A STORYBOOK ROMANCE
Chapter Seven

"What?" Cal asked loudly, trying to hide his upset, worried feelings as he looked at the serious doctor. Guilt and fear had grabbed him harshly. His eyes traveled to Rose, lying unmoving in the room. He paled even more and felt sweat breaking his white skin. Trembling, his hand moved to his forehead, wiping away the moist drops.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Jack, Jack, the man who should be held responsible for all of this, almost had been…barely listened, he just stared at Rose. He didn't even seem to care that the doctor had stopped everything. Stopped the only chance Cal had. No, of course not, the doctor won't ruin anything. He won't.

Jack's face remained still, his blue eyes filled with pain and worry. Through a dark haze, he saw the doctor trying to say something, but all he really knew was that Rose had been hurt, Rose might never open her eyes to look at him again. He couldn't care less what would happen to him. If only Rose was okay.

The Master-at-Arms was the only one there who was actually listening to the doctor's words, and he turned to him, still holding Jack in a firm grip. The pale, nervous face that met him made him narrow his eyes.

"What's wrong, doctor?" he asked firmly. The doctor looked down for a moment and when he looked back up, he seemed calmer.

"The girl, she's…she's not…I mean, this man…"

The Master-at-Arms sighed, looking pointedly at Jack's defeated shoulders and then at Cal's angry, silent face. Jack didn't even hear the words. Cal didn't want to.

Swallowing hard, rubbing his face roughly, the doctor cast another glance at Rose, cleared his throat, and lowered his voice to a whisper, hoping Ruth wasn't listening. He didn't know if he could take another scene from the woman who claimed to care about Rose.

"Doctor, what is it?"

"She…she's with child, the young woman is with child and…unless she knew this young man three months ago, it can't be his and…then there must be someone else…" He looked at Cal blankly.

The Master-at-Arms stared at Cal, his intelligent eyes looking at the man from top to toe, nodding slowly. Before deciding that living and working on a ship would be an interesting experience, he had been a police officer in New York City and he knew how criminals behaved.

Cal had seemed strange from the very beginning, it had been something in his eyes and when he had talked about Jack hurting Rose, something had rung untrue about his manner, about everything. But, Caledon Hockley was an upstanding member of the upper class, rich and powerful. No one had had any real reason to doubt him. Now, they had.

Rose couldn't have been raped by Jack, that was clear by the young man's reaction. Cal on the other hand…Cal, who was a textbook example of a person who cannot control rage, who beats women. This doctor had provided the proof they needed. He had confirmed the truth.

The Master-at-Arms didn't show any of this. He didn't let go of Jack and just continued staring at Cal, waiting for him to crack. It would almost be amusing to see him talk his way out of this one.

"I never touched her!" he pressed out between pursed, white lips, his face turning red and then white again, his fists clenched. The Master-at-Arms nodded slowly, his grip on Jack loosening. Finally, Jack seemed to be aware of the words the doctor had uttered and his empty stare had been replaced by a shocked, angry expression. He glared at Cal, speechless.

"How could you do that to her?" he whispered quietly. Cal took a deep breath and then, finally snapped. He lunged at Jack, who barely noticed the men keeping Cal away from him. All he heard was the doctor's words…she's going to have a baby…a baby, Cal's child. He didn't even notice that he was cleared, that they knew it was Cal. All he knew was that Rose was going to have a baby. Not his. Cal's.

He felt someone remove the handcuffs and he practically flew to her side, not noticing Ruth getting up, yelling at the Master-at-Arms, yelling at Cal, at the doctor.

Jack just sank down to his knees next to Rose, hearing how painful it was for her to breathe. He took her hand gently, kissing it, rubbing her soft skin, his eyes anxiously watching her pale face, searching for visible bruises. He didn't see any and the anger rose in him. That bastard had tried to make sure that no one would know. He had probably lost control and beaten…Rose into a coma.

Jack paled even more and leaned his face down on her arm, trying to draw comfort from her warmth. The slow moments that indicated she was breathing, her red hair lying around her like broken glass. Silence was slowly casting its shadow in the room.

"Rose, it's going to be okay now. It's going to be okay. I'm here. I'm here, Rose and Cal won't…he won't come near you again. He's gone, Rose. He's gone and I'm right here with you."

His whispering voice was all that the doctor heard as he walked back inside, letting the Master-at-Arms leave with a screaming, defeated Cal and a shivering Ruth. He looked at the young man sadly, but also with relief. He was innocent and hadn't been dragged to jail for something he hadn't done.

"Jack? Mr. Dawson?"

"Yeah?"

Jack didn't turn around, he just kept watching Rose with sad, worried eyes.

"I need to examine her again."

Jack looked up briefly and reluctantly moved to the side, still grasping Rose's hand. Worriedly, he looked at the doctor touching Rose, making sure she wasn't hurt even more. The doctor noticed this and smiled inwardly. First impressions were right most of the times. Cal was the attacker, not Jack.

"Is she okay? I mean, the baby and everything? Is she going to wake up?"

The baby? I was right. I should have told you, Jack, I'm sorry, I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want it to be true. Why are you still here? And why can't I look at you?

"I don't know, son, I don't know. As far as I know…the baby is okay, but…I have to be frank…I don't know if she'll wake up."

There was no expression on Jack's face, but he buried his face in his hands, not able to look at the doctor as he touched Rose's head, felt her pulse, checked her stomach, her breath.

"She cares about you a great deal, does she?" he asked Jack calmly before walking over to the other side of the bed.

Jack nodded, silently moving back to his place next to Rose, kissing her hand gently.

"She loves me. I love her…she was…trying to get away from him. I didn't…I didn't know that she was pregnant." Jack drew a difficult breath, swallowing a sob. "How could he do this to her? How could he?" He breathed, squeezing Rose's hand tightly.

Oh Jack, it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself. Just, hold me. Hold me. I love you, Jack. I love you so much.

"I don't know, son."

"I…couldn't believe it when he said I did this. He threatened to tell everyone that if I came near her again, but I didn't know…I was going to stay away, because I couldn't bear her getting hurt again. Rather with a monster alive than dead, right?" He laughed mirthlessly. "I…should have seen it coming. I should have forced her to come with me last night. She…she came to see me, at least tried, she could barely walk…and she told me to stay away, to save myself. Dammit, I should have just picked her up and taken her far away from…Cal."

I wouldn't have let you, Jack. But you're wonderful for wanting to do that. I wish I could wake up.

A gentle hand came over his shoulder and he looked up, tearfully at the doctor.

"You're not that kind of man. You wanted her to decide on her own and…she misjudged him. She thought she was protecting you and she didn't think he would hurt her this badly. It's not her fault, nor yours…it's his fault."

Jack almost smiled, looking up at the short, kind and smiling man.

"Thank you…for everything. For knowing who hurt her. For taking care of her. I…I don't even know your name," he smiled.

"Tom. Dr. Tom Williams."

Jack nodded, still smiling palely.

"So, Tom, what can I do to make her wake up?"

Tom smiled softly.

"Just talk to her. I'm sure she'll be able to wake up if she hears you're here. Her mother's voice, or Cal's, well, they probably just pushed her even more deeply into unconsciousness. You're the one she'll want to wake up to."

Jack stayed by Rose's side until evening, ignoring the noises from outside, Ruth trying to get back inside, but being told to leave by someone. All Jack knew was that he wished she would be quiet. He didn't want Rose to think her mother was there. So, he talked even more to her, trying to hide Ruth's voice from Rose.

Finally, it was quiet in the corridor and he whispered to her, whispered about their life together, heading out for the horizon. He always included the baby in the plans. Always. It didn't matter if they were riding horses or going to parties without being invited, or being famous actors, artists…the baby was always there.

Jack…I don't know what…how to thank you. I just…I have to try to wake up. I have to.

He leaned his head on her arm gently, wishing so desperately that she would open her eyes. He had so much to talk to her about, so much to tell her. He was almost falling asleep when he felt a movement from the hand in his. Drowsily, he looked up, and immediately watched her anxiously, his hand moving over hers gently.

"Jack?"

She looked at him tiredly, smiling.

"You're still here," she breathed and closed her eyes, reveling in feeling his fingers over her forehead.

"Of course I am…oh Rose, I thought you'd never wake up. I've been so worried…I…Cal's gone, you don't have to worry about it…we're both okay, safe and I…"

"Shh," she whispered, smiling at him. "I…I heard everything. I know…everything."

Timidly, she looked up at him, not ready to mention the baby yet. Her eyes seemed to be dark with pain and worry and all he wanted was for her to truly smile again, smile like she had when they had been running away from Lovejoy, when she had told him she loved him. Nervously, he licked his lips, squeezing her hand tightly as he smiled in return, not sure if her expression meant she was worried Cal would come back, or something else.

"Good," he said, deciding to ignore it for now. He leaned forwards to place a kiss on her cheek, attentively watching her pale face. "Good. I wouldn't know how to begin to tell you…"

But she wouldn't let him finish, she closed her eyes, whispering loudly. "I just couldn't wake up!" Noticing that her frustration had made his weak smile fade, she continued. "I'm so sorry, Jack…for last night, for pushing you away…I just thought he would do something horrible to you and…I was right…" She swallowed hard, closing her eyes again, this time leaning back on the pillows heavily.

"It's okay now, Rose. The doctor…he cleared my name and Cal is going to jail. It's okay now and you can come with me to steerage and I'm sure the guys won't mind you staying there. I'll sleep on the floor and…"

Rose's hand touching his face made him stop and he smiled at her when he saw the amused look in her eye.

"It's okay, Jack. I'll go with you…I don't care if I have to sleep on the floor…just as long as we're together."

He breathed a sigh of relief and then looked at her worriedly again.

"This is what you want, right? I mean, you can probably stay here and I…I don't…Cal won't be coming back so you'll be safe, but your mother didn't seem to be…"

"Understanding," Rose finished, laughing half-heartedly. He watched her closely as she sat up on the bed, groaning whenever she accidentally leaned on the bruises Cal had left on her. "I know, Jack, I know everything and…I want to be with you. You're the only one I feel safe with and…I'm sorry about what I said last night…I just wanted you to go…I didn't want Cal to see you." She was speaking slowly, barely looking at him as she tried to get up from the bed.

"I know," he whispered, helping her gently. She swayed, and had to grab hold of his hands to stay up, but otherwise she seemed fine.

"You know…don't you?" she breathed, her face in his chest.

"Yeah," he whispered, bringing his arms more tightly around her. She looked up at him, her eyes scared and vulnerable.

"Your…your baby is what saved me," he said in soft, serious tone of voice. She looked at him in confusion, letting his touch soothe her into laying her head on his shoulder again.

"If it wasn't for the baby, they would have thought I…raped you and beat you," he went on, his voice cracking at the difficult words. She tightened her grip around him, wishing that she had never brought him into this mess.

"I'm so sorry you got involved in all this," she whispered, not acknowledging the baby's existence. Not yet. It was too early. Her heart was pounding hard and she bit her lip nervously. Surely he couldn't mean that she should really come with him now? Now that he knew about…the baby, the rape and now that he had been arrested a second time…because of her.

"No…Rose, it's okay. I'm fine. You're the one who got hurt…and I'm…I just wish I could have kept it all from happening to you…"

She pulled back slightly, watching him nervously, her hands folded over her stomach.

"You couldn't have, Jack. I didn't know you then."

"But I do now and you're coming with me as soon as you're feeling well enough to move down to a dark little room in steerage."

Her eyes grew wider and she reached out a trembling hand to him.

"Really? I…I just…all I want is to be with you. And know that Cal won't chase us again. I…I love you so much, Jack."

"I love you, too, Rose…no matter what."

He pulled her into his arms, feeling her body shaking with sobs…or was it his own body shaking with sobs? He didn't know. He whispered in her ear, holding her close.

"Don't worry…everything's gonna be fine. I'll take care of everything."

"What about the baby?" came her muffled question. Somewhere deep inside her, she knew what he wanted. She had heard his desperate whispering words while she had been unconscious, she had heard that he saw the baby in their future, too. But, she couldn't trust it. Not yet.

He pulled back, gently brushing away the tears from her cheeks and eyes.

"If…if you don't mind…I'd like to take care of him or her, too."

She burst into new tears and he felt her hug him tightly, as if she was afraid he would vanish into thin air.

"I'd like that…very much, Jack."

Jack breathed in deeply, pressing her fragile body gently to his, unable to believe it was true. That they would have a happy ending after all. After all the heartache and all the physical pain, worries, doubts and wild accusations from her family, they would be together.

Rose drew a few shaky breaths, rubbing the fabric of his shirt underneath her shaking fingertips. A moment ago she had been in a deep unconscious sleep, possibly never able to wake up and now…now she was in the arms of the man she loved. This time, nothing stood in their way.

Sighing lightly, Rose leaned her head on Jack's shoulder and felt him kiss her cheek gently. She hugged him even more tightly, remembering their night together, in steerage, running away from Cal, finding him on deck that dark night. Everything would be all right now. Everything would be all right, like in all storybook romances. And with that said, we will let the prince kiss his princess as their ship sails off into the sunset.

Epilogue
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