Written by She's
a Star
Based on some situations originated by James Cameron.
The sunset was dancing across the
sky, painting brilliant oranges and hazy yellows against the faint blue and
transforming the glittering ocean into a rainbow of sparkling colors amongst
the ripples.
A smile on her lips, Rose DeWitt
Bukater lovingly stroked the mane of the ebony horse she was perched upon, one
leg draped over each side of the animal. Her fiery curls brushed against ivory
cheeks as the wind sent them softly flying, and her infectious laughter rang
through her own ears and mingled with the soothing sound of the surf caressing
the rough, tan sand. At that moment, she couldn't bring herself to believe that
the soft, rolling waves of the ocean could transform into a cold-blooded
killer, icy fingers tediously draining the life from innocent souls. But
everything had a darker side.
To her relief, a familiar,
playful voice brought her quickly from her desolate reverie.
"Going up she goes...up
she goes...come Josephine in my flying machine…"
Jack's mischievous singing
blended easily with the soft, even clip-clop of his horse's steps, and he
quickly made his way towards her.
"We're here, Jack,"
Rose informed him, fixing her gaze dreamily out on the sunset. After seventeen
years of captivity, she was finally experiencing the blissful ecstasy of
freedom that she'd always fantasized about. "We're doing it; it's not just
a dream."
He grinned broadly at her,
directing his horse a bit closer until they were side-by-side. His fingers
entwined with hers and the gesture brought Rose's thoughts back to the first
time they'd touched. Closing her eyes, she could almost hear his soft voice
directing her calmly, the exhilarating adrenaline rush that had pulsated
through her veins when she'd opened her eyes and gotten a glimpse of what it
would be like to be truly free to fly. Every other obstacle had moved aside in
that one moment, and a soft whisper dancing through the air seemed to promise
her that she would truly be able to be free of her mother's constant commands
and Cal's never-ending control he seemed to think he had over her.
Now she'd escaped them; she'd
never again have to dress in fancy gowns and excruciatingly painful corsets or
be lectured for smoking at the dinner table.
"We're not stopping here, Rose,"
Jack responded, his voice holding its constant smile. "We'll go
everywhere; learn the can-can in France, go sled-dog racing in Alaska...there's
nothing holding us back."
"Just a couple of
tumbleweeds blowing in the wind," Rose added with a contented grin.
"You just have to take me
with you, Rose," Jack continued. "Don't ever think anything can hold
you back...go everywhere, and I'll always be there, too."
Rose felt a familiar sense of
despondency fill her as the sound of Jack's voice slowly faded into the wind
and her hand, so warm only seconds before, now clung to nothing.
Sighing heavily, she softly
jutted her feet to the horse's sides and rode slowly into the sunlight by
herself.
Now all she had to do was wait to
wake up.
*****
A fond smile had found its way
onto Rose's lips, though she was still sleeping soundly. Her white hair framed
a serene face, withered with age and experiences that could never quite be
forgotten. Pictures covered each flat surface, chronicling the series of
whirlwind adventures that had woven together to create her life. Without the
slightest indication of pain, the steady breathing that had filled the
otherwise silent room ceased.
In an instant, Rose felt her
youth return to her, the elating rush of being young bringing a smile to her
now flawless face. The elegant decor of the Titanic surrounded her, and two
courtiers smiled before swinging open glossy wooden doors to make way for her.
Familiar fellow passengers whose lives had been taken on that fateful night
smiled and waved at her, and the heavy aura of anticipation hung in the air.
Rose's heartbeat quickened as her eyes fell upon the figure waiting beside the
clock, back to her. Tears of happiness sprung up in her eyes, and she quickly
raced up the steps.
Jack turned around at once, his
smile a mixture of love and felicity, along with the ever-present
mischievousness that had drawn Rose to him in the first place. A blissful smile
danced across her lips, and without any longer hesitation, she wrapped her arms
around his shoulders and pressed her lips to his. A pure, sweet completeness
that she'd missed with all her heart for eighty-four years returned at once,
and she allowed herself to lose herself in his kiss, the applause of the fellow
inhabitants of the room ringing lightly in her ears.
Below the ship where Rose's
lifeless body now rested, the Heart of the Ocean hit the sea floor with an
inaudible thud, eternally setting her spirit free.
The End.