Hi! Sorry about not uploading in a loooooooong time… I just figured out how to upload the chapters I wrote. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: hey, does anyone know if we have to do this every time? Anyway, I only own my renditions of the characters. Not any of the actual script. Or the movie characters. Even Jack, which depresses me.

Beth's POV

I was in a silvery dress and getting ready for dinner. My one train of thought was, I am worried, what is Cass doing now?

See, my sister needed to think ahead. There were only a few days left on the ship until we died, or, many people died. Rose didn't. I didn't know what happens if I did, and I hadn't seen Rosie in about a millennium, it seemed. She was down in the third class area. I felt so… helpless. I had no control over anything, and knew about nothing. All I knew was I needed to speak to them both.

Sigh. I had an inkling something would go wrong tonight. After all, my teenaged sister was in a room with Jack Dawson.

Cass's POV

I walked into the giant room, with the dome on the top and the bustling people in their finery. I pulled up my white gloves to their rightful place above my elbows, as they were constantly slipping down to my wrists. My dress was a beautiful ruby and black, with jewels on the bodice and a low cut that I knew would make Beth would kill me if I wore back home.

I spotted Jack at the same time Cal did, imitating a gentleman's stance, one arm elegantly behind his back. Cal walked right past him, nodding familiarly to him. I hid a grin as I walked up to him, and held out a hand. To my only partial surprise, Jack bent down and kissed it. The back of my hand tingled where his lips touched it, and I blushed, smiling profusely. I couldn't stop staring at him. He looked amazing in anything, but the tuxedo suit thingy he was wearing set off his wonderful blonde hair, which was slicked back, and the angles in his cheeks.

"I saw that in a Nickelodeon once, and I've always wanted to do it," he murmured against my hand, and I felt his lips curve into a smile. I snickered, pressing my lips together in an attempt to stay quiet, then called Cal over.

"Cal, surely you remember Mr. Dawson." Cal looked at him, then did a comical double-take that had me shaking in silent laughter. I settled down as Cal raised one eyebrow in disbelief.

"Dawson! I didn't recognize you!" He studied him, then nodded appreciatively. "Amazing. You could almost pass as a gentleman."

Jack's face went tight as he replied, "Almost." I rolled my eyes. Leave it to Cal. The only thing that surprised me was that my mother hadn't delivered that comment. I squeezed Jack's hand, which I was still holding, and led him after Cal and my mother.

"There's the countess Rothes," I explained, pointing out notable people that I found interesting from Rose's knowledge. "Oh, and there's John Jacob Astor, the richest man on the ship. His little wifey there, Madeline, is my age and in a delicate condition. See how she's trying to hide it? Quite the scandal… And over there, that's Sir Cosmo and Lucile, Lady Duff-Gordon. She designs naughty lingerie, among her many talents. Very popular with the royals. And that's Benjamin Guggenheim and his mistress, Madame Aubert. Mrs. Guggenheim is at home with the children." I paused for a moments, then said sarcastically, "Of course."

Molly Brown ambled over, grinning widely. "Care to escort a lady to dinner?" she asked, and Jack held out his arm. She took it. "Ain't nothin' to it, is there, Jack? Remember, the only thing they respect is money, so just pretend like you're the heir to a gold mine and you're in the club."

Astor and his wife strolled over, obviously keen on meeting the new 'member of the club,' as Molly put it. "J.J, Madeline, I'd like you to meet Jack Dawson." Astor put his hand out and shook Jack's, while Madeline raised her eyebrows at me. I blushed.

"Good to meet you, Jack," Astor said, almost hyping up the whole 'I'm a big man and older so respect me' tone. "Are you of the Boston Dawsons?" Apparently, a rich family had Jack's name. Interesting… Well, Astor would have to be disappointed with the truth. I opened my mouth to tell him that he was a man that saved my life.

"No, the Chippewa Falls Dawsons, actually," Jack grinned before I could get out a word. I closed my mouth quickly. Well, that was the truth. And by the way Astor nodded confusedly, it would take him a long time to figure out there were no Chippewa Falls Dawsons he would know of.

Madeline leaned in. giggling, and confided softly, "It's a pity we're both spoken for, isn't it?" I nodded slyly, one unspoken response running through my head. Not if I had anything to say about it.

Jack didn't sit next to me. Instead, I was wedged between my mother and Cal, like a protective barrier. Molly was next to my mother, then Jack. I met his eye. He must have been so nervous, but he didn't show it. And, like Astor, the whole group assumed he was one of them. At least, until Mother opened her mouth.

"Tell us of the accommodations in steerage, Mr. Dawson. I hear they're quite good on this ship." I could tell Mother was trying to start something, to get Jack to stutter, falter, something. But Jack did none of those things. He didn't even pause.

"The best I've seen, ma'am. Hardly any rats." There was a general sprinkling of laughter, hidden by a few coughs. I cleared my throat and motioned for Jack to put his napkin on his lap. Then I looked at my many forks and knives and spoons. Good thing I had been forced to take etiquette this year, or I wouldn't know to work my way in.

The waiter came by and got to Jack first. "How would you like your caviar, sir?" he asked politely. Jack shook his head quickly.

"No caviar for me, thanks. I never did like it much." He looked at me, his face absolutely serious, and I smiled, coughing a bit as I tried not to laugh. My mother caught this and narrowed her eyes. I braced myself- she was determined to get Jack disliked.

"And where exactly do you live, Mr. Dawson?" she asked tensely.

"Well, right now, my address is the RMS Titanic. After that, I'm on God's good humor." He nodded and dug into his salad. I bit my lip, noticing he used his fish fork. Molly, thank god, nudged him and picked up his salad fork. Surreptitiously, he switched utensils.

"You find that sort of rootless existence appealing, do you?" my mother pressed, making it clear that she didn't. Jack ignored this implied understatement.

"Well, it's a big world, and I want to see it all before I go." That statement made my stomach clench as I remembered what happened at the end of the movie, and I silently vowed to change his future. "My father was always talking about going to see the ocean. He died in the town he was born in, and never did see it. You can't wait around, because you never know what hand you're going to get dealt next. See, my folks died in a fire when I was fifteen, and I've been on the road ever since. Some thing like that teaches you to take life as it comes at you. To make each day count."

The table was silent for a moment, each person digesting Jack's words. Mother had a pinched look on her face, and looked like a sullen toddler. Molly Brown, who had a knack for getting on my mother's last nerve, spoke up. "Well said, Jack." A gentleman at the table replied with a 'hear hear!'

I noticed how annoyed my mother was getting, and decided to take this opportunity to show my appreciation for the speech and get on my mother's nerve. I raised my glass. "To making it count," I said evenly, meeting Jack's gaze. He smiled as the table echoed my statement.

Ruth, not to be outdone, continued with the second Spanish Inquisition. "How is it you have the means to travel, Mr. Dawson?" she asked in mock politeness. I looked up sharply. How rude was she? Jack, as always, seemed unperturbed.

"I work my way from place to place. Tramp steamers and such. I won my ticket on Titanic here in a lucky hand at poker." He glanced at me, and grinned. "A very lucky hand," he added, and I blushed, sneaking a look at Ruth's face. She did not miss that reference, judging by the sour look on her face. I looked back down at my dinner.

The dinner continued on, my mother stopping the questioning and just sitting silently. I commented once and a while, but mostly just ate quietly. Finally, the men got their cigars out and I sighed, leaning over to talk to Jack as Cal got up.

"Next it'll be brandies in the Smoking Room," I whispered, and giggled in a hushed tone as the man next to me and asked the men to join him in the Smoking Room for a brandy. Jack chuckled too, then laughed outright, albeit quietly, when I continued: "Now they retreat into a cloud of smoke and congratulate themselves on being masters of the universe." Thank you, Rose. I was being funny around a guy I was developing a serious crush on! I wasn't stuttering like an imbecile!

"Joining us, Dawson?" a man said, looking at Jack. "You don't want to stay out here with the women, do you?" He gave a hearty laugh. I clenched my teeth, holding back a nasty comeback about how women had much better things to do with their time then sit around with fat old men like himself anyway. After all, it wasn't like back then women actually did have anything better to do, at least that they were allowed to do.

"No, thanks," Jack replied, scraping back his chair and standing up. "I'll be heading back." My face fell. Crap, he was leaving already?

"Jack, must you go?" I beseeched him, not wanting him to leave. He grinned down at me and took my hand, bending down over it.

"Time for my coach to turn back into a pumpkin," he replied, right before his lips rested on my hand for the second time that night. They stayed there for a moment longer then necessary, then he straightened up, and, nodding goodnight to every one at the table, strode away. I watched him leave, then realized my hand was clamped around something. A piece of paper! I looked nervously around, then opened the folded bit of parchment under the table. It read, 'Make it count. Meet me at the clock."

I raised my eyebrow. Ok… fine. I would. Better then sticking around here anyway, and I would get to see Jack! Spurred by that happy thought, I leapt up. When Ruth gave me a look, I muttered a quick excuse and ran as fast as I could in my heavy gown up the stairs. Jack was waiting with his back towards me, studying the clock intently. He turned as I reached him, saw me, and smiled.

"Want to go to a real party?"

The music was loud, and there were people dancing everywhere. I laughed and clapped as I watched Jack dancing with a girl that couldn't be more then five, as a man tried to speak to me. "I'm sorry, I can't hear you!" I yelled, accepting a pint of beer from a passing man. As I watched, I heard a crashing sound. A man had fallen over, obviously drunk. A couple of others picked him up, the offered him another beer. I laughed, enjoying the carefree attitude of the party.

Everyone clapped as the music ended. Then another song started up, and Jack bent down to look the little girl in the eye. "I'm gonna dance with her now, alright?" he said, pointing to me. My jaw dropped. What? I couldn't dance! Also… well, I was gonna be dancing with Jack, my crush. God, this night was messy. "C'mon," he said to me.

"What?" I asked fearfully.

"C'mon!" he said again, and grabbed my hand. "Come with me."

I was led onto the dance floor, protesting the whole time. "Jack! Wait." I looked up into his eyes, and they were twinkling. But I was dead serious. How was I supposed to dance something I didn't know? Rose didn't know it either, so I knew I was in trouble. "I can't do this."

Jack smiled at me reassuringly. "Well, we're gonna have to get a bit closer." Wait- this was a comfortable distance! But Jack put his hand on my waist and drew me close. "Like this." I whimpered softly. Oh God, oh God…

I noticed the little girl glaring at me resentfully, and Jack obviously did too, because he turned his head towards her. "You're still my best girl, Cora." Cora perked up noticeably. I couldn't help but grin a little at this. She was so cute! Then he turned back to me.

"I don't know this dance!" I tried again. Jack grinned.

"Neither do I. Just go with it!" I laughed nervously. We began to prance around, and I became very aware of how close our faces were. "Don't think!" he cried, and we plunged into the fray. I squeezed my eyes shut, little screams erupting comically from my mouth.

"Wait! Jack, wait, no, ah!" He whirled me around, then dragged me up onto the raised dance floor. His feet began to move, tapping out a rhythm in time to the music. I watched, interested. He was good. Really, really good. Laughing, I tore off my shoes and tossed them to a girl in the crowd. If he could, so could I. I copied him step for step, adding a few flourishes of my own. Jack looked at me, then my feet, his brow puckering. I grinned, cocky, up at him and he beamed back. Then he did a more difficult step. I did it too, matching and adding on. Then he looped his arm through mine and we spun around, both laughing. Then Jack grabbed both my hands and leaned back, forcing me to do the same. We began to spin around. "Jack? No!" I objected, and watched as he grinned then opened his mouth and yelled out. I screamed back, the actions almost a call and answer.

Once the dance had ended, Jack drew me over to a table where two men were arm wrestling and grabbed us both beers. He took a sip, but I chugged mine, thirsty from the exertion of dancing. I looked up and grinned. "What, you think a first class girl can't drink?" Then I laughed, a bit drunk from adrenaline.

Then a man crashed into me, spilling his beer all over my dress. Jack grabbed the front of his shirt and shoved him away. "Hey, get out of here." He turned to me, concerned. "You OK?" But I was laughing, thinking of the look that would be on my mother's face if she were here.

The winner of the arm wrestling match called a two out of three, but before they could start on the next round, I stopped them. So," I began, taking a cigarette out of the winner's mouth and taking a drag. "You think you're big, tough men? Let's see you do this." I picked up the hem of my dress and handed it to Jack. "Hold this for me." I raised my arms, copying a ballerina's first position arms, then slowly rose onto demi-pointe, raise my arms at the same time. Then I did the real trick- I rolled up onto my bare toes. My face contracted in pain, and I could only hold the stance for a few seconds before I fell. Jack caught me, and as I relaxed in his arms, I explained, "I haven't done that in years!" Another dance started, and I grabbed Jack's hand. This time, I was pulling him into the crowd, and I laughed as my hair whipped around me.

Yup, I had a massive crush on Jack.