Ashes and Embers

32. These Things Do Happen

I have too much orgullo for that.

Liam kissed the top of my head as I turned back to the screen, wanting to get this scene over with. "We went through this same thing when we watched the nineteen-ninety-six version of Romeo and Juliet," he reminded me. "You couldn't care less when Juliet died, but when dear old Leonardo - I mean, Romeo..."

"He just had to look down at her!" I defended the estúpido character. "If he'd simply looked down before drinking the poison, he would have seen that Juliet's eyes were open, and she was very much alive! That's why I sobbed."

"You also burst into tears every time Romeo so much as skipped across the scene in the background."

"What can I say? He's just so condenadamente hermosa!"

Liam chuckled, but said no more on the subject, determined not to get between me and the love of my life - that is, twenty-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio. He un-paused the movie, and the most heart-wrenching scene in the entire film continued.

"Promise me you'll survive. That you won't give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless. Promise me now, Rose, and never let go of that promise."

I tried choking back my tears, determined to not make Liam even more amused, but that just made me cry harder. He looked at me like I was crazy.

"He's not even dead yet!" he exclaimed. "How are you already crying this hard?"

"It's the anticipation," I rolled my eyes, sending another load of tears trickling out. "Honestly, Liam, it's like you've never cried during a movie!"

"I watch things like Game of Thrones," he defended himself. "You don't have time to cry while watching that. Somebody else dies a second later."

I made a face. Liam was always trying to get me to watch Game of Thrones with him, or at least read the books. But blood, gore, lots of death, fantasy - that's almost the opposite of what I like to watch. I prefer the romance side of television, muchas gracias.

I settled back, hoping to get through these final few minutes - then I can go to the music room with Liam and practice for the gala.

When Jack Dawson actually died, Rose carefully removing his cold, frozen hand from hers, letting him sink into the depths of the sea, following the fate of the ship, I completely broke down. Liam, who was probably sporting a confused look behind my back, murmured words of comfort as I mourned the loss of my favorite movie character - for the fourth or fifth time.

I had somewhat calmed down and composed myself by the time the movie ended.

"Why," I said, as the credits started rolling. "Do I keep putting myself through that?"

"I was about to ask you the same question," Liam said, turning the television off with a click of the remote. "I'm going to run to the bathroom... meet you in the music room?"

I nodded, allowing him to pull me off the couch. I folded up the blanket, leaving it on the arm of the couch before I followed him out of the room. Less work for the maids.

We separated in the foyer, Liam heading straight for the bathroom at the bottom of the staircase, myself turning right into the gallery, venturing to the music room.

Though I stopped short upon turning the corner into the hallway.

Jamie was collapsed on the floor, leaning against the wall, shaking violently. My first thought was that she was having some sort of fit. But the other two people with her - Mr. Abrams and Weston Charlton - didn't look too concerned for her health.