New chapter! Hope you all enjoy! Done to "Behind Blue Eyes" by Limp Bizkit. I thought it very appropriate seeing Henry has blue eyes.

Ten

11th April

11:15am

Henry rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and cracked his knuckles as he waited for the white porcelain bowl to fill up with water.

When he decided it was full enough, he turned the golden taps so the water stopped running. He carefully picked up the bowl and carried it across the hall back to his cabin.

He was about to breathe a sigh of relief, but was rudely interrupted when Lightoller's voice cut through the air "What are you doing, Mr. Wilde?"

Henry turned to see Charles leaning against the white panelling. Henry lowered his eyebrows as Charles raised his "I'm waiting for an answer", "Charles, why do I have to tell you my every move?" Henry scowled, Charles bit his lip "So you don't get yourself into trouble", as he turned round he added "We wouldn't want our perfect chief officer to lose his job now, would we?".

"Shut up" Henry spat.

As Charles turned back out into the wheelhouse he laughed sarcastically and said "I'll take that as a 'no' then. Shall I?"

Henry ignored him, he pushed open the door and kicked it shut behind him. He looked at Helen sitting at the desk by the dim lamplight.

He smiled and raised his eyebrows, "That was a close one" he muttered as he pulled up a small stool in front of Helen. Helen herself laughed and asked "Is it always as bad as that, you and him?"

"Me and Charles?" Henry asked as he grabbed a small white flannel and a yellow towel from the coat hook behind him.

"Yes" Helen nodded.

Henry laughed "You think that's bad? Nah! That's nothing, I've had him against a wall with a black eye before, and there's been worse!"

As Henry wrung the flannel out he said "Now this is gonna sting. It's salt water"

"Salt water?" Helen said as Henry bought the flannel to her face

"Yep, well, I added the salt" Henry nodded, he placed the flannel on Helen's red cheek, she flinched.

"Sorry, told you it would sting" Henry told her in a matter-of-fact way.

"It's okay" Helen said. As Henry cleaned her cut, she asked "What can I do?"

As Henry placed the flannel in the bowl again, he raised a eyebrow "Well, not a lot you can do now. You've told Thomas."

"I'm scared that he'll do something to me" Helen admitted, beginning to feel tears prick her eyelids.

"Helen" Henry placed the flannel on her cheek again "If he loves you, he'll realise you done the right thing by telling him, and not by keeping it in the dark. I mean, you're the mother of his children, who do you think he'd listen to if he had a choice between you and Ismay?"

He waited for an answer, when Helen didn't reply, he told her "He'd listen to you. He loves you, you're his wife, Yes, he may not have liked what you told him, but at least you told him, and not someone like Ismay or Lightoller. He's not going to hurt you".

As Henry placed the wet flannel on her cheek once more, Helen asked "What about you?"

"About me?" Henry echoed.

"Yes. What'll you do?"

"Well, I suppose, go back to Liverpool, get on with life" Henry shrugged.

"Back to all that pain?" Helen asked "Those memories. You really enjoy going back to that?"

Henry's eyes clouded for a second, he looked up "Salt heals wounds" he said simply, "Now let's see you hands"

Helen gave Henry her hands, as he placed the flannel over them she said "What are we going to do now?"

Henry looked up at her "Can't do an awful lot". He sighed as he placed the flannel back into the bowl and passed Helen the towel to dry herself with, "Look, I think it'll be best, if after today, we don't see or talk to each other for the remainder of the voyage". He looked at Helen.

She slowly nodded, trying to take it all in, "Yes, that would be best".

"It's not that I don't love you, I do, you remind me so much of Polly it hurts, your personality, so much like hers. But I think, for your marriage, and my job, it would be best if I kept out of your way"

Helen nodded, she stood up, "Well, Mr. Wilde. It's been a pleasure getting to know you, I'm just sorry it had to end so abruptly"

"So am I" Henry nodded, standing up.

Helen smiled as he held the door for her. She leaned forward and kissed him, as they broke apart she murmured "As you said, salt heals wounds".

She left, shutting the door behind her.

Henry was left alone. He looked up when he heard a soft tune, from a music box, a familiar tune, that sounded like rain dropping on the ground.

Then he heard her voice "Dancing bears, painted wings, things I almost remember, and a song, someone sings, once upon a December, someone holds me safe and warm, horses prance through a silver storm, figures dancing gracefully, across my memory" . Henry looked, Mary Catherine sat on the chair, she looked so real, so alive, so beautiful.

She held in the palm of her hand the music box, a small gold box, patterned in green, two figurines twirling round in the middle. The tune played as the lid closed in on the two people, then it stopped. Polly smiled, she turned to her husband "Someone held me, safe and warm. Once. But no more. Even in death, I remember the warmth of your arms, the sound of your voice, the sense of your touch"

Henry ran forward trying to take her in his arms once again, "No, Pol, don't leave me again, not again" he cried, as she disappeared, the music box's tune and her voice ringing in his ears.

He looked up as a fresh-looking Will opened the door "You okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine" Henry said, laughing "Couldn't be better"

Will nodded, and still looking unconvinced he shut the door. Henry sat on the chair, elbows resting on his thighs, head in his hands, he raised his head "You're losing it, Henry. You really are going mad"

"Once upon a December..." her voice sang in his head.

"Once" Henry smiled "Only once. And that December was a long time ago"

I dunno about you, but I think I'm going nuts! That's a load of shite, I think it is, tell me what you think, be nice though. Thanks!