A/N: I've been working on this fic for roughly 5 years now and I got to a point where I didn't know where I was headed with this fic (I haven't updated in like 6 months and I apologize for that). I'm realizing that my last couple chapters were crap after I re-read the whole fic, but I'm hoping to make up for them. I changed some things to the original manuscript so everything makes more sense (I repeated myself a lot…). I won't be revising the chapters here on FF because that's too much work, but the changes will be on Wattpad once I start posting this story on there too. Sorry for my absence. School and work are killers. I've got several new fics in mind, so stay posted on my social media for updates. Thanks, and enjoy the chapter!

My Heart Will Go On : Chapter 21

Rose

May 12, 1912

The rain pattered on the rooftop while I painted in the drawing room. I painted what love-making with Jack felt like. Sex with Jack so much more than sex with Cal. Cal was always so forceful and demanding. Jack wanted to know how I felt. How I moved. It was about mutual pleasure. I thought back to the first time Jack saw me naked except for the diamond. I laughed to myself and wish I could have seen Cal's reaction to the drawing. But the drawing was long gone with the ship, and the diamond was still in my possession weighing my neck down with every breath I took even though it was hidden in my bedroom. Sometimes I thought the diamond was my good luck charm, and other times I thought it was cursed. I never wanted to think about where Cal got the diamond in the first place. How he found it in his possession before he basically gave it to me before getting off the ship.

I pushed a stray hair out of my eyes and focused on the deep reds and pink that covered my canvas. Tonight, I focused on myself. I needed a chance to breathe and sort out of my thoughts. Did I sell the diamond and run away with Jack? But the Atwoods and Molly had done so much for me. I couldn't abandon them. And Jack had a job here. We were among friends. But that heavy burden of Cal and Robert hung over my head. Did this make Robert an enemy, or just another blockade between Jack and myself?

I set my brush down and listened to the rain. It was heavy and then soft, off and on. I missed April showers in northeast. I longed to be home back in Pennsylvania with Father. I wish he was still alive to guide me. Even though he left Mother and I with nothing and he's the reason Mother ran to Cal, I still miss him. But Mother on the other hands. I hoped she thought I was dead.

A sudden knock on the door brought me back to my senses. I glanced at the clock above the fireplace. It was 7:30PM. Who would be here at this time on a night like this? I saw Howard out of the corner of my eye head for the front door. I slipped in the hallway and watched Howard as he turned the knob.

"Who's at the door?" Harriett called from upstairs.

When Howard opened the door, a familiar and sad pair of eyes met mine. My heart dropped and I felt my stomach flip.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" Howard said in his soft voice.

"I'm here to see my daughter." Mother pointed past Howard and directly at me.

"How did you find me?" I didn't even sip the tea Harriett put out for us. Without even asking, Harriett knew this was my mother. She didn't even ask for an explanation to what was going on while my own head was spinning. Harriett was thrilled about our little reunion.

"Do you doubt a mother's ability to find her own daughter?" She sipped her tea and made a face of disgust, but whipped that smug look away with her napkin.

"How did you find me?" I repeated, this time with even more bitterness on my tongue. I felt my nails digging into my thighs. Mother wasn't dressed as properly as usual. For a brief second, I worried about where she was living these days. But I knew she had her connections and I knew she was living just fine.

"Caledon," she pushed her tea away. "Apparently, that street rat works for Cal's partner, Mr. Robert Atwood."

My blood boiled and I bit my tongue. Leave it to Cal to go to my mother just to get back at me. But he wanted the diamond. What if I just gave it to him? Would he leave us alone? We could flee to Wisconsin, take Cora with us. I could sell the diamond and give Addie some of the money.

"No more hiding, Rose. You're coming home with me."

"And then what?" I finally snapped. "I go home with you and then what? You force me to marry Cal against my own will? I don't love him. I love Jack."

"That rat would only bring shame to our family name."

"My name is Dawson now."

She laughed out loud. "Your little rebellion game is finished."

"You're finished!" I stood up and fought the urge to throw hot tea into Mother's face. "You have nothing without me! You have no money, no job, no husband. Why don't you just marry Cal yourself if you love him so much?"

"Rose, dear. This is why you need me. You're so young, so naïve, but clearly you've made up your mind. I would love to stay here and chat all night with my only daughter who I thought was dead, but I have other places to be where I am respected. You want to live on your own without me? Fine. So be it. But I'll give you a bit of motherly advice before I leave. Don't marry that street rat. He's only going to leave you alone, pregnant, and broke."

She didn't even wait for Howard to open the door to let her out. As quickly as she came, she was gone.

The plan was simple. We would gather the little money we've made over the past month and leave town. I'd leave the diamond behind to give Cal exactly what he wanted. I wanted to break all ties with New York and make a new life of our own.

The following night, we knocked on the door of the orphanage. I had the diamond in my pocket and the plan was to leave it with Addie. Maybe she could barter with Cal. He could have the diamond if he donated some money to the orphanage. I didn't want to leave behind all the friends we had made, but we needed to move on. One thing after another, we were caught in our own web of lies.

"Rose. Jack. What are you two doing here at this hour?" Addie asked as she answered the door. She looked like she was about to be heading out herself for the night.

"You know exactly why." Jack moved his way past Addie who let out a distressed sigh and rubbed her temples. I gave Addie a sad smile and followed Jack inside.

We stood around the kitchen table beneath the dim light. The children were already in bed, but we heard floorboards creak above us. Greta snored down the hall.

"Jack, you already know my answer. It's late. I'm tired. I just put the children to bed—"

"Did Cora give you an answer?" Jack asked.

Addie rubbed her hands together. "She chose to stay with us."

"Why?" He asked.

She looked at us both with hesitation in her eyes. Before Jack could force the answer out of her, I stepped in and told her our plan. I handed her the diamond when I was finished and the blue stone glistened in the dim light.

"You're doing all of this to have your family back together." It wasn't a question. It was a true statement, an observation of our love.

"Rose and Cora are my family," Jack whispered. "Now that I have both of them at my fingers tips, I need both of their hands inside of mine. We made a family and a life together on that ship. I cannot live without these two."

"Give Cal the diamond and ask him for few thousand dollars," I said and reached for Addie's hand. "The diamond is worth much more than that, but it will be more than enough to make the repairs needed to the orphanage."

"And what about your money?" Addie asked and squeezed my hand.

"We have enough to get to Wisconsin, and then from there, we will figure it out. Jack says he might have a distant cousin or two still living there who could help us out."

"We Dawsons don't back down on family." Jack smiled.

"I love you two. I really do." She pulled us into a group hug and I felt a sob shake her whole body. "I cannot believe I'm giving a child away to two young adults." She laughed. "Do you know that you have friends here in New York if you ever need them."

"We know." Jack squeezed Addie's hand and then reached for mine. While Addie went upstairs to get Cora and her things, I wrote a quick note to the Atwoods.

"Cora," Addie whispered into Cora's ear. "Your family is here for you."

A sleepy Cora rubbed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Jack's neck once Addie handed her off. I heard the faintest whisper that said "Uncle Jack."

"Make it count." Addie said as she closed the door slowly behind us.

"Make it count." I whispered into Jack's ear and kissed him of the cheek.

We were off.

END OF PART 1

A/N: This is what I call the end of PART 1. I want to write more, but I feel like their drama could go on forever, so I wanted to change things up. I need a change of scenery and I think they do too. Whether I add more to this fic, or I start a new one as PART 2, this isn't the end of this universe. There will be more. When? I'm not sure. Stay posted. Love, Mel.