Okay, here goes. Wish me luck. A.N: The character who's name is in bold is the narrator for the chapter.

Sylvie Lightoller

Chapter One

8th April 1912

"Where are you taking me, Charles?" I could see nothing even with my eyes wide open.

I felt Charles beside me, one hand round my waist, the other on my shoulder. Beneath me, I could hear the change from wooden boards to metal rods and I could smell the fresh sea breeze and felt it on my cheeks and in my hair.

"Turn around" Charles whispered into my ear, gently spinning me so I became even more lost.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Ready"

Within seconds, the handkerchief which had been tied around my eyes was whipped off and a great burst of sunlight reached my eyes.

After blinking the sun away, I was left observing a beautiful ship, which one could describe now as a floating palace. But when I saw it there, for the first time, it looked too clean, too pristine, too new. I really had to struggle to find anything that I liked about the Titanic when I first saw her that afternoon.

"What do you think?" Charles raised his eyebrows, using his hand as a visor from the bright sunlight.

"She's………" I was lost for words "She's….."

He gave a heavy sigh, "You don't like her do you?". He turned round to face the open ocean, disheartened at my lack of an answer.

"No…" I turned to him, placing my hand on his upper arm, "No, Charles, I never said I didn't…."

"But you never said you liked her either" Charles didn't meet my eyes, after a minute he shrugged "Ah well, I suppose not everyone likes her"

"Charles…" I went to touch his face.

"No" he pulled away, "It's fine, Sylvie, dear, it's fine. I just thought it would be a nice surprise for the boys, take them to see her tonight, a sort of little preview, but I guess if you're not keen, then we'll just wait until Wednesday".

"We can still take the boys tonight to see her" I said.

"It doesn't matter now" Charles laughed to himself "I mean, I was an idiot even asking you three to travel with me, the boys have school, and I'm sure you'll be walking round like a bear with a sore head for the voyages to New York and back".

"No I will not!" I insisted firmly "I will be happy"

"For me or for you?" he looked at me behind his mask of rules and regulations with the face I had come to love, the face of a man who had been through so much yet who could not have spoken out about it.

"For both of us" I kissed his lips.

He smiled sweetly before going back into his 'normal' state. "Come on, the Chief'll have my head if he finds you up here, though I suspect he's bought Emily to see her before now so, quick march!".

I laughed as he comically shooed me off of the second promenade deck and back down the flight of steps which he had so carefully guided me up.

"And what is my darling wife going to busy herself doing for the rest of the day?" Charles was back to his usual self as he shut the small white gate behind me which had a sign on it that read : KEEP OUT. RMS TITANIC CREW MEMBERS ONLY. NO CIVILIANS.

"She will be packing" I kissed Charles again, smiling at him as he patted my cheeks. "Go on" I pushed his right shoulder "You get back to work, First Officer".

Mock saluting, Charles replied "Yes M'am"

Turning on his heel, he walked rather like a soldier up the stairs again, only stopping to see me back up the side of the dock buildings and round to the White Star Line Offices.

Walking home, I realised that our sons would be home from their morning of lessons at the local school. I started to quicken my step and when I finally reached my house of 13 years, I felt as if my ankles were about to burst.

Charles had affectionately left his door key under the doormat for me, and as I opened the door, I smiled to myself.

The boys were home.

Pushing my dark hair back behind my face, I placed Charles' key in its drawer in the cabinet beside the stairs.

Walking into the first of two reception rooms, I immediately saw the dark mop of hair that belonged to Andrew.

He was sitting, or rather laying, on the settee, feet propped up on my new floral cushions, busying himself reading the only type of book he bothered taking interests in, boat books, obviously borrowed from his father's impressive collection in our bedroom upstairs.

"Good day, Pandy?" I asked, addressing him by his old nickname, as I sat down in the chair opposite.

Andrew looked at me, glanced at his feet, then back at me, before making the lighting move that involved shoving his feet back on the carpet.

I laughed slightly as he smiled "Mum!".

"Yes, my dear?" I asked, reaching for some left over Victoria sponge cake.

"Daisy said Dad took you out"

"Well, I'm back now"

"Where'd you go?"

"Nowhere in particular"

"Must've been somewhere special"

"Andrew, you do pry so. Where's your brother?"

"Upstairs looking through Grandfather's old business journals, he's mad if you ask me".

"Well, you both like different things" I moved from my seat to place the cake tray out of the reach of our cat, Tab, as he padded in to the room.

"Do you reckon I'll make a good officer" Andrew asked, his eyes following me as I sat back down.

I sighed "You'll make a wonderful officer, Andrew. Captain Lightoller, now that's a title that's evaded your father for a few years"

"He's catching up now though, isn't he?"

"Of course he is" I said, catching Charles' long form out of the corner of my eye as he quickly ascended the steps of our home.

I was about to get up to greet him when I heard the heavy slam of a door and the throwing of something across the hallway.

What was wrong?

Hope you enjoyed! No flames please, I worked real hard on this in my opinion. Any reviews would be great!