A SIMPLE SOLUTION
Epilogue

Aftermath: Sunshine
May 20, 1913

Jack surveyed the hotel room, his tired eyes landing on the bed. Maybe he should get some shut-eye before going? Alexander wasn't the least bit tired. He had spent the hours on the train making Jack so exhausted he barely knew his name. Alexander was still laughing and clinging happily to Jack's arms, refusing to let Jack put him down on the bed.

"Ah, come on, Alex…Daddy is so tired."

Jack sank down next to his son, closing his eyes for a few seconds. Then, he looked up into the ceiling, the sleepiness vanishing a bit.

He had to get to there today. Before falling asleep, before putting it off until another day. He had to go.

Sitting up abruptly, he removed his jacket and then picked up Alexander again, preparing for what would be the most painful walk of his life. No. That one he had already taken. When Alexander had been born and he had walked home with Molly. When Rose had died. He could still see the apartment…empty…she was gone. The bed was empty. Everything was dead. The only thing that kept him from throwing himself from the window was Alexander's serene face.

With a deep sigh, he left the room. Rose Dawson. A last farewell.

*****

Rose steadied herself on the cane as she walked through the spring-tinged cemetery, enjoying the only breath of freedom she could get. Her steps were painful, even with the steady cane to support her, and she sat down gratefully on the bench, watching as people wandered by her, carrying flowers for a lost loved one.

She squinted her eyes against the spring sun, leaning back on the bench. The minutes were already ticking away, but she was determined to enjoy her time away from the Hockley house.

A shaky breath escaped her and she clutched her flat stomach, remembering what it had been like to be unable to move as she pleased, but to have a reason, a wonderful reason for it. Now, she only had her prison, where she had spent the past five months.

Her thoughts filtered through her heart as she closed her eyes, yet again remembering. Remembering waking up December 21, 1912. Remembering her mother telling her that the baby had died. Remembering seeing the tiny bundle that was the blue, dead baby. A girl. Jack had been there. He knew and was coming back the next day to help her home. She had relaxed, trusting her mother, trusting Jack…knowing that he would come back.

He hadn't. Instead, they had drugged her, and the next time she had woken up, tired and bruised, had been in a bed at the Hockley house in Philadelphia. As soon as she had felt better, felt strong enough to escape, she had. That had been in January of 1913.

Rose looked down at her yellow dress, softly touching her injured leg. Cal had found her as she had been creeping through the garden. He had grabbed her harshly and thrown her inside. They had argued. He had hit her several times. She had later learned that it was a miracle she had been standing after the blows he had given her. Her beautiful face had been torn with scrapes and blue marks.

"No, Cal, I am leaving! I am leaving. Jack needs me. I need him and I am his wife! Do you get that into your thick head, you bastard? You can hit me and rape me and do anything you want to me…but I am still his wife!"

She had tried to run from him, hurry to the front door, but he had been quicker, and in his unfathomable rage, he had thrown her down the basement stairs. Her broken and crumbled body had been found the next morning, since Cal hadn't told anyone what had happened.

She had been close to dying again. Miraculously, she had recovered, but her left leg had been so badly broken that it would never heal completely. She would be carrying a cane for support her whole life. Now Jack would never even look at her again.

She had never told anyone that Cal had pushed her. He had threatened her that he would kill her mother if she told anyone, so she had stayed with him for the past four months. She was his trophy, since she could never be his wife. He already had a wife, but he couldn't let her go and continue to give her mother money. He called her his little bonus, but so far, she had always been able to keep him away from her in bed.

One day in March she had been attempting to flee the house again, but then Cal had treated her kindly and…right after dinner that day, he had given her a newspaper clipping, where it said that Jack Dawson, a penniless artist, had died from consumption a wintry February evening. That had been it for Rose. She had started dying inside, and didn't even care about anything anymore. Jack was dead. What was left for her? Nothing. A life as a cripple with Cal would do.

At least she could spend every afternoon walking alone in the neighborhood close to the house, hobbling forward on a cane, her face full of scars from Cal's abuse. She was a shadow of her former self, but what could she do? Jack was gone, and she had accepted her fate.

*****

Jack took a deep breath before entering the cemetery. Ruth had told him that Rose would be buried in Philadelphia, and this was the only place beautiful enough to hold his Rose. He hoped he would find her grave quickly, and then continue on his way home to Chippewa Falls again.

For the past few months, he had been living there, getting to know the family he still had there and the friends he had left behind. They had all been surprised to learn that he was a married man with a little baby boy, but he never spoke about his wife. He couldn't even utter her name except when talking to Helga, Molly, Tommy or…his son. His son, Alexander Fabrizio.

He tightened his grip on the curious boy in his arms, and his hard gaze softened as he looked at him. Rose's features were already visible in his face, and he knew he would have his mother's spirit and strength.

After what had happened in December, Jack had never been seen smiling again, except when looking at his son. Molly had tried her best to help him, at first by showing him how to take care of the baby and then by trying to get him to go and see Tommy, talk to Helga on the phone. But he hadn't been willing to even try. His life was his son, and when he moved to Chippewa Falls, Molly lost contact with him.

Tommy wrote sometimes, and Helga did, too. Helga was engaged to be married again, to a man from her home country, and Tommy was seeing a girl in New York. The pieces were put together again, but Jack was still lost. He only kept going because of his son. Rose's son. The son she had died having.

Jack smiled as Alexander pointed at a bird sitting on the grass, and he paused before going closer to the graves, kissing his son's forehead, hugging him tightly.

The baby smiled at him and waved his hands in the air, as if he was happy about something.

"We're going to try to find your mommy here, Alex. She's not really here, of course…but your grandmother says she was buried here, and I have to…I have to see for myself. Otherwise, I'll always wonder."

It was true. He did wonder if she truly had died. He had been so distraught that horrible day, so detached from reality. Ruth and Cal could have been fooling him. He had never seen her body. Deep inside, he knew that he was only risking even more heartache, but he had to know for sure. He had to.

*****

Rose got up shakily from the bench and started heading home. Time was up for today. She once again steadied herself on the cane and began walking slowly towards the gate of the cemetery. Just as she was leaving, she heard a tiny giggling voice and turned, a slight smile on her face.

That could only be a baby, she thought with regret and sorrow. Her own baby would have been almost six months old now. Hers and Jack's. Their daughter. But…now she was with Jack…wherever that might be.

But the sight that met her almost caused her to lose her cane and fall flat on her face. It was Jack. He was holding a small baby in his arms, laughing along with it. Her gasp made him turn and the eyes that bored into her reflected the same shock.

"Jack…" she rasped, pressing one hand to her chest as the other one wobbled on the cane. He walked towards her as if in a trance, stepping on graves and flowers until he was finally standing in front of her.

"Rose…" he mouthed, sounding equally exhausted with astonishment. He reached out to touch her red curls and immediately pulled his hand back as if he had burned himself.

Rose closed her eyes.

"I…Cal told me you died…from consumption…a few months ago," she whispered, trying to cover her face from him. Jack…oh, please don't see my scars, bruises…I'm so ugly now. I can't even walk properly and you…you're still as handsome as ever. Is this your son?

"No!" Jack exclaimed. "I…they said you died…while…that day in December, when you went to Ruth's apartment. I was there and they told me you died…oh, Rose, why…why didn't I demand to see you? I should have known."

Rose looked at him, smiling a bit.

"You were in pain. I understand." She cleared her throat slowly, trying to regain control of her world. "You got married? Is this your son?" Not waiting for an answer, she smiled brightly, swallowing her tears. "Congratulations, Jack. I'm happy for you."

Jack's blue eyes were confused now, and he shook his head, barely noticeably.

What was she talking about? Married? He was already married to her, and he didn't want anyone else. Ever. My son? She doesn't know? She thinks there was only one baby…

"Jack? What is it? Don't feel bad. I…I have moved on, too."

Her hand trembled on the cane, and she would have fallen if he hadn't grabbed her arm softly.

What has happened to her? Who did this to her? Cal? How could anyone have hurt you like this, Rose? He felt tears clog his throat, and he swallowed hard, determined not to show her how upset he was.

"No…Rose…he's…this is our son. You had twins that night. Twins. The baby girl died. Just like I thought you did, but…this little guy survived. He's yours, Rose. He's your son. The same baby we felt moving all those times at the apartment."

Rose gasped. Her eyes widened and her face went white, then gray, and then white again. Fearing that she would collapse, he pulled his arm around her, hurriedly walking to the nearest bench. She stopped him, pulling away from him slightly.

"You don't have to pity me. I can stand on my own. I'm not crippled," she said bitterly, causing him to step back slightly, rocking the baby from side to side.

"I know. I…just wanted to…I'm sorry."

"So where is your new wife?" Rose spit out, feeling her knees giving out, but she wasn't going to show weakness again.

Please…don't let there be a wife. Please. She left him. She's not here. She's not beautiful.

"I only have one wife, Rose. You. Only I thought she died."

Rose looked at him, tears streaming down her face.

"He's my son?" she asked, barely audibly, and relieved, he nodded, smiling at her.

"He's our son, Rose. Our son…Alexander Fabrizio Dawson."

She pressed one hand to her mouth, smiling emotionally as she looked up at the baby instead, her breath catching as she looked into his blue eyes, his small, innocent face.

"He's so beautiful, Jack. I…" She had stepped closer to him and in her eagerness to see the baby, her hand slipped on the cane and she almost lost her balance. Embarrassed, she backed away from Jack's rescuing arm and backed even further away when she saw him looking at her.

"What happened to you, Rose? Who did this to you?" he asked softly, anger shining in his eyes and his voice.

"Cal," she breathed, turning her face from him. He thinks I'm ugly. Oh Jack, why did this have to happen? I should have been stronger. I should have kept him from me. Now, my face is ruined and I can't walk without a cane.

"I'll kill him!" Jack cursed loudly, causing Alexander to start crying softly. Jack smiled at his son, quickly calming him with soft words, but his smile faded when he looked at Rose.

"Oh, Rose, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I should have known you were alive. I should have come. I…I just let sorrow drown me, I guess."

"It's okay, Jack. It's not your fault. It's not…"

She glanced at the baby again, wishing she could hold him one time. Just one time, before Jack left again.

"Do…do you want to come to the hotel room with me? I can get you new clothes and you can come with us to Chippewa Falls. Or do you need something from where you're staying now?"

"I'm staying at Cal's house," Rose said bitterly, ignoring the rest of his words. "I'm his mistress…you could call it that…mistress of being abused and beaten."

Jack gasped, and she saw tears escaping his eyes. "No. Oh God, Rose, please come with me. Please…if you go back there alone…I'll come and I'll kill him. I swear, Rose. Please…come with me and…we'll fix this. Alex here needs you."

"Fix this? I can't be fixed! I'm crippled and my face is torn and I'm ugly. My place is with Cal now, where I can continue to be miserable. Jack…I'm not good enough for you anymore. Please…just go."

Don't go. Stay. Take me with you. Save me. Let me…let me hold the baby. Just one time.

She turned away from him, but suddenly she felt his warm hand on her back and she closed her eyes.

"Ugly? Are you crazy? Cal is ugly for doing this to you. I am an idiot for letting him. For believing your mother that day. You…you're beautiful. You're my…beautiful, beautiful wife. Alex's beautiful mother. He's missed you, Rose. Please…come with me and be his mother."

She relished the feel of his skin on hers, and slowly turned to face him.

"Are you sure?" she whispered and the desire, the passion she had seen in his eyes months ago, it still shone there. She swallowed her bitterness and smiled slowly.

"Am I sure? There's nothing in the entire world I want more, Rose."

"Even if I can't walk properly?" she asked quickly, making sure he knew what he was doing.

He raised his eyebrows and, without saying anything, he wrapped his free arm around her, steadying her, and then placed his lips on hers, tentatively at first, but then with more ardor.

"Now, come on, it's getting late and I'm sure you're hungry. Alex here is. That's for sure. We'll go to the hotel and grab something to eat and then you can help him fall asleep. I tell you, he never wants to sleep. My cousin told me she's never seen a more awake baby…"

Jack rambled on about his family in Chippewa Falls as he walked slowly with her, leaving the horrors of the cemetery, of life with Cal. Rose's eyes were so full of tears that she could barely see where she was going. Jack still loved her and he was alive. He was alive! Her heart soared.

*****

The room was small, but there was a bed, a table by the window, and a couch by the wall. Rose stood awkwardly in the middle of it all, looking shyly at Jack. He was closing the door and then he gently put the baby down on the bed, where he laughed and looked at Rose, his eyes big and curious. Rose smiled at him, still feeling nervous around the baby.

"Make yourself at home…" Jack whispered, putting his hand on hers, squeezing her clenched hand around the cane. "Sit down…" he went on, his arms softly moving over her shoulders.

She smiled at him, trying to remember what it was like to feel his hands on her like this, without feeling like a bundle of yielding nerves.

"I…should call my mother…let her know where I am, at least."

Jack's smile faded a bit and he frowned, rubbing her hands gently.

"Sure…I'll…I'll be here…if you want me to stay, that is. I could wait outside."

"No."

Her hand pulled him back and he smiled again.

"I want you to stay."

His hand snaked around her waist and she felt its warm presence on the small of her back. He was breathing against her lips and she sucked in the hot air, her heart beating like crazy.

"I'll just…"

She looked away from him, scanning the room for a phone. When she saw it, she sighed tiredly. It was by the couch, on the other side of the room. Smiling quickly at him, she let go of his hand, trying to escape his arms, but he wouldn't let go. Instead, his hand pulled at her fingers, making her let go of the cane.

"Jack, what are you doing?"

He didn't reply. He just pulled her even closer, kissed her long and deeply, causing her to forget everything but him. Then, he helped her over to the phone, a grin playing on his lips. She nodded slightly, her eyes mirroring her feelings. She felt overwhelmed by his love for her.

It was surprisingly easy for her to talk to her mother. Ruth started crying and told her daughter she had felt horrible ever since she had lied to Jack about what had happened that night. She had only done it because Cal had promised her some money, money so that she could start a new life, but she had regretted it ever since. Cal constantly threatened her, said that he would kill her, kill her daughter if she told anyone the truth. But despite this, she had been trying to find Jack again for the past two months and, in case she couldn't find him, she had planned to move all the way to California with her daughter. Anything to get away from Cal.

"But now that's not necessary, I see. Oh, Rose, I am truly happy for you…I hope…that one day you'll forgive me."

Rose smiled, tears streaming down her face.

"I have, Mother. You were just afraid and…life…life is too short to hold grudges. Just…get away from Philadelphia as soon as you can. Cal won't be easy to deal with."

"I know, darling. I know. I'll write to you in Chippewa Falls and let you know where I am. Could you…please tell Jack that I am sorry? I know he'll never forgive me, but…"

"I'll tell him, Mother."

They said good-bye and Rose tried to collect herself before looking up at Jack again. He was sitting on the bed, holding his hand on Alexander's head, but his eyes weren't looking at his son. He could only see Rose.

"She's…she's sorry about what she did. She was trying to find you, Jack."

His expression didn't change. He just looked at her quietly.

"She…she asked me to tell you that she's sorry." He still didn't say anything and Rose was starting to worry. "But you don't have to. I mean…she's my mother, so I…forgive her. She was scared and didn't know what she was doing, but you don't have to."

He was still just looking at her and she heard him breathing heavily.

"Jack…please…say something."

Slowly, he got up from the bed and moved over to her. Instead of sitting down next to her, he kneeled down, taking her hands in his.

"I forgive her, Rose. For you. She…what she and Cal did…it put us--mostly you--through hell this year, but…if you forgive her, I do, too."

Rose touched his face softly and then leaned forward, wrapping her hands around his head, hugging him close to her chest.

"I do, Jack. Because…in spite of everything…things are all right now. I'm okay." She hugged him tightly as he moved closer and soon they sat in each other's arms and…everything that had happened since December poured out. The only time they moved through it all was when Rose began telling him about everything Cal had done. Jack winced and his grip around her loosened as his hand clenched around the edge of the couch.

"Rosie, I wish I had been there. I wish I had been there and stopped him." His voice was muffled and thick with tears as she hugged him tightly, still scarcely believing that she was there with him, knowing only that she wanted to see him smile again.

They sat quietly for a while, until suddenly Jack got up, mumbling something about dinner. Rose smiled at his confused frenzy around the room.

"We…could call for room service," she suggested softly, and he nodded, drawing a sigh of relieved amusement.

"You must be starving." He smiled at her and she just shrugged. She couldn't even remember what food tasted like and somehow she didn't care.

*****

The night air was seeping through the window and Rose watched the stars, knowing that Jack was behind her in the room, protecting her against everything. She only wanted one thing now. To hold the baby. Alexander had been laughing and throwing food when they had eaten and then he had refused to fall asleep and was still gurgling happily, as Jack played peek-a-boo with him. Rose laughed at them, but still felt left out somehow. They were…bonded and she was just a stranger. She had never even held a baby before. What if she did everything wrong?

Jack kissed his son's cheek softly and then finally looked up again. Rose had sat down on the couch by the window after dinner. She seemed to be avoiding him and he didn't know why. The cane was leaned against the wall next to her and he felt a pang of guilt and anger as he watched it and then his eyes went to her left leg. How could anyone hurt her like that? Make her think she was ugly, crippled?

"Does it hurt?" he asked softly, finally daring to sit down next to her. She looked up at him, a tinge of surprise in her eyes, and…nervousness.

"No." She smiled, shaking her head. "Just if I try to stand on it."

"I could just kill him for doing this to you."

Her smile faded a bit and his hands kept rubbing hers. What is going on in that beautiful head of hers? What can I do to help her?

"Jack…" she breathed, and he reached out to touch her face softly.

"Yeah?"

Nervousness fluttering in her chest, she smiled again and went on in that shaky voice. "Can I…can I hold him? Please?"

"Oh, of course." Jack smiled. He had wondered why she hadn't asked him before, or even made an attempt to pick him up, touch him, and now he knew why. He saw it in her eyes. She was scared that she would do something wrong. But that could never happen.

He grinned widely at his son and walked over to the bed, picking up a very much awake Alexander and gently setting him down in Rose's eagerly awaiting arms.

Rose looked at the baby in wonder, her eyes wide with astonishment as she touched his soft cheeks, and smiled as he broke into an adorable laugh. Tears filled her eyes and she leaned down to him, kissing his forehead. His small body was warm against hers and somewhere deep in her soul, she remembered feeling him move inside her, feeling him being alive and healthy…a part of Jack inside her.

"I'm your mommy, Alex, and I'm…I'm here to stay now." Her voice was cracking and she couldn't understand why she had been so afraid to hold him.

Alexander smiled at her and they sat quietly, all three of them, for what seemed like hours in serene happiness. As Rose began to rock him from side to side, singing quietly to him, his eyelids started drooping, and Jack's eyes filled with amazement.

"Shh…Alex, sweetie…shh…going up she goes, up she goes, come Alex in my flying machine…all on good-bye…good night…" Rose's voice faded away and she looked up at Jack, grinning as Alexander placed his head on her shoulder, half-asleep. Only minutes later, he was sound asleep.

"He's never fallen asleep like this before. It usually takes hours. He must know you're his mommy."

Rose smiled and reluctantly gave Jack the baby to lay him down on the bed. Jack did this with such utter care and love that new tears came to her eyes and she could barely keep her eyes from him.

"Jack?" He looked up at her, his eyebrows raised. "Is this a dream?"

"No. It's real, Rose. It's real." He smiled, moving back towards the couch and her.

"I…love you, Jack," she whispered. Her hand grabbed hold of the armrest of the couch and she pushed herself up, taking the cane in a firm grip.

Jack stood in front of her now, smiling. "You don't need that when you're with me," he whispered and his hand caressed hers until she let go and her hands came over his arms and shoulders instead. He hugged her tightly to his chest as they moved in the small room, pretending to be dancing.

"I'll never be able to dance again," she whispered sadly, thinking about how she had wanted to do that while she had been pregnant.

"Of course you will. We'll dance all the time," he promised, and, strangely, Rose knew it would be true. With Jack, she could do anything.

"We'll have to get you new clothes and stuff tomorrow, because you're not going back to that man," he said, and she laughed.

"No, I'm not. Not ever. But…"

Jack let go slightly to look at her. "But what?"

"Wouldn't it be more fun to see me without clothes?"

She tried to sound girlish, like someone she had been last year, but when his expression didn't turn into one of love and desire, she looked down, realizing that he was probably just…caring about her because she was Alexander's mother, not because he still found her attractive.

"Without clothes? Why, Mrs. Dawson, we have a minor here…no talking like that." Rose looked up at him, a smile finding its way back to her face.

"Oh, Jack…how did I ever live without you?"

He smiled, pulling her closer to him again.

"You'll never have to try that again," he breathed. "We'll always be together from now on."

"Always," Rose added softly.

He tilted his head down to her, softly touching her face. "God, I love you, Rose," he breathed, before letting his lips crash down on hers, and Rose was left breathless, both from his words and from the kiss, the passion and love filling her body, awakening everything she had thought had died months ago.

That was the simple solution. Love.

The End.

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