Xx~Chapter 3~ Meeting Mr Dawson.~xX
"I won't go without you."
"Aurora, you've /got/ to think of Zoe..."
The firing of the gun caused Zoe to huddle more into Joseph Boxhall's coat, frightened as her mamma and William quarrelled quietly.
"HENRY NO!"
The sound of another flare.
"S'alright." soothed Joe, patting her small back gently.
"JOE! TAKE THIS ONE! WILL CAN HELP ME WITH COLLAPSABLE A!"
"ALRIGHT LIGHTS!"
Zoe glanced to the side to see Mr Dawson stood there.
He forced a small grin at her and winked despite the chaos, her Auntie Rose was right by his side, and looked like she'd already been in the water once.
Her mother let out a shocked squeal then as the Will picked her up bridal style and plonked her in the boat before taking her from Joe an handing her to Aurora.
Zoe's eyes snapped open into pure darkness. It wasn't until a few moments later when she realised that Evan's arm was around her waist as he slept soundly beside her.
She gazed up at the ceiling, sighing softly, trying to rid the horrid dream what had also been reality.
She turned and snuggled close into Evan, forcing herself to try and go back to sleep, but within those few minutes of which she had fallen back to sleep, she had another dream...
She tottered beside Auntie Rose in her lilac dress, the little ribbons on her bonnet billowed in the wind.
"Jack? How'd you get up here?"
She stared at the blonde haired boy who merely grinned at Rose in response.
"Well it wasn't hard if that's what y'mean."
Zoe huddled behind Rose's dress shyly, clinging to her arm.
"Well hello," laughed 'Jack', kneeling down to her height.
"Oh, careful she's ever so shy." said Rose quickly.
"Ah she don't need t' be shy of ol' me now," he grinned at her.
Rose laughed as Zoe hid further behind her.
"Zoe, this is my friend, Jack. Jack this is my god daughter Zoe. She's also Mr Andrews's granddaughter."
"Oh, hangin out with the big boys huh?" he giggled as Zoe shuffled forward curiously, half furrowing her small brow, wondering whether to laugh or not.
"It's alright you can laugh, it was supposed to be funny." he whispered, winking at her.
She beamed then, giggling into Rose's dress.
"She's adorable."
"I know. Though I must admit, I've never seen her quite so shy before."
"So why're you on babysittin' duty anyways?" he probed.
"Actually I offered." replied Rose.
"Oh you did, huh?" he folded his arms and laughed as she shoved him playfully.
"Ro's walking the deck with Officer Murdoch." she whispered, clearly amused.
"Wonder what Mr A makes o' that."
"He's difficult to read." shrugged Rose. "But he only wants the best for her, as any normal parent would." she finished, emphasising the word 'normal'.
"Bet your pa's mission you huh?"he said , kneeling back down to Zoe.
"He's dead, Jack." said Rose awkwardly.
"Ah gee...gee I didn't know. /shit/ the poor kid. How?"
"Mooring cable accident apparently." replied Rose sadly, watching Zoe like a hawk.
Sadness loomed in the atmosphere then. He felt bad for the kid as she twirled around in her own little world, not really understanding what had happened.
"Mr Andrews sort of doubles up as her father I guess."
"Well she couldn't have gotten anyone better I guess."
"No, I guess she couldn't." agreed Rose.
A loud splash averted their attention then.
"Hey!"
Jack picked Zoe up then, placing her little feet on the railing, both arms pinned either side of her so she wouldn't fall.
"Y see him?" he cried, pointing to the dolphin.
Rose leaned over too, gazing at the dolphin.
"Look look- there's another. There's a whole bunch of 'em!"
Jack pointed out the dolphins to the tot.
"Wow, look at that one!" He pointed again as one leapt clear out of the water before diving back in again.
Again she woke up, running a hand through her blonde hair and sighing softly.
"Zo?"
"Mhm?"
She felt Evan kiss her shoulder lovingly, his arms wrapped lightly around her waist.
"What's the matter?" he murmured, his warm breath landed on the bare skin on her neck.
"Nothing love," she lied.
He propped himself up, so that he could look at her.
"Zo don't lie to me," he murmured quietly.
She turned to him, the light reflected her Bambi like eyes.
"Well... Oh Evan it's the Titanic." she muttered.
"I don't get you Zo."
"She's the same design and everything." she muttered.
"You mean you can remember it?" he asked in disbelief.
"Everything. From the bloody boiler room to that damn glass dome." she mumbled. Snuggling into him.
"Zo, this ship won't sink. I won't let it." he vowed quietly as she leaned into him.
"Oh Evan I know you won't." she murmured softly.
He dropped a kiss on her head then lovingly and pulled her close into his arms.
"What were you dreaming about?"
"Jack Dawson."
"Who?"
"A nice man on the ship who died. He was Rose's friend."
"Oh..."
"He showed me the dolphins." she mumbled tiredly.
"You dreamt about dolphins?"
"Yeah."
His chest shook then as he laughed silently which made her smile.
"I'm surprised you remembered any of it at all."
January, 1927, sports hall, Warsash Maritime and Navigation Academy, Southampton. "Now you might not always have your senses available!" Joseph Boxhall's voice echoed around the hall.
"So, we're going to play a little game that will put you in that awkward situation."
Zoe leant on the cold brick wall as she watched Joseph hand them each a blindfold.
"Oh no." she mumbled as he handed her one.
"Oh yes." he mused, passing them down the line.
Once he'd handed the group their blindfolds, he picked up a football.
Laughter erupted throughout the hall.
"Alright, pipe down."
The bell rattled in the ball.
"We're going to have a game of blind man's football. So you'll have no sight. You'll have to use the rest of your senses instead. If you hit the wall here with the ball, it's a goal."
Zoe reluctantly fastened the blindfold over her eyes tightly.
"If you can see light, I want you to double fold it so it'll be blocked out."
She could sense Joe grinning wickedly, obviously knowing that this would be an entire disaster.
"Alright? Set?" And then, the whistle went.
The first thing to happen was that the entire group burst into fits of laughter as they tried to
"Murdoch, get the hell off of that wall," he bellowed jokingly.
"Use your common sense, it's a blocked route, so what would you do?"
"Turn around?"
"Well go on then."
He was laughing now, clearly enjoying himself while the rest of them looked like a complete bunch of muppets.
"Umph."
"Sorry Zo,"
She felt the hand then as it pulled her back to her feet.
"Marshal, this is a one on one game, if you were boxing would you help the opponent up?"
"No sir!"
"Well then what the hell are you doing?"
Zoe could hear Evan laughing at Joe."Good sportsmanship sir."
She heard Joseph laughing then, just as an alarm brought her back to the present.
She smiled as she felt Evan stir, clearly still tired.
He nuzzled her neck, sighing softly.
She turned to face him, kissing him lovingly.
"You don't want to be late," she mused quietly as he started a trail of kisses down her neck.
She smiled, enjoying the attention.
"Put it on snooze."
She laughed, her fingers lacing through the back of his hair as he kissed her collarbone.
"It's not a holiday for you, Y'know," she mused as he stole a kiss.
He pouted, making her laugh again.
He sat up then, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
"Look at that. It's not even bloody light." he muttered, flicking on the bedside lamp and shuffling into his slippers.
"Don't walk into the desk this time."
She smirked as he lazily shuffled around and over to the wardrobe to pull out his uniform.
She watched him pull out a crisp White shirt which she had ironed before they had boarded and watched him slip it on and button it up.
"Any plans for today?" he asked, fastening his tie.
She sat upright, enjoying the scene of a half dressed mariner.
"Not really." she replied, hugging a pillow as she watched him slip his trousers on.
"There's a cinema on the second floor."
"I am not going to the cinema by myself, I'll look a muppet."
"No you won't, tell you what, I'll treat you to that Marilyn Monroe film later if you like."
Zoe blinked at him in disbelief.
"Only cause you fancy her."
"Rubbish."
"Is it?"
"You know full well it is."
She watched him put his hat on before he turned and strolled over to her, perching back on the bed.
"She's not a notch on you," he murmured before leaning over and kissing her lovingly.
Zoe moaned softly into the kiss, disappointed when he tapped her nose playfully before he stood and left.
She sighed softly, tying her hair back in a pony tail before looking at the clock and scowling.
It was four thirty am.
Sighing, she stood up and drew the curtains shut again and clambered back into bed, falling back to sleep.