Hi everyone! I hope you are all enjoying! I didn't really feel like waiting to post the next chapter, so here we are! Please don't forget to drop a review, I love hearing your thoughts!

Thanks!

Christine

Chapter 2: Ellie

"Completely unacceptable! What made you think that you could put your hands on my fiancée?" It turns out the young, blonde man with the sketchbook I saw out on the lower deck earlier was named Jack Dawson. Rose apparently had a run-in with him this evening out on the deck. I followed Cal when I heard something had happened to Rose. Cal was screaming at him, and he looked down to his shoes. "Look at me you filth!"

"Cal, Cal stop. It was an accident." Rose suddenly exclaimed.

"An accident?"

"It was! Stupid, really," she smiled sheepishly, "I was leaning far over and I slipped," Everyone exchanged perplexed glances, "I was leaning far over to see the uh, uhm, the um, uh-"

"Propellers?" Cal rolled his eyes.

"Yes, propellers, and I slipped! And I would've gone overboard but Mr. Dawson here saved me! And also went over himself."

"You wanted to see the propellers?" Cal's face softened, "She wanted to see the propellers!" the men around us started chuckling.

"Like I've said, women and machinery do not mix," Colonel Gracie shook his head.

"Was that the way of it?" the Master at Arms asked Jack. I noticed Jack look over at Rose, who widened her eyes.

"Yeah. Yeah, that was pretty much it."

"Well, the boy's a hero then! Good for you son, well done! So it's all's well and back to our Brandy, eh? Ha ha," Gracie chuckled as he started to head back inside.

"Look at you, you must be freezing. Let's get you inside," Cal turned towards Rose, rubbing her arms, and was about to follow Gracie without a second thought.

"Perhaps a little something for the boy?" Gracie remarked. Rose and I exchanged looks.

"Well of course. Mr. Lovejoy, I think a twenty should do it," he motioned towards him. Rose looked bothered.

"Is that the going rate for saving the woman you love?" Cal looked at Rose, a bit puzzled.

"Rose is displeased. What to do?" he paused for a moment before turning to Jack. "I know," he turned towards him in a condescending manner, "Perhaps you could join us for dinner tomorrow evening, to regale our group with your heroic tale."

"Sure," Jack's face was blank, his delivery was monotone. "Count me in."

"Good, it's settled then," Cal smiled, walking past me and leaned in towards Gracie, "This should be interesting," he said to him before approaching Rose and putting his arm around her, as if to remind Jack that she was his.

As I followed, I turned to look back at Jack. There must have been more to the story, and I had to know.

I couldn't sleep that night. I was tossing and turning in my bed while mother was fast asleep in hers. I sighed and turned towards the clock on the wall.

Midnight.

I didn't know what I was feeling, but I knew I had to talk to Rose to see if she was ok. I reached for my robe, and quietly left the cabin to see if she was awake.

"Rose," I knocked, "Are you awake?"

Rose swung open the door a brief moment later. "Please don't lecture me now, Ellie."

"What happened, Rose?" I pushed my way past her and sat on her bed. "Propeller watching? Come on. I can't believe they actually fell for that."

"I was going to kill myself, Ellie," Rose said quietly. I looked at her in disbelief.

"Rose-"

"It was stupid and impulsive, I am so sorry," she sat on the bed and hugged me tightly, "You're right. He isn't worth my life."

"Rose, you have NOTHING to apologize for," I looked her in the eye. "For God's sake! I'll say it again for the millionth time, I am your sister and I am here for you! Don't you EVER think about leaving me again!" I held her tight as tears began to well in my eyes.

"I won't. There has to be a better way to go about this," Rose sighed, "But Jack truly saved my life, you know. He was there before I jumped. If he didn't come after me, I might have done it,"

"He talked you out of it?" I looked at her in shock. I couldn't believe a random stranger was able to talk my sister out of suicide in one meeting. She nodded.

"He's really something, Ellie. I don't know how he did it. But he did," she smiled, tears started streaming down her face. "I don't know how I can thank him, but I'm going to see him tomorrow."

"How are you going to get away with that?"

"Oh I don't know," she shrugged, "I'll just show up in third class and see where it goes!" we both chuckled. "You'll come with me, right?"

"You want me to?"

"Why not?" she shrugged, "I'm a bit nervous thinking about going down there alone."

"Well, sure, I'll come," I agreed, "I would like to thank him for saving you myself."

"Thank you," she smiled warmly, "OH. But look at this. I try to kill myself, and this is what Cal does in response," she rolled her eyes as she stood up to retrieve a box from the dresser, "Look at this thing," she opened up the box to reveal a large sapphire, shaped like a heart on a diamond chain. I gasped at it's beauty.

"Holy shit! Is that a sapphire?"

"A very rare diamond, it's the Heart of the Ocean," she rolled her eyes, "I know you've been melancholy, so here is a piece of jewelry worn by King Louis XVI to make you feel better!" she mocked Cal, "A way to a woman's heart is through shiny things!"

The two of us started laughing hysterically and for the first time in months, I saw my sister smile genuinely.

She was going to be ok.


"He has no idea you're coming?" the thought of going down to third class did make me a bit nervous. Rose and I told mother we were going to the pool so she wouldn't come looking for us. She was having tea with the Countess and others anyway.

"How can he? I just want some time with Jack before everyone tears at him at dinner," Rose expressed, "You know they're go to jump right on him."

"Unfortunately, I agree with that one," I shrugged. We were standing outside the main third class entrance now. Rose took a deep breath. "Are you ready?"

"Of course. It's not a big deal, right? I'm just saying thank you," I could tell in her voice she was more nervous than I was.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it. Let's go," I gave her a push, and the two of us headed down the stairs. There was no turning back now.

Third class was a whole different world. As we made our way down, groups of people were packed together. There was a variety of ages, languages, skin color, all in the same room. There was diversity I had never seen before. People were laughing, playing music, reading...living. This is what a community was supposed to be.

I felt so out of place, embarrassed even. Here was Rose and I, completely dressed over the top compared to everyone else in the room. Rose was wearing a long-sleeve gold and white day dress, her red hair pinned up tightly, makeup done flawlessly. I was wearing a short-sleeve sky-blue day dress, light makeup (I was never a fan, but always put some on to please my mother),and I let my chestnut-colored hair down as, to be completely honest, I was a bit too lazy to do anything with it. Every other woman here was dressed far more comfortably. If we didn't already know we were privileged, this made it obvious.

Jack was easy to find, thanks to his blonde hair. He was sitting at a bench, surrounded by others. There was a young girl sitting on his lap that had just scurried off to be with her parents. I recognized the Italian man, sitting across from him talking and laughing with a blonde woman.

The other man from yesterday was with them too. He was smoking a cigar, looking at drawings which I assumed were Jack's. He was scruffy, his hair curly and thick.

He intrigued me.

The room went silent when Rose and I stepped foot off the stairs. All eyes were on us. I gulped loudly, and followed Rose towards as she approached Jack.

"Uh, Mr. Dawson..." Rose walked over to him. He already had his eyes on her.

"Rose? Well, isn't this a surprise," Jack smiled.

"You remember my sister, Ellie?"

"Hi," I greeted him sheepishly. I tried not to look at the others around him. I felt his friend's eyes on me and Rose still.

"Yeah I do, hi," he continued to smile, "What brings you ladies down here?"

"I was hoping I could speak with you," Rose asked.

"Of course!"

"Um, privately," she requested quietly. I looked and noticed the Italian man and the attractive smoker had grins on their face.

"Yes! Yes." Jack stood up. "Wherever you would like to go."

"Thank you," Rose turned towards me, "Ellie, you can come if you would like,"

"No, no, I don't want to intrude, I'll meet you later."

"Are you sure?" Rose looked concerned.

"Of course. But can I speak with Jack for a moment before you head up?"

"Sure?" Jack looked confused as I pulled him aside. His friends' eyebrows raised.

"Jack, I want to thank you myself for what you did for Rose last night," I whispered quietly, "You saved my sister. I can't thank you enough. That's...that's all I wanted to say."

"No need to thank me. I'm really glad I was there," he put his hand on my shoulder, "She'll be ok."

"I know," I gave him a small smile, "But really. Thank you."

"Again...no need to thank me," he smiled again, and turned to approach Rose. As I watched the two of them leave together, I couldn't help but feel warmth and relief.

That is, until I realized people were still staring at me a few moments later.

"Um, lass-" Jack's curly-haired attractive friend spoke with a thick Irish accent. My stomach flopped. "You look a little lost," he grinned. I smiled sheepishly, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"Oh, I'm fine. I just need to go back up those stairs," I pointed.

"Let me walk you up," he stood up, putting out his cigar before shaking my hand, "A woman shouldn't walk alone by herself round these parts. I'm Tommy Ryan. Nice to meet ya."

"Ellie DeWitt Bukater," I noticed he had a strong, thick grip.

"Quite a name," he exclaimed. The Italian man and the blonde woman he was with were watching us and giggling like kids. Tommy shot them a look "Oh piss off, will ya?" the Italian man started laughing harder. "That's Fabrizio. He's Jack's tag along."

"I see. How do you know them?"

"Oh, my cabin is just next to theirs," he shrugged, "Come on, I'll take ya out."

"Thank you," I smiled as we walked up and away from everyone else. I was trying to think of something to say as we made our way to the top of the stairs, but I had nothing. I wasn't exactly the best conversationalist.

"Beautiful afternoon, isn't it?" apparently Tommy wasn't either.

"Oh, gorgeous."

"And what do you have to get back to in first class world?"

"Honestly? Nothing," I shrugged.

"Well how about that, I got nothin' goin on either," Tommy grinned again, "How would you feel about takin a stroll around here with me this afternoon? I reckon you don't know alllllllllll the things we have down here in third class."

"Is that so?" I laughed.

"Oh, you have no idea, lass," he popped out his arm, "Come with me, and I'll show you around."

"Alright," I smiled, "I have nowhere else to be."

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