Opening Her Heart

(A/N: I was watching Titanic and when Cal told Rose to open her heart to him, I wondered what would have happened if she took the opportunity to tell Cal what was bothering her. It had kind of struck me that Cal did try to talk to Rose. That he knew that she was unhappy. For now this is a one shot, but there may be more. There's a few ideas playing around in my head. Not to worry. I am forever a Jack/Rose girl, but I have a soft spot for Cal. I love how he's such a good villain, but at the same time, his character can be taken in a different direction and he's quite redeemable. I hope you enjoy my first Cal/Rose story. Don't forget to let me know what you think:))

Rose sat at her vanity, her mind blank. The last couple of hours had been an emotional roller coaster ride. Her depression had became unbearable. The feeling of being trapped and of her life being taken away from her...it had just overtaken her and she had to do something to take it back somehow...even if it had meant ending it...that was until the kind Jack Dawson had come out of nowhere and made her see that her solution really was something that she didn't want. She was in his debt for his kindness. The invite to dinner was the least she could do, even though something told her that he could have probably used that twenty Cal had offered more. Regardless, he had saved her life.

But he hadn't solved the problem that had drove her to the stern of the ship. She was still trapped. Her life was still not her own, taken over by her mother and her fiancee. Looking at her reflection, ignoring the music from her jewelry box, she was at a loss on what to do now. She did know one thing. She couldn't go on like this.

A gentle knock on her door signaled his presence before he came in. She placed down the cracked mirror that she had thrown across the room earlier and looked at him through her mirror as he opened the door.

"I know you've been melancholy. I don't pretend to know why," Cal entered the room, a square jewelry box in hand. He may not know why his fiancee was so sad as of late, nor what could be done to lift her out of it. But all the women he had known loved jewelry. A nice necklace would lift a lady's mood for days. Surely, his gift would make his sad Rose a happy girl again. "I intended to save this until the engagement gala next week..."

He closed the jewelry box as he sat on the edge of her dresser and opened the box, revealing a gorgeous diamond necklace with a blue stone in the middle. "But I thought...tonight..."

"Good gracious," Rose gasped, not knowing what to say. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen and she didn't even want to think of how much it must have costed Cal. His family had already spent enough on her and her mother as it was.

"Perhaps as a reminder of my feelings for you," Cal chuckled. Surely, the necklace would tell her of how much he cared. He didn't mind her reading, her intelligence...he found it rather appealing to be honest. He just wanted her to be happy. With him. Perhaps the necklace will let her know that this engagement wasn't just a business deal to him. That his feelings for her were indeed real.

"Is it a..."

"Diamond? Yes...," He took the necklace out of the case and placed it against her throat. He stood behind her and smiled at her through the mirror. "56 carats to be exact. It was worn by Louis the sixteenth. And they called it Le Coeur de la mer."

"The heart of the ocean," they said together, causing Cal to chuckle indulgently.

"It's overwhelming," Rose stated, her expression hard to read.

"Well, it's for royalty. We are royalty, Rose," He knelt down next to her, his hand supporting his chin as he met her eyes through the mirror. He needed to get this out...tell her his feelings...let her know that he did care for her and would do whatever she needed him to do to make her feel comfortable. "You know, there's nothing I couldn't give you. There's nothing I'd deny you...if you not deny me," This time they looked at each other, face to face, not in the mirror. "Open your heart to me, Rose."

She looked at him. The man that she was supposed to marry. His eyes pleaded with her to open herself up. To share her thoughts, why she was so melancholy. Could she? Could she really talk to this man that seemed to be her mother's partner in crime at taking over her life? Could she trust him?

To be honest, she was kind of touched. Unlike her mother, her unhappiness had not been lost on him. He was here, asking to be let in. Would it be fair to keep him locked out when he was here trying, which was more than her own mother had done in all this time? She glanced at her reflection one last time. She was a girl trapped, her life controlled by her mother. She didn't even have a say in her own wedding. And here was this man, asking her to talk to him. To let him into her world.

Really, what did she have to lose? She had already lost total control of her life. If anything, maybe this was a way to get at least some of it back.

"Cal...do you really want to know why I've been so melancholy?"

He blinked in surprise. Yes, he had wanted to know. It's been niggling at him ever since their European trip had started and Ruth had begun making plans for the wedding. He had wanted to ask, but had been certain that Rose wouldn't let him in. After all, ladies rarely spoke of their maladies to the men in their lives. "Yes. I really do want to know."

Rose sighed, taking a deep breath. She gathered her thoughts, thinking of a how she was going to convey her thoughts and feelings. Wondering if it would even make a difference. "It's the inertia of my life, plunging ahead and me...powerless to stop it..."

"What?" Was she saying that she did not want to marry him? Cal felt his heart ache, hoping that wasn't the case. He really had grown to care for the redhead.

"Five hundred invitations have gone out. All of Philadelphia society will be there. And all the while I feel I'm standing in middle of a crowded room, screaming at the top of my lungs, and no one even looks up. Mother...she's taken over everything. What I wear, what I eat, who I talk to. It's my wedding and I don't even have a say in the bridesmaid dresses. I love lavender. I ordered lavender gowns, but because she detests the color, she sent them all back! I'm sorry, but is this my wedding or hers?"

"It's yours of course, darling. I'll look into the dresses...I promise you. If you want lavender, you'll have lavender," Cal nodded, happy to finally be getting to the bottom of things.

"It's not just that. This engagement...I...no offense, but...it wasn't something that I wanted. I don't really know you. It's what she wanted. She didn't even ask me. It was, you are going to marry Caledon, and that was that. I wanted more time to get to know you, but she wouldn't allow that. She has completely taken over my life and...I don't even recognize it anymore and I don't know what to do! I feel like I'm on a slave ship, going back to America in chains!"

Cal was dismayed to hear this. He had never meant for Rose to feel trapped, like she was being forced into this engagement. He blamed Ruth for this...of course, his own behavior, trying to show off how sophisticated and powerful he was, probably added on to it, but Ruth was the real villain here. Her rule over Rose had not gone unnoticed by him. It was time for him to put a stop to it. The woman was so dependent on his money, she wouldn't dare go against him.

"I am so sorry to hear this, Rose. I...I had hoped that you were happy with this engagement, but I do understand your misgivings and your melancholy. I will talk with Ruth. I will make her loosen her grip on the wedding plans, and I will reinstated the bridesmaid gowns of your choice. Ruth will have to understand that it is her daughter I am marrying. Not her. I want everything to your liking."

"You don't have to do that Cal," Rose sighed, looking at her hands. She didn't want to start any trouble between Cal and her mother. Ruth could make this trip unpleasant for the both of them if she didn't get her way.

"I want to. Rose...a marriage...it's a partnership. You are to be my partner and I yours. If there's a side to take, I take yours, not Ruth's. That woman needs boundaries and I am going to set them. Starting tomorrow morning at breakfast. Your mother's grip on your life is over, my dear."

Rose smiled, thinking that perhaps she had misjudged Cal. He did seem to have her best interests at heart after all. All she had to do was talk to him, let him know why she had been so unhappy. She didn't really expect things to change with her mother. Ruth Dewitt Bukater had always ruled her household with an iron fist. Not even her father could loosen it. She really didn't think Cal could. But still...it was something that he was willing to try.

"Thank you."

He took her hand and raised it to his lips. "I know that I'm not perfect...I may make mistakes. After all, I am Nathan Hockley's son. But I swear to try my hardest to make you a good husband Rose. Starting now."

Looking at Cal, Rose believed him. Starting tonight, things were going to change between herself and Cal. He was no longer her co-jailer, but her partner in crime it seemed. She didn't know what tomorrow will bring with her mother, but somehow she knew that things will get a lot better with Cal. Now she was beginning to see him as more of a friend. Maybe she won't regret opening her heart after all.