IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES
Chapter Six

A little while later, Father Andrews had announced that Jack and Rose were married and that Jack could kiss the bride. Now he looked on as the two lovers enjoyed their first married kiss. They were such a perfect couple and fit together very well. Father Andrews just prayed that by marrying them, good things would come. Jack's voice suddenly brought Father Andrews back to the present.

"How can we thank you enough?" he was asking.

"Oh, yes, Father, you have done so much for us," Rose said, smiling at both Jack and Father Andrews.

Father Andrews just blushed. "Aw…you don’t have to thank me. Just make sure you tell your families some time or another. And if you need anything, please come to me. You know I will help you with anything."

"Oh, we will," Rose promised.

"Now, go on, you two," Father Andrews said, ushering them away. "I have some things I need to finish before evening mass."

Rose and Jack smiled at him and then left, their hands clasped together.

Father Andrews just smiled and left the room, going to go find some paper so he could prepare for his sermon.

*****

Rose and Jack stood together outside the church. Jack had his arms around his new bride and Rose was snuggled up against him.

"I love you, Rose," Jack whispered.

Rose brought her head up and looked at Jack. "I love you, too," she whispered before kissing him softly. "Do you think we'll get in too much trouble?" she asked as they sat down on the cement steps in front of the church.

"I don't know, and you know what? I don't care," Jack said, brushing some curls away from her face. "But let's not talk about trouble now. Let's talk about us."

Rose smiled softly at him. "What about us?" she asked.

Jack grinned. "About our future. What we are going to do, where we are going to go."

Rose smiled brightly. "Let's just start with today."

Jack pressed his forehead to hers. "What about today?"

Rose smirked. "About tonight, mainly."

Jack smiled. "Oh, about tonight. Well, we have a problem, don't we?"

Rose nodded and thought for a minute. Finally, something came to her mind. "Tonight, after it gets dark, climb up on my balcony again. I'll be waiting for you. Then you can leave tomorrow morning before anyone gets up."

Jack nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Rose smiled up at him. "Come as soon as you can," she whispered.

"I will. I promise," Jack whispered, kissing her hand. "Do you like your ring?" he asked as he put her hand back down.

Rose nodded as she looked at her ring. It was a simple white gold band with a big diamond in the middle and smaller diamonds surrounding that. "I love it! It is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. Thank you," Rose said sincerely.

Jack bent down and kissed her. "I love you," he whispered, threading his fingers through her hair.

Rose kissed him on the cheek. "I love you, too."

Jack smiled at her and pulled her up so that they were standing together. "I'd better be going," he said sadly.

Rose looked down. "Do you have to, Jack?" she asked quietly.

Jack lifted her chin with his hand. "I'm sorry, but I have to go," he explained. "I don't want to risk the chance of someone spotting us and word getting back to our parents without us telling them first."

Rose nodded. "Yes. I suppose you're right."

Jack nodded and smiled at her. "Don't worry. I'll see you soon enough," he whispered before kissing her passionately.

Rose eagerly kissed him back, squeezing Jack's hand as she did so. A minute later, Jack pulled away.

"I gotta go now," he whispered.

"I love you," Rose said, kissing him again.

"I love you, too," Jack whispered, kissing her forehead. "See you tonight," he said before slowly turning and leaving.

Rose stood on the steps and watched him go. Tears filled her eyes as she watched Jack go until he was out of sight. She missed him already. I can hardly wait for tonight, she thought as she walked down the stairs, heading home to wait for Jack.

*****

Jack walked across town to the beach, wanting to see Fabrizio and Tommy. They might take his mind off missing Rose. Rounding a corner, the beach came into view. Jack could see Fabrizio and Tommy sitting on a log, close to the surf. "Fabri, Tommy!" Jack yelled as he ran down to meet them. It was only then that he realized someone else was there. Unfortunately, it was Trevor Bukater. Jack really didn't want to deal with him today. He was getting to be a pain. That lowdown, cheating…Jack thought before realizing something. He was related to him now. He was a cousin to Trevor Bukater. I'll just have to be civil and try to make some sort of peace with him, he thought. Jack slowed his pace and walked up towards the group. "Hello, everyone," Jack announced as he sat down next to Fabrizio.

"Ah…Jack, I have been waiting for you," Trevor said as two of his sidekicks, Kyle and Paul, came up. "I was going to take all my anger out on your friends here, but I'd rather take it out on you."

Trevor spat these words at Jack with such force that Jack found it hard to control himself. He so wanted to put Trevor in his rightful place, but somehow he controlled himself. Jack stood up and walked over to Trevor, looking him straight in the eye. Trevor looked back with hate and anger in his eyes.

"You deserve no better than this, Jack. You are a villain!" he shouted.

Jack cringed, but held his hand out. "I am sorry, Trevor, that you feel like that. I see you do not know me," he said, trying to be cheerful.

A silence fell over the Dawsons and the Bukaters. Everybody wanted to see what was going to happen. They were all shocked at Jack's reaction.

Trevor kept his hateful look and his icy stare. He slapped Jack's hand down. "I hate you Dawsons!" he shouted. And then, quieter, he said, "But especially you, Jack. I saw the way you were looking at my cousin, Rose. Forget her, Jack! You are scum and don't deserve her!" With that, Trevor slapped Jack across the face and pushed him down.

Jack cringed as his body came in contact with the sand. Trevor began kicking and yelling at Jack, while Jack tried to move out of the way. At one point, Trevor picked Jack up and threw him across the sand.

As soon as Fabrizio saw Trevor throw Jack, something inside of him snapped. He drew out his gun and started running after Trevor, one thing on his mind. Tommy, Kyle, and Paul saw what was beginning to develop and they, too, drew their guns. They chased after Fabrizio. Before anyone could know what happened, Fabrizio was attacking Trevor. His gun got knocked out of his hand as he pushed Trevor to the ground. Jack took this opportunity and backed away from the group. He watched in horror as his best friend and his cousin battled it out. Now, Trevor had pinned Fabrizio down and was pulling out a knife. But Tommy came up behind him and pulled him off of Fabrizio. Fabrizio got up and grabbed his own knife. Trevor shrugged off Tommy and attacked Fabrizio again. Jack couldn't stand it anymore; he got up and ran over to Fabrizio and Trevor. He tried to push Fabrizio away, but Trevor was too quick and lunged at Fabrizio with his knife. Fabrizio gave a yelp as the knife came into contact with his stomach. He immediately fell to the ground. Jack pushed Trevor to the sand and then went over to his friend. Fabrizio was lying on the sand, holding his stomach.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked, bending down.

"Yeah," Fabrizio said, trying to smile. "It's just a scratch. I'll be okay."

Jack looked at his friend. He didn't look okay, Jack decided right away. "I think we'd better get you to a doctor," Jack said.

"No, no, I'll be fine," Fabrizio said, standing up. But the pain was too much for him. He fell back down to the ground.

Jack immediately fell to his knees and looked at Fabrizio.

"I am hurt," Fabrizio finally admitted, his voice weak. "I hope something happens to both your houses. A plague, Jack!"

Jack watched his friend, his heart aching. He had grown up with Fabrizio, and it hurt him to see his best friend looking like this.

"I am finished. A plague on both your houses, Jack!" Fabrizio said softly, yet strongly. A second after that, his eyes closed and he went limp in the sand.

Jack saw this and realized what had happened. Tears filled his eyes as he hugged his friend one last time. As he stood up, tears in his usually shining blue eyes, something inside of Jack snapped. He turned around and picked up a gun that was lying on the ground. As Jack looked around, he could see the backs of Trevor and his group, walking away from the beach. Jack looked at Tommy and then back at Fabrizio lying on the ground. He let out a scream and started running after Trevor. Jack was vaguely aware of his feet hitting the sand, the wind in his hair, and Tommy running after him, shouting, “No, Jack! Don't!” All that mattered to him was getting to Trevor and giving him what he deserved. He wasn't thinking about Rose, or her family, or even what would happen if he went after Trevor. All Jack saw in his mind was Fabrizio lying dead in the sand and a smile on Trevor's face. Faster and faster he ran, until he caught up with Trevor. "Trevor!" Jack screamed.

A surprised Trevor turned around and saw Jack standing there, looking very much like a madman, gun in hand.

"I hate you!" Jack screamed at him, pointing the gun.

Trevor pulled out his own gun and pointed it at Jack.

Kyle and Paul backed away, not wanting to get involved in this. Tommy, who had followed Jack, backed off, too, knowing what could happen if he interfered.

"Your friend deserved everything he got!" Trevor shouted.

Jack's eyes filled with more hate as he saw another picture of Fabrizio in his mind. Jack screamed as loud as he could and pulled the trigger on the gun. In an instant, it was all over. Trevor fell to ground. Kyle, Paul, and Tommy gasped and Jack, for the first time, realized what had happened. He lowered the gun and stared at Trevor. Tears filled his eyes as he looked at his dead cousin. "Oh, my God," he whispered under his breath. Jack looked from side to side, a scared expression on his face, before running off into the newly fallen night.

*****

Within minutes, the police had shown up. They picked up Trevor and Fabrizio’s bodies and called Fabrizio’s family and both the Dawsons and the Bukaters. As the families stood on either side of each other, the mayor, Jacob Carr, came up and stood in front of them.

"Who did this?" he bellowed to the groups. When no one answered, Mr. Carr walked up to Tommy. "Do you know who did this, son?" he asked.

Tommy shook his head, but then answered, "It was Jack, of the Dawson family. But it was not his fault, sir; Trevor killed Fabrizio, who was Jack's best friend. Trevor got what he deserved for killing another man."

Mr. Carr nodded and stood once again in front of the group.

"Jack is innocent!" Mrs. Dawson, otherwise known as Sarah, yelled. "He best friend was killed. What do you expect?" she went on.

"Sarah, please," Mr. Dawson said, shushing his wife.

"No, Patrick. Mr. Carr needs to know it wasn't Jack's fault!" Sarah said to her husband.

"Your son killed my nephew! He should be killed himself!" Mr. Bukater yelled, overhearing the Dawsons.

Ruth nodded along with her husband. "He should have to die for what he did!"

"Silence, all of you!" Mr. Carr yelled. Both sides became quiet. "Now, Trevor got what he deserved," Mr. Carr explained, trying to ignore the cries of Ruth, "but Jack will not be let off the hook for what he did." Mr. Carr looked around and shouted, "Let Jack know that when he is found, that hour will be his last! Jack Dawson, you are banished!"

A cry rose from Sarah as she collapsed in her husband's arms. The Bukaters and Dawsons looked at each other, hate in all their eyes.

*****

Meanwhile, back at the Bukater house, Rose had no idea what had happened down by the beach. She had locked herself in her room and had been there for the last few hours, fantasizing about the night that lay ahead. Rose clasped her hands together and flopped down on her bed, a big smile on her face. "Oh, Jack," she sighed happily. Rolling over, she pulled her pillow to her body. "Come, night, and bring me Jack," she whispered out loud. "I need him so much. And when he is to die, cut him up into little stars and paste him in the sky. And then the entire world will be in love with night and pay no attention to day." Rose smiled brighter and closed her eyes, imagining herself holding Jack, not the pillow. Rose glanced at the clock. It was about 7:45. Darkness had just fallen and Rose was getting more anxious for Jack to come with every second. "Oh, Jack," Rose said, sighing again, "please come quickly."

Chapter Seven
Stories