IN THE ARMS OF A STRANGER
Chapter Two

"Why would you want to get away from your fiancé, Rose?"

"Because I hate him. The only reason I was going to marry him was because of my mother. You see, my father left a lot of bad debts, and it took all our money to pay them off. So my mother thought if she married me off to Caledon Hockley...one of the richest men in Philadelphia...we'd be saved. We wouldn't have to leave the life of high society. But, Jack, I can't marry him. I don't even like him. And as far as leaving the life of luxury behind...I say good riddance!" Rose began to cry, and was surprised by how easily she had spilled her story to a total stranger. What must Jack think of her?

"Rose...you are something else." Jack smiled. "Not many upper class girls would say good riddance to that life of luxury of yours. But I could tell from the start that you're different. You have a certain fire burning inside you. I must say I'm quite glad you decided you couldn't marry this Hockley fellow. But what are you gonna do once you get back to America?"

Rose shook her head. She honestly didn't know. But she wasn't going back to the way things were in Philadelphia. That was for sure. "I don't know. But how about you, Jack? What are you and Fabrizio planning on doing once you get back to the states?"

"Well, I'm going back to my hometown, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. But I'm not sure what Fabri's going to do. We never really talked about it."

"I'm going to be a millionaire." Fabri rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he approached the table.

Jack laughed. "Good luck then, pal."

"Is this breakfast?" Fabrizio asked, looking down at the food.

"Sure is. Dig in."

"How did you get this, Jack? You bet all our money yesterday." Fabrizio sat down in the chair across from Rose.

"I sold one of my drawings earlier. Sold it for a whole pound. Can you believe it?"

"You're an artist?" Rose’s interest was piqued.

"One of the best," Fabrizio piped up.

"You like art, Rose?" Jack asked.

"I love it. In fact, I bought some paintings in Paris from a...Picasso." Rose brightened. "And another painting from a Monet. But Picasso is my favorite. His paintings...there's truth but no logic. Do you know what I mean?"

Jack nodded, smiling the whole time. He couldn’t help being fascinated by Rose. He'd never met a girl like her, especially an upper class girl. Last night, she was being assaulted by two drunks, but this morning, it was like the attack had never happened. Miss Rose DeWitt Bukater sure was a strong woman.

"Jack...can I see some of your drawings?" Rose was shy about asking, but she couldn't help being curious. "If you don't mind?"

"Of course I don't mind, Rose. What is there to mind about? My art was made for people to see, and I'll be honored to show it to you. Just let me get my portfolio from the other side of the room there." Jack left the table and was out of earshot of Rose and Fabrizio.

"I think he likes you." Fabrizio smiled. "He's never offered to show his art like that to anyone. Not since we left Paris, anyway."

"Paris?" Rose asked, her eyes full of surprise. "You two really do get around."

"For a couple of poor guys." Fabrizio laughed good-naturedly.

"What happened in Paris to make him shy about his art?"

"The critics didn't like it. They're more into abstract right now. Jack draws from life."

"Here it is." Jack returned, a brown portfolio in his hands.

"Oh, Jack, this is exquisite work." Rose gasped as she opened the portfolio to dozens of pictures of people. She couldn’t help but be entranced, especially by the hands. They were so expressive. "You have a gift, Jack. You do. You see people."

Jack blushed and looked down at the floor. He wasn't used to being complimented on his artwork.

"Well, well, well." Rose laughed as she came upon the nude portraits Jack had drawn. "Were these drawn from life?"

"Yeah. That's the one good thing about Paris. A lot of girls are willing to take their clothes off." Jack laughed, then turned the pages to a nude of a one-legged woman. "This was a one-legged prostitute. She had beautiful hands. I had to catch them on paper." Then Jack turned to the end of the folder, where a woman with sad eyes, clad in a fur coat, was sitting in a bar. "And this is Madame Bijoux. She used to sit in this bar waiting for her long lost love."

"I see. Jack, you've captured her perfectly. You really do see people." Rose smiled, lightly touching his hand.

Jack just looked at Rose and smiled. She was right. He did see people, and at that moment he saw only her. A poor little rich girl who longed to be free from the restraints of high society. A girl who wanted to soar like a bird, up into the sky. She just needed to learn how to do so, and he hoped that he was just the person to teach her.

Rose looked up at Jack and was immediately taken into those gorgeous blue pools of light. She could remain in their warmth forever. "Jack..."

"Rose..." Jack sighed her name. At that moment, he thought about how easy it would be to kiss her. He wondered what it would be like, and would she welcome it?

"Jack has a true talent, no?" Fabrizio broke the moment. He could see where the moment was heading, and couldn't help but be worried. He had to have a talk with Jack, and soon.

"Hmm." Rose nodded, sitting up straight in the chair, blushing furiously.

"Rose, why don't you go and put the portfolio back? Give yourself a chance to look at some more." Jack handed the portfolio to her.

"Sure, Jack." Rose took the portfolio and walked to the other side of the room, leaving Jack staring after her.

"Jack, what are you doing? She's out of your league. She's a swell," Fabrizio hissed. "She's nice, but still...a swell."

"Fabri...she's not just nice...she's wonderful. I’ve never known another girl like her. She has this fire...and...you wouldn't understand." Jack sighed, looking down at the table.

"Jack, it's true she's very beautiful. But she does have a fiancé and a life back in America, and as soon as she sets foot back on American soil, she's going to be heading back to her world, leaving you with a broken heart." Fabrizio sighed. "Jack...I can't tell you what to do, but at least be careful. Don't get your heart caught up in something that can't be."

Jack just nodded, as if he agreed with what Fabrizio was saying, but he knew in his heart that Rose wouldn't be returning to her world once they got back to America. She had said herself that she wouldn't be going back to a man she didn't love.

Two Hours Later

Fabrizio had gone off on his own for the day. He said that maybe if one of them had a job, there was a better chance of them catching a ship back to America. So it was just Jack and Rose that day. Jack decided to take Rose around Southampton. They were now outside the flat, and the night before came flooding back to Rose. What if they ran into those men again? They must know by now that she was no relation to that Conway person Jack had mentioned.

"What's the matter, Rose?" Jack looked over and saw how pale she had turned.

"What if we run into those men again, Jack?" Rose asked, turning to him.

"We won't run into them anytime today," Jack reassured her. "Don't you worry, Rose. If we did, I wouldn't let them anywhere near you."

Rose just smiled thinly, obviously not convinced. Jack was strong and everything, but there were two of them and one of him, plus both men outweighed Jack tremendously.

"You want to go to a park, Rose? Get some fresh air?" Jack asked.

"That'd be lovely." Rose once again smiled, trying to put the two men from the night before out of her mind. Jack was right. She was safe with him. Plus, it was broad daylight. Those men would be too scared to try anything.

Fifteen minutes later, Jack and Rose were seated on a bench in the park. Rose was enjoying the scenery, while Jack sketched a little boy and girl at play. He had the exact title for the picture, too—Puppy Love.

"What do ya think, Rose?" Jack showed the finished picture to his companion.

"It's beautiful, Jack. You captured them so perfectly." Rose smiled. "So, Jack...you know everything about me, but I know nothing about you except that you're from a place called Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin."

Jack smiled, surprised that she was interested in his life. "Well, I was born and raised in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. My father was a farmer, and my mother was a midwife. We weren't poor, but we weren't rich, either. We certainly wouldn't be sailing first class on the Titanic, that's for sure. But, anyway, I grew up pretty happy. Me and my best friend, Howard Calvert, used to play tricks on our teachers...we were always in trouble."

Rose laughed. She could imagine a mischievous Jack laying a pin in the teacher's chair and getting in trouble for it.

"I was fifteen when I left home. My parents had died in a fire, and I felt guilty because I wasn't home when it happened. So, since I didn't have any close kin in that part of the country, I lit on out of there and haven't been back since. You can just call me a tumbleweed blowing in the wind."

Rose was stunned. What a hard life he must have had after the fire that took his parents, but he hadn't let it bother him. In fact, it seemed he'd risen above it and had made some sort of peace. "Do you have any relatives?"

"Don't know." Jack shrugged. "My pa never talked about his family much, and my mother's family are all dead. As far as I know, I'm the only Dawson left."

"Oh, Jack...that's so sad..."

"No, Rose. It's not sad at all. My parents’ deaths taught me never to waste a moment of my time here on earth. To make each and every day count. No matter what. And when opportunities come my way, to grab on to them with both hands and never let go."

"Never let go..." Rose repeated, her voice thoughtful. "That's a great motto to live by."

"It's not just a motto, Rose. It's a way of life." Jack smiled. "It's not an easy one, but it's a good one."

Rose’s smile faded as their eyes met again. His eyes filled her whole world as he looked into her soul. How did he see her? Did he see a poor, lost, rich girl who needed his pity? Or did he see her as she saw him...a very special person who deserved the best life had to offer? A person worth spending time with.

Jack broke the moment. "Well, Rose, I guess we’d better be moving on. Let's go down to the dock and see what's the next ship leaving for America." He stood and held his hand out for her to take. She smiled and let him lead her back into the crowded streets of Southampton.

8:00
A Dance Hall in Southampton

Jack pulled Rose into the crowded dance hall and found a table for them. Rose couldn’t help being a little nervous. There was not a sign of the two men who had attacked her, but there was a bigger chance of meeting up with them here, and she couldn't help but be nervous.

"Jack...why are we here?" Rose asked, looking around the hall after taking a seat.

"I thought we’d have a good time while you're here," Jack said. "Relax, Rose. You'll have fun."

Rose smiled nervously as Jack took a seat across from her. "Are you thirsty, Rose?"

"A little." Rose shrugged.

"I'll be back. Stay right here," Jack said, suddenly getting up and disappearing into the crowd.

"Jack!" Rose called, but it was too late. He was out of earshot. Her nervousness grew the longer he was gone. Why had he left? What if those two men showed up?

"I'm back!" Jack returned three minutes later with two glasses of beer. "Drink up!"

"Hi, Jack!" a little voice piped up. Rose looked down to see an adorable little girl with red hair pulled into pigtails.

"Hey there, Katie. Where's your father?" Jack greeted the little girl.

"Over there!" Katie pointed to a big, burly man looking in their direction. Jack waved, and the man returned the wave with a nod. "Jack, you promised you'd dance with me! Remember?"

"I did?" Jack asked, his voice laughing. Of course he remembered, but he couldn't resist teasing the little girl. "Why, I don't remember that. Do you remember, Rose?"

"She wasn't there." Katie crossed her arms, glancing over at Rose.

"Well, we have no witnesses. So, how do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Oh, Jack, you're horrible." Rose laughed. "Stop teasing the girl. You promised her a dance, and a gentleman never goes back on a promise."

"Well, I guess I’d better keep that promise, or the pretty lady here will think I'm not a gentleman." Jack turned to Katie. "And we wouldn't want that, now, would we?"

Katie just shook her head innocently. She was so cute. Rose hoped she had a little girl that cute when she had children.

"I'll be back, Rose." Jack turned back to her and squeezed her hand. "If you need anything, just holler."

"I will." Rose smiled, watching Jack lead the little girl onto the dance floor just as an Irish tune began to play. He was good with children. He was going to be a great father once he settled down with a wife. Whoever the woman was, she sure would be lucky.

Five minutes later, the song ended, and Jack approached the table and stood in front of Rose. "Come on. Let's dance." Jack smiled, holding his hand out to her.

"Jack...I don't think that's a good idea." Rose looked around the pub. "I can't dance all that well."

"Sure you can. Just go with the music." He grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor, just as another Irish tune started up. "We have to get a little closer, like this." Jack pulled her closer to him and began moving to the music.

"I don't know the steps!" Rose was flustered.

"Neither do I! Just go with it!" Jack laughed, swinging her through the crowd, keeping with the beat of the music.

"Jack, no!" Rose laughed as they danced. She was just beginning to get into the dance when Jack suddenly stopped and pulled her up onto a platform. "Jack, no!" Rose laughed.

He went into a complicated dance step. Rose watched this, and as soon as he stopped, she took off her shoes and repeated the dance, step by step. She couldn't believe she was actually doing this. A couple more steps later, they linked arms and whirled each other around. Then Jack grabbed both her hands and whirled her around until she was dizzy. She had no choice but to laugh.

Two minutes later, Jack and Rose returned to find their table occupied. Jack just grabbed their beer and handed it to Rose. Thirsty, Rose began to drink the beer and didn't stop until the glass was empty. She turned to Jack and found him staring at her in disbelief.

"What? You didn't think an upper class girl could drink?" Rose laughed.

Jack just smiled until a man bumped into him, causing him to spill his beer on Rose. "Hey, get out of here!" Jack pushed the man into the crowd. "Are you okay?" He turned to Rose and began wiping off her dress.

"I'm fine." Rose laughed, not caring that the dress was ruined. "Hey, watch this!"

Rose stood on her tiptoes and raised herself up until she was standing on the points of her toes. She fell into Jack's arms, who was amazed at what she had done and laughed. "I haven't done that in years!"

Neither Jack nor Rose noticed Ed and Sal, the men from the night before, glaring at them. They now knew that the girl was not the granddaughter of Clarence Conway, and didn't appreciate having been deceived. They weren't going to do anything at that moment, but later...when the time was right.

*****

It was now midnight, and Jack and Rose were beginning their long trek back to Jack's flat.

"I'd like to thank you, Jack. That was the most fun I've had in years." Rose laughed.

"You're welcome, Rose." Jack smiled. She truly was an amazing girl. He definitely wanted to know her better.

They were back in the area where they first met the night before when Jack noticed they were being followed. He immediately grabbed Rose’s hand and pulled her closer to him.

"Jack, what's wrong?" Rose asked, noticing how tense he had become.

"Don't look behind us, Rose, but we're being followed," Jack whispered. "Just stay calm and pretend you don't know anything."

Rose immediately grew nervous. Who was following them, and what could they want? Then she knew it was the men from last night. They must have found out the truth and wanted revenge. "Jack..."

"It's okay, Rose. Trust me." Jack squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"I trust you." Rose nodded and meant it. In the short time she had known Jack Dawson, she had trusted him with her life.

Jack and Rose were almost to the flat when the two men caught up.

"Why, isn't it the lady from last night?" Ed snarled. "Strange she should return to this side of town."

"Strange for Mr. Conway's granddaughter, anyway." Sal snorted. "But you know, today at work I ran into Mr. Conway himself and asked how his granddaughter was doing. And he said he didn't have a granddaughter."

"But, Sal, that's impossible," Ed piped in. "This young lady is his granddaughter. Jack said she was."

"Well, I guess Jack here lied about that!" Sal snarled.

"What do you guys want?" Jack pulled Rose behind him. If they were going to try to get to her, they'd have to go through him first.

"What we wanted yesterday before we were interrupted." Sal advanced on the couple.

"Think again," Jack said.

"Don't be stupid, Jack. There's two of us and one of you. Plus, we outweigh you. So, I suggest you step aside." Ed laughed.

Jack didn't move. He wasn't going to let these men near Rose.

"It doesn't matter." Ed was now face to face with Jack. "I'll just have to fight harder for what I want."

"Think again." Jack sent a fist into the older man's nose, breaking it instantly, and took off in a fast run, pulling Rose along with him. "Run, Rose!"

"Jack!" Rose yelled, half running and half being pulled.

"Keep running!" Jack called behind him. They didn't stop running until they were safely inside Jack's flat. Exhausted, Rose collapsed into Jack's arms. "It's okay, Rose. You're safe now." Jack stroked her hair.

"You two were out late, no?" Fabrizio stood from the chair. Then he noticed that Jack and Rose were both out of breath. "What happened to you two?"

"Just another run-in with our two friends from last night," Jack said, leading Rose to one of the chairs to sit down.

"What were you doing out this late, anyway?" Fabrizio turned to Jack.

"I took Rose dancing." Jack turned to face his friend.

"Dancing? Jack, are you crazy? She's a lady. You don't take ladies dancing."

"Well, she enjoyed herself until we headed back here. Didn't ya, Rose?"

Rose looked up and nodded, then returned her attention back to the table. The run-in with Sal and Ed had upset her.

"She doesn't look like she's having fun." Fabrizio pointed to her. "In fact, she looks scared, no?"

"I want to go home." Rose began to sob and laid her head on the table.

"You'll get home, Rose." Jack immediately went to her and pulled her into his arms. "I promise. I'll get you home."

Fabrizio just watched the two of them and shook his head. At that moment, he knew that his friend was lost. Jack had completely and totally fallen for Rose. He just hoped that Rose knew what she had and didn't break his heart.

"We should sleep." Fabrizio sighed. "Big day tomorrow. We set sail for America in a month. Olympic, third class. Sorry it's not first."

Rose just shrugged as she pulled away from the hug. "As long as those two men aren't on the ship, I'll be fine."

"Oh, yeah. I signed her up as Mrs. Dawson. Is that okay?" Fabrizio asked.

"Why did you do that?" Jack asked.

"Avoid too many questions. Plus, it's cheaper, three people to a room." Fabrizio shrugged. "I didn't think you'd mind."

"I don't." Jack sighed. "I'm just tired. It's been a long day. Let's turn in for the night. Will you be all right, Rose?"

"I'll be fine, Jack. Thank you." Rose sniffed, getting up from the chair and going to her place on the floor. "Good night, Jack and Fabri."

"Night, Rose," both men replied in unison.

That night was not a night Rose forgot. Years from then, she thought back to the night and only thought of the good parts of the park and the dance hall. There was no reason for her to remember her second escape from the two men known as Ed and Sal.

Chapter Three
Stories