The ship was called The Independent. She was big, though not nearly as large as the Titanic. She had two immense smoke stacks, two less than Titanic. It was a cool afternoon in January when I boarded her. My heart was pounding and I must have looked nervous, for as I crossed from the walkway into the ship itself, a steward said, "Nothing to be nervous about, Misses. This ship is strong and sturdy."

"And lifeboats?" I snapped irritably. "You have enough of them?"

"Well of course! We don't want another Titanic disaster on our hands. Is it your first time sailing?"

"Hardly," I said flatly. "Would you be so kind as to show me to my cabin?"

He nodded and I showed him my ticket. "Third class, eh? Right this way." He walked two paces in front of me and carried my satchel and shoulder bag for me. Kate began to cry, hungry to suckle me, so I stuck my finger in her mouth to pacify her. "Cute kid," he said. His name tag read 'Robert.'"

"Thank you very much," I said graciously. My mood was always lifted when someone complimented my girl.

"You're lucky to have picked The Independent." Robert told me and he showed me to the elevators. I stepped inside and he took me down.

"Why is that?"

"Because," he said as the lift slowly made its way to the bottom, "our third class is nicer than most second class. No rats, clean sheets, and plenty of baths and toilets. We keep it spick and span down here." I smiled and told him that would be nice. I didn't tell him that this was the first time I would be sleeping in a bed in 10 months and the first time I would be given regular meals. The elevator shuddered and stopped abruptly. "Here we are. D-deck." There were small clusters of families clogging the hallway and he pushed a way through for me. "Ah," he said when he found my cabin. "D-19." He knocked on the door and there was no answer so he opened it up and let us in.

I looked around. There were two sets of bunk beds, one of them for whoever my roommate would be, the other for me. Robert chose the one by the window for me and set my bags on the top bunk. "I'm assuming you'd like a crib in here."

"Can I get one?" I asked.

"I'll see what I can do," he said reassuringly, and left me to get one. I held Kate close and inspected my quarters with an uncritical eye. The toilet was in a nook and there was a sink and mirror, too. A bright light bulb was on the ceiling and the sheets on the beds were white with knit-blankets that had "The Independent" sewn on. There was a knock at the door and I said to come it. It was Robert, carrying a medium sized basket. "Lifted it from second class." He told me and winked. "No cribs, but this should do. And you can take her up on deck and let her sleep in it beside you so you don't have to hold her."

"I wish I could tip you," I said, "But I've no money. Only the clothes on my back."

"I think they would make me look fat," he said and I laughed. There was an awkward pause and he sighed. "Well, I'd best get back to my work."

"Goodbye. And thank you." He nodded and left while I unpacked. It didn't take long. All she had was the dress and shoes she'd worn the night of the sinking, a sleeping shift, a gray dress, Hamlet, her baby's things, and a news paper from April 15 along with the clothes she had on. Of course, she had the Heart of the Ocean as well, but she left that in her pocket where it was safe.

I used my spare dress to pad the bottom of the basket and made sure Kate was bundled up safe and tight before placing her inside it. I felt…nervous. I suppose it was just being on a ship again. After all, it was a great ship that had caused so much shit in my life. I thought that it might provide me with solace though, so I left my cabin and made the long journey up to the boat deck. I had missed the departure; I'd wanted to. By now we were sailing straight ahead towards Southampton.

Everyone was in their rooms getting unpacked. It was about 5:30, the departure had been a late one. No one was on deck when I got there and I wasn't surprised to find that the bow-ish area was the third class deck space. Kate gurgled and I looked down at her lovingly. She looked so small, bundled inside the basket. Like a little doll.

I walked slowly to the very front of the ship as if a magnetic force drove me there. I set Kate down carefully about half a foot away from me and shaking, stood there at the edge, leaning on the barrier. The wind showered my face and I breathed in the salty sea air. I'd missed it.

My heart pounded in my chest as I stepped one foot, then the other, onto the railing. I held onto the flag pole with one hand and looked down quickly to make sure Kate was alright. She was lying there, eyes on me, staring intently as if she were studying me. I closed my eyes and turned my head back to the ocean. I lifted my arms up like…like wings. I held onto nothing. The force of the wind held me aloft. After a deep breath, I opened my eyes and that same feeling…a feeling of love and happiness…filled my soul once again as I glided over the ocean towards the sunset like a bird.

"I'm flying," I whispered. "I'm really flying." There was only one thing missing from this moment. A man to kiss. "Oh Jack." I could barely get the words out. My throat always tightened at the thought of him.

Suddenly, the ship jolted forward, and so did I! I tried to balance myself as I fell forward almost over the rail! But an abrupt gust of wind pushed me forward and I found my balance. I calmed myself and held the flagpole once more. I closed my eyes for a moment and opened them again. "Thanks, Jack," I said, convinced it was he who saved me just then. And with that, I felt the lightest breeze stir my hair.

I realized then that I was not alone. Jack was the wind, the stars, the sky, the sea, the tress. He was everything and no matter where I was or who I was with, he would always be with me. That I could count on no matter what.

I stood there for a time watching the sunset. Flying to the horizon was something I could never grow bored of. But the sun finally went down and it was getting cold. Kate stirred and so, with a bit of a heavy heart, I climbed down and lifted my baby from her basket. "There, there," I cooed. "Mommy's here." Then I gathered my bundles and my skirts and headed back down to my cabin.

When I opened my door, a middle aged woman and her young daughter were already unpacked by the other bunk.

"Are you the roommate?" asked the woman. I nodded.

"Oh look, Mummy!" Cried the girl, who looked about 11 or 12. "She has a baby!" She ran up to me, excited. "I'm Maia."

"Rose."

"May I hold your baby, please? She's so cute."

"Maia!" she chastised. Then she turned to me. "I'm so sorry. She's usually not this upbeat. It's just being cramped up like this. She's not used to it."

"Oh, it's really alright," I said. There was nothing I liked more than when people complemented my baby. "This is Kate. She's only a month old, so be careful. She's a bit ill." The woman advised her daughter to sit down first, and I handed over the bundle.

"Oh, how precious!" Maia exclaimed. We all watched as Kathrine looked around with wide eyes, then smacked her lips twice and stuck out her plump tongues and drooled a little. She yawned a big baby yawn and stretched her arms, then closed her eyes and fell asleep. "Look, mama," Maia whispered. "She's sleeping in my arms."

"Perhaps you should give her back to her mama, then," the mother said quietly. The girl nodded and have her back to me. I smiled proudly at my creation, then set her in the basket by my bed.

"Thank you, Rose," Maia said.

"Of course," I told her. "Any time."

Then I reached in my back, pulled out my sleeping shift, went to a corner and changed, before collapsing onto the bottom bunk and falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Kate must have been exhausted as well, for she slept through the entire night and didn't wake until 7:00 the next morning. Her cry awakened me and I opened my eyes sleepily. Then I sat up quickly and hit my head on the bunk above me. "Ahh." I rubbed my head and tried to remember where I was. I looked out the porthole beside me and remembered I was on my way to see my mother so she could support me and my baby and I was filled once more with an overwhelming amount of nervous apprehension.