Written by Ivana Kolanovic
Based on some situations originated by James Cameron.

The screams and cries from the passengers were heard in the dark night, the stars twinkling. The deck was crammed with people, waiting to board the lifeboat. The lifeboat was already packed, but had a few more spaces. Despite that, there were still loads of passengers to be saved, but they knew that some would never see the light of day again.

Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller took hold of a little blonde-haired girl.

"Give her to me," Officer Lightoller said. "Take her."

"Daddy!" the little girl protested, reaching out for her father as she was carried away from him and put in the lifeboat with her mother and younger sister.

"It’ll be fine, darling. Don’t you worry," her father reassured her, giving her a gentle look but knowing that deep down inside he was crying.

"Daddy, get in the boat!" the little girl cried, looking at her father.

"It’s good-bye for a little while. Only for a little while," the father reassured her, looking at his children with sorrow shining in his eyes, knowing that he might not ever see his daughters grow up and get married. He would never be able to give them away or hold his first grandchild. "There’ll be another boat for the daddies. This boats for the mommies and the children. You hold Mommy’s hand and be a good little girl."

Rose watched the little girls crying in the boat, the realization sinking into her--they were not letting the men on--and that meant that Jack was to be left on the ship to die. There was no way Rose would allow that. She turned to him, a serious expression on her face.

"I’m not going without you," Rose said, her heart breaking at the thought of being separated from Jack.

Jack looked at her, not wanting her to risk her life for him. She was young--she had so much to see in life, and he was not about to let her give up now.

"No. You have to go--now!" Jack said, his voice stern, looking at her with loving but pleading eyes.

"No, Jack."

"Get in the boat, Rose!"

"No, Jack."

Rose shook her head, refusing. She did not want to leave him now. Not after what they had been through--not after what they had gained. Her heart fluttered anxiously in her chest as she gazed at the blue eyes that had stolen her soul.

"Yes. Get in the boat."

Jack looked into Rose’s eyes, urging her. All his life, he had thought he would never find love--that he would never find romance, but he had. He had found Rose, and because of that, he wanted her to live. He did not want her to die a painful death. He wanted much more for her than death.

"Yes. Get in the boat, Rose."

This time it was not Jack who had spoken. The voice was deep and familiar--belonging to none other than Cal--Rose’s ex-fiancé.

Jack turned, facing him, a grim expression on his face. He watched Cal glare at him, his brown eyes cold and possessive. Jack looked at him, keeping his voice silent. He looked at his tuxedo, thinking how well-dressed Cal was, considering that the ship was sinking.

Rose looked at him, stunned to see him again. She had a cautious expression on her face, standing beside Jack. Cal’s brown eyes bore into hers, but they did not shine with love--they shone with jealousy and possessiveness.

Cal looked at Rose, seeing her shivering, a worn blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her once bouncy curls were limp and wet, and her face was pale from the cold.

"My God. Look at you!" Cal said, his voice sincere. "You look a fright!"

Ignoring him, Rose turned towards Jack, her emerald-blue eyes shining with love and longing. She did not want to leave Jack--even if there was only one lifeboat left. She suddenly felt Cal’s hands remove the blanket that Jack had given her.

"Here."

Cal shoved the blanket into Jack’s arms, removing his black heavy coat and putting it around her shoulders as he looked at the ocean, embarrassed.

"Put this on. Come."

Rose felt the chill of the wind surround her body as the blanket was removed, and she looked at the heavy coat that Cal held in his hands. She made no move, but Cal put the coat on her nonetheless.

Jack looked at Cal suspiciously. He knew he was trying to win Rose back, and he knew that Rose had no feelings towards him. She never had.

Cal caressed Rose’s limp curls, feeling her move her head away from his touch, and in seconds, she was pulled away--by Jack.

Jack could not take the way Cal was touching Rose, so he stepped closer and pushed her away from him, looking deeply into her eyes, trying to persuade her to get in the lifeboat. There was no time to lose--the boat was almost full, and he wanted Rose on it before it lowered.

"Step aboard!" Officer Lightoller said, filling the boat with more passengers.

"Yes. We’ll pray for you, darling!" the mother of the girls cried, looking at her husband, who stood on the sinking ship, looking at her.

"Go on. I’ll get the next one," Jack lied, looking into Rose’s eyes with a stern expression on his handsome features.

"No," Rose refused, her voice firm and certain. "Not without you."

"I’ll be all right!" Jack reassured Rose, half-hoping that he would, but knowing that the other half doubted that he would survive. He continued to comfort her. "Listen. I’ll be fine. I’m a survivor. All right? Don’t worry about me! Now, go on. Get in!"

Jack felt Rose’s hands caress his shoulders as he spoke to her, and that only made his heart break more. He knew that this would be the last time he would feel her touch and the last time he would gaze into her emerald-blue eyes. He held back his tears, not wanting her to see him break down.

Cal watched as Rose touched Jack lovingly--something she never done to him, and that made him more jealous. He also saw Rose’s eyes shining with love when she looked at Jack, but when she looked at him, all he could see was fright and dread. Cal thought of something and decided that this might persuade Rose to get in the boat--considering that Jack would be safe as well.

"I have an arrangement with an officer on the other side of the ship," Cal said, looking at Rose, a sincere tone in his voice, hoping that this would get Rose safely into the boat. "Jack and I can get off safely--both of us."

Cal gave Jack a stern look, his lips pressed together, feeling his heart beat rapidly in his ribcage. He knew if Rose was safely in the boat, he would win her, and Jack would be left to die on the ship. Lying was the only way to get Rose in the boat.

Jack looked at Cal, then lowered his eyes, knowing that it was a lie and knowing that he would never be able to embrace Rose again. He had a grim expression, but swallowed the lump in his throat and looked at Rose, a small smile on his face, knowing that this might get Rose in the boat--safe and out of harm’s way.

"See? Got my own boat to catch."

Jack’s voice was persuasive and certain, but inside, he knew that there was no arrangement, and if there was, he certainly would not be able to board the lifeboat.

Rose looked at Jack, feeling half of her heart lift, but the other half felt weighed down, not really convinced that Jack would get in the boat safely. She turned her head, facing Cal, who had a sincere look on his face.

"Go on. Now, hurry. They’re almost full."

Cal looked at the lifeboat, giving Rose a soft smile and looking into her eyes.

Rose looked at Jack, wondering if she should go, but before she could decide, she felt a pair of strong arms go around her waist, pulling her away from Jack.

"Step aboard, miss," the officer said, helping her into the lifeboat.

"Come on. Hurry." Cal’s voice was urgent, watching Rose being put in the boat.

Rose felt Jack’s hand grip her arm, helping the officer put her in the lifeboat.

"Step aboard, please," the officer said.

"Be Daddy’s good girl, all right?" the father asked, watching his daughters gaze at him with tearful eyes.

"Step lively," the officer ordered, being careful that Rose did not fall over.

"Keep back! Keep back, I say!" a crewman ordered, keeping the passengers in the boat safe.

Rose turned, stretching out her arm and clutching Jack’s hand, which gripped hers. She gazed at him, her vision blurred by sudden tears. Rose cried out, trying to keep hold of Jack’s hand, but suddenly felt it slip away.

"Clear the way, please!" Officer Lightoller said, pushing Jack away.

Rose sat in the lifeboat, tears flowing out of her eyes as she looked up, seeing that the officer was waving his arms.

"Lower away!" he shouted. She felt the boat begin to lower. She cried out softly, looking at Jack, who looked at her with a grim expression.

"Slowly. Keep going. Keep going," the officer instructed, watching the crewmen lower the boat. "And lower away evenly, lads. Easy! Lower away!"

Rose looked up, her heart pounding as she got farther away from Jack. She watched Cal and Jack mumbling something to each other, but she couldn’t care less what they were saying. The only sounds she heard were the soft crying of the mother and the two girls in the lifeboat and the sound of the ropes lowering the lifeboat. Rose looked at the passengers, at the pulley, and back at Jack, her face pale and sorrowful. Tears glistened in her eyes, her mouth partially open and taking deep breaths.

"You’re a good liar," Cal commented, looking at Rose, finally having his way.

Jack looked at him, his expression grim and sullen as he finally found his voice.

"Almost as good as you," Jack admitted, his blue eyes gazing at Rose, who was being lowered in the lifeboat.

"Easy now!" the officer ordered, instructing the men to lower the lifeboat away.

Jack swallowed the small lump that was forming in his throat, wanting to know if Cal was telling the truth or not about the arrangement. Although he knew it probably wasn’t true, he had to be sure.

"There isn’t…uh…there is no arrangement, is there?"

Jack turned his head again, gazing at Cal and seeing that his expression held no love for Rose. His lips were pressed together and his eyes looked at Rose as if he had won her. Jack returned his attention to the lifeboat, waiting for his answer.

"Oh, there is," Cal said, his voice hoarse from the cold. "Not that you’ll benefit much from it."

Jack turned his head once more, his eyes on Cal.

Cal turned his head, facing him, his brown eyes as cold as the iceberg and his expression stern.

"I always win, Jack," Cal stated.

"And lower away evenly, lads!" the officer shouted.

Cal looked at Jack and finished his statement.

"One way or another." Cal gave Jack a short smile and looked at the lowering lifeboat.

Jack lowered his eyes, knowing that it was true, and returned his attention to Rose, feeling his heart shatter, seeing the tears in Rose’s eyes. His whole world was crashing down around him, and there was no way to stop it, for Rose was his world. Without her, he did not have a reason to live.

Rose’s breath was shaky, looking at the falls, not aware of what was happening. It was as if she were in a dream--a figment of her imagination. It felt as if everything was going in slow motion, gazing at Jack and feeling her heart break at the sight. Tears shone in his eyes, his hands resting on the railing. He gave her a slight nod of his head, as if reassuring her that she was doing the right thing. Rose saw the father of the two girls holding back his tears, gazing at his family. Rose turned her head, seeing the crew members waving their arms at each other, shouting out words that were incomprehensible to her. She looked at the girls who were waving at their father, tears flowing down their cheeks. Her eyes moved upward, seeing the officer waving his arms, his mouth moving, but Rose heard no words come out. She felt the beating of her heart, looking at Jack.

The past couple of days played through her mind--days she had spent with Jack--and the more she thought about them, the more she felt the urge to be back in Jack’s arms.

"Don’t do it."

"Stay back! I mean it. I’ll let go!"

"No, you won’t."

"I’ve got you. I won’t let go. Now, pull yourself up!"

"Jack Dawson"

"Rose DeWitt Bukater."

"I’m gonna have to get you to write that one down."

"I feel as if I’m standing in a crowded room, screaming at the top of my lungs, and no one even looks up."

"Do you love him?"

"Pardon me?"

"Do you love him?"

"Jack--Mr. Dawson--I sought you out to thank you, and now I have thanked you…"

"And you’ve insulted me."

"What are you, an artist or something?"

"You have a gift, Jack. You do. You see people."

"I see you."

"And?"

"You wouldn’t have jumped."

"Say we’ll go there sometime to that pier, even if we only ever just talk about it."

"No. We’ll do it. We’ll drink cheap beer, ride the roller coaster ‘til we throw up, and we’ll ride horses on the beach--right in the surf. Now, you’ll have to do it like a real cowboy. None of that sidesaddle stuff."

"I figure life’s a gift, and I don’t intend on wasting it. You never know what hand you’re gonna be dealt next. You have to learn to take life as it comes at ya--to make each day count."

"So you wanna go to a real party?"

"I’m too involved now. You jump, I jump, remember? I can’t turn away without knowing you’ll be all right."

"Leave me alone."

"Hello, Jack. I changed my mind."

"Give me your hand. Now, close your eyes."

"Do you trust me?"

"I trust you."

"All right. Open your eyes."

"I’m flying, Jack!"

"I want you to draw me like one of your French girls. Wearing this."

"All right."

"Wearing only this."

"Nervous?"

"No. Put your hands on me, Jack."

"Rose, you know I didn’t do it!"

"I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!"

"No! Not without you!"

"I’ll be all right! Listen. I’ll be fine! I’m a survivor, all right? Don’t worry about me. Now, go on. Get in!"

Rose looked at Jack, a rocket bursting, reflecting off of Jack’s golden hair and his features--which were grim and sullen. Tears glistened in his once happy eyes as she watched him swallow a sob. Rose heard her breath shake, looking at him and feeling her whole life slipping away. She looked to the side, finding that she was eye level to the deck below Jack, and made a quick decision. She looked at Jack one final time before she got up, pushed past the passengers that were in her way, and jumped out of the lifeboat, clutching the side of the ship. She felt arms grasp at her, pulling her onto the deck.

"Rose!" Jack shouted, looking at the deck below them, watching Rose hanging from the rail. He heard the screams from the passengers as Rose jumped out.

"Stop her!" Cal called out to the people who had pulled her in, angered that Rose had jumped off the lifeboat--to be with him.

"Rose, what are you doing?"

Jack watched as Rose was pulled in and disappeared from sight. His heart was pounding vigorously in his chest as he reached his hand out.

"Stop her!" Cal called out yet again.

"No!"

Jack dropped the blanket that he was holding and pushed his way through the first class entrance, people blocking his way. He brushed past them, a worried expression on his face, his heart fluttering and his breathing quickening.

Rose ran as fast as she could, not caring who she bumped into or who she pushed aside--all she cared about was being in Jack’s arms again. Tears cascaded down her cheeks, her legs speeding through the entrance to the grand staircase, where she found Jack running towards her.

They collided with each other, Rose crying against his chest.

"Rose!" Jack cried, clutching her and pulling her towards him.

Jack felt his heartbeat quicken as he breathed heavily, giving her quick kisses, his fingers brushing through her red hair.

"You’re so stupid!" Jack said, gazing into her eyes and giving her another deep kiss. "Why’d you do that? Why?" Jack held her face in his hands, feeling Rose’s hands caressing his face and gripping him lovingly.

He continued to kiss her, wanting to drink all her body in, for he had let her go, only to find that she had returned--he knew for sure that Rose loved him, and he loved her equally. However, he still felt that she was crazy to pull a stunt like that.

"You’re so stupid, Rose!" Jack’s lips pressed firmly against Rose’s, giving her a couple more kisses, then pulling away, shaking his head and shouting to her. "Why’d you do that? Why?"

Jack saw the tears shining in her eyes, knowing that the same reflected on his face. He could not help but let the tears flow, gazing deeply into Rose’s eyes.

Rose’s tears fell down her cheeks as she caressed his face, drinking in his blue eyes, her breath shaking.

"You jump, I jump, right?" Rose asked, tears choking her voice as she gazed into his eyes, seeing a smile spreading across his face.

Jack closed his eyes briefly, breathing out a sigh of relief.

"Right," Jack croaked, caressing her face, then gave her a quick kiss, pulling her into a tight lover’s embrace--knowing that he would never let Rose go.

Rose cried, holding Jack as close as possible. She had no worries now that Jack was with her. She could not get herself to leave him and let him die aboard the ship. If he was to die, so would she--right beside him.

"Oh, God, I couldn’t go!" Rose cried, clutching him. "I couldn’t go, Jack."

"It’s all right. We’ll think of something," Jack reassured Rose, feeling her arms around him as he held her close.

"At least I’m with you," Rose said, her voice shaky but loving as she gazed into Jack’s blue eyes.

Jack looked into Rose’s eyes, finding the pure love in her expression as she gazed at him. He finally found the voice to speak.

"We’ll think of something."

Jack held her close, knowing that, from then on, they were meant to be together and to love one another. The two would never be separated from their love, which was as strong as the iceberg and as alive as the burning sun. The two would jump together and learn to overcome all obstacles--good or bad--and remain in love with each other. No matter what happened--they would be together--forever.

The End.

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