*Twenty-Five*
America At Last

The Carpathia's crew helped everyone from the lifeboats onto their ship. Officer Lowe looked around at all the men, hoping to see Officer Moody. But he didn't. His great friend had went down with the ship. Along with Murdoch, who had killed himself. And of course, his best man, the Captain. He was deeply saddened by all this. But he knew he still had his duties. Couldn't expect the officers of Carpathia to do everything.

So he got a clipboard and headed to the deck, where steerage had been brought. He made Michaela stay with Jack and Rose. Despite her first-class stature.

He looked up from his paperwork as he saw Jack lead the physician over to Michaela. He knew she had been hurt. Her arm was cut badly. Seeing that Michaela was not alone he went back to his clipboard.

A older woman from steerage raced over to him. She was hysterical. Her husband was missing.

"Please, tell me if Timothy Nylund made it. Please tell me he did." She was crying.

Officer Lowe looked through the list. Not seeing the name. Sadly he looked back to the frantic woman.

"I'm sorry, ma'am." He replied sadly.

"He must be on another list!" She shouted through her tears.

"There is no other list." Lowe said, he wanted her to calm down. Several women were like this, it hurt him deeply.

"Perhaps he's on another ship! He's got to be on another ship!" She said still completely frantic and scared to death.

"Please, ma'am. We are doing all that we can." He slowly turned away from her. Taking the names of a few other people.

Meanwhile, across the deck. The doctor leaned over Michaela. Who was still too weak to even sit up. She held the blanket tightly around her.

"Is she gonna be alright?" Jack asked.

The doctor, pulled her arm from under the blanket. He struggled with the sleeve ripping it more. But it was still in the way.

"Here ya go." Jack handed him a pocketknife.

The doctor took it and cut the sleeve off. The cut was deep and long. But he didn't have proper supplies to stitch it up. So he took a handkerchief and tied it around it. The wound had stopped bleeding almost completed. The cold water helped a lot with that. This makeshift bandage was just to keep bacteria out. He didn't want her to get infection in it. That could end up being serious.

He felt for her pulse, it was slowly returned to normal pace. He was very pleased with this. The sun was warming her cold skin. Other than the severe cold and slash in her arm, she was healthy. Just extremely weakened. The hypothermia had almost killed her.

"She's very lucky." The doctor said. Finished with his evaluation.

"So were we." Jack said looking at Rose, then touching the sleeping Cora's hand.

"A real man makes his own luck."

Jack stood and spun around when he heard those words. "Cal, what are you doing here?" He demanded.

Zipper, using all of her strength, stood up beside Rose. She slipped her hand into Rose's coat pocket. No one even had the faintest clue as to what she was doing. She took out the Heart of the Ocean and slipped it under her blanket.

"Huh? What are you doing down here? Go drink your brandy." Jack said sarcastically.

"I've only come to collect what's mine." He glared at Rose.

"No, Cal. I'm not going with you. I love Jack. So from this day forth. I no longer exist to you, nor you to me. I'll keep my silence about last night, your actions will never come to light. And you shall keep your reputation, which you have oh so carefully purchased." Rose spoke defiantly.

"What about your mother?" Cal asked.

Jack and Zipper only stood watching them. Zipper had to lean on the rail, but she still had her guard up.

"Tell her that her daughter died with the Titanic." Rose said plainly.

Cal thought about it a moment. Then he looked at Zipper. "Fine, have it your way, Rose." He reached for Zipper. "Come on. You know it's what you want. It's a perfect match for us."

"No." Zipper said weakly. "I'm married remember?"

Cal laughed slightly. He hadn't seen Officer Lowe and so he thought he had died right along with the ship. "I think your husband's dead. Besides remember what I told you about the papers?"

Zipper's gaze went over Cal's shoulder. She sighed with relief.

"What? Look at me." Cal commanded. "I'm a better man anyway. He couldn't give you the things I can."

The subject of Cal's attention tapped him on the shoulder. Cal spun around to be face to face with Officer Lowe.

"Is there a problem here?" He asked, looking at Jack, Rose and Zipper.

"No, sir there is not." Cal said rudely.

He looked at Michaela one last time. Begging with his eyes to reconsider. When he saw she wouldn't. He scoffed and walked away thoroughly pissed off.

Jack and Rose hugged and kissed each other passionately.
"Did you see that? He's going to leave us alone." Jack was overjoyed.

Rose smiled. Then nodded. "I know. It's perfect." She kissed Jack again.

Lowe turned to Zipper. "Some wedding, eh?" He asked. Saddened that their marriage had already been through so much.

"No, it was perfect. It was the wedding I always wanted. Titanic may be gone, but I'll never forget it. I can assure you that right now." She said smiling. She was still so tired. The officer basically had to hold her up.

"How did you do it? Survive so long? In the freezing waters. Saving two people as you did so?" He asked. Rubbing her cheek with his fingertips.

"You might say I had some hints from an old friend." She was referring to James Cameron and his movie. For her experience was more like the movie than actual history. Though it was very close either way.

He hugged her tightly, careful of her arm. A steward brought them all some tea. Jack and Rose tapped their cups together. Thankful that they still had each other. Cora drank the tea down quickly. It made her feel a bit warmer. She smiled looking at Jack and Rose cuddling together. Then her attention fell to Officer Lowe and Zipper. She may have been young but she knew Zipper had saved her. She was so happy to know Zipper was alive as well .

Zipper looked down at her ankle. Molly's ribbon was still tied there. She looked at her wrist, there was the bracelet. Around her neck was the little diamond necklace. From her dear lost body guard, Frank.

She felt her hair, but the butterfly hairclip was gone. Must have been swept away in the ocean. The only thing from her wedding that she didn't have was the something borrowed. But Molly would surely understand that she couldn't return it.

The next few days flew by quickly. They friends had each other. Now nothing could destroy their friendship. Jack, Rose and Zipper had been to hell and back with each other. They would remember each other forever.

Zipper slept through much of the voyage home. She was awaken at 9am on the 18th. Lowe helped her to her feet as they watched the Statue of Liberty come into view.

Zipper walked over to Rose. She pulled out the necklace and handed it to her. Rose gasped, not even imagining Cal would let this thing go.

"Where did you get this?" Rose questioned.

"Your pocket. Cal left it there. I didn't want him to take it back from you." Zipper answered.

"Well how'd you know it would be there?" Lowe questioned.

Zipper glanced at Rose and Jack who knew that answer. But, she didn't want to think about the future anymore. She wanted to live in this time, with Officer Harold Lowe for the rest of her life. So Rose and Jack were silent about it.

"Lucky guess," Zipper finally replied.

Lowe nodded believing her.

Cora looked up at the two couples. "Where am I going to go?" She asked in a pitiful little voice.

Zipper looked down to her. Then to Officer Lowe. She knew they were married and she had money. They could easily take care of her. Jack and Rose on the other hand wouldn't be married right away and were poor.

Officer Lowe thought about it then nodded. He picked up the child in one arm. "Would you want to stay with us?" He asked.

She smiled and nodded her head. Zipper took the Officer's hat from Lowe's head and put it on Cora causing her to laugh cause it was too big for her small head.

Zipper knew it wouldn't be difficult to adopt her. Seeing as her family was swept away forever by Titanic's sinking.

"I have to go help with the passengers." Lowe said softly. Taking his hat back "I'll see you on land."

They kissed, then she watched him depart quickly. She grabbed a hold of Cora's hand. She smiled. Knowing Cora would be with her. As long as she was a child.

"Well let's get going!" Jack exclaimed. "I'm finally home!"

Outwardly he seemed happy to be home. But inside he wanted Fabri to be here with him. He hadn't seen Fabrizio since he had sent him and Tommy to look for more boats. So he knew he must have perished.

Rose laughed as he drug her off the ship. It was pouring the rain in New York that day. Hiding the sun. But nothing could hide the happiness that those five felt.

The immigration officer walked up to the little group of friends. "Can I take your names, please?" He asked.

"Jack Dawson." Jack said proudly. The man jotted it down.

"Rose Dawson." Rose smiled at Jack. Who was overcome by emotion. She was so perfect, how could he be so lucky.

"This is Cora Cartmell." Zipper said. Placing a hand on Cora's shoulder. "And I'm Michaela Lowe."

The man nodded and walked away. Then it hit Zipper. That's why her name wasn't on the passengers lists. She would have noticed Michaela Rosenberg, but not Lowe. But then again, Lowe didn't get married on Titanic. She said to herself. She was still so utterly lost and confused.

Jack and Rose walked hand in hand through the crowds. Zipper followed closely behind not letting go of Cora's small wrist.

"Michaela?! Oh Thank God!" She heard a woman shout behind her.

She turned to see a man and a woman coming closer to her. Jack and Rose also turned.

These two people looked familiar. Slowly she realized her father looked like a little bit like the man. Her father was a Rosenberg. Maybe she was living a life of one of her ancestors.

"Mother? Father?" Zipper questioned. Not really sure if it was or not.

"Yes, don't worry dear. We are here." Her 'mother' hugged her, crying onto her shoulder. Then her 'father' hugged her as well.

It was so odd for her to be here with these people. Her 'family'. When she knew she wasn't even of this time. Again she forgot about it. Wanting to forget there was a future. She only wanted to live for the present.

"Oh my poor thing. Look." Mrs. Rosenberg pointed to the bloody handkerchief on her arm. "We have to get you to a doctor."

"It's okay mother. I have to wait here for a little while." Zipper replied.

Her 'parents' looked down at Cora. Who clung on tightly to Zipper, almost frightened of the Rosenbergs' fine clothes. Although, clearly, they were not as stuck up as some of the first-class passengers back on Titanic.

"Who might this be?" Mr. Rosenberg asked, looking at the child.

"This is Cora." Zipper announced. "And these are my best friends. Jack and Rose Dawson."

Mr. Rosenberg shook their hands. Noting to himself that they must be poor, because of their clothing.

"Where is your husband? Did you marry him? Or was the plans postponed because of the awful tragedy?" Mrs. Rosenberg asked her daughter.

"No ma'am we were married the evening of the 14th." Lowe said stepping up to them.

They were a bit taken aback, by the fact that he was an officer. Their newest son-in-law was a ships officer. But truly, other than a fleeting thought, they didn't care. They only wanted their daughter to be happy.

"I'm Harold Lowe." He said politely.

"Thomas Rosenberg. My wife, Karen." Mr. Rosenberg announced.

Lowe shook his hand. Then kissed Karen's. "Pleasure to meet you."

"So you're the one to steal my daughter's heart, eh?" Thomas replied.

Zipper blushed a bit. "Yes he is, father." She smiled. Jack and Rose stood close by, listening to everything. Jack knew he would never be welcomed into Rose's family. Like Lowe was welcomed into Zipper's. But it didn't matter he had Rose. And that's all that mattered to him then, before and for always.