December 12, 1918
Hippodrome, NYC
Taking her final bow, Rose grinned from ear to ear. The production had been successful once again. Her heart pounded, though, knowing Jack was waiting in her dressing room for her to return. The curtain fell and Rose found her way to the stage door and walked the corridor to her dressing room. The door was slightly ajar, and Rose could see Jack's figure sitting on her chair. Her heart pounded and she wrung her hands slightly. Jack heard Rose's footsteps and turned to face her as she opened the door before clicking it shut. His eyes were puffy and red. He had obviously been crying. Silence fell between them and they did nothing but stare at each other in a daze. Jack wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and kiss her; he had spent the last hours replaying memories of them both in his head which had reduced him to tears, the pain still very much fresh.
“Jack...” Rose spoke, but simply did not know what to say. She shifted her eyes about the room, but nothing could divert her mind from the current situation.
“Rose, why did you leave me?” he asked. His voice was soft and gentle. Rose closed her eyes and thought of an answer. What could she say? The truth? She knew she had to be straight with him. After all, it just came down to him and her now, standing here.
“Jack, I…I didn't want to bring you down. I had a child, and was still technically married. I was a wreck,” Rose stuttered. She couldn't deny him anything now. She had to be honest. She knew the hurt she had caused him once.
“No more than I am now,” Jack replied, getting to his feet. He wiped his eyes and inched closer to Rose, his eyes never leaving hers. “I loved you, Rose, and I love you still,” he whispered.
Rose's stomach turned at his words. She felt tears pricking in her eyes. She broke eye contact with him; she was simply stunned, and could not think of a reply. She walked to her dresser and began to brush her hair, anything to distract her from seeing the hurt on his face, the hurt she knew she had caused.
“I highly doubt that, Jack.”
“You doubt me? Rose, I have loved you day in, day out since the moment I laid eyes on you the night you almost jumped off the Titanic. Remember that day, Rose?” he asked forcefully.
“Yes, I remember,” she replied. That night she had been ready to end it all. Jack had saved her, and to this day she was grateful to him.
“I would never lie, Rose. I do love you. The war taught me not to waste time now, to make life count more than ever. I've had men die in my arms, Rose. Men younger than me with children and wives.” Jack's voice cracked and he openly wept. Rose didn't know what to do, whether to comfort him or not.
“I'm so sorry, Jack. I know it's been hard. But I am engaged to be married, Jack,” Rose pointed out, a fact which Jack already knew. He wiped his eyes and came closer to Rose, so close their faces were just a few inches apart.
“Did you ever have feelings for me, Rose?” he whispered. His eyes pleaded with her for her to just tell the truth.
“Yes, I did,” she replied, and it was true. She felt his hands reach downwards and touch hers. She closed her eyes. A tear slowly made its way down her porcelain face. “I did have feelings for you, Jack. I cannot deny that.”
“Do you have feelings for me now?”
Rose's hand linked with Jack's and their faces were just an inch apart. She could remember the power he had over her, the power which made her feel weak and like they were the only two people in the world. Robert had never even touched her in the way Jack did. His question swirled in her mind; did she have feelings for him? They had a child together, a daughter who had been conceived out of love. She thought of all the nights she had sat over Olivia, just watching how she grew to look more like her father every day. How much she had thought of Jack over the years.
“Yes, I do.”
Silence fell over them again, and they felt were the only two people in the world. Shakily, Jack touched Rose's cheek and their eyes never left each other’s. Rose couldn't deny how she felt anymore. Two years she had denied she had feelings for the man in front of her. The power Rose had over Jack was indescribable; she was the most perfect thing he had ever laid eyes on. He touched her soft cheek, and before long the passion he had in him for Rose took over, and he kissed her mouth forcefully. She returned his kiss, more passionately than she had ever kissed him before. The moment was what Jack had been longing and waiting for. It felt natural and like they were only meant to kiss each other. Jack kissed her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, and then her lips again. Rose's hands ran through Jack's hair and she moaned slightly, forgetting how good he made her feel. He trailed kisses down her neck, and before they knew it, they lay in each other's arms on the small divan couch in her dressing room. He kissed her entire body, leaving no area untouched, and then made love to her, taking her once again to the heaven she hadn't felt in over two years.