AFTER TITANIC
BOOK ONE
Chapter Thirty-Six
Rose awakens in Jack's hospital
room, her neck cramped from falling asleep in the chair. She
glances over at Jack. He looked so peaceful, like he was asleep .
But Rose knew better. He wasn't asleep. In fact, he may never
wake up at all.
"Rose," a familiar voice appears in the doorway. She
looks up to see Fabrizio smiling at her. He looked the same the
last time she saw him. Then fear strikes her. What was he doing
here? Did he come for Jack?"
"No Rose, I haven't come
for Jack. He's already with me and he's waiting for you. That's
why I'm here. To bring you to him."
"But he's right here," Rose replied, looking back at
the bed but Jack wasn't there. He was gone.
"Come Rose," Fabrizio holds out his hand. "He's
waiting for you and you don't have mcuh time. You'll wake up
soon."
Rose nods in understanding and takes Fabrizio's hand.
She gasps in surprise as they exit the hospital room and end up
outside on the deck of Titanic. "Jack's here?"
"We thought it'd be better for him than that dark place.
This way he's surrounded by friends," Fabrizio explained.
"There he is," Fabrizio points to the bow of the ship
where a tall man with blond hair has his back to her.
"Jack," Rose cried in happiness, running towards him.
Then she stops about five yards from him. "Hello Jack."
He turns and smiles when he saw who it was. She runs into his
outstretched arms and let her tears flow. She missed him so much.
"Oh Jack."
"Shhh Rose. It's okay. Everything will be alright," He
soothed her, stroking her red curls.
"How can you say that? Do you even remember what
happened?" Rose pulls out of the hug and looks him squarely
in the eye.
"Of course I do. In fact, I've been worried about you. How
are you holding up?"
Rose looks down at her feet. "Not too well Jack. I don't
know how I'm going to get through this without your strength. Why
did this happen? Why did this happen to you?"
"Shhh Rose. Don't ask why. There's never a right answer. It
did happen though and we have to accept it. And you are strong
Rose and you'll get through this just fine. Believe me,"
Jack pulled her into another hug. "And I'll be home before
you know it. I promise and you know me. I've never broken a
promise to you have I?"
Rose shakes her head, sniffling. "I miss you Jack and so do
the twins."
"And I miss all three of you too."
"Oh Jack, I hve to tell you what happened this
morning," Cal suddenly comes to Rose's mind. She had so much
to tell Jack.
"There's no time Rose. You have to go," Jack sighed
sadly, his eyes revealing how sad he was to have to let her go.
"What do you mean I have to go? No Jack. I don't want to
leave you. Not yet."
"You have to wake up Rose. You can't sleep forever,"
Jack said. "I promise I'll send for you tonight. We'll have
more time then and then you can tell me what you have to."
"But Jack!" Rose can feel herself drifting away from
Jack, he was getting farther and farther away from her. He had
his hand outstretched towards her, but she couldn't reach it.
"Jack!"
"I love you Rose! I'll love you forever!" Jack called
before he disappeared under two puffy white clouds.
No! Not yet! She wasn't ready to leave him. "Jack!"
Rose bolts awake in the hospital room. "Jack," She
begins to sob as she stares at his pale form, not responding to
her calls.
"I love you Rose," she could hear his voice whisper in
her ear.
"Jack," Rose sobbed harder.
"Rose?" Katherine enters the room tentatively. She knew
Rose would be there, but she wasn't expecting the tears that are
now freely flowing.
"Jack," Rose sobbed.
"Oh Rose don't cry," Katherine immediately goes to her
and wraps her arms around her. "He'll be fine Rose. I know
he will be. Us Dawsons...we're fighters."
"Can we come in?" Eliza asked, Maxwell behind her.
"I don't think so," Katherine angrily stands up.
"I think you two have caused enough pain and suffering
already. Look at Rose. She's a hysterical mess."
"Wait a minute. This is not our fault," Maxwell steps
in front of Eliza. "If you want to blame someone, blame Lee
Conway. He's the one who was pointing a gun at everybody, who
pulled the trigger. Now we're sorry about what happened to Jack,
but I'm not going to stand here to let you blame us for what
happened."
"Now let me tell you..." Katherine begins.
"Stop it!" Rose yelled. "Stop arguing. It's not
doing Jack any good."
"Rose..." Katherine began.
"No! Jack doesn't need this. He doesn't need the people he
cares most about arguing among themselves. He needs love and
devotion and friendship. Not this. So if you can't get along with
each other and not blame each other for what happened then
leave!"
"Well said Rose," Molly appears in the doorway.
"You hit the nail on the head."
"What's going on in here?" Ruth appears behind Molly
holding the twins.
"Mother, what are the twins doing here?" Rose asked,
taking Tommy.
"I thought it'd encourage Jack to come back to us. Let him
know that the children miss and need their daddy. Besides, Tommy
had said his first word and Jack should hear it."
"Dada," Tommy points at Jack. "Dada."
"Oh my goodness. Jack would be so pleased if he was awake to
hear this," Rose smiled.
"Dada," Tommy called again.
"Tommy, daddy can't play with you right now. But you can
talk to him," Rose brings the baby over to Jack. "Maybe
hearing your voice will get him to wake up."
"Dada," Tommy again replied, looking down at his father
and pointing. "Dada."
Suddenly Tommy begins to whimper, joined by his sister.
"Oh Tommy don't do that," Rose begged.
"Dada," Tommy cried.
"I'll take the children outside," Molly takes Tommy.
"Come on Ruth. Let's calm down the children and take them
home."
Rose watches them leave, then collapses into the chair, burying
her head in her hands. Jack was missing everything. He'll be
heartbroken when he finds out he missed Tommy's first word and
acknowledged Jack as his daddy.
"Rose please..." Eliza began, her eyes pleading, but
Rose wasn't paying attention. She was thinking of what Jack's
reaction would have been if he had been awake to hear his son
call him daddy. He would have been so happy.
"Come on Eliza. I think Rose needs time to be by herself for
a while," Maxwell stirs his wife out of the room.
"Will you be ok Rose?" Katherine asked.
"I'll be fine," Rose said. "I just need to be
alone with Jack."
"Okay. But I'll be back to check up on you later. And
grandfather sends his love. He would be here himself, but in his
condition the doctors thought it wouldn't be a good idea."
"I understand. Tell him not to worry. Jack survived the
freezing waters of the North Atlantic. He'll survive this too. I
know he will," Rose forces a smile. "Fate wouldn't
spare him then just to take him away from me a year later would
it?"
"Fate's a funny thing Rose. That's all I can tell ya,"
Katherine sighed. "Well, I'll see you later. Bye."
"Bye Kathy," Rose watched her leave. Then she turned
and watched Jack for the rest of the day. Never leaving his side.