Titanic's gaze was on the stars above. She had never seen stars this clear before. She'd always been surrounded by city lights that obscured the view. But out here, in the middle of the North Atlantic, there were no obstructions. With her mind focused outwards she nearly didn't notice what was happening inwards.
Her attention to the stars was broken by the sound of distressed footfalls, racing swiftly aft along her first class promenade. All the passengers were her responsibility and she'd be lacking if she didn't try and help. The woman, a beautiful redhead, raced through the third class gate and only halted when she got to her stern. She peered down, seeing the North Atlantic moving below, a churning sea of white frothed up by Titanic's massive propellers which would skewer her to ribbons if she fell. Which seemed to be exactly what she was planning. Growling, Titanic was about to intervene when that man from earlier, what was his name? Ah yes, Jack, intervened instead.
"Don't do it!" "Stay back, don't come any closer." She hissed. "Just give me your hand, I'll pull you back over." "No, stay where you are, I mean it! I'll let go!" Rose was in no mood to be helped. Jack and Titanic would have their work cut out for him. She silently urged him to tread carefully. Jack stood there, waiting for her decision. "No you won't." He said. "What you mean I won't?" Rose sounded insulted. "You don't know me." "Well, you would've done it already." He shrugged and Titanic grunted. He had a point. She had all the time in the world before he appeared and she hadn't. "You're distracting me, go away!" Rose hissed. "I can't, I'm involved now." He said simply. "You go in and I'm gonna have to jump in after ya." He shrugged off his coat and started untying his shoes. Titanic wished he'd hurry but secretly she was glad he was handling this. She would not be this patient. "Don't be absurd, you'll be killed!" Rose said. "I'm a strong swimmer. But to tell you the truth I'm more worried about how cold that water is." He said. "How cold?" Rose asked. "Good. Keep her talking. Gets her mind off it." Titanic thought. "Freezing, maybe a couple of degrees over." He replied. "Ever been to Wisconsin?" He asked. Titanic winced at the change in subject but she sensed he had a motive here even though she couldn't see his angle. "What are you doing boy?" She thought. "What?" Rose asked, clearly just as surprised. "Chippoweh Falls, that's where I'm from. In the winter the lack freezes over and one time I fell in. It's like a thousand needles hitting all over your body. You can't breathe. You can't think about anything other than the pain. Which is why I'm not looking forward to jumping after in after you. But I'm involved now." He shrugged. "I'm kinda hoping that maybe you might come back over here, and let me off the hook here." Titanic nodded, a quick dip of her bow. "Smart smart kid. Get her afraid of that water. My screws would likely just tear her to shreds as soon as she hit but what she doesn't know won't hurt." "You're crazy!" Rose shouted. "Many people have said that but with all due respect miss," Jack leaned forward. "I'm not the one hanging off the back of a ship here." Titanic snorted, unable to hide her amusement at that quip. Both their gazes snapped forwards and although Rose couldn't see it, she had the distinct impression that Titanic was laughing at her. "Well at least someone finds this amusing." She thought. She slowly turned around, accepting Jack's hand and Titanic breathed a sigh of relief.
The two parted shortly afterwards but Titanic resolved to keep a close eye on both. Jack because he somehow managed to keep cropping up in everything and although he seemed to be a decent man, Titanic could never be so sure. And also the girl, Rose. Because someone didn't just decide to jump off the back of a moving ocean liner and then not decide to die. She needed help the poor girl. She wasn't fit for the life she was born into, not that Titanic held that against her. She'd never hold someone's birth against them. She saw all humans equally. And this one needed someone. She needed someone like Jack. Jack was the perfect cure for a Wilting Rose. Titanic purred to herself as she thought of ways to get the two together. Playing matchmaker was something that all ships did at some point in their lives. Mauretania did it, Oceanic did it, and her sister did it all the time. Now it was Titanic's turn and she giggled to herself, giddy at the thought of continuing the proud tradition of finding love at sea. A story as old as time itself.
On the bridge, Smith noticed her mood. "What is it my girl? What's ya up to?" She purred in response, engines humming with delight. Already, she was setting her plan in motion. A well placed note a stateroom, requesting Mrs. Brown to prepare one of her fine suits. In the pocket of which was placed a second note to request Rose's presence in third class.
Come morning, Titanic's chosen pair met on her promenade deck. "I know what you're thinking, poor little rich girl. What does she know about misery." Rose sighed. "That's not what I was thinking." Jack said. "What I was thinking was what could've happened to this poor thing so that she thought she had no way out." "Well I, it was everything. My whole world and all the people in it. And the inertia of my life and being unable to stop it." She held out her hand revealing a massive engagement ring. They were close enough to the bridge for Titanic to rest her eyes on them. "God, look at that thing!" Jack exclaimed. "You would've gone straight to the bottom!" He said and Titanic had to agree, the ring was massive. "Over 500 people have already been invited. The whole of Philadelphia society will be there." She said. "Do you love him?" Jack asked. "Sorry?" "Do you love him?" "You're being very rude." Rose said, getting flustered. "Well, it's a simple question. Do you love the guy or not?" Jack wondered. "You shouldn't be asking me this!" As they griped back and forth Titanic grew more amused and her secret plan gave an excited spasm. The answer to Jack's question was of course no even though Rose wouldn't admit it out loud yet. But she would. There was a chemistry between her and Jack, Titanic could sense it. She had chosen right.
She watched them talk and prepared to implement her next stage of the plan.
