Wow, I'm so glad you guys like Chapt. 10. I was like "Whoa" lol anyway thanks for the compliments.

Liz, in answer to your question I was planning on having some of the other officers involved in the story, still up in the air about how they'll react towards Sarah...gimme your advice though, I'd love to hear what ya'll think I should do with that.

Yes Cal is a jerk. I love Billy Zane which is why its a bit hard for me to see him as a character like that, but he does it SO well! But I'm not gonna say anymore cuz I don't want to spoil the story...

Anyway enjoy this chapter, I'm working on 12 & 13 now, so I'll try and have those posted as soon as possible :)

Chapter Eleven

I continued doing my schoolwork for most of the afternoon, although I believe most of the time my thoughts weren't really on history, math or literature. Halfway through writing about the knights of the Round Table I realized the name 'Harry' had taken up half of what I had just written. I really couldn't help but laugh at myself. I reached for a clean sheet of paper but instead of writing about King Arthur I dared to print something that seemed to be lurking at the tip of my finger tips.

I brought the pen to the paper and carefully wrote out my name Sarah.

I looked around quickly making sure that I truly was alone, even though I knew I was and quickly wrote Lowe, next to it.

Sarah Lowe

Then as quickly as I had written it, I put a thousand scratches through it. Could I have been any more silly? I knew girls at school that did that. They would write it all over their papers, along with names for their children. I always used to think it was childish, but just now I had gotten a strange thrill out of it, as if I myself could make my own future.

I shook my head and began to gather up my books and papers and put them away. Hannah came in just as I was finishing up.

"Look at you, it's a beautiful day outside and you're cooped up in this stuffy room." she said hands on her hips, playfully scolding me.

"Hannah..."

"All right, all right, I'll keep my opinions to myself. They just announced dinner, I set out your pink and gold dress this morning, is that okay?"

I nodded. "That's fine"

While she went back into the closet to get it, I washed up and then began to undress. She came back in and gave me a hand. I put on some fresh stockings and then slipped on the dress.

"This one looks nice on you, pink is a good color for you. Now what to do with your hair." she thought for a moment and then sat me down at the vanity, she unpinned my hair and brushed it out till it was sleek and soft. She began to part it tiny sections and pinned it up, she then found two barrettes that were finished in gold and sparkled in the light and clipped them in.

To finish it up, I put on some diamond earrings and necklace to match.

"All right, now for the little white gloves." she smiled.

Two minutes later I walked out of the room, closing the door behind me. I followed the familiar path down to the dining room. I came upon the Grand Staircase and could see Aunt Ruth and Cal at the landing talking to the Countess of Rothes. I made my way down and passed a handsome young man in a dashing suit who looked at me as though he was in a strange country and didn't speak their language. I stopped and looked at him, puzzled, then it all came together in my head.

"Mr. Dawson?"

Relief swept over his face.

"Look at you!" he looked very handsome, his hair combed back and in a spiffy new suit. "You look wonderful."

"Thank You...call me Jack though."

I smiled. "Feel like a fish out of water?"

"Does it show?"

I shook my head and gave him a reassuring smile. "You're doing fine, it's just dinner, don't be worried."

He nearly laughed, but I think he was too nervous to remember how.

"Sarah." Polly's unmistakable voice called out. She was coming towards me in a yellow dress that was fit for a princess. Charles was next to her.

"Excuse me, Jack."

He nodded.

I walked over to Polly.

"Who is that?" she asked.

"The boy that saved Rose last night."

"From steerage. Well I'm impressed."

I shook my head at Polly, she honestly made me wonder sometimes. I looked over at Jack and saw that Rose had come down the stairs. I watched curiously as they seemed to freeze with their eyes focused on one another. Jack then expertly picked up Rose's hand and kissed it delicately, she smiled and then burst into a huge grin. In all my life I couldn't ever recall Rose ever smiling like that. It was natural and unscripted.

I recognized that smile, I had seen it on my face each and everyday that I had looked in the mirror since I had met Harry. It wasn't just a form the mouth took, it was something from the soul, and I knew just how much it took to get Rose's soul to smile.

Polly and Charles bid me a goodbye and started towards the staircase and down to the dining room. Mr. Andrews approached me with a small smile on his face.

"Care for an escort?" he asked holding out his arm.

"That would be lovely. Thank You."

I took it and we followed behind Polly and Charles.

"I have a message from your gentleman friend." he said in a low whisper. "He said to say that he'll meet you know where, at you know when, and you you'll know what he means."

I covered my mouth as a smile broke out. Mr. Andrews laughed softly as we descended the staircase. "I'm glad someone knows what it means, for a moment there I didn't think he even did."

"He means the second class library, after dinner."

"How could I have missed something so obvious?" he replied in a sarcastic tone.

We approached the table and he kindly pulled a chair out for me and I sat down. He sat next to me, and gradually the other started to fill the remaining seats. Mrs. Brown sat to my left and Rose sat on the other side of Mr. Andrews. Next to Mrs. Brown, Jack found a seat, but that didn't stop him or Rose from keeping their gazes firmly planted on one another.

It made my heart ache for Harry. I wished he was here with me right now. How lovely would it be to be able to tell everyone how I felt about him, and for them to accept that without the mention of money or reputation. It was the first time I had thought of anything like that. Everything with him seemed to be going so fast, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. I had never done anything impulsive or spontaneous in my whole life, but that's the way I had been living since I boarded this ship and I didn't think I had ever been happier.

Soon though, it would all come to an end and I knew that. When we docked in New York I was on the first train to Philadelphia. Then there was the wedding, and then I was returning to school. The year would go by quickly, before I knew it I would make my debut in society and be married not long after, to some rich old man no doubt.

I felt sick to my stomach just thinking about it and took a long sip of water.

"Tell us of the accommodations in steerage, Mr. Dawson. I hear they're quite good on this ship." Aunt Ruth asked over the other conversations going on at the table. One by one everyone stopped to look at Jack, including me, although I did contemplate throwing dagger like glances across the table at her.

"The best I've seen, ma'am. Hardly any rats." Jack replied. He didn't bat an eyelash at her comment. I was impressed.

Cal cleared his throat "Mr. Dawson is joining us from third class. He was of some assistance to my fiancée last night." He said to everyone. There were quick glances exchanged around the table.

Waiters then began to come around with trays of caviar and such. Both Mrs. Brown and I declined and the waiter moved on to Jack "How do you take your caviar, sir?"

Jack shook his head. "No caviar for me thanks, never did like it much."

"And where exactly do you live, Mr. Dawson?" Aunt Ruth pushed.

Jack seemed untouched by her attitude though and remained cool and collected. "Well, right now my address is the RMS Titanic. After that, I'm on God's good humor."

"You find that sort of rootless existence appealing, do you?"

"Well... it's a big world, and I want to see it all before I go. My father was always talkin' about goin' to see the ocean. He died in the town he was born in, and never did see it. You can't wait around, because you never know what hand you're going to get dealt next. See, my folks died in a fire when I was fifteen, and I've been on the road since. Somethin' like that teaches you to take life as it comes at you. To make each day count."

Next to me Mrs. Brown raised her glass. "Well said, Jack."

I smiled and did the same. "I agree."

"Here, Here" replied Col. Gracie from across the table.

"To making it count" Rose spoke up, her glass was raised and she kept her green eyes glued to Jack. Mrs. Brown nudged me and I knew I wasn't the only one who was

seeing it.