Chapter Two: Together Again

The Party is in Full swing. Everyone is having a great time, all except for Jack, who's bored to death with Becky's endless chatter about how she chose just the right dress to wear to the occasion. How did he let Carl talk him into this, he'd never know.
"Are you listening Jack? This dress costed my parents a pretty penny. I had to practically beg them to get it for me," Becky blabbered on.
"That's nice Becky," Jack replied, his voice far away. He decided to just block her out. Maybe pretend that he was back at the steerage party with Rose aboard Titanic.

"Hey Jack!" Carl waved to his friend when he spots him. "Having a good time?"
Jack openly glares at Carl. Carl just grins apolagetically and shrugs his shoulders. He knew Becky was a air-head and would most likely annoy Jack, but she was his sister and whatever she wanted, he tried to get for her...that way she'd stay off his back and he wouldn't have to hear her blabbering.
"Where's William?" Jack asked, looking around the room for his other friend.
"He went to pick up Gretchen and her friend Rose. I'm surprised that girl has the nerve to come out in her condition. Quite the scandal may I tell you," Becky rolls her eyes.
Quite the scandal. Rose's words about Madeline Astor when she was pointing out the rich and famous aboard the ship to him. But coming from Becky, it seemed so...judgemental...so cruel."
"Come on Becky. Give the girl a break. There's nothing wrong with having a good time. Pregnant or not," Carl stood up for the girl.
"Yeah, pregnant without a father. Oh why did she have to come here and aoil our town's reputation for? Why couldn't she stay where ever she came from?"
"Are you thirsty?" Jack asked, wanting to get away from Becky's ranting and raving. He's never met someone as arrogant and judgemental as Becky. She even made Cal Hockley and Ruth Dewitt Bukater look like kind missionairies.
"I guess come cider would be nice," Becky smiled at him. "Don't be too long now."
Jack ignored her as he headed off towards the back doors of the barn. He needed his space and where else to get it than outside away from all the noise. Becky can wait for her cider.

"I don't know about this Gretchen," Rose sighed as they approach the lit up Anderson barn. Doubts about this outing was beginning rise up. She shouldn't be doing this, not in her condition. It was bad enough that everyone here thought she was whore, but showing up here was going to disgrace her reputation even more. She should have stayed at the boarding house.
"Don't be silly Rose. You'll be fine. If anyone says anything, let me know. I'll take care of them for ya," Gretchen turns to her and grins. "Besides, all of Williams friends are nice. They won't judge you. You can hang with them all night if you want."
"There's truth to that Rose. They are nice, even though my friend Jack's been a little gloomy of lately," William agreed.
"A little gloomy? He's been down right down in the dumps ever since he returned to Chippewa Falls," Gretchen giggled. "Such a shame to. He's the best looking guy next to my William here. All the girls are wanting him to court them. But he has shown no interest in anyone."
Jack? Could it be? No. It couldn't be her Jack. He was gone, frozen at the bottom of the Atlantic. Besides, wouldn't he have seen her by now and come to her if it was her Jack? Unless...he was disappointed in her and didn't want her anymore. No. That wasn't it. This Jack wasn't her Jack. Her Jack was gone forever and wouldn't be coming back.
"Well Gretchen, you're in for a surprise. Carl talked Jack into escourting Becky to the bash," William grinned.
"What! But he hates her! He's always hated her! Why would he go out with her now?"
"Like I said, Carl talked him into it," William replied. "Now let's drop this conversation. We're here to have a good time."
The party was well underway when they entered. Everyone was either talking or dancing. This kind of reminded Rose of the steerage party Jack took her to on board Titanic. Full of fun and laugher. All she needed now was irish music and Jack.
"William! You're finally here!" Carl waves to his friend, heading in their direction.
"Hello Carl," Gretchen smiled demurely at him. "You know Rose don't you?"
"Sure I do," Carl turns to Rose and grins. "Glad to see you here Rose. May I be the first to welcome you to the Anderson farm."
"Thank-you," Rose smiled. "It's nice to be here."
"Gretchen, how about a dance," William offers.
"What about Rose?" Gretchen turns to her freind, who's looking a bit uncomfortable with Carl's arm around her.
"I'll be fine," Rose nods, forcing a smile. "Go, have a good time."
"Ok then," Gretchen allows William to lead her onto the dance floor.
"Well Rose, where are you from and what brings you to our little town?" Carl leads her to a table of four.
"Philadelphia. A friend of mine was from here and I decided to come check it out," Rose smiled.
"Carl," Beck shows up behind her brother. "What are you doing talking to her?"
"Becky what are you doing here?" Carl turns to face his sister. "Where's your date. I thought he'd be keeping you busy."

"He'll be back in a moment. But I still want to know what are you doing talking to her?
"That's none of your business," Carl narrows his eyes at his sister. "Now I suggest you go find Jack. I'm sure he's missing you wherever he is right now."

"Why did you come here anyway?" Becky turns to Rose, ignoring her brother's suggestion. "This is a decent place for decent people."
"Becky..." Carl's voice had a warning to it, but that didn't stop Becky any.
"I was invited," Rose answered, trying to regain some of that upper-class composure she once had before Titanic, but failed miserably.
"By who? Not my parents of course. And certainly not by any of us citizens. This party is for townspeople only, not outsiders. Especially not outsiders who are whores!"
"Becky!" Carl angrily grabs his sister's arms. "Apolagize right now!"
By now the music had stopped and everyone is looking over at the table...looking at Rose. Their eyes are accusing and judgemental. Becky was right. She wasn't wanted here. She shouldn't have come.
"Don't stop the girl when she's telling the truth!" Another voice pipes in. She turns to see a middle-aged woman emerge from the crowd. She turns to Rose. "I suggest you leave. You're not wanted here."
Looking around at the faces around the room, Rose knew it was true. She was unwanted and she should leave, but the room is so crowded that she forgot where the entrance was. Well, she was going to find a door outside anyway, from there she can make her way back to the boarding house, have her things packed, and be gone from Chippewa Falls for good. Even though the love of her life was from here, she didn't want her child to grow up being thought of as a bastard.
Taking one last look at the people around her, except for Carl, Gretchen, and William, Rose heads for the back door of the barn and disappears.

Jack is sitting on a bench outside, looking at the stars when he hears a familar sound. The sound of footsteps running. Curious, he sits up to see a flash of red pass him.
Getting off the bench, he follows the footsteps until they stop in front of a gigantic oak tree. He sees a girl with her back facing him, leaning into the oak tree crying, her red girls flowing in the soft breeze.
She reminded him of Rose so much. The same length of hair...the same height, the way she stood there was just like Rose. And her crys...her sobs...they were just like

his Rose's. and her hair...the color was the same color of Rose's.
Was he imagining this? Did he want Rose back so bad that he'd turn a perfect stranger into her? Her face. That would be what broke the image. Her face had to be different. But the only way to get her to face him was to say something. But what? What did he say to Rose when they first met? Don't do it? He couldn't very well say that to this girl. She was no where near jumping off a back of a ship. What could he say to her?
"Hello?" He tentatively asked, stepping closer to her, close enough to put a gentle hand on her shoulder.
The girl turns around at his touch and gasps in surprise. Jack to takes a step back, his eyes widen in shock.
"J-Jack?" The girl asked, her tears flowing freely.
"Rose?"
The girl shakes her head in disbelief and presses against the tree. "This can't be. I must be ging crazy."
"Rose?"
"Jack," The girl sobs and collapses to the ground, covering her face in her hands. Her sobs are so great that they shake her fragile frame.
Jack's heart soars with joy at the sound of his name coming from her lips. He was now convinced. This was his Rose. The Rose he thought was dead. By some miracle, she was given back to him. He had to get her out of here. Back to the house.
"Oh Rose," He kneels down in front of her and takes her in his arms and strokes her hair. "It's okay now Rose. We're back together now. It's okay."
"You're real," Rose pulls away from him, her eyes full of wonder and disbelief, she reaches up and touches his face. Her eyes light up with indescribable joy. "You're real. You're alive."
Jack loveingly smiles at her and places his hand over hers. "So are you. I can't begin to tell you how much I prayed for this moment."
"Oh Jack!" Rose cried tears of happiness. "I've missed you so much! I thought I'd never see you again."

"Rose. Was that why you were crying just now? Because you thought you'd never see me again?"
Rose looks at him, her tears now gone. Should she tell him about what happened inside? Should she tell him about the baby?
"Rose?"
"Jack..."
"Why Jack there you are," Becky comes out of the barn along with William, Carl, and Gretchen. "I was looking all over for you. What's she still doing here?"
"Rose are you alright?" Gretchen runs to her friends side.
"I'm fine. Everything's alright now," Rose smiled. "Don't worry."
"Mind telling us what's going on here?" Carl asked, noticing how Jack didn't move from his position and how the two looked at each other...like they've known each other their whole lives.
"Well, I guess you all met Rose," Jack stands up but doesn't leave her side. "...My fiancee."
"Fiancee?" William walks up to his friend. "You didn't tell us you were engaged."
"You mean this is the Jack you were talking about yesterday?" Gretchen turns to Rose, her eyes wide in disbelief.
Rose simply nods.

We both thought the other was dead," Jack explained. "That's why I've been so depressed these past months. I thought I lost Rose. But I didn't. Here she is."
"Oh Rose, I'm so happy for you and the baby!" Gretchen throws her arms around her friend. "Just wait until mother finds out. She's going to be so happy for you."
"If you don't mind, I'd like to take Rose back to the house now. We've got a lot to talk about," Jack helps her to her feet.
"Don't you think that's improper?" Becky for the first time speaks up.
"What?" Jack turns on her. He's about had enough of Becky's snotty attitude.
"Don't you think it's improper? I mean, you two aren't married yet. It's inappropriate to live together unless you're married."
"...She's right Jack. Mother won't allow Rose to move in with you until you're married," Gretchen places a arm around Rose's shoulder.
"I didn't say anything about moving in," Jack keeps his temper. How could they think that of him, that he would soil Rose's reputation like that? Maybe because he already has. He noticed Rose's condition

when they were in each other's arms and knew what it had done to her reputation already. He didn't want to make things any worse. "I wanted to take her back to the house so we can talk about some things. Alone."
"I don't know..." Gretchen sighed.
"I'll walk her back to your house later. I promise," Jack said, looking Gretchen squarely in the eyes.
"...Okay then. As long as you promise. Rose, I'll tell mother to leave the door unlocked for you," Gretchen hugs her friend and whispers. "I'm so happy for you. Now aren't you glad you came?"
Rose just nods. "Thank-you."
"Come on guys, let's go back into the party," Gretchen replied, heading back inside.
"But how about me?" Becky whined. "Jack was supposed to be my date and now I'm dateless."
"Who cares," Carl brushed off his sister's whining.
"Come on Rose. Le't go," Jack takes her hand and leads her away from the Anderson farm.

"Come on in, make ourself at home," Jack replied as they entered the house and he switched on the light. "Sorry about the mess, I haven't actually been up on the housekeeping lately. I bet my parents are turning in their graves right now because of this mess.
Really the house wasn't that much a mess. A couple of shirts on the couch and a couple of dishes in the sink was all that littered the rooms. Otherwise Jack kept house pretty well.
"I think it's wonderful," Rose said, glancing around at her surroundings. This house was perfect to raise a small family. She couldn't wait until her and jack

could begin theirs...that is if he still wanted her.
"The perfect place to start a family," Jack smiled, walking up to her and takes her hand. Looking into her eyes, his smile disappears as he remembers her tears from earlier. What was that all about? "Rose come. Let's set down and talk. I want to know why you were crying out at the Anderson farm. Did something happen? Did someone say something to offend you?"
Rose looks inot his penetrating blue eyes. Then everything came out in a flow of tears. Finding out she was pregnant, coming to Chippewa Falls, being called a whore behind her back...and then the scene at the party before Jack had found her.
"Oh Rose....what have I done," Jack strokes her hair, taking her in his arms and holding her close.
"You've done nothing. I was the one throwing myself at you like that."
"But I didn't have to take advantage of you like that. I should have kept my head."
"I guess we both lost our heads that night," Rose sniffed, pulling away from Jack. "Oh Jack, I've missed you so much. I still can't believe you're here with me. It all seems like a dream."
"Well it's not a dream. We're both here alive and well," Jack smiled. "Rose. There's one thing I don't understand though. I searched everywhere for you on the Carpathia. I even checked the survivors list and you were down as deceased."
"That's because Rose Dewitt Bukater is deceased. I killed her the moment they asked for my name. I go by Rose Dawson now," Rose laughed. "That way mother and Cal wouldn't find me and I had the freedom I longed for."
"I should have known that," Jack sighed and laughed at the same time. "I don't know why that didn't occur to me."
Rose just smiled and lovingly touched his face, still not quite believeing he was real. She had dreamed of this moment so many times and always she woke up alone and miserable. "You're really here. I'm not dreaming."
Jack laughed at her disbelief and wonder. "Yes Rose. I'm here. You're not dreaming and neither am I. I love you Rose and I was wondering...can you wait right here for a minute? I have to go upstairs and get something."
Rose is confused. "Sure. I'll be waiting right here."
Fifteen minutes later, Jack returned, his hand behind his back. What was he up to?
"Now Rose, back to where I left off," Jack said kneeling before her. "I love you and I was wondering if you'd like to make Dawson your real last name?" He takes a black ring box from behind his back and opens it to reveal a simple solitaire diamond ring. "Rose...will you marry me?"
Rose clamps her hand over her mouth as a sob escapes, tears of happiness spills from her eyes. Her dreams were coming true. "Yes Jack. Yes I'll marry you," Rose throws her arms around him.
Jack smiles and pulls away from the hug. "This ring was handed down in my mother's family from daughter to daughter. But since my parents didn't have any daughters, my mother gave it to me when I was fourteen. She told me to gived it to the woman I was going to spend the rest of my life with. And of course that woman is you. I know she'd want you to have it."
"Oh Jack! It's beautiful. I love it," Rose sobs as he slid the ring on her finger. "I love it and I love you."
"I love you too Rose, and as soon as possible we'll be married and this will be your home."
Rose just smiled and hugged him again. Her life was perfect now. Not only was she having Jack's baby, but by some miracle she had gotten him back and they were going to be married soon. She was the happiest she's ever been in her entire life because now they were together again and this time she knew nothing on earth could come between them.

"I hate to say good night. I'm afraid that I'll wake up and it'll all be a dream," Rose stares into Jack's eyes, loving the way they sparkled and danced in the moonlight. Oh how she missed them.
"Don't worry Rose, it's not a dream. I'm here and you're here and soon we'll never have a reason to be apart again.," Jack takes her hand and pulls her into a warm embrace and a passionate kiss.
"Get a room why don't ya?" William laughs, coming up with Gretchen, who's grinning from ear to ear.
"Because I don't want to get in trouble with Mrs. Bloom and I'm keeping a promise to get Rose back," Jack smiles, releasing Rose.
"I wasn't sure if you'd keep that promise or not," Gretchen searches for the house key. "I saw the way you two were looking at each other...only newlyweds have that look in their eyes."
"Well, in a couple of more weeks we will be newlywed and you two are invited to the wedding," Jack grinned happily.
"Wedding? Oh Rose! How wonderful! There hasn't been a wedding in Chippewa Falls for ages!" Gretchen hugs her friend. "Mother and I are going to be so busy helping you get ready."
"And I of course will be busy as best man. I am going to be best man ain't I Jack?" William clears his throat.
"Of course you are. Besides, I need some sort of revenge on Carl for setting me up with Becky. She makes Caledon Hockley look like a prince," Jack laughed.
"Who?" Both Gretchen and William asked.
"Oh no one important," Rose smiled. "Well I guess Gretchen and I better be getting in before Mrs. Bloom thinks we're not coming back." Rose turns to the door.
"I'll come by tomorrow Rose," Jack said. We'll spend the day together down at lake wissota."
"That sounds like fun," Rose grins, loving the idea of spinning a full day with him.
"Good-night Rose," Jack watches her enter the house.
"Come on Jack. Let's be on our way," William pulls his friend off the porch step. Together they head for home. The coming wedding on their minds.

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