Somewhere along the way, Jack had lost track of his rescuer. But that didn't especially matter to him anymore. All he cared about now was finding Cal, to ask him if Rose had gotten off safely, if she was all right. Anxiously, he scrambled up another set of white metal stairs, not unlike the ones he had climbed from the master-at-arms's office, and found himself on the Boat Deck, near the stern. The deck had an evident tilt toward the bow.

A throng of people milled about, some still looking remotely calm and collected, others nervous wrecks. Women were sobbing and clinging to their husbands... children screamed and cried... the ship's officers were getting more and more worried. And he saw no sign of anyone he knew - Rose, Fabri, Tommy, Cal, even Ruth... no one was there.

Jack scrambled down the length of the Boat Deck, frantic. There must be someone he knew up here, someone who knew him! The creaking of the ropes lowering Lifeboat 12 was loud in his ears, but not nearly as loud as his own heartbeat. Brilliant white lights from the numerous flares lit up the sky. He hastened on.

It was now 1:25 in the morning, according to someone nearby who was telling the time to his wife. The iceberg had hit the side nearly two hours ago, Jack realized. But then he couldn't think of that now. He had to find out what happened to Rose.

Now he was all the way forward, next to the bridge. Water was well over the bow, he could see, and flooding onto the forward anchor. Jack watched it disappear underneath the green water for a few minutes. Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke quietly in his hear.

"Hello, Dawson." And then the metallic click of a gun.

Cal.

"What do you want?" Jack asked, not moving for fear that Cal would shoot him. Cal chuckled softly, but Jack knew nothing was funny to Cal right now.

"You know exactly what I want. It's what you want too." Jack's brow furrowed as he watched the bow in front of him; now the deck was covered as well.

"Rose," Cal answered for him. Jack paled, and, quite forgetting the gun in Cal's hand, whirled around. "You mean she wasn't put on a lifeboat?" he snarled incredulously. Cal sneered. "No, you son of a bitch, she was looking for you!" But Jack was already off running.

This is all my fault, he groaned inwardly. I should have known she'd come looking for me. She probably couldn't have done anything, but at least I would have had the safety of mind to send her off where I knew she'd be safe. Who knew where she was now?

He scurried down the Grand Staircase, hoping beyond hope that she'd be there. But, of course, she wasn't. She wasn't anywhere in sight. She was probably below decks-

Jack's blood ran cold, remembering how much water had already built up by the time he'd escaped E Deck. Where was the water level now - while Rose was down there?