Outside, the rain beat down heavily, something which was unexpected for July. It was past ten PM and Lilly had been asleep for hours, leaving Jack with nothing to do but think. Think of Rose and how much he loved her, think of the possibility that he could have fathered two of her children, think of how to even start to put his life together if he was their father, think of all of the years he had missed out on during their childhoods. He could never hate Rose for never telling him, but it would take a lot for him to understand. His head turned around vigorously. Finding his tobacco, he settled himself on the couch and rolled himself a cigarette before taking a match and lighting it, exhaling the smoke slowly. He rested his back against the couch and put his feet up on the small pine coffee table before running his hands through his light brown hair and blowing out the smoke. Suddenly, a loud knock erupted at the door and Jack jumped in shock. Placing his cigarette on the edge of the ashtray, he started towards the door to answer it. The rain poured heavily, bashing against the windows, and Rose stood at the door, soaked from head to foot. Her hair was disheveled, her makeup almost washed off, and the gray dress she wore clung to her body, highlighting every curve. Taking her image in, Jack rushed her inside.
“My God, Rose. You'll catch your death out there.” Jack immediately grabbed a towel and began rubbing her hair before grabbing another large towel to place around her body. Rose watched him, touched that he cared so much.
“I don't care, Jack. I just had to see you.” Rose's words made Jack loosen his grip on the towel and hesitantly look into her eyes. Tears were visible in her eyes. “I have to talk to you about so much.”
Nodding, Jack pulled the towel further around her body. “All right, but first I want you to take a nice warm bath and change. I should have a shirt that will fit you, and I'll make us some hot coffee. The last thing I want is for you to be ill.”
“All right. Thank you.” Rose smiled graciously. She felt like she was causing disruption for Jack, but she knew she had to see him. When Lizzy had returned from Jack's that afternoon, she had told Rose of their conversation. It was then that Rose realized she had to tell Jack everything. If he decided to leave them, then it would be his decision, but at least he would know the truth, something she had kept from him for all of these years.
An hour later, after a soak in the slightly small bath and changing into Jack's shirt, Rose sat on the couch with a cup of warm coffee. Jack poked the fire in an attempt to get it going. There was tension in the air. They could both feel it. Jack sat himself on the couch beside Rose and looked at her appearance. She was stunning and natural with no makeup and her curls tumbling around her face. “This is how I love you, Rose. Just simple. The woman I fell in love with all those years ago with no fancy clothes, no makeup—just you.” Rose smiled at his words and placed her coffee on the table.
“Oh, Jack. What have I done to deserve you loving me? After all I ever did to you since the sinking?” Tears appeared in Rose's eyes and she squeezed them shut. Jack came towards her and touched her face gently with his right hand.
“Tell me, Rose…” Jack wanted to know everything. “Tell me what you have to tell me. I need to know, Rose.” Their foreheads touched as he whispered the words to her.
Inhaling a deep breath, Rose didn't know where to start, but she had to tell him everything. “Jack…I…after I have told you this…you may want me to leave, to never see you again.” The thought of it twisted like a knife into both Jack and Rose's hearts, and Jack's grip on Rose's hands tightened.
“I'm not going anywhere, Rose,” he whispered, looking into her eyes so she knew he was speaking the truth. “I love you so much. I want to marry you, Rose, and have more babies with you. I love your children, and I love Lizzy as if she was my own child.”
The words were finally too much for Rose as she cried hysterically in his lap. “Oh, Jack! I want that, too…but there's something else you must know…” Rose tried to catch her breath and Jack attempted to calm her.
“Rose, there is only one thing I need to know…”
Rose raised her head and looked at Jack.
“Am I Olivia and Charlie's father?”
Rose's eyes widened in disbelief. How could he know? Silence fell between them for several minutes, neither of them knowing what to say, but a small nod of Rose's head confirmed Jack's thoughts. When the realization hit him, he, too, broke down. Rose stood and began to pace around the room, her body shaking violently. “Jack, I wanted to tell you for so long, but I was scared to. You were what I was running away from for so long, you and the feelings I had for you…and the children we have together.”
Words failed Jack completely. The truth could not sink into his mind—the fact that he had fathered another two children, with Rose, the woman he loved more than anything. “Rose…why? I cannot believe this at all. I…”
“Jack, I'm so sorry. I'll understand if you want me to leave.”
Jack raised his head to look at Rose. “Leave? You think I could let you leave, knowing this now? I have another two children. Don't you think I have missed enough of their lives?” Jack instantly regretted his words, and immediately came to Rose and pulled her towards him in a warm embrace. “I'm so sorry,” he whispered over and over again. “I'm so sorry. I should have known, Rose. I guess I should have always known.”
“How could you know, Jack? I never gave you any indication that they were your children, but I should have told you as soon as Olivia was born that you had a child.”
“Yes, you should have. But don't regret anything now, sweetheart. We've got each other now.” Jack pressed his lips to Rose's just once before pulling her into an embrace she had never felt before. They clung to each other for fear of losing the other.
“But everything is so messed up, Jack. How can we tell the children? How will all of this work out?”
“We'll find a way, Rose. It will work out. Whatever is meant to be will find a way, and this isn't any different. It’s fate, Rose. Fate brought us to where we are now.” Jack really believed that. Life would be different from this day on. There would be no more running, no more being scared. All they had was their love for each other and their children.
“I just…I'm so scared I’m going to lose you again, Jack.” Rose's vision was blurred by her tears and she clung to Jack as though her life depended on it.
“You’re never going to lose me, Rose. That I promise you.” Feeling content for the first time, Rose pulled away from Jack, feeling her heart beating so fast she felt dizzy. She couldn't believe he now knew the truth and still didn't blame her. “There's so much work we have to do now, Rose. We have to tell the children the truth.”
Rose nodded in agreement. “They're going to be so happy, Jack, to finally have their father.” Rose could picture their faces. For so long, they had longed for a father figure, especially Charlie. He needed a man in his life to guide him. “You know, after Robert and I divorced and when I changed my surname to Bukater, I changed Olivia and Charlie's, too—to Dawson.”
Jack's eyes widened in shock. “You gave them my name?”
Nodding, Rose could taste her salty tears. She felt she had been crying so much her heart had wrung out. “Yes, I did. I named them for their father.”
Jack's face broke into a smile, something Rose had not seen for a while. He looked so happy, and pulled her towards him once again and kissed her forehead. She wrapped her arms around his body and just stayed there for what seemed like eternity, just in the arms of the man she loved. The fire crackled and cast a warm glow over the room, but to Rose and Jack everything else in the room disappeared and they were the only thing that mattered. Jack thought of their children, their two beautiful children they had created out of their love for each other. He would have to learn to become a father once again, but knew it would work out for the best. Knowing Rose had changed their names to Dawson made him feel happy. He felt proud to be their father. Then Jack thought of Rose, and his love for her, how content he felt with her in his arms, and he never wanted the moment to end.
“Rose, there is one more thing I must ask you, though.”
Rose pulled her body away from Jack, but still was close enough to see into his eyes. A look of mischief played across his face, and she wondered what he was about to ask.
“I know how much we love each other, and that things are still a mess right now. We have to work so much to make a life for us and the kids, but I want you forever.”
“That's what I want, too, Jack. I can't imagine my life without you.”
Stepping back slightly from Rose, he felt his heart pound more than it had ever done before. He felt happy, knowing that everything was out in the open. “You're never going to be without me, Rose. Because…the thing I have to ask you…the last thing which I have to know is…”
It felt as though time had stopped as she waited for Jack to finish his sentence. “…will you be my wife?”
Stunned, Rose thought she was hearing things. Was Jack really asking her to marry him? She had dreamed of this moment for years, especially after turning his proposal down in New York when she had already married Robert, but now here she was, free and able to accept his proposal. “Jack…I don't know what to say.” She beamed, knowing that she wanted to say yes.
“Just say yes, Rose. I know this isn't the perfect proposal with flowers and an expensive ring, but please, just say yes.”
“Yes! Of course I will.” With that, both of them broke down in tears of happiness as Jack scooped Rose into his arms and kissed her as if both their lives depended on it.
“Oh, God, Jack. I never thought I could be this happy.”
Stroking Rose's face, Jack smiled through his own tears. Words were no longer needed. They could both feel how much they loved each other, just from the way they held each other. The entire room faded away as Jack lowered his lips to hers, kissing her face and stroking her hair. Shakily, she undid two of Jack's shirt buttons, exposing his skin. She touched his chest shakily before looking back into his eyes. His look matched hers, and they both knew what was about to happen between them. Scooping her up into his arms, she giggled slightly as he carried her up the stairs to his bedroom. Inside, there was just enough light for them to see each other. They explored each other in a way they hadn't for such a long time. This moment was something they had both dreamed of, but something which they had deemed impossible.
“I love you so much,” Jack whispered into Rose's ear as he kissed her neck gently, nibbling some places and leaving small marks. She moaned with pleasure.
“I love you, too,” she whispered back, smiling for a few seconds before he captured her mouth with his once again. He made love to her like she had never experienced before in her life. Nine long years it had been since Jack had last touched her like this, and she knew this was how her life would be from now on—with Jack and the children. She wouldn't change it for the world.