The following morning, Kim and Drew sat eating breakfast together on their private promenade deck, the bright sunlight and calm sea doing nothing to ease the tension that seemed to hang almost tangibly in the air. Kim, who was nursing a mild hangover, graciously accepted a cup of coffee from her maid, her eyes almost closed as she sipped at the caffeine rich beverage. Drew stared at her from across the table, waiting for the maid to disappear through one of the doorways before speaking.
"I had hoped" he said calmly. "That you would have come to me last night."
Kim almost choked on her coffee, coming wide-awake in an instant, her head snapping up to stare back at him. It took her a moment to calm herself enough to answer.
"I was tired." she replied, a statement that was perfectly true.
Drew's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Yes I imagine all that dancing and brazen behaviour must have taken its toll."
Kim felt her back stiffen, having believed that her trip to the steerage section of the ship had gone unobserved by anyone she had known, save for Ron of course. She felt heat rising in her cheeks, but it was not the pleasant sort of heat she had felt herself experiencing in Ron's arms the night before. It was anger, pure and simple.
"I suppose you had that skulking, she-devil of an assistant of yours follow me?" she accused, setting her cup down. "How typical of you."
Drew ground his teeth together, barely suppressing his rage at her audacity.
"I never want to hear about you behaving in such a manner again. Do you understand me Kimberly Anne?"
This statement really got Kim's back up, her hands almost balling into fists and Ron's words on what to do when she got really angry echoing through her mind.
"How dare you say that to me?" she said, trembling with rage. "Do you think I'm another one of you paid lackeys that you can order around? I'm your fiancé and if you think…"
Kim's words were cut short as Drew, who had been listening in a deathly silence, suddenly exploded with his own rage, his hand grabbing and hurling the table across the deck, ignoring the maid who had reappeared at the doorway with a pitcher of orange juice and was now standing in mute shock. Drew closed the distance between himself and Kim in a heartbeat, his hands gripping the sides of her chair in a pinning manner and his face mere inches from her. While hers had gone deathly white, his had actually developed some colour, seeming to turn a slightly darker shade of blue.
"Yes you are my fiancé" he snarled. "And my wife, by practise if not yet by law. So you will honour me, as a wife is expected to honour her husband. For I will not be made a fool of, least of all by you" He leaned back slightly, a cruel sneer appearing on his lips. "Is this in any way unclear?"
Kim, who had never before seen Drew react in such a violent and blatant manner, and who had certainly never found herself at the end of such a tirade, could only shake her head meekly, the shock and fear she was experiencing driving all thought of retaliation completely from her mind. Drew immediately brought himself back up to his full height, not even glancing in the maids direction as he stalked past her and through the door into his stateroom. Kim, feeling hopelessly disorientated and ashamed of herself, clumsily rose, attempting to assist the maid who was making her way over to clean up the smashed clutter surrounding the overturned table.
"I'm sorry Trudy" she said breathlessly, her whole body trembling with shock, picking up a piece of her shattered coffee cup. "We had…a little accident."
The maid, who tactfully ignored the rather blatant lie, knelt down beside her, trying to stop her.
"Miss please. Don't trouble yourself"
Kim barely fought back a sob. "But it's my fault. I…"
The maid softly grabbed hold of her arm, making Kim look at her.
"Its alright miss" she said, barely more than a whisper.
Kim instantly dissolved into sobs, almost falling into the maid's arms and weeping softly to herself. The maid froze for a heartbeat at the unfamiliar contact, but quickly recovered herself, one hand stroking through the young woman's long red hair, the other rubbing gently at her back in an effort to calm her.
Having recovered herself sufficiently and cleaned up the mess left behind by Drew's temper tantrum, Kim was dressing for the day in the stateroom, her maid assisting her with the arduous task of tying up her corsets. The process was halted when Ruth Possible stormed into the room, a cold gleam in her eye.
"Tea Trudy!" she demanded, speaking to the maid.
The maid gave a hurried acknowledgement and scurried from the room, Ruth quickly closing the distance between herself and her daughter, attending to the matter of tying the corsets herself, none too gently.
"Kimberly Anne Possible" she said sternly. "I absolutely forbid you from seeing that boy again. Do you understand me?"
Kim sighed softly, not bothering to look back.
"Oh stop fretting about it mother" she said, sounding almost bored with the topic. "You'll give yourself a nosebleed"
Ruth seized her daughter by the shoulder, spinning her round to face her, her hard glare boring into Kim's calm face.
"Do you think this is a game young lady?" she said quietly, as though afraid of being overheard. "Need I remind you of how precarious our situation is? You know as well as I do that the money is all gone!"
Kim huffed indignantly. "Of course I know" she spat back, a pinch of venom lining her tone. "Not a day goes by when you don't remind me of it"
"Your father" Ruth went on saying, a small amount of sadness entering her voice as she was forced to remember her former husband. "Left us with nothing but a legacy of unpaid debts that have only been hidden this long by our proud family name" Her tone hardened once more. "His recklessness and obsession with those experiments of his are what led him to an early grave. And now your recklessness could potentially destroy our whole family."
Without waiting for a reply, Ruth again spun Kim around and went to work on the corset strings, forcing Kim to grab hold of the bedpost and suck in her waist.
"I can't understand your reluctance" said Ruth, softer now. "It is a fine match with Lipsky. His wealth and prestige will ensure our family's survival"
Kim sighed loudly, her shoulders slumping slightly in defeat and her eyes lowering towards the bed.
"How can you put something like this onto my shoulders?" Kim asked softly.
Ruth stiffened slightly, but did not pause from her task as she spoke.
"Can't you understand that I'm doing this as much for your sake as anything else?" she demanded softly. "What would become of you if our family was ruined? We live in a world ruled by men. Your guile and intelligence wont impress many of them. And you couldn't survive as a servant. You have neither the domestic training or the proper attitude."
For this Kim had no answer to give. It was true she had hopes and dreams of working to make a better world. But she had never worked a single day in her life. Her upbringing had been privileged and highly sheltered. As much as she liked to believe she could adapt to life as a normal, everyday person, forced to pull her own weight and provide solely for her needs, she feared the prospect of having to do so with no one and nothing to fall back on if things turned sour.
"Its so unfair" Kim said sadly.
"Yes it is" Ruth permitted, tugging hard on the strings. "But what can you expect? We're women. Our choices in this world are never easy ones."
Given that it was now Sunday, Captain Director was leading a group of First Class passengers in a series of hymns in the dining saloon. Kim was in attendance, flanked by Ruth and Drew, Monique and Lord Fiske standing in the row ahead of them. They had just started a new hymn, Eternal Father, Strong To Save, their voices rising in unison.
"Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deepIts own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!"
Ron, who was once again dressed in his regular clothes, walked towards the doors of the dining saloon, hoping to locate Kim inside. His progress was halted by the two stewards manning the door, one of which grabbed him by the arm.
"Sir!" he said hurriedly, holding him back. "Your not supposed to be in here! You need to go back to your own section of the ship"
The commotion was easily detected by Miss Go, who was standing well off to the side from the rest of the hymn group, dressed in a conservative looking emerald green outfit that still showed off her curves in the way she liked. Her eyes narrowed dangerously for a moment as she quickly made her way over to the doors, closing them swiftly behind her. Ron spotted the woman approaching, completely misinterpreting her intentions.
"Look! She knows me!" Ron said, pointing to the pale-faced woman. "She saw me here last night!"
Miss Go managed to hold down a sneer and she stopped in front of Ron.
"Listen kid" she said patiently. "Mr Lipsky and Mrs Possible want you to know that they appreciate your 'rescue act' and want you to have this" She produced two twenty dollar bills, holding them out. "So I suggest you take the money and stop nosing around where you're not wanted."
Ron spotted Kim through the door leading into the saloon, although she remained blissfully unaware of his presence as she sang. He struggled harder against the grip the steward had on it.
"Look I don't want any money" Ron protested. "I just need to talk to Kim about…"
"Gentlemen!" Miss Go interrupted sharply, slapping the notes into the steward's free hand. "Take this steerage trash back to where he belongs, and make sure he stays there."
The steward nodded and gripped Ron in a near death grip, the other steward grabbing his other side as they practically dragged the poor boy away. Walking back into the saloon, Miss Go shared a surreptitious nod with her employer, who had watched the entire commotion through the corner of his eye. Drew's lips contorted themselves into a self-satisfied smirk as he turned his attention back to the hymn, joining in mid stanza.
"…And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to thee,
For those in peril on the sea!"A short while later, Mr Barkin was standing in the ships bridge, conducting a short tour for the Possible party and talking with the captain when Harold Bride, one of the ships wireless operators, scurried into the room clutching a piece of paper, which he handed to the captain.
"Another ice warning sir" the young man explained. "This one was from the Noordam"
Captain director took the note and dismissed the young man, scanning over the sheet briefly and then pocketing it. She looked back up, noticing the slightly wary expressions that both Kim and Ruth were now regarding her with.
"Oh there's nothing to worry about" she said confidently. "Its perfectly normal for this time of year. In fact, I've ordered an increase in speed. The last four boilers have just been lit."
Mr Barkin stiffened slightly at hearing this news, but kept his opinions to himself as he quickly led the group out of the bridge and on with the tour.
Ron walked along the aft well deck with a determination that he had rarely felt in his young life. Brick and Felix followed closely behind him, Brick pushing Felix's chair as they watched Ron climb the steps leading up to B deck and hop over the fence separating the third class section from the second class section. Brick gave out a frustrated sigh and quickly followed after him, leaving Felix at the bottom of the stairs.
"Now look Stoppable" he said, trying to talk sense into the boy. "There's no denying that she's a fine woman. Any man would be blind not to see it. But she's walked out of your life and slammed the door behind her. What's this gonna accomplish?"
Ron shook his head, scurrying over to the wall below the A deck promenade.
"It wasn't her that pushed me away" Ron said firmly. "It was the ones around her. I have to see her again" He frowned. "You gonna help me or not?"
Brick slumped and shook his head in resignation, but quickly walked over, crouching down and cupping his hands together. The moment Ron stepped into his hands, the burly Irishman heaved upwards with all his might, boosting the much lighter man upwards and onto the First Class deck. Brick sighed again, hopping back over the gate to the third class section and leading Felix away again.
"That lad ain't thinking about this logically, that's for sure" said Brick.
Felix sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Well who ever said that love had anything to do with logic?"
Ron snuck along the aft section of A deck, keeping his eyes open for any crewmembers that might bar his way. Ducking behind some deckchairs, he spotted a young boy playing with a top on a string, a man who was probably his father and another man looking on and talking. He noticed that neither man wore a coat, both of them having discarded them along with their bowler hats on the deckchair nearest them. Keeping low and out of sight, Ron hovered silently, waiting for an ideal moment when the child spun the top magnificently along the deck, causing both men to stop and applaud his efforts, and a moment later Ron was taking off along the deck, slipping into the coat and slicking back his hair with his own spit, before placing the bowler hat atop his head. Operation Find Kim Possible was oficially a go.
At the same moment, Kim was walking along the boat deck with Mr Barkin, Ruth and Drew walking behind them. Kim cast her eyes to one of the covered lifeboats they passed, a perplexed frown creasing her features.
"Mr Barkin?" she asked curiously. "Forgive me for pointing this out. But I did the sum in my head, and with the number of lifeboats aboard times the capacity you mentioned to us" She paused and turned to face him. "It seems to me that there are not enough for everyone aboard."
Barkin nodded sharply, smiling. "Very astute of you to notice that Miss Possible. The lifeboats have a combined capacity to handle only half the number aboard ship" He motioned along the deck with his hand. "I had actually had these new type davits put in, that can take an extra row of boats behind this one" He stopped and frowned. "Although it was felt, by some that it would make the deck look too cluttered. So my recommendation to the board was overruled."
Drew huffed with annoyance, looking at the lifeboats as though they were somehow distasteful.
"It's a waste of good deck space having even this many aboard ship" he said with annoyance. "If it were my decision to make, we would have left port with none at all."
Drew and Ruth continued on along the deck, leaving Kim behind. Mr Barkin noticed the way she was still looking at the lifeboats with concern and patted her arm.
"Don't let it trouble you Kimberly Anne" he said kindly, if still a little stiffly. "I pride myself on my work. It's likely that those lifeboats will never be needed."
Kim nodded and followed after Mr Barkin a moment later, trailing at the back of the group. So preoccupied was she with her thoughts that she failed to notice the arm that shot out of the nearby gymnasium door as she passed, pulling her bodily into the room and closing the door behind her. Kim spun around, fearful of some kind of attack, but gaped in shock when she saw Ron standing there, smiling at her.
"Ron?" she asked, eyes wide. "What are you doing here? We can't see each other like this."
She made to move towards the door, but Ron quickly stepped into her path, blocking her exit.
"Kim I need to talk to you" he insisted.
"No Ron" she said, shaking her head. "Like it or not, I'm engaged. I'm going to go through with the marriage. Its important to my family."
"Kim" Ron said softly. "You're certainly no picnic. Id even go as far as to call you a spoiled brat at times" He smiled. "But underneath all that you are the strongest, kindest, most selflessly astounding girl…no woman! That I have ever met."
"Ron please don't I..." Kim was cut off by Ron grabbing her shoulders, preventing her escape.
"Please Kim! Let me get this out!" he pleaded, stammering slightly. "I'm not the idiot people take me for. I know how the real world works. I have like ten dollars in change in my pocket and no long-term prospects. I know I have nothing to offer you that compares to anything Lipsky can" He sighed. "But I'm too involved in your life to turn away now. You jump, I jump, remember that? I can't walk away without knowing that you're going to be happy. That's all I really want."
Kim matched his gaze with one of her own. "I'll be fine. It's so not the drama."
Ron frowned. "I think it is the drama, as you put it. They've got you trapped Kim, and you're going to die if you don't break free. It wont happen right away, cause I know how strong you are inside, but sooner or later they'll wear you down and that bright spark inside you that makes you so unique will just be gone."
With surprising strength Kim tore herself loose from his grip, backing towards the door.
"It's not your job to save me Ron."
"No" Ron admitted. "Only you can do that."
Kim turned and opened the door, hesitating for a moment before turning back. Her face was sad, but resolute.
"I have to go before I'm missed" she said firmly. "Ron please, for your own sake if not for mine, stay away. You don't know how dangerous someone like Drew Lipsky can be."
A heartbeat later the door slammed shut and Ron Stoppable was left along, where he promptly slumped to the floor and buried his face in his hands.
In the First Class lounge, Kim sat at a table with her mother and several other women, taking afternoon tea. Although an animated discussion is taking place, Kim remains silent, seemingly oblivious to all around her. Her eyes stare forward vacantly, almost completely devoid of life.
"Of course we ended up having to send the invitations back to the printers twice" said Ruth, unaware of her daughter's discomfort. "And the trouble we had with the bridesmaids dresses! Let me tell you what an odyssey that has been…"
Kim's eyes came to rest on a mother and daughter taking tea at a table across from theirs. The child, little more than four years old, is already the image of Edwardian sophistication; her white-gloved hands daintily picking up her teacup after her mother corrected her posture. The child has obviously been groomed since birth in decorum and proper manners, her tiny hands placing a napkin across her lap with a practised air. Kim barely suppressed a shudder as she recalled similar scenes from her own childhood, her strict and relentless conditioning turning her into a creature of impossible perfection. And more horrifying than that, a vision of things to come flashed through her minds eye, with an older Kim, looking like a doppelganger of Ruth Possible, diligently putting her own child through the exact same conditioning.
As sunset filled the sky, Ron Stoppable stood at the bow rail of the ship, his arms resting on the apex where the port and starboard rails met. The first time he had stood here, his mood had been one of cheerful optimism and joy. Now his mood was the polar opposite. He stared down at the water, silent and depressed.
"Hey Ron."
Ron jumped in shock, spinning round to look in the direction that the familiar voice had come from. There, standing a few paces away from him, her cheeks flushed by the chill wind and her turbulent emotions, was Kim Possible. She smiled.
"I changed my mind."
Ron felt himself smiling back, struggling to think of something to say as Kim took a hesitant step towards him.
"Felix suggested that this might be a good place to look…"
Ron instantly shushed her with a finger to his lips, reaching out with his hand.
"Come here" he said softly.
Kim nodded and stepped closer to him, her soft hand closing over his.
"Do you trust me?" Ron asked.
Kim didn't even hesitate before replying. "I trust you."
"Then close your eyes" Ron said.
Kim sighed softly and squeezed her eyelids shut, instinctively tilting her head and leaning forward, expecting him to kiss her. His hands turned her to face the front of the ship however, pressing her gently to the rails and urging her to step up onto them, moving in to fill the space behind her. With her eyes still clamped shut Kim felt Ron gripping her arms, lifting them up and holding them out to her sides. As though sensing his intentions her arms remained in position as he lowered his hands to her waist, holding her securely.
"Now open your eyes"
Kim let out a gasp of surprise as her eyes took in the sight before her. From her vantage point atop the rails all she can see is ocean, the Atlantic Ocean rolling towards her into a rush, her arms stretched out like wings.
"I'm flying!" she said, breathless with amazement.
Ron grinned and pressed himself against her back, singing softly into her ear.
"Come Josephine in my flying machine! And its up she goes, up she goes!"
Kim laughed, the sound like music in Ron's ears as his hands once again found hers. Their fingers intertwined and lowered into an embrace as Kim turned her face to look back at him, a burning desire in her eyes. Without a further word spoken between them, Kim's hand snaked up and curled around the back of his neck, pulling his lips down to meet hers in a soul searing kiss. The kiss is shy, almost hesitant, but only for a moment, and soon they are kissing with a passionate intensity, the world seeming to dissolve around them until all that was left was the two of them, wrapped together in a lovers embrace that neither was willing to break. They remained like this for some time, as the sun slowly sank into the Western sky and the Titanic ploughed onwards through the calm sea.
Old Kim sighed as she opened her eyes, bringing herself out of her memories and back to the present day. By now her story had attracted a few more listeners, most of them lounging around in the background and only half paying attention.
"That was the last time that the Titanic ever saw daylight" she said sadly.
"So that brings us up to the night of the sinking" said Josh, quickly changing the tape in the recorder, setting it back down. "Six hours to go."
Wade frowned and shook his head, pacing back and forth. "Can you believe that though?" he asked incredulously. "The Captain receives ice warnings and actually orders the ship to go faster. How reckless can one person be?"
"That's not fair Wade" objected Josh. "Captain Director has twenty six years of naval experience working against her. She figured that anything big enough to pose a threat to the ship, they'd be able to see it in time to avoid it. But the Titanic was way too big, with too small a rudder. It had a huge turning circle. Everything Director took for granted was wrong."
Kim sighed softly and turned to face the row of video monitors still playing back the recorded dive footage, focusing on the one that was showing the footage from rooms B52 – 56, her old suite. After taking a moment to compose herself again, she closed her eyes, returning once again to the memories of her past.
Giggling and pulling his hand, Kim practically dragged Ron into her suites sitting room, Ron now carrying his sketchbook and drawing materials in his free hand. The moment they were inside she closed and locked the door behind them.
"Its ok Ron really" she said, noticing his hesitation. "It's only the sitting room. And we're all alone here."
Ron marvelled at the opulence of the room, the furniture and décor almost alien to someone from such a poor background.
"Speaking of being alone" Ron said, glancing back at her. "Should we be expecting your fiancé anytime soon?"
Kim snorted and shook her head. "Not as long as the brandy and self satisfied conversation holds out." She glanced around the room, watching as Ron studied the ornaments on the mantelpiece. "Is the light in this room alright? I know artists are supposed to need good light."
Ron smirked and made a show of wiping a non-existent dust stain from the mantle, putting on a horrible fake French accent.
"Ah Oui, zis is true!" he said thickly, waving his hand about. "But ay am not used to workeeng in zeese orreeble conditions!"
His joking was instantly halted when he noticed the paintings that Kim had set up in one corner of the room, one in particular catching his eye. He immediately rushed over to, running a trembling finger just above its surface, too afraid to actually touch it.
"Is that…?" he asked breathlessly. "A real Monet?"
Kim blinked in surprise, walking over to join him.
"Yes it is. You recognise his work?"
Ron nodded, not looking away from the painting. "I saw him once in Paris. He's a totally brilliant artist. Such amazing use of colour."
Kim turned and walked away from him, disappearing into the adjoining walk in closet. Ron arrived at the doorway just in time to see Kim spin the tumbler on Drew's safe, reaching the final number and yanking the safe open with a loud clunk. Reaching inside, she fished out a jewellery box, opening it and presenting the flawless Heart of the Ocean necklace to Ron. Ron whistled and took it from her, holding it up to the light.
"That's a pretty impressive stone" he said, slightly nervous to be holding something that was most likely worth more than he had ever earned in his entire life, and was ever likely to earn. "Its blue…so that means it's a sapphire right?"
"No" Kim said, leaning her head against his shoulder. "It's a diamond. A very rare diamond."
Ron barely managed to nod in reply, too caught up in examining the gemstone in detail. Kim leaned in closer, her hot breath tickling his ear as she whispered into it.
"I want you to draw a portrait of me Ron, wearing this."
Ron nodded. "Sure. That would be easy."
Kim smiled devilishly. "I mean wearing only this."
The colour instantly drained from Ron Stoppable's face as he turned to stare into Kim's eyes, half convinced that she had to be joking. It was a testament to his inner resolve that he didn't faint outright, but simply swallowed quietly and nodded.
Although he was trembling inside, Ron moved quickly and methodically. He dragged an Empire divan into the middle of the room, adjusting it until it was positioned in the spot that gave off the best light. Grabbing the cushions be bunched them together at one end, an improvised pillow. Opposite it he placed a chair and small table, from which he can work. Placing down his sketchbook and drawing supplies, he pulls out several pencils, setting them down with all the care and precision of a surgeon preparing his tools. Satisfied that everything was prepared, he stopped and took several calming breaths. Looking up he saw Kim appear at the doorway, wearing a black silk kimono. The necklace was draped around her neck, the blue diamond resting against the swell of her breasts. Smiling seductively Kim walked into the room, a shiny dime clasped between her fingers.
"The last thing that I need is another portrait of me looking like some porcelain doll. And as a paying customer" she said, dropping the coin into Ron's lap. "I expect to get what I want."
Stepping back, Kim gripped and parted the kimono, letting it fall to the floor. Ron's eyes became as wide as saucers, his jaw slack. It took him several long moments before he was able to force his eyes from travelling over the supple curves of her body, looking her in the eye. For a fleeting moment he considered making a comment on her being a natural redhead, but quickly thought better of it.
"Lay down on the bed…I mean the couch…the couch"
Kim felt the adrenaline coursing through her veins and she slowly obeyed, stretching out on the divan and making herself comfortable, her arm briefly moving next to her head and she tried to find a good place to rest them.
"No" Ron said urgently. "Put your arm back the way it was, across the back of your neck" He nodded as she complied. "And rest your other one by your face, palm towards me. That's good. Now tilt your head down, and keep your eyes turned towards me" He quickly moved his sketchbook into position, the pencil poised in his hand. "And try not to move."
Kim smiled as Ron began to draw, his hand seemingly moving of its own volition, his eyes never leaving hers. Letting out a calming breath, Kim felt herself relaxing, feeling not a hint of shame at being in this position, her nubile young body on display before him. Instead she felt bold, brazen and wonderfully sexual. She giggled lightly as she saw the piercing look in his eyes.
"So serious" she chided playfully.
Ron barely fought off the urge to laugh, not wishing to shake his hand and tarnish his efforts. Already Kim's body and face were beginning to take shape on the page, the rough outlines of her body being gradually shaded in and filled with detail. Although having been in this situation many times before, the rawness of his emotions added a completely new dynamic to the situation for Ron, and he could feel the heat rising in the cheeks as he worked, her firm breasts and nipples taking shape on the page.
"I do believe you are blushing Mr Big Artiste" she said with a sultry purr. "I can't imagine someone like Monet blushing"
Ron smirked. "That's cause he paints landscapes" He mock frowned. "Now stop talking. And relax your face."
Kim gave a tiny nod, falling silent once more. Her eyes are sparkling, radiant with an inner fire that burns more fiercely within her than it ever has before . Ron worked tirelessly, the details in her face coming to life, her long hair spilling down below her shoulders, the perfectly depicted Heart of the Ocean resting against the top of her cleavage. Kim sighed dreamily as she watched him, her eyes soft and doe like, and wishing in her heart of hearts that this flawlessly wonderful moment would never end.
Old Kim sighed, her head tilted upwards and a faraway look in her eyes as she recalled that moment, still so vivid in her mind after 84 years.
"My heart was pounding so hard that I thought it would burst" she said softly. "It was the most intensely erotic moment of my life…up until then anyway."
Noticing the silence, Kim dropped her head back level. In front of her, a large audience had now gathered, forming a tight semicircle around her, every face staring in mute fascination, hanging on her every word.
"So…" said Wade with a cough, trying to sound nonchalant. "What happened after that?"
Kim smirked knowingly. "Hmm? Do you mean… did we… 'do it'?"
The group laughed as Wade blushed furiously, burying his head in his heads. Josh grinned at his young colleagues embarrassment.
Kim, once again dressed in her kimono, rested against Ron's shoulder as he signed and dated the completed drawing, slipping it into his leather folder and half turning, handing it back to her. Kim accepted it gratefully, pulling him in close for another long kiss. Their lips pulled apart only reluctantly and Kim stifled a giggle.
"Thank you" she said, meaning it on more than one level.
Smiling, Kim walked over to one of the side tables, scribbling a note onto a sheet of White Star stationary. Folding it up, she sat it on top of the jewellery box that once again held the Heart of the Ocean, handing both to Ron, along with the folder.
"Put these into the safe for me Ron, please and thank you"
Ron nodded and strode into the wardrobe, slipping the items snugly into place. He took a moment to goggle at the rather blatant wealth contained within the safe and then shook himself out of it, slamming the safe door shut.
Sitting in the First Class smoking room, Drew sat at a table with Colonel Demenz, nursing a brandy sullenly and trying to pretend that he was interested in the Colonel's idiotic opinions. A small movement coming from one of the doorways suddenly caught his attention, and he glanced up in time to see Miss Go giving him a pointed look before ducking back out into the corridor.
"Ah….please excuse me for a moment Colonel. I believe I neglected to …ah … give the porters the time for my early wake up call."
Without waiting for a reply, Drew quickly bounded across the room, stepping out into the corridor and glaring at the pale woman impatiently. She sighed and shook her head at him.
"I've been asking around for over an hour. None of the stewards know where she is"
"Damn it Shego!" he barked out, pausing when he spotted her blanch and stare around them in a panic for sign of eavesdroppers. "What?"
Miss Go hissed in annoyance. "Since when do we use our codenames in public? After all the times you've lectured me about it? 'Not until we take over the world Shego. Not until we take over the world' what happened to that? What's gotten into you anyway?"
Drew snarled and clenched his hand into a fist. "I'm tired of moving so slowly. The minute we get to New York, we're really going to start putting my plans into action" He shook his head, annoyed at the change of subject. "Never mind that now! This is a ship. There are only so many places she can hide. Do whatever it takes, but find my fiancé!"
On the bridge, Captain Director stared out into the blackness ahead of the ship, stirring a cup of tea in her hand. The water around the ship was almost completely motionless, like a vast pool of oil. Second Officer Charles Lightoller walked up behind her, also looking out at the calm sea.
"I don't think I've ever seen such a flat calm before" he said.
The captain nodded, manipulating the slice of lemon in her tea with her spoon.
"It's like a mill pond" she agreed. "Not a breath of wind."
Officer Lightoller frowned slightly. "It will make the icebergs tougher to spot, with no breaking water at the base"
"Mmmmm" replied the Captain indifferently, sipping her tea. "Well I'm going to retire for the evening. Maintain speed and heading Mr Lightoller, though be sure to wake me the moment you believe there is any reason for concern"
"Yes Sir"
Kim, now fully dressed in a warm outfit meant to keep off the bitter chill of the night, emerged from her bedroom and back into the sitting room where Ron was waiting. He smiled and gave her a quick once over with his eye.
"You look nice" he said.
Kim opened her lips to reply, but clamped them shut an instant later as she heard a knock coming from the sitting room door, a key turning in the lock and a familiar female voice drifting through it.
"Miss Possible?" the voice demanded.
Kim grabbed Ron by the hand, yanking him into the bedroom and out of sight just as the door opened, revealing the stern gaze of Miss Go. Miss Go stepped into the room, instantly spotting the displaced furniture and crumpled kimono still lying on the floor. A moment later she heard the soft bang of Kimberly Anne Possible's stateroom door closing, and took off towards the sound of the noise.
Out in the corridor, Ron and Kim made their way away from the suite, believing they had made good their escape when the door leading into Kim's stateroom opened, Miss Go emerging and staring up and down the hallway, doing a double take as she spotted the young couple.
"RUN!" Kim yelped.
Taking off at a run, Miss go hot on their heels, Kim led Ron over to the elevators just as one arrived, diving inside and almost knocking the operator into the back wall.
"Take us down!" Kim demanded, sounding shrill. "Quickly!!"
The operator scrambled to comply and pulled the steel gate shut just as the enraged Miss Go slammed into the bars, her hands balled into fists.
"Princess get back here!!" she growled.
Kim smirked and suddenly flipped Miss Go the middle finger as the elevator descended out of sight, laughing uproariously with Ron. Miss Go, letting out an almost feral sounding roar, turned and ran towards the stairs.
Emerging from the elevator onto E deck, Kim and Ron ran pell-mell through several corridors, heedless of where they were going, jostling several porters and almost knocking over a man pushing a trolley full of dirty dishware. Coming to a halt against a wall opposite a set of double doors, the two stood panting and laughing together.
"That woman is a real piece of work" Ron said breathlessly. "With her attitude, you'd think she was a hired goon."
"There are times I've suspected that she was" Kim admitted.
At that moment Miss Go made an appearance in the connecting corridor through the double doors, her keen senses instantly catching sight of Ron and Kim and her muscles flexing as he barrelled towards them. Taking off again, Kim and Ron ran down several more hallways, suddenly finding themselves at a dead end. Turning back, they heard footfalls approaching rapidly from around the corner. Spotting a single door, Ron grabbed Kim and leapt through it, slamming the door and latching it closed. An instant later the door shook violently, the handle rattling. Seeing no other means of escape from the room save for a single ladder leading downwards, the two looked at each other for a moment and them scrambled down it, Kim taking the lead. They emerged into the gloom of boiler room five, the smoke, heat and orange red haze making it look like a scene straight from Dante's Inferno. Hand in hand the couple ran through the boiler room, dodging between stokers and men wheeling barrows full of coal, the dim light and roar of the fires causing them to go unnoticed by most of the toiling workers, the few who do spot them barely giving them more than passing glances before going back to their labours. After a seemingly long time running, the two come to the end of the boiler rooms, opening another steel door and finding themselves in cargo hold number 2. Wide eyed they make their way between rows of stacked cargo crates, looking around curiously, soon coming to a stop in front of a brand new Renault touring car sitting atop a pallet, its highly polished finish making it look more like Cinderella's magic coach than a mere car. Kim walked up to the passenger door, grinning and clearing her throat loudly. Taking the hint, Ron bowed low and opened the door for her, offering her a hand to help her into the car before clambering into the drivers seat, clutching the wheel.
"Where to miss?" he asked in a faux servile tone.
Kim laughed once. "To the stars!"
Striking like a coiled serpent, she grabbed him, her arms hooking under his and bodily dragging him over the drivers seat and into the back of the car. The two immediately came together in an embrace, their lips meeting and pressing together hungrily, the tips of their tongues dancing in and out of each other's open mouths. Panting softly they broke apart, their eyes meeting and sharing an unspoken understanding. Permission was sought and received.
"Nervous?" Ron asked softly, stroking her cheek.
"No" Kim replied, barely above a whisper.
Taking hold of his hand, Kim began gently kissing his fingertips, savouring the taste of his skin. Smiling, her fingers intertwined with his.
"Touch me Ron" she said, her voice low and husky.
Neither knowing which of them guided his hand, Ron gently cupped her breast through her blouse, pressing her slowly down along the length of the seat, their mouths locking together hungrily, Kim's arms clutching at the back of his neck as she felt the proof of his desire stirring against her.
Halfway up the foremast, in the small half cylinder of the crow's nest, two young men stood huddled against the cold, stamping their feet and rubbing their hands together. The pair are twins, in their early twenties, named Jim and Tim Fleet.
"I can smell ice you know" said Jim, showing off. "When its nearby."
Tim scoffed. "No you can't! We're twins, and if I cant do it, neither can you!"
Jim puffed out his chest in indignation. "Yeah? Well I've got five bucks that says I can do it"
Tim grinned and grabbed his brother's hand, shaking it. "Your on!"
Meanwhile, below them, just outside the bridge house, First Officer Du was standing at attention, his hands resting on the rails. Second Officer Lightoller walked up behind him, sheltering his hands in his pockets.
"Did anyone ever manage to find the binoculars for the lookouts?" asked Lightoller.
"No" replied Du, sounding annoyed. "I have a feeling that they were left behind in Southampton."
"Ah well" said Lightoller, taking out his hands and rubbing them together. "I'm going to go on my rounds. I'll see you in a while."
The rear window of the Renault car was completely fogged over from the activity going on within. A feminine hand suddenly slammed into the glass, holding in place for several seconds before sliding down and out of view. Inside the car Ron and Kim lay together, limbs entangled and panting together, coming down slowly from their orgasmic bliss. Both of their faces were flushed and Ron shivered slightly as he nestled in her embrace.
"You're trembling" Kim said softly, running her fingers through his hair.
"I'm fine" Ron reassured her. "Believe it or not, that was as much a first for me as it was for you. I'm just a little worn out."
Kim smiled and kissed his forehead, gently cupping his face and resting it against her chest, letting the rhythmic thumping of her heartbeat soothe him.
Drew stood beside his safe, clutching the drawing of Kim in his hand, his featured contorted in fury. In his other hand he held the note that Kim wrote for him, his eyes scanning over it once again.
My dear fiancé, now you can keep me locked up tightly within your safe forever, Kim.
Standing behind him, Miss Go peered over his shoulder, seeing the contents of both the drawing and the note for herself.
"Well, well" she said, a trace of mockery in her voice. "Looks like Miss Possible has been a busy girl. I didn't think the prissy little Princess had it in her."
Drew growled loudly, his hands clutching the drawing and almost tearing it in half when he suddenly stopped himself, smiling cunningly.
"I think I have a way to deal with that buffoon, once and for all"
Two stewards, who had been informed by the boiler room workers that passengers were running amok where they weren't supposed to be, entered the cargo hold, their large electric torches casting beams of light against rows of cargo. As they two men stalked their way through the hold, one spotted the Renault touring car, a single handprint marking its fogged over rear window. Snapping his fingers once to get his colleagues attention the two snuck up to the car, keeping their torch beams low. Grabbing the door handle he held up his free hand, showing three fingers. He dropped one finger, then a second. The moment the third finger fell he yanked open the door hard, both men leaping forward and pointing their torches into the cars interior.
"GOTCHA!!" one yelled triumphantly.
It took a moment for him to realise that there was nobody currently occupying the vehicle, and he dropped his head in embarrassment for a moment before turning to continue the search.
Kim and Ron emerged onto the deck through a crew door, laughing together and embracing each other as much for physical gratification as to stave off the biting chill of the wind. Up above them in the crow's nest, Jim heard the noise below and peared down at them curiously. Kim nuzzled her cheek against Ron's, oblivious to the cold around her.
"Ron I've made up my mind" she said. "When this ship reaches New York harbour, I'm getting off with you."
Ron jolted in shock, holding Kim at arms length, looking at her with a mingled combination of uncertainty and desperate hope.
"Are you sure you want to do that Kim?"
Kim smiled brilliantly and pressed her lips gently to his. "I've never been more certain of anything in my entire life. That's why I know its right."
Smiling back, Ron pulled her close and the two again clung to each other, kissing passionately. Looking from above, Jim wrinkled his nose in disgust at the scene.
"Ugh!" he said in annoyance. "Get a room"
"Huh?" asked Tim, pushing over to see what his brother was looking at. "Oh! Ick! Mushy stuff!" he said, his own nose wrinkling. "Still they look like they're a lot warmer than we are."
Jim snorted and pushed his brother back over to his own side of the crow's nest, looking away from the romantic display taking place below them.
"Yeah well if that's what it takes to be warm" Jim groused. "I'd sooner freeze"
The two laughed together and turned back to attend to their duty. It took only a second for the laughter to die on Jim's lips, his eyes widening in shock. He heard his brother gasping in shock a heartbeat later. Looming out the darkness, directly in the ships path was an enormous iceberg, barely visible in the darkness at a distance of 500 yards. Their voices rang out in unison.
"Hicka-bicka-DAMN!"
Jim grabbed and rang the lookouts warning bell three times, then scooped up the telephone in front of them, calling the bridge. Precious seconds passed in silence as he waited for a reply.
"Come on!" he yelled urgently. "Pick up the phone!!"
Hearing the bell, First Officer Du turned and stared out in front of the ship, trying to spot the trouble. At the same moment, Second Officer Lightoller calmly walked over to the ringing telephone inside the bridge, answering it.
Is anyone there!?" came Jims panicked voice before the officer could speak.
"Yes" replied Lightoller with concern. "What do you see?"
"ICEBERG!" screamed Jim."RIGHT AHEAD!"
Dun dun dun! Sorry to end on such an obvious cliffhanger, but I needed to find a place to end the chapter, and this seemed as good as any. The next chapter will most likely be the last, running on until the end of the story. Stay tuned!