CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Rose sighed happily as she woke up in her husband’s arms. Today was a gorgeous day and Jack had the day off. They could spend all day together doing nothing, or doing everything. Whatever Jack wanted.

She looked up at his face and sighed. He was so peaceful, and his mouth…those pouty lips…they were just begging to be kissed and that’s what she did. He wakes up instantly.

"Morning Rose," He smiled, once she broke the kiss.

"Morning Jack. Did you have sweet dreams?"

"The best because they were all of you and Rebecca. What do you want to do today?"

"I don’t know. We could stay right here and make some return trips to my star…" Rose smiled seductively, gazing into his eyes.

"Or we can call Susan and make sure that Annette got settled in alright first," Jack reaches for the phone. "I still can’t believe she insisted on moving out."

"Well she saw that there wasn’t enough room Jack," Rose sighed. "She made a wise decision. Come on back Jack. I really was looking forward to that trip."

"Oh really?"

Rose nods, her eyes serious.

"Well then, your wish is my command," Jack begins to tickle her til he has her pinned flat to the bed and he’s on top of her, they both are laughing.

"Jack stop! Stop Jack!" Rose laughed.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio and Katie are downstairs cooking breakfast when there’s loud banging on the door.

"Fabri darling, will you answer that please?" Katie’s still stirring the popping eggs. "My hands are full."

Fabri nods and gasps when he opens the door to Louis Dubois. He wasn’t surprised really, he knew the crazy french man would come looking for his wife, he was just surprised that he had come so soon.

"Now I know Dawson is here," Louis pushed his way into the house. "He never goes anywhere without you. So where is he. I want to talk to him."

Then he hears the laughter upstairs, one belonging to a man and another a woman…his wife he assumes. Well he was going to put a stop to it. He dashes up the stairs, much to Fabrizio’s dismay.

"Wait!" Fabrizio calls, going after the heavy man. "You can’t go up there!"

"The hell I can’t!" Louis snarled, heading from the room where the sounds were coming from. He stops and points. "Are they in there?!"

Fabrizio can only shake his head, cursing Annette Dubois to hell bringing this trouble to all their lives. "At least knock."

"Like hell I will," Louis Dubois growled, throwing the door open to see Jack and a red haired girl he never saw before in a very compromising position.

"Jack!" Rose gasps, immediately pulling the covers around herself. Jack was already partially dressed, so he didn’t have to worry about that.

"Sorry Jack…I tried to stop him," Fabrizio turns away, embarrassed to see Rose barely dressed.

"Well don’t just stand there! Get out!" Rose demands angrily, their romantic morning ruined. "Get out!"

"I’ll handle this Rose," Jack silently replied, leaving the bed and leaving the room, closing the door tightly behind him. "I guess you’ve never heard of knocking."

"I’m looking for my wife Dawson and don’t tell me she’s not here. She was seen boarding a train heading here," Louis growled.

"So you just assumed she was with me right?" Jack asked, crossing his arms, not liking how Louis’s eyes kept lingering on the closed door of the bedroom. "Well as you plainly saw right now, I’m not with your wife. "

"Jack?" Rose exits the room, fully clothed, she fully glares at Louis. "Who is this and what’s his explanation for barging into our bedroom unannounced like that?"

"This is Louis Dubois Rose. A aquaintance from Paris. Louis, this is my wife Rose Dawson," Jack introduced, taking her hand and pulling her closer to him.

"Have you seen Annette?" Louis questioned the red head.

Rose was at a loss of words. She looked up at Jack, but he wasn’t looking down at her, just openly glaring at Annette’s husband.

Rose opens her mouth to answer, but all too familiar cry rings out, "Mommy! Daddy! Mommy Daddy!"

"I’ll go check on her," Rose leaves Jack’s side immediately to go check on their daughter.

"Annette’s not here Louis. I suggest you go and terrorize someone else," Jack turns to go in the direction that Rose went. He can still hear their daughter calling out for him. "If you don’t mind, Rose needs help with our daughter. You know the way out."

"This isn’t over Dawson. Not by a long shot! I will find Annette!" Louis calls after Jack, but he’s just ignored.

"I suggest you leave now," Fabrizio crosses his arms.

"I will be back," Louis hissed, before heading down the stairs and out the door.

Rose is in the park with Katie and their children. Rose watched her daughter hand a flower to the younger child.

"They’re so beautiful," Rose smiled lovingly at the little boy and girl. She loved watching Becky’s blond curls bounce in the wind. She looked so much like Jack…it was almost scary.

"They’re sure to be sweethearts," Katie smiled. "Becky and Antonio."

Rose smiled again. She was at her happiest that moment. Her life had turned out so perfect. She had a loving husband, a beautiful daughter and wonderful friends. What more could she ask for?

Katie’s smile fades as she remembers that morning when Annette’s husband came barging into their house, ruining their morning, insisting that Annette was with Jack. Now why would he think that? Was there something about Jack and Annette that Rose ought to know about? "Uh…Rose. Have you talked to Jack about his past with Annette?"

"She’s a old friend of his from Paris with a violent husband. That’s all that he told me. Why?"
"No reason. It’s just that…it’s strange that Louis DuBois would think his wife was in bed with a friend."

"The man is paranoid and jealous Katie. If there was anymore to Jack’s relationship with Annette…he would have told me," Rose sighed.

"Where’s my wife?" Louis DuBois looms above the women meniceingly.

"We don’t know," Katie gets to her feet. Her irish temper boiling to the top. She didn’t like this man and wasn’t going to take nothing from him.

"Oh come on. I know better. Annette was seen boarding a train to this town, probably to meet up with her lover…Jack Dawson."

Rose stands up and faces the man. She didn’t like what this man was implying. Jack would have told her if there was something going on between Annette and himself. They told each other everything. He wouldn’t keep this from her…would he?

"Take that back! Jack wouldn’t do anything like that!"

"And how would Jack’s little whore know of such things?!" Louis laughs at the fiery little red head who was with Jack that morning.

"For one thing Mr. DuBois, I am not a whore. I’m Rose Dewitt Bukater Dawson. Jack’s wife! And another thing, you do not know one thing about my husband. He is a kind, honest, loving, gentle man. Something you know nothing about!"

"I know one thing Mrs. Dawson…your husband has been less than honest with you. Him and Annette were lovers! I know that for a fact because I caught them in bed together the night before Jack left Paris!"

Rose’s eyes widen in shock and disbelief. He’s lying. He had to be. Jack would never sleep with a married woman…and if he did…He would have told her…he would have told her that him and Annette were once lovers. Why would he lie to her? Rose looks up into the eyes of the angry man and couldn’t help the feeling that he was telling the truth. "You’re lying."

"Fraid not. Your husband and that slut of a wife of mine were indeed lovers. It doesn’t surprise me that she’d come running back here to her lover!"

"Rose," Katie notices the dazed expression on Rose’s face. She had to stop this mad man before he went any further. "You sir stop right this instant. If you’re looking for Annette, go to the boarding houses around about town, but leave poor Rose alone!"

Louis is about to argue again, but he notices the expression on Rose’s face and silently smiles. He may have gotten the best revenge he could on Dawson. Jack obviously loved his wife very much. She’s the most important thing to him, and louie thinks he may have somehow taken her away from Jack. This was good. This was very good. He tips his hat and walks away. "Very well then. Good day."

Katie glares after him until he disappears and turns her attention back to her friend. "He’s lying Rose. He’s lying."

"I have to see Jack," Rose puts her hands up to her head, trying to banish the flowing images of Jack and Annette together. Annette kissing Jack, touching Jack just as rose touches him.

"Rose?" Katie wasn’t sure that was a good idea.

"I have to see Jack now," Rose breaks away from her friend and runs back towards the house, leaving Katie to watch the children alone.

Jack is in the sitting room looking out the window when Rose returns home. She just stands there for a couple of minutes, watching him. She had memborized everything about him, from the top of his blond head to the bottom of his toes. There was nothing she didn’t know about him…or so she thought. She knew that Louis DuBois was lying, but she had to hear it from Jack himself in order for her to put this behind her.

Jack at first is lost in his own world when he feels her eyes on him. He turns and smiles. His smile fades when he sees the desparate look on her face. "Rose?" He gets to his feet and goes to her. Gently, he places his hands on her shoulders. "What’s wrong?"

Tears appear in her eyes. She tries to hold them back to no avail. "Tell me he was lying Jack."

"Who was lying?" He’s confused. "Rose what happened?"

"Louis DuBois, Annette’s husband said that you two were lovers. That he caught you two in bed together the day before you left Paris. Tell me it’s not true. I’ll believe you Jack, I promise I will. Just tell me that you never slept with her."

Jack exhaled. All the light going out of his eyes. DuBois that bastard. How could he do this to Rose? She was a innocent in all this. If DuBois wanted revenge he should have come to Jack himself. Not take it out on Rose. Looking in her eyes, begging him to deny the charges, jack knew he couldn’t out right lie to her. There was no way. He had to tell her the truth.

"Jack?" Rose is frieghtened by the solemn look in his eyes. "Tell me it’s not true."

"Rose…we weren’t lovers….but we did sleep together."
"What? You lied to me?"

"No Rose no. I didn’t lie to you. I just didn’t tell you that part. I didn’t want to hurt you."

"I thought I was your first…" Rose whispers, looking away from him.

"You were Rose. You were. What happened with Annette was just one of those things that happen. I didn’t love her. But I love you Rose. Our wedding night was my first time with the woman I love. That thing with Annette…she was upset…I was wanting to help her…"

"So you had sex with her? Do you do that for all the upset women you come across Jack? Have sex with them to make them feel better?" Rose’s voice grows loud and she jerks out of his grasp. "Is that all sex is for you?"

"No Rose no. It’s nothing like that. Please Rose…you have to understand…I was young back then…seventeen years old…Rose please…" He’s cut off by the sharp sting of Rose hand hitting his face. Hot anger burned in her eyes.

"Why didn’t you tell me?"
"I didn’t want to upset you Rose. "
"I was so stupid…to think that you truly loved me," Rose sniffed.

"Rose please, I do love you. What happened with Annette…it meant nothing to me. Please," Jack’s now crying himself, not bothering to stop the flow of tears.

"I have to get out of here," Rose heads for the door.

"Rose no! Please don’t go!" Jack reaches out for her but she backs further away.

"Just leave me alone Jack. I don’t want to see you," Rose bolts out of the room and out of the house.

"Rose no! Come back!" Jack cries, falling to his knees in desparation. She was gone. His whole world was gone.

Rose found herself outside the boarding house. She had no where else to go. She had forgotten that Annette was there also until she walked in and found her setting on the couch with Susan and Cal.

"Rose?" Susan gets to her feet, noticing the tears and anguish in Rose’s eyes.

"You…" Rose glares at Annette. "How could you?"

"How could she what?" Cal comes to Susan’s side.

"How could you sleep with Jack?" Rose sniffs.

"What?!" both Susan and Cal turn on Annette angrily.

"So you know. How did you find out? Jack told you?" Annette gets to her feet.

"Only after I confronted him after your husband told me," Rose faces the other woman, anger burning in her eyes. "I didn’t give Jack much of a choice after that."

"Louis’s here?" Annette’s face pales.

"Don’t worry. He doesn’t know where you are. But he was so kind to tell me about your affair with my husband."

"How could you? How could Jack? I never thought he was one to cheat on Rose," Susan hissed, pulling Rose into a protective hug.

"No, you don’t understand. Jack didn’t cheat on Rose. It happened before Jack and Rose even met…it happened in Paris…it was just that one time Rose and it didn’t mean anything."

"You slept with him and it didn’t mean anything?" Rose asks, disgust in her eyes. "How can you say that? How can you sleep with him and not have any feelings for him?!"

"Rose…I was nineteen years old when it happened and Jack was only seventeen. He was just a kid. All he knew about that day at the time was that I was extremely upset and the only time I was happy was when I was with him. If you asked me if I loved Jack, I’ll be honest with you…I did. I wanted to be close to him that day…know what it was like to be with a man I knew would never hurt me. Of course Jack didn’t share my feelings of love, but he was young and inexperienced…and I’m ashamed to say that I took advantage of that. He asked me what he could do to make me feel better…and I showed him. Afterwards…I felt horrible and ashamed. I took advantage of not only Jack’s kindness but of also his innocence. When he told me that was his first time…that made me feel even worse, because I knew it should have been with someone he loved…not with someone like me.

"Then Louis came in and he was angry. He didn’t even let me explain. He threatened Jack and dragged me away. The last I saw of Jack up until two weeks ago was at the Eiffel tower where we could barely look at each other. He told me that the day before was a mistake and he wished it never happened. I apolagized and cried, knowing that he could never return my feelings for him. That who ever the lucky woman was who possessed Jack’s love would never be me. But after all was said and done, he was still kind and generous, telling me if I was ever in any trouble to come to Chippewa Falls to stay. I bet he wished I hadn’t taken him up on that offer…and so do I."

"Do you still love him?" Rose crossed her arms. She needed the answer to this.

"…Yes. I do Rose. I’m sorry but I am still in love with Jack Dawson. I wish it was me who was his wife, not you. I resent it that I’ll never know what it’s like to be the one he truly loves. The one he’d do anything for.

"Rose…please don’t be mad at Jack. The only reason he didn’t tell you was because he did’t want you to be terribly hurt. He loves you so much…"

"Annette…will you please leave us alone with Rose now," Susan coldly replied, clear disgust for this woman in her eyes. At first she had felt sorry for Annette. She was a poor woman that needed help. But now all she felt was disgust and contempt. This woman had taken advantage of one of her friends and caused nothing but pain and heartache to both him and his wife.

"Sure," Annette nods, walking out the front door. She already knew where she was going. Since Rose wasn’t there, Jack needed someone and she might as well be it.

"Rose?" Susan forces her friend to look at her.

"I thought I was his first Susan. I thought I was his first love…"

"You are Rose. You are Jack’s first love. That Annette woman was nothing to Jack. You heard her, she took advantage of him! Scientifically yes, she was the first woman he slept with, but Rose…it all ways that matters…you’re the first girl he’s made love with. You’re the first woman he’s been with that he truly loves and adores. Nothing else matters.

Rose thought about this as she sobbed. She knew that Susan was right. She knew that Jack truly loved her and perhaps she was the one and only girl he truly loved. But the fact that Annette had him first…it tore her apart. And the fact that the woman was still in love with Jack whether he returned those feelings or not…

"Rose," Cal interrupts her thoughts. "Do you really want to be with Jack?"

Rose looks at Cal as if he’s gone mad. Cal should know the answer to that. She had broken off their engagement just to be with Jack. So how could he ask if Jack was really the man she wanted to be with? "Yes he is Cal. You should know that first hand."

"Well then fight for him Rose! Fight with everything you got. For yourself, for the little girl that you two share. Fight to save your marriage. I know women like Annette. She preys on the vulnerable, just like she did all those years ago. You walking out on Jack like that must have left him pretty devastated."

"What are you trying to say Cal?" Susan turns to her fiancee.

"Where do you think Annette is on her way too? Hmmm? Not another boarding house for sure. She knows how upset Jack must be right now…how vulnerable. Are you going to set here Rose and let her take advantage of that? Or are you going to go back home and fight for what’s rightfully yours?"

Susan stared at Cal in disbelief. She had never heard him sound so cold and calculating. She knew that this was the man Rose had left to be with Jack. This was the man who had first arrived in Chippewa Falls searching for his wayward fiancee.

"Susan?" Rose turns to her friend. "Do you think Cal’s right? Do you think Annette would try to take advantage of Jack?"

Susan solemnly nods. "You two love each other Rose. You belong together. I’ve known Jack my whole life and I have never once seen him as happy as he is when he’s with you. Don’t let her take that away from you Rose. Cal’s right, fight for what’s rightfully yours. Fight for your family."

Rose looks at the floor, not sure what to do. She wanted to go back home to Jack, but she was still so angry that he didn’t tell her everything. She had to think about things before she could make a final decision. "Um…can you two leave me alone for a while. I really need to think," Rose requested, staring at the wedding band on her finger.

"Sure. Come on Cal. Let’s go set on the porch," Susan smiled.

One hour later, Rose emerged from the house, determination written in her features.

"Rose?" Susan looks at her.

"I’m going back. I love Jack and I’m not letting something that happened way before he even knew me tear us apart," Rose replied. "Thanks you two for talking some sense into me. I just hope it’s not too late."

"Oh Rose, I have a feeling that with Jack, it’s never too late," Susan stood up and hugged her friend.

"Well I’m off. I’ll see you later," Rose waves as she walks down the path, disappearing into the night.

Jack and Annette are in the living room. Jack sets with his head in his hands, inconsolable that Rose was gone out of his life again, maybe this time forever. For the past hour Annette has tried to cheer him up, but nothing has helped.

Secretly, Annette was glad it came out and that Rose had left. Now there was a space left open for her to step into, but there was still Louis to deal with, but she’ll deal with that later. Right now she had to get Jack to forget Rose, and remember Paris. Try to get him to see that their one night together really did mean something.

"Really Jack, I’m glad that the truth is out. It’s really for the best. Now we can really evaluate what that night meant for both of us," Annette touches his cheek, forcing him to look up at her.

"What do you mean by that?" Jack asked.

"This," Annette leans over and places her lips on his. She kisses him long and deep, trying her best to get him to respond but he doesn’t, instead, he breaks away and gets to his feet.

"What are you doing?!"

"Showing you how I feel. Jack, we were meant to be together, don’t you know that? From the moment I saw you I knew we were meant to be. Doesn’t the fact that Rose walked out of here over something that happened years ago mean anything?"

Jack looks at Annette as if he’s seeing her for the very first time and in fact he truly was. This was what she wanted all along. Even that night…he always thought it was his fault, that he had unconciously taken advantage of her situation. But now the truth was clear. It was all Annette. She was the one who had made the first move, just like she did now while rose was gone.

"I can’t believe you. My wife has just left me and you’re here trying to take her place. What kind of person are you?" Jack turns his back to her.

"The woman you belong with Jack," She wraps her arms tightly around his waist and lays her cheek against his back. "Can’t you feel it too?"

"No I can’t Annette. In fact, I think you better leave," Jack pulls away from her embrace.

"Leave? Jack I just got here and we’re just having fun," she advances on him again. "What are you so worried about? Rose? She’s over there at her ex-fiancee’s, probably begging him to take her back. She’s not even thinking about you. You’re probably the farthest thing from her mind. You and that precious little daughter of yours. You and Becky deserve so much better. Of course we can’t stay here in Chippewa Falls. Louis is here and it’s best if we avoid him as much as possible. I’m sure Fabrizio will take very good care of this house. It’ll be great Jack. Just the three of us. Let’s just pick up and leave. Right now."

Jack looks at Annette as if she had three heads. He wondered whatever happened to the sweet girl in trouble that he had met in Paris? What had happened to make her so cold and heartless? Didn’t she even care that what she was suggesting to do would destroy Rose? That it leaving his wife would destroy him as well? Fabrizio was right all along. Annette was nothing but trouble and Jack was just too stupid to see it. Now he wished he had listened to Fabri. Maybe Rose would still be with him right now if he had.

"Jack?" Annette looks at him, before kissing him again, trying to convince him that her plan was for the best.

That’s when the door opened, and in stepped Louis Dubois in time to catch his wife kissing Jack.

"Well what do we have here?" Louis snarls, causing Annette to break away from Jack. "I was just outside the door when I heard my wife making plans to run away with her lover. It’s a good thing I got here, or I might have missed out on killing you both," Louis points the gun in their direction.

"Louis don’t be crazy," Annette leaves Jack’s side to face her husband. "Killing us won’t solve anything. You still won’t get me back. Just put down the gun."

Louis paused, then nods his head. "You’re right my love, killing you both won’t bring you back to me. That’s why I’ve just decided to kill one of you. Once your young lover here is out of the way, You’ll be all mine."

Rose stands outside and takes a deep breath, ready to repair her marriage. Jack was the most important thing to her. She wasn’t going to let Annette Dubois take that away from her. She walks in just in time to see Louis Dubois, with Annette by his side, pointing a gun at Jack, who doesn’t notice Rose enter.

"I hope you said good-bye to your lovely widow Jack. It’s a shame that such a beautiful girl to be widowed at such a young age," Louis removes the safety latch on the gun and takes aim.

"Jack!" Rose gasps running towards him.

For the first time Jack notices Rose and stares at her in horror as she runs towards him. The next thing he knows he’s being pushed out of the way as the gun goes off. He looks towards Rose to see her crumpled in a pool of her own blood.

"Rose!" He’s at her side and takes her in his arms, cradling her as if she was a child. "Rose no," He sobbed, stroking her hair. She looks up in his eyes, love shining in her eyes.

"You’re ok," Rose whispered ignoring the pain in her side, relishing the feel of Jack’s arms around her.

"Why did you do that Rose? Why?" Jack asked, knowing he should be the one laying here, not Rose. His beautiful Rose who had nothing to do with this whole mess, yet she was the one constantly getting hurt.

"You jump, I jump. Right?" Rose smiled, touching Jack’s tearstained cheek.

"Oh Rose," Jack sobbed, hugging her closer.

Jack’s so involved in his grief that he doesn’t notice that Louis had reaimed the gun. Fortunately, Fabrizio returns home just in time. He immediately knows what happened when he sees Jack and rose and Louis aiming the gun.

"Jack!" Fabrizio grabs Louis from behind and causes him to drop the gun. Louis struggles to brea,k Fabri’s hold, but is unsuccessful. Fabri soon has Louis on the couch and tied up.

"Fabri, call the doctor and the police. Tell them to get here now!" Jack orders, not taking his eyes off his wife.

Rose feels her eyes growing heavy and she begins to feel like she’s floating. "Jack."

"Shhh Rose. It’s ok. Everything will be ok. I promise. Just hang in there a little longer. The doctor will be here and fix you right up."

"Jack," Her vision becomes blurry and she could barely see him. Jack tightens his hold on her as he hears the fear in her voice. "I love you Jack."

"Don’t you do that. Don’t start saying your good-byes," Jack makes eye contact with her. "You’re going to get out of this. You’re going to go on and you’re going to make a lot more babies and watch them grow and you’re going to die an old old lady, warm in her bed. Not here. Not this night. Do you understand me?"

"I’m so tired."

"Rose…you must do me this honor…promise me that you will survive…that you won’t give up. No matter what happens…no matter how hopeless…promise me now Rose…and never let go of that promise."

Rose stares up at him in shock, remembering that first dream she had in Southampton. This was the almost exact speech he had made. It was as if he was meant to make this speech. She did’t know what to say except ," I promise."

"Never let go."

"I promise. I’ll never let go Jack. I’ll never let go," Rose begins to cry as the darkness overtook her.

Jack held her in his arms and cried, not knowing whether she was still alive or not. All he could do was hold on to her and wait for help to come.

The police and doctor are on their way Jack," Fabrizio reenters the room. Jack doesn’t answer. He just stares straight head, rocking an unmoving Rose in his arms. Fabrizio prayed that she wasn’t dead. It would be tragic if she was, leaving behind a husband and a baby girl that needed her.

He turns and spies Annette just staring at Jack and Rose, no emotion showing on her face. He’s had it. This was all her fault. If she had never come to Chippewa Falls, Rose would be okay and Jack wouldn’t be devastated like this.

"I hope you’re happy Annette."

"What?" She turns to Fabrizio.

"Look at Jack. He’s a basketcase. And Rose…if she dies I’ll see to it that not only your husband pays…you will too. Why couldn’t you just keep going instead of coming here to Chippewa Falls?"
"You can’t talk to me like this. You have no right," Annette angrily turns to Jack. "Jack are you going to let him talk to me like this?"

"Shut up Annette. Fabri can say whatever he wants to you for all I care. He’s right. You did cause all of this. I wish I had never told you to come here if you were in trouble. I can’t believe how stupid I’ve been."

Annette’s eyes widen in shock. How can Jack say this to her? How can he be so mean? "Jack…what’s gotten into you?"

"What’s gotten into me?" Jack glares at Annette. "What’s gotten into me? Have you forgotten so quickly Annette? You showed your true colors tonight. Begging me to run away with you…kissing me know I didn’t feel the same way! And that night in Paris…Don’t even get me started on that!"

"Jack…"

"Just sit down and shut up Annette! I don’t want to hear it!" Jack glared at her and turns to Fabrizio. "Where’s Katie and the kids?"

"At Susan’s and Cal’s. I’ll call have her keep them there until things settle down here," Fabrizio goes for the phone.

"Hang in there Rose," Jack pulls her closer, tears streaming from his eyes. "Help is on the way.

A half hour later…

The doctor had just exited Jack and Rose’s room and sighs tiredly. He had worked long and hard to save the young Dawson girl’s life and it seems as if he had succeeded. The only thing now was for her to wake up.

"Well?" Jack asks as the doctor comes downstairs. "How’s my wife? Is she going to live?"

"Mr. Dawson, you have married a fighter. She’s going to be fine just as soon as s he wakes up. The bullet just grazed her, even though she had lost a great deal of blood. I suggest plenty of bedrest and no strenious activity for at least two months when she’s completely healed."
"Oh thank god!" Jack happily replied. His Rose was going to be okay after all. He couldn’t wait until she was awake. He was never going to leave her side again.

"My bill will be in the mail. Good night," the doctor left Jack with Fabrizio.

"You hear that Fabri? Rose is going to be ok. The bullet had just grazed her," Jack hugged his best friend. "I was so afraid that I was going to lose her."

"You almost did Jack. I hope you’ve learned your lesson about Annette Dubois."

"Don’t worry. I have. Don’t worry Fabri. I had put her on the next train to Texas. We’ll never hear from her again."

"Good," Fabrizio nods happily. "Now. Let’s go in and see Rose."

Two hours later…

Rose wakes up to stare up at the white ceiling. Where was she? Where was Jack? The last thing she remembered was promising him never to let go and then she had passed out. Now she was in a bed staring at a ceiling? Where was Jack?

"Rose?" A all too familiar voice asked. That was when she noticed the wieght on the bed and a hand tightly holding hers. She looks down to see Jack kneeling beside her, holding her hand tightly, his blue eyes shining brightly.

"Jack."

"You’re awake! Thank god!" He immediately embraces her, causing her wince from the sharp pain in her side. Noticing this, he immediately pulls away. "I’m sorry sweetie. I forgot about the wound."

"What happened?" Rose asked, looking around their room.

"The bullet had just grazed you. You’ll be fine. Oh Rose, I was so worried. I thought I had lost you."

"Well you didn’t. I had a promise to keep…remember?"

"Never let go," Jack smiled, taking her other hand.

"Never let go," Rose repeated. "And I didn’t Jack. I didn’t. Everytime I felt like giving up, I heard your voice calling to me and telling me to hold on…not to let go."

Jack just grinned and leaned down to kiss his wife, happy that she was safe and alive.

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