Chapter 15

A bit shorter than normal but there's another one in the works as we speak...oh yeah and no Harry this chapter...lol sorry to my fellow Harry lovers. And I just have to say you guys are the sweetest people ever! I'm glad to know that just because its been years since the movie came out some people still appreciate it. I'm a real stickler about details, and I'm glad I haven't bored any of you with it. I figure that's only way to make it seem real.

Thanks again for all of the reviews!

"Mr. Andrews, I did the sum in my head, and with the number of lifeboats times the capacity you mentioned... forgive me, but it seems that there are not enough for everyone aboard." Rose replied as Mr. Andrews led us down the boat deck.

Aunt Ruth and Cal were paying polite attention to the conversation, but after seeing Harry just a few moments ago, nothing could really hold my interest. I made it look as if I were listening, but in my mind, all I could think about was after dinner this evening when I would see him again.

"About half, actually. Rose, you miss nothing, do you? In fact, I put in these new type davits, which can take an extra row of boats here. But it was thought... by some... that the deck would
look too cluttered. So I was over-ruled." he answered.

That seemed like an awful silly reason to me, it was as if there weren't enough decks on this ship anyway. I looked over at the lifeboats and saw a man in a jacket and hat leaning up against one of them. Rose and the others past him, but I saw him turn my way and look at me. It was Jack, he brought his fingers to his lips telling me to keep quiet. I nodded.

Cal slapped the side of the boat "Waste of deck space as it is, on an unsinkable ship!"

Mr. Andrews turned back to Rose, and reassured her. "Sleep soundly, young Rose. I have built you a good ship, strong and true. She's all the lifeboat you need."

Rose nodded in a polite, but unconvinced manner. The group moved on and I watched as Jack suddenly moved behind Rose and tapped her on the shoulder, Mr. Andrews and the others were heading down the deck and did not notice as Jack pulled Rose in the gymnasium we had visited only moments ago.

"Cover for us" he whispered to me. I nodded and he shut the door.

I walked down the deck quickly and caught up with them. Aunt Ruth turned to me when I approached. "Where's Rose?"

"She went back to the bridge, she…lost an earring."

"Oh, should we stop?" Mr. Andrews asked in his kind Irish accent.

"She'll catch up…I saw that we have traveled nearly 500 miles since yesterday, when do expect us to be in New York?" I asked linking my arm through his and leading the group down the deck.

Later…

Mr. Andrews was leading us down the Second Class staircase when Rose caught up with us.

"Did you find your earring, sweet pea?" Cal asked.

"My…" he hand went to her ear and I looked at her and nodded quickly. She understood what I was saying. "Oh…yes, I did."

"Good, well I believe some tea would be nice, even if it is a bit late." Aunt Ruth replied. "Will you being joining us, Cal…Mr. Andrews?"

"Sadly, no. I have some inspections to do." Mr. Andrews replied. "I have enjoyed your company very much, we shall have to do it again before we reach New York."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea." I answered.

He bid us a goodbye and walked back towards the bridge. Cal the excused himself to the smoking room and left as well. Rose and I then followed Aunt Ruth down the lounge where we met Lady Duff-Gordon and the Countess of Rothes for tea.

Rose was very silent all through tea and as soon as I was able I whisked her away from the table and back towards our rooms.

"No, I don't want to go back there." she said and pulled me outside. It had gotten cooler as the day had gone on, but it was still pleasant out.

"Rose, what are earth happened?"

She swallowed back and was silent for a moment before answering me. The only sound you could hear was the clicking of our heels against the deck. Then finally she spoke.

"…he told me I was the most amazingly, astounding, wonderful…woman, that he's ever known." she said quietly. Her voice was far and distant, like she was back in the gymnasium when Jack had said that to her.

I couldn't help but smile. "He did?"

She looked up at me, pulled from her memory and smiled, it was a smile I had never seen before, full of happiness and excitement. "He really did."

Our walking ceased and we sat down on a deck bench. She was still flying high from those words. I listened as she told me everything he had said, every feeling she had. It was something I understood all to well. Then her smile slowly faded and her face fell.

"He said that they have me trapped…do you believe that?"

I was silent. Of course I did, but telling that to someone who had lived their whole life a certain way and then telling them that its wrong, isn't something you take without due consideration.

"Sarah?" she asked, looking up.

"Rose…I can't say that."

She looked at me, with big shocked eyes. "I thought you of all people would be honest with me."

"I can't tell you something like that…what would that say about me? It would make me seem as if I thought I was somehow better than you, and I know that isn't true. It may not seem like it, but we are in the same boat…ship…and we're both heading towards the same fate, yours is due to come sooner, but soon…"

"Jack's right." she interrupted, shaking her head. "You know it and I know it."

It took me a moment but I finally nodded my head and agreed with her.

We both went silent. I couldn't even think, it was that quiet. The waves sloshing up against the hull was the only noise to be heard. Finally from no where I found myself saying.

"Go to him."

She looked over at me her eyes full of question, confusion. The sun was bright, but dimming in the late afternoon sky, but it set her hair ablaze like wildfire.

"This may be your only chance, and you'll never forgive yourself if you don't take it."

She didn't say anything. Just looked away and out at the water. Slowly she got up and walked over to the railing. I followed her. As she stood at the railing I put my hand on her shoulder.

"You jump I jump." she whispered faintly.

"What?"

She turned to me. "You go to Harry, forget everything. You may not have said anything to me, but I know that you are holding back. Money can't buy you happiness, it can't give you peace of mind, it can't love you. You are meant to be, who cares what anyone else thinks, it doesn't matter, because it's you."

It amazed me how she made every problem I had been fighting in my mind, come out in the open and analyze it in just a few sentences. I smiled when I realized, that's what I was going to do.

"So that means that…"

"I will go see Jack." she smiled.

We embraced one another tightly. Before she raced off to find Jack. I however wasn't quite ready. I knew Harry was still on duty and didn't want to bother or get him into trouble with the other officers. I went back to my cabin and decided to change into something nicer. Dinner would be soon, and after that when I saw Harry I would tell him.

My life was changing right before my eyes, and for the first time, I truly had a grasp on it.