Sorry this took so long to post, I was REALLY sick. It was really bad, I have so much catching up to do. All of my favorite stories got updated and I so want to R/R so I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, even though its short.

Chapter 48-Take Me Away

Taylor's POV

Mr. Lowe certainly had done a number on my brother. I couldn't blame the man though, it was obvious that he had something to do with those questions that revealed more than needed to be known about Ms. Wilkes' and his relationship. I could see the smug smile of satisfaction on Cal's face as Ms. Wilkes had run from the room and Mr. Lowe went to follow her and when I myself made my way through the upset crowd and out into the crowd, my suspicions were confirmed when I found him Mr. Lowe beating the living pulp out of my brother.

I helped another man pulled Mr. Lowe off of Cal and bent down to examine his wounds, while Mr. Lowe ran down the hall to find her. Seeing the bloodied lip and bruised cheeks, I could already see that he had done far more damage than I had done not long ago. Cal managed to pick himself up though and looked down towards the upset couple before taking himself into the men's room that was down the hall.

More people had begun to come out of the room, all talking about what had just happened, one of them being Mrs. Montgomery, Ms. Wilkes' grandmother. She marched down the hall and quickly pried Mr. Lowe off of her granddaughter. I sighed heavily, and turned away from the sight.

My brother was ignorant, but never was that more apparent than right now. How, in his labyrinth like mind, did his think that creating this kind of situation would be at all beneficial to him? Mrs. Montgomery wasn't going to let that girl out of her sight at all and there was no way that our father would stand for him even thinking about a marriage with her. Not that I would have let that happen anyway, she was far too kind to be his wife. I had thought the same thing about Rose, but no one had listened to me then either.

"These hearings just keep getting more and more exciting, don't they?" my partner in saving my good for nothing brother, asked.

I turned to him, "I wouldn't know, it's my first day." I replied, thankful that I had taken my mother's advice and joined Cal when he left Pittsburgh last night.

He gave me a half smile, "You picked a good day to start, I'm Charles Lightoller." he said, offering his hand.

I shook it, "Taylor Hockley."

"You must be his brother then." he said, indicating the direction Cal had gone.

I nodded, "Yes, that's the theory."

He looked down at where Mr. Lowe now stood with Mr. Wilkes and shook his head, "Harry's a good man, this shouldn't have happened. Although I feel partially responsible, I should have said something, being his superior officer and all."

"Somehow I don't think that would have made a bit of difference."

He turned back to me, "You really think so."

"Trust me."

He shook his head, "The sinking is was hard enough, but this is cruelty."

"I agree."

"How is you niece?" he asked.

I looked at him, confused, "What niece?"

"Your brother's daughter."

I almost laughed, Cal have children? Nothing was more ridiculous than the thought of him being a father, "I'm sorry, you must be mistaken."

"I could have sworn that…ah never mind, maybe you're right. I'd best be getting back inside…Good day to you." he said and started to leave

A sudden idea crept into my mind and I stopped him, "Why did you think he had a daughter?"

He paused for a moment, recalling the moment he was looking for in his mind, "Well, I never left the ship, as I've stated in my testimony, but you wouldn't know that. I stayed on until the very end….anyway I saw him board a lifeboat with a child, a little girl, 4 or 5 maybe. Chief Officer Wilde was in charge of it, he was a very good friend of mind and…wait if that wasn't his child then…"

I shook my head, both disgusted an amazed at my brothers gall, "That bastard."

Meanwhile…

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? YOU'RE 17 YEARS OLD! YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS OVER WITH BECAUSE OF YOUR LUST!" she seized me by the shoulders, forcing me to look her in the eye, "DID YOU HERE ME? IT'S OVER WITH SARAH! THIS WILL SURELY MAKE THE EVENING PAPERS AND THEN EVERYONE WILL KNOW! YOU DISGRACED US ALL, MYSELF, YOUR BROTHER, YOUR GRANDFATHER…"

I was crying so hard, I was gasping for my breath but she didn't care, she had been yelling at me since we had gotten to her hotel room and I knew she had no intention of stopping. I sat in the chair she had practically thrown me in, trapped in her arms, all the while, my heart breaking.

"Stop it! Your tears cannot help you!" she let me go and in a fury began ringing her hands together, pacing the room, "I'm too old for this. I've been through this once already and I'm not doing it again!" she spun around and looked at me again, "You have disappointed me, Sarah, like no one has ever done before."

My tears suddenly died down, and I found myself looking agape at her. I couldn't find the words but in my mind I wanted to scream and yell at her. What I had done wasn't half as wrong as what my mother had done, but she was so blasé that she couldn't even see that. All that mattered to her was the fact that the whole world knew, or that they would soon.

"All he wants is your money! Can't you see that? You're a pretty young girl who happens to be a millionaire and that's all he saw…"

I bit my lip, knowing that she was wrong, but it was painful to hear such impertinent words about Harry.

"…You'll never be able to show your face in society again! You have not only shamed yourself, but OUR family as well….What do you have to say for yourself?"

In a swift motion she grasped my face with her hand and turned it harshly towards her, her fingernails clawing their way into my skin.

"Stop!" I pleaded with her, but she pressed them in even further, egging me on.

"WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?" she screamed at me, leaving a pain in my ears that now equaled the pain in my face, but I didn't answer. I couldn't find the words to defend what I had done and it left me with a sick, nauseous feeling in my stomach. She released me with a huff and began to turn around, but suddenly turned back and slapped me hard across the face.

More in shock than in pain I slumped back into the chair, my hand coming up to my face to feel my cheek pulsating and hot from the impact.

"I-"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT! We are leaving for Philadelphia in the morning where I can secure you properly in my house. You will not be allowed to see or speak to anyone until this whole matter has blown over and I seriously doubt that will be anytime soon!"

"Rose's funeral-"

"Will go along fine without you there! Brigit, Brigit GET IN HERE!" she called to her maid, her came running into the room.

"Tell Richard to go to Mr. Wilkes' suite and gather Miss Sarah's personal belongings. We will be living in the morning for home."

Brigit curtsied quickly and left the room just as fast as she entered it.

Nan looked back at me and shook her head in disgust, causing more tears to spurt forth from my eyes. "I meant what I said; your whole life is ruined. No man will ever marry you now, and you're far more ignorant than I thought if you think I will let that man anywhere near you again. So get used to being alone, it's going to be the norm from here on in." and with that said she stalked quickly out of the room and slammed the door so hard the walls shook.

I slipped down out of the chair and onto the floor, my tears stinging as they fell from my eyes. I felt as weak as a newborn and just as vulnerable. I clutched myself, seeking any kind of comfort I could find from within, but there was none. I was alone, devastated and alone. When I was a child, I used to believe in guardian angels, and I prayed at that moment that they were real and that one would come down and just take me away from all of this. But no one came. And no one was going to; I was alone, truly alone.

I gasped at the thought and slumped over as more tears came forth and the pain began to ravage my poor heart even more. I wanted someone, anyone to take me away…

Please, please…take me away…