Chapter 3

Tuesday - April 16, 1912 7:45 P.M.

Will Murdoch found the two of them, once more, seated on a bench outside, watching the stars, and holding hands. And he approached them once more.

Henry heard the footsteps and turned to find Will approaching and he said, " Will, what's up?"

Will came around in front of the both of them and said cheerfully, " Well I have another little surprise, and this should please the both of you tremendously. You don't have to be separated tonight, for I have a stateroom for the both of you."

Henry and Elizabeth both stood up and each stared at Will, in surprise. Henry wondered how many other surprises would be in store for him, before this voyage was over. Then he said, " How did you manage that Will?"

Then Will went on to tell him about Miss Graham and Mrs. Brown and the room would be theirs for the night and for the duration of the voyage, until they reached the port of New York, sometime tomorrow evening.

Elizabeth was overwhelmed and started to cry.

Henry put his arm around her shoulder, then said to Will, " Well I'll be damned, Will. I don't know what to say, old friend. This is just too much. But thanks, thanks a hell of a lot, Will. This does mean the world to the both of us."

Will grinned and said, " Well then go on, old man. What are you waiting for? You've a lovely new wife to take care of."

And with that, he turned and left, with a spring in his step that hadn't been there, since before the Titanic had left Southampton.

8:00 P.M.

Elizabeth and Henry made their way slowly back to the room, and opened the door and went inside.

Once inside, Elizabeth removed the shawl from her shoulders and threw it on the chair, then went inside the bedroom and sat down. It had been a long day, and she was tired, and just overwhelmed by the generosity of her friends and even those, whom prior to boarding the Carpathia, she had never known.

Henry took his coat off, threw it down as well and went into the bedroom and sat down next to Elizabeth and said, " My, sweet Elizabeth, I love you so much." And he took her into his arms and kissed her, holding her closely to him and running his hands through the softness of her hair.

Elizabeth leaned her head against Henry and let out a long, tired sigh.

Henry let her go and said, " We've been very fortunate, eh Liz?"

She laid down on the bed and smiled at Henry and said quietly, " Yes, we have. What a minor miracle, that we can even have this room to ourselves for a short time. But I'm so happy that we don't have to be apart."

Henry moved up on the bed and leaned back against the headboard, hands behind his head and said, " Yes, it sure is, Liz. So Elizabeth love, I was thinking, that when we get to New York, that perhaps we could stay there for awhile before returning to England. I know that you want to return to Ireland, and I'd be happy to take you there, to live with you there, if you want. But I'd like to stay in America for awhile. It would be nice to visit for a time."

Elizabeth turned over to Henry and said, " I didn't know that you wanted to stay, Henry. It won't bother me, as long as I don't have to live there for the rest of my life. I don't even consider myself American anymore."

Elizabeth scooted up and over against Henry, and leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes. She could feel his arms go around her and hold her tightly to him. She would not have imagined, in a million years, that this would have been the way her life would have turned out. And to find such happiness, in the midst of such sorrow, and despair?"

There was a few moments of silence, then Henry said, " Liz, I've meant to ask you, do you have any family, I mean besides your parents? I know that your mother recently passed away, and your father died when you were young, but do you have any brothers or sisters?"

She sighed wistfully and said, " No, I'm afraid that I'm all there is. I used to long for a brother or sister, but after my father's death, when I was only 8, my mother never remarried, so it became obvious that I wasn't going to have any brothers or sisters. It was a lonely life, and my mother and I never really got along well."

He hugged her to him and said, " I'm sorry to hear that Liz. Well, I've got to take you back to Liverpool then, for I have an older brother and a younger sister as well, that both live there. I'd sure like for you to meet them as well. Of course, neither of my parents are still living."

Elizabeth was intrigued to hear about his family and said, " Is your brother a sailor as well?"

He laughed and said, " No.. good heavens not. He is a banker, and he's married and has three children. My younger sister is also married, and has four children."

Elizabeth wondered then, how Henry had gone into sailing, but she would leave that for another time. Her eyes were growing heavy with tiredness.

10:00 P.M.

Henry sat there for some time, just having Elizabeth in his arms, felt really wonderful, and although she had fallen asleep, he sat there and reminisced how he had done just this, back in his quarters on board the Titanic, the night that she had found out her mother had just passed away. Only here he was, married to her now. He was her husband now, and had to care for her, which brought him back to reality.

How was he going to care for her, if he were to leave the White Star Line, indeed leave off being a sailor? He didn't know how to be anything else but. He just couldn't see himself being anything else, either.

Those thoughts were swirling around in his head, and he wondered too, if there might be any children. He thought that it would be very lovely. He would like to have children with Elizabeth. For she would be, he thought to himself, a wonderful mother. And with that, he closed his eyes, still clinging to Elizabeth.

12:00 A.M.

Elizabeth was dreaming, and the same things were happening.. she was back in the cold, North Atlantic waters. The boats were splashing down, and she was being forcibly thrown over board, and her head went under the waters. Her ears were popping, and she was clawing her way back to the top. She could hear Henry's voice, see him drifting away from her, the deck chair drifting further out into the cold waters, taking her dear Henry away from her.

Henry was awakened by the sobbing and found his sweet Elizabeth, tossing and turning again, obviously troubled once more. He shook her gently and she came to with a start, and tears fell from her eyes.

Seeing Henry there, she threw her arms around him and laid her head against his shoulder and cried.

He wondered if she would be able to recover from the traumatic ordeal that they had both gone through together? He surely hoped so, and he would do all that was humanly possible to help her. But for now, all he could do was to hold her to him and console her.

He laid her back on the bed and said, " Elizabeth, love, it's all right. You were only dreaming."

Her lips were trembling, tears were falling down her face.

Henry brushed the tears from her eyes, then leaned over and kissed the trembling lips until she became quiet, then he said,
" Liz, love I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." And he reached up and put his hand against her face and brushed his fingers across her cheek, ever so gently.

He brushed a finger lightly across her lips, feeling the softness, then leaned over and kissed her once more, feeling her softness under him. Two nights ago, he had been near death, and now he was here, in this room, alone with her, and he wanted nothing more than to make love to her now.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, and then moved away some and said, " Liz, I love you, I want you to always remember that. No matter what happens, I'll be here for you."

She sighed as she let him kiss her some more and she put her arms around him and held him to her, unwilling to let him go.

Then he gazed at her, through eyes that were glazed over with desire and said, " I want to make love to you, Liz."

She knew that he wanted to, and she was his wife now, after all, but she was still afraid. Elizabeth had never been with a man before, and didn't know how to act, or react. But she laid there, quiet and unmoving, her arms still around Henry, afraid to let him go.

He leaned over and kissed her harder this time, her lips falling apart under his and he could hear a sigh and she moved beneath him softly.

Henry was just as damned well nervous. It had been a long time since Henry had been with a woman, and now, not just any woman, but his wife.

He held her closely and could feel her trembling and he knew that she was afraid. So he leaned over, kissed her gently and whispered, " You don't have to be afraid, Liz love. I'm not going to hurt you at all, and that's a promise love."

She gazed up at him and then she reached up and touched his face and said quietly, " Well I am sort of Henry. I don't know how to act or to react. I've never been with a man before. I want to be a good wife to you, Henry."

He laughed softly and held her closely and said, " Oh Liz love, I know you will and it's quite all right if you're afraid. I have to admit that I'm rather nervous. It's been a long time since I've been with a woman, and now... well you're not just any woman, you're my wife and I love you very much."

She sighed and said in a near whisper, " 's ok Henry.. Kiss me again please." And she pulled him down to her and held him against her, as he kissed her as madly and passionately as he could.

She tried to say something, instead Henry placed his finger against her lips and said, "Shhh.. Liz love, enough. Let me love you, Liz."

And he kissed her, and some. Kissed her eyes, her cheeks, her lips, whispered in her ear, driving Elizabeth over the edge of sensibility, as she clung desperately to him. Her head fell back, as he continued to kiss her, his lips against the softness of her throat, to her soft shoulders and then he buried his head against her and breathed in the soft, sweet fragrance that she wore.

Then he kissed her more, and let his hand slide down her arm and back up, taking her face between both hands and kissing her, enough to drive her mad, if she let him continue this way.

As he continued to kiss her, Elizabeth sighed breathlessly.

In a rather sudden move, Henry pulled her over on top of him and held her against him and said, " Now, Elizabeth.. " and brought her down to him and kissed her some more, while he slipped his hand inside her dress and touched the softness of her breasts. Now, he wondered if he had died, and gone to heaven, or what. It didn't seem as if any of this should be real, he thought.

Elizabeth glanced down at Henry and a slow smile crossed her face, and she leaned down against him and whispered, " I do so love you, Henry and I do want you to make love to me. Please, Henry!"

He groaned slightly as he moved her back onto the bed, and moved over on top of her and said, " Oh, yes, Mrs. Wilde, I will certainly love to do so." And he bent forward to kiss her some more.

She put her arms around him, feeling the broad expanse of his back, how strong he was. And yet, here he was, so gentle and kind to her.

And on into the night, the passion had been steadily building between Henry and Elizabeth, and as the clothes came off, their limbs entwined, locked together, body to body, soul to soul and heart to heart.

Wednesday - April 17, 1912 9:00 A.M.

Henry rolled over, and kissed Elizabeth on the shoulder and whispered, " Mornin' love. Think we ought to be getting up now! I'm famished. What say we go have some breakfast?"

Elizabeth murmured something quietly and laid there, eyes still closed.

Seeing how she wouldn't move, he kissed her more, then reached around and took a breast into his hand and squeezed it gently and said, " Wake up, Liz, love!"

She turned over and facing Henry, said softly, " No fair!", but was laughing anyway.

He liked seeing the smile on her face, and hearing her soft laughter. It was hope anyway, that she would soon recover from the ordeal they had undergone. At least Henry felt that way. Already, he had lost the nightmares that he had been having, especially the first night, just hours out of the water.

Elizabeth laid there for a moment, unwilling to move, and put her arms around Henry and then said quietly, " I don't want to go anywhere right now, Henry. Let's just stay here for the time being."

He kissed her lips and then said, " But love, I'm famished. Now let's get up and get going, as we are going to be arriving in New York, later this afternoon, probably in the evening, sometime."

Elizabeth sighed and sat up, stretched and yawned.

Henry watched her, awestruck at how beautiful she was and that he was the one that was fortunate enough to be with her from now on, and this was his privilege.

He reached over and caressed her breasts and said, " Good heavens, Elizabeth but you're so beautiful love. It's going to be my privilege, to spend the rest of my days with you, and making love to you."

A warmth suffused her cheeks and she lowered her head.

He lifted her face up to his and said, " Ah love you don't have to be so shy. You're so beautiful, Liz. Now come on, let's get dressed and go for breakfast, or I'm going to be tempted to throw you back down on this bed and make love to you again."

Elizabeth scurried out of the bed, and made her way, rather gracefully too, Henry thought, to the bathroom, where she took her morning bath, then came out and dressed.

When she had returned, Henry was dressed, once more, and still in his uniform. Although, Elizabeth noticed sadly, that his coat was rather bedraggled now, after all the time in the water.

10:00 A.M.

Elizabeth and Henry went to the dining room and took a seat. Soon, a waiter came over and took their orders.

While they were waiting for their food, Will Murdoch came into the room and with him, Charles Lightoller.

Henry decided that he would try to be as friendly as possible to Charles and to let what happened in the past, be just that.. in the past. Forgotten and forgiven.

Will and Charles sat down across from Henry and Elizabeth.

Both men could see the happiness that just sort of radiated out from both Henry and Elizabeth.

Although Henry had decided to be as nice as possible to Mr. Lightoller, he still wished that he weren't around.

Elizabeth smiled warmly at both men.

The waiter returned with their food, then took Will and Charles's order.

11:30 A.M.

After breakfast, Henry and Elizabeth walked along the decks, Will and Charles following along, as well.

They were all silent, each lost in their own thoughts. As New York grew nearer, each was reminiscing and pondering over those, who only a few days ago, were still with them, and now were gone forever.

Elizabeth stayed close to Henry, her arm looped through his and he had his hand on her arm as they walked in silence.

Finally Will said, " Henry, Elizabeth.. I don't know if I should be staying with you two. You being newly married, you don't need any extras hanging around the house." Charles echoed the sentiments, saying that that was just how the other men felt as well.

Elizabeth stopped, turned towards Will and Charles and said, " I won't accept no, gentlemen. I guess I should let you know that I am very well off and can afford to put you up, for as long as you like. Will, Charles, I have five different houses, that I own. And the one that I have currently been living in, is just north of the city, on the outskirts of New York City. It has five bedrooms, three baths, a huge backyard, and a fruit orchard. It is a lovely, big, home. And even if you felt uncomfortable being there with Henry and I, I have other homes, and they're not too far away. I could put you up there, provide for you for the time being."

Will and Charles both stared at Elizabeth and after a few moments of silence, Will finally said, " Well, then Elizabeth, I guess we'll accept your generous offer. I thought that surely we would be intruding upon you two."

Elizabeth smiled softly and said quietly, " It wouldn't matter anyway whether I could afford it or not, as you're my friends and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Will moved towards Elizabeth and then said to Henry, " Would you mind, if I gave Elizabeth here, a hug? She's been so kind to myself and the others as well."

Henry chuckled softly and said, " No, go right ahead."

Will felt awkward however, and made the hug as brief as possible. Prior to her marriage, he would have given her a warm, full embrace, hugging her to him as closely as he could, as close as decency would allow. But now, she was married and to his friend, Henry Wilde.

He then stepped back and said, " Well we do appreciate the kindness, Elizabeth. It is very nice of you to put us up so."

Elizabeth noticed that there was a sadness that hung around Will's head and she said, " It's quite all right, Will. Won't you walk with Henry and myself?"

He agreed and walked in silence, on the other side of Elizabeth. At one time, he would have reached over and took her arm in his and held her to him, but not anymore. She belonged to Henry now, that was his right and privilege.

Elizabeth thought about Will and figured that if he were going to stay in America for any length of time, she might have to find one of her single girlfriends, and try to pair her up with Will Murdoch, certainly a fine catch. And even one, Elizabeth thought to herself, that she might have liked to end up with, if not for Henry.

Poor Will, she thought silently, having Ada dump him that way, and right before the start of what would eventually become, a disastrous voyage, namely the Titanic. So one unhappy ending, on top of another, although his very survival, should be cause enough for happiness.

12:15 P.M.

Will had been wandering around, following Henry and Elizabeth, and was going to head back to where the others were, when he heard a feminine voice, calling out, " Mr. Murdoch!"

Elizabeth, Henry and Will all three stopped. Will turned around and found the lovely Miss Graham coming up. He turned to Elizabeth and Henry and said, " I'll catch up with you two later."

They both smiled and Henry said, " Take all the time you need, Will."

Will laughed softly, not sure of whether he meant for him and Elizabeth to be alone, or for Will here, to be with the lovely Miss Graham.

Then they turned and left, and Will turned his attention back to Miss Graham and said, " Well, Miss Graham, good afternoon."

She said, " Good afternoon, Mr. Murdoch. I hope that all has gone well with our plan, and that your friends are very pleased and happy, for they certainly deserve to be."

Will gazed at her for a moment, then realizing that he was staring, and that was rude, he broke the gaze and said, " Yes, they were both surprised to say the least, and I'm sure that I can answer for them when I say that, with a resounding yes, they are very happy. I want to thank you personally, Miss Graham, for helping out my friends. You, and the entire crew and passengers of this ship, have gone out of your way to help us survivors. Won't you take a walk with me, and please, call me Will won't you?"

She smiled shyly and then said, " Very well then Will, and I'd be pleased if you would call me Julia."

He led her over to a bench, where he had her sit, then took a seat next to her. Julia looked out over the wide expanse of ocean, then turned to the handsome officer sitting next to her and said, " Tell me, Will, what made you want to go to sea? It must be terribly exciting, to see all these different places."

Will was surprised to find a woman that was interested in hearing about his life at sea. After all, Ada had barely seemed interested. Now that he thought about it, Ada would have been the wrong choice in a wife, and it was just as well that she had decided not to marry him, after all.

He stared out ahead at the ocean, so calm and yet so brutally cold and said, " My father is a sea captain and I've generations of family members that have been to sea. So I guess you could say, that I was quite literally born into it. And yes, I do love the traveling and seeing different places, although I'm pretty much settled now, into the North Atlantic run, to America and back..."

There was a lengthy pause, and she could tell that Will was having a hard time, with what he had just gone through and she reached over and laid a hand on his arm, in a show of support.

That gesture, however, made Will look at this young woman and a smile it up his face and he said, " Thank you, Julia."

Julia said quietly, " I know that what you've been through is pretty traumatic, and if you'd like to talk, I'd be more than willing to listen. You seem as though you don't have anyone to listen to you. It couldn't have been easy, going through what you did, and seeing all those people..."

She didn't have to finish, for Will knew what she meant. Seeing all those people, screaming and dying, in the cold, North Atlantic waters.

It would haunt Will for the remainder of his days.

Will said, " Where are you from, Julia? If you don't mind my asking, that is."

Julia smiled softly and said quietly, " No, I don't mind your asking. I'm from New York."

Will sat up straighter and said, interested, " Really? I'm going to be staying in New York for quite awhile. My friends Elizabeth and Henry are putting me up for the time being. I don't plan on returning home anytime soon."

She asked where home might be, for Will Murdoch.

He sighed, ran a hand through his hair and then said, " Well, as I said, home will be New York for the time being, but originally I'm from Scotland. Dalbeattie, Scotland, and then I moved to Liverpool, England, and finally to Southampton, England, where the White Star Line ships sailed from."

Julia asked, " Any family?"

He said quietly, " Yes, my mother and father and I have five brothers and sisters. I'm the fourth of six children."

She sighed and said, " I've family too, in New York, although it's just my father now, my mother passed away five years ago. And I've got two older brothers and a younger sister. I'm the third of four children."

He smiled and said, " I don't suppose that you're returning to New York, as I know that this ship was interrupted in its voyage, to help out the survivors of the Titanic."

She said, " No, I'm not returning immediately. I was on my way to the Mediterranean, and will be going there, as soon as the survivors are put off at New York, but I shall return after the Mediterranean cruise, however."

Will, then said, " I would like to call on you, if you don't mind, Julia, when you return that is."

She turned to take a better look at this kind and handsome man, and she said, " Yes, I would like that Will. I would like for you to meet my father. He's a good man, and he would like you, I know."

1:30 P.M.

Julia said, " Will, let's go have some lunch, shall we? Then we'll go somewhere quiet, and have a nice chat." She knew that the man looked... broken, was the word that she was thinking of. And she really liked William Murdoch, and wanted to help, if she could.

He smiled at her, then reached over and touched her face gently and said, " I'd like that, Julia." Then they stood up and walked away, towards the dining room.

3:00 P.M.

Elizabeth and Henry had gone back to their room, for however much time they had anyhow. For by that evening, the Carpathia would be docking in New York harbor. Both of them were feeling rather morose, and Elizabeth especially felt as if she were going to cry.

She sat down on the bed, Henry next to her. He removed his coat and set it down on the chair and then leaned back against the bed, and took Elizabeth into his arms and held her close to him, as the thoughts of the past two days crowded into his mind.

Elizabeth laid her head down on his chest and closed her eyes, willing the terrible thoughts and nightmares away, as she didn't have the strength to keep reliving that traumatic ordeal, over and over.

3:45 P.M.

Julia had found a quiet and cozy spot, away from the public, downstairs in the third class area, where people wouldn't notice or care anyway, what happened.

She and Will took a seat, next to each other.

Julia was surprised by how she had come to feel for this man, who up until only two days ago, had been completely unknown to her. Now, she wanted to help him to heal from the trauma of the Titanic's sinking, and oh, she did want to take him in her arms and hold him close to her, but she was afraid to.

Instead, she sat there next to Will, her skirt brushing up against his trousered leg, and feeling immense sympathy for him.

Will Murdoch sat there for some time, before he finally said in a quiet voice, " I feel so damned responsible and helpless at the same time, for what happened to the Titanic. Damn it all!"

She could see that he was very upset, even perhaps angry, at himself, she wondered?

Then she said gently, " You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Will. It was an accident, after all. That's why they're called accidents, because they're not meant to happen, and yet they do."

He smiled gently at her, and said, " Thank you for listening, Julia."

She thought that he was done and said, rather perplexed, " Are you done, Will?"

He shook his head, and then said, " No.. there's more of course. But, I surely do hate to trouble one as pretty as you, about something as traumatic as this."

Julia then asked, " Will, can I ask you something, personal?"

He nodded and then Julia said, " How did you come to survive? I guess I always thought that the captain and his officers went down with the ship. I know that you've said that your captain died."

Will wasn't surprised to feel tears in his eyes, and yet he hated them. It was such a sign of weakness. So he brushed them away quickly and said, " It's the captain, love, that goes down with the ship. The officers, well if they do, that's too bad. But they're not under the same obligation, as the captain is. You see, it was Captain Edward Smith's responsibility for all of those people, crew and passengers alike."

Will paused for a moment, then said, " I was on the boat deck, loading passengers into the lifeboats, when a wave came up on deck, and I was knocked unconscious."

Julia gasped and said, " Oh, Will! However did you escape then?"

He laughed harshly and said, " Elizabeth Barton, I mean, Mrs. Wilde, saved me. She saw me get knocked over, and she was on top of the officers' quarters trying to help Henry get the last remaining lifeboats off, and she jumped down, so she says, and tried to pull me to safety. Unable to do so, she sought and acquired the help of an able bodied seaman, standing nearby, who bundled me into a lifeboat, unconscious. That is how I came to survive the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic."

Will turned to face the girl when he heard her sobbing.

Seeing her so, he laid his hand against her arm gently and said softly, " No, don't cry, Julia, please. It's going to be all right. I did make it out, although I certainly didn't think so, when I turned and saw that wave coming up on the deck."

The thought of that dear man, lying unconscious on the deck of a sinking ship! Well it was just too much for Julia to think about, and the tears slid down her face, in spite of everything.

She looked up at Will, tears shimmering in her eyes, and said, " Oh, Will, I'm so sorry. I mean, that you were hurt, but I'm glad that you made it out ok. That Elizabeth seems to be a gutsy woman, to be up there unloading boats, when she should have been on one herself."

Will nodded, and said, " Yes, I know that's just what Henry and I were both thinking."

She sniffled, and wiped the tears from her eyes and said, " Whatever will you do next, Will? Return to sea?"

He gave a short, sharp laugh and said, " I don't know, Julia. I'm going to take some time off, stay in America for awhile. I doubt that I've much of a seafaring career left."

She stared at him and said indignantly, " I can't believe that, Will Murdoch. You're a fine officer and it isn't your fault that the accident happened."

Will stood up and paced around the room, his hands behind his back, pausing to stare out the windows. Then he turned suddenly on Julia and said harshly, " Yes, yes it is my fault, Julia and I say, I should have died, like Captain Smith. It would have been the only fair and just requirement. Why Elizabeth saved me, I'll never know."

Julia stood up and moved to leave, hurt by what he was saying.

Will put his hand up and said, " Wait, please, Julia. I'm sorry if I frightened you. I would like it if you were to stay with me, for awhile."

She pulled her sweater closer to her, shivered some and then said tearfully, " Well, I will then, for you Will, but I don't want to hear you talk like that. It's positively ghastly."

He sighed, then sat down and Julia took a seat next to him once more.

She could see a tear in his eyes, and without even thinking about it, she moved her hand over and gently brushed the tears from his eyes and said, " It's going to be all right now, Will. Nothing else matters, now that you've made it out alive. I'm sure you'll find some way to continue being a sailor and an officer. And even if you don't, it won't be the end of the world."

He caught her hand in his and said, " You're something else, Julia Rose. What a pretty name, for such a pretty lass."

5:30 P.M.

Julia and Will had walked around on deck, and Will, having been to sea for so many years, and making the run to America, the way that he had, he knew that land was near and he said so to Julia.

She said, " Let's go tell Elizabeth and Henry, then shall we?"

He nodded, and the two went off to Julia's cabin.

5:45 P.M.

Both Elizabeth and Henry were awakened by Julia's knocking on the door. They both got up, Elizabeth straightened out her skirt and tried to straighten her hair out a bit. Then they both went to the door, Elizabeth clinging desperately to Henry. She knew that they were going to arrive in New York, in just a very short time.

Henry opened the door, and seeing Will and Miss Graham, said, " Will! Miss Graham! What brings you around, now?"

Julia said, " Mr. Wilde, Mrs. Wilde, Will here, has informed me that land is in sight and that we should be in New York within an hour or so. I just thought that you might like to know. I would imagine that you two will be most happy to be on land again. Especially after what you've been through."

Henry noticed the way that Will was watching the young woman, and how she had called him Will. He wasn't all that surprised, however. The young woman was very pretty and he could see why Will would be attracted to her.

Elizabeth turned to Henry and said, " Let's go out on deck, please. I want to see the New York skyline."

Henry took her by the arm and they followed Will and Julia, outside on to the decks.

Wednesday - April 17, 1912 7:00 P.M.

The Carpathia was nearing the harbor and the White Star Line's docks. Elizabeth gasped when she saw that they were docking at the White Star Line's pier. She turned to Henry and asked why they would be here.

Henry sighed and said, " Because, love, they are going to drop off Titanic's lifeboats, which are still the property of White Star Line, then they will back out of this pier, and head for their own pier. That is where we will dock there, love."

It brought back a host of painful memories for Elizabeth, and she leaned her head over against Henry and closed her eyes, as tears started to well up in her eyes, once more. Henry pulled her up against him and whispered, " It's all right love. We're home now, for the time being."

Julia stood next to Will Murdoch, and watched painfully, as the lifeboats were lowered, not even trying to imagine what that dear sweet man, standing next to her, was feeling at this moment. After all, it had been his ship that had been lost.

Will Murdoch stood there, a painful lump in his throat, as he watched the last remnants of the great Titanic, being lowered from the Carpathia, into the water at the White Star Line's pier, where the Titanic would have been, had circumstances been different.

Julia moved over closer to him and said softly, " Will?"

He cleared his throat, then turned towards Julia and said rather harshly, " What?"

Julia stared at Will, tears filling her eyes, and her heart thumping fiercely. Then she turned and ran off, her hand over her mouth, sobbing.

Henry had heard that and turned to Will and said, " Will, I think you were just a bit too harsh on that poor girl. After all that she has done for us, you shouldn't have raised your voice at her that way. It can't have been easy on her, or the passengers of this ship."

Will realized that he had been wrong, and Henry said, " Go after her, Will. You'd best.."

He turned and ran after her.

8:00 P.M.

Will found her, sitting down in the third class area, where she had sat with him earlier.

She was sitting there, her head in her hands, and her shoulders were heaving with her quiet sobs.

Oh man, he thought, what had he done to this lass? She'd only been trying to help.

Julia heard the footsteps, but refused to turn around. She knew that Will was hurting, and for that, she wouldn't hold it against him.

Will Murdoch sat down next to Julia and said quietly, " I am so sorry, Julia. I surely didn't mean to be so harsh with you. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

Julia turned towards him, tears in her eyes and said softly, " I understand Will. It can't have been easy on you, seeing those lifeboats that way. A remnant of what used to be."

He reached over and brushed the tears from her eyes and said, " Don't cry, Julia, please. I don't like seeing you cry this way. You're too pretty to be crying this way."

He moved over closer to her and said " Come back up front with me, Julia. I'll be disembarking in about half an hour or so. Then I won't see you again, for how long?"

Julia sighed quietly and replied, " I'll be gone for one month."

He took her hand in his and held it for a moment, then stood up and brought her up on to her feet and said, " Come along, Julia."

She went with William Murdoch, holding his hand.

9:00 P.M.

Julia stood by the railing, as Will Murdoch was about to disembark. Already, Julia was wishing that she could remain, but her father had paid for ths trip, so that Julia could go on a vacation. And she wasn't going to upset her father, although she thought that it should be her hard working father who went on this trip, instead of her.

Will Murdoch stood there at the railing, about to disembark, and thinking about Julia and how much he was going to miss her already.

Julia saw the 'survivor' passengers getting ready to disembark and knew that her time with Will was coming to an end, at least until she returned. So without any thought, she reached up and leaned forward a bit, and kissed him on the cheek.

Will was surprised to say the least, but pleased, and in return, before she left, he took her by the arms and pulled her to him, then leaned over and kissed her fully on the lips, giving her a kiss to remember him by, while she went on her cruise.

From a distance, Henry and Elizabeth were waiting on Will, and the others were gathered with them and they saw the farewell that Will Murdoch was giving to Miss Julia Graham. Henry laughed softly and said, " I knew it.. I saw this coming from the moment he first met Miss Graham." Elizabeth giggled and saw that it was good, and that perhaps, Julia might just be the ticket to Will's sanity and happiness once again. It was just a shame that she was leaving again, but after all, her voyage had been interrupted by the Titanic disaster.

Will kept his hands on her arms and said, " Good bye Julia. I shall miss you already, love."

Julia felt a blush warming her cheeks, good heavens she hadn't expected that kiss, but then she had started it, but hers was only a quick kiss on the cheeks. Will Murdoch had given her a thorough kiss, that had left her breathless with desire, and wanting to stay with him, more than ever.

Will gazed at her and said, " I'll come down here and wait for you at the pier, when you return, Julia."

She smiled softly and said that she would like that and that now she had best return to her cabin.

On her way back, she stopped by Elizabeth and Henry and spoke with them for a few minutes, then turned and left, glancing back one final time to see Will Murdoch standing there, his hand raised in greeting, then she left, with the image of Will Murdoch standing there in his uniform, looking so handsome, and yet.. broken at the same time. He needed her, she thought, as much as she needed him, as well. Oh well, she would have to wait for her return to see about that.