AFTER TITANIC

BOOK ONE

Chapter Twenty-nine

Rose yawns as they return home from the wedding. She was so thrilled for Eliza and Maxwell. She knew things would work out. They had to.
"I suppose you're happy about all of this," Jack smiled, taking her coat and hanging both coats on the coat tree.
"I can't help it Jack. I mean, it was so spectacular. maxwell coming to whisk her away like that," Rose grinned, plopping down on the nearby sofa.
"Molly and I will take the children to bed," Ruth takes the babies away from Jack and heads upstairs with Molly behind her. Jack stares after the women until they disappear on up the stairs.
"Your mother was great tonight," Jack came and sat by Rose. "Don't you agree?"
Rose nodded. "She really did surprise me. I thought she'd side with Mrs. Hathaway, but she didn't...she stood up for Eliza."
"I think you ought to commend her for that. Let her know that you noticed," Jack said.
"Jack..."
"She's your mother Rose, and she obviously loves you and you do love her. I saw it in your eyes tonight," Jack turns Rose to face him. "Rose, she's your mother. Do you know how lucky you are to have her? How truly special she is?"
"Jack..."
"I would do anything to have my mother alive and well, here with us right now. But that can't be. But Rose, you have your mother here right now, waiting for you to finally forgive her...to love her," Jack strokes her cheek gently, unshed tears are welling up in Rose's eyes. "Rose, there are so many things I've wanted to say to my parents but will never have the chance, because I waited too long. By time I was ready to say what I wanted to say...they were dead. Rose...I'm begging you. Don't let that happen to you. Don't wait to tell your mother your feelings. Let her know now before it's too late."
Rose wipes at her tears, touched by Jack's words. She had no idea it was like that for him. Now she can see why reconciling with her mother was so important to Jack and he was right. She had to let her mother know how she felt. "You're right Jack. I'll go up and talk to her right now."
"I knew you'd do the right thing."
"Rose smiled as she left Jack and went upstairs to find her mother reading a story to the twins.
"Mother?" Rose asked, entering the nursery.
"Oh Rose," Ruth immediately stands up, laying the book she was reading down on the bed. "I'm surprised to see you. I thought you and Jack were in middle of something."
"Mother...I just wanted to thank you for standing up for Eliza like that tonight. I must say that I was surprised," Rose smiled. "That really meant a lot to both me and Jack."
"Oh it was nothing," Ruth walks up to her daughter. "I just didn't want to see some one make the same mistake I made. That's all."
"Well mother...I just wanted to say that you did a good thing tonight and I'm proud of you. I really am."
Tears well up in Ruth's eyes. She can't stop the tears. This has been the moment she's been waiting for for so long. "Oh Rose...you don't know how much that means to me," Ruth cried, taking her daughter in her arms and hugging her tight.
Jack watches the scene from out in the halll and smiles to himself. Things were as they should be. Rose and her mother had now taken another step towards reconciliation.
He's about to go to his and Rose's room to get ready for bed when there's an urgent knock at the door. Wondering who it could be, he goes downstairs and opens the door to Maxwell and Eliza.
"Hey you two," He greets. "What are you two doing here? I thought you'd be on your way out of Chippewa Falls by now."
"That's the problem. We don't have anywhere to go but here. Mother and Lee will be waiting for us at Maxwell's house," Eliza explained. "This was the only place we could think to come until we can figure out what to do. It's okay if we stay here isn't it?"
"Of course it's ok. we'll be happy to have you," Jack beckons for them to come in. "Rose is upstairs with her mother right now, but she'll be down in a second."

Chapter Twenty-Nine continued...

"I'd like to thank you two," Maxwell smiled. "Eliza told me that you and Rose were part of her final decision to come with me. I don't know how you did it, but I'm glad you did."
Jack just shruged and smiled. "I don't know how we did it either."
"It was your experience on Titanic that made me open my eyes. If you two could survive all that and still be together...then I could find the courage to do what made me happy."
"Rose told you about that?" Jack's surprised. They hardly talk about Titanic anymore.
"It was a long time ago that she told me. But it stayed with me. You two are absolutely unbelievable."
Jack didn't know what to say. He just smiled and glanced at the floor. "Well, I guess Lee was right when he said that it was my fault you left him."
"That's Lee for you. He could be bleeding out of his eyes, and it'd be your fault," Eliza smiled, giving Jack a short hug. "I'm sorry if I brought trouble into your life by doing this."
"Don't worry about it Eliza. I handled the meanest fiancee alive on Titanic. I can definately handle Lee Conway," Jack laughed.
"Eliza! Maxwell!" Rose cried as she comes down the stairs. "I'm so happy for you."
"Thank you Rose. For everything," Eliza hugs her friend tightly. "I hope that we can be as happy as you and Jack are right now."
"Oh you will be Eliza, believe me," Rose smiles, walking over to Jack and putting her arms around his waist.
Suddenly there's a loud banging at the door. Everyone immediately knew who it was.
"It's Lee," Eliza gasped.
"Don't worry. I can handle him," Maxwell stands in front of her.
"I'll answer it," Jack said, leaving Rose's side to answer the door.
Indeed it is Lee when Jack opens the door. Not only Lee, but it's also Marge Hathaway. Both are extremely angry.
"Where is she Dawson! Don't say you don't know, I know better," Lee barges in and stops when he sees Maxwell and Eliza in each other's arms.
"If you don't mind Lee, keep it down. The twins are asleep and me and Rose want to keep it that way," Jack closes the door behind them.
"Get your hands off my daughter!" Marge demands, storming up to Maxwell and Eliza, this just makes Maxwell hold her tighter.
"What do you want Lee?" Eliza asked. "I'm not going to marry you."
"Yes you will marry me! You're my fiancee!" Lee shouted, advancing on the couple. Maxwell immediately pulls Eliza behind him.
"Lee calm down. Getting angry isn't going to make her come back to you," Jack comes up behind him. "Face it, she doesn't love you and doesn't want to marry you."
"This is your fault Dawson!" Lee turns on Jack. "I bet it was here that she met him!"
"Don't blame Jack. He had nothing to do with it," Eliza speaks up. "This is my decision, no one else's."
Suddenly two pairs of cries erupt from the house.
"I'll go check on them," Rose sighed, heading upstairs to see what was going on with her babies.
"Come on Eliza. We don't have time for this foolishness. We have a wedding to reschedule," Marge crosses her arms. "You've had your fun, now it's over."
"Go away mother. I'm not leaving with you...either of you," Eliza refuses.
"This is absurd," Marge snorted. "You're behaving like a child."
"Listen, why don't you two just go home for now and come back in the morning. You can talk about it then," Jack replied.
"And have them be gone by morning? I don't think so," Marge turns on Jack.
"I've had enough of this foolishness!" Lee exclaimed angrily. "you're coming with me!"
Lee reaches behind Maxwell and grabs Eliza's arm and begins pulling her towards the door.
"Lee no! Let me go!" Eliza screamed.
Rose comes to the top of the stairs, a crying Molly in her arms. She couldn't believe what was going on in her own house. She had to do something. "Jack do something."
"You're not taking her anywhere Lee," Jack steps in front of the door, giving Maxwell enough time to catch up with Lee and pull Eliza out of his grasp.
"I've had enough of this Dawson," Lee punches Jack hard enough to knock him up against the door.
"jack!" Rose screamed.
"Lee stop it!" Eliza yelled.
"This is all absurd," marge comes up behind Lee, just in time for Jack to recover from Lee's punch and throw a punch of his own, sending Lee into Marge.
"Stop it!" Eliza cried.
"What's going on here!" Molly Brown appears at the top of the stairs. She immediately goes downstairs and gets between Lee and Jack before Lee could retaliate. "Stop this foolishness right now boys. There's no reason to fight."
"I just want my fiancee back," Lee growled, glaring at Jack.
"Well darling, I hate to break this to you but jack's not the one who stole her away from you. You punched the wrong guy. Besides, that won't bring her back to you," Molly said. "Now I suggest you take poor Marge here home and get some rest yourself. You're doing no good being here."
Lee glares at Molly and turns and glares at Eliza and Maxwell. "This isn't over yet," Lee growled, grabbing Marge and pulling her out the door.
"Jack," Rose runs down the stairs and into his arms.
"It's okay now Rose. He's gone."
"But he won't be gone for long. What are we going to do?" Eliza cried, burying her face in Maxwell's shoulder.
Then the idea pops into Jack's head. He can remember the conversation he had with Rose months and months ago on the deck of Titanic:
"We'll drink cheap beer, ride the roller coaster 'til we throw up, and ride horses right in the surf..."
"Santa Monica," Jack smiled.
"What?" Rose asked, pulling out of his arms.
"Rose you remember don't you? The pier...California," Jack openly grins now.
"What are you talking about? What does California have to do with any of this?"
"They can go to California...all of us can. It's perfect," Jack said. "Lee won't look for them there, it's beautiful and warm, the perfect place to raise children...besides, I have a promise to keep."
Rose laughs at the memory. She's completely forgotten about that conversation. But Jack's right. It was the perfect place. Then her smile disappears. "What about Molly and mother?"
"Oh don't worry about us Rose," Molly walks over to the girl. "We'll be fine, and we'll come visit as soon as you're settled."
"Does this sound good to you guys?" Jack asked, turning to Eliza and Maxwell.
The couple looks at each other, both deep in thought. They hated to leave Chippewa Falls. All their friends and family were here, but they also knew that as long as they stayed here, it would be almost impossible for them to stay together. Following Jack and Rose to California was the only way.

"Sounds good to us," Maxwell nods. "So when do we leave?"
"How about two days from now. That'll give Jack and Rose some time to pack up their things, me enough time to get the tickets for the four of you and in the mean time, you two can stay with me," Molly suggests. "That way that Lee won't be bothering ya."
"That sounds great," Eliza hugs Molly. "Rose was right. You are a guardian angel."
"But Molly, you don't have to buy the tickets. You've done so much for us already," Jack said.
"Jack I want to do this. Don't even think about refusing my offer," Molly growled. "But since you're going to be full of pride, how about this. I'll pay for Eliza and Maxwell. You can pay for you and Rose and the children. How about that? Does that sound good to you?"
Jack smiled and nods, pulling Rose into a hug and whispers, "Be ready to ride like a man," Which sends Rose into a fit of laughter.
The four young people are now happy and looking forward to their new adventure in California.

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