Chopped Up Vegetable

AN: I am adding in my own details to make my story better: Such as: 1 The Titanic doesn't sink! (Then any more I can think of()

On with the Show!. . .

Lightoller stalked down the officer's quarters, anger the dominant expression on his face. He couldn't believe it. Moody and Lowe had not turned up to parade this morning. It was disgusting. Appalling even. His first stop was Lowe's stateroom. He heard the squalling of a baby. He looked up. It appeared to be coming from Moody's cabin. He walked cautiously down to his door, opened it and peered in. Inside the room lay James Moody, who was crying like a baby. . . literally.

Lowe picked up his jacket and put it on. He had missed parade. He wondered why James hadn't woken him up. He walked out of the officer's quarters and into the Officer's Mess.

Lightoller scooped up the wailing child and tried to calm him down. The baby refused to stop crying and it did nothing to help Lightoller's self- confidence. "Please," he pleaded with the bawling child, "Please stop crying!"

Lightoller decided he needed to ask Wilde about raising children because he wasn't sure what was wrong. He walked with the crying child to the bridge where Wilde was on duty. He walked in and screamed, "Henry, make this childe stop! Please!" Lightoller's shouting only made the child cry harder as he held it away from him at arms length. Henry took the child from the frazzled Second Officer and he held him securely in his arms. Henry stuck his finger in the tiny boy's mouth and then felt around for teeth coming through. No. He then checked the baby's body for injuries. No. Finally he announced to Lightoller's horror, "I think he's hungry. Umm. . . Lights, if you don't mind me asking, why do you have a baby?"

Lightoller paled, "H-hungry? What do we feed him? What if he doesn't like what we feed him? What if he starves? Then he dies and it's all our fault? Then his parents will wonder what happened to him and then we'll all go to jail for murder! Oh God James!" Lightoller managed to say it all in one breath and was now panting heavily. This was the most panicked and flustered Wilde had ever seen him. Wilde stuck his finger in Moody's mouth to keep him quiet until they went to the Officer's Mess.

"Lights, calm down, he'll be fine and what do you mean James?" Wilde asked smoothly.

"I was sent to reprimand Lowe and Moody about parade this morning when I found him in Moody's room. I know it's James because he has the same small scar along his hairline" Lightoller was starting to get worked up and his breathing became ragged again.

"Lights! The first thing you need to do is calm down, we are not going to be able to help Moody if you're giving yourself a hernia!"

"Right, sorry sir. Sorry sir," Lightoller composed himself as Lowe walked into the bridge.

"Good morning, Mr. Wilde, Mr.Lightoller!" Lowe greeted cheerily, " Who's the brat?"

"Good morning Mr. Lowe. This appears to be Moody, except much younger." Said Wilde calmly.

Lowe's eyes widened, " What?! Are you telling me that that kid is Jimmy?" he asked.

Lightoller and Wilde nodded. Lowe gave them his look that said- You're insane!

"You're insane!" he cried, "There's no way that can be Jimmy!" Lowe began to slowly back away from Wilde and Lightoller.

" Look, Harry. I found him in his room this morning and he even has the same scar that James had along his hairline. Whether you believe it or not, it is him." Lightoller said briskly.

" Right." Said Wilde with an air of authority, "Getting James fed and appropriately clothed are our first priority. Lights, go find someone to relieve Lowe and I."

Lightoller left the Bridge in search of Murdoch and Pitman, still looking rather pale.

Lowe walked up to Wilde and looked down at the baby boy. "He's so tiny," Lowe said quietly.

Wilde nodded, "Just by looking at him I'd say he is about 6 months old."

It seemed like Lowe wanted to say something, "Can I- Would I be able to hold him? I've never done it before so could you show me?"

Wilde smiled and directed Lowe how to hold the infant. Soon Lowe was holding the baby by himself and a small smile crossed his face. Lightoller, Murdoch and Pitman all walked back into the Bridge and crowded round Lowe and the baby.

Lightoller took James back and Lowe, Lightoller and Wilde took off for the officer's mess. When they reached there, Wilde told Lightoller to warm some milk. Lightoller did so while Lowe got a white handtowel from one of the stewards to dress the baby in.

Lightoller sat down with Moody in his arms and held the bottle up to his mouth. James tried to help hold the bottle but his tiny hands couldn't carry the weight. Lightoller smiled down at Moody and became quite a bit calmer because James was drinking.

Wilde looked at Lightoller and James and the interaction between the two and thought that it might be best if Lightoller learnt to look after James. Soon James had finished the bottle of milk, and Lightoller set it down on the table. James decided it would be fun to try and fit his whole fist in his mouth and try to talk around it.

Lightoller looked up at Wilde and Lowe and smiled faintly. Wilde gave him and encouraging nod, knowing that looking after a child on your own is never easy. Lowe just looked on fascinated. Since he had run away from home at a young age he had never had much contact with infants. He was absolutely entranced by the youth and innocence of his best friend.

James took his tiny fist out of his mouth and offered it to Lightoller. Lightoller just smiled and shook his head. " Sorry little guy, I don't eat hands."

The three watched on as James' eyelids drooped and his thumb found its way to his mouth. Soon Moody was asleep in a smiling Lightoller's arms. They had no idea how they would explain this to the Captain but they would cross that bridge when they come to it.



To Be Continued