"Your conduct was impeccable today." Mother announced as she drew my corset even tighter. I grabbed onto the bed frame in my room and braced myself as she pulled on the strings. My dress for that night was laid out on the bed, a beautiful blue dress that was trimmed with white ermine fur along the hem with a matching ermine muff. Mother was wearing a dress with a similar design but in a red fabric with black fur along it.

"Thank you Mother." I responded, clutching my ribs. As soon as we were both dressed, complete with a large sapphire for me and a ruby hair pin for Mother, Father escorted us down to the First Class Dining Saloon. Simpering girls and strutting men were everywhere, jewels and precious metal on all of them. We adjourned immediately to a table that ran almost the length of the room. Mrs. DeWitt Bukater sat across from Mother and Colonel Gracie from Father. The space across from me, which should have been occupied by Rose, was empty. A menu of the meal tonight was laid out on the plate, written in elaborate calligraphy.

First Course

Hors D'Oeuvres
Oysters

Second Course

Consommé Olga
Cream of Barley

Third Course

Poached Salmon with Mousseline Sauce, Cucumbers

Fourth Course

Filet Mignons Lili
Sauté of Chicken, Lyonnaise
Vegetable Marrow Farci

Fifth Course

Lamb, Mint Sauce
Roast Duckling, Apple Sauce
Sirloin of Beef, Chateau Potatoes
Green Pea
Creamed Carrots
Boiled Rice
Parmentier & Boiled New Potatoes

Sixth Course

Punch Romaine

Seventh Course

Roast Squab & Cress

Eighth Course

Cold Asparagus Vinaigrette

Ninth Course

Pate de Foie Gras
Celery

Tenth Course

Waldorf Pudding
Peaches in Chartreuse Jelly
Chocolate & Vanilla Éclairs
French Ice Cream

Quite an extravagant meal, I would have to eat like a bird to get through it all. Waiters circled through the tables, depositing dishes. Caledon Hockley, his ever present valet absent, immediately began to slurp on the oysters. I picked a few Hor D'Oeuvres, sampling several kinds. They were all wonderful, delicious vegetables and cheeses. Conversation flowed like a brook, much babbling and very shallow. The next course was served with a flourish, a delightful scallop soup. Once I reached down into the broth though the delightful tenderness of veal came through.

"We must see if we can get our cooks to make these dishes, they are quite exquisite." Mrs. DeWitt Bukater insisted, going so far as to request recipes from a waiter. He panicked and just told her that she would need to speak to the head chef, seemingly satisfied she turned from him and was surprised by the next course. The salmon was cooked beautifully but I only ate a few morsels. Something was disturbing me; the feeling from my tea with Will was back. I barely had room for the steak that followed it and the lamb after that.

After all that heavy food they set out champagne flutes full of punch. It was a delicious mix of orange juice, lemon juice and white wine in the champagne. I passed on the squab, really a pigeon. It still looked far too alive for me to eat it. The asparagus had a delightful flavor, but I was already feeling like I would explode from all of this food. I barely looked at the foie gras, but Hockley ate it by the shovelful. Desert was wonderful; I had the ice cream and enjoyed the sweetness immensely. The meal went on in a rapid fashion; it seemed rapid although I know that it probably took a very long time.

"Mother, I beg your pardon. But I must retire, I am very tired." I told her, a perfect excuse for leaving the table. Truth be told though, there was nothing I wanted more than sleep. I managed to divest myself of both dress and corset and wrap up in a nightgown before my eyes closed. I have no idea how long I slept but a shudder awoke me. It was if the ship had chills, shaking from top to bottom. A glass containing flowers that had been perched on my vanity shattered as it hit the floor. The shudder was even more ominous by the silence that followed. The propellers had stopped. I grabbed a dressing gown and exited our rooms. A steward was walking down the halls.

"Excuse me, sir. Why have we stopped?" I questioned him. His face seemed slightly creased with worry but his voice was clear as he answered.

"It's nothing miss. Just likely thrown a propeller blade, shouldn't offset our arrival time in New York." He answered before moving down the hallway. After checking the hallway up and down for any real signs of panic I stepped back into my room. Mother and Father still hadn't returned, more than likely enjoying gossip and music to excess. I walked out to our private Promenade, sighing as I looked out the window. The ocean was flat, no waves breaking or even forming. A massive chunk of ice floated, moving away from us. A dark spot stood out, deep black against the white of the ice. That couldn't be from us could it? We shouldn't have hit that. Moody, Lightoller or Will wouldn't let us hit the ice. Agh, why am I worried? I'm on the unsinkable ship.

"Annastasia!" I heard a voice yell. Will was standing there, his hat knocked askew and his face pale. I came in from the Promenade, shutting the door behind me.

"Will! What is it?" I asked, before he grabbed me and crushed me to his chest.

"It'll be fine, I'll make it fine." He whispered, more for him than for me. I pushed myself away and looked up at him. His eyes were distraught as he began to speak again. "Get something warm on, here I'll help. And your life belt." He pulled me along behind him, headed for my room.

"Will! Stop!" I commanded, pulling away. He's gone insane. "What's going on?"

"I've doomed us all, that's what! There was a berg. She wouldn't turn! We struck along the starboard bow. You're going to die unless I get you off this ship, and I don't intend for that to happen." He yelled, looking mad enough to tear his hair out. I breezed by him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Will, Titanic can't sink. Right?" I asked, my voice quavering.

"Any ship can sink. Calling Titanic unsinkable was a slap in the face to God, the powers above, life, whatever you want to call it. Life couldn't be stopped and it found a way to stop us!" He grabbed me by my shoulders and kissed me. This was urgent and grasping, a kiss that wanted to last forever and not be parted.

"Then we have no time to waste, help me get dressed." I said as I lifted the dress from dinner out of the trunk where I had put it. I pulled it over my nightgown, forgoing the corset all together. Will's fingers shivered as he laced up the back of the dress. The cold coming off his hands chilled me. He reached under the bed and pulled out a white vest, which he strapped on over my dress before wrapping the dressing gown back around me. I reached under my pillow, pulled out his handkerchief and tucked it into my dressing gown pocket.

"You'll need these, it's far colder out there than I've experienced." He whispered, wrapping not only one fur coat but two around me. I shuddered myself, feeling small in the fabric. My muff he placed over my arm, the white fabric stark against his blue officer's coat. We slowly made our way to the sitting room, trying to make the most of our time together.

"Will, is all this real?" I asked, leaning into him.

"The sinking?"

"No, our relationship. I just can't believe how attached I am to you, and it's only been a few days."

"Annastasia, look at me. Remember what I told you yesterday? I love you, and no matter how far we are, I always will." He said, crushing his lips to mine. I wound my hands around his neck trying to hold onto him. I might not see him ever again. Not after what was happening now. It was well known that when a ship sunk the officers were usually the first to die. Damn male honor, why couldn't they be cowards and live?

"Get away from her young man!" A shrill voice shouted, the door having been thrown open. Mother stood there with Father right behind, her mouth open in shock. Father was slowly turning red, looking mad enough to tear down walls.

"Mother, please. You have to understand-" I begged, breaking away from Will.

"We have struck an iceberg; the whole ship is going down." Will told them, holding me even closer. "I aim to get your daughter off this ship if it's the last thing I am able to do." His voice had calmed significantly, but his hands tightened their grip.

"We know, the stewards are running through the ship, thrusting these vile things at us." Mother held up a life belt that I hadn't seen she was holding. She looked as if she might cry herself.

"Get them on, and get up to the Boat Deck, or stay on this deck. They're starting to lower the life boats." He told her, marching past them with me at his side. Father looked after him, his lips thinning. Murdoch left me for a second, held a hurried conversation with Father, but then returned and had us set out at a rapid pace

"Annastasia, get yourself out of here." He called, his voice already fading as Murdoch turned a corner. I could barely keep up with Will, and then he began to talk quickly.

"I've got to be loading my own boats, find Moody and tell him that he is to stay with you no matter what. Get into one of Lowe's boats, you remember Lowe correct?" He asked, turning on me.

"Y-yes, I do." I breathed, thinking of the kindly man from last night. I stumbled a little as the floor swayed, gaining an incline like a hill. Will sensed the urgency and pulled me outside, the sound of escaping steam whistling through the air. There was chaos as women and children, crying and keening like any mourners, were loaded into the boats. I lost Will in the crowd, looking for him.

"Will!" I screamed over and over, looking for him. He had disappeared and I was all alone, no one to help. Find Moody, that's what he told you. Find Moody. I pressed my way through the crowd, searching for any sign of blue coats. I ran smack into the back of one as he turned around.

"Missy! Come on now, let's get you loaded up." A familiar voice said, pulling me away from him. Moody stood there with a tense expression on his face.

"Will, he said to tell you that you have to stay with me, no matter what!" I shouted, startling him. "No matter what!"

"Then let's get the both of us in a boat shall we?" He asked, steering me across the deck. I glimpsed Lowe standing there, in front of a set of davits, his arms moving slowly to tell the crew men when to lower. A rocket crackled above, lending a further sense of emergency to the affairs that were happening on deck. A crazed looking man broke through the line of people waiting to get in, shouting like a madman.

"There is no time to waste! Lower away! Lower away! Lower away!" He shouted, trying to get the men to go faster.

"Get out of the way, you fool!" Lowe yelled, jerking the man back into the crush of passengers.

"Do you know who I am?" The man responded, showing off a pair of mustaches that could only belong to one person on this ship.

"You're a passenger. And I'm a ship's bloody officer. Now do what you're told!" Lowe told him before marching back to the lines. "Steady men! Stand by the falls!" Ismay slowly backed away, leaving the group of people desperate to be saved. When Lowe began to load the next boat Moody stepped forward. I trailed behind him, the shock still affecting me.

"Lowe, I need to get on with her." Moody told him, shaking slightly.

"But there's to be no men loaded yet." Lowe countered.

"Would you expect these women to sail themselves? Let me on to get them safely away." Moody retorted, stepping into the boat. Lowe stood there gasping for a second before I approached him.

"Mr. Lowe, please. Will told him to stay with me." I whispered, feeling tears begin to leak down my face.

"Alright, miss. Please step aboard." He repeated with absolutely no emotion, handing me down to Moody. I saw Mrs. Brown and Mrs. DeWitt Bukater, joined by Rose, step down. They were dressed in their best, but nothing seemed to take away the sheer loneliness I felt. The little wooden boat rocked as it was lowered away. When we passed by B Deck Rose suddenly jumped from the bat and back onto the ship. Mrs. DeWitt Bukater reached for her but the boat was already reaching the water and settling down.

"No! Stop, we have to get Rose!" Mrs. DeWitt Bukater shrieked, grabbing at the cold metal of the ship.

"Ruth, honey, we can't go back." Mrs. Brown said, pulling her back to her seat.

Oars were passed out, Moody and I on one, Mrs. Brown on one and Mrs. DeWitt Bukater on another. I stared back up at the deck, searching for one face among the multitudes. I caught sight of a blue coat, peaked hat and a pale face staring out over the water. It could have been any officer, but I still swear to myself it was Murdoch. I tentatively touched the handkerchief has we began to row away from the dying Titanic and the man I loved, both the ship and him doomed.