JUST WHEN I NEEDED YOU
Prologue
Chippewa Falls, WI--July 18, 1998
Jack Dawson put his car into park and sighed.
His life had fallen to pieces in the past two weeks. First, on the Fourth of
July, his parents had been killed in a freak accident involving fireworks and a
gas can that wasn't supposed to be where it was. Two days later, his older
sister, Karen, had been found dead in her apartment, an obvious suicide. And
all he was getting from the people around him was sympathy. Jack realized they
were only concerned about him and he was grateful, but he didn't want any
special treatment. Jack glanced up at the house he was parked in front of. The
DeWitt-Bukater residence. His last stop, to see Rose. His Rose. They had grown
up together, best friends from the first time they met. Up until last
year...Jack had to smile at the memory. He and Rose had been fooling around,
playing football down by Lake Wissota, when he had kissed her. They had been
together since. It was this last stop, though, that was killing him. Even
though they were young, sixteen and fifteen respectively, he knew they were in
love. What ran between them was deeper than what most married couples shared.
They had a connection that no one else could ever have or understand.
Soul mates, Jack thought, slowly getting out of the car.
He stood there for a moment, trying to gain
any kind of courage he could for the task ahead of him. Jack knew this was
going to break her heart, but in the end she'd understand. Someday, she would
realize why he couldn't stay here in Chippewa Falls. Eventually, or so he
hoped. Taking a deep breath, he jogged up the steps to her house and rang the
doorbell. After a few moments, Kenneth DeWitt-Bukater, Rose's dad, answered.
"Jack! Come on in. I'll tell Rose you're
here!" he exclaimed, letting Jack into the house.
Jack nodded numbly as he watched Kenneth
disappear up the stairs. A few minutes later, Rose appeared in her pajamas,
with an exhausted smile on her face.
"Hey, what are you doing here so
late?" she asked, walking up to him and giving him a light kiss.
"I need to talk to you...I didn't wake
you up, did I?"
Rose caught the distraught look upon his
face. "No, I was up. What's wrong?"
Jack ran a hand through his hair. This was
going to be a lot harder than he had expected. "Everything. Can we go
outside? I wanna talk to you in private."
Rose nodded and led him out to the backyard.
Jack glanced around and then led her to the gazebo, where he pulled her into a
tight embrace.
"God, I love you," he whispered
into her hair.
Rose looked up at him and saw the tears in
his eyes, suddenly aware that she wasn't going to like what he had to say.
Rose stepped out of his arms slightly.
"We're alone. What's wrong?"
Jack lowered his head and was silent for a
moment before looking back up at her. "I'm going crazy, Rose. Everywhere I
go, all I get are questions and sad looks. I appreciate that everyone cares so
much, but enough is enough. I have to move on and I can't do that when everyone
keeps reminding me my family is dead! I don't want to be a Goddamned charity
case!"
Rose quickly went to him, hugging him tight.
"I know you don't. But it has only been a few weeks. Give them time."
Jack traced the outline of her lips before
continuing. "I can't, Rose. You know the people here. They'll be talking
about this ten years from now. I can't stand it anymore."
Rose felt a lump in her throat. "So what
are you going to do?" she asked, her voice cracking.
Jack didn't answer, but instead crushed his
mouth against hers, kissing her hungrily.
Rose was the one to pull away.
"Jack?"
Jack sighed. This was the part he was
dreading. He hated to be the one to cause her pain, but it had to be done.
"I'm leaving, Rose," he said quietly, half hoping she hadn't heard
him.
But she had. Her face went white and she
dropped down onto one of the benches. "Leaving?"
Jack sat down next to her and took one of her
hands. "I have to, Rose. I can't stay here under the sympathetic glances I
get from everyone. I just can't do it."
"But," Rose started, choking back
her tears. "But what about us? What about me?"
Jack put an arm around her, pulling her
closer. "This has nothing to do with you, Rose. I'm not leaving you, I'm
leaving this town."
"And I'm a part of this town,
Jack." Jack fell silent, so Rose continued, "You can't do this to me,
Jack. I understand your feelings about this, but how can you leave me?"
"I'm sorry, Rose. You know I am. The
hardest part of me making this decision was knowing I'd be leaving you behind.
But if I don't leave, I'm going to end up going nuts."
"Then you're not leaving me
behind," Rose said, her voice suddenly strong. "I'm going with
you."
Jack stared at her. "Rose, hon, you know
I would love for you to come. But out there, it's not the place for you. You
gotta stay here, graduate, and go to college. Make something of yourself."
Rose couldn't hold back any longer, and the
tears came flooding out. "There is nothing to me without you."
Jack wiped the tears off her face. "Yes
there is, Rose. And you know it. But you have to stay here. I have no idea
what's going to happen to me out there, and I don't wanna be the reason
something happens to you, okay? So for me, please, stay here where you're
safe," Jack begged.
Rose stroked the side of his face, and he
could read the pain in her eyes when she nodded. "Okay, I'll stay here for
you. I'm going to go crazy without you here. I am. But I'll do as you
ask."
Jack pulled her into a hug and kissed the top
of her head. He could feel her tears soaking through his shirt, but he didn't
care. He just wanted to savor these last moments with Rose.
"I have to hit the road in a few
minutes, Rose."
She looked up at him, tears falling from her
eyes. "Already?"
Jack brushed a curl from her face.
"Yeah. If I stay any longer, I won't be able to leave."
Rose clutched his hand tightly. "Then
don't."
Jack sighed. "We went over this. I have
to. But, Rose." He paused. "Just remember, no matter how alone you
feel, there is someone out there who loves you."
Rose didn't reply with words, but with a
kiss, full of passion, devotion and love.
"I love you, Rosie."
"I love you, too, Jack."
Jack stood up, pulling Rose up with him.
"I gotta go now. Hold on to our promise. I swear that I will."
"I will, too. Will you ever come
back?" Rose asked, hopefully.
"Maybe. I know that's not what you want
to hear, but it's all I can give you right now. Remember though, I love you. I always
will."
Rose nodded, burying her head in his chest.
"I'll always love you, Jack. I'll never let go of that love. I'll never
let go."
Jack held her for a few minutes, his heart
breaking in two. Reluctantly, he pulled away and kissed her fiercely. "Walk
me to my car?"
Jack took her hand and she followed him out
to the front of her house. He kissed her again, both of them knowing it was the
last time, and unwilling to let go. Finally, he broke it off. "I'll see
you again, someday. I love you."
"Love you, too."
Jack gave her one last hug and started
walking towards his car.
"Jack! Wait!"
He turned as Rose ran to him. "Here,
keep this. Something to remember me by," she said, handing him the cross
necklace she always wore.
"Like I could forget," he said,
digging in his pocket and pulling out his the pocket watch his father had given
him a few years back. "Take it. I wouldn't want you to forget me."
Rose threw her arms around him. "Take
care of yourself out there," she whispered.
Jack kissed her forehead. "You,
too."
He let go of her, and with one last glance
back, he got into his car.
Rose stood in her driveway with her heart
shattered in a million pieces. She watched, almost incoherently, as the only
person she would ever love drove out of her life for good. She stood there
until he turned the corner and was out of sight.