Written by Remjad
Based on some situations originated by James Cameron.

Monday, April 15, 1912

Where on earth is Rose? Caledon Hockley asked himself while he walked around on the Carpathia, the ship which now carried many passengers who had been on the Titanic when it’d sunk just a few hours before. I must find her! Even as he thought this, though, a chilling thought came to him then. What if Rose isn’t on this ship because she perished in the freezing waters in the early morning hours?

"Oh, you won’t find any of your kind in this section, sir," said a crew member. "It’s all steerage here."

Cal glared at the crewman, who turned away and walked down to another area of the ship. He suddenly caught a glimpse of a strand of long, curly red hair under a shabby blanket. Rose’s hair. Rose, he mouthed. He slowly crept over to her.

"Hello, Rose." He greeted her with a small smile.

Rose DeWitt Bukater, who was still several months away from turning eighteen years old, appraised him with an icy stare. "Cal, don’t talk to me. Just listen. Now, I will make a deal with you, since that seems to be the only thing you can understand or feel joy over."

That’s not true at all, Cal found himself thinking, but he prudently kept silent.

Rose continued speaking. "From this moment, you do not exist for me, nor I for you. You shall not see me ever again. And you will not attempt to find me. In exchange, I will not let your disreputable actions, which occurred during the sinking, ever come to light. Is this, in any manner, unclear?"

Cal stared at her and into the aquamarine depths of her eyes, wanting desperately to push back a lock of her hair. However, he knew that this would never be possible. Cal knew he would never be able to touch her, or even be near her, ever again. "But your mother and I have been looking for you...I thought you’d perished."

"Obviously, I lived through it—luckily for me, not so luckily for you. Let me tell you just what I think of you. Caledon Hockley, I think that you are a very conniving man who cares nothing for others besides yourself, unless there is something in it for you. There aren’t enough words in the English vocabulary to describe just what a cruel person you are..."

While Rose let him have it with her vocal tirade, Cal thought, She has every right to think of me that way. But I had to control her—she was running around with other men when I wasn’t watching her! I can’t believe that she wanted that steerage swine over me, the man who could have provided her with everything she could’ve ever wanted. I even gave her the Heart of the Ocean, for heaven’s sake!

When she finally stopped talking, he told her, "Rose, you’re...you’re precious to me."

"Jewels are precious, Mr. Hockley. Au revoir; good-bye. I no longer wish to hear from you."

"But what will I tell your mother?"

"Tell her that Rose DeWitt Bukater died on the Titanic. It’s not as if she’d really have a care, anyway. Now, leave me. Please."

With a resigned sigh, Cal finally did as she wished and turned away. "You can keep my coat," he murmured, not sure whether or not Rose had heard him. And, at that point, he really didn’t care. What difference would it have made if she’d heard him or not? I’d better go tell Ruth what Rose told me to say.

She’s out of my life
She’s out of my life
And I don’t know whether to laugh or cry
I don’t know whether to live or die
And it cuts like a knife
She’s out of my life
It’s out of my hands
It’s out of my hands
To think for two years, she was here
And I took her for granted, I was so cavalier
Now, the way that it stands
She’s out of my hands
So I’ve learned that love’s not possession
And I’ve learned that love won’t wait
Now, I’ve learned that love needs expression
But I’ve learned too late
She’s out of my life
She’s out of my life
Damned in decision and cursed pride
Kept my love for her locked deep inside
And it cuts like a knife
She’s out of my life.

"I’m going to miss you, Rose," Cal whispered. "You would’ve been a splendid wife had you not betrayed me with that wretched piece of filth that was Jack Dawson. I still care for you."

The End.

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