Jumping a few years here again. Though eventually I'd like to do some back fill, but for now, here we go.
She quickly forgot why she had come to this part of the ship in the first place, when she saw a figure dart into the next hallway.
Could it be a thief? She was close to the cargo hold. Even if it wasn't, they likely shouldn't be in this part of the ship.
So, she followed whoever it was to a spot more in the open where they couldn't avoid each other easily.
It was a young man whom she was unfamiliar with.
He wasn't a crew member. Otherwise he wouldn't have been trying to hide. That meant he must be a passenger who wanted to explore where they shouldn't.
That had happened before. Or getting turned around and getting lost. She could help if that was the case.
"I don't think you're supposed to be down here. Passengers shouldn't be down in this part the ship." She called out, he turned around and started to study her.
"Well it's a good thing I'm not a passenger then. Should you even be down here?" She pursed her her lips as she eyed him carefully.
"I'm sort of a special case. You say you're not a passenger, but I don't recognize you. Which means you're either new or a stowaway. I don't think that you are new crew though. Daddy hasn't said anything about training anyone new. Which leaves you being a stowaway. Am I wrong?" She raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms, tapping her foot.
"There's hundreds of crew members on a ship this size. How can you be so certain that I'm not a crew member?" He said rolling his eyes.
Her foot stilled as she dropped her hands to her sides.
"There may be hundreds, and I don't know everyone, but I do typically recognize those on the crew. Even when they're not in uniform." She glanced him over to reaffirm her statement, he wasn't crew, and likely didn't know much or anything about ship life.
"Who are you?"
She liked how bewildered he sounded by her.
"Abigail Hudson, I think I should be the one asking you that stowaway." She stuck out her chin.
"Isn't there someway I could convince you I'm not a stowaway?"
She shook her head at him.
"No. And even if I weren't to say anything, you'd still be found out. So who are you?"
"Why should I have to tell girl like you anything?" Now it was his turn to cross his arms.
"Be-cau-se the captain already knows there's a stowaway on his ship. And the captain just so happens to be my father. So your name please." She had her hands on her hips and leaned forward as she laid down her trump card.
"Fine. Medical student, Nicholas McQueen, at your service, Miss Hudson."
He rolled his eyes again before going into an overly flourished bow.
"Well, now that we're properly introduced. You can escort me back to the main part of the ship. While we turn you in." She smiled at him. His jaw dropped.
"Do you really think I'm just going to turn myself in like that?"
"I do. Because I can guess who your uncle is."
"You can not." He scoffed.
"Oh, so he's not John Winters? A notable Titanic survivor and right hand man to my father and also MY uncle." His expression confirmed it for her. "That's what I thought."
oOo
Lagging behind Abigail Hudson seemed like a better idea than facing Uncle John face on. She would be his buffer. At least for the first moment or two. After that, he'd likely be on his own.
Uncle John didn't notice them until Abigail tapped his shoulder.
"Uncle John..."
"Abby, love! Did you manage to find what you were looking for?" He gave her a hug.
"No, but I did find the stowaway."
She reached behind her and grabbed his arm to pull him forward.
He swallowed hard as his uncle's lips thinned.
"Ah- hi, Uncle John." He gave a small hesitant wave.
"Thank you Abigail. I would go find what we were talking about for your father while I take our stowaway to him."
"Yes Uncle John."
They watched her walk away, before John turned his attention back to him, frowning. That frown didn't look right on his uncle's face.
"You are going to get the pleasure of meeting Jesse Hudson in full captain mode. He wasn't pleased to hear about having a stowaway."
"I-"
"No. You can save any explanations for when we are with the captain."
He fell silent.
It was hard to think about a time when his uncle was this stern with him before. He wasn't sure that there was a time. Especially with how he was currently being marched.
There would be no slipping out of his uncle's grip to go hide again.
He had never officially met his aunt's twin. Seen him in the distance; yes, but always ended up visiting his uncle while Aunt Ruth's side of the family seemed to be busy. Or else his uncle and aunt came up to Maine to see his family.
The distance to the captain's quarters and office was too short for his liking. His uncle knocked on the door before entering. His arm was dropped after the door was shut behind them.
The Captain of the ship finished writing something at his desk before turning around.
"Winters? Why have you dragged a kid into my study?"
"Captain, the stowaway has been found." An arm was flourished in his direction.
"This is our stowaway then?"
"Yes sir. Found by your very own daughter, while happening to be my sister's son." Said Uncle John.
"Why, has your nephew, stowed away on my ship?"
"That is a very good question and one that Nick is going to answer for us."
"Uncle John-"
"Na-ah. Don't you Uncle John me, Nicholas. You're the one who thought it was a good idea to stowaway. You can address the Captain directly and take responsibility for your actions."
It was odd to see his uncle so formal. To see him acting as the First Officer that he was.
He tried to avoid looking into their eyes. Shuffling his feet and watching them instead.
"I- miscalculated how much I was going to need to purchase passage home... something that's only harder with the war going on. I thought that if I had to stowaway to get home, that I should at least do so on a ship where I know someone... should I be caught..."
"Did you know you would be caught?" The Captain asked.
"I knew there was a good possibility that I might be." Silence reigned. "I thought punishment might be a little more lenient if I knew someone on board."
He was still looking at his feet, though he had stopped shuffling them.
"Had you sought me out in the first place, we could have come up with something that didn't include stowing away. Then you wouldn't have had to worry about the consequences that you will be facing." Uncle John said shortly.
He was pretty sure the shame was written across his entire body in a hot red flush.
"I'm sorry if I interrupted you Jesse."
"You didn't."
He looked up, only to see the Captain studying him. He quickly dropped his head back down.
"John? I'm assigning him to under your watch. He can stay in your quarters while he is not busy cleaning. You Mr. McQueen, will be cleaning the public bathrooms and whatever else is deemed necessary. Your uncle will be your keeper unless he delegates you to someone else for a time. You do not leave his watch unless he tells you to go back to his quarters or you have been delegated to someone else for the time. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir." He answered quietly.
"Good. You're both dismissed."
"Thank you." Said Uncle John.
"Get out of here John.
"Aye, aye Captain."
That seemed more like the uncle he was familiar with. Though he still had grasped his arm firmly to remove him from the office space. Being taken to his uncle's quarters now. To start his punishment. One that certainly could have been worse.
