Thanks for all of the praise you guys, it really means a lot to me :) Happy reading!

P.S.Someof this is borrowed from the Titanic script...thank god its online. I sold my Titanic DVD at a yardsale over the weekend figuring "hey the Special Edition is coming out soon." Now I'm kicking myself because I really need it! Oh well the script will have to do...

Chapter Seven

"She is the largest moving object ever made by the hand off man in all history, and our master shipbuilder, Mr. Andrews here, designed her from the keel plates up."

Bruce Ismay, a truly arrogant man, if I ever saw one, was speaking of the Titanic with as much pride as somemen usually do about their sons.

Mr. Andrews, the man from the night before, seemed uncomfortable by the compliment but smiled politely. "Well I may have knocked her together, but the idea was Mr. Ismay's. He envisioned a steamer so grand in scale and so luxurious in its appointments, that its supremacy would never be challenged. And here she is…" he slapped the table. "…willed into solid reality"

Bored I took a sip of my water as everyone else around me, Cal, Rose, Aunt Ruth, and a woman, Mrs. Brown all listened with polite attention. It was only eleven but all ready I was anxious to go and see Harry.

"Why're ships always bein' called "she"? Is it because men think half the women around have big sterns and should be weighed in tonnage?" Mrs. Brown asked followed by a boisterous laugh. It was contagious and everyone else at the table followed along, except Aunt Ruth who merely let a small smirk spread across her face.

The waiter came up to us and began to take orders, I gave him mine and handed him the menu and he moved onto Mrs. Brown. Across from me Rose pulled a cigarette out and lit it.

Aunt Ruth leaned over towards her "You know I don't like that, Rose" she said quietly.

Cal looked over, hearing Aunt Ruth and pulled the cigarette from Rose's mouth. "She knows." he said and put it out. Rose sat there and didn't say a thing. From the look in her eye I could tell she wanted to scream, but she held it in. I felt for her.

Cal turned to the waiter who was now next to him. "We'll both have the lamb, rare, with a little mint sauce."

The waiter took down the order and left as Cal turned to Rose. "You like lamb don't you sweet pea."

She turned to him and smiled the most counterfeit smile I had ever seen, and nodded.

"So you gonna cut her meat for her too there, Cal?" Mrs. Brown replied. I stifled a giggle, silently agreeing with her.

Cal's face turned red at the comment but Mrs. Brown turned away before he could retort with anything. "So who came up with the name Titanic, was it you Bruce?"

Mr. Ismay cleared his throat. "Yes actually. I wanted to convey sheer size, and size means stability, luxury and safety..."

Rose suddenly looked up and made eye contact with Mr. Ismay. "Do you know of Dr. Freud, Mr. Ismay, His ideas about the male preoccupation with size might be of particular interest to you."

I covered my mouth as laughter involuntarily slipped out.

"Rose, what's gotten into you" Aunt Ruth asked through clenched teeth.

"Excuse me" Rose replied and got up and left the table. I watched her walk out and Mrs. Brown leaned over to me and whispered. "Smart girl" I smiled.

"I do apologize" Aunt Ruth said to the whole table.

"She's a pistol, Cal. You sure you can handle her?" Mrs. Brown asked.

Cal seemed to be fighting the tension that was building up inside of him but simply replied, "Well I may have to minding what she reads from now on." after that his eyes moved to me and I felt uncomfortable as his gaze seemed to go right through me. I shifted uneasily in my chair. Thankfully Mrs. Brown began to talk of the ship again and that pulled it away. Yet it wasn't long after than that he got up, excusing himself and left the restaurant, following the same path out that Rose had.

We all went back to our conversation, well I should say the others did. I kept to myself, only speaking unless someone spoke to me. When lunch finally came I ate as quickly as I could seeing that it was 11:30. I hoped no one noticed. When I was done I took a final sip of my water before asking if I could be excused.

"No, Sarah, I think its best you stay here." Aunt Ruth said, she had barely touched her food, and was taking small bites at a time.

My heart sunk, it was a quarter till. It was as if she was deliberately trying to prevent from me from being on my own, then it hit me that she probably was.

"Actually Ruth, last night Sarah showed interest in seeing the bridge and I invited to take her up after lunch this afternoon." Mr. Andrews voice suddenly replied, pushing away the tears that were coming to my eyes. I looked at him in astonishment then back at Aunt Ruth.

Aunt Ruth looked at me skeptically, and I gave her a hopeful smile. She looked over at Cal who I remembered from yesterday saying that he was responsible for me and he nodded. Reluctantly she looked at me. "You may go then."

"Thank you, Aunt Ruth, Cal."

Mr. Andrews appeared behind me and pulled my chair out for me. I got up and the two of us left the restaurant.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Andrews!"

I lost all regards and wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly.

He laughed heartedly and patted me on the back. "Yes well, I saw you and Mr. Lowe on the deck last night, I figured that's where you were going."

"I just can't even begin to thank you."

"Well your company to the bridge would be nice, you'll probably see him up there anyway."

"Of course."

He smiled and offered me his arm and I took it. Putting on his bowler hat we walked out onto the deck and made our way down the ship and then to the bridge. I marveled as he led me inside. The view was beautiful.

"Well well, Mr. Andrews, you're very handy, first building a beautiful ship and then finding a beautiful lady to go along with it." a soft masculine voice replied as we walked into the bridge.

It was the captain.

His kind face was clearly visible behind his white beard and I smiled warmly at his compliment.

"Captain Smith this is Sarah Wilkes, she's traveling with the Hockley's in first class." Mr. Andrews informed him.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, she looks like a first class lady." he took my hand and politly kissed it. "It's very nice to meet you Miss Wilkes."

"Thank you, Captain Smith."

I did a quick gaze around the bridge looking for Harry, but I didn't see him.

"You wouldn't happen to be of any relation to Jared Wilkes would you?"

"Yes actually, I'm his granddaughter."

He smiled. "A very stiff old man, isn't he."

I laughed. "You must know him well."

His laugh filled up the entire bridge. "Yes, Jared and I have shared a drink or two on occasion, but that was many years ago." he looked over at Mr. Andrews. "Yes, Thomas if you wouldn't mind I'd like to speak with you about a situation in the boiler room."

"Of course…ah Mr. Lowe, would you mind showing Miss Wilkes around for me." he replied looking beyond the Captain as he spoke.

I veered my neck over to see Harry coming towards me with a surprised look on his face. "Of course, Mr. Andrews…Miss Wilkes…" he held his arm out for me and I could see another officer look over at us with raised eyebrows.

The Captain and Mr. Andrews left and Harry led me back outside and moved behind a wall so that no one in the bridge could see us.

"I said the boat deck, not the bridge." he said laughing.

I laughed and told him what had happened. He listened intently and scowled when I told him about Aunt Ruth.

"I'll have to thank him later" he said when I told him what Mr. Andrews had done.

"Can you get in trouble for this…talking to me that is."

He shrugged. "It all depends really. I don't mind though, I like your company."

I decided to change the conversation. "Who's that in there?"

"Who?"

"The one that was looking at us."

"Oh, that's Murdoch. He's the first officer."

"Oh…do we like him?"

He smiled. "Yes we do. Don't worry about him. Jimmy's the one you have to watch out for." he said with that impish grin.

"Jimmy?"

"Moody, he's under me, and I remind him of it everyday…he's the one from the hat shop."

"Oh, I'll have to meet him sometime."

"I don't think so, I want to keep you to myself just a bit longer." he replied as he leaned in towards me. I couldn't help but smile as my heart did a little flip flop.

We heard a voice from inside the bridge and Harry decided we should leave. "Come on I'll show you around the ship."

"Okay" I agreed and allowed him to take my hand and lead me down the stairs. He skipped the first class section since I had all ready seen most of it and took me down to second. Walking around on the deck I didn't find it much different from first class, maybe a bit smaller but that was it. He took me into their library which was large and completely empty.

"It's still seems so beautiful, even if its not supposed to be a opulent as ours."

He nodded as I walked over to one of the bookcase and looked at what was on the shelves. I felt him come up behind me. His hands rested on my arms and I felt a shiver go up my spine.

"It's not as beautiful as you are."

The next few moments felt like a dream, Slowly I turned around and faced him. I just knew that our faces were centimeters apart. We were so close, so close I could feel his breath on my face, smell his aftershave. He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. I know that at that very moment the earth stopped moving.

It seemed to go on forever, our lips moving in perfect sync with one another, his tongue softly slipping into my mouth. I found myself being pressed up against the bookcase as we became more and more enthralled in just a simple kiss. When he pulled away without thinking I pulled him back and kissed him myself.

I was shocked by my boldness but at that moment it didn't seem to matter.

However I was the one who finally broke it, but even after we kept our faces close, our foreheads pressed against one another.

We didn't say anything. Just stood there with one another letting ourselves bask in the glow that was around us.

He kissed my cheek softly and I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him close to me. I didn't ever want to let him or this moment go.

Okay what did ya'll think? Personally I think this is my favorite chapter so far. My sister loved it, but that's what sisters are for. So let me know what you guys think :)