Rose's head whipped around so quickly, she felt her neck crack. The voice had come from a beautiful blond-haired man. The one I saw on the way home from the park? His blue eyes flashed at her, giving her a sudden chill. Rose realized that she would love to look into those very eyes every day. But you won't, she told herself.
"Go away!" she snapped at him, suddenly feeling angry at the interruption.
Jack wasn't deterred. "Come on. Give me your hand." He held his hand out to her. "I'll help you back over." He started walking towards her.
"Stop. I'll let go if you come any closer. I mean it." Rose turned away from him and looked down at the river. The height abruptly hit her. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the fear suddenly crawling up her spine.
"No, you won't," Jack said casually. He slipped in his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels.
Rose looked back at him again. "What do you mean, no, I won't?" she asked, managing to cover up the fear in her voice with irritation.
"You would have done it already," he replied, his voice nonchalant, trying to keep her calm.
"You're distracting me! Go away!" Rose turned away from him again. At first, she was irritated that he had butted into her business. Now she wanted him to leave so she could climb back over and go home in shame.
"I can't. I'm involved now. If you jump, then I'm gonna have to climb down there and get you."
"What are you talking about it?" She looked back at him, watching as he picked up a decent-sized rock in his hand. He didn't make eye contact with her as he walked up next to her, only the railing separating them. Jack reached out and dropped the rock.
With the aid of the full moon, Rose was able to just barely make out the sight of the rock missing the river completely. She heard it as it bounced off some nearby bedrock. "Would you look at that?" Jack asked. "From where you're standing, you have a much greater chance of hitting land than water."
"So?" That was all Rose could say. I should have just stayed home.
"So," Jack cleared his throat. "It's really not too far of a fall. But there's a pretty good chance that you could land wrong and break your leg."
"And?"
"And then you're screwed," Jack said plainly. "You'll be trapped down there. The easiest climb out is through those woods." Jack pointed. "And up the hill. You'd be in unbelievable pain, and if you're bleeding, it might attract something." He was referring to the wolves that sometimes roamed the woods, but Rose thought of something else entirely.
A vampire. Rose swallowed hard, noticing that her hands were starting to sweat with fear.
"Come on. Give me your hand. You don't want to do this." Jack extended his hand to Rose. She took it gratefully, realizing that she was now hanging on to him for dear life. Cautiously, she turned to face him. Jack let out a breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. "That's better. I'm Jack Dawson."
"Rose DeWitt Bukater."
"You're gonna have to write that down," he joked. She cracked a tiny smile. "C'mon," he said softly, helping her up and over the railing.
"Um...I..." Rose was completely at a loss for words. "Thank you," she said. Rose kept her head down, ashamed to look in Jack's eyes.
"You're welcome." She wrapped her arms around herself, pulling her coat tighter. "I'll walk you home," Jack offered.
She looked at him. His lips were curled into a half smile, and his eyes flashed, full of life. He was more beautiful than any vampire could ever be. But he was human. Rose had been sure of that once she had felt his warm hand take hers just moments ago. She wanted to walk with him, but she didn't want him to walk her home. "No," she responded with a shake of her head.
"I don't think I asked," Jack said. He didn't mean to be so brash, but he had seen the direction she had come from, and known that she walked through a bad neighborhood to get where she was now. He was more concerned with her arriving home safe and sound than with the scandal it would cause among her society. She'll probably get in trouble. Even though she's clearly a grown woman, Jack thought to himself. He had seen the engagement ring. Maybe she's not even safe at home.
Rose still looked doubtful. In the simplest terms, Cal would kill him. No, in the simplest terms, Cal would drain every last drop of blood from his body. Rose managed to hold in a shudder, not wanting to reveal her fear to Jack. But Rose already knew that Jack wasn't going to take no for an answer.
"How 'bout this? Let me at least walk you through this area," Jack said, gesturing in the direction she had come from. "This isn't exactly the safest place." She was a complete stranger to him, but Rose saw the concern in his eyes.
There was something about the concern that made her want to trust him. Even more surprising to her was that she wanted to tell Jack to take her somewhere, anywhere, she didn't care. She just wanted to get away from her impending marriage to Cal. But he'd find you. One way or another, he'd find you. Rose sighed, giving up on the idea.
"All right, but just through here," Rose agreed, nodding through where they'd be walking.
"Fair enough," Jack said easily. He didn't like the idea of her walking home alone in the dark, but it was already clear that he wouldn't be able to force her to do something she didn't want to do. She shivered suddenly, catching Jack's attention. He shrugged off his coat and handed it to her.
Rose's smile was weak, but Jack could tell it was sincere. "Thank you." She draped it around her shoulders, trying to ignore the scent of cigarettes and dirt. It was intoxicating in a way she had never felt. But she ignored it, or at least tried to, as she turned on her heel and began walking. Jack walked beside her, and she noticed that he almost seemed to have a protective aura around him.
Jack wanted so badly to ask why she had resorted to suicide. He wanted to know what was so horrible that she would rather die than face it. He could only assume that the ring on her finger had something to do with it. But Jack kept his mouth shut. If she wanted to tell him, she would.
Rose didn't say a word, though. Instead of looking forward, she held her head down, focusing on the ground. Her mind was tired and racing at the same time, and a headache was forming deep in the base of her skull. A clear image of her bed filled her mind and she couldn't wait to undress and lay down in it. Or at the very least, lay down in it.
Ten silent minutes had passed since they had started walking. Three minutes ago they had left the ghetto. Both Jack and Rose were aware, but neither said anything. Already a connection had been built between them. Even in the silence, they were aware of it. But Rose was beginning to grow nervous as they drew closer to her house. Nervous of what could happen if Cal saw them.
"This is far enough," she said suddenly as she stopped walking.
"You're sure?" Jack asked, already knowing that she'd assure him it was.
"Yes." Rose pulled his coat from off her shoulders. She handed it to him. "Thank you, Mr. Dawson."
"Jack," he said. "And you're welcome." Rose looked like she wanted to say something further, but instead turned and finished walking home, leaving Jack to wonder if he'd ever see her again.