It hits you like a thousand knifes stabbing all over your body. The words echoed in my head. It seemed like a joke now that I was sitting here in this water where every breath caused a searing pain. I kept my eyes on Rose, my hands linked with hers. Her hands held no more warmth they were just cold, numb. Momentary panic seized me. What if she had passed away and I hadn't even realised. No! She promised me she would survive. She promised!

"Rose" I tried but no sound came out; I could barely make my lips move.

"R,r,r,r,r,rose" She didn't respond. Panic hit me again. I watched her closely for signs of life.

"Come Josephine" The sound wafted in and out my ears it was so soft I wasn't sure I heard it. It could just be my memory playing tricks on me.

"Up she goes" Another part of the song whispered through the winds. I suddenly saw the minimal movement of Rose's lips and understanding hit me. She was singing. Rose was singing.

I knew by this point words were beyond me but I started to hum the tune along with her words. Well the words I could hear anyway. I think she heard me at one point because I heard her trying to speak to me. My lips twitched into a smile. Well that was the intention but at the moment I was to frozen to move so I don't think the smile made the appearance on my face. Rose however had not noticed my humming she was shaking me. Hard.

"The boats Jack" Her voice said barley making it to my conscious mind.

"Jack!" She started sobbing "boats" I think there was something wrong with my hearing I struggled to open my eyes which I know realised were shut. My struggle was a mostly internal one so when I heard Rose's voice again I suddenly stopped trying.

"I'll never let go Jack" She whispered kissing my hands. Her lips were cold but compared to my hands they were soft and warm.

I couldn't comprehend what was happening until she started to push me off the wooden plank. No.

She thought I was dead. More of what she had said early finally made its way into my brain. The boats are coming. The boats are coming and Rose thinks I'm dead.

I started sinking towards the bottom. It got colder, if that was possible. My body was cramping up. No. I was sinking. I was going to die. My speech from earlier hit me. Just random lines from it strung together.

Your gonna go on Rose, Winning that ticket was the best thing that ever happened to me, You gonna die an old, an old lady warm in her bed, Don't give up Rose, Your gonna go on and make lots of babies.

The last line stung just as much as it had the first time. Deep, deep down a selfish part of me didn't want her to have babies with anyone except me. I didn't want her marrying some stranger. What if she got with someone like Hockley again? A sudden rage jolted me making my legs twitch. I pictured Hockley's stupid face again and my arms started to move. I conjured up the worst image I could think of. Hockley beating Rose. White hot anger seared in my chest and I started kicking madly to the surface, not realising how far I had sunk. My lungs suddenly demanded air. But I couldn't give them air. I still hadn't reached the top, my anger was fading out. Leaving room for hopelessness that was crushing. It felt like I was sinking again. No. I needed another image another thought. I imagined it was Rose here with me. Already past saving. I imagined her breaking her promise. This raw rage was far stronger than the first. I actually managed to open my eyes. I kicked and kicked and kicked. Finally breaking the surface and giving my lungs the sweet cold air it had asked for. This wouldn't last long I needed a way to keep afloat. I grabbed hold of the nearest person I could find. She wasn't moving but that didn't mean much. I frantically checked her pulse. It wasn't there. I still had a horrible feeling as I took the lifejacket off her. Strapping it with clumsy hands to myself I didn't stick around to watch her sink I was looking now for something else. Rose had said the boats had returned. Now where were they?

It turns out they were a lot closer than I thought because I almost got hit by an ore a second later.

"These ones are past saving" A sombre male voice said. "I, I think we might have to head back"

"No!" I would recognise that demanding voice anywhere "No keep looking!"

"Miss-"

"You past me didn't you? You were going to leave me behind but you didn't. Someone else could be in exactly the same situation, now keep looking" Her voice was fiery but I could hear the heartbreak in it. Was she looking for me? No Rose thought I was dead. Who was she looking for then? Survivors you idiot my brain answered. I'm a survivor I thought desperately trying to make my voice work. I was out of their range of vision and the torch skipped over me quickly.

"Rose" I tried "Rose!" Nothing.

"Shit" I cursed doing a pathetic sort of breaststroke after the boat. They didn't even notice me. Not even when I grasped the end of the rowboat. All too involved with what they were doing. I knew my voice would fail again so I just hung on not knowing what to do. Suddenly something shinny caught my eye. It was the handcuffs still attached to my wrist. An Idea seized me. I started banging on the back of the boat making a sort of clanging noise that was defiantly more effective than my voice. Everyone jumped around like they had been electrocuted. The two men hauled me up into the boat as quickly as they could. They didn't go about it very gently all too concerned about getting me out of the water I would imagine but my god they were rough. Sounds of pain escaped my lips and I shuddered violently. They handed me about five blankets all of which did nothing since I had no body heat to warm them with. They soaked up a bit of the water though so I kept them on. The men started up their search again quickly with new hope, I wondered why Rose hadn't done anything, she just kept peering at me in the darkness. It clicked after a second. She didn't recognise me in the darkness. Or if she did she believed she was seeing things. After all according to her I was dead. I nudged one of the men and they turned to look at me expectantly. It took me three tries to get the word out.

"Flashlight" I rasped

"What" He said surprised

"Gimme your f,f,flashlight"

He still didn't do anything.

I nudged him again until he reluctantly handed it over I fumbled with it for a second until I managed to shine it on my face.

"What are you doing" the man said irritably "give it back"

It was enough though. Rose's eyes widened in shock and she let out a horse scream. She went to tackle me but it was more like falling into my arms. At any rate she still managed to almost overturn the boat.

"Miss where going to have to ask you to-" He broke off "You two know each other?"

His words fell on deaf ears.

"Jack" She sobbed "Jack oh Jack I thought you were, how you did, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I don't understand, I thought, where did you come, oh my god" She couldn't form a proper sentence every time she tried she was overcome by sobs.

"Shhh" I whispered pulling her into my arms tightly and wrapping all the blankets around us.

"Shhh its ok, shhh" Her sobs eventually stopped and were replaced by deep breathing. I realised with a little bit of shock she was asleep. I looked down; she was sitting in my lap her face pressed up against my chest one arm wrapped around my waist the other placed gently on my shoulder. I rested my chin on her damp curls and rubbed slow soothing circles on her back. She shifted in her sleep and clung tightly onto my t-shirt.

"Oi Garry I think this one might be breathing" There was a sudden flurry of activity as they hauled someone into the boat. I felt sudden sympathy for them wondering if they were in as much pain as I was when I got pulled over.

I got a look at the person's face and realised with a sudden pang it was a boy. He looked just a little over 14 with black hair plastered all over his face and his chest making tiny feeble movements. One man started frantically performing CPR. I was worried that this child might break in half if they kept going but after a while you could hear spluttering noises and eventually the boy rolled over and coughed up a fountain of water. He then sat up and started shaking violently, I chucked him some blankets but he flinched away from them.

"Come on lad, sit up there next to those two, you need to keep warm, Riley keep looking"

After a while they got the boy to calm down but he didn't speak a word to any body and sunk as low as possible into his blankets.

I took my eyes off the boy after a while and started gazing at the water horrible sights met my eyes. One so horrible it took me a while to reacted. But then I did.

"Stop" I yelled "Go back!" I accidently jolted Rose out of her sleep and she started awake.

"Jack what it is" She gasped holding on to my hand tightly

"Go back!" I said to the men viciously so they had no choice but to listen to me they slowly turned the boat around being very careful with their oars. I went to the edge of the boat and started searching frantically.

"Jack?" Rose asked clinging onto my arm "What is it?"

"There" I said pointing "Get that little girl out now!"

"Sir with all due respect I don't think a girl her age could-"

"Just do it!" I was surprised how much strength had returned to my voice. The others were shocked to. Shocked into action. They pulled her aboard gently, much more gently then they had any of us I dropped Rose's hand and stumbled towards her.

"Oh Cora" I whispered pulling her into my arms "Cora, Cora, Cora" I touched her cold lips then brushed her wet hair out of her face.

Her body was so small; her chest wasn't moving her face had a purple tinge to it.

"Sir I don't think she's made it" He said it softly but it was still a blow. I winced.

"Sir" The man continued "We have to put her back, make room for the living"

"What living?" I said bitterly

"Sir"

"No!" I said clutching her closer "She's staying"

"Sir Stop being unreasonable"

"Unreasonable my ass" I hauled Cora up more securely in my arms and stared the officer down,

"Jack" Rose said frightened I turned to Rose for back up.

"Rose I can't put her back, I can't!" She looked into my determined face sighed and curled up on my shoulder. Giving up one of her blankets so I could wrap it around Cora's small cold frame, I Brought Rose's hand up to my lips and held in there closing my eyes tiredly I wouldn't hold out much longer. I felt everyone's eyes on me.

"Well what the hell are you waiting for keep looking" I murmured. I heard the concerned mumblings as everyone went back to whatever they were doing. I was right on the brink of unconsciousness when I heard Rose's voice.

"Jack what are you doing?" She touched my face gently

"Just, just make sure, they don't put her back Rose, keep her here" I only just got the words out before sleep pulled me under.