Chapter Eight ~ Perishable dreams~

Aurora held Zoe tightly to her as the commotion erupted into chaos. She needed to find William, and quickly.

She had already said a teary goodbye to her father, and had left him drowning his sorrows in a glass of whisky, gazing in the mirror on the mantelpiece.

He'd threatened to haunt her should she refuse to get on a boat, and she knew her papa was always true to his word. She had one more thing she had to do first, and that was to find William.
She ran, watching her steps carefully for she didn't want to fall.
"Charlie! Charlie where's Will?" she cried, holding Zoe close to her. The child had certainly not been happy about being woken up, but now she was wide awake and staring around wide eyed.
"Christ, why aren't you in a boat? He'll never forgive me if anything happens to you two," he called over the noise.
"Let me see Will and I promise I'll get in," she begged desperately.
"Alright," he agreed, starting to lead the way. Aurora followed close behind.
Zoe clung to her mamma and buried her face in her neck, afraid.
"Will!"
Aurora jumped as William fired a shotgun warningly in the air to control the crowd around him.
"Christ," muttered Charlie.
"I SAID GET BACK, NOW IT'S WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST YE UNDERSTAND?" he howled.
"Will..."
William turned to his ship-mate, the two talking, William still keeping his eye on the nervous crowd.
His eyes fell on Aurora's.
"Go on Will, while you can..." Wilde took the gun and started to take control of the crowd
William made his way over until he was stood in front of her.
For a second she thought he was going to yell at her for getting off, and her eyes welled up then as she flung an arm around his neck.
"I can't go with out you," she sobbed
"Please don't make me do it Will,"
"Ro, you've /got/ to think of Zoe. I can look after myself-"
"Will you stop being so damn professional!" she howled hysterically, her eyes blazed at him.
He paused awkwardly, gazing at her with his deep blue eyes.
"Aurora... The water is below freezing, there are over a thousand souls on board, many children will drown or die freezing to death and you want to bloody stay?" he howled right back.
"With you." she moused quietly.
"Nae," he refused emotionally, his voice strangled. Never had anyone showed him such love or loyalty before.
"I'll never live with m-"
The sound of another gun then "HENRY NO!" howled Will as the chief officer saluted before placing the gun to his head. Pulling the trigger, he then fell lifelessly into the ocean.
Aurora swallowed as silence fell between them.
"Please, Ro, get in the boat." he coaxed, turning back to her.
She shook her head tearfully.
"Aurora..." he choked.
"Not with out you," she sobbed.
Water was running up the bough now.
"Will..."
He dragged her then, much to her protest, before picking her up and putting her in the boat.
"I love you, Ro." he said as it lowered.
She started to cry then.
"Don't ye dare cry now," he struggled, failing not to cry himself now.
Truth was he was damn afraid. But he'd never rest if anything happened to them. At least for now he knew he'd done what he could for her, he'd told her what he wanted to...and then, the lights on the ship cut out, engulfing him in pure darkness.

XxxX

"Ro..?" She knew the young woman's voice but merely blinked in response, Zoe still clung to her neck.
She felt someone drape a blanket over her shoulders out of kindness and sympathy.
She tucked the blanket around Zoe too.
"I think she's in shock, honey." Mrs Brown...Ro wished everyone would stop being so god damn nice, it made her feel worse.
All she could think of was William, dying alone. Her father...she clamped her eyes shut and forced herself not to cry again. Her dear old papa.
She sniffed then, feeling terribly alone. She was useless without her father. Defenceless. He'd know what to do.
Another large tear fell from her cheek and landed on the deck of the Carpathia.
"Officer, officer...? Where should I go?"
She glanced across at the French woman as she spoke. The officer took her to where she needed to be.
She felt the young woman lean into her then, catching sight of a strand of red hair...
"Rose...?"
The woman's head turned to her and smiled slightly, nodding.
They huddled together then, Rose linking arms with Aurora who had started to cry again.
"Oh RoRo," she sympathised, wrapping an arm around her instead.
"He loved me Rose," she whimpered, suddenly blinded by tears as she choked another strangled, heartbroken sob.