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Disclaimer: Anna Lyn Connor and other unknown characters belong to me. Everyone else (who is NOT in the movie) is real. Any of the enjoyable characters of James Cameron's movie belongs to him, along with all of the legalities and technicalities.

I thank you so much for sticking to this story. It makes me so happy I can break out in a dance!

Asides from that, enjoy!

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11 April 1912, Early Morning

Of course the task that Murdoch was assigned to didn't get done until late in the morning. Right after his night shift when Officer Wilde was about to ask Murdoch to tend to his other duties, the man merely avoided eye contact and went straight to his cabin. Nobody liked the redundant task of checking the holds. Murdoch wanted to pay one of the off-duty junior officers to do it for him. Perhaps, Moody would be willing if he'd slipped him a small pence or two.

However that had its consequences. If Wilde found out that he had passed on his duties to Moody, or Mr. I-Like-To-Keep-To-My-Self-Lowe, he would be forced to live down in the holds for the rest of the voyage. Wilde had amazing powers like that and he wasn't afraid to use it against Murdoch!

"I would rather be standing around the bridge doing nothing than coming down here," Lightoller proclaimed when they finally got down cool holds. "How did you manage to get Wilde to cover for me? And why?"

Murdoch didn't turn to look at the man beside him but looked around for the clipboard. "I explained to him that checking the vast holds was a two-man job, and the only available officer was you."

"Go on," Lightoller insisted, interested in his friend's conniving ways.

"Since, Mood and Boxhall is on duty, and Lowe and Pitman are either sleeping or tending to the Captain, that leaves you, my good friend."

"And Wilde agreed to take over for an extra hour or so?"

"I traded one of my hours for it."

Lightoller blinked. "You're going to make me do all of the work, aren't you?"

Murdoch chuckled. "Exactly! As first officer of the Titanic, I command you, Charles Lightoller, to check the holds while I stand out outside and wait."

The second officer laughed along with his friend and threw the clipboard that he had found a moment earlier at him. "In your dreams, Will!"

Anna stirred slightly at the sound of unfamiliar voices echoing against the metal hull. She pulled her sticky face off the floor, and groaned as the stiffness in her neck settled in. She felt old.

"Only the finest for the rich," Murdoch mumbled as he grazed his eyes through each of the crates.

The slightly Scottish-hinted-accented voice made Anna froze in her spot. She was out of options. Her worst fear of being caught was staring at her dead in the face. If she moved from her spot, her shadow and sounds would catch their attention. If she tried to run for it, where would she go? Sure there were two ways in and out, but one led to the boilers, and the other God knows where!

"What a waste of space," another voice proclaimed. This time, Anna knew it was an English man, rather than Scottish. "Crates of the finest teas of India, and what is this? Well, would you look at this, Will!"

Anna peeked slightly over the crates to see where the voices were coming from. She could see two men with their backs turned away from her, admiring the car. From their stance, and crisp uniform, even Anna knew they were the officers of this grand ship.

"It would take a year's pay to get one of these," the Scottish one proclaimed, admiring the smooth paneling.

"I would think more! Goodness, what would Sylvia think if I'd returned home with an automobile as grand as this one."

"She would think you are a thief, and allow you to sleep with the dogs outside until you'd explained to her how you'd obtained such a commodity that wasn't common to our kind."

"Will, do us some honor! We are as good as any of the first class passengers."

The Scot sighed. "In our dreams, Lights."

"A man can dream as big as he wishes, Will. God will not reprimand him for wanting to dream."

Anna pulled back after the men lapsed into silence as they fell into their respective thoughts. The stowaway looked around for a way out. She could try to walk as silently as she could behind them, and make her way out of the hold. Of course, the door had a large possibility of it squeaking, but she could just run away as fast as she could.

The woman sighed as fear gripped at her heart, testing her on her strength and ability of getting out of this situation alive. She bent her head low, and prayed for the Lord's protection and shield before she pulled up whatever courage she had left in her heart and gathered her things. She looked over the crates again, and to her horror, the men weren't there anymore.

What was even worst, she couldn't find them until…

"Well, what do we have here?" The English man proclaimed from behind her, and Anna's soul froze over like a cold day in Hell. The color drained from her face, and her courage dropped her knees. She didn't take the time to look back as her adrenalin kicked in. Oh dear, dear, dear! She was surely going to die when they throw her over the side of the ship.

Before Officer Lightoller could say another thing, or Officer Murdoch could reach over to grab the hiding woman, Anna Lyn Connor sprinted from her position and made her way towards the door. The officers were right behind her. Murdoch threw the clipboard behind him, and ran after the fleeing woman.

Anna grabbed at the door, and yanked it opened with all her strength before drove straight into the unknown beyond of the door. The officers panicked when they realized that she was headed straight for the boiler rooms.

The fleeing woman nearly fell over at the heat emitting from the door, and the room. An instant sheet of sweat covered her face, and body when she stepped into what it seems like a room with large furnaces. She coughed at the coal dust, and smoke emitting from each of the boilers but she didn't slow her pace. She knew the officers would be familiar with the environment of the boiler rooms and they would have an advantage over her. She had to keep pushing on.

As she swiftly passed, the stokers looked at her in curiosity. It made things even more interesting when they saw the two officers following her closely. Where did she come from and why were the officers running after her? It took them a few moments after the group had run by to realize that the woman was a stowaway.

Anna searched violently to find a way out of the hot room and as if it was Godsend, she found the staircase at the end of the room. She thanked whoever was on her side, and climbed each step as quickly as she could without loosing her grip on sidebar. Both Murdoch and Lightoller were in shape, but they never expected a woman to surpass them in things such as running. That didn't slow them down though. If their stowaway turned left, they would follow suit, and when they found her climbing out of the boiler room through a staircase, there they went also.

The other crew member looked up at the sound of heels resonating against the white panels of the wall, and then a series of loud thumps following it. The crew members who were familiar with the bridge threw the officers a confused look when they saw Murdoch and Lightoller running by in pursuit of the woman. It had never occurred to them that a woman would be brave enough to stow away on the grandest ship in the world.

"Come back here!" Lightoller yelled after her, but she picked up the ends of her dress, and quickened her pace. Fear gripped her even more after hearing the anger, and urgency in his voice. Lightoller wasn't exactly mad, but he was frustrated that a woman could actually out run him in heels. After what it felt like an eternity in the maze of white, she came to a door at the end of a staircase. When she pushed it open, the salty smell of the sea slapped her across the face, and the sun pierced her eyes, blinding her a few seconds.

When her sight returned to her, she pushed through a couple of squealing first class passengers, and even pushed a steward who was carrying a tray of tea out of the way. That tray came crashing down with a thundering roar. The pristine china cracked into a million of pieces. The steward looked at her in horror. Of course she didn't mean to push him away, and she cried an apology over her shoulders.

The officers ignored the scene of flying saucers, and hot tea, and kept their focus on the running woman. The first class passengers looked at her in a mixture of disgust, horror, or pure curiosity as to why a steerage passenger was sprinting across their deck. Their feelings were even more sharpened when two officers came running into their view and after the stowaway.

Anna didn't see their faces. She didn't take notice of the beautiful open sea; she didn't take notice of the grandiose of the ship itself. She was more focused on trying to find her way to either run and hide, or just run? It never occurred to her until now that she was truly trapped. She was on a ship, for God's Sakes! She had no where to go! Even if she had lost them in their chase, they would eventually find her hiding somewhere. There were only so many places she could be. She was doomed no matter how she looked at it.

Anna took that opportunity to see if any of the officers were still chasing her. To her surprise, only one remained, and he looked as if he was out of breath. She almost smiled at her advantage, but when she smacked right into a warm body, she knew that was the end of her good luck.

William Murdoch reached out and grabbed hold of her tightly. She tried her best to wring herself from his strong grip. Even though Murdoch was clearly out of breath from their chase, he didn't allow his fatigue to prevent him from mustering a strong grip about her. Anna Lyn tried again to roll, twist, cry, stomp her way out of his hold but she knew that her efforts were in vain. This man proved to be much too strong for her. She was dead, for sure!

The other officer came panting to their spot. Lightoller wiped the sweat from his brows before looking down at her. "My, you can run!" He said between pants, but the woman in Murdoch's arms uttered no reply.

"I'm surely going to get an earful from Wilde for not checking the holds before departure," Murdoch mumbled as he situated her wrists behind her, and took a grip around it to form makeshift handcuffs. He pushed her slightly to urge her to walk forward. Anna Lyn said nothing again, and started walking at their command towards the bridge.

Wilde turned back at the sound of the slamming gate, and his eyes turned wide at the sight of the three figures coming towards the bridge. "Mr. Moody."

Moody turned to his superior. "Sir?"

"Fetch the master-at-arms."

Moody looked to where the chief officer was looking, and knew exactly why the extra power was needed. "Yes, sir."

Even though everyone's eyes weren't on her, she could feel their minds watching her closely. Their mouths were fast at work trying to figure out what to do with her. Bruce Ismay stepped into the situation by accident, and stayed, because he was clearly concerned with the ship's social relations with the media, and the reputation of the White Star Line.

Anna struggled in the master-at-arms' hold as the officers, Captain Smith, and Thomas Andrews pondered on the situation.

"I have two pounds with me!" she cried, hoping that her remark would change their minds.

"And where would a poor thing like you get that kind of money?" Her restrainer asked in a haughty tone.

"Mr. Baily, I believe that tantalizing that poor woman will not help our situation." The Captain was clearly perplexed. His brows were etched in distress, and the other officers could tell of what was going on in his mind. They were all thinking, and feeling the same things.

"We can't very well turn around, now!" Bruce Ismay huffed, impatiently. "We are well away from Queenstown, and we are pushing, what—correct me if I'm wrong, gentlemen—twenty-five knots?"

"Twenty-one, sir," Murdoch corrected, politely.

"Well, excuse me." Ismay moved his hands. "Twenty-one knots…" He turned around on his heels in irritation again. "This is madness!"

"She can be cuffed down in the arms' office."

"But that is not how you treat a lady, Mr. Baily!" Andrews cried in despair. Thomas Andrews had a kind face even if it was etched sternly with wariness. "You don't chain her up like an animal, even if—I'm sorry about this, ma'am—she is a part of the lower working class. All females are to be treated with respect, sir! I can't believe you would even think to do such a thing."

"May I remind you, Mr. Andrews, that she is also a criminal?"

"I promise to pay the rest of the fee! It's only three pounds for the cheapest ticket. I only need a pound more, sir."

"How are you going to get that pound, hmm? Steal it like the money, and the necklace," The man Baily proclaimed recalling back her possessions that he had rummaged through earlier.

"I'll pawn my necklace if I have to."

Baily growled when her spirit hadn't been broken. "We can throw her overboard," the master-at-arms suggested."

All of the men at the bridge looked at the master-at-arms in horror. "Are you mad, man? We want the Titanic to make good headlines, and not bad ones! 'Murder on Maiden Voyage' is not the one that we are intending," Ismay gasped in dismay.

"Well, sir, what do you propose?"

Smith waved him off, and signalled Andrew to go with his tactic.

"What's your name, love?" Andrews started, gently, trying to gain her trust.

"Connor…Anna Lyn Connor." The men stationed in the wheel house looked up slightly at the sound of her voice. If it wasn't for the way that she was dressed, one would have thought the voice belonged to a regal first class lady. She was certainly English by her accent, but her tones were clearly fit for a class higher.

"You know that 'tis a crime to stowaway on a ship. It is almost like stealing from a home."

Anna couldn't find the words to describe her feelings. And yet, deep inside of her, the answer was ready to be yelled out. She wanted to contradict them. She wanted to tell them what she'd done what was for the best…the best for her life.

"Why?"

"The tickets were sold out, sir, and this was my only way."

"That is not a very good answer, Miss Connor. It doesn't answer my question in any manner." Thomas Andrews watched the woman struggled to find the words when he allowed her the opportunity to speak. Seeing she couldn't really say what she wanted, he continued. "Nonetheless, nothing could be done now at the moment. We are steaming far away from Queenstown, and it would only cause a stir amongst the passengers if we turn back."

"So, what do you propose, sir?" the Captain asked with a tint of eagerness in his voice.

"We have nothing to do but accommodate her."

"We are booked full, Mr. Andrews! We cannot fit another soul!" Ismay cried at Andrews's resolution.

Thomas Andrews looked at the woman who was staring up at him eager and grateful eyes. Under the grim, and the coal dust he could see she might have been born into a high ranking family of society once in her life.

"Please, sir," she whispered, urging him to come to her side. He already was, and so were the officers of the bridge. William Murdoch was one who was pushing for Andrews to keep her the most. He was curious of her strength, and her determination. Even from her profile, she was truly a beautiful woman. She had a straight chin, and even from the dirt that covered her eyelids as if it was a part of her makeup, her green eyes shone brightly against the darkness of her situation. Murdoch continued to stare at her long after he had passed her off to the master-at-arms.

"Captain Smith, may I burden one of your officers with a favor?" Thomas Andrews called out.

"They are not in my command most of the time, sir. Officer Wilde has their assignments," Captain Smith passed the baton to Officer Wilde.

Chief Officer Wilde looked up from his position behind the row of junior officers. He was observing First Officer William Murdoch with such intensity that his neck started to ache. "Yes, Mr. Andrews?"

"May I?"

"I was about to suggest Officer Murdoch since it was his responsibility for checking the holds in the first place." All of the officers cringed at Wilde's tone of voice. It was deadly. Murdoch felt cold to his bones. At the same time, he felt slightly deserving of his punishment for neglecting his duties.

"The very one I was thinking of," Thomas Andrews said before turning to look at the first officer. "Of course, Mr. Murdoch, not for the same reason as Mr. Wilde. I mean no offense, sir."

"Not at all, Mr. Andrews." Murdoch gulped uneasily.

"You will be housing, Miss Connor for the while until I find her a better situation."

The air of the bridge froze. Bruce Ismay who was more aware of the Puritan belief of the ship than everyone else was enraged. "Mr. Andrews! We had separated the steerage for a reason, and you are about to break that code of conduct for merely a woman who doesn't even deserve to walk upon this ship!"

"The officers hold a code of honor, and I would feel a lot more comfortable leaving her with them for the while until I try to find her a place to stay. The steerage is over spilling with women passengers, and to repeat your words, sir, we cannot fit another soul," Mr. Andrews' tone was grave. "Putting her with the single men would surely break our code of conduct."

Bruce Ismay was instantly silenced.

"I believe that Mr. Murdoch is a good man to put Miss Connor under his charge," Captain Smith added with confidence, agreeing with Andrews.

"It is settled then," Andrews sighed in relief. "Mr. Murdoch, I leave her in your care."

Murdoch and Anna looked at each other in for a moment. The woman offered a slight smile as a thank you, while Murdoch was battling with himself for the outcome of this little surprise. Before the ship had set sailed, he had wished for something more than just an ordinary cross over the Atlantic. And now that he got his wish, he had received something more than he had ever imagined. He caught a stowaway on the grandest ship in the world. Talk about 'more than the ordinary'.

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