Jack watched Rose being pulled from the black ocean into the boat by Officer Lowe. In Jack's new world he was able to clearly see the events taking place. There was no moonlight, not even a star in the sky. Rose was moving in slow motion as if she were not in her own body, a spirit like him, except that she was still flesh and blood.

Rose was so numb that she could not even feel the cold anymore. She barely felt herself being lifted into the boat.

Jack's arms ached to hold her. It felt as if his heart was being ripped from his chest. God, if only I could be in that boat with her, keeping her warm, and kissing away her fears, Jack thought.

One of the crewmen handed Rose a blanket. He gave her such a look of pity she could not bear to meet his eyes. It was a rough, plaid blanket -- not something she was use to, not even very warm, but better than nothing, she thought as she wrapped it tightly around her.

Jack yearned to take her pain away.

She lay back on the hard boat seat, gazing up at the dark sky that seemed to reflect the hopelessness she felt.

Jack hovered beside her, wanting to comfort her in some way, but still not really sure how to function in his new surroundings.

Exhausted, Rose closed her eyes, wanting to stay numb a while longer. A red strand of hair fell across her forehead.

Forgetting he had no physical presence, Jack reached to brush the hair from her face. She was so beautiful. He loved her with every once of his being. He had known it the first time he saw her on the deck of the Titanic. When Tommy had said, "you'd as like have angels fly out o'yer arse as get next to the likes o'her," Jack knew that Tommy had meant well, but he had been wrong. It was more than a physical attraction. Rose had seemed to feel it that day too. The first time their eyes met, it was as if their souls became one and the same. Jack had known it right away, but Rose, who was not used to expressing emotion, was not quite sure what had happened, except that the man with the shaggy blond hair and extraordinary blue eyes was very special. He felt this connection in the depth of his soul and he knew that she did too.

He loved her so much that he wanted her to have the life she deserved. For that reason, he made her promise to survive no matter what happened or how hopeless things seemed. In his twenty short years on this earth, he had lived a full life, with no regrets until now. He could have accepted his fate had he not met Rose. But as his soul was rising from his body, his mind was screaming, "Not yet, I haven't spent enough time with Rose."

When she had lost all hope and was about to give up, Jack knew she wouldn't. He had faith that she loved him enough to keep fighting, that she would live for both of them. He had never felt so loved in his life as when he watched her climb off the board, stiff and half frozen, fighting her way through the freezing water to get to Officer Wilde's whistle. He could feel her terror, but he also could feel her love for him. He could sense that in her heart she had a promise to keep. For that alone it was well worth the sacrifice Jack had made.

Looking at his beautiful Rose lying there in the boat, he longed to hold her. She was sleeping, but not very peacefully. She was so pale. She looked like a scared child having a bad dream.

Jack accepted the fact that he would never be physically with her again, but spiritually their souls would be linked forever. He would always be with her. Maybe not the way he wanted to be, but with her nonetheless. He would be with her every step of the way, watching over her until it was time for her to join him in eternity.