JACK AND ROSE: TOGETHER FOREVER
Chapter Fifty-Eight

December 24, 1915

"Aunt Rose!" Rose turned her head as Meaghan Foster ran into the kitchen, her blond braid flapping behind her.

"Hey," Rose said, excitedly, as she bent down and scooped Meaghan up in her arms.

"Hello," Dianna called, coming into the kitchen, followed closely behind by Bryan.

Bryan set Meagan’s rag doll on the counter, and then said, "Thanks for doing this again, Rose." Rose had agreed to watch Meaghan for a few hours while Dianna and Bryan went out and visited some friends.

Rose smiled. "No problem. Jack's gone, off doing something involving Christmas," she laughed. "Meaghan, Michael, and I are going to have a great time. Aren’t we?" she asked, pulling gently on Meagan’s braid. Meaghan laughed, and then nodded.

Dianna smiled. "Well, we're off. See you later. Bye, Maggie!"

"Bye!" Meaghan called after her mother and father, as they left the room.

"Good-bye!" Rose called, as she heard the front door open, and then close. She put Meaghan down on the floor and then looked at her. "I was thinking about making cookies. Does that sound good?"

Meaghan nodded excitedly, and then asked, "Where's Mike?"

"Right there," Rose said, pointing to the living room floor, where Michael sat occupied with a few pots and pans.

"Mama, mama, mama, mama, mama," he was saying to himself, over and over.

"Why don't you go say hi to him, while I get everything ready?" Rose suggested.

Meaghan nodded, and then ran off. Rose shook her head and turned back to the task before her. As she got all the ingredients for Christmas cookies out, Rose thought of Meaghan. At almost two, she was already talking and performing tasks of that of a four-year-old. She spoke in clear sentences most of the time, she could walk a lot better than most kids her age, and she even spoke with an advanced vocabulary for one so young. Meaghan was very smart, could remember things easily, and seemed to comprehend most everything anyone said to her. Rose often joked to Dianna that poor Meaghan would end up going to college at age twelve. Dianna would just laugh, and say 'not if I can help it.' Suddenly, there was a lot of banging noise coming from behind her. Rose turned around and saw Michael banging a wooden mixing spoon against the pots before him. She abandoned the task of measuring sugar and walked over to her son.

Rose crouched down next to him and took the spoon. "Michael, honey, don't do that now." Michael started to whimper, so Rose handed him a stuffed bear from the couch. "Here, sweetie, play with this," she said. Michael took the bear and started turning it over in his hands.

"Can I help, Aunt Rosie?" Meaghan asked, following Rose back into the kitchen.

"Sure, sweetheart," Rose said, pulling a chair over for Meaghan to stand on. She lifted her up and placed her on it. "Here, Maggie," Rose said, handing her a cup of sugar. "Can you poor that into the bowl for me?"

Meaghan nodded, and poured the sugar into the bowl. Rose started stirring the mixture, and then asked, "Meaghan, will you hand me those eggs, please?"

Meaghan gently picked up the two eggs next to her, and handed them to Rose. Rose was busy cracking the eggs when Meaghan shouted, "Aunt Rose! Guess who comes to my house tonight!"

Rose knew full well whom Meaghan was talking about, but she pretended to not know. "Um...is it the Easter Bunny?" she asked.

Meaghan giggled, and shook her head. "No!"

Rose shook her head. "Hmm. I just don't know."

"Santa Clause!" Meaghan yelled.

Rose gasped, and then laughed. "That’s right! I had forgotten! You must be pretty excited."

Meaghan nodded excitedly. "Yep! Mommy let me put my stocking out earlier."

"Did she?" Rose asked. "That’s pretty neat."

Meaghan nodded again, and then smiled. "You and Uncle Jack and Michael have to put out your stockings," she said.

Rose handed Meaghan some brown sugar to pour in the bowl. "I am sure Uncle Jack will make sure we put out the stockings," she said, tugging on Meagan’s braid again.

Meaghan giggled, and then jumped off the chair. Rose watched Meaghan run over to Michael and try to talk to him. She instinctively put her hand on her pregnant stomach and sighed happily. She could almost see her own children in a few years, talking and running around. Rose smiled and slowly turned back to her baking.

Later that Afternoon

Jack pushed open the front door and peered inside the house. Rose was not around, so he came in the door and quickly ran downstairs. He held a sack in his hands, which in turn, held part of Rose's Christmas present. Along with a hope chest Jack had bought several weeks ago, he had gotten Rose a beautiful, yet simple, locket that he had seen her admiring days ago. It was a white gold heart shaped locket, with a place for pictures inside, which hung on a white gold chain. Jack knew she would love it. Rose had told him, half jokingly, that she already had enough jewelry, but Jack didn't care. He loved spoiling Rose. And he loved watching her face light up whenever he did something like this. Of course, he never went overboard. But when Jack knew Rose loved something, he would usually surprise her by buying it. The hope chest was another example. Rose had been looking at them last month, saying how nice it would be to have something to keep all their special things in, like the Titanic dress and the Heart of the Ocean. Something their grandchildren could go through years from now, she had said. Jack had bought a simple oak one with roses sketched on the top. Inside, he had someone paint the words 'To the Stars,' knowing that no one but Rose would get the meaning. Jack ran into his studio and opened the bottom drawer of his desk, setting the necklace box under some sheets of paper. Boy, was he glad they weren't having a Christmas party this year. He could give Rose the necklace tonight, without everyone around.

Jack checked to see that everything was hidden, and then ran back upstairs in search of Rose. She wasn't in the kitchen, but Jack noticed a plate of freshly baked Christmas cookies. He grabbed one, and then wandered into the parlor. Rose wasn’t in there either, or in the library. Jack munched on his cookie and started up to the second floor. He didn't find Rose in Michael's room or in the new baby's room. He wondered if maybe Rose had taken Michael out for a walk. Then Jack noticed that their bedroom door was closed. He finished his cookie and then gently pushed the door open. The lights were off, and Rose was asleep on the bed with Michael sleeping snuggled next to her. Jack smiled. Whenever it was Michael's afternoon naptime, Rose would let Michael climb into their bed, and she would take a nap with him. He gently crept over and lay down on the opposite side of Rose that Michael was. He put his arms around her and kissed the side of her neck. Rose made a noise and then turned over, opening her eyes. She blinked and then smiled at Jack.

"Hey," she whispered sleepily.

"Shh," Jack whispered back, placing his finger over her lips. "You can go back to sleep if you want. I just wanted to let you know that I was home. Hey, isn't Meaghan supposed to be around?"

Rose smiled and snuggled up into Jack's arms, closing her eyes again. "She left about an hour ago. Did you get what you needed?" she asked quietly into his shirt.

Jack kissed the top of her head. "Yes, I sure did," he whispered.

"Hmm," Rose mumbled. Jack smiled and pulled away from her.

"I'll let you sleep," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Mmm," Rose moaned as he got up.

Jack laughed silently, and then walked to the door. "Do you still want the light off?" he asked quietly.

"Mmm hmm," Rose mumbled, and then she rolled over, taking Michael back in her arms.

Jack shook his head, and then left the room, closing the door behind him. He wandered back down to his studio and grabbed his portfolio. Sitting down on the couch, he opened to his newest drawing. It was a still life he had been working on for some time now. There was a finished desk, partially finished surroundings, a small vase on the desk, and a single rose in the vase. The rose was the only thing on color. Everything else was in black. For the rose, Jack had used a deep red chalk color that he had, and for everything he had used charcoal. Rose loved the drawing and had told Jack that he should do more like it. He planned on doing just that, creating a series of these pictures, and then selling them to the gallery. Jack pulled a charcoal pencil out from the case sitting on the coffee table, and started working on his drawing again. He worked on finishing the surroundings, adding a window and a bit for detail to the desk and rose, and then put the finishing touches on everything. When he finished, a half-hour later, he held back the drawing and studied it. Nodding, Jack blew the charcoal dust off, and set it back in the sketchbook. Sighing happily, he stood up and set the sketchbook on the desk, and then started for the laundry room, which was next to the downstairs bathroom. Jack wanted to change out of his shirt that he had been wearing since that morning. He opened the laundry room door and stepped inside. There were a few shirts and skirts on the floor, but other than that, everything else was either hanging up or neatly folded in a basket. Jack took off his shirt and threw it in the pile of dirty clothes. He started looking through the hanging up clothes for his favorite shirt, a simple tan colored one that he had had since he and Rose got married. It was comfortable and simple, which is probably why Jack liked it so much.

"To bad you couldn't walk about like that all the time."

Jack spun around, and saw Rose leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed and a teasing smile on her face. He laughed and came over to Rose.

"I was looking for my tan shirt," Jack said.

"Sure you were," Rose said, shaking her head. She pushed Jack playfully out of way and went over to the hanging up clothes. "Here," she said, pulling the shirt off the hanger, and throwing at him. Jack put the shirt on and then pulled Rose to him by her arm.

"Is our son still asleep?" he asked.

Rose looked up and him and smiled. "Yes, he is, for now."

Jack smiled back at her, and gently kissed her on the cheek. "So, those Christmas cookies," he said. "You're going to leave some out for Santa, right?"

Rose giggled. "Hmm...I don’t know. I may have to eat them all myself." She placed her hand on her stomach. "You know that this one needs its after dinner snack."

Jack raised his eyebrows playfully. "What about Santa? He needs his after dinner snack, too," he said teasingly.

"Oh, I don’t know about cookies, but I am sure I can arrange something else," Rose answered back.

Jack looked at her, shocked. Rose laughed and ran out of the laundry room. Jack chased her upstairs and into the living room, where Rose tried to hide by laying down on the couch. He ran over to her, and before she could move, had her pinned down by the arms so that she was on her back looking up at him. Jack then climbed on top of her and shook his head.

"I think I am just going to have to keep you like his," he joked.

Rose laughed giddily. "I wouldn't mind," she said, her eyes brightening.

Jack laughed, and then climbed off her. "For that, you are going to have to wait."

Rose laughed again, and pulled him back. She began to laugh uncontrollably, and Jack started laughing again at the sight of her.

"Shh, Rose, you don't want to wake up Michael, do you?" he asked her teasingly.

Rose shook her head, and finally stopped laughing. "It's really not that funny." She laughed as Jack moved off her, and she sat up.

"I know," Jack said, smiling.

Rose smiled and looked at the fireplace. "Meaghan wanted me to remind you to put out the stockings," she said suddenly.

Jack chuckled. "Hmm, I forgot we had to do that."

Teasingly, Rose gasped at him. "Jack Dawson! Forgetting something as important as stockings? I am disappointed in you. Maybe I shouldn't leave cookies out."

Jack laughed, and pushed Rose back down so that he was on top of her again. "You wouldn't do that."

"And why not?"

Jack grinned evilly. "Because, if you don't, Santa won't leave anything in Mrs. Clause's stocking." He started tickling Rose on the side of her waist. She shrieked and twisted around, trying to get away from Jack.

"No! Jack, stop!" she cried, laughing the whole time. Jack continued to tickle her and Rose tried to tickle him back, but she was laughing too hard to focus. When Jack started to tickle Rose's stomach, she shrieked again. Jack laughed and clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Shh," he whispered teasingly. "You'll wake Michael."

As if on cue, there was a cry from upstairs. Rose laughed and pushed the unsuspecting Jack onto the floor. She quickly got up and ran upstairs. Jack laughed as he watched her go. This time, he didn't try to chase her. Sighing happily, he got up and fixed the pillows on the couch.

"I am going to get you Jack!" came a voice from upstairs suddenly. "Just you wait!"

Jack laughed again at Rose's voice. "Should you be yelling like that in your condition?" he yelled back.

"Never stopped me before!" Rose's voice came back.

Jack laughed, and then started upstairs to see exactly what Rose was doing.

*****

Rose came waltzing into the living room, where Jack was sitting on the couch. Michael had finally gone back to sleep, so now it was just her and Jack. It was nighttime now, and the only light was from the two candles that were lit atop the mantel.

Rose walked over to the Christmas tree and picked up an ornament that had fallen off. As she was gently placing it on the tree, Jack came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Rose finished hanging the ornament, and then fell back into Jack's embrace.

"Would you like one of your Christmas gifts now, Rose?" he asked quietly.

Rose smiled. "Jack Dawson, what did you do now?"

Jack smiled back, and then said, "Stay right there."

Rose felt Jack's arms move from around her and then she heard him rustling around with what sounded like tissue paper. A moment later Jack was behind her again and placed something around her neck. Rose gasped when she saw the locket.

"Jack," she cried softly, turning around. "It's beautiful. I don't know what to say. You always do so much."

Jack smiled, and gently caressed her cheek. "You deserve it, Rose. All of it."

Rose smiled, and threw her arms around Jack's neck. "I love you so much," she whispered. "You always go out of your way, and I love that. I feel guilty half the time because you always give me so much. And I am not just talking about personal things Jack. I mean, feelings and emotions, too. God, I love you so much. I don't want anything to ever tear us apart."

Jack leaned down and gently kissed her. "Don't feel guilty, Rose. Don't ever feel guilty. You have given me the three most wonderful and special things of all...Michael, this new little baby, and you. You don't know how thankful I am. I love you, too. And nothing will ever tear us apart, Rose. Nothing."

Rose sniffled, wrapped her arms around Jack, and snuggled up in his chest, letting him wrap his arms around her. They stood like this for several minutes, holding each other close. Finally, after some time, Rose pulled away and smiled brilliantly at Jack.

"Did you finish with Michael's stocking?" she asked.

Jack started to laugh. "Yep, I did."

"Good," Rose whispered. "Now we can just worry about us, and not anything else."

Jack smiled, and walked over to the couch. He sat down and then pulled Rose into his lap. They wrapped a huge blanket around themselves and snuggled up together. It was a perfect evening. Michael was staying asleep with Addy watching over him, there was nothing to be done or finished, the candle light was perfect, and Jack and Rose were happy. They spent a lot of time just looking at each other and touching before starting to kiss. Rose pushed Jack down to the couch, pulled away, and looked at him. Jack smiled up at her and watched as she started to undo his shirt buttons.

"Rose, what are you doing?" he asked teasingly.

Rose smiled. "Something I have been wanting all day to do."

Jack laughed for a moment and then stopped as Rose's lips pressed down on his.

Chapter Fifty-Nine
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