Chapter six-The Panic
A note from the author:Wow!Sixth chapter already! Doesn't seem like it, but then again I haven't been this involved with any of my fan fics before. Please R&R!This new chapter is dedicated to Victor Garber, who, in my eyes, was the reason Titanic was a blockbuster. Okay-here goes-
Thomas sat at his desk with his head buried in his hands. He knew he should be helping organize the boats, but then knowing him, if he touched anything more aboard this ship it surely would turn to rubble. Rose might die because of him. His beautiful ship was doomed to sink. Rose knocked at the door, and came straight in. Thomas had known she would.
"Thomas it's not your fault," She whispered.
"It will all be over soon. I wish you luck, young Rose, and I'm sorry I didn't build you a stronger ship,"
"Tell me what's happening, please Thomas! Don't go all distant on me!" Thomas looked blankly at Rose, and she knew she must save him, as he had saved her two nights earlier.
"Rose, you need a life jacket," He walked over to the cupboard in the stateroom and pulled one out. "Put this on," He instructed.
"Is there one for you too?" Rose asked, as she pulled on the bulky life jacket on, and tightened the straps.
"I don't need one. I am staying on my ship. I cannot be accountable for taking up the seat in a life boat that should be occupied by a person, not a killer."
Rose came up and kissed him powerfully on the lips, and Thomas was amazed that she still excited him, even in the midst of the great crisis that was unfolding around them. "Rose, please, don't make this any harder for me then it already is. Please leave," Thomas's heart was screaming at him.
"No," Rose said simply. "If you stay, I stay too,"
"Don't be foolish, Rose. We barely know each other. I know that. You know that. It was foolish of me- to think-Well, I was a fool. Rose, you must get to a boat,"
"No. I love you Thomas, and if you are staying, I'm staying too. But this isn't your fault, you must come to a life boat with me," Rose knew in her heart he would never take the seat in a boat from a woman or child.
Thomas laughed, surprising Rose. "This is crazy," he said. "We are on a ship doomed to sink, and it's still about love? Well, if you wont leave me Rose, I will have to make you get into a boat when the time comes. But for now, come and help me convince the passengers to get out onto the boat deck,"
Rose nodded, and together they walked out to assist in any way they could.
***************************************************************
Cal stood pacing back and forward in his stateroom, cursing under his breath. He had gotten a very raw deal with the tickets on this ship. They had cost an absolute fortune, and now the ship was going to sink. Well, when he got back to America, he planned to sue the White Star line for everything they had.
And to make matters worse, his problems didn't stop there. His fiancée, the splendid Rose, whom he had worked so hard for so long to try and impress, had just run off and done unspeakable deeds with another man, what was worse was that man was nine years his senior. He had tried so hard to make Rose love him, had given her presents, taken her to the ballet, he had even won over her mother, but she still did not love him. True, in the past he had said things he'd later regretted, but Rose still would not let him touch her, and they had been engaged for over three months. Three Months! It had only taken Rose three days to go running off into that old fake, Andrews stateroom. It was Andrews's fault the ship was damn well sinking anyway. While he could have been making a stronger ship he had been sniffing around Cal's fiancée. Cal had thought she was just shy, fending him off continually but now he realized the grey truth-she couldn't stand him. That dreamy look on her face when she was with him was one of sheer boredom, and the whole time he had been pouring out his heart to her, she had been deceiving him.
Cal reached one of his hands into his coat pocket, and pulled out the exquisite necklace that he had been saving to give to Rose. It was called The Heart Of The Ocean, and was a huge, glittering blue diamond. It had set him back hundreds of thousands. He had planned to give it to Rose on the end of the voyage, but it was pointless now. She would probably take it to the Andrews man and they would pawn it off for a few lousy thousands. He would have to keep it now-unless-
***************************************************************
Rose and Thomas ran from room to room, knocking loudly and checking that each room's occupants had already left for the boat deck. Occasionally they found a passenger still asleep. Most were quite angry to be woken up, but their anger soon turned to panic when Thomas informed them what was happening.
Panic seemed an understatement for what was happening outside. The first boat was about to leave, and was being swarmed at intervals, then women did not want to leave their husbands, some even wanted to go back to the staterooms to "fetch a more appropriate necklace". Thomas seemed angry as they headed too the officers in charge, and Rose quickly found out why.
"Why have you let that boat go half-filled?" He demanded.
"Not now, Mr Andrews,"Mr Lightoller said staunchly.
"Yes now, damn you. These boats were tested with the weight of seventy men. This one has twenty-five women and children in it,"
"Well, we were afraid the boats may buckle,"
"Buckle! They were tested! Now fill the boats up, man!"
"Any more women and children?" Lightoller called, and Thomas moved away, satisfied.
"Rose! You must get into the next boat, when they start filling it up,"
"Yes, Thomas," Rose knew better than to argue with him, and instead pulled him towards her and kissed him deeply.
"Rose! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" cal came striding up to them. "Out of my way, old man," He said, knocking Thomas aside. He wrapped his arm around Rose. "Come now, you must get on a boat,"
Thomas took this opportunity to slip away. Rose was safe now. Cal would make sure she got on a boat. He had done all he could. He would go and stand, somewhere he could be alone, until the water engulfed him and his ship.
***************************************************************
Rose looked around for Thomas to try and get her away from Cal, but he was gone.
"Come on darling, get into the boat," Cal said, dragging her forward where the officers could see her. "Your mother has already left in the first boat. I promised I'd get you on the next one safely."
"Anymore women and children?" Bawled Mr Murdoch and Cal dragged Rose forward.
"Here you go sir," He said, giving Murdoch Rose's arm. "Any room, for a gentleman, gentlemen?"
"Sorry sir. Only women and children at the moment," Murdoch replied as he helped Rose into the small boat.
The boat began lowering shakily, and crazy half-formed thoughts began running through Rose's mind. She couldn't leave Thomas. She looked up and saw Cal looking down at her. No, this wouldn't do at all. She saw an opening in the deck below, and quickly judged the gap. Could she jump it without falling into the water? She closed her eyes and wished with all her might she could. Then she jumped.
A note from the author:Wow!Sixth chapter already! Doesn't seem like it, but then again I haven't been this involved with any of my fan fics before. Please R&R!This new chapter is dedicated to Victor Garber, who, in my eyes, was the reason Titanic was a blockbuster. Okay-here goes-
Thomas sat at his desk with his head buried in his hands. He knew he should be helping organize the boats, but then knowing him, if he touched anything more aboard this ship it surely would turn to rubble. Rose might die because of him. His beautiful ship was doomed to sink. Rose knocked at the door, and came straight in. Thomas had known she would.
"Thomas it's not your fault," She whispered.
"It will all be over soon. I wish you luck, young Rose, and I'm sorry I didn't build you a stronger ship,"
"Tell me what's happening, please Thomas! Don't go all distant on me!" Thomas looked blankly at Rose, and she knew she must save him, as he had saved her two nights earlier.
"Rose, you need a life jacket," He walked over to the cupboard in the stateroom and pulled one out. "Put this on," He instructed.
"Is there one for you too?" Rose asked, as she pulled on the bulky life jacket on, and tightened the straps.
"I don't need one. I am staying on my ship. I cannot be accountable for taking up the seat in a life boat that should be occupied by a person, not a killer."
Rose came up and kissed him powerfully on the lips, and Thomas was amazed that she still excited him, even in the midst of the great crisis that was unfolding around them. "Rose, please, don't make this any harder for me then it already is. Please leave," Thomas's heart was screaming at him.
"No," Rose said simply. "If you stay, I stay too,"
"Don't be foolish, Rose. We barely know each other. I know that. You know that. It was foolish of me- to think-Well, I was a fool. Rose, you must get to a boat,"
"No. I love you Thomas, and if you are staying, I'm staying too. But this isn't your fault, you must come to a life boat with me," Rose knew in her heart he would never take the seat in a boat from a woman or child.
Thomas laughed, surprising Rose. "This is crazy," he said. "We are on a ship doomed to sink, and it's still about love? Well, if you wont leave me Rose, I will have to make you get into a boat when the time comes. But for now, come and help me convince the passengers to get out onto the boat deck,"
Rose nodded, and together they walked out to assist in any way they could.
***************************************************************
Cal stood pacing back and forward in his stateroom, cursing under his breath. He had gotten a very raw deal with the tickets on this ship. They had cost an absolute fortune, and now the ship was going to sink. Well, when he got back to America, he planned to sue the White Star line for everything they had.
And to make matters worse, his problems didn't stop there. His fiancée, the splendid Rose, whom he had worked so hard for so long to try and impress, had just run off and done unspeakable deeds with another man, what was worse was that man was nine years his senior. He had tried so hard to make Rose love him, had given her presents, taken her to the ballet, he had even won over her mother, but she still did not love him. True, in the past he had said things he'd later regretted, but Rose still would not let him touch her, and they had been engaged for over three months. Three Months! It had only taken Rose three days to go running off into that old fake, Andrews stateroom. It was Andrews's fault the ship was damn well sinking anyway. While he could have been making a stronger ship he had been sniffing around Cal's fiancée. Cal had thought she was just shy, fending him off continually but now he realized the grey truth-she couldn't stand him. That dreamy look on her face when she was with him was one of sheer boredom, and the whole time he had been pouring out his heart to her, she had been deceiving him.
Cal reached one of his hands into his coat pocket, and pulled out the exquisite necklace that he had been saving to give to Rose. It was called The Heart Of The Ocean, and was a huge, glittering blue diamond. It had set him back hundreds of thousands. He had planned to give it to Rose on the end of the voyage, but it was pointless now. She would probably take it to the Andrews man and they would pawn it off for a few lousy thousands. He would have to keep it now-unless-
***************************************************************
Rose and Thomas ran from room to room, knocking loudly and checking that each room's occupants had already left for the boat deck. Occasionally they found a passenger still asleep. Most were quite angry to be woken up, but their anger soon turned to panic when Thomas informed them what was happening.
Panic seemed an understatement for what was happening outside. The first boat was about to leave, and was being swarmed at intervals, then women did not want to leave their husbands, some even wanted to go back to the staterooms to "fetch a more appropriate necklace". Thomas seemed angry as they headed too the officers in charge, and Rose quickly found out why.
"Why have you let that boat go half-filled?" He demanded.
"Not now, Mr Andrews,"Mr Lightoller said staunchly.
"Yes now, damn you. These boats were tested with the weight of seventy men. This one has twenty-five women and children in it,"
"Well, we were afraid the boats may buckle,"
"Buckle! They were tested! Now fill the boats up, man!"
"Any more women and children?" Lightoller called, and Thomas moved away, satisfied.
"Rose! You must get into the next boat, when they start filling it up,"
"Yes, Thomas," Rose knew better than to argue with him, and instead pulled him towards her and kissed him deeply.
"Rose! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" cal came striding up to them. "Out of my way, old man," He said, knocking Thomas aside. He wrapped his arm around Rose. "Come now, you must get on a boat,"
Thomas took this opportunity to slip away. Rose was safe now. Cal would make sure she got on a boat. He had done all he could. He would go and stand, somewhere he could be alone, until the water engulfed him and his ship.
***************************************************************
Rose looked around for Thomas to try and get her away from Cal, but he was gone.
"Come on darling, get into the boat," Cal said, dragging her forward where the officers could see her. "Your mother has already left in the first boat. I promised I'd get you on the next one safely."
"Anymore women and children?" Bawled Mr Murdoch and Cal dragged Rose forward.
"Here you go sir," He said, giving Murdoch Rose's arm. "Any room, for a gentleman, gentlemen?"
"Sorry sir. Only women and children at the moment," Murdoch replied as he helped Rose into the small boat.
The boat began lowering shakily, and crazy half-formed thoughts began running through Rose's mind. She couldn't leave Thomas. She looked up and saw Cal looking down at her. No, this wouldn't do at all. She saw an opening in the deck below, and quickly judged the gap. Could she jump it without falling into the water? She closed her eyes and wished with all her might she could. Then she jumped.
