This is my first ever fanfiction and I'm not sure if this is something you'd like to read but it has been on my mind for a very long time, so I wanted to share it with you guys.
I know that not everything Cameron displayed in the movie is historically accurate, but for the sake of my story, it is.
I'm always open for criticism so feel free to also post a comment if you don't like what I did here, I'm only asking you to tell why so I can improve my writing! :)
"I'm still not entirely convinced that this is actually a good idea," Rosalie said skeptically and warily eyed the device in her friend's hand.
It was a heavy, ordinary-looking golden fob watch at first glance that seemed to have lost its use ages ago, but the four students sitting in the cozy living room of Rosalie's home knew better. Instead of two watch hands, this one had a total of five, each fulfilling its own important role; one to determine the day, one for the month, one for the year, one for the time and, finally, one for each person to travel to either the future or the past.
"Not again, Rosie!" Sam groaned. "We've talked about this, what, a hundred times? We're going through with this. If you don't want to be a part of it, you're free to leave."
"This is my home, Sam," Rosalie countered.
"Well, then you shouldn't have agreed to let us stay here."
Rosalie could tell that her friend was getting annoyed by her whining, but she couldn't help it. What they were doing was a massive intervention in their historic timeline. Who knew what their little experiment would result in? A total disaster, the third world war, the apocalypse?
"I'm just worried that we'll mess things up," she continued, unwilling to let the subject drop just yet.
Rosalie watched Cat cautiously as she re-adjusted the watch hands with calculated precision. It wasn't as easy as it looked and all of them had agreed that Catherine was the brains in their little group, leaving the numbers and calculations to her.
"We're not jumping in time," the dark-haired girl said, fully concentrated on the task at hand. "If we were, I'd totally agree with you, Rosie, but we're just brining over a handful of people – and only for a few hours." The watch hands clicked into place. "There, that's it. Are you guys ready for our guests?"
"Just one second before we go through with this," Matt added. "Which point of the story are we taking them from?"
"I thought it best that they already know each other," Cat said with a shrug. "I set the time to be in the morning of April 14th."
Matt frowned, then laughed. "So, we're gonna have a couple of people in coats in our living room in the middle of July?"
"Oh, shut up, Matthew," Cat replied with a smug grin. "You are more than welcome to help the ladies out of their coats, I'm sure."
She made sure that she'd set the parameters correctly before pushing down the small golden button that would bring no less than nine people from a hundred years ago to the very room they were now gathered in.
A blazing white light surrounded them and Cat shielded her eyes with her hands. They'd never tried the time machine before, so they had no idea of whether it would ultimately work but she had a good feeling that it would.
When the world around them had settled down again, the fob watch still and cool in her hand, Catherine met the bewildered stares of nine people dressed in rather old-fashioned clothes.
"It worked," she heard Sam whisper next to her. "It really worked…"
She nodded as she recognized Mr. Andrews who looked around curiously, then Jack who was carrying his sketch book and Cal who had a tight hold of a distressed-looking Rose.
"What in the world is going on here?" They all turned to see Mr. Ismay, a mix of confusion and anger on his face. "What is the meaning of this? I demand to know why I was interrupted during breakfast, and rather rudely might I add."
For a moment, there was silence in the room. Cat bit a snarky reply, regarding the man with a cool gaze instead.
"May I suggest that we all sit down and get comfortable first," Matt said calmly. "The reason you're all here might be a little bit hard to digest."
They had rehearsed this scene a lot, had to get familiar with whom they were inviting and, to a certain extent, how to react – polite enough to maintain the peace, forceful enough to show some backbone.
God, that sounds like it's out of a fantasy book, Cat thought.
There was a reason why they'd chosen Rosalie's home for this. It was the only one spacious enough to host thirteen people without getting claustrophobic. Three white sofas surrounded a glass table, the fireplace to their right was lit and the large TV in front of them already showed the main menu of the movie they were about to watch. The two matching arm chairs that normally stood in the corners in the back of the room had been moved to the rest of the sitting area, creating enough space for everyone to sit down.
Cat watched Rose who reluctantly sat down between her fiancé, who was still clutching onto her arm, and her mother who seemed to be all but comfortable in this new environment, pursing her lips.
"You're all here," Matt began when they had all settled down. "Because we brought you here."
Ismay snorted, it was clear that he believed none of it and it was hard to hold back and let Matt do the talking.
"You… brought us here?" Mr. Andrews asked curiously. "How?"
Cat was surprised at his calm demeanor. In the movie, he was portrayed as a gentle, intelligent man and not at all as short-tempered and cocky as the rest of the upper-class people. That remained so calm and controlled in a situation like this, however, was not something she'd expected.
The others seemed content to let him ask the questions for now it seemed, although a quick glance at Caledon Hockley told Cat that they'd be hearing him talk sooner or later as well.
"We created a device with… unique abilities," Matt explained. "We call it a time machine. It will take you back to where you came from when we're done here."
"A time machine!?" Mr. Ismay echoed. "What nonsense is this? You don't actually believe him, do you, Mr. Andrews?"
"As peculiar as the situation seems, Mr. Ismay," Mr. Andrews replied. "I'm afraid I do. I cannot fathom to explain how this device works, but I have designed the Titanic myself and I can assure you, Sir, there is no place on my ship that is even remotely similar to this."
"Before we get too much into detail concerning time travel," Cat took over, seeing the direction the conversation was heading in. "Maybe we should explain why we brought you here. Do you see the large screen?"
She motioned toward the TV, drawing their visitors' attention away from the previous topic for a moment.
"It's called a TV," she explained. "It's a telecommunication medium used for transmitting moving images in black and white or in color. It won't be available to you for several years and it'll take even longer until the technology is as far developed as it is now."
"As… breathtaking as this new technology sounds, Miss…"
"Graham," Cat helped out. "Catherine Graham."
"Miss Graham," Cal added, his brown eyes looking at her intensely. "I do not see how this is related to anything and I, for one, see no reason to believe your absolutely ridiculous story."
"Perhaps, Mr. Hockley," Cat informed him coolly which earned her a very disapproving glare from Ruth DeWitt Bukater, one she pointedly ignored. "If you had let me finish, you'd know. But to make it simple, we'd like to show you a movie."
That earned her a few raised eyebrows and looks ranging from curious to angered. Cat ignored them all but she was glad for her friends' presence, knowing fully well that she wouldn't have been able to deal with the likes of Ismay and Hockley by herself.
"You see," she continued unfazed. "That little trip you're taking from Belfast to New York ended in such a disaster that, even a hundred years later, the Titanic is still remembered as one of the most tragic ship accidents of all time."
"I'm not sure what you are referring to, Miss Graham," Captain Smith replied, his eyes looking at her calmly. "Our journey has been going nothing but smoothly so far, there is no need to frighten our passengers."
Cat sighed, not sure how she should continue.
"Listen," she said. "All we want is to prevent the disaster from happening. I'm not going to tell you what it is, words can't really describe what happened back then. There is a movie about the Titanic, though – a very accurate one. We'd like you to watch it and, hopefully, draw the right conclusions. We'll send you back to your own time once it is finished."
Cat looked over to Rosalie, Sam and Matt who gave her encouraging smiles. To be honest, they had expected this to be much more difficult but to their great relief, their time-travelling visitors either took the news very well or had yet to get over the shock of having been transported to a modern-day living room.
"How accurate is this… movie of yours, Miss Graham?" Cat was surprised to hear Murdoch speak up. He'd been very quiet and reserved so far, very professional.
"From what we know from historic reports, as accurate as it gets, Mr. Murdoch," Sam replied in her stead. "Before we begin, I'd like to change the seating order though."
They looked at her, surprised at the sudden request. Rose got, if possible, even paler at those words and Cat couldn't hold it against her, knowing what the movie was about to reveal.
"Why?" Rosalie whispered. "The seating order is not related to the movie, Sam."
Sam nodded but there was a genuine look of concern in her eyes. "I know, but I want Rose as far away from Cal as possible. What do you think he'll do to her once he finds out she's been cheating on him?"
Damn, Cat thought. She silently thanked her friend for thinking ahead because Rose already looked uncomfortable enough as it was.
"We'd like Rose and Ruth to swap seats with Matt and me," Sam said out loud so everyone could hear her.
"There's no need for that," Cal said sweetly. "My fiancé will stay with me. Isn't that right, sweetpea?"
Rose swallowed hard and nodded, avoiding his gaze.
"You can have her back afterwards, Mr. Hockley," Matt replied determinedly. "I still do not see the need to separate me from my future wife-to-be," Cal said, his grip tightening and Rose winced slightly under the force.
"A couple of situations will come up that require some… female advice, Mr. Hockley," Sam tried to convince him with a little lie. "It is why we ask Mrs. DeWitt Bukater to swap seats, too."
Reluctantly and not wanting to cause a scene, Cal let go of Rose's arm and Cat could almost hear the sigh of relief leaving the young girl's lips as she and her mother came to sit down beside Cat and Rosalie, Cal and the Riley siblings opposite of them.
"Great," Cat said with a smile. "Let's get started then."
What do you think of the first chapter? Yes, no, maybe? ;) Should I continue?