CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO WORLDS
Chapter Nine

Two Days Later

Jack began to awaken from his deep slumber. The last thing he remembered was being in the freezing water holding Rose’s hands. He tried moving his hands, but someone was holding them tightly.

"Rose?" Jack opened his eyes to stare at a white ceiling.

"Jack." A familiar voice said his name coldly. He turned and saw Caroline glaring at him, holding his hands tightly.

"Caroline." Jack blinked, a little surprised to find her by his bedside.

"How are you feeling, dear? Fine? Well, that’s good." Caroline didn’t give Jack the chance to answer. "Imagine my relief when they brought you on deck. I was so worried because you were so cold and pale…but they brought you here and now you’re well."

"Rose…" Jack looked at Caroline.

"Oh, Jack…you were with her, weren’t you? Poor Mrs. DeWitt Bukater. She was devastated when she found out."

"Found out what?"

"Why, Jack, don’t you remember? They found you both out there, but…poor Rose…she didn’t make it, Jack. They tried to revive her, but nothing helped."

"No. She promised." Jack turned away, certain that Caroline was lying. She had to be. Rose wouldn’t break a promise…she wouldn’t.

"Jack…I know how much you cared about her, and I’m sorry. But she’s gone. Face it, your Rose is gone."

Jack blinked back his tears. Crying wouldn’t bring Rose back to him. It would only make things worse. "How about Fabri? He made it, didn’t he?"

Caroline solemnly shook her head. This time, she was truthful. She had checked all the lists, but Fabrizio was on none of them. She felt a little twinge of sadness when she found this out. She had nothing against Fabrizio. He was a good person and never got in her way. A part of her would miss him. But another part of her was relieved. Now Jack had no close friends, and that made it easier for her to control things. And telling by the way the light went out of his eyes…she had a feeling that carefree spirit of his would no longer be a problem for her.

"Madame…may I take your names?" A steward appeared in the doorway.

"Yes. Dahl. Jack and Carly Dahl." Caroline smiled. Jack opened his mouth to protest, but then fell silent. Why resist? Without Rose and Fabrizio…he had lost all will to go on. Let Caroline do what she wanted. He no longer cared.

*****

"Jack…" Rose sighed lazily as she opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling of a first class stateroom. Where was she? Where was Jack? How had she gotten here?

"Rosie, darlin‘? You awake?" Her Aunt Molly’s voice floated to her. That was when it came flooding back. The sinking, the cold, freezing water…and Jack not responding to her calls.

"Jack!" Rose cried out in heart-wrenching grief. Now she was alone. No one loved her…no one…not like Jack, anyway. No one would ever love her like Jack had.

"Oh, darlin’, I’m so sorry. I looked for him on the lists and such, but he wasn’t listed. Oh, Rosie, I’m so sorry." Molly ran to embrace her niece.

"Oh, Jack! My poor, sweet Jack!" Rose cried. "Why, Molly, why? Why did I find him, just to lose him two days later?"

"I don’t know, Rosie. I don’t know. It’s such a shame. He was a good soul with a kind heart, and it was obvious how much he loved you. I’m so sorry this happened." Molly soothed her niece.

"I was with him the whole time, Molly. When we were in that freezing water, I was with him. He found some floating debris, and he made me get on it. He tried to join me, but the board would only hold one person…I tried to get back off, but he made me stay on, and he made me promise to go on…no matter what happened."

"Oh, Rose."

"But how can I, Molly? How can I go back to living under my mother’s roof, putting up with her putdowns…how can I go on living in a world without Jack?"

"I don’t know, Rose." Molly shook her head. She honestly didn’t know how Rose was going to survive. For one thing, she and Ruth had talked and decided it would be good to go their separate ways. At the time, Molly had thought Rose was dead, and that was her only reason for staying with her sister-in-law. But now that Rose was back…how could she possibly get Ruth to let her stay? That woman would kill the spirit that Jack had resurrected in Rose. How could Molly protect Rose now? Then, an idea came to her. A painful idea, but it might be Rose's only way out. "Rose…your ma still thinks you’re dead. I had the officers bring you straight here to my stateroom, and I didn’t see fit to tell Ruth just yet that you were alive."

"What are you getting at, Aunt Molly?" Rose wiped away her tears.

"Well, darlin’…I was thinking…what if we don’t tell old Ruthie of your survival? What if I just keep you hidden until we reach Denver…then, we’ll figure out what to do from there. What do you say?"

"But what about Mother, Molly? Won’t she want to come in here and pay you a visit?"

"Not unless I call her in here." Molly smiled. "We will, of course, be staying in the Waldorf-Astoria hotel for a couple of days. Then me and you will go on to Denver by train, your mother none the wiser that her recently deceased daughter will be joining me. What do ya say, Rose?"

Rose was quiet for a second. This was something completely new to her. Of course, she was already planning to leave her old life behind when she had told Jack that she was getting off with him, but that had been when she was going to have Jack with her. But now Jack was gone, and she’d be all alone. How could she possibly survive?

"Rose?" Molly got concerned when Rose didn’t answer.

"Okay, Molly. We’ll do it. Besides…I think Jack would want me to do this. It’ll be a way for me to keep my promise to him." Rose nodded, her heart aching at the thought of her Jack.

"Oh, Rose…you did love him, didn’t ya?"

Rose sniffed and nodded, allowing Molly to take her in her arms and comfort her like she used to do when Rose was a child.

Five Days Later

Jack leaned against the rail, looking up at the Statue of Liberty, thinking of how Fabrizio would never get to see the magnificent statue, the one goal he had had all his life.

"Jack, did you hear me?" Caroline yelled into his ear. "Once we dock, we’ll be going to the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, where we’ll stay the night. They’re putting up all the Titanic survivors for the night! Then, first thing tomorrow, we’ll be on the next train to Chippewa Falls! Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Caroline." Jack nodded, not looking at her.

"Jack, listen to me…" Caroline left off as she looked at the far end of the rail and saw Rose. She immediately stepped in front of Jack, hiding him from view. She couldn’t let them see each other. They’d be back in each other’s arms in seconds. She had to get Jack out of here now. She roughly grabbed his arm. "Come on, Jack. It’s time we disembark. I want to get to the hotel as soon as possible." She pushed him to the docking ramp as soon as she possibly could.

*****

Rose stared up at the Statue of Liberty, thinking of her time with Jack. It had been the most magical time of her life, and she wasn’t going to forget it. She would always love Jack. He would always live in her heart, and that was what was important. And she was going to keep her promise to him. She was going to make sure that Jack Dawson hadn’t died in vain.

"Name, love?" An officer with a pad approached her.

Rose looked at him, then back up at the Statue of Liberty. "Rose. Rose Dawson."

The officer nodded and walked away. Rose sighed. Rose DeWitt Bukater had just died. Rose Dawson had now been brought to life in her place. She was going to make it count…just like Jack had.

She had no idea that, at that moment, the love of her life was heading away from her, and it’d be a good, long time before she’d see him again.

Chapter Ten
Stories