A/N: So, I wanted to rewrite the story 'Dawson Girls' since I went back and read it, and I didn't like it. So, here's a rewrite. I really hope you enjoy it! Please review!

Chapter 1

After the sinking of the Titanic, Rose DeWitt Bukater lay along a small piece of the ship just big enough for one, while watching her best friend, the love of her life, her hero, die. She was sure that she was about to follow after him, however a ship showed up just in time to pull her out of the water.

"Wait," she cried hoarsely after them, but alas, the men could not hear her desperate cry. Then she saw it. The whistle tied around the crew-member's neck. Desperately, Rose swam for the whistle, blowing it with what little breath she had left in her. All of a sudden, the boat turned around, and shone a light on Rose's cold face. They found her.

Two men reached their hands out to help Rose aboard. She was pulled up, and as the boat paddled away, she watched the distance between herself and Jack grow larger and larger.

Overwhelmed by the grief, Rose sobbed into the blanket they handed her. She knew that he would never laugh, draw, smile, kiss, or make love ever again. She felt sick. She didn't understand. Titanic was unsinkable. There must be a mistake. Jack was not dead, she would wake up with him by her side. There must be some mistake.

After about an hour, the boat reached Titanic's sister ship, Carpathia, and loaded Rose onto the ship. Rose quickly found dry blanket to wrap around herself. She put it over her head in order to shield herself from anyone that might recognize her, specifically Cal or Ruth.

"Excuse me, miss," said a crew member. "Can I get your name, please?" He stood with a clipboard and pen. This must be the survivor list.

Jack wouldn't be on the survivor list. He was somewhere dead, underwater, rotting away. Rose shuddered at the thought. She felt absolutely awful. Jack had given his life for saved her in every way a person could be saved. There was no way she could repay him for what he did for her. But she still wanted to honor him, and the first way to do that was to take his name. "Dawson. Rose Dawson."

Rose stood against the rail of Carpathia, and contemplated everything that happened over the last three days. She had met Jack, she had fallen deeply in love with Jack, and he had been taken from her. Rose was freezing, so she hugged the jacket tighter and put her hands in her pockets. Then she felt something: a handful of money, and a necklace. Not just any necklace though. The Heart of the Ocean. The blue diamond really reminded Rose of Jack's eyes. She would keep the necklace to remember Jack. This didn't feel real. None of it did.

Finally, the boat passed the Statue of Liberty. Somehow, it had felt representative of Rose's new found liberty. And then she decided. She wouldn't be returning to Philadelphia society. She wouldn't be in her mother's house. She wouldn't be marrying Cal. She would figure something else out.

Finally, Carpathia arrived in New York. Rose waited for first and second class to leave the boat before she went to leave. When she did, she realized she had no where to go. Or, alternatively, nowhere holding her back. "Santa Monica," Rose said quietly. A smile spread across her face.

She went straight to the train station and bought a train ticket. "Santa Monica, please," she said. The person handed her a ticket. "Thank you."

Rose boarded the train and sat down in a seat. She sat down and looked out the window. "Now what?" She said quietly. She put her head back against the chair and looked up at the ceiling, knowing that the tears were coming, and that they were inevitable.

She spent her time on the train crying. She gave herself that. She allowed herself to feel the loss and to grieve. Her heart ached. She longed desperately for him, but she knew that she had to live for him. So she gave herself one week. One week to grieve for him, and then one day a year. Other than that, she would live a normal life. The life that Jack would want her to live. He would always be with her, after all. And she was determined to make him proud.

Finally, she arrived in Santa Monica. She had no idea what she was going to do or where she was going to go. But she had a few hundred dollars and determination, and that was more than Jack ever had. She would make it work.

Rose walked to a building that looked well kept while also not being too fancy. She figured it would be reasonably priced. She slowly entered and smiled at the woman at the desk. "Hello," she said. "I was wondering if you had a room available."

Behind the desk was an older woman. She was cold and distant, but still kind enough. "We have a one bedroom apartment, if you're interested. It'll be three dollars a month."

"Yes, please," said Rose. That was more than reasonable, given the state of the building.

"There are a few rules," said the woman. "I presume you aren't married?"

"No," said Rose, and it broke her heart that she wouldn't be accompanied by Jack. "I'm not."

"Okay," said the woman. "Well, there will be no men allowed past the lobby. Unless you do decide to get married, in which case I'll need proof."

I don't think that'll be necessary, Rose thought to herself. "Okay."

"Okay, here's your key," said the woman. "My name is Mrs. Green. And you are?"

"Rose Dawson," said Rose, and she shook the woman's hand.

"Nice to meet you," said the woman. "I'll show you to the room."

They went up to the apartment. It was decent. It had a living room, kitchen, and small table. In the bedroom was a bed and a large closet and a bathroom. Rose could see herself living there. "This is perfect, thank you."

"I'll let you get settled," said Mrs. Green.

She left the room, and Rose took one more look around. "I can do this," she told herself.

Rose spent the rest of the day just getting settled in her new home. All things considered, she was doing okay. She kept herself distracted as she bought herself some food to stock the kitchen, bought some clothing, and took a bath. She ate dinner and glanced at the clock. It was only seven thirty. What was she to do for the rest of the night?

Books. Rose remembered how much she loved to read. She left the apartment and decided to take a walk, looking for a library or a bookstore. On her way, she passed a diner with a Help Wanted sign. She needed a job, and she could certainly handle walking food from a kitchen to a table. Why not apply?

She walked into the diner and applied for the job. To her surprise, she got it. Her life was finally starting to come together.

•••

It was two months later. Rose kept herself incredibly busy. She would be going from her apartment to her job at the diner, and then to the theater where she volunteered as an actress. She wanted to see if she was any good at it, and as it turned out, she was.

Rose still hadn't made any friends, which she was disappointed about. But it wasn't important. She was doing better than she could ever see herself doing this soon after Titanic. And she was incredibly proud of herself for being so strong.

Rose quickly ran home and changed out of her apron and waitress uniform and put on her regular closed. She quickly walked to the theater for her acting class. She tried to pay attention, but it was getting harder and harder. She was incredibly nauseous and dizzy. She really thought she was going to pass out.

Finally, having enough, she decided to sit down. Suddenly, everything went black.

Rose woke up a few minutes later in a strange white room. A hospital? What was she doing in the hospital?

All of a sudden, a doctor walked in. "Ms. Dawson," he said. "I'm glad you're awake."

"What am I doing here?" Rose asked.

"You fainted today, and you were brought here to be examined," said the doctor.

"Okay," said Rose. "So what's wrong with me?"

"You're with child, Ms. Dawson," said the doctor. "You're pregnant."

"That's not possible," said Rose. "There must be some mistake."

"I guarantee you, Miss, you are pregnant," said the doctor. "Now, since you don't have an emergency contact, we contacted your landlady."

Rose started to panic. "You did what?"

"I'm sorry, Miss, but we didn't know what else to do," said the doctor.

Rose left the hospital and started to walk home. Pregnant. How was she pregnant? Well, she knew how. She had made love with Jack in the Renault on Titanic, and never again since. So, it must have been Jack's.

On one hand, she was scared. She was going to have a baby in seven months. How was she going to take care of the baby? The diner didn't give her enough money to support anyone other than herself, and she was worried about what people would think when they saw a pregnant woman with no husband in the picture.

On the other, she had a little piece of Jack with her. And she would protect that little piece forever. She would love that little piece with her whole heart.

She finally arrived at her building. All of her belongings were on the floor in the lobby. "Woah, what's going on?" She asked.

"I won't have any whores living in my house," said Mrs. Green. "I need you to leave. Right now."

Rose looked around at her belongings all in the lobby. She had nowhere else to go, no friends and no family. "Please don't do this," she begged, her voice cracking as she spoke. "I have nowhere else to go."

"I'm sorry. I can't let you stay here," said Mrs. Green. "Now please gather your things and leave."

Rose took a deep breath and picked up her things. Where would she go now? She walked around for a while before seeing a train pulling into the station.

Then it hit her. She did still have one connection. She got on a train, leaving Santa Monica.