The days on board all seemed to mesh together. They had slept throughout the first day and into the next morning. When they awoke the morning of the sixteenth, Jack's condition had worsened, and Rose convinced him to go to the infirmary. There, he had been diagnosed with a mild case of hypothermia, and the doctor said that he was shocked that they both hadn't come down with it.

He was ordered to stay in the infirmary until his fever broke. His spirits stayed high through the whole ordeal. He knew his condition could've been much worse, and he was glad to have Rose by his side, who had refused to leave him there alone. With her, she'd brought their belongings.

A few times she'd tried to look at his drawings when he was asleep. Many of them were stuck together, but many were ruined. She left them out on the windowsill for nearly two days, and the condition of some improved as they dried.

Jack was able to tell her stories of the few that were salvaged. Again it seemed like luck was on his side, as the drawing he'd done of Rose out on the deck of Titanic was still recognizable. They both looked at it for a few seconds, an eerie feeling coming off of it.

There wasn't much to do in the room except sleep, talk, or read. They'd been given to a copy of Ivanhoe, and many hours were occupied by Rose reading it aloud for both of them. They also exchanged stories of their childhoods, getting to know one another better.

Hearing the adventurous tales of traveling the world made her feel eager to head out, yet a twinge of anxiety was present as well. Jack knew how to live that life on the run, but she had grown up in a completely different world. She wondered if she'd be able to blend into his.

Finally, on the eighteenth of April, Jack was released. They were set to dock in New York in the next hour.

There hadn't been any sight of either Cal or her mother, which somewhat surprised Rose. But perhaps if they had looked for her, it would prove to be more difficult, since they were in the infirmary rather than on deck or in a proper room.

Thinking about Cal now felt peculiar. Was she wrong in her thoughts before with her belief that he cared for no one but himself? She knew that he still didn't like Jack, and probably never would - and she understood why. But still, he had enough respect and care for her to save his life in a time of crisis.

Night had fallen, the lights of the ship bringing the only source of sight. It had been storming nearly all day. It seemed pointless that they had dried out their coats now, since they both wore them again as the cold spring rain trickled down on them.

The rain was falling hard, but both of them just stood on deck, watching the city near. Rose's body nearly shook in anticipation, and she leaned against Jack for comfort.

For whatever reason, their plans for what they would do once they actually docked had never been discussed. The assumption was that they'd go to California just as it was suggested many times during their time together. She thought of the tainted money lying in her pocket, and for a moment she considered telling Jack that they could use it for traveling.

"We'll figure it out. I promise." Moving her head off of his shoulder, she looked up to see Jack's eyes on her. She wondered how he always seemed to know what was on her mind. "You know," he started, "you have the sweetest eyes I've ever seen."

Blushing, she moved her free hand up to his cheek. "I could say the same about you." she said softly, fingers running across his skin. Their faces only inches apart, Rose closed the gap between them. Jack deepened the kiss, untangling their hands and cupping her face.

The sound of a man clearing his throat beside them caused them to pull away quickly. A young man dressed in a navy blue uniform, umbrella and clipboard in hand stood beside them. "Sorry to interrupt," he started, "but, can I take your names please?"

"Dawson. Rose and Jack Dawson." Rose answered. With a quick nod and thanks, he walked off.

"You used my name?" Jack said as more of a question. He figured it was to avoid any contact from those she knew. But yet, he still felt taken aback by it. After all, Cal knew they were alive and he assumed that soon her mother would know as well.

"That girl I used to be is gone," Rose looked up at the now passing Statue of Liberty, Jack's gaze following. Again, her hand found his, "I don't want to feel weighed down by who I once was. I want to move forward and become who I really am." There was a slight pause, and Rose took her eyes off of the landmark and placed them on her companion, "Jack?"

He turned to look at her. Though her face had begun to regain its natural color, her face still held a certain dullness. Her once vibrant and perfect curls had matted down in the rain, the bright fiery red dampened to the color of the darkest cherry. But through it all, her bright emerald colored eyes carried the same drive and confidence he'd first noticed in her the night she hung off the back of the Titanic.

"Yes?" he whispered finally.

"Thank you," she said, her hand moving up to stroke against his now damp hair. "One of the reasons I jumped off that boat is because I knew I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I never got to thank you for all that you've done for me."

"Oh, Rose," Jack began, wrapping his arms around her waist. "You coulda done all those things without me. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for."

Rose admired the way he looked at her; as though she were a real person instead of a possession. Any doubts she had about living with a man she'd met only a week ago faded when his eyes so easily melted onto her, love and understanding being shown in his gaze.

"You may be right, but perhaps I wouldn't have realized it soon enough without you."

He didn't say anything, only pressed their foreheads together. He wouldn't admit it, but he still had his worries. He'd never have enough money to be able to give her what she deserved. His days of roaming on the streets every night would have to stop.

As long as you're with me, I'll never go away, he could hear her saying. That didn't mean he'd accept the fact that she was okay with it, because no matter what she said he knew she didn't deserve the life he'd once lived.

"We'll get to Santa Monica, somehow. I promise." Jack assured her. She shivered, rain slowly chilling their bodies, "It'll be warm, and we'll never have to be cold again."

"I've never been to California." Rose admitted, their heads coming apart. "Is it warm year round?"

"Depends on where you are. But where we're going is nothing compared to the winters out here."

Rose felt somewhat jealous of the knowledge Jack held. She hadn't nearly been to as many places as he had. And even at the places they'd both been to, she felt as though she'd been robbed of the true experiences she could've had. Had she really lived at all before now?

"I think you still owe me a horse ride on the beach, Mr. Dawson." she said with a pang of playful arrogance in her voice.

He slung an arm around her and looked out into the nearing land. How badly he wanted his feet back on the ground. It had felt like years since he had smelled freshly cut grass or heard the commotion of a busy city, heard the blow of a train whistle. Part of him couldn't believe he had lived to see land another day.

He turned back to Rose, her comment somewhat lost on him, "And you, my sweet Rose, still owe me the honor of riding on the rollercoaster with me."

"Until we throw up." she added, chuckling at the silly promise they'd made.

Everyone seemed to be standing on their toes as they passed through the White Star Line pier to bring back their lifeboats. It was almost sinister, yet symbolic, as though a piece of the once beautiful ocean liner had returned home after all. It was chilling all the same, as no voices spoke besides the men working to lower the boats.

Rose found herself looking away, not wanting to remember the horrors of that night.

"What's the first thing you'll do once you're on dry land?" Rose asked sometime later as they neared the Cunard pier.

"Do you want an honest answer?" he replied.

"Of course." What other kind could there be, she thought to herself.

Looking to her, he squeezed her hand, "The first thing I'll do is get us out of here. I can't imagine how bad the press must be."

Thinking about it made his skin crawl. Over seven hundred people had been through the most traumatic experience of their lives; countless women widowed, children orphaned, husbands grieving and irked with guilt, entire families lost. Jack was lucky to not have lost much, so he couldn't imagine the feelings of others around him who'd experienced so much worse.

"Well, then what was your other answer?" Rose said, drawing him back to the conversation.

Smiling, he brought their intertwined hands up to his lips, kissing her knuckles, "I'd ask for one more dance with you."

There was just something about the feeling of his arms around her and the way they so effortlessly moved together that made him feel so free. Seeing the way Rose looked so airy and easygoing as she spun around the room, hair flying back and wide grined made his heart throb. He saw the way dancing brought out the real Rose, and his nerves were aching to see it again.

"That's just one more thing to add to our to-do list." she added, uneasily watching the nearing crowd.

One by one, the passengers of the Carpathia began to disembark from the overcrowded decks. As much as things had changed over the last week, class rules stayed much the same, and people were let off the boat based off of class.

Rose could hardly stay still as they waited to be let off. It wasn't that she was worried about starting her new life. No, she was finally going to be let loose to explore the world. What she was more concerned with was the crowds, the journalists Jack spoke of.

What if a picture was snapped of her? The last thing she needed was a pointless scandal to ruin her new beginning. After all, she was well known in the high class circles.

Even so, she more desperately craved the feeling of walking on dry land. Part of her doubted she'd never shake the feeling of swaying while idle. Her stockings were soaked, and both of her hands were occupied - one holding her disregarded heels, the other holding onto Jack.

Looking at him, she couldn't comprehend everything they'd been through in the last few days. It seemed hard to believe that just a week ago she was to be Mrs. Caledon Hockley, a trophy wife to one of the richest men in the country.

And now, she was Rose Dawson, being courted by a man with nothing but a wool coat and a couple of water damaged drawings to his name. She knew many would claim her as crazy, but she wouldn't trade it for the world.

At last, it was their turn to step off the ship that had saved them. "You nervous?" Jack asked, briefly taking Rose back to the moment in the cargo hold.

"No," she replied, not looking at him. "You wouldn't believe how excited I am."

What was there to be worried about? She had found her freedom and escaped from the dire situation she'd been stuck in for years. The shell she had once been encased in had shed, and she had become a whole new person - the one she had always been meant to be.

"It's funny how these things work out," Rose said as they began making their way towards what would be dry land, if not for the rain pouring down on them.

"What do you mean?" Jack turned to her, excited to see the fire dwindling in her eyes. Despite everything, she was happy with him. He still didn't quite understand how he had ended up with someone as perfect as she was.

"If it hadn't been for that one moment under the stars, that one desire we both held, I don't know where I'd be…" she trailed off for a moment, reflecting on the significance of that kiss. "It seems like it was meant to be."

Jack let go of the grip he held on her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "We woulda found our way to each other eventually, Rose. One way or another."

Rose just smiled in response, her body feeling warm in contrast to the cold spring rain. The world seemed to come alive again as they stepped off of the Carpathia. She savored the feeling of the concrete beneath her wet stockings as Jack guided them through the busy streets, both ignoring the clicking of cameras and journalists begging for stories.

At the end of the day, she didn't know where she was going, but she knew who she'd be going with. That was all that mattered. As long as she had Jack, she knew she would never lose her desire to be with him, exploring a world she had yet to discover.

…

"Are you hungry?" Jack asked, feeling the bumps the railroad provided.

Upon the mention of food, Rose's stomach let out a cry. "I could eat," she laughed, eyes wondering off at the scenery passing them by.

It had been an eventful twenty-four hours to say the least, and neither of them had thought about food since being on the Carpathia the day prior.

After disembarking from the ship, they used some of Cal's money to stay in a hotel for the night,

Initially they had planned on leaving right away, but both their bodies and minds were far too fatigued to even think about the idea of getting on another moving vessel.

The drenching rain and journalist littered roads had already proven to be enough trouble for one night, so the couple opted to take the more relaxed option and decided to head out first thing in the morning, bright and early.

The second they stumbled into their room, half asleep, their soaked coats were stripped as they collapsed onto the bed, exhaustion finally taking over them.

It wasn't until the next morning - or rather afternoon - that they had realised their mistake. They had intended on catching the earliest train to wherever their journey may take them, but their sleep deprived bodies had other plans as they slept half the day away.

Quickly, they dressed and grabbed what little they owned and booked it for the train station. It was quite the thrill, nothing like Rose had ever experienced. She felt more alive than she ever had before, with the wind cutting through her curls as a comforting grip guiding her, running through the bustling city.

Not to mention the fact that she was traveling with nothing but the clothes on her back! Part of her wished she could've had one last encounter with her mother, just so she could see her now. But Rose knew that for the time being, it was better if her mother didn't know of her survival.

For the first and final time, Rose found herself putting trust in Cal. She just hoped that for her and Jack's sake he wouldn't mess it up.

Once they had made it to the nearest train station, they had to decide on where to go.

"Whichever one leaves the soonest." Rose had suggested. Jack didn't argue, handing the teller what he owed in return for the tickets. Rose couldn't wipe the small from her face as she thanked the man handing them the tickets - the tickets to her new life - who admired the spirit she held.

Barely making it onto the train, they settled into their seats. "I bet we look ridiculous." Jack commented, feeling the eyes on them.

Rose looked down at her dress. Having an infinite amount of layers, she was still slightly dripping. Not only that, but basically everything else she wore was still somewhat wet and wreaked of salt water. Though she hadn't seen her own reflection in some time, Jack had told her her skin was regaining its natural color.

At least that helped divert her attention from her hair, which was anything less than perfect. Her curls were sloppily swung around her face having lost its natural red volume and glow. It was matted down in places while daintily formed in others.

"You mean I look ridiculous." She eyed him, "At least your clothes are dry."

"We'll get you some new clothes," he laughed. All they really had were the clothes on their backs or what was shoved into their pockets. Jack had always been penniless, yet for whatever reason he felt bothered by it now.

It wasn't necessarily that he wished he had money, but a little comfort wouldn't hurt. Sure, they had Cal's spare cash, but they couldn't drain all of it so quickly.

As of now they had finished eating the small meal provided to them. They retreated to their cabin, wanting to get away from the noise surrounding them on all sides.

Rose watched Jack as he drew her sitting on the lower bunk of the bunk bed. The way his hands moved so finely as his skill and technique followed was something that amazed her. She only wished she could find talent such as his somewhere in her.

They finished the night off telling each other stories, Jack's hand draping down from the top bunk, securely wound in Rose's grip. She wished they could sleep beside one another, but there simply wasn't enough room.

It's only a few days, it's not the end of the world, she told herself. Yet she still missed the feeling of his arms around her and the scent of charcoal and cheap soap that brought her comfort.

The next five days were much of the same routine: boring, bland and unexciting. But still, neither of them wanted it any different. They always found a way to bring light to the dullness.

…

Stepping off the train, Rose took in her surroundings. As of now, nothing was to be seen except the bustle of another busy train station, but the smell in the air matched the green hills seen in the distance. There was no doubt that they were out of the factory ridden cities and into the country.

"It's been a while since I've been here." Jack commented as he stepped off.

They started walking, and Rose's head looked around. "Where are we exactly?"

"Nevada," he replied.

"We're right next to California! Who would've thought we'd make it here so fast?" Truthfully, Rose thought it would take them much longer to get across the country, between the cost of traveling and what little money they had.

Maybe it was just her lack of knowledge on the whole aspect of traveling. After all, she'd never been the one to plan it, and it certainly had never gone like this before.

"I promise we'll go there soon, but I think this is a nice pit stop," he looked around, taking in their surroundings. "Things have changed since I was here last, but I think I know somewhere we can stay." she just smiled, again putting her trust in him.

An hour later they found themselves in a small boarding room. It was one that Jack had stayed in shortly after his departure from Chippewa Falls when he was fifteen. The owner was an older lady, sweet and understanding of the young couple's predicament, glad to see the young man she'd housed years before back and much happier.

"Miss Katherine certainly is lovely…" Rose's voice carried into the room as they walked in.

"She sure is," Jack replied, taking in the atmosphere. It seemed as though the room hadn't changed much in the last five years. It was modest, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that it was so… not up to Rose's expectations.

It wasn't that he thought she didn't mind the room they were in. In fact, he thought she rather liked it compared to the nicer rooms she'd had in the past (and anything was better than that train car). It was more the fact that Jack felt she deserved more. She deserved something he simply couldn't provide.

"Jack," Rose said, noticing his somber mood. "You don't have to worry. Everything about this - about you - is perfect." Snaking her arms around his waist, she hugged him from behind.

"I know I shouldn't worry, but before it's always been me and Fabri. Sleeping under bridges and living on the road. You shouldn't live like that. I won't let you," his heart dropped at the mention of Fabrizio. Before it had always been the two of them against the world. Now he was gone, and it was all his fault.

"Fabrio was a hero Jack, honestly. I'm hardly a swimmer, and even when faced with the option of taking that life vest for himself, he gave it to me," Rose closed her eyes, thinking about the man she too had become to consider a friend. "He truly was noble."

Noticing he's unusual quietness, Rose placed a gentle kiss on his neck. "But as long as you're with me, I'll never go away. Even if that means I'm sleeping on a beaten down mattress on the side of the road."

Despite the grim wording, Jack couldn't help but chuckle as he thought back to his feelings on Carpathia. "You know, somehow I knew you'd say that."

For a moment, he thought about retorting against what Rose said. He considered telling her that she wouldn't want to live like the old him. Instead, he held her arms that were wrapped around his waist, opting to instead make sure she'd never have to experience a day like that.

Rose, on the other hand, was thinking a different thought than he was. This whole ordeal began the night they danced below decks and sang Come Josephine on the decks of Titanic, drunk on nothing but each other.

Of course, the real trip began the night he'd saved her, but the night of April 13th held a different meaning. That was the night everything fell into place. The night they kissed had caused the spiral of events that lead to the very moment they were living.

Though she tried not to bring herself back to that night, Rose couldn't help but wonder what would've happened if things had played out differently that night. If they never kissed, would she have sucked up her feelings for Jack and returned to Cal, ready to accept her fate? The majority of her couldn't believe that, but then again, she couldn't say for sure.

That thought was shoved away as she was reminded of the being she was wrapped around. In his warm body she found security and hope. There was no need to worry, no need to think about the what-ifs. She had survived, made it out with the love of her life.

And oddly enough, the man she was to wed about only two weeks prior had helped them.

Someday, she decided, she'd thank him. Someday long from then when her and Jack had settled down, possibly even had a few children. The future was waiting for her, and she was more than ready to step into it.

Rose Dawson had been brought to life, and she couldn't be more excited for what was yet to come.

"You don't have to worry about me, Jack," Rose whispered, deepening the embrace. "You're my only desire. I'll follow you wherever you lead me."

A/N: This is the end. :) I hope you enjoyed reading and be on the look-out for my other stories!