JACK AND ROSE: TOGETHER FOREVER
Chapter Thirty-Three

Summer, 1914

Jack opened his eyes and looked around. The sun was coming in through the windows and he could hear the seagulls calling to each other down by the ocean. He looked down and sat Rose asleep on his bare chest. One of her hands, her left one, intertwined with his and her right hand up by his head on the pillow. Jack smiled and caressed her bare back as he glanced at the clock. As much as he wanted to stay here with Rose and fall back to sleep, he had to get up to meet Scott in an hour. Sighing, he unclasped their hands and lifted Rose's head up setting her gently on the pillow. Jack glanced over at Rose who stirred, but did not wake up. He smiled and slowly dragged himself out of bed. After Jack had bathed and dressed, he only had about a half-hour before he had to be at the Santa Monica Art Gallery. Jack had no idea what this was about, but he had gotten a call yesterday from Scott yesterday to meet him down at the gallery with Mr. Adams. The only thing Scott had said was something about a sale. But Jack had no idea why they were alerting him so hugely for. Usually, Mr. Adams or Scott just told Jack when they saw him or called him. Jack had never really had to go down to the gallery for the news.

'Maybe something big happened," Jack thought as he approached a still sleeping Rose. Jack laid down next to Rose again and gently shook her.

"Rose, sweetheart," Rose slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Mmm," she mumbled, reaching out for him.

Jack kissed her, sat up and put his feet on the floor, and then said, "Honey, I have to go down to meet Scott and Mr. Adams." Rose, too, sat up and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"I want you to stay here with me," she said sweetly.

Jack took her hand and said, "I know sweetheart. I want to stay too. But I have to go; you remember what I told you how excited Scott sounded. This might be really big for me Rose."

Rose nodded and told Jack, "I understand. My husband going to become a famous artist. I should probably let him go to this meeting or whatever it is." Jack laughed and laid her back down.

He kissed her gently, "I love you."

Rose smiled, "I love you too." Jack kissed her once again.

"I'll be back in a little while." Jack said before kissing her on the forehead. "Now, go back to sleep."

Rose smiled, "All right, hurry back Jack," she whispered before closing her eyes. Jack kissed her one last time before standing up and walking slowly out of the room.

Rose sat in her little sunroom she loved so much. She had pulled out her copy of Romeo and Juliet and was now very wrapped up in the story.

"Romeo, doff thy name; And for my name, which is no part of thee, take all myself." She read out load dramatically, looking out one of windows, pretending it was a balcony. 'Not bad,' she thought to herself.

"So, Miss Juliet, I see have your lines down." Jack suddenly said. Rose spun around and her face flushed.

"Oh, Jack, I didn't know you were there."

Jack smiled and walked over, "So Juliet, do you have a kiss for your Romeo?" he asked talking Rose into her arms.

"Hmmm, my Romeo, I think I do." Rose said reaching up to kiss Jack. Jack smiled brightly and looked at her after Rose pulled away.

"What's going on Jack?" Rose asked. Jack's smile was contagious and she, too, starting smiling happily.

"What?" She asked again. Jack took a deep breath and led her over to the small couch in the sunroom. He sat her down and then sat across from her.

Jack looked into her eyes, "Rose, sweetheart, we are going to France." Rose's face went white.

"France," she said breathlessly looking down.

"Well, Paris to be exact. See, Mr. Adams and Scott sold a couple of my pieces to the gallery in Paris. Any the gallery wanted to see more of my work and want me to be at the exhibit they are doing of my work for a few days. So, the gallery is sending me and you to Paris." Jack explained excitedly.

"France," Rose reaped her face still white.

Jack nodded, "Rose this is a chance of a lifetime! You and me in Paris! The city of love! Rose this is going to be wonderful!" Rose looked up and searched Jack's face.

"Jack, if we go to Paris." She took a deep breath. "That means we have to get on another boat. Jack I don't know if I can do that. I mean, I have been all right with water and the ocean. But at boat," Rose said, choking up. "I mean I want to go so bad. But, what if something happens to you. I couldn't, I couldn't go on Jack."

"Oh Rose. I know. I am so scared too. Scared as hell even. But Rose, I won't let anything happen to you. I promise Rose." Jack said taking Rose into his arms and stoking her hair.

Rose brought her face up and looked at Jack, "Jack, I still don't know if I can do this."

Jack smiled, "Seems to me you said the same thing that night on the ship. Remember, 'I, I can't do this Jack.'"

Rose smiled, "Jack I know. But this is different then a dance. We almost died on a ship. I don't know if I can go." Jack looked at her and took at deep breath.

"I understand, and Rose, if you want, I'll go alone. Because I already sent them a letter telling them I was coming and I can't say no now. I could go alone. I won't be the same, but I will only be gone about a week and a half or so. I won't stay any longer then the three days I need to be at the exhibit and then come home."

Rose looked up at Jack and shook her head, "No," she said simply.

"What?" Jack asked.

"No," she said again. "No Jack, I am not letting you go on a ship alone. You jump, I jump, right? I am not letting you go with out me. Besides, what would I do for two and a half weeks?" Rose said smiling.

"Are you sure Rose?" Jack asked.

Rose smiled, "I am sure Jack. I will try to get through this. And I think with you there I can do this." Jack stood up and pulled Rose with him. He picked her up and spun her around, letting out whoops of joy. Rose laughed and joined him. Rose smiled as Jack put her down.

"So when are we going?"

Jack laughed, "Hmm, a little eager, huh. Well, the ship leaves in about two weeks. So in a week and a half we are going to New York." Rose ginned. "Jack you are right. This is going to be wonderful. We haven't really taken a vacation sense we got married. By the way, how long are we going to be gone?" Rose asked.

"Well, it's about a week on the ship. That's two weeks there and back. Plus the few days there and back on the train. That's about three weeks. Then I have to be at the exhibit three days in all. Maybe be could take the next three weeks after the exhibit and explore Paris and the French countryside." Jack suggested with a smiled. Rose pretended to give it some thought.

"Well, I guess that will have to do," Rose said teasingly. "No, really Jack. It sounds like heaven. Especially the three weeks we are not on a ship." Jack threw his head back and laughed, pulling Rose closer in his arms. She suddenly pulled her head up and said, "We have to tell Dianna, and Bryan, and Jennifer, and…" Jack started laughing.

"First of all, the Langstons already know. Scott was involved in all this. Second, the Fosters are gone right now. Remember, they took little Meaghan up to Yakima to see Dianna's parents." He explained, referring to the Fosters who had taken their six-month-old daughter up to Washington to see Dianna's parents who they hadn't see in a few years.

Rose scowled, "Oh, that's right. I had forgotten. Now who I am going to brag too?" Jack laughed again.

"Rose, Rose, Rose."

"What, what, what?" Rose said playfully. Then both of them started laughing and Jack picked Rose up once again and spun her around and around. Rose put her arms out and arched her back. It felt so good to be wild and free again. She felt, for the umpteenth time when she as with Jack, like she was flying. When Jack finally did put her down, Rose stumbled lazily to the couch. She flopped down and pulled Jack with her.

"Jack, this is going to be wonderful," Rose whispered, her face only inches away from Jacks. Jack nodded and pressed his lips to hers.

"You and me in Paris. Wow, this is going to be scary." Jack teased. Rose laughed and replied, "Only when we are alone in the hotel Mr. Dawson." Jack laughed and once again, picked Rose up and spun her around.

Jack laid in bed watching Rose sleep peacefully and wished he could do the same. But something was bugging him way too much to sleep. As he watched the slow breathing of Rose, he though about Paris. And the ship they were going on. Jack was excited and happy that he and Rose were going to Paris. But deep down, he was afraid to set foot on another boat. For no reason he and Rose still had nightmares about Titanic, and if they got nightmares for no reason, what would happen when they set foot on another boat? Oh, sure he knew that they had laws now saying you had to have more then enough life boats. And it was also the middle of summer. Not as many icebergs would be around. And they were even travailing farther south then the Titanic route. But Jack's mind was still going over the 'what ifs'. What if you die somehow, Rose would be devastated. What if something happens to Rose? How would I live? What if the ship sinks and we're okay, but Rose will be afraid of boats to ever set foot on any other one again. Even if it's not on the ocean. Then he thought of something else, 'What if you actually have fun? And a good time? What if you have the most unbelievable, wonderful, passionate, exciting, and overall best vacation you ever had?' Jack looked down at the sleeping Rose. Her hair was falling around her face, her skin was pale, and she had a small soft smile on her face. The moonlight was spilling through the widows and was giving Rose a spellbinding look. Jack closed his eyes and snuggled down closer to Rose. She stirred and laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him. Jack smiled and wrapped his arms closer around her.

"Jack?" Rose asked in a muffled whisper.

"Yeah," Jack whispered back.

"Why are you still up?" Rose asked bring her head up and looking at him sleepily.

"Nothing, just thinking. Go back to sleep. I'll see you in the morning sweetheart," Jack whispered kissing her forehead. Rose smiled and laid her head back down on his chest. Jack pulled her closer and closed his own eyes. 'Forget the bad things Dawson." Jack told himself. 'You and Rose are going to have the best vacation in your lives.' He unconsciously nodded his head and fell into a deep sleep with dreams of him and Rose in Paris.

Chapter Thirty-Four
Stories