"And you find that sort of rootless existence appealing?" her Mother had asked Jack.

'Why yes, Mother, I do,' she thought giggling, just thinking about how her mother would react to her saying such a thing. Allan was very dear to her and for him she would control her impulse to keep traveling until after the wedding.

The last few weeks had been very good to Rose. Eliza and Rose had grown very close. She had never had a girlfriend who was not a "proper girl." The two of them were very wicked girls. They were forever playing practical jokes on Allan, much to his dismay. Secretly he did not mind. It did his heart good to see Rose happy.

Rose and Brandon had also grown quite close. They spent most of their time bragging over who had the most adventures. The two of them always had Allan and Eliza in fits of laughter with their constant so-called arguments. The best part for Rose had been when they went dancing. It reminded her so much of the steerage-party onboard Titanic. When she was dancing, if she listened really hard, she could almost hear Jack laughing.

Jack's presence was with her always, but he had become silent again in her soul. Still, knowing he was always there was a true comfort to her and she knew she had nothing to fear.

During one of the girls' dancing nights out as they called it, Brandon decided to tag along to see what all the fuss was about. Rose had become used to changing partners and dancing with other men. It was a fact she had accepted sadly. She would no longer, in this lifetime, have Jack as a partner. On this particular night Brandon had asked Rose to dance. When she took his hand, she once again felt that spark she had felt when she had first seen him in the restaurant, and for a minute she went into a daze. She was brought back to reality when Brandon spoke to her.

"You're going to have to get a little closer," Brandon was saying. Rose was shocked at his words, but he did not seem to notice. He was too busy trying to follow the dance. 'Just go with it,' Rose kept repeating over and over in her head. Gradually she started to get the flow again and fell into step with Brandon. She looked into his eyes and the feeling between the two of them was electrifying. It was a splendid evening. They danced all night, and Rose did not want it to end.

"I will take you two lovely ladies for ice cream," Brandon said. Eliza claiming exhaustion from wedding plans declined. Rose, who was not yet ready to go back to her apartment alone, jumped at the chance, ignoring the fact she did not want to end this evening with Brandon quite yet.

The two of them sat on a bench in the park licking their ice cream under the moon. As usual they were half-teasing half-arguing back and forth.

Brandon turned to face Rose after one particular dig she made, when he noticed a huge glob of chocolate ice cream on her nose. He burst out laughing at the sight of Rose looking so silly. Befuddled as to what was so funny, she became extremely self-conscious.

He was enjoying watching her squirm. Finally when he knew she could not stand one more minute of it, he bent down to wipe the ice cream off her nose. Their eyes met at once, he cupped her face in his strong hands and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

Jack hovered close by but had to look away at that moment -- a moment he knew would eventually come. He couldn't bear to watch his sweet Rose kiss another man. The pain in his heart and soul was excruciating. At first Rose was shocked, but slowly she kissed him back, surprising even herself.

"I am sorry, Rose. I've wanted to do that for a long time now," Brandon said softly.

"I believe I wanted you to do that too," Rose answered.

They sat quietly, holding hands the rest of the evening. When they could no longer prolong the evening, Brandon walked Rose home and once again kissed her gently on the lips.

Rose promptly walked into her apartment and flung herself on the bed sobbing. "I am so sorry, Jack. . . . I am so sorry, Jack," she sobbed over and over.

'This is it,' he thought, recalling the last time he had spoken those words as the Titanic was making her final death plunge. 'Similar situation,' he thought grimly.

"You're going to get out of this. . .you're going to go on and you're going to make babies and watch them grow, and you're going to die an old, old lady, warm in your bed. Not here. Not this night. Do you understand me? Rose, listen to me. Listen. Winning that ticket was the best thing that ever happened to me. It brought me to you. And I'm thankful, Rose. I'm thankful. You must do me this honor. . .promise me you will survive . . . that you wont give up no matter what happens. . .no matter how hopeless . . . promise me now, and never let go of that promise."

Rose thought the guilt was affecting her mind and she was hallucinating. She could hear Jack speak, not just in her soul, but she could hear his actual voice. A bright light appeared in the corner and there stood Jack. He had not changed since the last time she had seen him. He was dressed just as he was on the Titanic. His shaggy blond hair had fallen into his face and he was grinning sheepishly at her. Those blue eyes that were forever etched in her memory were filled with nothing but love for her.

Rose jumped up from her bed and into his welcoming arms. He held her tightly, kissing her all over her face.

"Oh Jack, is it really you?" she said over and over. He released her slightly and looked into her eyes. "Rose, do you remember what you promised me?" he asked her tenderly.

"Yes, Jack, I remember," she whispered.

"Well, keeping that promise means falling in love again and having babies and grandbabies. I want you to have the fullest life possible," he said, sounding more confident about it then he felt.

"Brandon is a good man," he said continuing on. "I have the ability to know these things for certain. He loves you very much. I need you to let someone else fill a void in your heart I can't, Rose. You must do this for me and never feel guilty or sorry for keeping your promise and 'Making it Count,'" he finished. Rose looked into those blue eyes that could see into her soul, the same ones she saw every night in her dreams. "This is goodbye, isn't Jack?" she whispered.

Realizing that if Rose knew the pain this caused him, she wouldn't do it. He knew he had to be strong and certain in what he saying to her. "Only for a little while Rose, we have eternity together. But you have to live now," he answered her. "I will always live in your heart," he said with a lot less conviction then he felt.

"I won't hear or see you ever again? Will I Jack?" she asked quietly, as what he was saying to her started to sink in.

"Rose, you will see me every night in your dreams and feel me in your soul. I will always be with you. You have nothing to fear. 'YOU JUMP, I JUMP.' REMEMBER? " Jack answered her.

"Right," she whispered. "You're safe in my heart, Jack," she said through tears.

Jack picked her up and carried her to the bed. He lay down with her and held her tight. "I love you, Jack," she said.

He pulled her fiercely into him and kissed her passionately. He held her all night long. When she awoke in the morning, he was gone. She felt terribly alone for the first time in months. As she tried to decide what she was going to do, there was a knock at her door.

Standing outside stood a short little man holding a package. "Good morning, Miss. I am from Conrad Delivery Service and I have a package for Rose Dawson. If you could sign here, please," he said.

Rose went back inside with her package to open it. As she saw what was inside, her eyes widened with surprise. Inside she found the picture of her taken on the pier in Santa Monica. You couldn't see Jack in the photo, but Rose knew he was there, just as he said he always would be. "Thank you, Jack," she said, feeling much more light hearted.

He watched her open the photo. Jack was proud of himself. It was not easy hiding his feelings from Rose. Their souls were so intertwined, he was afraid she could tell his true feelings. He loved her so much that he was willing to do anything for her to have a full life. His job was almost done. She didn't need his guidance anymore. His job now was to simply watch her live to be an old, old lady. He had neglected to tell her that when she went through hopeless moments in her life, he would again speak to her soul. But it was best she not know that now. With a satisfied smile he turned and walked into the clouds where Titanic stood docked, waiting for him -- where he now belonged. 'Yes, Rose,' he agreed, 'the time for self pity was over. It is time to be thankful for your love,' he thought.