A/N: EDITED.
1st Class Sneaking-3rd Class Pool Time; April 14th 1912
It was a nice morning on the Northern Atlantic, as the RMS Titanic sailed towards New York Harbor. The radiant sunshine made the ocean waves sparkle a bright turquoise color. Fabrizio and Helga walked around the steerage deck again, holding hands.
"Is nice no?" Fabrizio asked.
"Ja." Helga smiled. They stopped in the shade and leaned against the rail, looking out at the sparkling ocean.
Tommy and Bjorn sat on the deck, playing cards with Cora. "Go fish!" Cora said, a triumphant smirk across her face.
Tommy picked up a card. "Ah shite, wait, no..." he mumbled, searching through his card fan.
Bjorn looked at Tommy. "Ace of spades?" he asked.
Tommy handed him a card. "Tack." Bjorn grinned, winning the game.
Cora's smirk left her face immediately. "Aw man!" she giggled.
Tommy laughed. "He cheats I tell ya!" he said.
Bjorn just shrugged. "Kanske, kanske inte," he said 'maybe, maybe not'.
Tommy winked at Cora. "Cheats at arm wrestling too, I ask him fer 2 outta 3 but he refused!" he muttered out of the side of his mouth.
Hearing him, Bjorn laughed. "Ja, I win."
Cora giggled again. "You guys are funny."
Cora's parents were inside in the general room, and Olaf and Mrs. Dahl were sitting on a nearby deck bench. Olaf was reading and Mrs. Dahl was knitting. It seemed as if a lot of the adults were inside, while the younger passengers were out on deck.
Fabrizio grinned at Helga. "Hey look a' more dolphins!" he exclaimed, pointing.
"Ah! Ja!" Helga squeaked excitedly, seeing all the dolphins jumping around in the ocean.
Fabrizio put his arm around her. "Look at 'em jump eh?" he laughed.
Helga giggled. "Ja!"
Tommy blew out some cigarette smoke. "I could go fer a beer, eh Bjorn?" he suggested, suddenly feeling thirsty.
Bjorn nodded. "Ja, vi get beer!" he said.
Cora was giving them a weird look. "My Daddy says that beer makes your tongue fall off," she told them.
Tommy chuckled. "Not if yer old enough it doesn't," he said with a smirk.
Cora looked confused, but shrugged it off. "Oh."
"Come on Bjorn," Tommy grinned, patting Cora's head.
"Ja, okej," Bjorn nodded, realizing how thirsty he was.
They got up to go to the smoking room where the bar was. "See ya later, I'm gonna go look for Uncle Jack!" Cora called, skipping away. Tommy and Bjorn walked down the stairs.
Jack looked around the general room for Fabrizio and Tommy, he needed their help but didn't see them anywhere. "UNCLE JACK!" yelled a tiny voice. Jack turned to see Cora running towards him, she charged at him, squeezing his left leg in a hug.
"Hey Cora!" he laughed. He always liked seeing Cora, her personality could light up any room.
"Hi Uncle Jack, come play with me!" Cora said. She wanted to show him the card game she'd been playing with Tommy and Bjorn.
Jack laughed again. "Thanks Cora, but I can't right now, do you know where Fabrizio and Tommy are?" he asked.
Cora shrugged. "Fabrizio's on deck with that girl he likes and Tommy went with Bjorn to get beers...I'm not allowed to drink beer so they didn't invite me but I said that's okay because I was going to look for you," she replied.
"Ha. Okay thanks Cora!" Jack laughed again. "See ya later," he added, jogging off.
"Bye Uncle Jack!" Cora shouted after him. She shrugged and went over by her parents. Jack ran into the smoking room.
Tommy and Bjorn were sitting at the bar. "Hey I bet ya can't beat me at chugging beer, it's an Irish thing," Tommy challenged, raising his glass of beer. He wanted to find something the Swede could lose at, to gain back his dignity from losing at arm wrestling.
Bjorn shrugged. "Okej, vi try it, he agreed.
Tommy lit another cigarette. "Can we get some more beers?" he asked the bartender.
"Tommy!" Jack ran up and grabbed Tommy's shoulder.
"Holy shite boyo! Ya scared the daylights outta me!" Tommy yelled, spinning around in his seat.
"Sorry, look I need you to come with me really fast-hurry up!" Jack explained quickly.
Tommy cocked his eyebrows. "Why?" he asked skeptically.
Jack ignored him. "Can you just come?" he asked.
"Fine," Tommy nodded. He shrugged at Bjorn and got up to follow Jack.
"This mean I win, ja?" Bjorn smirked.
"No, it doesn't mean that at all," Tommy rolled his eyes.
"Ja..." Bjorn grinned.
"HURRY UP!" Jack interjected, grabbing Tommy's arm. "Come on, we gotta find Fabri." They walked back up to the third class deck to find Fabrizio.
"Sweet signorina my lovely Helga, your eyes are as blue as 'da ocean!" Fabrizio said.
Helga giggled. "Ja?" she asked.
Fabrizio took both of her hands in his own and kissed them. "Oh si signorina, sweet and pretty Helga," he replied, grinning. Helga giggled again as Fabrizio pulled her into him.
"And your hair is like 'da finest golden silk as it sparkles from 'da sunshine," he said.
Helga giggled. "Ja?" she asked again.
Fabrizio grinned. "Si, mio dolce signorina," he replied.
"Du kiss meg?" Helga asked slyly.
Fabrizio grinned. "Si signorina." He leaned in to kiss her.
Just as their lips met..."Fabri!" Jack grabbed Fabrizio's arm, causing the lovestruck Italian to jump and let go of his Norwegian ice princess.
Fabrizio spun around, startled. "Jack! Hey! What? What is it?, I'm a' kinda busy!" he said, put out that he didn't get to kiss Helga.
Jack laughed. "Sorry but I need you guys to help me with something," he explained.
Fabrizio turned back to Helga. He knew he had to help his best friend. "You stay right here eh? No go anywhere, I be right back, eh?" he used hand signals so she could understand him.
Helga nodded. "Ja, I stay," she replied.
Jack led Tommy and Fabrizio over by the stairs that led to the upper decks. "So what do you want now?" Tommy asked again.
"I tried to sneak into first class after breakfast but they kicked me out, now I need you guys to help me sneak back," Jack explained.
Tommy rolled his eyes. "I dunno Jack..." he started, an uneasy look on his face.
Fabrizio shrugged. "Is not allowed Jack," he reminded him.
"Yeah, that's why I'm gonna sneak." Jack rolled his eyes. His friends shook their heads at him.
Meanwhile, Cal, Ruth, and Rose, had joined some other first class passengers on the ship tour with Mr. Andrews, Mr. Ismay, and the other designers. One of the designers showed them into the first class gym. "-and here we have the stationary bicycle, it's very effective in keeping fit..." he was saying. "-and over here the electric horse, this of course is also extremely popular..."
Rose tuned them all out and looked out the window. Cal was trying out another piece of equipment. "And we even have the electric camel!" the designer announced proudly. Next, he gestured at the machine Cal was using.
"Reminds me of my Harvard days," Cal commented, getting up.
"And this is our new rowing machine! Care to try your hand, Madam?" the designer looked at Ruth.
"Don't be absurd. Can't imagine a skill I should likely need less," Ruth scoffed.
"Ah!" Mr. Andrews exclaimed. "The next stop on our tour will be the bridge, this way please..." They all followed him out of the room. On her way out, Rose whacked the punching bag hanging from the ceiling. Hmm... I should come back later... that punch felt good.
Jack looked pleadingly at his friends. "Can you guys seriously just help me?" he asked.
Tommy rolled his eyes again. "Fine, come on Fabri." They followed Jack up to the gate. "She's a goddess among mortal men there's no denying, but she's in another world Jack-ey! Forget her. She's closin' the door!" Tommy argued as they walked through the gate.
Jack ignored him and sprinted up to the wall. He was going to have them lift him over. "Just forget her!" Tommy said as he and Fabrizio climbed up onto the platform after Jack. He looked at Fabrizio. "He's not bein' logical I tell ya!"
Fabrizio shrugged. "Amore isn't illogical," he said as Jack stepped up onto his hand.
On the deck tour, the Captain was showing them around by the steering wheels. "And why do you have two steering wheels?" Ruth asked.
"We really only use this near shore," Mr. Andrews replied.
Just then, the Junior Marconi Operator Harold Bride, walked out onto the deck. "Excuse me, Sir. Another ice warning. This one's from the Nordem," he said, looking at Captain Smith as he held a message out to him.
Captain Smith looked it over. "Thank you, Sparks," he said as Harold Bride walked away. Rose looked up worriedly, and Captain Smith smiled. "Oh not to worry, quite normal for this time of year," he told them. "In fact, we're speeding up! I've just ordered the last boilers lit," he said. Ismay nodded.
Tommy hugged Jack from the side, and they lifted him upwards. Jack grabbed the rail and swung himself over. After their friend was safely up on the first class deck, Fabrizio and Tommy turned around to go back to steerage.
"Hey you! Get back where you belong!" an officer yelled, shooing them through the third class gate.
"We go! We go!" Fabrizio held his arms up defensively, jogging down the stairs. Jack looked around the deck for a disguise, and spotted an abandoned deck chair. He stole the jacket and hat of a man playing with his son, before going to search for Rose. I'll bring it back before he notices it's gone...
Tommy looked at Fabrizio. "He's nuts I tell ya, insane!" he said.
Fabrizio shrugged. "Maybe no eh?"
Tommy shrugged too. "I dunno, see ya later," he said, heading back towards the smoking room.
Fabrizio walked back to the rail."Oh Helga you wait for me! Yay!" he exclaimed happily.
Helga giggled. "Ja, du kiss meg nå?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him.
Fabrizio grinned. "Of course, sweet Helga," he replied, pulling her closer as they locked lips.
After a few blissful seconds, Helga pulled away, giggling. She looked over the side of the ship at the sparkling ocean. "I want til swim," she decided.
Fabrizio laughed. "Not down there sweet Helga! There's a' fish and maybe sharks and is freezing!" he said.
Helga giggled. "Nei! Du silly Fabrizio, I mean i first class pool!" she said.
"Oh, okay." Fabrizio laughed. "Wait, but is for just first class people, no?" he asked.
"Ja, vi sneak!" Helga replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"So...you're telling me that we go sneak into the first class pool?" Fabrizio asked.
Helga nodded. "Ja! Mamma kommer too," she said. Fabrizio laughed. Helga and Mrs. Dahl had been planning to use the pool since they'd boarded the ship.
Mr. Andrews led the tour along the boat deck. "Mr. Andrews, forgive me...I did the sum in my head, and with the number of lifeboats times the capacity you mentioned...forgive me but, it seems that there are not enough for everyone aboard," Rose pointed out.
"'Bout half actually," Mr. Andrews replied matter of factly.
"Rose, you miss nothing, do you?" he laughed. "In fact, I put in these new type davits, which can take an extra row of boats inside this one. But it was thought...by some...that the deck would look to cluttered, so I was overruled," he explained.
Rose nodded, listening intently. She liked Mr. Andrews, and listening to his babbling about the ship was far more entertaining than listening to her mother babbling about the wedding. However, the fact that there weren't enough lifeboats worried her a bit.
Cal scoffed. "Waste of deck space as it is on an unsinkable ship," he poked one of the boats with his walking stick.
Rose still looked a bit uneasy about it. "Sleep soundly, young Rose. I have built ya a good ship, strong and true. She's all the lifeboats ya need. Just keep heading aft! The next stop will be the engine room!" Mr. Andrews said, nodding for everyone to follow him.
Rose began to follow the tour line again, when she felt someone grip her shoulder. She spun around to see Jack, disguised in a first class hat and jacket. "Come here!" he whispered, pulling her into the gym. Rose quickly checked behind her to make sure no one was coming, before stepping into the room with Jack. She walked to the middle of the room, and Jack shut the door quickly.
"Jack, this is impossible. I can't see you," Rose sighed, starting towards the door.
"I need to talk to you," Jack begged, grabbing her arm.
"No Jack, no," Rose protested as Jack backed her against the window. "Jack, I'm engaged, I'm marrying Cal. I love Cal," she told him. She knew the second she'd said it that it was a lie, but she didn't know what else to do. She knew her mother and Cal could make things really bad for her if she chose Jack.
Jack just smirked, desperately trying to hold back his laughter. He could see in her eyes that she was lying. "Rose, you're no picnic," he told her. "You're a spoiled little brat even...but under that, you're the most amazingly astounding, wonderful girl that I've ever known, and..." he stammered.
"Jack I-" Rose cut him off. She couldn't take hearing him profess his love for her, because she knew she couldn't have him.
"No! Let me try and get this out," Jack pleaded. "You're...you're ama-I'm not an idiot. I know how the world works. I've got ten bucks in my pocket, I have nothing to offer you, and I know that. I understand. But I'm too involved now. You jump I jump remember? I can't turn away without knowing you'll be alright," he explained desperately.
Rose stared into his deep seafoam eyes. He'd really changed since their fight. She respected that and she truly wished she could be with him, but it was just too hard. "That's all that I want," Jack sighed, his eyes dull with helplessness.
"Well I'm fine, I'll be fine. Really," Rose reassured him. Oh God I am such a liar.
"Really?" Jack asked quizically. Rose didn't even know what to say. "I don't think so. They've got you trapped Rose! And you're gonna die if you don't break free, maybe not right away because you're strong, but-" Jack choked up a bit at the end of his rant.
He gently caressed her face. "-sooner or later that fire that I love about you, Rose...that fire is gonna go out," he whispered. Rose could feel fresh hot tears stinging in her eyes as she looked at Jack. I love him, not Cal... but I have to. She knew Cal made her unhappy, but she had no choice.
"It's not up to you to save me Jack," she told him, wanting more than anything to collapse into his arms sobbing. No, I want you to save me Jack!
"You're right, only you can do that," Jack replied, his face sad.
Rose took his hand off of her face. "I'm going back. Leave me alone," she said, brushing past him and walking back out the door. Please come and find me later. Jack looked out the window hopelessly. He decided to walk to the bow of the ship, at least looking towards his destination would bring him some happiness.
Fabrizio was still talking to Helga by the rail about going to the pool. "Du kommer with meg og Mamma?" Helga asked excitedly.
"But a' we no have swimsuits, eh?" Fabrizio laughed.
Helga giggled. "Ja, vi have dem," she replied.
"But a' I don't," Fabrizio told her, laughing.
Helga giggled. "Det er greit, du kan wear Pappa's! He nei swim with oss," she said.
"Why your Papa no swim?" Fabrizio asked curiously. He couldn't help but chuckle picturing Olaf Dahl in a swimsuit.
Helga shrugged. "He nei want to," she replied.
Fabrizio laughed. "Oh I see!" he nodded.
Helga giggled again. "So du kommer?" she asked.
Fabrizio grinned. "Hey why not, eh?" he said.
"Yay!" Helga squeaked, hugging him. "Kommer til min cabin, vi get badedrakter...swim suits!" she said excitedly.
Fabrizio laughed. "Okay! Okay!" he yelled, as Helga dragged him along at a sprint, back to her cabin. Helga ran down the stairs to G-deck and dragged Fabrizio down the hallway to her cabin door.
"Greit," she said excitedly, opening the door. Mrs. Dahl was sitting on one of the beds in her swimsuit.
"Helga, vi gå til pool?" she asked.
"Ja! I invite Fabrizio too!" Helga smiled.
Mrs. Dahl nodded. "Greit."
Helga grabbed her own smimsuit and threw Olaf's at Fabrizio. "Here, du change over there, I nei look," she said.
Fabrizio laughed. "Okay I no look at you either," he said, even though he wanted to. He went over to the corner and stepped into Mr. Dahl's swimsuit, which was a few sizes too big, but fit well enough that it wouldn't fall off.
They changed quickly, and Mrs. Dahl grabbed some towels. On their way up to the deck, they ran into Bjorn and Tommy coming back from the smoking room. Tommy cocked his eyebrows suspiciously. "Uh, where are you guys goin'?" he asked, laughing.
"First class pool...vi swim!" Helga replied happily.
"Helga, ya know that's for first class only, don't ya?" Tommy asked.
Helga shrugged "Ja, vi gå anyway," she said.
"Du kan kommer too if du like," Mrs. Dahl offered.
Bjorn looked at Tommy. "Okej." he said.
"Oh sure, ah screw first class...they can't tell if we're wearin' swimsuits," Tommy agreed. He had to admit, a nice cool swim would be refreshing.
"Hey where are you guys going?" squeaked a small voice. Startled, they all turned to see Cora.
"Shh...we're a' gonna sneak into the first class pool," Fabrizio replied.
Helga giggled. "Ja! Du kommer too, Cora?" she asked.
"Can I?" Cora asked, not wanting to miss an opportunity for adventure.
"Do yer mam and dad know yer with us?" Tommy asked.
Cora nodded. "Yes, I told them I was going to find you." She liked hanging out with the older kids and adults on the boat, because all the other kids seemed to either all have siblings, or were too obnoxious for her to play with.
Tommy shrugged. "Ah, come on then!" he said.
Cora bounced up and down excitedly "Yay let's go swimming!" she squealed.
They all continued up on deck. Fabrizio and Bjorn checked to make sure no one was coming, as Tommy helped Mrs. Dahl with the towels. "Okay hurry we go!" Fabrizio said, rushing them through the gate to the upper decks.
They walked to the pool, as they were walking in, some other first class people stared because they didn't recognize them. Tommy, Bjorn, and Cora stole some swimsuits from the locker rooms, and they all went over to the pool.
"WHEEE!" Cora yelled, running and diving right into the room temperature water.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Helga screamed, diving in after Cora. Fabrizio watched with amusement as Helga bobbed back up and brushed her wet hair out of her face. She and Cora were laughing. Some of the first class passengers were giving them funny looks.
Mrs. Dahl walked over and sat at the edge of the pool with her feet in the water. "CANNONBALL!" Tommy shouted, bomb diving Cora and Helga.
"HEY!" Cora squeaked.
"Hei!" Helga screamed, as she got splashed in the face by the huge tidal wave. Tommy laughed, kicking his feet in the water.
"JAAAAAAAAA!" Bjorn jumped in too.
Fabrizio laughed and shook his head. "You guys are pazzo!"
Helga giggled. "Kommer in pool, Fabrizio!" she waved him over.
Fabrizio shifted nervously on his feet, he hadn't wanted to tell Helga, but he'd never really learned how to swim. "Eh... is cold, no?" he asked.
Helga shook her head. "Nei, er fine! Kommer in!" she urged.
Fabrizio gulped. "Okay here I come!" he said, walking over and gingerly stepping into the pool.
Helga swam over and hugged him. "Yay!" she giggled.
Fabrizio grinned. "You are right, 'da water is nice!" he said. He was fine standing by the wall, as long as he didn't actually have to swim. Actually, the idea of swimming terrified him, as he remembered that time back in Italy...
11-year-old Fabrizio was down collecting sparkling sea shells on the shore. His friends were all yelling at him to come and race them in the water. Not wanting them to think he was chicken, and not daring to tell them that he never learned to swim, he dove in after them.
Before he knew what was happening, his face was in the water and sea water was filling his lungs, and all he could do was float there helplessly... looking down at the sand and rocks below the waves.
He was afraid, and then... his friend Angelo pulled him back up... coughing and wheezing as he choked on the sea water.
"WAVE!" Tommy shouted, splashing Helga and Fabrizio.
"Hey vaffanculo, Tommy!" Fabrizio shouted, snapping out of his reverie. Helga giggled.
Mrs. Dahl kicked her feet around. Cora was swimming in circles and bobbing up and down underwater like a seahorse with Bjorn. "I am a sparkly seahorse, yes yes yes!" she sang. Bjorn laughed, he didn't know what she was singing, but he thought she was funny.
Helga noticed that Fabrizio looked a bit uncomfortable. "Du swim?" she asked him.
"Oh a' let's just stay here, eh?" Fabrizio suggested.
Helga giggled. "Nei, vi swim!" she said, clinging to him and kissing his face.
Fabrizio smiled sheepishly. "Actually... I a' never really learn how 'ta swim..." he admitted.
Helga cocked her head to the side, confused. "So, du nei know hvordan to swim?" she asked.
Fabrizio shook his head. "No signorina," he replied with a laugh.
Helga thought for a second."Okay, I teach," she decided.
Fabrizio laughed. "Okay, grazie!" he said.
Helga giggled "Watch," she told him, holding her breath and going underwater. She bobbed back up and pushed her wet blonde hair out of her eyes again. "Det er easy!" she told him.
Fabrizio grinned. "Oh I a' don't know..." he said.
Helga giggled. "Ja, do it!" she insisted.
Fabrizio grinned. "Okay," he decided. He wanted to impress Helga, not have her think he was a scaredy cat. He held his breath and went under.
Helga watched eagerly at first, then she started to worry... Fabrizio had been under for twelve whole seconds. She dove under to see Fabrizio sitting at the bottom of the pool. His face was as red as a beet. She tapped his shoulder and motioned for him to come back up.
"Mamma Mia!" Fabrizio wheezed, pushing his dark bangs out of his face.
Helga was giggling hysterically. "Du goofy Fabrizio! Only stay under for few seconds!" she said.
"Oh..." Fabrizio blushed. "I was a' gonna say, I couldn't a' handle that much longer!" he added.
Helga giggled again. "Ja."
"Okay, nå som du kan gå under, I show du hvordan to swim!" Helga said excitedly.
Fabrizio laughed again. "Okay!" As reluctant as he'd been at first, Helga had a calming effect on him, and he was starting to enjoy himself.
Tommy swam over. "Fabri it looks like she's teachin' ya how to swim!" he teased.
"She is," Fabrizio laughed.
"Oh, ya mean ya really don't know how?" Tommy asked.
Fabrizio shrugged. "No, I a' do not."
"Wow!" Tommy said, shocked. "Now this I gotta see," he chuckled. One of the stewards was walking by the poolside. "Hey!" Tommy whistled.
The steward knelt down by the poolside. "Yes, Sir?" he asked.
"Can I get a cigar?" Tommy asked.
The steward handed him a cigar. "Anything else, Sir?"
Tommy shook his head. "No, thanks."
Fabrizio was looking at him with a goofy grin across his face. "I know, he called me Sir! Twice!" Tommy laughed, smoking his cigar.
Bjorn and Cora were still bouncing around like seahorses. "Faster! Let's have a seahorse race!" Cora exclaimed.
"Okay. Ja." Bjorn grinned, bouncing ahead of Cora.
"Hey! You cheated!" Cora giggled, bouncing after him.
"I told ya he cheats!" Tommy shouted, laughing his head off.
Helga was teaching Fabrizio how to doggie-paddle. "Okay, nå kick with din feet og splash with din arms!" she instructed, doing the doggie-paddle herself. Fabrizio copied her. "Yay! Du swim!" Helga exclaimed, clapping.
Fabrizio grinned. "Si! I did! Grazie!" he said. He was proud of himself, and grateful that someone had finally showed him what he'd been missing all these years.
Helga giggled. "Okay, I give du reward nå," she said, kissing his face.
"Grazie signorina," Fabrizio grinned. Tommy chuckled from the side of the pool, still smoking his cigar. Mrs. Dahl kicked her feet around in the cool water.
"Float?" Helga asked. Fabrizio cocked his eyebrows, confused. Helga giggled. "Float!" she repeated, doing a back float.
"Oh, I see," Fabrizio laughed, floating up beside her on his back.
Helga giggled. "Ja!"
Meanwhile, Molly Brown walked to the pool and sat down on one of the poolside chairs. "Hey there Countess!" she said, adressing the Countess Of Rothes, who was relaxing on a chair next to her.
"Hello, Molly," the Countess replied, barely lifting her head.
"So aren't ya gonna swim?" Molly asked.
"No, I'd rather relax for awhile in the sunshine beating down on me through the window, it feels wonderful!" the Countess replied.
"Suit yourself hun, but this is a pool, so I'm gonna swim!" Molly said, getting up. She barely understood any of the other first class passengers. How could the Countess reject a nice cool swim? She didn't know.
She walked over and gingerly stepped in. "Aaaah, that's nice now," she grinned, easing into the warm pool water. Just then, someone bumped into her stomach underwater. "Whoa!" she exclaimed. A little girl no older than six popped up, and brushed wet brown hair out of her face.
"Oh sorry," the girl apologized.
"Well aren't you just the cutest thing!" Molly said with a wide grin.
"I know," Cora replied with her signature smile.
Molly laughed. "I don't think I recognize you from up here, I'm Molly," she introduced herself.
"Hi, I'm Cora...and I'm not supposed to be here, so shhh!" Cora replied, with a mischevious twinkle in her eyes.
"Oh, I see! Well don't worry, you can stick with me then!" Molly chuckled. She liked the girl's fiery personality.
Cora giggled. "Okay! Hey, do you wanna meet my friends?" she asked.
"Sure why not!" Molly laughed, always up for meeting new people. Especially if they were anything like the little girl.
"See, they're over there. The blonde girl who's riding on the dark haired man's back, the older blonde lady, the guy smoking the cigar, and the blonde guy next to him," Cora pointed. "They're not supposed to be here either," she added.
Molly squinted. "Oh I see!" she laughed.
Cora led her over to them. "Hey guys, I made a new friend!" she announced. They all turned to look at her, and Helga accidentally fell off of Fabrizio's shoulders with a big splash.
Molly laughed. "Hey there!" She noted that she didn't recognize any of these people, and had to assume they snuck in from a different class.
"That was Helga who just fell in the water, she doesn't really speak English," Cora said. "She likes the Italian guy, Fabrizio...they kiss and stuff," she whispered in Molly's ear.
Molly chuckled. "Do they now?" Cora just giggled. Helga bobbed back up. She was giggly and blushing, and Fabrizio grinned.
Cora introduced them all to Molly. "Nice 'ta meet ya Ma'am," Tommy said. "I'm Tommy Ryan," he added, shaking her hand.
"Is a pleasure, Signora," Fabrizio said. "Fabrizio De Rossi," he shook her hand, too.
"Johanne Dahl, min datter er Helga," Mrs. Dahl smiled and nodded at Molly.
"And that goofball is Bjorn, I think he's Swedish," Cora said, pointing at Bjorn, who grinned and waved.
"It's wondeful meetin' ya'll as well!" Molly exclaimed.
"These are all my friends, the only one who isn't here is Uncle Jack..well he isn't really my uncle...I just call him that..." Cora babbled.
Molly laughed "So you guys are all...steerage?" she whispered.
Tommy nodded. "Yeah."
Fabrizio grinned. "Si," he said.
"Ja!" Helga giggled.
"We snuck up here," Cora told her.
Molly chuckled. "Hey, it's about time some fun people snuck up here-I hear you throw great parties down in steerage!" she said.
Tommy laughed. "Oh, definitely. So can ya hear the blastin' Irish music on the upper decks at night?" he asked.
Molly nodded. "Yup, sounds like you guys know how to have a good time!" she said.
Cora grinned. "If you want you can come to a party with us tonight," she said.
Molly grinned. "Really?" She was always looking for different activities around the ship, and since she never felt very welcome around the other first class ladies, she decided it could be fun.
Cora nodded. "I think everyone would be okay with it...Uncle Jack brought this super nice lady Rose, and everyone loved her! she exclaimed.
Molly cocked her eyebrows. "Oh, Jack! You guys know Jack? I met him at dinner, Rose brought him two nights ago!" she exclaimed in realization.
Fabrizio nodded. "Si! Jack a' is my best friend! Ragazzo mio!" he said.
Molly laughed. "Wow, small world!" She whistled and snapped her fingers at one of the pool stewards. "Hey sonny! How 'bout some drinks?" she asked.
"Yes Ma'am!" the steward called. He brought a big tray of champagne, cigars, and mixed nuts.
"Hey thanks Mrs. Brown!" Tommy said, grabbing another cigar and a glass of champagne.
"Ja! Takk!" Helga exclaimed, taking a giant swig of her champagne. "Ooh bubby!" she giggled, getting tipsy already. Fabrizio laughed.
"I'm a sucker fer cashews," Tommy commented, popping a nut in his mouth.
Cora and Bjorn were bouncing around like seahorses again. "Come have a seahorse race Mrs. Molly!" Cora shouted, waving her over.
Molly chuckled. "Okay, but ya'll are gonna have to teach me!" she called, swimming over.
Helga jumped up on Fabrizio's back again with the glass of champagne. "Wheee!" she giggled, bouncing up and down.
"Yaaaay!" Fabrizio shouted, laughing.
Tommy puffed his cigar. "How much ya wanna bet she spills it?" he chuckled. Mrs. Dahl rolled her eyes and shrugged, they clinked their glasses together.
Sure enough, Helga spilled the champagne all over herself and Fabrizio. "Oops!" Helga giggled.
"Oh no!" Fabrizio laughed. "I think...I a' think...we're a' gonna tip!" he shouted, flipping them both underwater.
"Cheers," Tommy smirked.
"Cheers!" Mrs. Dahl laughed as they clinked glasses again. Her daughter was such a featherweight.
Helga and Fabrizio bobbed back up, laughing. "Fabrizio!" Helga giggled, slapping his arm playfully.
Fabrizio grinned. "What? A' what did I do?" he threw his arms up defensively.
Helga giggled, and she kissed him again. Bjorn, Cora, and Molly were circling them, bouncing around like seahorses. "Fabrizio and Helga sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage!" Cora sang, Bjorn echoed her.
"Wait! That's not it! That's not all! The baby's drinkin' alcohol!" Tommy chimed in. They all laughed.
Meanwhile, Rose was up having afternoon tea. She looked around the room, trying to tune out the mindless chatter between Ruth, Lady Duff Gordon, and the Countess, about her and Cal's engagement gala. Jack still stood at the bow of the ship, gloomily looking out into the distance.