A FIRE IN THE WIND
Chapter Thirty-Five

A series of knocks came from Jack's apartment door, waking Rose up in a flash.

"Jack," Rose cried weakly, tapping him softly on the shoulder. "Jack!"

Jack groaned a little, and then smiled at Rose. "Oh, Rose, I'm sorry. I'm just a little tired. Is someone at the door?"

"Yes. Do you want me to answer it?" Rose asked.

Jack shook his head. "No, it's all right, Rose. I'll get it. It's probably just the landlord."

Jack walked over to the door and opened it, surprised to see Allison standing in the threshold.

"Hello, Jack! Hello, Rose!" Allison said, happier than ever. "Mind if I come in?"

"Of course not, Ali. Come in!" replied Jack, leading her inside. "I'm sorry. Rose and I were sleeping in. We didn't get to sleep for some time last night."

"I can imagine!" Allison replied with a girlish chuckle. "How are you two?"

"Great," Rose answered, braiding her hair. "I literally couldn't be better."

"Neither could I," Jack added.

"How's my mother?" Rose asked, concerned.

"Oh, Rosie," Allison started. "I don't think she's all right. The events that occurred yesterday came as quite a shock to her, as you could imagine. I--I don't know if she'll forgive you anytime soon."

Rose nodded, tying a ribbon to the end of her braided hair. "That's what I expected. I know she won't forgive me anytime soon, if ever. I--I embarrassed her in front of everyone, all of her friends, her family. They'll never look at her with the same amount of respect ever again. Did you speak with her?"

"No." Allison shook her head. "She knew that I had a part in the whole production yesterday afternoon."

Jack laughed, inappropriately.

Rose and Allison gave Jack a bewildered stare.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Jack replied, still with a hearty laugh. "I just don't ever think I'll forget the look on Cal's face when he...when he saw us together!"

Allison and Rose join in on the laughter.

"I'm sure that's the last response he expected from anyone!" Allison said, her face bright red from laughter.

"Anyone else, maybe," Rose replied, gaining some somberness in her expression, "but not me. I just couldn't."

Allison shook her head, and answered abruptly, "You saw right through the bastard!"

Allison covered her mouth with her hand after realizing what she had just said.

Jack and Rose looked down at the ground and then exploded into laughter.

"You're right, Allison!" Rose replied, calming down a bit. "I saw right through him."

The three spent the morning catching up with each other, and talking of Rose and Jack's plans for the future. It was a bittersweet morning, for Rose knew that this would be one of the last times she would be able to see her friend for some time.

Jack and Allison started to talk of Santa Monica as Rose took out a piece of paper and a pencil and begin to write. She smiled as she signed her name and read the letter over.

May 7, 1912

Grandmother--

Please don't worry about me. I'm fine and I will be happy for the rest of my life. I know that's just what you and my father wanted.

I don't regret leaving Caledon Hockley at the altar, I don't regret making my mother cry, and I don't regret making a mockery out of the Hockley name. The only thing I do regret is that I didn't do it sooner.

I'm sorry that I didn't say good-bye. I did want to, but my heart spoke up at that exact moment and I knew that it was time for me to run. If I didn't get away then, I might have never.

Thank you for being there for me on Saturday. I had just about given up hope, but there you were. On my side, ready to defend me to the death. I don't know if I would have been able to do it without you.

Jack and I are thinking of heading to Santa Monica when we get enough money. It sounds so beautiful there. We may even be able to stop by Chicago to say hello.

One last thing, please look after Mother. I'm sure you were aware of all the financial troubles. Could you please see to it that she is looked after?

Thank you for getting me through this. I love you for it. You aided me throughout my childhood, mourned with me when Father died, and now you have helped change my life. You helped me find Jack and Father when they both seemed lost. Thank you.

--Rose

Rose sighed and addressed the envelope to her grandmother's residence in Chicago. She was very relieved to have written to her grandmother. Rose knew that she would feel guilty if she hadn't. She decided to write to Molly, too. She came in all the way from Denver, Colorado, just to help Rose win the battle.

The hardest good-bye would be to her mother. Ruth had been hurt when Jon had left her with all of the financial debts so many years ago. Rose couldn't imagine the pain that she had bestowed upon her mother. Rose knew that she needed a few days to get up the nerve to write her mother a letter, but she knew that she owed it to her to say a proper good-bye.

After Allison had left that afternoon, Jack and Rose decided to take a walk by the Delaware to catch up on things.

The two's voices were full of joy and excitement. They found it hard to control their strong passion for each other in public.

The park was near empty, it being a Monday afternoon, and the tranquility of it put Jack and Rose into their own universe, a place where they only existed, a place where there were no obligations, no fear, no pain.

There would finally be no more conflicts. They were bound together by fate and would never break apart again. They had met less than a month ago, but felt as if they knew each other perfectly. Jack might not know Rose's favorite color, and Rose might not know where Jack went to school, but there was plenty of time for all the insignificant details later. Right now, they were one.

And they spent the rest of the afternoon there. Walking on the shoreline of the Delaware River, getting in and out of conversations about nothing and everything, renewing their love for one another by the sunset.

By sundown, Rose and Jack were the only ones on the shore. The air was warm, and it lay on the couple like an old quilt. The birds had stopped their constant song, and there was a great solitude to everything. The only noises that could be heard was the constant humming of the waves billowing onto the beach and the breathing of Rose and Jack.

The palms of their hands had been joined for hours now.

Everything went together rhythmically. Everything was working together to create the perfect moment.

"Rose?" Jack asked out-of-the-blue.

Rose was startled by Jack's voice, but she looked up at him and gave him a wide smile.

Jack got down on his knees and kissed Rose on her cheek, then he went over to her ear and whispered a message in it. "Will you marry me?"

The question was simple, and so was the reply.

"Yes, Jack! Yes!" Rose shouted, tears in her eyes.

"I love you, Rose," Jack stated, tears in his eyes now, too. "You gave me strength on that fateful night to survive. I found my purpose in life, you. I knew we couldn't be apart, so I lived for you. I wanted to save you, but you ended up saving yourself."

Rose shook her head. "Jack, you had already saved me. You helped me realize that I was alive. Without you, there would be no Rose De--" She giggled softly. "Dawson."

Jack hugged Rose gingerly. "There already was, Rose. There already was."

There was a moment of beautiful silence, and then Jack spoke. "What next, Rose?"

Rose giggled girlishly. "I guess there's only one thing left to do right now."

She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a very elegant ring.

Jack eyed her, suspiciously, as she got up and walked towards the shore of the river. In one gesture, she threw the worthless trinket into the river, and now was ready to start life over again.

Chapter Thirty-Six
Stories