Time had passed and Rose was leaving the Carpathia. The blanket covered most of her body, but mostly she wanted to be sure to cover her red hair. She could be spotted easily if anyone saw her long, cascading curls.
She bumped into the woman in front of her. She hadn't really been paying attention.
The woman started to turn around as Rose mumbled an apology.
The woman just stared at Rose and put a hand to her mouth in utter disbelief.
"Well, I'll be damned..."
Rose's eyes grew wide with fear when she realized that it was none other than Molly Brown. She wasn't scared of her, but she realized that her mother was most likely nearby.
Afraid of what was about to happen, Rose tightened the blanket around her as her eyes darted around, looking for the familiar silhouettes of her mother and Cal.
"Rose? What is it?"
"Mother...and Cal..." Rose whispered.
"Darlin', they already left the ship. From what I heard, they're leaving for Philadelphia in the morning."
Rose breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes for a brief moment.
"I'm takin' that as a sign that you aren't looking for them?"
Rose nodded.
"I figured as much. I'm so happy that you made it! We thought you and Jack went down with the ship!"
Rose gulped. The tears started to come up again and Rose wiped them with the back of her hand.
"Come on, darlin'. Let's get you to the hotel where I'll be staying."
Molly knew better than to ask Rose where Jack was. She had a dark feeling that she already knew.
Rose was overcome with grief and just nodded her head as Molly led her towards the hotel.
When they got to the hotel room, Rose went into the bathroom and undressed. She turned on the water to the clawed foot tub and made it as hot as her skin would take. Steam filled the room as she stepped in and immersed herself. She laid her head against the edge of the tub and closed her eyes.
Memories started to flood into her mind, just as the beautiful decks had started to flood on the Titanic.
Promise me...
I promise...
She realized that her life had forever changed. She was no longer Rose DeWitt Bukater. She was now Rose Dawson, and she would never give up her chance of a new life now. She couldn't.
She sighed and kept her eyes closed as the silent tears started to fall down her face again. She took in a breath and immersed her entire body and head underwater in the tub.
It was a familiar feeling, except that she was no longer freezing in the Atlantic. She was quiet now. There weren't screaming people, begging to be saved. She was all alone. She just thought of Jack, and the dream she had when she was on the lifeboat. Was it really just a dream, or was it a sign?
She didn't realize how longer she was underwater. She didn't realize that Molly had come into the bathroom to check on her. She hadn't heard any noise and started to become worried.
She grabbed Rose by her shoulders and lifted her up. Rose gasped a breath of air.
"What are you doing, Rose?" Molly had a look of pure fear in her face.
"I was just..."
Just what was she doing?
"Oh, darlin'...let's get you out of the tub. I'm having your dress cleaned and I had a few things sent up to my room for us. Maybe tomorrow we'll go and get a few things for you...if you're feeling up to it."
Rose's eyes were red and puffy from all the crying. Just when she thought she was all out of tears, they came again.
She tried to hold back a sob and placed her hand over her mouth.
"He's gone, Molly. He's really gone..."
Molly kept quiet. She knew that no matter what she said, it wouldn't help any. She went over and grabbed a towel for Rose and helped Rose out of the tub. Rose just stood there. Molly grabbed the white terry robe that was nearby and proceeded to help Rose into it and then put her hair up in the towel. After this ordeal, the last thing she had wanted was for Rose to get sick.
"Come on, darlin'...I've got the tea made up for us."
Rose nodded, followed Molly out into the sitting area of the suite, and sat down as Molly brought her some hot tea.
Rose sipped the tea and welcomed the sweet warmth running down her throat.
"We were on the other side of the railing on the stern of the ship as it went down..."
"Darlin', you don't need to tell me anything right now if you don't..."
"I want to."
Molly nodded.
"It started to go down more quickly after the front part of the ship sank. Jack held onto me the entire time. He told me to take a breath and to hold onto him since the suction would take us down. When we were under the water...we lost each other. I came up for air and was in the middle of everyone screaming for help...but somehow Jack found me. We tried to get onto one of the doors that were floating nearby, but it would only hold one of us. Naturally, Jack told me to get on the door, while he stayed in the water. We waited and waited for the lifeboats, both of us falling in and out of consciousness. When I came to a bit later, I was singing, just looking up at the millions of stars that were in the sky. I suddenly heard noises and realized that the boats were coming back for survivors. I tried to wake Jack up...I really tried, Molly..."
The tears were coming back. Rose sipped her tea again and forced the tears back.
"Maybe you should lie down..."
"No!"
"All right, then, darlin'."
"He wouldn't wake up, Molly. He had been in the water too long. I let him go. I had to keep my promise to him, though. I swam over to one of the officers, who, moments earlier, had been blowing his whistle, and without a second thought I blew as hard as I could. It was the only way that the boat would find me. Eventually, they found me and picked me up from the water. There were six others that were pulled from the water. Once I was on the Carpathia, I stayed with the third class passengers and hid from Mother and Cal. I couldn't go back to that, Molly...please understand."
Molly nodded.
"I do, darlin'. That Jack..." She smiled.
Rose couldn't help but smile as well.
"I took his last name, Molly. And that's the way I'd like to keep it."
"Well, Mrs. Dawson...it's a pleasure to meet you."
Rose smiled sadly with a heavy heart. She still felt as though Jack were right there with her.