THEN YOU LOOK AT ME
Chapter Thirteen
A Week Later
Rose looked deep into Jack's blue eyes and
her heart broke into a million pieces all over again. The pain in his eyes was
obvious and was certain as the sun.
They were standing in the middle of an
airport outside of Spokane. The sun was shining brightly overhead, and there
was not a cloud in the sky. Every once in a while a soft breeze would float by
and someone would say something in the background, but neither Jack nor Rose
noticed any of it.
Rose was leaving today for New York. Her new
private jet was waiting about fifty yards away. People were loading it with
bags and other various things that Rose was taking with her and a few choice
people were getting into the plane, ready to accompany her to New York.
Rose glanced mournfully back at the plane and
then at Jack again. "I don't have to go," she whispered to him.
"I really don't. I could stay here with you."
Jack wiped the fresh tear from her cheek and
shook his head. "Rose, we talked about this. You have to go. It's a chance
of a lifetime."
"Oh Jack, I know, but I don't care
about--"
"Shh," Jack whispered pressing his
thumb to her lips. "Rose, you're going."
Rose took a deep breath and then mustered a
nod. Trying to avoid further tears, she glanced around and tried to get
something else to focus on for a moment. Jokingly she said, "You know,
this is like a scene out of Armageddon, or Casablanca, The
Bodyguard...something..."
Jack tired to smile. All those endings were
in some way sad. He didn't want to think about that. But he nodded for Rose. Anything
to make her feel better, he thought gently.
"And I will always love you," he
finally whispered, mocking Whitney Houston's song from The Bodyguard.
Rose's eyes filled with more tears and she
flung herself against Jack. Lying her head on his shoulder, she savored every
last minute with him. This was harder then anything she had ever done; even
harder then saying good-bye to her mother earlier that day at home. This was
Jack, her soulmate, her best friend in the whole world. How was she ever going
to get through this?
Jack was having similar thoughts. He loved
Rose so much, it just wasn't right that they were being ripped apart like this.
But this was Rose's chance to make it big. She would be famous, and she
deserved this chance. The only way he would let her stay was if she totally
objected. And so far, she hadn't. She had said she wouldn't go, but he could
see the desire in her eyes. Yes, this is what Rose needed.
Too soon, a Mr. Lovett came prancing up and
tapped lightly on Rose's shoulder. "Miss DeWitt-Bukater, it's time,"
was all he said before walking off.
Rose unwrapped herself from Jack's warm and
comforting body. "I love you," she whispered softly.
"I love you, too, Rosie," Jack
whispered back. "Good-bye--"
Rose laid her finger over Jack's lips and
silenced him before he finished speaking. "Don't say it, Jack. Don't say
that."
Jack nodded as more tears formed in his
already moist eyes. "I won't," he promised softly.
"Miss Rose, really!" came a shout
from behind them. "We must get going!"
Rose gave Jack one last kiss and mumbled,
"I'll see you...soon," before she turned and ran off.
Jack gave a big sigh and tucked his shaking
hands into his pockets. He watched her run towards the plane and then, without
looking back, run up the steps and disappear inside. That was it; she was gone.
Rose plopped herself down in one of the
comfortable seats and tried to calm her body down. Her hands wouldn't stop
trembling and her legs felt like they were going to turn to mush.
Sighing heavily, she glanced out the little
window next to her seat. She saw Jack, standing where they had been a couple of
minutes ago. Oh how she wanted to be out there. She wanted to be with him.
But isn't this what you've always wanted? a little voice in the back of her head asked.
Yes, Rose thought back.
Isn't this what you've always dreamed of,
ever since you, Mollie, and Liza were little and would play all those dress up
games?
Yes...
Isn't this what you've always wanted to
end up...in New York with people cheering for you?
Isn't this what you've always dreamed
of...the fame, the money, the glamour?
Isn't this what you've always secretly
lusted for?
Yes.
Yes.
Yes...
Isn't HE what you've always wanted?
Yes...
Rose sat up very straight as her mind
suddenly cleared. He was what she'd always wanted. All those things she had
said in Seattle had not been a joke; he was what she had been waiting for all
her life. He was her other half. "Oh my God," she whispered out loud.
She knew what she had to do.
*****
Jack turned around and quickly started
walking away. He couldn't bring himself to watch that plane take off, taking
Rose with it. He didn't want to see her go.
So, walking towards the parking lot, he tried
to get her out of his mind. He didn't want to think of her; it was to painful.
He didn't want to think of her.
"Jack!"
Rose's voice! He could hear Rose's voice. But
it couldn't be her. She was leaving. Great! Now my mind is playing tricks on
me, he thought, deciding to ignore the shouts.
"Jack!"
There it was again! Her voice...it sounded
like she was right behind him. "She can't be there, Dawson," he said
to himself, this time out loud.
"Jack! Darling, it's me!"
This time Jack had to know. He spun around,
scanned the surrounding area, and then gasped. As she got closer, he could see
in her eyes that she had changed her mind.
In slow motion Rose ran and then approached
Jack slowly. It was like a dream; she was finding it very hard to believe, as
was Jack.
"You didn't leave for New York..."
"I couldn't," Rose whispered and
then threw herself into Jack's arms. He kissed her over and over again, not
caring who might be watching. Crushing her against him, he held her a tight as
he possibly could.
"I love you," he whispered after a
minute, pulling her away just enough to look at her face. "But are you
sure this is what you want, Rose?" He thought to himself about how painful
it would be to say good-bye again; and he hoped that she was here to stay.
"I'm sure, Jack," she said,
grinning through her fresh tears. "I want to go to college. I want to be a
normal person. I want a life; I want to get married and have children. I don't
want to be a professional actress...not anymore."
"But Rose--"
"No, Jack, darling, I've made up my
mind. I'm not going if you're not going. It's like...you run, I run. You fall,
I fall. You burn, I burn," she paused for effect and then said, "you
jump, I jump Jack. Forever...that's how it will be. You jump, I jump." She
smiled for a moment and then burst out laughing. "You jump, I jump!"
she screamed and then Jack started laughing as well.
Excitedly, he picked her up and spun her
around and around until they were both dizzy. Giddy, he set her back down on
the ground.
"Will you marry me, Rose, for real? I'll
get you a proper ring and everything, as soon as we get back to Spokane. But,
please Rose, I love you."
Rose gasped and her eyes widened. Her hands
flew to her mouth and she felt her heart start to pound.
"Not now, of course...but in a few
years, after college," Jack said quickly after he saw Rose's face.
"Oh Jack, of course I will!" she
whispered happily. "I want to be yours for the rest of my life...and
beyond, Jack."
And as if in a dream once again, Jack slowly
bent down to kiss Rose as the rest of the world slowly, but steadily, faded
away.