A Night on the High Seas
Rating: T for some character death
Words: 3,000+
Summary: AU: Artemis scrambles to find Wally on the Titanic when she realizes the ship is sinking. Can she find him and can they get off the ship in time? Spitfire with appearances of Cheshire/Roy (Redcat?) Artemis's POV
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.
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Artemis pushed desperately against the distressed crowd aboard the Titanic, searching for a flash of fiery red hair and eyes as green as the fresh grass she wished she was surrounded by. No longer was the top deck sparse with a few laughing drunks kicking at the fallen ice on the deck; now it was filled with people of all classes in various states of dress running frantically to the few lifeboats and loved ones. Although the orchestra continued to play soothing tunes, their sweet music couldn't erase the wailing, screams, pounding feet, and shouted orders by ship officers.
Officers, Artemis quickly spun around and found herself staring at the blonde man, his usual smiles and twinkling eyes were replaced with grim but determined features. "Officer Allen" she cried and stumbled over to him.
"Artemis!" he shouted in surprise, forgetting formalities of addressing her by her last name. "What are you doing? We have to get you on a lifeboat!" He moved to grab her arm but she roughly pulled out of his grasp.
"I can't find Wally," she choked out, trying to refrain from crying but their situation was getting bleaker: the deck was starting to slant, fewer lifeboats were becoming available despite the hundreds of people still onboard, and there were no other ships coming to their aid on the horizon.
Officer Allen's eyes widened at the mention of his nephew and began to search the crowd on their own accord. Another nearby officer, a friend of Barry's named Officer Kent, had overhead their dilemma and came up behind them. "Go! Find your nephew and get him off this ship, I can take care of the passengers for now." He then began booming out directions and ordering women and children to lifeboats.
Officer Allen gave his fellow shipmate a quick nod of gratitude before running through the crowd. Artemis struggled to keep up with the fast officer while moving in a skirt that was drenched with icy cold water.
A sudden distraught yell of "Artemis!" to their right stole their attention as they saw the teenage boy standing on a lounge chair searching the crowd frantically.
Without hesitation, the girl answered by calling out his name in relief and barreling into his open arms.
"Artemis," Wally whispered, holding her shivering body close to him. "I thought I'd never see you again. What are you still doing on the ship?"
She suddenly slugged his arm, causing the boy to wince. "What was that for?"
"For almost giving me a heart attack! Have you lost your mind?" She fumed. "Do not scare me like that again, Wallace West!"
He gave her a small smile and silenced her by stealing her breath away with a kiss. Artemis though that perhaps she could forgive him if he kept kissing her like that. A cough tore the lovers apart.
"Glad you kids found each other, but I need to get both of you out of here now. There are a few more lifeboats farther down deck. That's where you can find your way out of here if you hurry. There are not enough lifeboats but hopefully I can get you to one," said Officer Allen, pushing them into the direction of safety.
"Where we all can find safety," said Wally resolutely until he saw his uncle's expression, "right, Uncle Barry?"
He shook his head. "Not this time, Wally. I'm needed here and I'm not going to take the place of someone else who has a chance to live. I regret that this wasn't the trip we dreamed of when I offered to let you travel with me while I was working, but maybe at least you can still get to New York." Wally stopped moving, tears in his eyes as he let go of Artemis to hug his uncle for the last time.
Artemis looked away to give them their privacy, thinking of her own goodbye with her sister. Her father had locked her in a storage room after discovering her refusal to participate in any more crimes for the family business, and her romance with Wally, the nephew of a naval officer. While trying to break free, she had felt the awful shudder and heard the terrible groan of the ship; it felt akin to a large scale earth quake combined with the screeching sound of thousands of chalkboards being scratched by thousands of finger nails. It wasn't long before Artemis' beatings on the door became more violent and desperate as water and realization had begun to seep in. The Titanic was taking on water. She was usually practical and levelheaded but her lock picks and several brooms and mops had been broken in her attempts to freedom, leaving her with no other options besides yelling for help and hoping someone would find her before she drowned in the freezing water. How ironic it would've been, that despite her goal to run away from her family and start a new life in New York City, she would drown on a boat, one day away from her destination, never having completely left her father's domain.
Just when the water had reached the middle of her calves, sending shivers ratcheting through her body, the door swung open revealing a vengeful Jade. "I had an inkling I would find you here." Artemis rushed out of the room flooded room as she continued, "I really shouldn't be surprised he left you to die. Rumor has it the boat's sinking." Both sisters glanced at the water running down the hallway and into the third class quarters.
"It's not merely a rumor anymore. We have to warn everyone!" Artemis turned to leave, pulling on her older sister's arm, but the other girl remained stubborn.
"I can't go with you. There's some last minute business I need to deal with," she replied and Artemis saw murder in her sister's eye. "You have your ideas to get out of the family business, and I have mine."
Artemis saw there was no changing her sister's mind, but she couldn't help saying, "And what of that gentleman from first class you've been seeing, Roy Harper?"
Something flashed in Jade's gaze, hope or regret, Artemis wasn't quite sure. "Perhaps we'll see each other eventually, but our father is not escaping tonight. I'll see that he get his just rewards."
Artemis almost expected her sister to say her usual "Besides, in this family, it's every girl for herself," but was pleasantly surprised when her farewell was "Take care of yourself, Artemis."
And although neither one of them were emotional types, Artemis gave her sister a quick hug, which Jade fiercely returned, though they both refused to cry. When they let go, they shared one last glance before Artemis began her search for Wally and to warn others.
She was broken out of her memory with another quick shove from Officer Allen. Wally grabbed her hand, and she held on tightly refusing to be separated once more. Together they ran past the orchestra who still played their soft melodies, young teen boys remaining by their fathers', and somber officers carrying out the last of their duties. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted an elderly couple, a Mr. and Mrs. Nelson she believed, swaying to the music, content to die together in each other's arms. Artemis tried not to focus too much on the heartbreaking environment and instead of putting one foot after the other and reaching those last boats.
A sharp pain tore through her left calf, sending her stumbling into the hardwood floor. She swore and grabbed her leg. Wally was at her side in an instant.
"What happened, beautiful?" His eyes were wide with worry.
She grimaced. "I think I pulled a muscle." Taking a deep breath, she put her hands on the floor to brace herself and stand up before falling again as pain flared once more. This time, Wally caught her, carrying her bridal style.
"I don't know if we'll make it Wally," she whispered against his white shirt as he started running.
"Don't say that," he said determinedly and carried her to their destination only to find an officer staring down into the sea. "Where's the boat?" Wally sharply bit out.
The shipmate gave them a pitying look. "We just sent the last one down. I'm sorry."
Wally moved to the edge and saw the lifeboat halfway down the Titanic's side.
Artemis saw her lover's resigned look and brushed his cheek with her hand, guilt welling up in her. "I am so sorry. It's all my fault. My stupid leg-" Wally shook his head, stopping her ramble.
"Shhh, Artemis. I don't blame you," and he gave her a look that took her breath away; one that said that he didn't hate her all, couldn't dream of blaming her for their situation, that he enjoyed every moment they had spent together on the ship, that he had accepted his fate but would be fine if she was there, that she was the most beautiful thing in the world. "I love you," he whispered, staring into her eyes. He loved her, despite knowing her family relations and their own relationship's difficult beginning and now they would die together in each other's arms.
"I love you too," returned Artemis, meeting his lips in a passionate kiss. She let her other hand slide up to his face, tracing outlines and trying to memorize this moment so it could last with her forever as she died. Wally appeared to feel similarly, weaving a free hand through tendrils of golden blonde hair that had fallen out of her pins. Soon the kisses grew sweeter, not as desperate, though there was still longing in them.
Artemis felt him pull away and opened her eyes to gaze lovingly into his, but noticed something off about his expression, something heartbroken.
"Oh Wally," she breathed, imagining him thinking of his uncle and soon to be widow of an aunt, but she was wrong.
"Live for me, Artemis," he said with desperation and a sad smile. Realization struck her, but before she could scream and beat him to a pulp for even thinking the idea, she was falling through the air toward the boat. A stream of curses that would make even the rowdiest sailor blush flew from her mouth as she plummeted down in the darkness, only seeing Wally's face stare forlornly down at hers from the deck.
She gasped as her back sharply hit the floor of the lifeboat; it would leave a nasty bruise in the following days but that was the least of the girl's worries. Gasps and a couple of angry yells greeted her arrival before a voice shouted, "Leave her be! I'd jump off too if that were me!"
Some people grumbled their agreement, but Artemis wasn't paying attention to them. "Wally!" she screeched, trying to stand in the boat but the other passengers held her in place.
She turned to yell at the sailor who was rowing them quickly away from the ship, "Stop! We have to go back!"
"Apologies, ma'am, but we have to get away as fast as we can because when that ship goes down, it'll suck in anything close enough right after it."
Artemis looked wildly back to the Titanic but could no longer see Wally. A strangled scream and cry tore from her throat and she repeatedly slammed her hands again the side of the lifeboat. She was angry: angry he threw her overboard, angry he didn't save himself too, angry that she didn't see it coming, angry that he left her alone, absolutely furious that he was going to die. What was worse was that there was nothing she could do, and that broke her heart more. She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face as she tried to block out everything except their last moment together.
The sound of splashing and a chorus of gasps and rumblings from the other passengers brought her back to her surroundings.
"There's something in the water!" cried someone.
"It's a dead body!" wailed another. "Don't touch it!"
"No, it's moving!" a man shouted.
A woman screamed, "It's a shark!"
"Don't be daft! It's a person! They're swimmin' to us!" said the sailor. "Throw them that rope at your feet! Reel'em in."
The passengers quickly complied and Artemis moved slowly to help. As the gasping man was pulled on board, she felt her heart stop. There, being quickly covered by someone's spare blanket was her Wally. He coughed up sea water and shivered before looking up at Artemis.
"Hello, beautiful."
A resounding slap rang in the silence as the lifeboat moved even farther away from the sinking ship; Wally held a hand to his cheek.
"I guess I deserved that."
Artemis just stared crossly at him a few moments longer, before falling into arms crying. "Don't you dare pulling a stunt like that ever again, Wallace West! I know we tease each other, but you're not cruel."
He held her closer to him for warmth and ran his hands comfortingly up and down her arms. "I know, I'm sorry," he repeatedly whispered. "I didn't believe I had a chanced and hoped I could at least save you so you could start the new life you always wanted."
She shook her head against him, her tears mixing with the sea water soaking his shirt. "You're ridiculous. It wouldn't have been complete without you."
There was a loud groan and the passengers turned to stare as the rear of the Titanic lifted in the air, propellers reflecting the faint starlight. Screams pierced the night, far worse than when Artemis and Wally had been running on the deck. These were the terrified screams of those who knew death was close and inevitable. Another shriek of metal reverberated through the air before the stern of the ship fell heavily back to the surface of the water; the front of the ship had completely disappeared into the navy blue sea. The cries from the passengers of the Titanic continued to ring in the air, and Artemis shuddered as she thought of the last moments of those she knew: the Nelsons holding fiercely onto each other as the water rushed to meet them, her father restrained to a wall and fiercely glaring at the water daring to drown him, of Jade and Roy perhaps locked in a kiss that not even the ocean dared separate them.
"Roy," spoke Wally quietly as if reading Artemis's thoughts. "He and your sister…they pushed me into the water after you. Said I had to either swim to you and fight for us or die trying. Wish I could thank him for that."
They sat together in silence as they watched the sinking of the Titanic unfold before them as if in a nightmare. It wasn't much longer until the second half followed its sister into the deep, the wailing of its passengers disappearing along with it.
After a while, Artemis looked up into Wally's face and noticed his lips turning blue. "We need to get you out of those clothes," she said urgently.
Despite his pale complexion and hazy eyes, he still managed to give her a crooked smile. "In front of all these people, Arty? I know you can be a bit wild, but this seems extreme even for you."
If she hadn't been so worried about him making it to sunrise, she would've punched him. "No, idiot. Your clothes are drenching wet with ice water. The blanket won't be of much help if you're already soaked."
Wally sighed and began stripping off his shirt and pants; some of the other ladies had the decency to blush and look away but Artemis just studied him for other signs of weakness or wounds but found none. A kind gentleman offered him a jacket which Wally gratefully took while putting a blanket over his legs. Artemis sat in his lap and used her hands to try to rub some warmth back into him. While he wasn't dead, he still shivered too much for her liking.
"We need to get to help," observed one man.
"What if no help ever arrives? What if we are mauled by sharks or kidnapped by pirates? What if we are forced to sail into the depths of the ocean for all of eternity? Freezing to death would be a blessing, lest we live long enough to become hungry and be forced to cannibalism," the woman who cried this thought for a moment before shouting. "I drink perfume! It tastes horrible! I assure you, I am not appetizing! Quite awful in fact! Eat my hat instead!"
"Nobody's eatin' anybody on here!" the sailor replied, trying to hide his grin at the lady's exaggeration. "We'd all smell somethin' awful by my reckoning and nobody would taste good. Plus there's a ship off the starboard."
Everyone turned to look, and sure enough there was a large ship making their way near the lifeboat. All of the passengers began shouting and waving their hands around to gain the attention of the larger ship.
Artemis turned to Wally as another powerful shiver coursed through him. She rubbed his hand in between hers. "Just hold on Wally, we'll get help soon. Everything will be fine, just stay with me."
He gripped her hand tightly in his and gave her a stronger, reassuring smile. "Of course, beautiful. I almost let my spitfire go once, and I won't do it again."
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A/N: So that's Spitfire on the Titanic. I'm sorry I killed almost everyone, it hurt. And to tell you the truth, I almost killed Wally too but couldn't do it so we all lucked out with that one. While this is Spitfire oriented I have to admit I borrowed a couple of things from a fantasy book (Fateful by Claudia Gray) I had just read that dealt with a young couple on the Titanic. I'm sorry to say that I wouldn't recommend reading it because I thought the overall story was boring, but the Titanic idea intrigued me and how they parted on the ship was interesting enough so I put it to Wally/ Artemis. I hope you enjoyed it. As always reviews are always welcome.