A STORYBOOK ROMANCE
Chapter One

"When the ship docks," Rose said as she stared into Jack's eyes. "I'm getting off with you."

Jack smiled at her. Were his hears deceiving him? It seemed to good to be true. He had fallen in love with a first class girl, and now she was telling him she was going to throw away her life just be with him? "This is crazy."

Rose laughed. "I know. It doesn't make any sense." Rose paused as she thought of the perfect thing to say next. "That's why I trust it."

She pulled Jack closer to her, and they kissed fiercely. It not only warmed them up, it showed the other how much they cared for them. All of their problems melted away when their lips met. This was how they always wanted to be. Now and forever.

As they continued kissing, they both thought about the future. Where they wanted to go, how they wanted to do it, everything. They didn't know any of the answers, except one. Whatever happened, would happen to both of them.

Sooner or later the kiss had to end. "It must be getting late," Jack said sadly as he took a strand of Rose's hair and tucked it behind her ear. He knew it must be well after midnight by now.

"I guess I should be getting back," Rose said, waiting for a response.

Jack looked at her with loving eyes. "You don't have to go. You can come with me."

Rose shook her head. "I wish I could, Jack. But, you know I have to go back." She knew she didn't want to go back, but she had to. She was afraid to face Cal, but she didn't even want to think what he would do if she spent the night with Jack. Hell would freeze over.

They walked together to the first class entrance, hand in hand. Neither one of them wanted this night to end. It had been a one in a kind. They would both never forget the events that had happened.

Jack kissed her once more, on the forehead. "Will you meet me tomorrow?"

"Of course I will," Rose replied. "Will you meet me at the bow after breakfast?"

"I'll be there," Jack said as he held her tight. He obviously was no where near ready to let go, but he knew he had to. For the time being, anyway.

Jack watched closely as Rose slipped away. Before she turned the corner she gave him one last smile. He returned it, and saw her disappear.

*****

Jack walked slowly back to third class, with a lot on his mind. When he finally reached his room, he climbed right into bed. He still had quite a trip to get through. But, he couldn't fall asleep. He was worried about Rose. He felt guilty for letting her go back to Cal without any protecting. What if he tried to hurt her? Would he ever be able to forgive himself? He didn't think so.

He decided he needed to do something. He couldn't just lay around when Rose could be getting hurt. He climbed out of bed and put on his shoes.

"Jack?" His friend muttered from the bunk above.

"Go back to sleep, Fabrizio. I'll be back."

*****

As Rose walked back to her stateroom, she thought about what to do about Cal. She knew she needed to get out of this wedding. But, how? She had to play her cards right. She was dealing with the son of Nathan Hockley. She needed to be smart.

She saw Lovejoy standing in the hallway. "We've been looking for you, miss," he said with a cold glare.

Rose completely ignored him and stepped into the stateroom. Cal was sitting on the couch, smoking, and Ruth was drinking a cup of tea. Rose got worried when she saw the master at arms standing near by.

"What's he doing here?" Rose muttered, looking at Cal.

He glared back at her. "Two things dear to me have disappeared this evening. Now that one is back, I have a good idea where to find the other."

"What are you talking about?" Rose asked.

"The necklace!" Ruth said. "Was that boy here tonight?"

Rose gave her mother a dirty look. "His name is Jack." She usually didn't use this tone with her mother, but she didn't care any longer. He wasn't just a boy, or a gutter rat, or any other bad thing that they call him. He was Jack. The man she had fallen in love with.

"Answer me!" Ruth shouted back.

"Why does it matter?" Rose asked back.

"The necklace has been stolen," Cal said.

Now Rose knew what game he was playing. He was going to blame this on Jack?! How could he do that? Rose knew for a fact Jack would never do anything like that. Cal was probably trying to frame Jack. The necklace probably wasn't stolen at all. Rose knew when to be smart. "The safe was never opened when he was here."

Cal handed her a paper. As Rose looked down at the drawling of her she remembered. The portrait! Of course Cal was trying to get rid of Jack. And that note she wrote wasn't necessary. She was so mad at Cal, but she didn't need to write that note:

Darling, Now you can keep us both locked in your safe.

Now, she totally regretted it. "I know that he doesn't have the necklace," Rose said. "This is absurd!"

"I demand to have the boy searched," Cal said to the master at arms.

Rose had to think fast. She knew for a fact that Jack didn't have the necklace. She had only knew him for a few days, but one thing was for sure. He was an honest man. Then who did have the necklace? She had to figure out whether it was really stolen, or Cal was just playing some cruel game.

Of course it wasn't really stolen. She knew Cal well. He would be way more upset if it were really stolen. Maybe they were planning on putting it in Jack's room to frame him. Then...maybe Cal had the necklace? Or even Lovejoy.

Rose looked over at Cal's man servant. "Why don't you check him? Maybe he has it."

Cal chuckled. "I doubt that Lovejoy would steal the necklace," he said a little shakily. "No need to search him."

Rose grabbed the master at arm's shoulder. "Please search him."

The master at arms sighed and nodded. He didn't want a this girl telling him what to do, but did he have a choice? He quickly felt Lovejoy's pockets and with a weird expression, lifted the heart of the ocean from his pocket.

"Is this it?" He asked, handing the necklace to Cal.

Cal took it and shot Rose a cold glare. "Yes. It must have gotten there by mistake."

The master at arms nodded. "Am I done here?"

Cal nodded in reply. "I'd like a few minutes alone with my fiancée," he muttered before Ruth and Spicer Lovejoy left the room.

He stood there and studied Rose for a moment. How could this be happening? How could anyone do this to Caledon Hockley? He was really mad. There was no telling what he might to. But, Rose didn't show any fear at all.

Then, Cal slapped her. "You are a little slut, aren't you?"

Rose just kept her face away from him, not wanting to look into his eyes. "Will you look at me when I'm talking to you?!"

Rose turned her head and looked at him as he grabbed her arms towards him. They both didn't know what to say next. She prayed Cal would let her go. Rose wanted him to tell her that he didn't want to get married any longer, and then she would be set free. Rose. however, didn't have such luck.

"How could you have chosen him over me?" Cal asked with almost a sad face.

Rose decided it was her turn to speak. "Because I don't love you."

"How can you say that?!" Cal asked as he pushed over a chair next to him. "I give you everything you could ever want, and yet, you still want more. What in the hell do you want from me? What haven’t I given you?"

Rose wiped away her tears. "Love."

Cal looked into her eyes, trying to comprehend what as just said. "I have to go," Rose said as she headed for the door, only to be pulled back by a stronger arm.

"Where are you going?" Cal asked with anger in his voice. But, he knew. "To him? To be a whore to a gutter rat?"

Rose couldn't let him talk about the man she loved that way. "I'd rather be his whore than your wife."

Cal, then, got mad. He punched Rose's face hard, making her tumble to the floor. Then, he kicked her, hard, in the side. Rose did not scream, she knew that would do no good. She just cried and stood up back on her feet.

As Rose tried to open the door again, Cal tried to stop her. "No! I said no!"

Rose had enough. She spit in his face, just like Jack had showed her how. Cal wiped off his face, and he was too shocked to run after his fiancée who was already out the door.

Rose ran until she had exited first class. It was well into the middle of the night, and she didn't really want to bother Jack. He was probably sleeping. But, she didn't know where to go. She decided to go up on deck.

She really wanted to be with Jack. Her body trembled with pain from Cal's abuse, and she was still in shock to how mad Cal had gotten.

Then, Rose heard footsteps ahead. She looked up quickly. Who would be up at this hour? Then she saw who it was. It was Jack!

They both smiled at each other. But, then, Jack's smile faded when he noticed the blood that ran down the side of her face. He ran to her and wrapped her in his arms. "Oh my God, Rose...what happened?"

Rose tried not to cry. She just clung to Jack. She never wanted to let go.

"He did this to you, didn't he?" Jack asked, referring to Cal. Rose just looked at him sadly and nodded.

"I'm so sorry, Rose," Jack said. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have let you go back alone."

Rose smiled at him. "Don't be silly, Jack. It's not anyone's fault. Except Cal's."

Jack wiped away the small amount of blood with his sleeve, and gently kissed her. "How could he do that to you?"

Rose didn't know. All she knew was that Cal was a very awful man. She also knew that Jack Dawson was the man that she wanted to be with. Always and forever.

Chapter Two
Stories