A/N: Hello? It's me... I've been wondering if after all this time you'd like to read? Alright, ripping off Adele aside, I AM here and have NOT abandoned the story. Far from it. Also thank you for nice messages and reviews on the last chapter - it's been a really rough few months for me and each one of your reviews felt like a hug or a pat of encouragement, so thank you - they mean the world. However, I'm back and I hope you enjoy this long awaited chapter.

And big thanks goes to Courtland for her patience, and super beta powers.

CHAPTER XXI

The Calm Before

14, April 1912;

And after all this time Robert still held his wife close to him. He held her hand gently as they finally made their way up to the top deck. He pulled her out into the open; there was no light except for a few lanterns further away. The weather remained clear, but it was a moonless night, only the stars adored the dark sky above them.

He pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her softly on the lips. In response, Cora wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him back passionately. Robert pulled away all too soon. They spent an immeasurable amount of time just staring into each other's eyes.

Robert took a breath and grudgingly broke the comfortable silence, "You should have told me earlier, you know."

Cora's face held both surprise and disapproval, "I know," She began quietly, her hands wrapping around his waist, "I just didn't know how to say it. I thought you were going to leave or be angry."

Cora knew her face portrayed hurt because he kissed her softly again and rested his forehead against hers. He smiled softly, "Silly, Cora. There's nothing that could make me leave you. I will always be with you."

Cora smiled genuinely and hugged herself closer to him, taking in his warmth. He ran his fingers through her tangled hair, "We'll figure something out. We always do." He promised consolingly.

Cora grinned against his chest and they drifted back into a comfortable silence for a few more minutes. Nothing mattered anymore. He was here next to her and he knew everything now. The feeling of fear vanished and all that was left there was pure and genuine love. Cora felt calm and carefree, snuggled against his chest and listening to his steady breathing as he continued to stoke her back gently.

Cora wasn't sure how long she planned on standing there upon the deck in the freezing cold, clinging to Robert for balance like a drunken fool with a dopey smile plastered across her face, but she certainly wasn't in any hurry to go elsewhere - this was something they didn't tell you in stories, Cora reflected rather giddily - after the grand confession, the happy couple spent the next five minutes staring at each other and grinning like idiots.

Actually, if she was being perfectly honest, Cora felt absurdly afraid that if she made any sudden movements, the whole scene would dissolve, turn out to be a particularly vivid dream. She had never expected a happy ending, at least, not one like this. She was so happy it scared her a little.

Robert touched her cheek with the back of one hand, "What are you thinking, darling?"

Cora laughed, a residual bit of bewilderment clinging to the sound, and shook her head, "I'm thinking that maybe I'm dreaming," She replied with a lopsided grin, even though she didn't think her imagination could conjure up the way her skin flamed where he touched her, or the shiver that travelled the length of her spine; one that had absolutely nothing to do with the cold.

"Oh really?" Robert said, beaming at her. Cora had not been previously aware that Robert was capable of beaming at anyone, but he had proved her wrong so often already that this discovery was hardly surprising. "And is there any way I can convince you that you're not?" He asked, twining his fingers through her hair.

Arching one eyebrow, Cora said, "Oh, I suppose I could think of a way or two."

"I suppose you could," Robert agreed solemnly, leaning in a little closer.

He was absolutely ready to lock his lips with hers...until he saw an unrecognisable shadow in the corner of his icy eyes. To Cora's disappointment, Robert raised his head up again and his eyes widened, taking in the scene in front of his eyes.

"Cora..." Robert whispered softly, his voice barely audible. Noticing the weird intonation of his voice, Cora instantly lifted her head to meet his eyes, but they weren't focused on her. His gaze was wandering somewhere in the darkness behind her, fixed on something so hard he didn't even blink and his mouth suddenly fell open.

"Cora, stay close, hold tight!" His strong voice ripped through the cold thin air and echoed in the distance. It seemed like he wanted to say something more, but the words never came out of his mouth.

Right at the loss of words the ship gave out a sudden, violent jerk and the next thing Cora knew was that she was losing her balance. Everything shook all around her and bright blue eyes filled with fear as another whimper escaped through tightly clenched lips. The world started to spin mercilessly inside of Cora's head as her knees gave up, and she found herself falling. Robert strongly grabbed her waist with one hand and caught her wrist with his other; just in time before her body could smash against the deck. Robert seemed to have no problem keeping his balance as he pulled her to his chest tightly.

Cora gripped Robert's coat as the ship continued to shake violently and she cried out in fright. Robert carefully squeezed her to him, his grip around her became even more firm. In that moment, Cora was beyond thankful for Robert's strength; otherwise she was sure she would be on the ground again, presumably mildly injured.

Cora suddenly heard him take a sharp intake of breath as the various sounds grew louder and louder around them. Cora felt herself fill with anxiety and began to rigorously search for some kind of excuse to account for the shuddering ship. She slowly turned her head and gasped, the cold catching in her throat. The ship was still vibrating with brutal shivers as a giant mountain of ice passed next to them. Suddenly, there was a horrible screeching; a low guttural sound of something harsh tearing down the cold metal of the Titanic as it groaned. It reached Cora's ears - the sounds so powerful that the brutal pitch of it was almost painful. Without even thinking, Cora covered her ears in fear.

Robert held her tightly to his side and pulled her backward away from the monstrous iceberg that loomed high above them. The pole to the crow's-nest hit a chunk of ice and large pieces the size of cinderblocks fell onto the deck right where the couple had been standing moments before.

Cora tried her best to keep the tears at bay as her face reddened in indignation and then paled alarmingly as she sagged against her husband's body beside her. For a moment she struggled to regain her composure and then her eyes widened - there was a cracking sound coming from high above them, and she was terrified that larger chunks of ice would fall right on top of them. Time seemed to stop as the ship grinded its way past the iceberg.

Finally, the shuddering ceased and all became deadly quiet once more. The mountain faded away into the distance, but her grip didn't loosen, neither did Robert's. Cora watched the fading iceberg with the most intimidating death glare she could muster given her weakened state. Moments later, dozens of people started to appear on deck. Some just looked around in amazement at all of the ice that lay scattered upon the deck - gasping at their sharp, jagged edges - while others ran to the railing to get a better look at the iceberg diminishing into the distance.

Robert gently took her hands and loosened his grip slightly before holding her face close to his, "Are you alright?" He asked anxiously.

She breathed in a shuddering breath and nodded, not trusting her voice. Robert stood motionless for a few moments before his gaze turned fearfully toward the bridge where crewmen were frantically running down the stairs in different directions.

"Thank God you're all right Cora, we're all right. We're safe now."

After another long moment, Cora was able to speak, but to her horror her attempt at a low deadly tone was alternately squeaky and hoarse.

Robert focused his attention back to Cora and kissed her lightly on the forehead, which took her by surprise. He pulled away and firmly wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Come on love," he said, a seriousness seeping through the tone of his voice.

Cora's arms encircled his waist as she pulled herself closer to him. He rushed her inside and toward the main staircase - Cora was still too shocked and frightened to make sense of where he was taking her. They finally made it to the bottom of the first level and Cora spotted Rosamund and Patrick rushing towards them.

They didn't seem frightened. Why would they need to be? They weren't in any real danger. But they still remained deadly serious.

"Cora, Robert," Patrick greeted them quickly, and threw a slight smile in Cora's direction to acknowledge her hurriedly before his attention turned back to Robert, "We need to talk," he said calmly, but his eyes reflected fear.

Robert seemed to understand the message and immediately nodded his head, turning towards Cora.

"Darling, why don't you and Rosamund go to our stateroom. I'll be there as soon as I can, but first we have to see what's going on here."

Rosamund smiled down at her caringly, but Cora flinched away toward Robert, "Please, take care."

Robert kissed her forehead, "I won't be long, I promise. But you need to go, now."

There was no mistaking the commanding authority in his voice; Cora let out a dry sigh as Rosamund put her arm around Cora's shoulders and started to pull her to the elevators. Robert turned his attention immediately to Patrick and the two of them vanished behind the stairs.

"It'll be alright, dear," Rosamund said while she rubbed Cora's back comfortingly. Cora leaned into her, grateful for the reassurance. She closed her eyes for a moment and squeezed Rosamund's hand more tightly, longing to feel the woman's embrace but too proud to ask for it, or to initiate the contact herself.

They reached the stateroom in only five minutes. They sat on the couch and stayed silent for a while. Rosamund rubbed Cora's back, continuing to comfort her but still she didn't speak, mildly afraid to make any small talk. Cora waited anxiously for the door to open announcing Robert's return.

Rosamund brushed a stray caramel curl behind Cora's ear as she stood up, heading towards the door, "I'm just going to-" Unable to finish her thought, Cora's face darkened, "Oh, you're leaving..."

The broken, whispered 'of course' that followed silently spurred Rosamund to voice what she was feeling in a much harsher tone than she had originally intended, wanting Cora to listen and understand what she was trying to say. "No, I'm not."

Rosamund then gave her a sympathetic look and took her previous place next to Cora. "I'm staying right here." Rosamund continued calmly and Cora nodded vaguely, her eyes still closed as she continued to fight against the rising panic inside of her.

Her legs and body failed her and it seemed her mouth was too as her lower lip started to quiver. Rosamund could see the unspoken need in Cora's eyes and sensed her struggle for words. She slipped an arm around the slender waist of her sister-in-law, lightly nudging Cora, showing her that she could tell her anything.

"I-I wanted to tell you earlier, but... t-there was always something in the way." Cora spoke softly, regulating her breathing.

She fixed her eyes to Rosamund - the broken blue gaze hauntingly searching for comfort as Cora felt her hands instinctively flutter gently over her abdomen. "The circumstances were never quite good..." Her voice trailed off again and a gentle sigh left her lips. Rosamund's eyes winded and locked onto Cora's hands as they continued to gently rest against her midsection.

"Wait," Rosamund murmured, but her lips curled into a tight smile, "Are you..."

Right after those words were spoken, the door slowly opened. The women jumped apart expecting Robert, but a steward made his way into the room instead. He smiled at the redhead who looked as though she had just seen a ghost, and at the brunette whose features revealed disappointment.

"Excuse me madams, but I have come to inform you to quickly put your lifebelts on and head up to the boat's deck. There's no need to worry, it's just a precaution." The man said calmly, looking untroubled as he quickly left the room, but kept the door wide open. There were people outside hurrying down the hallway toward the stairs.

Cora closed her eyes in disappointment before she felt a pair of warm arms encircling her waist. She opened her eyes, and when she looked up it was into her love's eyes, they were watching her fondly, and although there was worry there, they were dark and pooled with unfathomable love - I fell in love with your eyes she thought, so I'll love you forever. It was an absurd thought but she smiled in relief and buried her face into his jacket.

Robert kissed the top of her head and wordlessly led her into their bedroom. He reached up into the top shelf of the closet and pulled out two white lifejackets. Before Cora could protest, he was already buckling it around her. He still hadn't said a word and his face was unreadable as he led her back into the main room. Robert handed the other one to Rosamund, with the nod of his head he told her that he was alright with her having it instead; that he would manage to find another.

Cora was fed up with the silence and she sharply grabbed Robert's arm and turned him to face her. "What's going on Robert?" Cora asked warningly. "I know something bad has happened, I can see it in your eyes. Please, just tell us."

"Please..." Rosamund added sheepishly, her voice uncertain.

Robert sighed and pulled Cora into his warm embrace; he pulled away after only a few moments. "Cora, I won't let anything happen to you two," he said, turning his gaze to his sister.

Rosamund nodded for him to continue, though she dreaded his next sentence. He looked back deeply into Cora's bright eyes, he could see fear radiating throughout them.

"The ship is going to sink." He murmured into thin air, "All of this will be at the bottom of the ocean in at least two hours, three if we're lucky." Robert's eyes wandered around the room, taking in once more the splendid interior. His heart ached knowing that this all would be under the dark, dark sea in just a little while.

Cora's eyes widened as she let the information sink in. There were only about two dozen lifeboats on this ship. And there had to be over two thousand passengers. Oh god, what had happened?

Cora looked up and saw that Robert's jaw was tightly clenched. "We need to..." He trailed off, suddenly wordless.

"I need to first take care of you," He stated abruptly, "You need to board a lifeboat as soon as possible." Robert continued seriously, though the ends of his lips curled into a small smile, "For yours and the baby's safety."

Rosamund, still not used to the idea of the baby, clapped her hands together with pure happiness; she let the feeling overwhelm her for the couple in front of her. Though the circumstances weren't ideal, there was still so much to look forward to.

There was a knock on the doorframe and a steward poked his head in, "I'm so sorry to rush you, sir, but you and the ladies must be getting up to the deck now."

Robert released Cora from his firm grip and rushed back into their bedroom. Cora followed slowly and stood in the doorway, all of this still felt surreal to her. Robert grabbed one of his layered coats and rushed to the safe, shoving a few of their belongings into the deep pockets. He was behind Cora in the next second, slipping the coat onto her.

"Rosamund, go to your room and dress as warmly as you can. Take only what is needed. We'll meet you on the deck in ten minutes." Robert said hurriedly as he shoved a few small bobbles of his own into his pockets from his dresser; then he was by Rosamund's side before she could even blink.

"Please, take care and be as fast as you can." Robert said with eyes full of emotion as he looked down at his sister. Not being able to resist, Rosamund flung her arms around her brother and lightly kissed him on the cheek before letting go.

"I'll hurry, don't worry." Rosamund muttered, clearing her throat.

The sudden change in atmosphere was abrupt and harsh, the air became tense and seemed to compress making Rosamund's eyes water. Before anyone could start to notice her silently wrecked state, she excused herself from the room, leaving her brother and sister-in-law behind.

Robert stared at the door for another minute. The love he felt toward his sister was indescribable. She was his ride or die, always the troubled one, and always so full of love towards him. He couldn't imagine his life without the fiery redhead.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt Cora wrapping an arm around him and in response he slipped his hand around her waist and pulled her out of the room into the hall. There was silence between them because their emotions and actions already spoke such volumes. Robert pulled her down the hall while trying to dodge people running toward the deck.

They made it up the stairs and out onto the main staircase. The change was strange, it was almost as though they had walked through a doorway into another dimension, somewhere separate and detached from the horror that was crushing in around them. Where the hallway had been panicky and anxious, the main staircase was calm with the band playing nearby. They could have almost believed they were merely taking a stroll to the deck - but there was no mistaking the weird tangled reality that hung in the air surrounding them.

Robert pulled Cora out onto the deck, carefully overlooking her every step. There were barely any people outside, and the cold air suddenly hit Cora's body making her shiver violently.

The lifeboats were only just starting to be put into their stations. "Robert? Cora?" She heard a voice calling them from behind. She turned around and came face to face with James and Patrick.

"I'm so glad to see that you made it through this crowd." Patrick admitted sincerely while Cora stared at them in surprise as he suddenly put his arm on Cora's back. In response, Cora threw a sympathetic look in his direction, not quite sure what she was supposed to do. Robert backed away slightly, but never relinquished his hold on his wife's waist.

Patrick stared into the distance, looking at the boats that were being easily lowered, "Oh, Cora, come now, we need to get you into the boat."

Suddenly there was a shrill cry of, "Women and children only," from the nearest boat. Cora turned around and saw that there was a sudden flood of people coming outside; all lining up and patiently waiting for a boat, there was no rush, everyone was calm for now.

"Patrick's right, you have to go now." Robert said as he tried to urge Cora to go to the lifeboat, but it seemed like she was sealed to the ground. She didn't move one inch.

"Robert!" Cora took a sharp intake of breath and tugged him by his coat, "I've forgotten something down in the room. I must go back and get it."

"Nonsense Cora. It's not important, it's too late now anyways. We have to get you onto the boat." Robert said calmly, rubbing the trembling shoulders of his wife soothingly, he pressed his lips to the soft crown of her caramel strands and rested his cheek against them.

"No, Robert, it's important and it's not too late yet. We still have plenty of time. There's no rush." Cora protested and Robert took her smaller hand into his bigger one pulling her toward the boat against her will. Cora somewhat managed to pull herself free of his grasp, but to her shock Patrick pushed her from behind urging her to follow her husband. Cora looked up at him and saw his adamant gestures as he motioned for her to follow.

"No, no, I'll be fast, I promise. And we're still waiting for Rosamund anyway." Cora practically pleaded now while she tried to slow down their pace as much as she could.

Cora stared at them for a moment and tried to back away, but Robert prevented her from doing so. His hands grabbed her waist from behind and pushed her forward, "Cora," he said quietly, "Get in the boat."

Cora whipped her head around and stared at her husband's blue eyes, they were calm, but his posture was tense. "No!" She cried out and stopped their pace altogether.

"You really are a stubborn one, aren't you?" Robert flashed a half smile in her direction, and shook his head lightly.

"You know me, can't help myself." Cora managed to genuinely smile back at him and crossed her arms against her chest. "So, are you coming down with me or what?" Cora rolled her eyes playfully.

Although he was watching her from the corner of his eye, Robert was glad that she managed to keep herself so calm in a situation like this. It was as though she truly believed this wasn't a big deal; that it was just a false alarm.

Robert's face contorted with annoyance as he huffed loudly, finally, under his breath Robert said, "Let's go then, and we better hurry."

What woke Elsie was not a pleasant dream or the stirrings of her cabin mates. What woke her was a sound, a sound like nothing she had ever heard before. It was a horrible noise; a crunching, scraping, grinding cacophony that reverberated throughout the cabin like Armageddon.

Elsie lurched upright in bed, narrowly avoiding knocking herself unconscious on the cabin ceiling. She had been asleep for maybe half an hour, and was so disoriented by this sudden jolt into wakefulness, that for an instant, she wondered if she had imagined hearing anything at all. But no, Elsie could see Fabrizio sitting upright in the opposite bunk to her as well, a tense, dark silhouette against the white wall.

Kicking her legs free of the tangled bed sheets, Elsie half-climbed, half-fell down the ladder from her bunk. She plucked her threadbare dressing gown from its place on the wall hooks and threw it around her shoulders. The terrible noise had stopped, replaced by a silence that made Elsie's ears ring. Where was the ever-present hum of the engines, the constant sounds of gears, the pistons, the parting ocean? Elsie threw open the cabin door and burst into the hallway.

All up and down the corridor, doors were opening and bleary-eyed women were peeking out into the hall. Questions and exclamations in every language imaginable echoed throughout the eerily quiet air. The door across the hall from Elsie's opened and Genevieve appeared, dressed only in her heavy flannel nightgown and looking more tousled than Elsie had ever seen her.

"What is it?" Genevieve exclaimed, hurrying to Elsie's side. Both hands were clasped against her chest and she was shivering, "What's goin' on?"

Elsie wrapped her dressing gown tighter around her body and shook her head, "I don't know," she scanned the rapidly filling hallway for any sign of the crewman or a steward. A few men were beginning to appear on the scene, having made their way from the forward dormitories to search for the women they were travelling with. "There was that horrible scrapin' noise and then we just stopped."

"What?" Genevieve laid one hand against the wall, seeking the familiar rumble of the ship vibrating through the wood panels, "Holy God, you're right!" She gave Elsie a wide-eyed look, "What does that mean? Why would we stop?"

"I'm sure I don't know," Elsie replied.

Anika had joined them in the hall now, a knitted sweater pulled over her night clothes, her blond hair matted to her head with sleep. Fabrizio too was hovering near Elsie's right side, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. His blue eyes were enormous with confusion as he tried to grasp what was being said. Elsie tried to explain, wishing that she had tried to learn a bit more Italian other than "hello", "goodbye" and "how are you". Finally Elsie grabbed her roommate's hand and pressed it to the doorjamb so that Fabrizio could feel how the vibrations had stopped. He seemed to understand on some level, and he nodded gratefully before returning to the room.

"It can't be anything real bad, can it?" Anika said fretfully, twisting the hem of her sweater in both hands.

Before anyone could answer, a sudden ruckus at the aft end of the corridor caught the crowd's attention. A pair of white-coated stewards had appeared and began pounding on any doors still left unopened, bellowing for everyone to wake up.

"Everyone up and out of bed!" One of the pair hollered roughly, banging his fist against a closed cabin door. Several women ducked into their rooms as they approached, not understanding the language and wishing to avoid being seen by such a rough and unpleasant fellow while dressed only in their night things.

"Third class is to gather fore and aft of the Well Deck. Bring your life preservers and wait there for further instructions!"

Elsie felt her heart leap into her throat. Life preservers? Surely not; this had to be some sort of mistake, a drill perhaps. Genevieve gave out a weak little yelp at the news and was now clutching Elsie's arm in an almost painful grip.

"Why d'we need those?" She breathed in a hoarse whisper, her fingers digging harder into Elsie's skin. "What's happened that we need those?"

"Maybe it's nothing," Elsie said, trying to sound sure of herself and doing a terrible job of it, "Maybe it's just…"

"Elsie!"

All three women turned as one, for once failing to see the humour in the situation. Charles had evidently managed to fight his way back from where he was and hastened towards them.

"Charles!" Elsie pulled her arm free of Genevieve's vice-like hold and ran to meet him. She grabbed him by the wrists, immediately reassured by his presence. "Charles, what the hell's happening?" She demanded breathlessly, "They're telling us to put our life vests on!"

Charles looked anxious, his mouth drawn into a grim line, his eyebrows knitted together. He pulled Elsie closer, tugging one hand out of her grip and placing it protectively against the small of her back.

"I think we hit something," he said, his voice dark with worry.

Anika gave a squeak of fear, "What're we s'posed to do now then?" she asked, hugging herself for warmth and comfort.

The stewards had almost reached them now, but became occupied by trying to explain to a frustrated-sounded French man and his wife that they needed to dress and put on their life belts. Charles eyed them, then decided that they weren't likely to be much help.

"I'll go upstairs and have a look," he said, releasing his hold on Elsie with some reluctance, "Stay here," he ordered.

He needn't have bothered. Charles only took two steps before one of the white-uniformed men blocked his path, "Where do you think you're going?"

"Upstairs to see what's going on," Charles said incredulously, looking as though he would have liked to punch the man in the nose, "Where do you think?"

"You'll stay here like you're told," The steward snapped, sounding more agitated and impatient than outright belligerent, "And for God's sake, get your bloody life preservers on!"

Charles opened his mouth to make a retort, but Elsie grabbed the back of his shirt.

"Don't Charles, there's no use fighting," she pleaded. Several other men had rushed at the steward now, demanding answers in various languages. The situation had the potential to turn ugly at any moment and Elsie wanted Charles to keep well out of the way of it. She pulled him back from the crowd.

"Please Charles, come on, we'll find a way up without them."

"All right," Charles turned and looked at her, his expression a mixture of anger and anxiety. Elsie pressed herself closer to him, her fingers from both hands hooked into the material of his shirt.

"All right Els, go into your cabin and get your life belt. Get dressed too, into something warm, I think."

"Where're you going?" Elsie demanded, clutching him tighter.

"Back to the boys cabin; someone there might know something," Charles said, gently attempting to pry her fingers loose, "it won't take but a couple of minutes."

Elsie shook her head vigorously, "No, no, Charles you can't leave…"

Charles wrapped his hands around one of hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "I'll be fine. I'll meet you at the aft staircase, alright? Now go on, take the others and get dressed, quickly Elsie," he kissed the top of her head, "I'll be back in no time, you'll see."

Though still clearly unimpressed with the idea, Elsie allowed Charles to let go of her. She watched him disappear into the crowd, chewing her lip uncertainly. Finally, Elsie turned back to the other girls. They were hovering a few meters away, looking at her expectantly. Elsie hurried over to them, untying the belt of her dressing gown as she did so.

"Where's Charles goin'?" Anika asked, looking Elsie up and down as though searching for signs of imminent separation anxiety.

"Back to the boys cabin," Elsie replied, keeping her voice as calm as possible, "He's going to meet us at the staircase," She pushed open her cabin door and gestured for her friends to return to their own rooms, "Right now get dressed warm and put on your life vests, quick as you can."

In her room, Elsie found Fabrizio leaning heavily against the rounded window, his body visibly shaking. When Elsie entered, he looked at her with clear relief, as though he somehow sensed that she had some idea of what to do. Elsie didn't waste time trying to mime out instructions; she simply grabbed the coats from their hooks and thrust the garment into his arms.

"Here," Elsie said, digging two life preservers out from underneath the bunks, "Take these too."

Taking only a moment to see that her roommate understood, Elsie began gathering up her own clothes. She pulled on stockings and bloomers but otherwise chose to skip worrying about the rest of her finicky underclothes. Instead, she pulled her skirt on over her night gown and then, after a moment, selected the never-worn blouse Anna had given her as a going away present and put it on too. Somehow saving it to wear for her arrival in New York no longer seemed important.

Just as Elsie was throwing on her coat, the door flew open and Anika and Genevieve piled into the room. Neither were near as layered as Elise was, having apparently done nothing more than put on stockings and sweaters. Anika had put on her cheerfully coloured beret, but neither girl wore gloves.

Elsie eyed them speculatively, "Are you dressed warm enough then?" She was trying to secure her hat, but her hands were shaking so badly that she couldn't work the pins.

Genevieve looked down at her coat - the only article of clothing she had put on over her nightdress – and heavy wool stockings. "How warm d'ye figure we need te be?" She demanded, her voice shriller than normal.

"I don't know!" Elsie snapped, finally giving up on her hat and tossing it onto one of the bunks; with any luck she would be back for it later, "How should I know? If you feel warm enough then I guess you are!"

"Don't yell, Elsie," Anika pleaded, looking very small and pale in all her light-coloured clothing, "Please don't yell. We need to all help each other."

Elsie pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, pressing her free hand to her chest. It wasn't fair to get annoyed; none of them had any idea what was going on, or what they needed to do. Elsie herself was just obeying Charles' instructions.

"I'm sorry, you're right," She said, opening her eyes. She checked the ties on her life preserver, "Are you all ready then?"

A chastised looking Genevieve answered for everyone, "Alright, we're ready, let's go."

Hand in hand they hurried away from their cabins, Elsie in the lead, Anika and Genevieve bringing up the rear. There was mass confusion in the corridors. The majority of the steerage passengers did not speak English so they had no idea what was going on. Even those of the third class travellers who could understand the instructions of the stewards were in turmoil, demanding answers, looking for loved ones, even just trying to decide where to go.

The air was full of confusion and fear was a tangible thing, being passed from person to person like a spark of static electricity. Elsie dragged her friends past group after group of frightened, uncertain passengers, many of whom she had become familiar with. The entire Sage family, all eleven of them, were huddled against one wall; the little ones clinging to their older siblings' hands while their parents discussed their next course of action. Elsie wondered if anyone really knew what was happening.

Elsie told herself over and over that it couldn't be serious, not really and truly dire. Even if the ship had collided with something – and Elsie's gut instinct told her that it had – the Titanic was supposed to be unsinkable. Everybody knew that. The life jackets were just a precaution, the crew following procedure, not an actual indication of danger. How could they be in any real danger on an unsinkable ship?

This thought would have provided some comfort if Elsie's little group had not chosen that moment to run head long into a steward coming down the hallway from the forward decks. The man was moving quickly, paying little attention to where he was going, and he very nearly sent Elsie flying when he ran into her.

There was a moment of confusion as they righted themselves and babbled apologies. The steward regained his composure first, giving the gaggle of women a once over and saying, "Good, life belts, excellent. Get to the Well Deck now, will you?" His voice was brusque, business-like and vaguely distracted. He hurried off without a backward glance.

Elsie watched him leave, feeling suddenly very shaky and breathless. Just before the Steward had snapped back into his formal demeanour, Elsie had caught a glimpse of something unsettling in his eyes, something that all the formal training in the world couldn't mask. She wasn't entirely sure, but if Elsie had to put a name to the look, she would have said that it was fear. The man was afraid. The crew knew better than the passengers what was going on, and if they were frightened…

"All right," Elsie said, "Let's get a move on, okay?" She pulled her friends forward again, and if anyone in the group noticed that Elsie had almost doubled her pace, not one of them was about to question her.

Send me some love because my muse needs some inspiration and creativity after being shut away in some dusty corner for months. So review and let me know how you think the story is going, because it is going, I promise!