Lizzie, Brock, Bodine - all of them - had been enrapt as she spun her story about her time on Titanic. For Rose, it had been a difficult tale to tell, but also a blessed release after carrying Jack inside of her for so many years.

They had all asked her questions concerning every detail of the ship's voyage, from those first moments so brimming with anticipation and majesty until the final fateful hours, and when they had had their fill, when they had heard it all, the room had become a silent vault of tears for the long departed.

Rose had returned to her cabin shortly afterwards feeling the weight of the long silence finally lifted from her. The freedom was exhilarating. She slowly filled her lungs with heavy sea air, tasting its saltiness. Opening her eyes once again, she let her gaze flitter over the photos she had spread atop her dresser, lingering for a brief moment on each one, caressing them. The pictures had their own stories to tell.

She smiled as she relished the time-faded images, each a wellspring of memories. Lizzie and the rest had been fascinated with Titanic, and Rose could surely understand that, but they hadn't asked even a single question about what had happened to her afterwards.

That's a shame, Rose thought, and her smile widened.

That's when the adventure that has been my life really began…

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