CHAPTER FOUR

May 13, 1912

It's departure day for the olympic and Jack, Rose, and Fabrizio stands at the railing waving good-bye to Southampton.
Fabrizio is confused. "Do we know somebody?"
"No, that's not the point," Jack turns to his friend and continues to wave to the churning crowd.
Rose is the only one not waving. In fact, she looks down right gloomy to be leaving Southampton.
"Rose what's wrong? You happy to be going back home, no?" Fabrizio asked.
"Really I'm not Fabrizio. In fact, I dread it. I don't know what I'm going to find," Rose wipes away a tear.
"It's okay Rose. I'll be by your side. I promise," Jack squeezes her hand.
Rose looks up at him and smiled. He was so optimistic. Does he ever worry about anything?
"Let's go see our room," Fabrizio takes off for the stairs leading below deck, leaving Rose and Jack on deck.
"I hope you don't mind being my wife for the next few days," Jack laughed, putting his arm around Rose.
"I don't mind at all," Rose smiles half-heartedly. If only she really was Mrs. Jack Dawson. That would solve the Cal problem if it hadn't solved itself already. Mrs. Jack Dawson...she liked the sound of that.
"What's on your mind Rose?" Jack asked, noticing how silent she had grown.
"Jack...forgive me, but I was just wondering what it would really be like to be your wife. I mean...it would solve a lot of my problems. Like Cal for one thing. If he survived the sinking he's going to want to go on with the wedding, but if I'm already married..."
"You wouldn't have to marry him," Jack gets the idea. He knew Rose was just thinking and wasn't serious but the idea suddenly pops into his mind. Why not? They were close friends after all and his feelings for her did go way beyound friendship. In fact, he was very much in love with Miss. Rose Dewitt Bukater. He never wanted to let her go...he wanted her in his life forever and this idea would ensure that.
"Rose...how do you feel about becoming Mrs. Jack Dawson...for real? As soon as possible before we reach the U.S.?" Jack broaches the subject.
Rose looks up at him, her heart beating fast. Was this a proposal? Did she dare ask if it was? Could Jack possibly feel for her the same way she felt for him? To be his wife would be wonderful. He was so different from Cal. He was kind, sensitive, protective, brave...plus he was a lot more handsome than Cal...to wake up to those beautiful blue eyes every morning...
The answer came out before she could even think of what she was saying. The answer was coming from her heart. "Yes."
"Yes? Does that mean that you want to do it?"
Rose nods. "As soon as possible Jack."
Jack smiles and takes her in his arms, twirling her around and around.
"Jack stop!" Rose laughed happily.
"Come on Rose, let's tell Fabri the news!" Jack grabs her hand and races below deck to share the news with their best friend.

Have you two lost your mind!" Fabrizio exclaimed. "Marry for real? How will you live Jack!"
"I have a house in Wisconsin," Jack said. "We can live there and I can get a job."
"And Rose, you're giving up the rich life," Fabri turned to Rose who was nervously clinging to Jack's hand.
"It's already gone Fabri. You see my family is broke anyway and I don't care what my mother says. Even if I had never met Jack, I'd never marry Caledon Hockley."
"So your decision is made. But tell me this...are you two in love with one another? You only known each other for a month for goodness sake," Fabrizio sighed.
Rose and Jack looked at each other and stared into each other's eyes and Fabrizio had his answer there...just by the way they looked at each other like that. It was Jack who answered, his eyes never leaving Rose's face. "I can tell you this Fabri. I do love Rose. I've loved her since that night we rescued her from those drunks and my feelings have grown stronger over the past month. So to answer your question...I am in love with her. I can't imagine my life without her in it and quite frankly, I don't want to."
Rose's heart leaps at his words. So he did love her! How wonderful! "Oh Jack...I feel the exact same way. I love you too!" Rose throws herself into his arms and holds on for dear life.
"So I guess this makes me best man," Fabri shruggs.
"If you don't mind," Jack turns to his friend. "And we have to find Rose here a maid of honor," Jack turns back to his fiancee and strokes her red tresses.
"I'm sure I'll find one and as soon as I do, I want us to be wed," Rose kissed Jack's cheek. Oh my, we haven't had a real kiss yet, Rose thought to herself at the feel of his skin against her lips. She wondered how the feel his lips would feel.
"Well if we're all settled, I say we go up on deck now and find that maid of honor," Jack wraps an arm around her shoulders. "Then we an find the captain to perform the ceremony."
Rose just smiled and let Jack lead her out of the cabin, looking forward to her new life as Mrs. Jack Dawson.
Jack and Rose are walking on the deck of the ship, hand in hand when they meet Rose's maid of honor. she was a thin irish girl with curly brown hair, she's not walking but running along the deck. She's running so fast that she doesn't see Jack and Rose and crashes into them.
"Oh I'm sorry," the girl apologizes. "I was just trying to get away from a couple of drunk old men," The girl explained, getting back to her feet.
"That's okay. I understand," Rose smiled.
"Kate's my name. Kate O'Reilly. What's yours?" The girl shakes Rose's hand before she could offer.
"Rose Dewitt Bukater and this is my fiancee Jack Dawson. We're looking for a maid of honor so we can have the captain marry us as soon as possible," Rose smiled.

"Why I'll do it," Kate volunteers happily.
"You will? But you don't even know us."
"But I do know true love when I see it, and you two are dripping with it," Kate laughed. "Now I'm not going to take no for an answer so you might as well cooperate."
"Okay. Thank-you," Rose smiled, thankful for this stranger's willingness to help them.
"Well I guess that leaves only one thing. We have to go see the captain," Rose smiled up at Jack.
"Jack, Rose!" Fabrizio came running up to the captain. "I explained everything to the captain and he had agreed to marry you right now! Do you have a maid of honor yet?"
"We sure do," Jack said. "Fabri, this is Kate O'Rielly. Kate, this is my best friend Fabrizio De Rossi."
"The best man," Kate shakes Fabrizio's hand firmly and arches her eyebrow. "Nice. Very good-looking."
This comment made Fabrizio blush.
"Shall we get started?" the captain asked.
"Definately," Jack nods.
Twenty minutes later Jack and Rose were officially husband and wife. When it came time for the kiss Rose found her heart beating faster and faster, but when he did kiss her, she melted into his arms. His lips were so warm and firm, yet gentle. "I love you Mrs. Dawson," Jack whispered into her ear.
"I love you too Jack," She hugged him closely. She never wanted to let him go.
"Well enjoy the rest of your voyage you four. I wish I could stay and celebrate with you but I have my duties to attend to.
"Shall we go to dinner now?" Fabrizio asked.
"Yes. Definately. Getting married sure does build up an appetite," Jack laughed, placing an arm around his wife.
Two hours later, Rose and Jack are alone, walking up on deck while Kate and Fabrizio had decided to go off by themselves.
"It looks as if Fabri's found his true love," Jack smiled, as Rose lays her head on Jack's shoulder. "They really did hit it off."
"Fabri and Kate. That has a nice ring to it," Rose nods. "So Jack, there's still a lot I don't know about you."
"Like what?"
"What did you do before you went to Paris?"
"Oh. I lived in Santa Monica for a while. I sold sketches for ten cents a piece," Jack leads her to the railing looking out towards the ocean. "I'll have to take you there sometime. We'll drink cheap beer, ride on the roller coaster until we throw up, and ride horses on the beach, right in the surf. But you'll have to do it like a real cowboy, none of that side-saddle stuff."
"You mean...one leg on each side?"
"Yeah," Jack nods.
"Can you show me?" Rose asked.
"Sure. If you like."
Rose smiled and looked at Jack. "Teach me to ride like a man."
"And chew tobacco like a man," Jack replied in a bad southern accent.
"And spit like a man," Rose laughed.
"What? They didn't teach you that in finishing school?"
"No."
"Well then come on," Jack grabs her hand and pulls her closer to the railing. "I'll show ya."
"Jack no!" Rose protests, trying to pull back, but Jack was too strong.
"Come on Rose. It'll be fun," Jack turns to the ocean. "Now watch this." Jack spits out over the water.
"That's disgusting!" Rose laughs.
"It's your turn," Jack turns to her, grinning from ear to ear.
Rose screws her mouth up and spits into the water.
"That was pitiful," Jack laughed. "This is how you do it. You honk it back, arch your neck while rolling it to the front, take a deep breath, and then..." He spits out over the ocean. See the range on that thing?"
Rose follows Jack's directions and spits out over the ocean. "Was that better?"
Jack nods. "Rose Dawson, you have just graduated from the Dawson school of spitting like a man."
rose laughs and does a little bow. The two continue on down the boat deck laughing and enjoying each other's company when Rose spots Ed and Sal over by the railing talking to two other men.
"I can't believe this," Rose stops in her tracks. Will they ever get away from those two men?
"Don't worry Rose. We'll just avoid them as much as we can," Jack places a protective arm around her shoulder.
Rose just smiled up at her husband. She truely did love him. He was her gaurdian angel. She didn't know where she'd be right now if she hadn't met Jack.
"Let's go the other way Rose. There's something I wanted to show you at the bow of the ship anyway," Jack leads her in the opposite direction.
They're at the bow of the ship and Rose is confused. What did he possibly have to show her at the bow of the ship? There was nothing here but a great view of the sun setting over the ocean as far as she could see.
"Come here Rose. Close your eyes," Jack leads her to the rail.
"Jack..."
"Go on. Close them."
She closes her eyes and lets Jack pull her in front of him. "Now step up on the railing."
step up on the railing? But that was dangerous. What was Jack up to? Taking a deep breath, she decides to trust Jack and follow what he says. She sighs in relief when she feels him step up behind her and hold her waist.

"Keep your eyes closed. No peeking," Jack laughed.
"I'm not," Rose smiled, feeling the whistling wind run through her hair.
"Do you trust me?"
Didn't he know the answer to that already? "Yes. I trust you."
Then he takes her arms and lifts them out to her sides. Then he puts his hands back on her waist. "Now open your eyes."
Rose opens to see the beautiful sun setting on the ocean and the feeling of freedom. It's like she was flying out over the ocean. For the first time she felt like she was free. Jack had freed her. Without him, she would have been a caged butterfly, unable to soar out towards the horizon.
"Jack, I'm flying," She smiled, taken away by the sight before her.
Jack smiles, then joins his hands with hers. "Come Josephine in my flying machine and it's up she goes, up she goes," Jack sanged.
Then he lowers her hands and she turns her head towards him, then they kiss right there on the bow of the ship, not caring who saw them or what they thought.
"Excuse me," a soft timid voice spoke up. "You're not supposed to be here. It's dangerous."
Jack breaks away from the kisss to see a timid looking steward trembling before them.
"Oh. I'm sorry. We didn't know," Jack shrugged, hopping down from the railing and helping Rose down. "Come on Rose, let's head back to our stateroom."
"Ok," Rose nods, taking her husband's hand and allowing him to lead her away from the bow. She looks back at the bow one more time and knows that she'll never forget that moment. It would be one of her most cherished memories.

Jack and Rose returns to find the stateroom empty. He leads her deeper into the room and they sit down on th bed. "What do you want to do next Rose?"
Rose thinks and then she gets an idea. It was perfect. "Jack...I want you to draw me like one of your french girls."
"Ok," Jack nods, getting his portfolio and art supplies.
"Wearing nothing," Rose said.
Jack turns to her, surprise is in his eyes. "Are you sure about this Rose?"
Rose nods. "We're married now Jack. You're going to have to see me naked sometime anyway."
Jack laughed and sat down on Fabrizio's bed. "Okay Rose. Whenever you're ready."
Rose stands and sheds the purple dress she had on. Jack eyes drink her in and his desire for her grew. But he was determined to remain professional about all of this. There was plenty of time for that later.
"Ok Rose. Lay down on the bed. Put that arm over the pillow and the other hand near your face. And look directly at me," Jack directed. Rose did as she told and he smiled, satisfied with her position. "Okay. Try to stay still."
Two hours later, Jack had finished his drawing. We went over to Rose and showed her the picture. Rose gasped. It was perfect. He had drawn her so perfectly. Her eyes were expressive, shining with the love she had for him and her hands revealed how relaxed she was in his presence. "Oh Jack. It's beautiful. Thank-you."
Rose pulls him onto the bed with her and begins kissing him passionately.
Jack looks deeply into her eyes. "Nervous?"
Rose shakes her head. How could she be nervous with him? "No. Put your hands on me Jack," She places his hand on her right breast and they kiss passionately. He couldn't contain his control anymore. At that moment they made passionate love and afterwards, wrapped under the blankets they fell into a comfortable sleep.

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