Written by Nicole Chute
Based on some situations originated by James Cameron.

As they boarded the ship, they could smell the mist from the ocean as it brushed their faces. Both were occupied with their own thoughts as to what the trip that they were about to take might have in store for them. Rose and Cal were completely different in almost every way. They didn’t think the same, act the same, or even have the same interests. So, why were they together? This was the only thing they shared in common, this single thought. Cal knew he needed a wife, and Rose was available. She was beautiful, funny, and very smart, and he was proud to have her. But she didn’t love him, and he knew that. He needed a wife so he could have a son. And so, in the back of his mind, he was comforted by the thought of have a son and leaving his millions to him. Rose was being forced into marriage by her mother, when really, Cal and her mother, Ruth, would have been perfect for one another. The only thing that mattered to either of them was money and gossip. Rose admitted in her mind that Cal was extremely handsome and well-off, but he was hateful and commanding. And with these thought in their minds, they kept walking, getting closer and closer to the ship, both with outward smiles on their faces that were as fake as their happy relationship.

*****

Cal and Rose sat down with Ruth and the rest of the people at the table. The only ones Rose really even acknowledged besides Cal and her mother were Molly Brown, Mr. Andrews, and Mr. Ismay. Molly Brown was a very nice lady who had come aboard the ship the first night. She was what everyone called new money, but Rose really liked her. Mr. Ismay was the one who had had the ship Titanic built. Rose thought he was conceited and didn’t like him. And then there was Mr. Andrews. He had designed the Titanic. The way Rose felt about Mr. Andrews was complicated. When she was around him, she became very happy and bubbly, but she also felt very comfortable and safe. She was scared to say anything because she had never felt this way about anyone, and Rose was never one to just jump into the unfamiliar; she needed to know about this feeling first. When the waiter came to take their orders, Cal jumped in and ordered for her.

"We’ll both have the lamb, rare, with very little mint sauce." He said it with an arrogant tone in his voice.

Molly tried to defend her with a joke, but it didn’t work. Rose was angry; she had been embarrassed in front of all these people. She lit a cigarette and took one puff before Cal put it out. Rose zoned out for a moment, thinking of everywhere she would rather be than there, when she heard Mr. Ismay say something about the size of the Titanic. Before she could think about what she was saying, it was already coming out.

"Have you ever heard of Dr. Freud, Mr. Ismay? His ideas on the male preoccupation with size might be of particular interest to you."

Before anyone say could say anything, she excused herself from the table. But as she was walking away she saw Mr. Andrews laughing out of the corner of her eye, and somehow that made her feel better about what she had said. She went back to her room and told her maid that if anybody asked for her before dinner, she was resting.

*****

It was only a short time before Cal told her it was time to get ready for dinner. She must have fallen asleep, because it seemed like she had just lay down a moment ago. She got up and began to brush her hair when parts of the dream she was having before she had been awakened started to come back to her. In this dream, she was at her own wedding and she was walking down the aisle. She kept trying to turn and run away before she got to where Cal would be standing, but her legs just wouldn’t turn. She thought about crying, but she knew Cal would probably scold her if she did. She closed her eyes and kept walking; she thought that if she didn’t have to see him, it wouldn’t be so bad. When her eyes did open, she was almost on top of the minister, so she stopped quickly. Then, as she turned to face Cal, there was no Cal! It was Mr. Andrews, standing right where Cal should have been. Then she woke up to the voice of the man who she hated greatly.

Rose began to get ready with the help of Trudy, her maid, but her thoughts were much farther away than picking out a dress. But she did pick one out, a very beautiful dress, when her thoughts were collected. As she walked out of her bedroom, Cal was waiting in the sitting room for her. He stood up like a gentleman and kissed Rose on the cheek. He was warm, but his kiss felt icy and unkind.

When they got to the main part of the ship and went through the glass doors, she could feel all the eyes staring at her. She began looking for Mr. Andrews immediately, remembering her dream. She sat through dinner, and as the men started getting up to go have their brandy and cigars, she saw a young man through the window as he was passing by. He had caught her interest, for some unknown reason.

She told her mother she was going back to her room, but instead she went out on deck. She saw the man who had passed by the window. She knew this was strange, so why was she doing it?

"Hello. I’m sorry to bother you, but you look familiar. What’s your name?" she asked very sweetly, like she wasn’t lying, which she was. He didn’t look familiar, but she wanted to know who he was.

"The name’s Jack Dawson. And what’s your name?" He knew she was lying, but would never have told her that.

"Rose DeWitt Bukater, and it’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Dawson." She said this and meant it. He was very good-looking and very sincere.

They talked for a long while, until she knew she had to go because it was getting late. But something she did talk to him about was how she felt about Mr. Andrews. She felt strange, at first, to be talking to a stranger about something like that, but after she finished, she felt better. He gave her advice that she thought she could never take and use. He told her to simply tell him how she felt. She gave Jack her room number and told him to come to her stateroom tomorrow night. She really liked Jack, and really enjoyed talking to him.

As she was heading back to her room, she was thinking about all the ways she could tell Mr. Andrews, and when. Not watching where she was going, she walked right into a man in the hallway. She looked up to apologize, and it was Mr. Andrews. She was speechless, and very nervous. Suddenly, her stomach was filled with butterflies, and she knew now was as good a time as any.

"Mr. Andrews, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me." She smiled.

"It’s all right, Miss Rose. Are you all right?"

"Yes. I’m fine. Mr. Andrews, I really need to talk to you about something. Do you think we could go somewhere a little more private?"

"Yes. Certainly. Is there anything wrong?"

"No. I would just like to speak to you." She said this knowing that what she was doing was probably wrong.

"I know my room may be a little inappropriate, but for only a short time, I think it will be all right." He was wondering what Rose could need to talk to him about.

"Mr. Andrews, I..." She stopped because he was looking her right in the eye and it overwhelmed her. She walked closer to him and couldn’t help herself any longer. She put her arms around him and kissed him deeply. Mr. Andrews was shocked at first, and then he found himself kissing her back. Rose broke away first. "Oh, Mr. Andrews, I’m so sorry!" She was shocked at her own actions.

"Rose, it’s all right. I’m sorry, too." He was very confused at the moment.

"You have nothing to be sorry about; I flung myself at you. Oh, can you ever forgive me?" She was scared now. Mr. Andrews thought about what had just happened, and then found himself wanting Rose the way she wanted him.

"Rose, this may sound a little forward, but…would you ever consider marrying me?" He said this, but was afraid of her answer, afraid of going too far.

"Yes, Mr. Andrews, I would. I mean, I will, if you’re asking me." She was nervous, too. They had both forgotten about Cal. "What about Cal?" Rose asked after a moment of thinking.

"If you leave him for me, then I will take care of him. He won’t bother you." He said this with confidence in his voice. She left with a good-bye kiss, not like the one before, but still great. When she got back to her own stateroom, Cal was waiting. She could tell he was angry. He grabbed her arm and was heading towards her room. When they got there, he slapped her and then began to kiss and touch her. Oh, no, she thought. What I can do?

"Cal, please. Can’t we wait?" she asked, hoping he would wait.

"No. We’re not going to wait anymore." His voice sounded mean. Rose was clever and thought of something.

"Cal, if we’re not going to wait until we’re married, then can it wait until tomorrow?"

"Why?" he asked meanly.

"Because I always wanted my first time to be special. I want to look nice for you and for us really be alone. Oh, please, Cal." She was smiling now, trying to be believable.

"Yes. I guess it can wait that long," he said slyly, thinking about tomorrow night.

"Thank you, Cal." She smiled as he left. She went to bed quickly and fell asleep quickly also.

*****

The next morning, Cal knocked on her door and she acted like she had a headache so she could skip breakfast and lunch. As soon as they had been gone for a while, she got up, got dressed, and then headed to Mr. Andrews’ room. She knocked on the door, and when it opened, there he stood. Her stomach dropped to her feet and she was overwhelmed with love. She was sure it was love.

"Rose, I’m so glad you didn’t change your mind," he said, wondering why she would choose him over Cal. Rose decided to tell Mr. Andrews all about who Cal really was. She talked for almost an hour. When she was done, he was in shock at how badly she had been treated. He was appalled. He hugged her, trying to comfort her through her tears.

"I’m sorry I had to tell you that, but it had to be said," she said through her sobs.

"I understand, and I’m so sorry. No one should be treated like that." He was starting to get a little angry. He sent one of the stewardesses to collect Rose’s things. When she returned with all her personal items, Rose started to feel better.

"Mr. Andrews, this is a question I know I should have asked by now, but what is your first name?" She laughed at herself for not asking that question earlier. He laughed a little, too, after he thought about it.

"Thomas. My first name is Thomas." He said this with a smile on his face as he was looking into Rose’s eyes. He was about to become the luckiest man in the world, because to him, Rose was the very best. They talked about how to tell Cal, and then a thought came to Rose.

"Mr. Andrews, I mean, Thomas…is it all right if I call you Thomas?" She wasn’t sure about his first name yet.

"Of course it’s all right. I would like you to call me by my first name." He knew Rose was shy, so he understood.

"Thomas, am I allowed to leave Cal? I mean, I’m only seventeen."

"Rose, you don’t have to marry anyone you don’t want to. I’ll make sure of that. And as far as your mother’s consent, you’re seventeen. You’re considered adult enough to marry. I’m sorry I’m older than you. I know that has to bother you." He became sad for a moment.

"Thomas, I know you’re older than me. I’m all right with that." She smiled at him sweetly and kissed him on the cheek. They talked until they knew lunch was over, and then they knew it was time to tell Cal and Ruth.

"Are you ready, Rose?" he asked. She smiled and nodded her head yes. They headed down the hallway hand in hand. She was happy, for once in her life. Right before they got to Cal’s room, three men approached Mr. Andrews. Rose was already nervous. This didn’t help.

"Rose, this is John Tent, Martin Shell, and Sam Brown. They’re here in case things don’t go well with Cal." He smiled at her and saw the relief in her eyes. They were big men, and now Rose was glad. They got to Cal’s stateroom, and Mr. Lovejoy, Cal’s manservant, so to speak, answered the door.

"Miss Rose, Cal has been looking for you." He said this harshly.

"We’re both here to see Mr. Hockley. May we come in?" Mr. Andrews wasn’t nervous like Rose, just angry.

"Yes. Come in, Mr. Andrews." They heard a voice from inside. It was Cal. Apparently he thought he was returning Rose. When they walked into the sitting room, there were Cal and Ruth. John, Martin, and Sam followed them into the room.

"Well, Mr. Andrews, I can’t thank you enough for finding Rose and bringing her back to me. We were starting to get worried." He smiled a fake smile.

"I’m sorry, Mr. Hockley. I’m not here to return her. I’m here to get the rest of her things and then leave." Mr. Andrews did not smile.

"I’m sorry. I don’t understand." Cal looked at him blankly.

"Rose has decided to give you your ring back and marry me." Now Mr. Andrews smiled a little. Cal gave them both a dirty look.

"What? I don’t think so. She is mine, and by law--" Mr. Andrews cut him off.

"By law she has a choice! And she has chosen me. I thought there might be trouble, so I brought some friends." Sam, Martin, and John stepped forward. Cal backed down and Ruth started to cry--fake tears, of course. Sam and John went to collect the rest of Rose’s things. When they left the minute they were out the door, Rose felt better. Cal was out of her life for good. They went back to Mr. Andrews’ stateroom and she got ready for dinner. People stopped and stared at them, but neither one of them cared. On their way back to their stateroom, she saw Jack in the hallway, heading towards her old room. She quickly explained how she knew him and asked if it would be all right if she talked to him. Mr. Andrews smiled at her and nodded his head yes. She ran up to Jack and told him a shortened version of what had happened. Mr. Andrews walked up.

"Jack, it’s nice to meet you. Won’t you please join us for some tea?" He smiled as he asked this.

"I’d love to." Jack was cold and would enjoy the tea and Rose’s company.

*****

A few days later, the Titanic sank. Mr. Andrews, Rose, and Jack all made it aboard the rescue ship.

Mr. Andrews had a home in America, and they invited Jack to live with them until he found a place of his own. He agreed. Rose and Thomas’s wedding was beautiful. Jack, Molly Brown, and even Rose’s mother came. But Rose didn’t care who came. She was happy with Thomas, and always would be.

Almost a year later, Rose was pregnant, and gave birth to a boy, whom they named Thomas Jackson Andrews. Then, only one year later, Rose gave birth to a girl, whom they named Scarlet Elizabeth Andrews. Jack and Rose stayed good friends their entire lives, because she could never forget what he had done for her. She was happy, and so was Mr. Andrews until the end of their days, because neither one ever looked back.

The End.

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