*If you haven't already, check out my profile to see my story visuals for the Orginal characters in this story! Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed! Don't forget to review this one as well! Now without any further ado, here's chapter two!
Jack, Josephine and Fabrizo all hurried their way up to the poop deck to see everyone down on the dock. The view from the deck was amazing. It looked as if you could see the entire town from it, not that anyone was in town; everyone was there on the docks to see off the Titanic, to see off the ship of dreams. People down below were waving their goodbyes to loved ones up on board as the passengers were doing the same.
"Goodbye! It was good knowin' ya! Goodbye!" Jack yelled as he waved down at the crowd.
"You know somebody?" Fabrizo asked, looking down over the rail as to see who Jack could possibly be waving to.
"Of course not, that's not the point!" Jack laughed. "Goodbye! I'll miss you!" He waved on again.
"Oh." Fabrizo paused briefly before joining in with the sea of voices calling out. "Goodbye! I'm gonna never forget you!" He waved overwhelmed with a sudden rush of excitement.
Josephine pushed her way past Jack and another man and leaned over the guard rail. "Wow." She said dumbly in shear awe of everything.
"I know!" The man beside her smiled "Long way down." He leaned over as she was, mimicking her stance.
"What?" Josephine turned to him slightly confused if he was talking to her. His face was right beside hers. It startled her. He was beyond beautiful.
"We're about 60 feet up, all together 175 feet to be exact." He grinned, the corners of his lips stretching across his face, revealing his perfectly white teeth.
"Wait what are you-" Josephine started, 175 feet of what? She thought to herself.
"Jesse Compton." He extended his hand. Forgetting about the line he used just to talk to her. He was sure she didn't care how high up the ship was. It was just the first thought that came out. She was aweing of something after all.
Josephine looked from his face to his hand back to his face and slowly extended her hand.
Instead of shaking her hand like she expected him to he brought it to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. Jack turned and noticed his sister's preoccupation. He eyed the man making a move on his sister.
Jesse saw Jack's stare from the corner of his eye and looked up at him, bringing Josephine's hand down from his mouth. Josephine turned to see what had caught his eye.
Josephine quickly jerked her hand and wiped away his kiss, turning back to her brother slightly embarrassed. "Let's go…" She said awkwardly, grabbing Jack's hand and pulling him away from the railing. Jack gave Fabrizo a head nod a 'come on' of sorts and raised an eyebrow at this Jesse fellow. Jesse let a small laugh escape from his lips before Jack, Josephine and Fabrizo disappeared into the crowd.
Jesse Compton was the son of Daniel Compton, the president of a railroad company back west. Jesse, along with his mother Cornelia and his sister Elaina were all on their way home from holiday in England. Their boarding of the Titanic was very last minute to say the least. The family wasn't expecting to return back to the states until a few months later but when a close family friend had to unexpectedly canceled their voyage on the Titanic do to a business deal, The Comptons found themselves with a gift of six first class tickets; two used for the family's maids, having to leave one maid behind .
Jesse was somewhat of a free spirit. He did what he wanted. But even as rebellious as he was he still managed to be the perfect son, to everyone else that is. Jesse's father did everything he could to ensure that his son was ready to inherit his railroad fortune when the time came. Jesse was always by his father's side associating himself with all the big names in the industry, meeting and befriending any and every one with money. Jesse of course had no problem with the luxury of money; it was the obligations that came along with it he objected to.
Just being on deck he was trying to find an escape from his father's business talk. He could only take so much of it at a time. Jesse always found himself in places running from his future. He was raised to want it but he wasn't sure if it was his head or his heart wanting this kind of life. Jesse decided against going down to his stateroom and hung around on deck for a while before exploring the rest of the ship, letting every corner of his mind free of thought, free of anything.
"G-60, G-60, G-60... " Jack mumbled as he read off his ticket. They made their way through a crowded hallway with nothing but doors lined on each side; most were open with people inside settling their things.
People were arguing in different languages, trying to decipher signs, and families were trying to stick together. The close proximities of everyone made the surrounding air humid and hot with the stench of bodies, bodies everywhere.
Fabrizo accidentally knocked into one of those bodies and looked up to see a shy blonde women smiling at him before she disappeared around the corner before he could smile back.
"It's right here." Josephine said as she opened their room door. She was surprised to see a handsome blonde haired, blue eyed, rough looking Swedish man already sitting impatiently on a bottom bunk. "Oh. Hi." She smiled shyly. Jack and Fabrizo followed in laughing about some joke Fabrizo tried to crack.
"Who are you?" The man asked with a heavy, but understandable accent.
"Oh, right." Josephine realized he was obviously waiting on the three Swedes that they had won their tickets from.
"Where's Sven and-" He started, confused.
"Jack, Jack Dawson. Jack stepped up and introduced himself. This is Fabrizo De Rossi and my sister Josephine. Nice to meet ya." He shook his hand firmly.
"Lukas." He shook. Where's my sister and her fiancé and his cousin?" He asked in a breath rising from the bunk.
"Long story. They told me to tell you not to worry." Jack lied. Lukas couldn't have been over 18. Jack voiced his thoughts. "Hey, so how old are ya?"
"17, you?"
"Just turned 20." Jack grinned. Well I see you already claimed the top bunk so looks like Fabrizo you'll be getting bottom."
"What, why a bottom! Youse get a bottom!" Fabrizo play wrestled over the bunking situation with Jack.
"Josephine you can get top, I'll sleep on bottom." Jack said throwing his bag on his bed and hers up top. "Let's go check out the deck." He motioned towards the door.
"You wanna come Lukas?" Jack offered, feeling bad about his current situation they put him in. Lukas agreed and they all four made their way up to the deck.
Cal stood out on the private fifty foot promenade deck of their empire style suite. He took in the view as he overheard Rose asking about her paintings.
"Those mud puddles were most certainly a waste of money dear." Cal scoffed as he strolled in from the deck, taking a glass of champagne a room service waiter held on a tray.
"You're wrong Cal, They're fascinating. Like being in a dream... there's truth without logic. What's his name again...?" She trailed asking Trudy, her maid who was holding up a flowered piece.
"Picasso, Miss Rose" Trudy read off the bottom.
"Yes that's right, Picasso. He's brilliant, don't you think?" Rose took the painting from Trudy holding it up in the light. Rose took a few steps over to the fireplace and set the painting down on a chair beside it. "This room needs some color!" She wiped her hands as if getting of any excess dust from the painting.
"Do you want all of them out Miss Rose?" Trudy asked walking over to the crate the rest of the paintings were in.
"Yes…" Rose spoke as Trudy took out a painting portraying a scene of dancers. "Yes, that one goes in here with me." Rose motioned as she led the way to the bedroom. Trudy followed in.
"Where at Miss Rose?"
Rose turned in a circle scanning the room for a good spot and stopped when her eyes landed on the dresser across from the bed. "Right up there." She pointed to the dresser. Trudy went and positioned the painting just so. "Perfect!" Rose smiled. "Now just find a place for the rest, I want them all out." Rose walked back out into the sitting room as she gave Trudy instructions.
"At least those things were cheap." Cal laughed shaking his head as Trudy laid the remaining paintings out around the room.
"It smells so brand new. Like they built it all just for us. I mean... just to think that tonight, when I crawl between the sheets, I'll be the first-" Trudy gushed, taking a deep breath of the air around her.
Cal came up behind Rose and wrapped his arms around her waist. "And when I crawl between the sheets tonight I'll still be the first." He smiled.
Trudy blushed at the innuendo of Cal's words and edged her away around him and out the room.
"The first and only forever…" Cal kissed Rose's neck, an act of possession, not affection. Rose's face dropped. She now saw how bleak a future this would be.
"Cal…" Rose didn't know what to do. She knew what he was implying and she also knew that she wanted nothing more for it not to happen. "E'hem, Cal." She cleared her throat dryly. "I'm feeling a little sick Cal. I think I will go get some air up on deck if that's alright?" She patted her face weakly.
"Maybe you should lie down sweat pea." Cal kissed her forehead gently, while holding firmly to her shoulders.
"No no, I think the fresh air will do me good." Rose turned in his arms and pecked him gently on his cheek. "I won't be long."
Cal was against the idea of Rose venturing out to the deck on her own but it would give him a chance to take care of some business with Lovejoy. "Alright Rose, don't linger to long though. I'm sure your mother will be looking for you later. We have dinner soon."
"So when's dinner? I'm starving!" Josephine asked as they made their way through a maze of corridors and passed by what looked to her to be a cafeteria style dining hall with rows and rows of long wooden tables, some covered with cloth, being set and plated by crew members. "Soon I'm sure, they'll let us know right?"
"'Course, they gotta feed us sometime." Jack said stopping suddenly. I left my drawings." He turned around debating if he should go back and get them.
"Don't worry, I'll go back." Josephine offered. She wanted a chance to explore some of the rooms they'd passed on their way out.
"Are you sure? I don't really need them. Besides you'll get lost."
"Of course you do, you always do and I won't get lost! I'll meet you all up on deck ok?" Josephine called already heading back towards their room.
She made it back to their empty cabin and grabbed her brother's drawing portfolio out of his bag. Walking out of the room she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror over the small sink. Her blonde hair was disarrayed everywhere in a messy ponytail. Josephine set Jack's portfolio on the bed and wet her hands in the sink, splashing some of the water on her face and hair. She pulled her hair down and shook it with her fingers, letting the slightly knotted mess fall down passed her shoulders to her waist. She stared studying her features in the mirror, her reflection not up to par with what she wished it to be. Taking a deep breath she smiled at herself and let the corners of her mouth drop slowly as she rolled her eyes. 'Why even try?' She thought to herself. Grabbing Jack's drawings she hit the light and walked out the room.
Making her way up to the deck Josephine indeed got lost just as her brother had warned her she would. The labyrinth of corridors and hallways was just too much. While futilely looking for her away around she came across a predominately tiled room that caught her interest. She was already lost; a detour wouldn't kill her she thought silently.
"Hello?" She called as she walked into the room. Her voice echoed off the walls along with her footsteps as she progressed farther and farther into the room. No one answered. The room was empty she discovered as she scanned around. Towards the middle of the room was a small staircase; she went down to check it out.
To her surprise it led to a pool. Ever since she was younger Josephine had a fear of pools. But the Titanic was 'The Ship of Dreams' and the only way to accomplish your dreams is to face your fears. So many thoughts raced through her head and the more she thought the more she doubted herself. The only way she was going to face her fear was to just not think. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she removed her shoes and undressed down to her white cotton under garment that looked like it could double as a night dress. Before she knew it she had one foot in the water.
Jesse had one foot out the door leading in from the deck before he heard someone call his name.
"Jesse!" He heard the high pitched voice of his sister ring from behind him.
'They found me.' He thought to himself. Straightening out his jacket he turned expecting to see his mother, father and his sister. "Elaina?" He greeted questioningly, surprised to see his sister wasn't accompanied by their mother and father. "What are you doing?"
"Well hello to you to good sir." She mocked at his greeting. "What do you mean what am I doing, what are you doing? I've been looking for you since we boarded. It's like as soon as we walked through the doors you disappeared! I was worried."
"Sorry to have worried you little sister; wasn't me intent. I just needed a break away from father. He wants me to meet some of his colleagues on the ship before dinner. I just needed time to breathe."
"Well then that's understandable, your secret is safe with me." She smiled, looking up at him from under the rim of her yellow flowered hat. Her brother was a great deal taller than her, even though they were just 10 months apart in age.
Jesse and his sister we're very close. They shared everything with one another, up until recently. The stress his father was putting on him was slowly starting to get to him. He did the best he could to keep it from him but he knew it would be alright to let his sister in. He knew he could trust her.
Elaina was indeed trustworthy but wasn't as down to earth as her brother. She was very stuck up, true upper crust; the result of her mother's training. Jesse was constantly always trying to get Elaina to see things differently, to see people differently. Jesse believes that although money was very important in their way of life but there is more to life than just money.
"As they always are." Jesse smiled back. "Well now that you have found me would you like me to walk you back to the cabin?" He offered, wanting to make sure she got back safely. He didn't want anything happening to her be the result of his roaming around the ship.
"No no, I'll be fine. It feels so nice out here. I think I'll stay a while. I'll see you at dinner yes?"
"Yes, alright. Well enjoy the air. I'm going to head down and check out this pool they supposedly have. Sounds like it will be relaxing before dinner. I'll see you then." He kissed the top of Elaina's forehead, her hat hitting him in the eye.
"Oh." She laughed. "Sorry about that."
"I never did like that hat much." He straightened it out properly on her head before parting ways.
Jack, Fabrizo and Lukus all had made it up to the lower deck sitting on the benches around the stern of the ship. Jack was getting worried about his sister. It had been a good while since she went back for his drawings. He knew Josie could handle herself but he couldn't help but worry. He couldn't help but treat her more of a daughter then a sister, since he practically raised her from the point their parents died when she was only thirteen.
"You think she got lost?" Jack asked, shaking his hair out from his eyes.
"I'm sure she's fine." Fabrizo comforted. He wasn't as worried about Josephine, He knew that she could take care of herself, much more so then Jack gave her credit for.
"So she is your sister yes?" Lukus asked. Jack nodded. "I have a sister; we were supposed to go to America together. She's getting married, but she doesn't really get along with the guy. I don't see the purpose in marrying someone. If ya love em then you love em, how does a piece of paper and a status say you love someone more?" Lukus ranted, the faster he talked the harder it was to understand his accent. He kept talking on about his sister and their plans but Jack was only half listening. His eyes were fixed on the wake left behind the ship in the water, watching as even the further away the ship set out to see, you could still forever see how it's presence affected the waters around it, like a pebble in a pond, a very large magnificent pond.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Don't forget to review and maybe even add to story alert! I have a question; do you like how I transition each scene? I try to have the last lines and the first few lines be somewhat related in text. Does that make sense? Let me know! Thanks! 3 Ally
.
