ONE LAST TIME
Chapter Three

Rose woke up yawning. It was dark when she got up, and the man lying beside her was her Jack. He was asleep and snoring. She didn't bother to wake him. Inside, she felt happy and full of life. He had made love to her just like she had always dreamed. They hadn't used any protection at all, but she didn't care. She wanted his baby more than anything she had ever wanted in her life.

She got a pen from the table and brought it to the bed with her. She looked at Jack's arm and tattooed a few words on him.

He felt her writing something on his arm. "What are you doing?"

"Just putting my mark on you." She had tattooed Jack Loves Rose Forever on him.

"I will get a real tattoo soon." He woke up and took the pen from her hand. "So, did you have any plans?"

"Oh, shit. I gotta get home. Mom is waiting for me." Rose had just remembered about the dance her mother had expected her to go to.

"Get dressed and I'll take you home." Jack got out of bed and slipped on his boxers.

"You’re ready to face my mother?" Rose asked as she started looking for her clothes.

"Why? Is she mad at me?" Jack asked. He wasn't sure how anyone would react to him being there.

"No. I was just asking." Rose was unsure of Jack's feelings towards other people in Charlotte She didn't know who he hated, if anyone at all.

"Yeah. I am ready to face anything anyone throws at me." Jack put on his clothes, looked at his hair, and took a comb out of his suitcase. He combed it back and looked in the mirror, looking at Rose putting on the rest of her clothes.

"The years have treated you good, Jack. You’re in spectacular shape." Rose glanced at him. He didn't have any shirt on. His muscles bulged.

"Thank you. So are you, but you are a bit thin." Jack turned around, taking her into his arms.

"I was heartbroken when you left. I sort of didn't eat." She had been so depressed when he left that she hadn't been able to eat much.

"Well, I am back now. I want some meat on my girl. Ready to go?" Jack asked, getting on his clothes quickly.

"Yeah." Rose nodded.

He got his car keys and drove Rose to her home, which was a few blocks away. The house still looked the same. Nothing had changed at all.

Rose got out and stood there waiting for him. "Come on."

"I'm coming." Jack took her hand.

Rose popped inside. Her mother was mad at her. "Rose, where have you been?"

"Sorry, Mom. I got a little held up. I met someone." Rose stood in the doorway. Jack was behind her.

"Oh? Who?" Abby was curious.

Jack appeared behind Rose. "Mom, Jack is back," Rose announced.

"Oh, my God! Is it really you?" Abby was in utter shock.

"Yes, Mrs. DeWitt-Bukater." He hugged her.

"It's good to have you back, son." Abby had always loved Jack. He was like the son she never had.

"Thanks, Abby." He smiled, feeling happy to be home.

"Are you gonna stay and have dinner with us?" Abby asked him.

"I don't wanna intrude." Jack didn't want to out stay his welcome, either.

"Nonsense, dear. You're like family." Abby smiled, looking at Rose glowing like a firefly.

"Mom, he is family. He's soon to be your new son-in-law. Jack's just proposed to me," Rose told her mother, and showed her the ring.

Abby could hardly believe that the ring was real and not some cheap solitaire like she had gotten when she was engaged. It had to be at least a few carats.

"Congratulations. Of course, Jack, you have my blessing." Abby hugged Rose as she looked at Jack.

"Thank you, Mrs. DeWitt-Bukater." He bowed.

"Mom, I am gonna show Jack my room, so will you let us know when dinner is ready?" Rose asked. She wanted Jack all to herself.

"Of course." Abby nodded and paid attention to the dinner she was cooking.

"Thanks, Mom." Rose smiled.

Rose grabbed Jack's hand, taking him up the stairs with her. She pulled him inside her room. Her room had changed a bit. Before, it had been pink. Now it was blue. On the walls were pictures of them together. She had a piece of paper there saying Rose Loves Jack Forever. She grabbed a bag out of the closet.

"I've been keeping this since the day you left. You said you wanted it back when you returned, but I am not sure it fits you anymore," Rose said, handing the bag to him.

Inside were a few of his belongings. An old baseball cap, a jacket that barely fit his taut muscles, and a few snapshots of them together.

"Uh…I think you can keep most of what's in there, but I am keeping the photos," Jack said, taking the photos out of the bag and stuffing the pictures into his pocket.

"I thought you would say that. But I think we need some recent photos." Rose loved how he looked. She wanted to be close to him every single minute.

"I’ve got a better idea. How about I draw you? I’ve got something for you to wear, too." Jack had always wanted to draw a live portrait. When he painted on the canvas, it was different, so for him, to draw her on paper was going to be a lot more precious to him.

"Okay. When?" Rose asked.

"Tonight, or tomorrow if you want. I am in no hurry to leave." He didn't care where he was, as long as she was by his side.

"Okay. Tomorrow, then. I’ve got work in the morning." Rose put the bag on the floor and sat on her bed.

"You work? What do you work as?" Jack sat down with her, taking her in his arms.

"I am a novelist, Jack. After you left, I became a writer." Rose got up and handed him her book, the first one she had written.

"Hmm…not bad. A writer and an artist. We could become a team." Jack liked the sound of it.

"Rose and Jack Dawson. I like the sound of that better." Rose sat back down.

"So do I." He kissed her lips.

Abby knocked on the door. "Jack! Rose!"

"What’s happening, Mother?" Rose got up and opened the door.

"We’ve gotta get to the cellar now. There's a tornado coming this way." Abby was scared.

"Rose, you go with your mother now. I will be down there in a few minutes. There's something I gotta get from the car." Jack remembered his drawings--the special ones he had drawn of Rose.

"Okay." Rose took her mother's hand and headed to the cellar.

It was very windy outside, and she was afraid that Jack was going to fly away. She didn't want to lose him again.

Jack went to the trunk and took out his portfolio and his pencil set. He went inside and climbed down the stairs. Rose ran to him when he got there.

"Rose, it will be all right. I am here now." He hugged her for dear life.

"Don't leave me again," Rose said.

"I won't. I am here to stay." Jack promised he wasn't going to leave her, ever again. "I had to take this out of the car. Look. You'll love these." He handed her the portfolio.

She sat down in the corner with her mother and glanced through the drawings. She was amazed at the artwork.

"Oh, my God. These are beautiful." Rose loved the way he had captured her beauty. "You drew these?"

"Each and every one." He nodded and sat by her as she glanced through them.

"Wow. No wonder the man bought your painting of me." Rose was impressed.

"She's right, Jack. These are exquisite." Abby loved them.

"Thank you both." He smiled, touching Rose's hair.

They heard the wind, and the house began to rattle. "It's here," Abby said.

They stood under the stairs for protection as the storm passed them. Rose hung onto Jack for dear life, afraid that something bad was going to happen now that he was back.

Jack assured her that everything was going to be all right. He rocked her back and forth like he would a baby.

Rose ended up falling asleep in his arms when it was over. Abby checked the house and everything was okay. Apparently they had not been at the center of it. Jack carried Rose to her bed and lay there with her.

He asked Abby if he could stay, just for tonight. She saw no harm, so she let him stay. He closed his eyes and ended up falling asleep with Rose. He could sleep now--no more troubled dreams or sleepless nights for him anymore.

Chapter Four
Stories