JACK AND ROSE PRESENT TIME: RESURRECTION
Chapter One

First one there. Jack Dawson took a quick glance down at his watch. 11:48 AM. A little early.

He sat on a bench nearby and took a long look out into the ocean. It felt good to be home. Sure, Paris was great and all, but nothing like Santa Monica. Being back felt like a dream. It was like he was floating above the sand, not really being there at all.

Just as these thoughts were about to get the best of him, Tonya Devereau came up from behind him.

"Hey, good looking." She gave him a hug from behind.

He pulled her over the bench playfully, putting her right next to him. "Wow, it's so good to see you!" He kissed her on the cheek. "It feels like it's been forever." He couldn't stop smiling.

Tonya nodded in agreement. "I'm sorry I couldn't come up and see you in Paris over spring break." She sounded very disappointed. "I'm afraid if I leave the country people will assume I'm dead again." They shared a nervous laugh. "I've missed you, though. I really have."

The next ones to show up were Fabrizio and Dominique. Still a couple...still as strong as ever. "Hey, you love birds!" Jack yelled from across the beach.

Fabrizio ran over to them, carrying Dominique on his back like she was just a kid. "Jack! My man! How are you, buddy?" Fabrizio asked, practically falling into Jack's lap with excitement.

"I've been great, Fabri." He looked at him and Dominique. "I'd ask you the same, but I think I already know the answer."

Tonya stood up and took Dominique's left hand. "Let me see it, girl!" Dominique sported the two carat diamond to her friend.

"Isn't it lovely?" Dominique asked, her face glowing.

"I'll say," Jack said, peering down at it.

"Well, it should be," Fabrizio started. "It came all the way from Italy!"

Soon a light blue jeep interrupted the conversation. Jack's stomach did a flip. As much as he wanted to see her, he wanted to die right then and there.

It was like a horror flick to Jack. Rated R for brutal heart-breaking. He watched as she climbed out of the car he had helped pick out for her sixteenth birthday. He watched as she wrapped her arms around the other passenger that had been in the car.

"Hey..." she muttered, looking at them all once she got to them. She couldn't bring her eyes to meet Jack's...or Tonya's.

Tommy held his girlfriend closer, feeling the bond that he had seen develop as a teenager. He felt like he couldn't compete when it came to Jack.

"Hello, Rose," Jack said, breaking the silence.

"Hello, Jack," she said back. She looked away.

"This isn't awkward one bit," Dominique whispered in Fabrizio's ear. He nodded his head in agreement.

Tonya, being the cool and confident one, said, "I can't believe how good you both look!" She got the nerve to hug Tommy and Rose. "It's great to see you."

Rose finally let herself look at her childhood best friend. "You, too, Tonya."

There were twenty seconds of silence.

"Look at my new cell phone," Fabrizio finally said, pulling out his lime green cell. "You can send pictures and everything." He started pressing some buttons. Everyone acted interested and watched intensely.

Tommy glanced at Jack.

Jack glanced at Rose.

Rose glanced at the ground.

Jack put his hand in his pocket, feeling the letter. He didn't remember why he brought it with him...she had written it almost three years ago. What he wanted to do was read it to his friends, show them how much she had hurt him. He wouldn't even need to read it...he had it memorized.

Dear Jack,

I never thought I'd be writing this kind of letter to you. I'm sorry if my tears stain the paper. This has got to be the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

I love you, Jack Dawson, with all my heart. The problem is there's not much of it left. You broke it in half when you chose Paris over me. I know that art school's your dream, but you left me alone. You knew I didn't really want you to go, as selfish as it is. The truth? I cannot function without you. It scared me half to death the day we said good-bye. I went home and realized I didn't even know the code to open the front door! You had always done it for me.

I reread your letters every day, hoping to read between the lines and see that you miss me and need me in the same way.

There is nothing.

You seem like you found your place among the elite in Paris and there is no longer any room for your clueless girlfriend.

So, Jack, this has got to end. It's over. I can't take it anymore. I'm sorry if I'm hurting you, but this is something that was bound to happen sooner or later.

Truly,

Rose

"Look, I can even send pics to Tonya's phone!" Fabrizio said happily.

By now everyone had stopped pretending to care about his phone, and everyone was looking at each other uncomfortably.

"Are you okay, baby?" Tommy asked, rubbing Rose's back for her.

Jack shuddered.

Rose nodded.

"Well, that's it!" Dominique said, climbing off of Fabrizio's lap. "We're twenty-one now, guys! Let's hit the bars."

"Now that's something everybody can agree on," Jack said.

*****

"I think it's funny that we forgot that Fabri is still only twenty," Tommy said, chugging down some beer. He was really getting drunk. "Shit, this really does seem like the old times. Except we're not a bunch of high school idiots. We're twenty-one, dammit! We're almost done with college, you know?"

"Tommy," Rose started. "I really think you should stop drinking." It was like he didn't even hear her. He ordered another round, with no objection from Jack, who was also as drunk as ever.

"Maybe I should stop," Tonya said, falling off her chair.

Rose and Dominique were the only ones not drinking. Fabrizio had sipped some of Jack's.

Jack laughed, but helped her up. "It's alright, Ton." She sat on Jack's lap. "I didn't know you were such a drinker!"

"I drink with the best of 'em!"

Jack looked over at Tommy and sensed he was giving him a dirty look. "What, what's the problem, Tommy? Afraid I might take away your high school sweetheart? I wouldn't do that to you." He took another drink of his beer.

Tommy laughed sarcastically. "What's that supposed to mean, Dawson?"

"Oh, it's Dawson now?" Jack asked, laughing.

"Look, Jack...some things have changed. You need to accept it."

"Oh, I do?" Jack stood up.

Fabrizio and Dominique watched closely as Rose looked like she was about to faint. Tonya was too drunk to care.

"I'm gonna go home," Rose announced, grabbing her purse.

"Baby..." Tommy said. "It's okay."

"No...I really need to go home and get some sleep. You can get a ride home with Fabrizio, right?" Rose asked Tommy, kissing him on the cheek. "Bye, you guys." She shared a glance with Jack as she hurried out the door.

"Nice move," Tonya said, laughing hysterically. "Gosh, you guys...I feel really, really left out! Y'all are after Rose and shit all the time. What's wrong with me?" Tonya tried to order more shots, but Dominique stopped her.

"Nothing, sweetie. You're drunk," Dominique said. "It's all in your head." It was the easiest way to explain things to a drunk Tonya.

"It's all in your head, Tommy," Jack said. "Rose doesn't fucking love you. She loves me and you know it and it kills you!" He laughed. "She will never love you the way she loved me."

That was when the first punch was thrown. Tommy punched Jack, hard, in his face. Jack punched back. Tommy picked up Jack and threw him onto the bar and punched him over and over and over again. Finally, he let Jack go and his body lay limp on the floor.

Dominique looked horrified and tried to help Jack.

"Jack!" Tonya said. "Don't die!"

"He's not gonna die," Fabrizio said, lifting him into his arms. "I'm taking him out to your car, baby." Dominique followed him.

Jack continued to yell things at Tommy as he was being carried away. "You asshole! I fucking hate you. You took my Rosie. She's not mine anymore. Tommy...I'll kill you...I hate you when you do these things...shit."

"Tommy, help Tonya out," Dominique said, closing the bar door.

Tommy looked over at Tonya, who was drinking the rest of Jack's beer.

"Ready?" Tommy asked.

"For what?"

"To leave."

"Yeah," Tonya said. "I love you, Tommy. You were a good boyfriend. You smell good! I think you love Rose, though, and it's crazy!"

Tommy put his arm around Tonya for support and they walked out.

They all got into Dominique's car. They put Jack in the front seat next to Dominique and Tonya in the back next to Fabrizio, who was sitting in the middle.

"You're lucky they didn't call the cops," Dominique said.

"Take me home!" Jack said, looking evilly back at Tommy. "Tommy, don't you dare come over there!" He scratched his head. "It's not just Rose's house, you know?"

"I know," Tommy said, sobering up a little bit. "She'll call me in the morning."

Jack, finally satisfied, fell asleep.

Chapter Two
Stories