A/N: So here is the deal, I got the collectors edition for Christmas and I watched it and this popped into my head. Since I saw the movie for the fist time I have always hated the fact that jack did not live. But now seeing it again, so much older, I realized just how brilliant the ending was so I decided to break the trend of Jack lives stories and instead explore a bit after the reunion. Now I realize it may be a bit weird and perhaps even confusing but just let me know and I will explain. And remember that this is my first Titanic fic.

Disclaimer: When it comes to the Titanic the only thing I own is the 4-disc DVD. I honestly don't know who owns the rest.

"Why are you here? I thought that you would be waiting by that big oak in our backyard. Just like you did every day, don't you remember?"

"I remember son, but there is no point. I have always known that."

"But she was your wife, my mother, where would she go if not to you?"

"Titanic"

"Titanic? Mom was on the Titanic? She never told me that."

"Me neither, but you will be surprised at what you can find out when you're dead. That is if you really want to know."

"But why Titanic? She loved, loves you. You are her husband. She promised to spend eternity with you."

"She never did, she said till death do us part but I knew that long before she said it. I knew she was never mine forever. I knew she would always return to him."

"To whom dad? Why? Weren't we enough for her?"

"We were for a little while but she always went to him. During the days she belonged to us but every night she went to him and that is what kept her alive. And I am grateful for that, because having her even for the shortest amount of time has been the greatest happiness I have ever experienced. She gave me you. And your two brothers. Don't hold it against her. She was his before I even knew she existed and her life, our life together, was a promise to him. I am grateful because if it had not been for him, she never would have lived."

"And you just accept that so easily? Why dad? You have to fight!"

"Come here"

Light appeared, bright light and suddenly James saw himself standing in the back of a crowed on the Titanic, then his mother walked in through the door. She was beautiful, young; looking like she had on the picture she never took down from the mantel place, the one where she was sitting on the horse with a rollercoaster in the background. He remembered as a child he had asked his mother why she looked so happy in that picture and she had just smiled and said that she had kept a promise, then she had started telling her oldest boy about the importance of a promise and no matter how dark the situation gets, never let go. He hadn't understood what she meant but now he had a feeling he soon would.

James could feel his father standing beside him, looking at his mother like it was the last time he would ever see his wife and then it dawned on him that it probably was. Again he put his focus towards his mom. She had always been a mystery to him. He always had the nagging feeling that he didn't understand her, didn't see her, that no one did. No one knew the real Rose. But now when she walked pass all the people he didn't recognize he could see she was home, in this crowed someone saw her in ways that neither he or his dad had ever could. It was first when she started waling up the staircase that he noticed the young man standing there. This is him. This is whom she is walking towards. And then he witnessed his mother kissing another man, someone who was not his dad, and his father didn't do anything about it. A sudden anger started to bubble within him but then he heard his father's voice, although pretty sure no one else did.

"She gave her heart to him along time ago and when you give away your heart it can't be returned and we were only allowed to borrow it for a little while, but don't ever mourn the time you didn't get to spend with her because of this, instead celebrate the time you did have with her. That is the real blessing here; we got something that was never meant for us because a ship sank in 1912."

James starred at his mother, she was no longer kissing the other man and the anger he felt a minute ago was gone, then he realized so was his dad. But James new he would see him soon again. But for now he needed to focus on his mother, deep down he knew this was the last time he would ever see her. There was a peace in her face he had never seen before, she was safe now.

Her hand now rested on Jack's cheek; finally she had felt her lips against his again.

"Jack" her voice was soft and nothing more than a whisper. Suddenly all the people was gone and it was just her and Jack left on the marvelous oak staircase. She stared at him; he was just as she remembered. Beautiful and so full of life. He smiled at her.

"You never let go."

"I promised I wouldn't."

"I love you"

She smiled. "I know." He smiled back.

"They weren't dreams Jack, were they?"

"No."

"You never left me"

"You never let me go" He smiled.

"Thank you."

"What fore?"

"Everything." That word needed no explanation he knew what she meant. Her life away from Cal, her life in the water, strength that first night on the Carphatia, all the conversations that had been held during the nights, support when her first born, James, had died in Korea, more conversations, sharing joy when children and grandchildren were born.

"She is beautiful, Rose."

"I know, Jack."

"What are they going to name her?"

"Elisabeth Rose"

"She has your spirit; she'll look like her grandfather she is going to get your temper and passion."

"Is that a good thing?"

"It's the best."

Jack was hugging her tight when she heard a little girl scream in the distance.

"Mommy! I want my mommy. Why isn't she here?"

Rose gazed up at Jack.

"Is that…?" He nodded.

Together they started making way towards the small voice so filled with fear.

"In here Rose." Jack lead her into the suite that had been hers 84 years earlier.

"I want my mommy!"

"Mommy!" A small girl maybe five years old, with piercing blue eyes and red locks framing her face cried out to her and stretched her small arms out for an embrace. Rose bent down to her knees by the bed the girl apparently had been sleeping in and hugged the child tightly. Amazed and admittedly a bit surprised she had no doubts on who the child was. Her daughter, her first child, the one she had always believed to be true but never certain. She had seen her in her dreams, sometimes she had been there with Jack. But most of the time he had been alone. A tear fell from her eye as she whispered her name.

"Josephine."

"Mommy, I was so cold."

"It is alright sweetheart, I'm here now and I am not leaving you ever again. I promise." She turned her head and smiled at Jack, who returned it before he turned to the woman next to him.

"Thank you Trudy."

James then saw how this other man made his way over to his mother and embraced both her and the little girl, now he didn't want to intrude anymore, even if he was almost sure they where not aware of his presence. He left them alone now even more certain this was the last time he would ever see his mother. His father had been right, she didn't belong with them they had just been lucky enough to borrow her for awhile and now she had made her way home.

Fin