Chapter 4

Lights' head spun to Pitman's face, "Mind your tongue or someone will mind it for you! Or shall I have to report your behavior to the Captain?"

Mumbling unpleasant words beneath his breath Pitman left the bridge.

"I'm sorry about that," Lights apologized. "Some men are no gentlemen."

Mayda nodded at Lights' words though she couldn't think of anything to say.

"Have you been given a tour of Titanic?"

"Yes, Harry--I mean--Mister Lowe was kind enough to give me a basic tour.

"Good, good." Biting his tongue Lights managed to keep from commenting on how James would constantly get lost. Not that Lights could joke about it, he had been there himself on several occasions.

After speaking to Captain Smith about his over sleeping Harry's face was as red as a tomato. It wasn't HIS fault that when the crew was allowed to sleep they were so exhausted they were about ready to drop where they stood.

Being allowed to leave Harry took in the sea air and glanced up the crow's nest where he only saw Fleet. So where was his partner in crime Lee?

As if on cue Lee appeared carrying a large bucket. Harry watched as he walked to the crow's nest and carried it all the way up with him. How Lee managed to do that Harry didn't know and wasn't sure he wanted to know. It had to be a well-practiced art.

Going against his gut Harry decided to follow them.

"Ooooh, excellent," Fleet muttered once Lee appeared.

"We can make a dozen more water bombs with these," Lee enthusiastically responded.

"What is it with you two and your water bombs?" Harry asked while shaking his head. "You two are impossible!"

Fleet and Lee shrugged in unison. If it were possible Harry was convinced those two shared a brain.

Lee glanced over the crow's nest to see Mayda come out of the bridge with Lights. "Ooooo, want us to drop a water bomb on that pretty stewardess?"

"What?! No!!" Harold shrieked.

"Ooo, someone's in love."

"I am not!" Harold continued, his face turning seven shades of crimson.

Behind Lee's back Fleet grabbed himself the biggest bomb he could find, "Then you wouldn't mind…"

"No!"

Too late. The water bomb was released from Fleet's hands.

Mayda shrieked when the cold water hit her.

"Why am I surrounded by idiots?!" Harry shouted.

Mayda's scream caused Kristen to run out onto the bridge like lightning. "Is everyone alright?" "Yes, everyone's fine, I'm just a little wet, that's all." Mayda responded, shaking some water off her. "Those two are going to get a piece of my mind." Kristen said, pulling her leather gloves on sharply, while walking away. "Ooooh, I actually feel bad for them for once." Lights sighed. "Why?" "Kristen has a bit of a, well, a temper. She's quick to make sure everyone is okay, then goes and yells at whoever caused the initial problem." Lights simply stated to Mayda. Meanwhile, Kristen had made her way up to the Crow's Nest and knocked on the trap door. Fleet opened it, and once he saw her, he screamed: "AH! WICKED WITCH!" and shut it again. She frowned, and banged on it this time. She was eventually let in by Harold, and fleet and Lee knew immediately that they were in trouble. "Don't give me that look, Reginald." "Oooof….Reginald." Fleet laughed. "You as well, Fredrick." "Oooof…..how does it feel?" Lee retorted. "I will not have you two constantly wreaking havoc on this ship!" "And who says?" "I said, now give me the bombs." Kristen stated, sticking her hand out. "With pleasure." Lee smiled, as he held up a bomb and pelted her smack in the face. Harold began to laugh, as Kristen stood there, in shock. She shook her head, and began the descend down the ladder. She stomped onto the bridge angrily with a huge red mark on her face, to get a very surprised look from Mr. Moody.

"Goodness, what happened to you?" James exclaimed. "You look like you were hit with Fleet's and Lee's--"

"Water bombs, yes Mr. Moody," Lights interrupted.

"Oh dear…"

"Oh dear indeed Mister Moody."

James watch as Kristen began to walk away. Almost immediately he began to chase after her, "Kristen! Are you hurt?"

Harry took a place beside Mayda who was busy wringing out her apron.

"Do you need to change?" Harry asked.

"No, I think once I dry out I should be fine," Mayda answered. "Besides, we stewardesses are given only ONE dress."

"The sun is out," Lights offered trying to be helpful.

"I'll dry off soon enough," Mayda responded.

"Perhaps you should go out into the sun. It won't do anyone any good having an ill stewardess," Harry said.

"Why Lowe, if I didn't know any better I'd say you desperately cared for this sweet Irish lass…" Lights began.

"An' who are you callin' a sweet Irish lass?" Mayda shot back.

It took all Harry had to keep from laughing out loud. "Perhaps you were confusing dearest Josephine with our stewardess Mayda."

"Oh, go back to wandering the decks," Lights said. "Now don't give me that look, I rank you."

"He needs to learn how to be a man instead of a boy! Maybe we should consult Mr. Moody." Mayda said, rolling her eyes. Lights laughed a hearty laugh. "Mr. Moody? Are you KIDDING me?" "No, he seems quite, sophisticated with women." Mayda shrugged. "Mr. Moody and the word sophisticated don't exactly make a good pair." Lights said softly, as Kristen and James reappeared.

"Oh, such a beautiful night, isn't it?" James asked. "Indeed. If Mr. Lightoller permits, I think we should go take a walk." Kristen said the last part loudly so he could hear. He turned around, shrugged his shoulders, and replied, "You rank me, you decide what is going on here. I'll be fine, go on." They smiled at each other, and walked off the bridge. Mayda actually felt a pang of jealousy go through her. "Jealous, Miss Mayda?" Lights questioned. "What?! No!" she said. "I understand. I honestly don't know how she fell for him though. I can't figure it out." "A woman's heart is complex, as is her mind." "Well said, Miss Mayda." Lights commented with a nod. Meanwhile, Kristen and James were strolling about the decks, talking, laughing, and having a grand time.

James offered Kristen his arm with a warm smile, "The night is lovely but it's even lovelier with such fine company."

Kristen reacted with a laugh and a small blush, "I bet you say that to all the women, Mister Moody."

James shook his head, "Only the ones named Kristen Petronsky."

Harry leaned as far against the window as he could to see Kristen and James. "I do believe he's flirting Lights! And flirting well!"

"You lot are impossible!" Mayda jokingly exclaimed. "I will never know how children became officers of the grand Titanic!"

"Children?" Lights repeated. He tried his best to act surprised by Mayda's exclamation but his eyes were smiling. "Oh no, dear YOU, Mister Moody, and Mister Lowe are children." He placed his hand against his chest in a grand gesture, "I am a gentleman."

"Then why is Josephine eleven years younger than you? Taken to robbing the cradle, have you Lights?"

"Do I need to kick you off the bridge?"

"My shift doesn't start for another hour."

"Do I need to tell Miss Mayda about the potato incident?"

Mayda raised an eyebrow at those words, "Potato…incident? What?"

"Leaving!" Harry exclaimed. He seized Mayda's wrist, pulling her towards him, "Come along Miss Mayda! No time to waste!"

As James escorted Kristen he looked to her, "If you forgive my prying, Kristen, what made you decide to become an officer?"

I don't mind at all. And it's not prying, it's a question. My Uncle was an Officer. I always wanted to be like him." "Intriguing. And how is it that your hands are still perfect?" James asked, picking one of her hands up. Kristen blushed a tad, and replied: "And how is it, that you know?" James laughed: "Well, I'm holding one, aren't I?" "Yes, that you are." "Ah! Red alert! Hand holding!" Harry exclaimed, as him and Mayda were on the walkway. "Aw, that's charming!" she exclaimed. "Ugh, you are such a woman." "What else would I be?!" Mayda snapped, "I dunno." Harry laughed. On the deck, James and Kristen had continued their walk along the deck. It was indeed a beautiful night, and there was a beautiful sunset as well.

"Honestly Mister Lowe, you are worse than half the gossiping stewardesses here!" Mayda announced.

Harry folded his arms across his chest as he stared at Mayda's brown eyes.

"I've never seen someone so in love and yet so unwilling to admit it," James whispered to Kristen. He continued to gently hold Kristen's hand in his and said in a louder voice, "Come, let us watch the sunset together."

"Those two are such opposites," Kristen remarked.

"Aw, let's not worry about them tonight. Let's think about us." James led Kristen to the railing of the ship and leaned against it.

Harry and Mayda continued their small spat as the sun set around them.

"I'm a woman! What do you expect me to be? A man?" Mayda snapped.

"You're aboard a man's ship!"

"You--you--" Mayda tried her hardest to think of words either in her native Irish or English but no words would come. "Welshman!"

Harry raised an eyebrow at that. He watched helplessly as Mayda walked away from them.

Quietly stepping outside the bridge Lights looked at Harry. As he spoke he sounded more like a father figure rather than a superior officer, "Evening and a show. You Welsh really know how to entertain. Now let her calm down and then go and talk to her."

Pursing his lips James turned back to the sunset, "Harry sometimes speaks before he thinks; but it'll be alright."

Kristen looked to James who smiled at her.

"You know, they say the best sunsets are at sea," James said, changing the subject. He looked over at Kristen as the orange light danced across her face. His eyes looked into her blue eyes and then down the rest of her face.

He knew he wanted to kiss her. But could he? Would she slap him? Would he be spotted and get into a court marshal?

His mind spun with all the potential outcomes. He decided to play it safe and take Kristen's hand in his. He raised the back of her delicate hand to his face and kissed it.

As he looked up, he was afraid of what her eyes would say, or worse, her face. However, when he looked up, he saw only sheer happiness. He smiled at her, and to his surprise, she leaned in and kissed him. He couldn't react, that's how shocked he was. It took him awhile, but when he finally discovered what was happening, he lost all control that he had, and took over. He grabbed her even closer to him, and deepened the kiss. It seemed as if they were frozen in time, nothing else was inn the world, except for the two of them. Back on the bridge, Lights' eyes were frozen on Kristen and James. "I'll be goddamned." he whispered. Harry continued to walk to Mayda. "Listen, I'm really sorry." "It's alright Mr. Lowe, I get it all the time." Mayda said as she turned, pushing a stray strand of hair off her face. "Why would someone ever say that to you?" he questioned gently moving towards her. "I do believe that is not yours to know." Mayda sighed, walking away once more. "Wait! No! Mayda!"