped he’d come back for me…but he hasn’t…not yet anyway."

So this Claire person…she was Jack’s old girlfriend and she still loved him…Rose could tell that just by the way she said his name. It was the same way Rose herself said his name.

"So where is he and when is he coming back?" Claire asked, glaring openly at Rose. "And what are you to him anyway?"

"Well, you might as well know my name too. It’s Rose. Rose…Dawson. Jack and I were…," She begins to cry as she searches for the word to describe their relationship. It certainly wasn’t friends…it went way beyound that. "Married."
"You’re his wife?" Claire’s eyes widen in disbelief and heartbreak.

Rose noded, hating to lie to Claire, but it was a lie to explain the name and what Rose suspected to be a baby. Hopefully it was a baby anyway.

"When? For how long?" Claire stammered.

"It would’ve been four months today," Rose lied, tears leaking from her eyes.

"He never wrote me and told me about that," Claire sighed, sinking down into a nearby chair.

"He wrote to you?" Rose asked.

"Yes, but he never mentioned you. He just wrote about life on the road but no fiancee…no wife."

"I’m sorry," Rose apolagized. "I’m sure this must be a shock to you."

"It is. But Rose…where is he now? Why isn’t he with you?"

Rose took a deep breath. The moment she’s been dreading. Telling people of Jack’s death…the people who have loved him too. "Claire…Jack’s…Jack’s…he’s dead Claire. He died nobly, but he’s still dead," Rose bursts into refreshed tears.

"What?" Claire is again stunned into silence. Two minutes past before she speaks again. "How? When?"

"April fifteenth at two twenty a.m in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. He froze to death…holding my hand," Rose choked out. "He was shivering so badly…it was so hard for him to even speak, but he managed to make me promise to go on…to survive…and now I wish I hadn’t made that promise. I would’ve gladly died along with him."

"The Titanic sunk on April fifteenth," Claire’s voice is dazed. "Is that how it was? Were you two on the Titanic?"
Rose just nods, not looking up at the girl. "I tried to save him Claire…I did. But it wasn’t enough…it wasn’t enough."

"He loved you?" Claire asked again, her pain shining through her eyes. "And did you love him?"

Rose nods, remembering when she had told him that she was getting off the ship with him and how happy it made him. The future was so bright for them both that day. They had thought they had their whole lives ahead of them. Niether of them thought that the other would be dead by sunrise the next day.

"Did he ever mention me Rose? Even once?" Claire asked, her voice cracking.

Jack had never mentioned Claire to Rose. Not once in their brief time together. That was one thing about Jack. He was kind of closed off about most of his life in Chippewa Falls. All she knew was that he fell into a lake while ice-fishing and that his parents had died when he was fifteen years old and he had lit on out of there and was a tumbleweed blowing in the wind. But what could Rose say to this girl to give her some comfort…to make her think that Jack hadn’t forgotten about her.

"Well…we were walking along the ship deck the day before the sinking and he had mentioned something about visiting an old friend when we came to Chippewa Falls. Would that be you?"

"I hope it was. Jack was very popular here in town. He has a lot of old friends…oh my goodness Rose. They’re going to be devastated when they hear the news. Everyone’s going to mourn him…even my father who never really liked Jack very much, but that was only because we were…dating," Claire covers her mouth.

Rose looks down at her hands guiltily. She hated being the bearer of sad news. Maybe they could hold off on telling the town until Rose was gone. She couldn’t take sympathy from a whole town…sympathy that she didn’t deserve. "I’m sorry Claire. I’m sorry that you had to find out this way."

"It’s ok. It’s not your fault. Besides, it explains a lot of things. Like why you were looking for the old Dawson place. It’s the one place you can learn more about his life here," Claire shrugs, then she look over at Rose. "I can take you there if you like. But it must be the day."

"Why?"

"What father said was true. Weird things go on at night in that house and I rather we go there in the day. So I think we can share my room here and first thing in the morning, we head on out for the Dawson farm. There you can learn more about your husband and I can remember the time I had with him. He was a very special person Rose…but you knew that didn’t you?"

Rose just smiles and nods. "He could see people…read them like they were an open book and catch their souls on paper."

"Oh so he was still the artist eh?" Claire asked.

"His talent was exceptional. He drew me once and it was like he looked deep into my eyes and brought out my soul. I wish I still had that picture…but it went down on the ship," Rose sighed forlornly.

"Well you’re in luck Rose. His old room is full of his drawings. Maybe you can take some of them with you unless you plan to stay in Chippewa Falls."

"No, I’ll be leaving for Santa Monica day after tomorrow. Jack and I were going to go there when we docked…but the ship of course didn’t make it and I know he’d want me to go…do all the things we talked about. It’s just that I want to do them with him. He was supposed to be with me," Rose begins to cry again.

"It’s ok Rose. I’m sure he’ll be there in spirit and that’s what counts. My father once told me that not even death could defeat true love. That no matter what true love goes on forever," Claire smiled dreamily.

"That’s beautiful Claire. I hope he’s right. I hope that Jack’s still around somewhere and that he loves me more now than he did when we married," Rose sighed. "Because I know I still love him and I’ll love him forever."

Claire smiled at the strange girl that had appeared on their doorstep. There was something about Rose’s story that didn’t add up, but her love for Jack was obvious and for that, she wasn’t going to pressure Rose to come out with the full story. Maybe tomorrow at the house, Rose will open up to her more.

Rose took in her surroundings and gasped. She was back on Titanic, walking along the deck. But this can’t be. The ship is gone and the last thing she remembered was falling asleep in Claire’s bed, exhausted from all the crying over what could never be. Why was she here? How did she get here? Sighing deeply, she keeps walking until she reaches the bow where a young man with blond hair and of lanky build had his back turned to her. She immediately knew who it was and her heart leapt with joy at seeing him again.

"Jack," Rose approached him, reaching out her hand to touch his shoulder.

"Rose, you came," Jack smiled as he turned to her. He immediately took her in her arms. "I’ve been trying to get you to come here but you never did. But you’re here now."

"What am I doing here?" Rose asked, looking around the ship. Nothing had changed. It was like the ship never did sink. "How did I get here?"
"I called you and your heart followed," Jack gently touched her face. "This is my new home now Rose. And someday, a very long time from now, it’ll be your home too. We’ll be together again and nothing will be able to tear us apart. But until then Rose, I need you to do me a favor."
"Anything Jack. I’d do anything for you," Rose smiled, stepping closer, enjoying his warmth.

"Live a full life Rose. Do everything we ever talked about and more. Fall in love again. Find a decent father for our baby and then have plenty of more babies with him. Tell our story to Claire."

Rose blinks in surprise, "Tell her everything?"

Jack nods. "Everything Rose. She deserves to know the truth. Don’t worry. She won’t be angry that you lied and she won’t be judgmental. "

"How do you know this Jack?"

"Because I know her. Believe me, if I thought she’d be angry and judge you for what happened between us, I’d never have you tell her. Trust me Rose."

"I do Jack. I trust you with my life."

"Good. Oh, one more thing. When the time’s right…and you’ll know when it is…tell our story again…tell it to someone who matters…who it’ll touch and make a big difference too. That’s all I ask."

"Will I see you again Jack?" Rose asked, knowing that it was time to leave.

"I’ll always be there for you Rose. You know that. Plus, we always have your dreams. Dreams like this one. I love you Rose Dawson. I’ll love you forever," Jack moves closer to her and kisses her lightly. Before she could respond, he was gone and so was Titanic. She was back in her bed, sunlight streaming through the window. It was time to wake up and get ready to go to the Dawson place and share the truth of Titanic with Claire. Jack was right…she deserved to know the truth.

The Dawson farm was a charming brick building with a sad air about it. Why? She always thought that the place where Jack had lived would be full of sunlight and cheerfulness.

"Feel that Rose?" Claire asked quietly. "A lot of sadness here. The loss of a great family. The Dawson parents parish in a fire and their only son flees town…never to return again."

"But he was happy here before the fire wasn’t he?"

"Oh of course he was. They were the happiest family around. I loved coming here to see Jack. Mrs. Dawson always kept the house smelling of fresh baked bread and Mr. Dawson, he was always ready with a witty joke whenever one was upset."

"Just like Jack," Rose thoughtfully replied, more to herself than to Claire.

"Yeap. Jack had a awful lot of his father in him, but he also had a lot of his mother as well. What amazed me most was his ability to care so much about people…especially complete strangers. I remember when we were in school, a year before Jack left. Some bullies were picking on a new kid in town and the poor guy was so upset he was in tears. Wouldn’t you know that Jack just went up to that kid and comforted him. I was completely blown away."

"That sounds like something Jack would do," Rose smiled, remembering how indignant she felt at the kind stranger coming to talk her back over the rail. "I think that’s why I fell in love with him. He was always ready to listen…no matter who you were."

"Let’s go in. I want to show you his room and his drawings," Claire enters the house.

The house is dark and dusty. Claire turns on a lantern to illuminate the room.

"The Dawson’s couldn’t afford electricity at the time. They used what they could use, such as this light switch here. Come on. Let’s go on up to Jack’s room. I think you’ll feel more comfortable there," Claire takes Rose’s hand and leads her up the stairs and into a small room that contained a bed, a dresser, a desk and a chair. Tons of drawings hung on the wall…all by the Rose’s favorite artist. Jack.

"This is his room?" Rose asked, walking around the room, touching every piece of furniture, just to be touching something Jack himself has once touched.

"Pretty small I know. But Jack loved it. It was his safe haven he told me. Somewhere he could just go and draw and not be intterrupted by the outside world."

Rose strolls over to the desk and opens the drawer. Inside is a portfolio. Opening it up she gasps in surprise and sinks down onto the bed. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. It was a sketch of a bow of a gigantic ship and two figures, one a man and one a woman were standing on the railing, their arms out stretched, the woman’s hair blowing back in the wind. How could he have known?

"Rose what is it?" Claire asked, setting next to the pale girl.

Rose looks at Claire with wide haunted green eyes. She knew why she found the picture and who had led her to it. The picture was a sign from Jack. It was time to tell Claire the truth.

"C-Claire. I have something to tell you," Rose chokes on unshed tears. "I haven’t been totally truthful with you about my relationship with Jack."

"You haven’t?" Claire isn’t surprised. The one thing about herself and Jack was that before all else they were best friends. He had written to her about everything. He had written about his meeting Fabrizio and his unrequited love for a European princess that didn’t pan out. But he had never mentioned Rose, and Claire was positive he would have if he could. But it’s obvious that Rose had known Jack and had loved him very much and still did.

"Well, you see…we were never married…even though I’m sure if he had lived we would have. You see…we met aboard the Titanic. He had won a third class ticket in a poker game and I was a first class passenger. I remember the first time I ever sat eyes on him. I was on the upper deck and he was on the lower deck and he was staring straight at me…his stare was so intense…I couldn’t just ignore it, I stared back…just for a second. I had never expected to see him again much less speak to him."

"But you did speak to him?"

"Yes I did. You see…I was in a unhappy engagement…I didn’t love my fiancee and I was desperate to escape. So that same night I decided to jump of the back of the ship. To end it all right then and there. But things didn’t go as planned. I was just about to jump when Jack appeared behind me and told me not to do it. I warned him if he came any closer that I’d go ahead and jump, and then he said no I wouldn’t. That if I was going to jump would have done so already. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Here was a complete stranger telling me that I wasn’t going to jump."

"That sounds like Jack," Claire nods.

For the next three hours, Rose tells Claire her story. About the walk on the deck, the first class dinner, the steerage dance, the talk in the gymnasium…the moment on the bow. She even told her about the portrait and the renault. Then she told Claire about Jack being framed for the necklace just as Titanic was sinking and Rose going back for him and wielding a ax to get him free. She told about the locked gates and her jumping off the lifeboat to stay with Jack on the ship. About Cal shooting at them, their journey from the cold watery depths of the ship to the leaning deck, where they had clung to each other while Titanic was going down. She told about Jack making her promise to go on with her life and discovering he was dead when she tried to wake him when a boat had finally returned. Then she told about her hiding from Cal and taking the name Dawson when they had arrived in America.

"Then what happened?" Claire asked, dabbing the tears from her eyes. Jack and Rose had loved each other immensely after only knowing each other for a few days. The fact that Jack was willing to die for her and made her promise to live for them both proved that. What pain Rose must be going through now…to have lost the one great love of her life and having to go on without him.

"It was a month later that I found out I was pregnant. It’s Jack’s baby of course. He was my first. You see, that’s why I said I was his wife. I don’t know what people’s reactions would be if they knew that I was unmarried and carrying the baby of a dead man that I had only known for a couple of days."

"Not very well I’m afraid. You’re right for saying you’re Jack’s widow. At least people won’t look down their noses at you," Claire nods in understanding. "But Rose…why are you telling me this now? You didn’t when we were talking alone yesterday."

Rose is silent for a couple of minutes. Then she decides to answer truthfully…even if Claire thought she had gone insane. "Jack told me to. He said I could trust you. Of course he said this to me in a dream…but I can’t help feeling that it really was him…that he was with me and still is. Guiding me to make the best decisions. Do you know what I mean?"

Claire eagerly nods in understanding. Rose was right. Jack was with them. Ever since Rose had appeared in her life, she had felt Jack’s presence surrounding her, calming her. Yes. Jack was here with them watching them…supporting Rose as she told their story. "He was right Rose. You can trust me. I won’t tell a soul of this. To everyone here in town you are Jack’s widow. I’ll even say that he had written to me about you. That’ll give you some credibility."

"Oh thank you Claire," Rose throws her arms around the girl who had loved Jack just as she did. "This means so much to me and Jack. It really does."

Claire smiles and then looks down at the portrait Rose is holding and gasps. "This must be the dream he had one time. He told me that he was going to draw it on paper, but he never did show it to me."

"He dreamed this?" Rose asked, her eyes widen in disbelief.

"Yeah. He said he dreamed of being on a boat with a beautiful woman and they both were on the railing at the bow of the ship pretending to fly."

"That’s exactly how it did happen Claire. This picture’s us on Titanic," Rose sobbed. "He knew. He knew that we would end up together…that’s why he never gave up on me."

"Oh Rose…listen…keep the drawing. In memory of Jack. He’d want you to have it," Claire squeezed her hand. "Hey, maybe he led you to it so he could give it to you in the only way he could give it to you."

"Maybe he did," Rose smiled at the thought of the blond blue-eyed man that had entered and exited her life so rapidly yet changed it so drastically.

"Come on Rose. I want to show you lake wissota. It’s only a couple of miles from here. We can easily walk to it," Claire stands and drags her new friend out the back door of the house.

Sunset…

Dawson farm…

Rose and Claire stand at the back door, not believeing that they had spent all day at the lake talking about Jack’s life in Chippewa Falls. Rose enjoyed the stories, but she had no plans to spin the day at the edge of a lake.

"It’s getting dark," Claire quietly replied, a hint of fear in her voice.

Rose is concerned. "What’s wrong Claire? You sound like you’re afraid of something."

Claire looks at Rose with big round eyes. "This place…it’s strange Rose. It’s like it’s soaked up all the bad memories and none of the happy ones. It’s supposed to be haunted ya know. Weird things go on here once the sun sets."

Rose sighed. She liked ghost stories as well as the next person, but she didn’t believe in ghosts and never would. The only ghosts she believed in were the ones that haunt dreams...such as the ghosts of Titanic. They haunt her dreams practically every night. "Claire…that’s just a town superstition. There’s no such thing as ghosts. I’m sure of it. The weird things that go on here are probably someone playing a prank."

"Rose…you’re right. I’m being silly. Come on. Let’s get our things and head home," Claire sighed, already entering the house, trying to banish the fear that’s rising within her.

The first place they head to is to Jack’s room to get the portrait that Rose had left on the bed. As soon as she picks up the portriat, a familiar sense of warmth runs through her. She closes her eyes as the faint sent of charcoal enters her nostrils. It was the scent of Jack. He was here with her now…she was sure of it.

"Jack," She sighed.

Suddenly the atmosphere changed. Jack’s scent faded and the scent of burning wallpaper took it’s place and she grew increasingly hot.

"Jack?" She asked, a tinge of fear is in her voice.

"Rose? Are you still up there?" Claire called into the room. She had chosen to stand inside and was determined to leave as soon as possible.

"Coming!" Rose heads for the door, the portrait held firmly in her hands. But before she could get to the open door it slams shut. She pulls and pulls, but refuses to open. "Claire! Open the door!"

"I’m trying, but it won’t budge! It’s locked!"

"Help!" Rose cried, terror filled her voice. What was going on? This couldn’t be happening. Clutching the portrait she backs to the bed, sets down and pulls her knees up to her chin, all the while holding Jack’s portrait. The only thing she could think of to do in her terror was to think of Jack. Think of their time at the bow of the ship. How he had made her feel more free than she had ever felt in her life. Jack…where was he now? Had he completely left her?

That’s when she heard the voice…Jack’s voice singing in her ear. "Come Josephine in my flying machine…"

"And it’s up she goes, up she goes," Rose sings along, rocking back and forth. Suddenly the air clears up and the door swings open, allowing Claire to tumble through. She immedieately goes to Rose.

"Are you okay Rose? What happened in here?"

"I don’t know," Rose sniffed. "One minute I’m heading for the door then the next minute it swings shut and wouldn’t open. I think Jack made it go away though. I heard his voice…singing to me…it was like he was telling me everything was going to be ok. That he’d make it stop."

"I guess you believe in ghosts now don’t ya?" Claire smiled reassureingly at Rose. Rose didn’t answer, she just stared off in the distance, still stuck at the bow of the ship with Jack. She could see him so perfectly. His blond hair blowing in the wind. His blue eyes sparkling with love. He smiled and mouthed I love you and then he was gone and she was back in the real world with Claire again.

"I guess I do," Rose smiled. "Let’s get out of here Claire. I don’t care to stay any longer."

"And Rose…don’t tell my father about this. I don’t want to give him anymore ghost stories to tell passerbys," Claire follows Rose down the stairs and out of the house.

"Ok Claire. I won’t tell," Rose agrees. She turns back to the house for one more look and gasps when she thinks she could see three figures staring out at her from the window of Jack’s room. One was a woman, the other two were men, but only one of them had the familiar hieght and shape that she longed to see again. Jack.

"Rose? Are you ok?" Claire asked.

"I’m fine," Rose smiled as the figures disappeared and the room went dark again. "Let’s go."

The next day Rose said good-bye to Claire, but not before Rose had Claire’s father take a picture…something to remember Claire and Chippewa Falls by other than just a memory. He had Claire and Rose stand together, arm and arm. The two loves of Jack’s all too short life. Rose smiled as she once again heard the song that she now considered her and Jack’s song. That was the smile she wore at the bow of the ship and that was the smile she wore now as the picture was taken. She was never going to forget her visit to Chippewa Falls. Maybe someday she’ll even come back, but she didn’t know when that would be.

"Take care of yourself Rose, and of Jack’s baby," Claire grinned hugging her new friend "and write and send me a copy of that picture. I’d like to have one for our album."

"I will," Rose smiled at her new found friend…the first friend she’s made since she had begun her new life as Rose Dawson. "Take care of Jack’s house. Make sure those passerbys leave it alone."

"I will," Claire grinned. "Bye Rose."

"Bye," Rose waved, walking down the path leading to the trainstation. She never did return to Chippewa Falls, but she carried the memories with her always.

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