"Jack, we made it!" Rose cried out for the thousandth time which made Jack chuckle under his breath.

"We did indeed," he whispered in a barely audible voice, still recuperating from the initial shock and disbelief.

They were huddled together, wrapped cosily in thick blankets and sprawled on one of the wooden benches on the top deck of the rescue ship. Their teeth had stopped chattering, but they were still shivering from the delight that they had finally made it alive through that ghastly night. The harrowing experience of waiting for the rescuers the entire night while half sinking in the freezing cold water had made their body almost numb, their mind blank and their souls empty. It was because of their belief in each other that kept them pushing forward and the anticipation of what was to come was no less divine than a miracle itself.

They looked over the horizon wistfully, neither of them uttering a single word. A feeling of nostalgia washed over them mingled with a sense of grief for the innumerable lives lost in the vast North Atlantic ocean. They silently chose not to mourn and just drift away for a little while in the various hues of orange that coloured the azure sky. In contrast to the murky sky last night, today it was luminous. The gauzy sun peeked over the horizon, illuminating every crevice of the old, slow-moving ship like it was welcoming them into a new day filled with hope.

Jack felt something heavy in the pocket of the coat he was wearing and delved in to reach for it. He retrieved the priceless necklace which shone under the amber light of the mighty sun. The cleft less heart-shaped blue diamond of the necklace glimmered which drew Rose's gaze and she nearly snorted looking at it, after all, it was gifted to her by her very dear fiancé, Caledon Hockley.

A greedy fiancé she wished she was never engaged to.

"Here take this," Jack said dubiously when he noticed Rose's sudden rage directed at the exquisite necklace.

"I don't want it," she retorted like a little child while snuggling closer to him and he sighed at the comfort.

"But this belongs to you," he said quietly, softly stroking her pale cheeks. She scoffed when he firmly placed the glittering necklace on the palm of her hand. She didn't want it because it reminded her of Cal, the narcissistic bastard.

"No, it doesn't---"

"Keep it for now," Jack interjected her and planted a lingering kiss on Rose's forehead which immediately relaxed her as she melted in his arms. He slowly pulled away and said, "I'm going in to bring us something warm to eat, they're serving food. Do you want to come?"

"I think I'll stay here," Rose mumbled while gazing at the serene ocean and then at Jack's alluring eyes, both of them breathtakingly similar.

"Alright." He stood up with considerable efforts and warmly cupped her cheeks. "I'll be back soon."

"I know." They looked steadfastly into each other's eyes, unable to bear the few minutes of separation before they unwillingly tore away.

The weather was getting balmy as the sun slowly slithered high above the cloudless sky. The tranquil atmosphere enthralled Rose as she strode towards the stern of the ship. She clutched the necklace then calmly let it dangle on her slender fingers, releasing it. The necklace soon slipped and plummeted into the deep waters of the ocean, the precious gemstone making the sound of an ordinary stone being dropped. The water rippled gently and Rose hummed to herself in contentment. She had finally gotten rid of the mocking 'Heart Of The Ocean' given by a loveless lover. It falsely made her believe that along with the necklace, she had gotten rid of Cal.

But no, she hadn't. She had only gotten rid of what he had foolishly represented- wealth, power and greed. Since suddenly, she heard loud footsteps, a burst of devilish laughter that rang in her ears, filling her fast with insurmountable fear, the kind she felt when she had been helplessly sinking in the salty water. She whirled around, startled. Her eyes widened, breath quickened, heart raced when she saw a devastated Cal right in front of her. Nervous sweat trickled down her forehead when he openly pulled out a colt pistol from his pocket.

Cal unflinchingly pointed the gun at a trembling Rose and yelled, "I should have put an end to this scandal the moment you went frolicking with that filthy bastard!"

"No . . ." Rose staggered back, her bottom pressing against the railings of the ship.

Cal cocked his head, his eyes bloodshot and a sinister smirk stretched across his face. She wanted to beg him to show some mercy on her, to plead to him to not pull the trigger, but the fear gripped her entire mind, body and soul. She stood completely frozen like a bloody iceberg, her hands grasping the railings so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She could taste salt of her tears on her lips which quivered in trepidation. All she wanted was to feel the sweetness of Jack's lips on her and save her from drowning in her own tears.

'Jack!' A muted scream escaped from her when Cal wordlessly pulled the trigger thrice.

The impact of three consecutive gunshots caused her lifeless body to fall off the ship. The violent sound of water splashing- this time resembling the sound of a larger, colder stone being dropped and the echoing noise of the gunshots caused the guards to rush towards the deck. They caught a deranged Cal laughing hysterically, eventually breaking down to wailing pathetically.

Jack and the other survivors of Titanic gathered outside only to find absolute mayhem. Panic surged through the crowd as Jack hurriedly pushed himself forward. The next moments went by in a blur as he stared blankly at the dark abyss of the ocean, a sudden gust of wind beating him and taking his breath away.

Fate had played a cruel game on them and now at the age of ninety years, the pictures of the wreckage and the necklace found near the ruins of Titanic were reminiscent of Jack's memories. As an old man, he had narrated his tumultuous story with a forlorn smile to the astonished researchers when they had called him for an interview. The research crew had dutifully handed him the necklace on behalf of Rose or even Cal who had committed suicide in the prison. Jack peered at the glittering blue heart gem and could see no reflection of love, it wasn't in this shallow stone, but in the depths of his poor heart.

In the bottom of the vast ocean that commonly united the rich and the poor.