Chapter Nine

TWs: None, but read at your own risk

⸻ Line Break ⸻

Notes:

Hello everyone and welcome back for another update!

Enjoy reading and please leave your reviews. Also, this is the last time I am saying this: please let me know who MUST survive this fic according to you! I will partially base the ending on your answers.

Much love, PhantomWritr

⸻ Line Break ⸻

That afternoon, Rose and Ruth were having tea in the Lounge on A-Deck with a bunch of other women, when they saw Regina enter with Cora.

Ruth didn't object when Rose immediately got up to join her friend, because the woman looked like she could use some support. Colour seemed to have returned to her face just a little bit, but overall, she still looked gaunt and in pain.

Without a care for formalities or Mrs Mills, Rose sat down next to her friend. "Hey, how is your day going, Gi?"

Cora made to answer for her daughter, but Rose held up her hand, silencing the woman. She was not about to let the older woman walk all over her. This was about Regina.

Her friend looked between her mother and Rose, as though wondering if she should answer the question. But Rose knew that Cora wasn't going to do anything in a public setting, which is why she had decided to confront them here.

Finally, Regina seemed to get the message. "Better than yesterday, still rough. How is your day?"

Rose smiled, understanding that Regina would obviously never be able to share everything with her mother present. "Mine is going splendidly, dear. Thanks for asking. Did you enjoy yourself last night?"

Regina made to nod, but wasn't allowed to say anything, because apparently Cora had had enough and got up. "Miss DeWitt Bukater, I think your presence here is highly inappropriate. Please have some decency and leave us be."

Rose grinned wickedly, getting up too. "No, I don't think I will, Mrs Mills. If I hadn't witnessed with my own eyes how much your daughter has been hurting these last few days, I might've listened to you. But you are her mother and you are just actively making her life worse. So, I am going to be there for my friend regardless of whether you want me to be or not. And if you cannot tolerate my presence, you can leave. But if you force me to get up and leave my friend in your arms, I will tell every single soul on this ship what a despicable mother you are and let's see how your precious reputation fares then." She thoroughly enjoyed going toe-to-toe with Cora Mills and knew that she had the woman dead to rights.

All the while, Regina had just stared at them dumbfoundedly. As though she was surprised that Rose dared to stand up to Cora. To be fair, Rose was somewhat surprised too.

Eventually, Cora huffed but went to sit back down. Rose decided to add another threat. "And if you dare punish her for my rebuffing of you, no, scratch that. If you or Mr Blanchard dare to lay another hand on her during this trip, I will personally make your life a living hell. Am I in any way unclear?"

Regina had no idea that Rose could be so authoritative, but she liked it. Finally, she had a real chance to survive this trip without shattering her soul into a million little pieces. This meant that from today on, until the ship docked in New York, she was free.

Her mother huffed again, but made an off-handed gesture, laying the matter to rest. Perhaps her mother's heart wasn't made of stone after all. Although her mother seemed to give up quite easily, but perhaps that was because they were in public.

Rose held out her hand to her, and knowing that she was finally free of repercussions, at least for the day, Regina took it. Together, they walked out of the lounge and onto the A-deck promenade.

"Ruby told me you came to see her this morning," Rose broke the silence. Regina flushed, but nodded. "I did. I had a panic attack upon waking up, so I went to the one person I knew wouldn't ask any questions. If I had known she was going to tell you…"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. It's not that bad. I am proud of you for reaching out to us. Besides, my day isn't going as splendidly as I led you to think just now. Cal yelled in my face this morning, because I didn't come to him last night and spent some part of the night with Jack. Singing "Come Josephine" during stargazing."

Regina's eyes widened. "Well, I certainly did miss a lot in these last few days. You and Jack – I didn't even see you leave together last night, and Emma and the Captain…"

Rose frowned. "Emma and Captain Jones? I haven't heard that one either. However did you think of that one?"

Regina just shrugged. "Well, they were talking during the party, right?" At Rose's affirmative nod, Regina continued. "So, this morning, I was on my way back up from E-Deck, where Henry had dragged me to this morning after service for another rendezvous with Robin, and I ran into the Captain. He looked rattled and somewhat bewildered. So, I asked him what's going on."

Now Rose's eyes widened. She made a mental note-to-self to ask Regina about that rendezvous with Robin later, but right now she wanted to hear the story of Emma Swan and Captain Jones.

"And first he brushed me off, but then changed his mind and asked me where he could find Miss Swan, because they'd had a lovely evening last night, to quote him. So, I told him she might not want him to find her, because she likely believed him way out of her league. He told me he didn't care. So, then I prayed that Emma would forgive me for telling him where he might find her. And at first he was confused why she would, you know, be in 3rd class…"

Regina trailed off, but Rose gestured for her to finish the story. "And then I hoped to God that Emma wouldn't get angry with me for sharing the truth and I told him. He thanked me for my help and went to find her immediately."

Rose burst out laughing. "Oh, girl. You're a born matchmaker. Silently suffering yourself, not seeing any possibility to break free, and then you just go and bring the two of them together."

Regina looked grim again. "Yeah, well, that was the highlight of my day. Next to you helping me escape my mother's overbearing presence just now. The rest of it has just been significantly painful."

"I am so sorry, Gina. If anyone lays a hand on you now, you tell anyone and we'll make their life a living hell, okay? Now, do tell me about that rendezvous you had with Robin after the service."

Realising that she wasn't getting out from Rose's scrutinising gaze, she decided to tell the younger woman all about her little rendezvous. She told Rose how Henry had beckoned her to follow and how she couldn't possibly tell the young boy no.

Rose noticed the affection in the slightly older woman's eyes. Regina cared about Henry a little more than just a little bit, Rose suspected. "Would you like to see him?"

"Who?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Henry, of course. Whatever choice you make regarding Robin is up to you, but surely you wouldn't be opposed to spending some time with Henry?"

Regina's eyes sparkled and Rose knew she had said the right thing. "Come on, let's go see Henry."

Together, they walked back inside and quickly headed down the aft grand staircase to B-deck, into the 2nd class reception room. From there, they walked through the Café Parisian on the starboard side of the ship, before walking down the stairs onto the aft Well Deck. They quickly crossed it and headed to the 3rd class entrance, where they walked down the stairs to find themselves in the 3rd class common room.

Looking around, they quickly spotted Emma and Henry, sitting together. There was no sign of either Jack or Robin. "Hey," Regina waved awkwardly as she made to cross the room.

Emma looked up, and Henry came running, crashing into her and she had to do all she could to stay upright. Finally, they all sat down next to Emma.

"So," Emma said. "I hadn't expected to see you here," she told Regina, who just shrugged. "I hadn't expected to find myself here either after the disaster of these last few days, but Rose threatened my mother, so at least for the remainder of the day, I'm free."

Emma smiled, a look of sympathy flashing across her face before it was gone. "And how does it feel to be free?"

"Terrific. I feel just a little bit lighter now, although I still feel a bit unsettled with how exhausting this day has been."

"And your first action as a free woman was to come here, why?"

Regina smiled softly. "Because I can, and because Rose suggested it. Also, because I wanted to apologise to Henry. I'm afraid I wasn't very nice to him this morning. Even if I had my reasons, I had no reason to be unkind and that's inexcusable. Furthermore, I wanted to find out if the captain ever did find you this morning," she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Emma's face flushed, which Regina could only assume meant that he had found her. "I didn't know you and Captain Jones get along so well until I passed him on my way up the grand staircase. I do hope you aren't angry with me for leading him to you?"

"Of course not. Although I did think he was going to tell me what scum I was, until he told me that you had expertly explained the nuances to him. And, he understood. So rather than being angry with you, I should probably thank you for helping me out."

Regina chuckled. "In the end it was all thanks to Henry though."

Emma frowned. "Huh, how so?"

Regina sighed. "Well, Henry came to find me after the Sunday service, right? If he hadn't done that, I would never have been on my way back up to B-deck at the time that I was, and I would probably not have run into Captain Jones at all."

Emma shook her head, laughing. "Well, I'm still giving the credits to you. So, thanks. You didn't have to do what you did, and you did it anyway, because you're kind and good, and you deserve better than what you got stuck with."

Those words broke the young woman, who broke down in a fit of tears. When she finally managed to breathe normally again, and she dried her tears with her glove, she looked up at Emma, Rose and Henry with a watery smile. "I should thank all of you for all your efforts. I do not know how or why I deserve it, but I don't know what I would have done without all of you. That includes Ruby, Jack and Robin too. I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with, but thank you for sticking with me anyway. You're too kind."

Then, Henry took his new best friend by the hand, and asked her to play outside on the Well Deck with him. She gladly obliged, leaving Rose and Emma sitting alone in the 3rd class common room.

"So, you and the captain huh?" Rose teased the blonde, who immediately responded with a tease of her own. "I could say the same about you and Jack. How's that going for ya?"

Rose heaved a deep sigh, before responding. "As well as can be, I should think. There is just this one issue that keeps me from going further. And that is that I have to keep up the façade of my engagement to Cal until the ship docks, at the very least."

Emma frowned. "And you're willing to do that? Compromise on your happiness until the ship docks? For all we know we all die tonight. Do you really want to waste the time you have now? Because tomorrow is never certain," she said.

"Well, I – I…" Rose stammered, searching for words. "I had not thought of it like that," she said eventually.

"I suppose that's the difference between us peasants and you people," Emma said. "You all assume that you will live to see tomorrow, with your reputations still intact. Whereas us commoners don't have that luxury. Our people work our asses off, so you people can drink your champagne," she continued.

Rose swallowed heavily, Emma's point had hit home. "You are right, Emma. That is exactly how our world works and it is a disgrace. But don't think that just because people are complacent or ignorant, that they are not people with real feelings. Being rich comes with its own restrictions and perhaps we are a little spoiled or entitled, but we have also been groomed that way. Groomed to believe that we deserve the world, the money and the fame," she said.

"Hey," Emma backed up. "I never said it was your fault, I'm just sayin' don't take tomorrow for granted. You have to live in the now, live every day like it might be your last," she said.

"Fair point. I'll remember that," Rose said.

Rose noticed Emma frowning, as though she wanted to say something else but didn't. "Emma," she asked, "is there something else you wanted to say?"

"Well," Emma started, "I wanted to ask your opinion on something."

"All right, ask away then," Rose replied.

Emma's frown deepened, as if she was searching for the right words. "I uh – I actually have two questions. One, do you think the Captain actually cares about me and isn't just going to dump me the moment we dock? And two, do you think it's wise if I tell Regina that I want her to be Henry's guardian if something happens to me?"

Rose's eyes widened, not having expected that question. "Uh – well, I don't know the answer to your first question, because I cannot speak to how genuine the captain is when it comes to romantic endeavours at sea. Your second question, however, I think I can answer. She will surely be honoured, but she is still very fragile. In case disaster strikes, I am sure she will want to help but the question is whether she can. From what I gather, she hasn't found her independence yet, because every time she does, they literally beat it out of her," she said honestly.

"Fair point," Emma conceded. "I just hoped that it might make a difference for her, you know, if she heard that I trust her with my kid…" she said.

"Personally, I would wait a little longer with telling her, but it's up to you. Henry is your son. Either way, do you have any idea where I might find Jack?"

Emma chuckled. "I was wondering when you were going to ask that question. I think he might be at the front of the ship somewhere," she said.

Rose quickly took off, passing Regina and Henry, who were sitting together on the aft Well Deck. "Rose?" Regina asked. "Where are you going? They could be announcing time to dress for supper any moment now."

Rose turned around. "I know, but I have to see Jack," she said. And Regina didn't get the chance to respond. Instead, Emma came to join them.

"You're very good with Henry," Emma said, as Henry walked up to play with the other kids. "He absolutely adores you."

"Thank you, Emma. Although I'm not sure I deserve such adoration after my significant amount of screw-ups these last few days," Regina said.

"Don't worry about it. He's very forgiving and he only sees the best in people," Emma said with a smile.

"He does," Regina acknowledged. "And he is also much wiser than a boy his age ought to be," she said.

"I suppose so," Emma said. "I married his father when I was sixteen and already pregnant with Henry. Suffice it to say that my parents weren't very happy with that. Either way, his father passed away after an accident at work when Henry was only four. Although he has had much support, we were barely able to survive on our own, so he has had to skip school to work, and then do his homework into the late hours of the night. My parents saved for us so we could go to America. And here we are," she said.

"Goodness gracious," Regina said, shell-shocked. "I am so sorry that you had to go through all that. Both of you. I cannot even imagine what you must think of me now, your situation was much more precarious than mine."

Emma smiled. "And that's where you're wrong," she said. "Because unlike you, we had a stable home. No abusive parents or spouses, or what-have-you. We don't have much but we are happy. I don't know that I would've dealt as well as you do if we were in opposite situations," she finished.

"Thank you Emma," Regina said genuinely. "I am afraid I have to go now, but I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

Emma nodded and said, "Sure thing."

Regina gave Henry a hug, telling him she'd come back tomorrow, before walking back into her own world.

⸻ Line Break ⸻

Rose finally met Jack at the bow of the ship. He was solemnly looking across the ocean, as though he was in contemplation.

"Hi Jack," she said. He turned around with the most stunning smile on his face, but also narrowed his eyes inquisitively. Waiting for Rose to explain why she was there.

"Emma said you might be here," she explained. He shushed her before she could explain any further and instead beckoned her closer. "Come here," he said.

He put his hands on her waist and told her to close her eyes, which she did. Then, he pressed her gently into the rail. As he stood right behind her, he took her hands and stretched her arms until she was standing with her arms outstretched on each side. And then when he lowered his hands, her arms stayed up like wings. "Open your eyes," he said, and she did.

She gasped, feeling the wind brush through her hair and it was as if there was no ship under them at all. "I'm flying!"

He chuckled, softly singing "Come Josephine". And then, as he kept her steady on the bow rail, their fingers somehow intertwined and she half turned to face him, before their lips met.*

⸻ Line Break ⸻

That evening at dinner, there was an empty seat at the table. Cal grumbled something about Rose being missing, but otherwise remained seated. Ruth looked a bit unsettled, but she also seemed to know more than she let on.

Regina had managed to disentangle herself from her mother and taken a seat next to the ship's architect, Thomas Andrews. She was still flanked by Leo on her right, but at least Cora wasn't going to be a disturbance.

By the time the men retired to the smoking room for brandies and cigars, Cal sent his valet to look for Rose and Regina hurried to get away from the table before Cora could stop her.

She quickly walked down to the 3rd class common room, hoping to find Robin there. Unfortunately, it was kind of hard to see because the room was very crowded. Fortunately it wasn't difficult to find Henry.

"Regina!" He shouted, as he flung himself into her arms. "Hello sweetheart," she said as she hugged him close.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, and she could practically see the cogs turning inside his head. "I – uh – well, I was looking for Robin. Do you know where I might find him?" She asked.

"I think he and my mom are on the stern," he said. "Why?"

"Because there is something I need to do," she said. "Thank you, Henry. And I'll see you later, okay?"

He nodded and she headed back up, this time taking the stairs up to the stern section of the ship. "Hello," she said when she spotted them sitting on one of the benches.

"Regina," Robin said, a look of utter disbelief on his face. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

Without speaking another word, she gripped him by his braces to tug him closer, before leaning in for a kiss. He met her halfway, knowing that if he didn't, she would go back into her gilded cage and he would never see her again.

When they eventually broke apart, he asked, "Why now? What's changed?" A soft smile broke through on her face. "Nothing. I just really needed to do that, and to tell you that I am sorry for earlier today. I wasn't feeling well and I shouldn't have taken that out on you. Also, because I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but for tonight, I just want to be free."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

She smiled widely, looking more confident and radiant than before. "Yes. For tonight, just for tonight, I'm all yours," she said.

His eyes widened, while Emma softly chuckled in the background. "Well, I'm off. Have fun you guys," Emma said, before heading back down. Regina just chuckled in response and let Robin kiss her again.

⸻ Line Break ⸻

Somehow, they had found their way to her staterooms undisturbed and they had the rooms all to themselves for so long as the brandy and cigars kept Leopold occupied with the other men. Apparently, her mother had already retired to her own stateroom, or she was still with the other ladies in the dining saloon.

Either way, it meant they had time for themselves. Regina changed into a more comfortable dress later on, when she followed Robin back towards the aft Well Deck, where the 3rd class entrance was located. They were just at the 2nd class promenade on B-deck when the ship started shaking and they had to hold on to the rail.

Confused, they looked into the darkness and suddenly spotted the iceberg they were porting around. The so-called unsinkable ship had hit an iceberg. When the ship stopped, Robin immediately started running toward the stairs down to the Well Deck. "What are you doing?" Regina asked, full of concern.

"I need to warn Emma and Henry. They need to be ready to leave in case we need to evacuate," he said.

Regina nodded absentmindedly. "Okay. When you have found them, come meet me at the Grand Staircase. I'll wait for you at the A-deck landing," she said. "I have to go find my mother and the others."

He nodded solemnly before heading off. She, on her turn, quickly headed back inside and nearly ran into Jack and Rose, who were rushing down the Grand Staircase from the Boat Deck.

She wanted to ask them where they had been, but refrained from doing so, already suspecting what had gone on between them this evening. "Where are you going?" Regina asked instead.

"To warn my mother and Cal. We overheard Mr Andrews, and it sounds bad. It's possible the ship will sink," Rose said.

"Ah, yes. I was outside at the back of the ship when she hit the iceberg, it did sound pretty awful. I have had this terrible feeling all day – perhaps this is why. I was on my way to wake my mother and find Leopold," Regina said. "Good luck, I hope they listen."

Rose made a mental note to ask Regina why she had been outside, but that wasn't her main concern. "Good luck to you too," she replied and hoped that her friend would succeed.

When Regina walked through the B-deck corridor on the starboard side of the ship where her staterooms were, she heard an odd strangled sound and Eva pleading. Hoping that she wasn't about to walk in on their shenanigans, she opened the door to the sitting room.

There, she picked up one of the chairs in front of the fireplace although she had no idea what she planned to do with it and headed toward Leopold's stateroom.

She opened the door carefully, trying not to peek, but quickly found out that there really was something terrible going on. Leopold crouched over Eva with his back to the doorway and didn't seem to notice Regina entering.

Eva did, however. Regina placed her finger on her lips, trying to keep Eva from alerting Leopold to his fiancées entrance. Slowly tiptoeing closer with the chair raised, Regina hoped she wouldn't swing and miss.

Fortunately, the back of the chair hit home and Leopold fell sideways. Regina helped Eva up, and didn't say a word until they both wore a warm coat and had obtained a lifebelt from one of the stewards.

"What was that back there?" Regina asked. Eva sniffled and replied, "He was ranting about how he wouldn't pay a dime for this child if I stopped 'pleasing' him. And when I told Leopold how unfair that was to you, he floored and strangled me. If you hadn't shown up when you did…" Eva trailed off.

Regina sighed deeply. "Well, if we survive the night," she said, "I'll relieve you from your service to me. Frankly, I don't want to have anything to do with you after tonight, but I cannot leave you to your fate either."

Eva hung her head. "Thank you, Regina," she said.

Regina just pinched the bridge of her nose. "Don't thank me," she said darkly. "Thank that baby you're carrying. It's he or she who deserves to live."

A crowd had amassed at the foot of the Grand Staircase on A-Deck. Including Rose, Ruth, Ruby and Caledon. Jack was nowhere to be seen. She scanned the space for a sign of Henry, Emma or Robin, but couldn't find them either. Rose's lady's maid Trudy stood somewhere off to the wall. Regina took Rose by the arm and whispered, "What happened to Jack?"

To which Rose answered, "Cal had him arrested. Turns out he had the blue diamond in his coat – one he had stolen from a Mr Ryerson who reported the theft earlier today."

"And you believe he is guilty?" Regina asked, her brows furrowed.

Rose shrugged and said, "I don't know what to believe anymore, but the Master-at-arms took him away."

"I'm sorry Rose," Regina said genuinely. "You didn't happen to catch a glimpse of our other steerage friends yet, have you?"

Rose shook her head and pointed in Eva's direction, who was talking to Ruth. "So, what happened with her then? Where are your mother and Leopold?" Rose asked.

"Some spat about child support and blackmail. I hit him over the head with a chair. He'll probably wake up at some point. As for my mother, she told me it was just a drill and slammed the door before I could get another word in. I hope she comes around, but knowing my mother…" Regina said, as she sighed deeply.

Rose looked at her with sympathy in her eyes. "Come on. Let's join the others," she said.

They had barely done so when Thomas Andrews came rushing past with a bunch of papers in his hands, looking absolutely grief-stricken. It was Rose who grabbed his arm and forced him to turn around.

"I saw the iceberg, Mr Andrews. And I see it in your eyes. Please, tell me the truth," she pleaded.

"The ship will sink," he said, as though it was a matter of fact. Rose asked him if he was certain, to which he replied, "Yes. In an hour or so… all this…" he waved around vaguely, "will be at the bottom of the Atlantic."

Regina drowned out the rest of the conversation when she noticed Emma, Robin and Henry walking up to them. "Do we know what's going on yet?" Robin asked.

Regina nodded solemnly. "Yes, Mr Andrews just told Rose that in an hour or so, all of this will be at the bottom of the Atlantic," Regina said.

"When are they starting the evacuation?" Emma asked.

"Any moment now, I suppose," Regina replied. "But there aren't enough lifeboats for everyone. At least half the people on this ship will die tonight," she added solemnly.

"Well, then this is what we're going to do. It's likely that you and your people will get priority over us poor souls when the evacuation begins. As soon as you get the chance to get off this ship, you do. And take Henry with you." Emma said, her voice wavering slightly.

Regina looked properly stunned now. When she finally regained her footing, she spoke again. "Y-you want me to take Henry? But what about you? He needs his mother."

But Emma rebuffed her. "I trust you, Regina. All that matters to me is that he gets off safely with someone I trust. I was going to tell you earlier, that if something happened to me, I wanted you to take him. I didn't tell you then, but I am telling you now. Take him and get off this ship as soon as you can. In the meantime I will try to help as many people as I can," she said.

Regina grumbled and said, "Fine. But I don't know whether to thank you for your trust or curse you for sending your son off without his mother."

Emma chuckled wryly. "If we all get out of this alive, you can curse me. If I don't, I want you to write a letter to my parents and let them know what happened tonight. Henry knows the address. Now go, take him," she said.

Regina took Henry's hand in hers and made to warn the other members of their group that they should get up to the Boat Deck, where the lifeboats would get launched, but turned around at the last moment.

"Thank you, Emma. Please do everything you can to survive. What about you, Robin?"

"I'll help Emma," he said. "Perhaps that'll allow us to evacuate quicker and give us a higher chance at survival. We'll do everything we can to get out of this alive, okay? Now go," he said as he and Emma turned around to head back toward 3rd Class in hopes of helping people escape.

By the time they had reached the Boat Deck on the portside of the Titanic, the second lifeboat, the one with the number six, was being launched.

She, Henry, Ruth and Ruby all took a seat on the lifeboat. Ruth and Ruby had promised Rose to look after Regina, who in turn made good on her promise to Emma to look after Henry. Eva joined them as well, when Regina ordered her to, as Eva was still in her service.

Rose opted to stay behind when Caledon made a comment about how the better half would survive the sinking and how his drawing would be worth much more by morning.

And so, the group was separated. Jack had been arrested and taken to the Master-at-arms' office, Rose stayed behind, presumably to save Jack, as did Caledon and Lovejoy because men weren't allowed to board a lifeboat yet. Emma and Robin had also opted to stay behind to save as many people as possible.

Regina's mother had stubbornly refused to get up and gone back to bed, while Leopold had probably woken up groggily on the floor of his stateroom. His fiancée and his mistress both gone. Already saved, as their lifeboat was lowered into the water. With Quartermaster Hichens in charge.

⸻ Line Break ⸻

End Notes:

*: Rose & Jack's storyline largely follows that of the film from this point forward.

1): Next chapter might be the last full chapter. Either way there will also be an Epilogue.

2): Next week is the 110th anniversary of the sinking.

3): Thank you for reading and please leave your reviews.

4): Yes, five characters are already saved. Does that mean ALL other characters will necessarily die? No. Will some of them? Absolutely. The question is: which of the characters still on the ship will make it out alive? Anyone willing guess as to how the story ends?

See you in the next one.

PhantomWritr.