Again I am relying on the online script so bear with me if it isn't exactly like the movie :)

Chapter Nine

As mush as I wanted to join Polly and Charles for dinner again, Cal requested I sit with him and everyone else at their table. He said tomorrow I could eat with Polly and I realized that was fair and agreed.

I sat next to Mr. Andrews and he smiled warmly at me. "Did you enjoy your afternoon?" he asked in low voice.

"Very much."

"Mr. Lowe is a good man. Just keep it discreet."

"Mr. Andrews, I hate to pry, but why are you helping us?"

He looked over to make sure no one was listening and then came back to me. "You two remind me of myself and my wife when we were young."

I smiled at him but was interrupted by Col. Gracie who began talking about economic issues in America. It was mostly the men who conversed about it. I sipped my wine and set the glass down carefully on the white table cloth when I caught sight of Rose. She was sitting in between Aunt Ruth and Cal, I was next to Mr. Andrews who was to Cal's left so I wasn't too far from her, but I wished I was closer. She was staring off into space, not paying attention to anything that was going on around her, and for that matter no one, save me, seemed to be paying any attention to her.

I attempted to get her attention more than once through dinner, but failed each and every time. When dinner was over, Rose excused herself and hurried out of the dining room. I started after her but Aunt Ruth stopped me.

"I would like to speak with you."

She pulled me to an uncrowned corner of the dining room and gripped my arm tightly. "I was informed that you with a gentleman this afternoon, one of the ship's officers."

"Yes, I was. Mr. Andrews was called away when he took me up to the bridge and he asked the young man to show me the ship." I was proud of my bravery towards her.

She glared at me. "People talk Sarah. You being alone with a young man is bound to start rumors."

"Aunt Ruth please. I would never embarrass my family."

"Good" she sneered. "Don't let it happen again. Or I will have a word with the captain about this."

And with that she left and joined her friends back at the table. I could feel my face burning with anger. That old witch! There was no way I was going to let her stop me from seeing Harry, no way in hell.

Then it remembered why I had gotten up in the first place.

Rose.

I turned to leave when I saw Cal looking at me. He looked away quickly and soon left the dining room for the saloon with the other men. I didn't have time to think about him though. Quickly I raced from the dining room and back up the stairs towards our rooms. When I reached Rose's suite I knocked on the door and called her name.

"Rose, open up please, it's Sarah"

No answer. Instinctively I reached for the handle and turned it. It opened. I went in and looked all around the sitting room, I then went into her bedroom. She wasn't there either but I could tell she had been. A broken mirror and her necklace both lay in pieces on the floor.

Something was terribly wrong. I left the room quickly and went out on the deck. I passed an older couple and stopped them asking if they had seen a girl with red hair.

"Oh heavens yes. Like a blaze of fire she went tearing through here, nearly pushed me to the ground! Young people!" the woman told me.

"Thank you!"

Moving as quickly as I could with my dress shoes on I ran down the deck towards the back of the shift looking for her.

"Rose!"

I went down to the second class promenade deck. I mused that maybe she had come down here to hide, and I called her name again. It was then that I heard screams. I didn't even stop to think that wasn't her, that maybe it was something else. I just torn down the stairs onto the third class deck and ran and ran. When I got there three crew members were standing there. Rose was on the ground shaking her skirt torn and there standing over her was a man. His boots were off to the side along with his coat.

It wasn't long before the Master at Arms arrived. Rose had been given a blanket and I sat with her on the bench my arms wrapped tightly around her. She had stopped shaking and Col. Gracie and Cal had shown up, along with Lovejoy. The Master at Arms put handcuffs around the young man.

Cal was furious and stared at the man, his eyes full of anger. "What made you think you could put your hands on my fiancée! Look at me, you filth! What did you think you were doing!"

"Cal stop, it was an accident" Rose replied, looking up.

"Rose…" I started.

"An accident?" Cal spat

"It was... stupid really. I was leaning over and I slipped." I saw her look at the man with a stern gaze. "I was leaning way over to the see the ah…ah…" she whirled her hand around in circular motion and I could practically see the lie forming in her head. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited to hear what she had to say.

"…the propellers" Cal answered.

"The propellers," she repeated. "…and I slipped and I would have gone over board but, Mr. Dawson here saved me."

I looked over at this Mr. Dawson fellow, he looked amused by Rose's story. Obviously this was new to him as well.

"She wanted to see the propellers!" Cal said in a frustrated yet amused voice.

"Like I said women and machinery do not mix" Col Gracie spoke up.

"Was that the way of it?" the Master at Arms asked Mr. Dawson.

He looked at Rose for a split second before answering. "Uh huh that's pretty much it."

"Well! The boy's a hero then. Good for you son, well done!" Col. Gracie commented.

Cal helped Rose to her feet, pulling her out of my grasp. "Let's get you inside, you're freezing."

I stood up and looked over at Mr. Dawson. The Master at Arms had released his handcuffs and Jack was now slipping his jacket back on. He saw me looking at him and shifted his gaze uncomfortably.

Cal started to lead Rose away but Col. Gracie intercepted him. "Perhaps a little something for the boy."

"Oh yes." Cal looked to Lovejoy "Mr. Lovejoy I think a twenty should do it."

"Is that the going rate for saving the woman you love?" Rose asked obviously unsatisfied.

Cal stopped. "Rose is displeased…what to do…ah yes." he turned around and faced Mr. Dawson. "Perhaps you could join us for dinner tomorrow night to regale our group with your heroic tale?"

Mr. Dawson looked skeptical but finally agreed. "Sure, count me in."

"Good"

He went back to Rose and put his arm around her. I watched them walk away and then as Mr. Dawson asked Lovejoy for a cigarette. Lovejoy looked Mr. Dawson over as he held out the cigarette case for him.

"You'll want to tie those" he said indicating his boots. "Its strange, the young lady fell so suddenly yet you still had time to remove your jacket and shoes."

He gave Mr. Dawson a cold stare before walking off and joining the rest.

I stood back though. Rubbing my arms for warmth I was grateful I still had my gloves on.

"All right Mr. Dawson, out with it."

"I don't know what you're talking about, miss" he said sitting down on the bench and tying his shoes.

I sat down next to him. "I'm not stupid, she wasn't really looking at the propellers was she?"

He stopped and looked at me. "Who are you?"

"Sarah Wilkes, I'm her cousin."

"You're very nosey." he replied and went back to tying his shoes.

"Mr. Dawson, please…."

"Call me Jack" he said finishing his tying and looking at me. He was leaning over with his arms resting on his knees.

"Fine, Jack, just tell me the truth, I'm worried about her. I need to know what happened."

He hesitated. "You really want to help her?"

"Yes"

After a heavy sigh he looked at me "She was going to jump."

I gasped.

"I saw her running by and she was crying. I followed her and when I came up on her she was standing on the other side, hanging on by her hands."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I shook my head is disbelief.

"I talked her out of it though. I told her I would jump in there after her…"

"That's why your shoes and jacket were off."

He nodded. "…anyway when I tried to help her back over she slipped and fell and that's when she screamed. I had just pulled her back over when the seaman came."

"Jack you really are a hero."

He laughed. "Please lady…"

"No I'm serious, when Rose sets her mind to something she does it. Yet you managed to convince her otherwise."

"It was nothing." he said and got up. I followed him.

"Think what you want, but you did her a world of good, trust me." the cold was beginning to get to me and I decided to head back to my cabin. "Jack, don't doubt what you have done, I greatly appreciate it. I'll see you tomorrow night."

He nodded. And I left him there on the deck and headed back to my room. I hadn't lied when I said that he had done her a world of good. Rose needed saving, weather she wanted to admit it or not. I got back inside and headed down to my room. I thought of checking on Rose but decided against and went to my own room. Hannah was in there reading a book.

"Where have you been?"

I told her what happened, the made up story. She was shocked.

"That poor dear. I hope she's all right."

"I think she'll be fine." I replied.

She helped me undress and then put on my night clothes. She said goodnight and clicked the light off as she left the room and settled in under the covers. I couldn't believe that so much had happened in one day. It seemed like a week, but I tried to focus on the happier moments. They were all about Harry, but I didn't mind.

I dreamt that night of sailing into the sunset and being wrapped in his arms.