JACK AND ROSE PRESENT TIME: RESURRECTION
Chapter Two

Jack Dawson woke up with the world's worst hangover. He glanced at his alarm clock and noticed that it was already noon. How late had he been out?

He yawned, sat up, and then stretched his arms over his head. It was weird being back in his old room. He still remembered when Rose used to sneak in to sleep with him.

Rose. He wondered where she was at.

As he walked down the stairs, he began to hear her voice. She was talking to Ruth. They were both sitting at the dining room table.

"Jack," Ruth said, smiling. "Come join us. We're just about to have lunch."

Jack smiled awkwardly and then sat down across from Rose. They both looked at each other with blank expressions.

"Did you kids have fun last night, then?" Ruth asked, pouring Jack some much needed coffee.

"I wish I could remember," Jack said, slowly rubbing his forehead.

"Well, I can fill you in, Mother," Rose said, anger filling her voice. "Dominique called this morning and filled me in." She quickly took a sip of her tea. "Tommy and Jack got into a fist fight."

"What?" Ruth looked puzzled.

It all began to come back to Jack. "Shit..." He looked over at Ruth. "I mean...I remember now." He began laughing sarcastically. "Your boyfriend had it coming." He shot a cold stare at Rose. "I think I'll go pick up a burger or something." He walked over and kissed Ruth on the cheek. "I'll be home later."

After Jack left, Ruth knew she needed answers. "Why can't you and Jack be friends?"

Rose sighed. "Because...it's complicated."

"Why?"

"I'm with Tommy now, Mom."

"I know that, dear," Ruth replied. "But you and Jack..."

"Me and Jack nothing!" Rose got up, slammed her plate down, and started crying. "He left me! He went to Paris and forgot about me!"

"He was busy..."

"No, Mom! If you want to blame someone for this mess...blame Jack." She stormed out the front door.

"Jack?" She looked down at Jack, who was sitting on the front steps of the house. "I thought you..."

"Left?"

"Yes."

Jack chuckled. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Whatever," Rose said, walking off. Just as she was about to climb into her jeep, she felt an arm pull her back. "Jack, what are you doing?"

"You really think I'm buying this?" Rose tried to get away from his grip, but he was too strong. "I know you don't love Tommy."

"You're hurting me!"

"Tommy Ryan is not the man you're supposed to be with, Rose." She could now feel his breath on her skin. She was getting goosebumps and feeling things she hadn't felt in years. "I know you know that." He was now looking deep into her eyes. They were so close. Close enough to kiss.

Rose finally pulled away as Jack's grip became looser. "I do love Tommy." As much as it hurt, he knew she didn't mean it. "I have to go." She got into her car and drove off in Tommy's direction.

Jack was left alone with only his thoughts.

*****

Rose pulled up to Tommy's house and was relieved to see him outside on his front porch. Fabrizio was also there, and they were both playing cards. Tommy had the biggest smile as she walked up the sidewalk.

"Baby, I'm so glad you came over." They shared a kiss. As he looked into her eyes again, he could tell she'd been crying. "What's wrong?"

"It's Jack..."

Anger filled Tommy's expression. "I'll kill him!"

"No! Nothing like that," Rose said from the porch swing. Tommy sat next to her and put his arm around her. "He just...I don't know." She leaned her head down and covered her eyes with her hands.

"Rose," Fabrizio started, coming over to her. "It'll be okay. Jack will be okay. I was just about to go over there, actually."

"Why?" Tommy looked at Fabrizio, obviously pissed off. "He's a jerk, Fabri. All of us would be better off without him."

"Jack's still my friend, Tommy. We're not all gonna stop being friends with Jack because you hate him."

"I just wish we didn't have to live together," Rose said, letting Tommy wipe away her falling tears. "There's so much fucking tension in that house."

"Why can't you just go to you and Dom's dorm at UCLA?" Tommy wondered.

"I guess I could." She sighed. "I promised my mom that I'd stay for the weekend, but I guess I should go back." She was now staring at the floor. "I should have known that Jack wouldn't get a hotel when he came to town."

"It's his house, too," Fabrizio reminded her.

"I know. I know." The thing was that Rose didn't want to leave. Something was drawing her to Jack, something more powerful than she ever imagined. "Maybe I should try to be friends with him."

"What?" Tommy was outraged.

"It'll be easier," Rose said, holding Tommy's hand. "I mean...he did used to be my best friend. I don't know what to do."

"You don't need him, Rose," Tommy said, as Fabrizio questioned Rose's love for Tommy. "You have me."

She smiled. "I know. I love you, Tommy."

Tommy's mind was running wild. He knew that trouble was going to come if Rose tried to be friends with Jack. Jack would somehow figure out a way to get her back. Jack had more determination than anyone Tommy had ever known.

But there was nothing Tommy could do except say, "I love you, too."

*****

Fabrizio rode home with Rose an hour later. Fabrizio hoped that Jack would still be there. He hated it when his friends were fighting, especially when these two friends had been madly in love just a few years before.

"Come on, Fabri," Rose said, climbing out of her car. As they were walking up to the front door, Rose said, "Thank you for doing this for me."

"Don't thank me," Fabrizio said, smiling, waving his hand like it was no big deal at all. "I want things to be okay with you and Jack. I know he still cares about you." He thought of what to say next. "And you still care for him, right?"

"Of course I do. I was hurt when he left, but I still want to be friends with him."

They walked into the house to find Jack on the living room sofa watching TV. He looked at Rose and Fabrizio with questioning eyes. "Hey, Fabrizio," he said, smiling. "What's up?"

"This is what is up, Jack," Fabrizio said, sitting with Rose on the love seat. "I came here to help fix you and Rose."

"What?" Jack asked, shocked.

"I mean...I want you two to be friends," Fabrizio explained. "You two have been through so much together. It's stupid for you guys not to be talking and stuff."

Jack and Rose locked eyes, but neither one of them said anything.

Just then, Ruth came into the room, holding Rose's pink cell phone. "Tommy's on the phone."

Jack snickered. "You better go talk to your boyfriend."

Rose gave Jack a sad look and walked out of the room to talk to Tommy, leaving Jack and Fabrizio alone to talk.

"I don't think I can be friends with her, Fabri," Jack said, lighting a cigarette. "Yeah, I do smoke now. All the time. Like a fucking chimney." He laughed. "I don't want to be friends with her."

"But why? I know you still care about her." Fabrizio wanted to do something to fix things so everybody could be friends again. Not only that, but his girlfriend did, too.

"It's more than that." Jack took a long drag from his Marlboro. He looked over his shoulder to make sure Rose was not listening. "I still love her. I love her with all my heart. I didn't realize how strong my feelings were for her until I saw her yesterday."

"Shit," Fabrizio said.

"You cussed, Fabri." Jack started laughing and Fabrizio playfully punched him in the arm. It was like old times.

"What about Tommy?" Fabrizio asked. Although he thought Rose was better off with Jack, Tommy was still his friend. And there was also another thing to think about. "What about Paris?"

"Fuck Tommy," Jack said. "He's the one who took his best friend's girl. Paris? I'd leave it in a second for Rose. My life over there is just fluff, an endless adventure with famous artists, all that bullshit, you know? I don't care about it anymore."

"But your drawings..."

"I can finish my last year of college here. I'll go to the community college with you!" Jack smiled. "Don't worry, Fabri."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I'm just not sure about how Rose feels about me." Although Jack didn't think she really loved Tommy, he wanted to make sure. "Do you think her feelings for Tommy are real?"

Fabrizio shook his head. "No. She loves him, but not in the way she loved you."

Jack jumped off the couch in excitement. "I knew it!" Then Jack stood there, forming a plan in his head. "I have to get her back, and I might need your help."

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