Take her to Sea.
Chapter One
AN- I know some people continue to read "Broken", and I do appreciate all of the views and reviews I have gotten. I have not abandoned that story, I've just had a difficult time completing this next chapter. I know exactly how that story will end and so, I cannot abandon it.
This story has come out of an insane amount of "Titanic" re-watching, lack of sleep and caffeine, and sanity. It's set back in 1912, placing at least a chunk of the VM characters on the Titanic. I want to make it less crack-y and more realistic within obvious boundaries, so please bear with me. Reviews and views are, as always, greatly appreciated.
Some lines and general plottage will match the movie but the large part of the plot won't be the same as Veronica is not quite Rose and there is no Jack character in this story. A little bit of it is based on the Youtube VM/Pride and Prejudice trailer. It's all over the place but I hope you do like how it's all being weaved together!
Also, names and jobs may be slightly changed to fit the period, unless I couldn't think of anything better. In which case, feel free to make suggestions!
A quick glance at the characters, who are separated into groups below:
The Mars Family:
Consisting of Keith, Lianna and Veronica. Keith, a former detective with Scotland Yard, is returning to the US with his family after being disgraced in the UK following the investigation of Lilly Kane's murder. His wife, Lianna, is a struggling alcoholic, who wishes to marry off their daughter, Veronica, to a rich American gentleman traveling with them. Veronica, a fiery young woman who was deeply hurt by her friend's death but is just as loyal to her father, wants no part of this.
The Kane Family:
Jacob Kane heads this family of three. He was previously engaged to Lianna before she married Keith for love, and he married Celeste and had two children, Lilly and Duncan with her. Jacob owns the Kane Steel Mill is Pittsburgh, and recently, his daughter Lilly died overseas under suspicious circumstances. Keith suspected Jacob, but lost his job trying to prove as much. Duncan and Veronica courted in England, but they haven't spoken much in a long while.
The Echolls Family:
Aaron Echolls and his wife, Lynn, are the first moving picture stars in the world. Commonly seen in most nickelodeons worldwide, the pair are returning to the United States with their son, Logan, to resume work after holiday. Logan previously courted Lilly Kane, and he is Duncan's best friend. He has grown to loathe the Mars family following the investigation.
The Casablancas Family:
Richard Casablancas, a real estate tycoon and his sons, Richard Junior and Cassidy are returning from work in France. Richard has brought his mistress, Madame Banques along with them, much to his sons' chagrin.
Others:
Stefan Piznarski, Veronica's betrothed. His father owns an automobile company, and he has been in love with Veronica since he first laid eyes on her.
Donald Lamb: The master-at-arms on board the ship.
Eliott Navarro: A young Spanish pick-pocket making his way to American wallets.
Cindy Mackenzie: A second class girl, who happens to be very technologically advanced for her day.
Meg Manning: A young, first class girl traveling back to the US with her family after working in the UK for their church.
Wallace Fennel: A member of the only colored family on Titanic, he is traveling with his mother and younger brother trying to make a new life in New York.
As Veronica stepped from the car that had transported her to the docks, she felt like chains were being slapped around her ankles. Some months ago, she would have been glad to go back to America and be at home after five long years in England. But she hadn't wanted to run away from all of the negativity that surrounded Lilly's death, after a point. She'd wanted to stand her ground but after several months with Keith unemployed, Lianna couldn't bear the shame any more.
Suddenly there was Stefan, and they exchanged awkward, rehearsed smiles as he helped her down. She wasn't sure what to say. The ship was huge, as big as people had been claiming and then some and sure, it was impressive. But the minute she stepped foot on it, she was doomed to this unhappy life and this man and a marriage she had no say in. So when her parents and Stefan all looked at her for her opinion, she simply shrugged. "I don't see what all the fuss is about."
"Your daughter is far too difficult to please," Stefan remarked to Lianna, who laughed nervously, shooting her daughter daggers before she faced the monstrous vessel. "So, this is the ship they say is unsinkable."
Before Stefan could repeat the paper headlines enthusiastically, Keith nodded and helped his wife past the cars as their luggage was seen to. "That's the idea. We can think of it as a hotel on water for the next couple of days, hmm?"
Stefan routed the luggage through the White Star Line men and then lead them and their servants to the gangway to help them board. The servants were all hired by him and his father and the arrangements on the ship of course were largely paid by him. Keith certainly had a savings but they would have been separated by third and first classes if he had paid their fare, and they all knew Lianna would sooner throw herself off of the ship.
Arriving in her private stateroom with her maid, Veronica was finally a little bit free, and she unpacked with the older woman. Dinner was in a couple of hours and so, for the time being, she went to stand on her private promenade deck and watched all of the people on the docks watching them as the ship was preparing to depart. And she knew Lilly would have loved that damn thing if she could have been there.
Rushing onto the boat deck to look down on the groups of people on the docks, Duncan and Logan laughed as they bumped into people. Logan lifted himself slightly against the railing to look down at all of the people. "Oh my God. Look at all of them, they look like mice from here!"
"It's crazy, but we belong here." Duncan responded, looking up at the smokestack nearest them as the ship's horn sounded. They started waving down to the people below. "Goodbye, I'll miss you!"
"I'll never forget you!" Logan yelled between laughs, and they hurried to the starboard side to watch the kickback of the water as the ship lifted anchor and was tugged out to sea. They were soon met by several of their friends, and they watched with wonder as everything started to move away.
After several minutes, Logan elbowed Duncan to look to another area of the railing where Stefan was explaining the propellers to Lianna. "Hey Duncan, it's that fellow your ex is all set to walk down the aisle with."
Duncan shrugged, but didn't look away right away. "So?"
"I wonder if anyone's told him how crazy that whole family is."
"Leave it alone, Logan."
"I think we owe it to Lilly." His friend responded quietly, his fingers clenching the railing, to which Duncan shook his head.
"If Lilly were here she'd be thrilled that Veronica was engaged. She'd have the whole wedding planned by now."
That much Logan couldn't deny and it made his gut wrench, to think he had missed out on the chance to marry Lilly himself. He watched Lianna threaten sea-sickness, or so she called it, and she ran off. Stefan paused and noticed them staring, waved nervously, to which only Duncan waved back. He left again soon, and the whole group of young men winced when Aaron Echolls approached.
"Come on along, gentleman. We all want to look our best for dinner, don't we?"
At Cherbourg, the Casablancas family boarded the ship. Richard and his two sons were good friends of Logan and Duncan and all of their friends, but they were even stunned when Richard senior stepped on with a long, legged brunette who would only respond to being called Madame Banques. When their friends questioned them about her, Richard junior and Cassidy would shudder and wave it off.
With them came the Astors and Margaret Brown, and they arrived some time during dinner, so none of them ate with anyone else. In the first class dining room, Logan and several of his friends passed Veronica and tipped imaginary hats with snickers, and she sat staring at her place setting, wishing desperately for someone to rip off her corset and let her be.
Early the next morning they picked up mail and a few more passengers in Queenstown , Ireland, and then they were off to New York with no further stops keeping them from home.