Sooo…apparently it's been like four months or something. I'm really sorry.

Thank you to AddieNiffler, Melbi, NiffAreForever, embrace-the-deception, ournoisyhearts, Huntniffbastian, Prongsie1213 and Coni for reviewing!

Thanks also to everyone who favourites this story!

Forwards we go...

The hallways were silent as they made their way along them, the only sound their seemingly noisy heartbeats beating against their chests as they made their way through the ship towards First Class. Of course the night was cold before, but now, Nick thought, it seemed to have taken on an extra chill, one that left his spine feeling prickly and his feet cold and clammy despite being in the controlled temperature of the body of the ship.

Jeff's hand in his felt cold but the sweat between their palms betrayed him. It betrayed both of them. The heat of the panic inside of them mixed with the adrenaline was starting to show; starting to seep through their pores to make itself known.

They rounded a sharp corner quickly, almost colliding with and elderly woman and a man who Nick assumed was her husband. Their mouths fell open slightly at the sight of the two boys and they turned, shocked, to watch them recede down the corridor.

Nick knew they must have been a sight. Surely, no one in this part of the ship could have heard the news yet as clearly everyone on deck when the iceberg had struck had been from either second or third class. So it was no surprise this elderly couple looked at them in such a way. Nick glanced over at Jeff, confirming this. The taller boy's face was white as stone and his eyes had taken on a crazy gleam. Nick recognised this, as he was sure it was written all over his own face: despair.

Plus, there was the unusual fact that they were holding hands, gripping onto each other like a lifeline.

Nick could feel the panic in Jeff was threatening to break out. His first chance at happiness and there was every possibility it would all end right here, tonight.

Jeff hurried around another corner, almost ploughing down another unsuspecting passenger.

"Stop." Nick tugged gently on Jeff's hand, forcing him to come to a halt. "Stop."

Jeff turned towards him and the look on his face nearly broke Nick.

Nick could do nothing except place his hands on Jeff's waist and pull them together. He leans into Jeff, placing a soft kiss on his mouth, nothing more than a slight brush of lips upon lips. He let his eyes slip closed briefly before resting his forehead against Jeff's.

Nick's words were soft but stern.

"Jeff, I have just found you. I will not lose you, no matter what, ok?"

Jeff's eyes closed and Nick heard him swallow, exhaling through his nose.

"I'm sorry." His eyes opened and he looked to Nick. "I'm scared, Nick."

"I know. I am too."

Jeff was the one to kiss Nick this time, his hands rubbing Nick' upper arms before straightening up and weaving their fingers together. "Come on. We haven't got much time."

They walked quickly up to the door of the suite Jeff's family was staying in and he knocked three times quickly.

It was late; his parents were most likely already in bed. After several moments though the door swung open in front of them, Jeff's father standing with his mother close behind. Jeff could make out Brittany standing several metres back at the end of the hall. John stepped back a bit and the two boys took the opportunity.

"Mother!" Jeff stepped across the threshold hesitantly, Nick stepping up softly beside him. "The ship is sinking."

There was a pause in the room before Brittany laughed bitterly. "Another desperate bid for attention, Jeff?"

"No, really – "

"You're sick, Jeffery. You need help." His father's voice sliced through the air, silencing him.

Another pause. "No, dad. I've never felt better." Jeff swallowed. Despite the fear and despair he was feeling at the moment, he knew without a doubt he was still telling the truth.

"Jeffery," his father's voice sliced through the air, "that boy can't give you anything."

Jeff was already shaking his head. "Yes he can, father. He can give me more than you ever could."

When his father started to speak again, Jeff cut him off, raising his voice slightly, something a week ago he would never had thought he would do to his parents. "That's not why I'm here right now." He looked to his mother again, his eyes pleading. "The ship is sinking. We've struck an iceberg."

He saw the fear crawl into his mother's eyes as she placed a hand over her mouth. Even Brittany's fierce resolve was shaken as she uncrossed her arms and stood up taller; alert.

Nick cleared his throat softly from beside Jeff. "It's true, Mr and Mrs Sterling. Jeff wouldn't lie, especially not about something like this."

"They're starting to fill the lifeboats in a few minutes out on deck." Jeff looked between his mother and father and Brittany. "Please go out and get on one. There's not enough for everyone on board."

Brittany seemed to relax at this and, to Jeff's surprise, laughed.

He looked at her sharply, the malice evident in his voice. "Forgive me, Brittany, but what could you possibly find remotely funny at a time like this?"

She sneered at him. "Your family and mine are amongst the richest families in the world. If this ship is sinking there will undoubtedly be a place on any single one of those boats for us. I told you before, Jeff, money can get you anything. Without money, we would not get on one of these boats." She smirked cruelly at him before turning her cold gaze upon Nick. "So really, its not us you need be concerned for, Jeff. It's your poor little friend here with nothing to his name."

The contempt he felt towards her in that moment was unlike anything Jeff had ever felt before. His blood boiled in his veins, causing his heartbeat to sound like thunder in his ears and his fingernails to draw blood on his palms.

Nick should have expected it, really. He should have known by now how ruthless and without heart this young girl was. Of course there was truth in her words, though. She knew it. Jeff knew it. Nick most certainly knew it.

He squeezed Jeff's hand tightly for a moment, a silent word of advice to let it go; that he was fine.

Jeff shook his head slowly, his glare directed at Brittany morphing into cold, hard pity. "I have never known anyone to be so cold and heartless in my entire life, and considering the people I have grown up around, that's surely saying something. I feel sorry for you, Brittany, I really do."

The blonde scoffed. "I don't need your pity, Jeffery. I don't need anything from you."

Jeff knew it was now or never. His parents had to know the truth, and Brittany had just given him a perfect opening. "How about my child, then, Brittany? Do you not need it?"

She seemed to realise her mistake as soon as Jeff opened his mouth, but it was too late.

Lydia gasped. "Yes, Brittany, the child! You must get to a lifeboat right away. Get your coat on."

Jeff watched Brittany with his eyebrows raised, waiting to see what her next move was. She seemed to ponder it briefly before smirking slightly at him once more and turning to his mother.

"You're right, Lydia. We must go right away."

Beside him, Nick shook his head, baffled at how deceiving she could still be at a time like this when there were hundreds of lives at stake. "Unbelievable."

"Right." Jeff's father turned to him, his brow heavy. "Say your goodbyes now, Jeffery. It's time for Nicholas to go."

Now it was Jeff's turn to laugh. "Stop! Everyone, just stop."

Anger flashed through his father's eyes. His mother turned to look at her son. Brittany levelled Jeff's gaze, daring him to say anything. He knew she probably wasn't expecting him to. For several years, she had seen him sit by his father's side, following each and every order given to him. Well, he thought bitterly, not anymore.

"There is no child, mother. She's not pregnant."

His mother gasped. "Don't be ridiculous, Jeffery. Why would Brittany lie about something like that?"

"I could not say for sure whether she did lie, Mother, but if Brittany is with child then it is not mine. I have never been with Brittany in such a way and I certainly would not touch her now with a ten foot pole if someone offered me a hundred pounds to do so. Heck, even five pounds."

Nick knew he shouldn't, but was it so wrong if he felt joy at Jeff's words?

Jeff's mother and father both turned on Brittany in the same moment. She glared at Jeff, her eyes holding no emotion other than hatred for the boy.

John Sterling spoke after a pause. "Is this true, Brittany?"

"There will be time to discuss it later." Jeff addressed his family, keeping his eyes clear of Brittany. "What matters now is that you get to a boat."

"Yes." His father turned back to him. "Nicholas, time for you to go."

"No, father." Jeff was speaking before the man had even stopped. "I came here to warn you, but I'm not staying."

"Of course you are. Don't be stupid."

"No." Jeff shook his head. "I'm not."

His father growled. "Foolish boy. You'll die."

"I hope you're wrong, father. But I go where Nick goes."

His mother turned to him, eyes pleading. "Jeff, honey – "

Jeff cleared his throat, trying to not be affected by the look in her eyes. "No. Put on a lifejacket and get to a boat. I'll see you later."

Tearing his eyes away from his family, he gripped Nick's hand tighter and stepped back out into the hallway, letting the door close with a thud behind them.

He took a deep breath, composing himself. "Right. We need to hurry." He looked over at Nick. "Let's go find Sebastian."