It didn't take long for Rose to drift off to sleep with Jack's arms around her. The night air was cold, but it was nothing compared to the icy ocean they had almost died in years ago. As he predicted, Jack was wide awake. He listened intently as the hours passed. The wind blew through the trees, rattling the bare branches. Somewhere in the distance he heard wolves howling, but they were moving away from where they were. Jack walked to the window and peeked out. Clouds had gathered, blocking out the moon and darkening the little room they were in.
Rose shifted in her sleep, groaning in discomfort. Jack looked at her, wondering where it hurt. His imagination ran wild on him, fearing how bad her injuries could possibly be. Should I be moving her in the middle of the night like this? What if she needs to see a doctor? He knew that taking her to a doctor could be potentially dangerous for them both. He could easily be found and Rose could be held responsible for hiding him. There's also the matter of Cal, stabbed to death in our house.
Jack moved away from the window, plopped down in the chair, and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Just get someplace safe, stay a few steps ahead of them. He silently vowed to get her to a doctor the minute they reached whatever safe place they landed at.
Hearing Rose whimper in her sleep, Jack's eyes snapped open. She was twisting on the cot she lay on, as if she was trying to squirm away from the monster in her nightmare. He was by her side in seconds. Jack paused briefly, remembering the last time he woke her from a nightmare. Instead of shaking her awake this time, even gently, Jack slipped his hand into hers. Rose squeezed it and Jack squeezed her hand in return.
"Shh, Rose," he whispered. "I'm right here," he said, attempting to comfort her as she slept. It seemed to work, as Rose settled down, eventually becoming quiet. Jack let out a sigh of relief. He remained next to her for the rest of the night, holding her hand until the sun began to rise.
*****
Jack couldn't believe how much calmer he felt now that he was watching the bare trees fly past him as the train chugged along. Rose sat next to him, her head resting on his shoulder. The first train they were able to leave on was headed toward Minneapolis.
"You should sleep," Rose said softly. She lifted her head to look at him. His eyes were bloodshot and dark underneath.
"I'm fine," he lied. Truthfully he felt as though he'd fall over any moment and his vision was completely unfocused.
"No, you're not," Rose replied. "Don't patronize me, Jack," she went on, determined to get him some sleep. "I don't know how long you've gone without sleep, but just looking at you I can tell it's been too long." Rose lay her head back on his shoulder. "Please, Jack."
Jack smiled to himself as Rose slid her hand into his. He knew she was right. He wasn't even able to remember the last time he slept. They still had a couple of hours before they reached Minneapolis, and having been on the train for over two hours already, Jack felt more confident that no one on the train was looking for them. Unable to fight it anymore, Jack closed his eyes and let himself drift off.
*****
They made it safely to Minneapolis and found a small bed and breakfast to stay at for at least a night or two before they left to keep heading west. Entering the room, Rose spotted the bathroom just to her left. She longed for a soak in the tub, eager to sooth her body. There was a new ache in her muscles and she hadn't been able to completely rid herself of the chill she'd caught during the night. Jack dropped their bag on the floor next to the bed and turned to her. "Rosebud?"
Rose looked at him. Her mind was numb, her body hurt, and she was emotionally drained. "I want to take a bath, Jack," she replied pathetically, almost feeling as if she was whining. There was a desperate plea in her voice, telling Jack that all she wanted was a decent night's sleep. Hearing that plea, Jack forgot the vow he had made to himself about taking her to a doctor.
"I'll help you," Jack offered. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the tub. He tinkered with the faucets until he found the temperature he knew Rose preferred. Rose simply stood in the doorway, seeing him but not really watching him. Her head was beginning to feel like a plate of glass that was slowly beginning to crack. The ache between her eyes radiated out to the rest of her face and began to travel down her neck. When she breathed, she felt her ribs throb.
When the tub was filled to the right level, Jack turned off the water. He walked over to Rose and took her hand. "Let's get you in the bath," he said, offering to assist her further. For a brief second, Rose put up no resistance, but then she pulled away.
"I'm all right," she said pulling away. She didn't want Jack to see the constrictive bandage around her middle, or the bruises that were hidden underneath it.
"Rose—"
"I said I'm all right," she repeated, more harshly than she meant. She let her eyes soften as she looked at him. "Really, I'm fine," she assured him. Jack knew it was pointless to try to argue. He let out a sigh and left the bathroom. Slowly, Rose undressed and got into the tub. The warm water felt amazing as it surrounded her body. Leaning back, Rose closed her eyes, trying to let her pain melt away.
"Do you think you'll be okay for a few minutes alone? I want to see if I can get us something to eat," he said. They hadn't eaten anything but a sandwich each at the train station before leaving.
Rose nodded slightly. "I'll be all right." Jack smiled weakly at her before leaving. Rose closed her eyes again and focused on the warm water. But then, out of nowhere, she felt her mind break and fall apart. Everything hit her at once—her rape, Cal's death, and Jack going AWOL. It all played out so incredibly clear in her mind and Rose experienced it all over again.
When Jack returned, she was shaking from crying so hard.
Just over an hour later, Rose was laying on her back on the bed. Her ribs hurt, but her heart hurt more. She hadn't said anything since Jack had found her crying in the tub. Except for her sobs, she had remained quiet while Jack helped her out of the tub and into a clean nightgown.
Jack hadn't said anything, but Rose knew he had seen her bruises. She'd heard his voice catch in his throat as he promised her it would all be okay. His fingertips had lightly brushed the bruises as he dried her off with the towel. Rose forced herself to look away, unable to bear seeing the hurt in his eyes.
Now he lay on the bed with her. He longed to pull her into his arms and hold her tight, but knew that he couldn't. Instead, he was mentally kicking himself. You idiot. You should have taken her to a doctor as soon as the train stopped here. Tears built up under his lids and he blinked them away rapidly. He turned his head and looked at Rose. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was even.
Jack slowly got up to turn off the light, walking past the uneaten soup he had gotten for them, which had now grown cold. He switched off the light and slowly crawled back into bed. He reached for Rose's hand and upon finding it, interlocked their fingers. Jack again vowed to himself that he would take Rose to a doctor in the morning as he drifted off to sleep.
5:00 AM
Jack felt Rose's shivering and at first wasn't too surprised. The room was chilly and he shivered on occasion as well. But as his brain woke up a little more, he realized that Rose's shivering was constant and violent compared to his. Her teeth chattered as her muscles contracted.
A lump of fear formed in his throat and he forced himself to swallow it. Gingerly, he reached over and felt her forehead with his hand. Jack felt his heart fall when he realized that she was burning up.