"All right! Up and at 'em, sugar!" Molly bellowed as she entered Clara's room. Clara rolled over in her bed, covering her head with her pillow. She felt like she got hardly any sleep. She'd be sleepy all day. Light suddenly streamed into the bedroom as Molly pulled open the curtains. Clara let out a moan. Molly clicked her tongue. "Oh come on now. You don't want to waste a day in bed. Before you know it, we'll be in New York and you'll miss running around this ship."

If only you knew… Clara thought, thinking how she'd been on the lower decks twice already. Combine that with staying on the first class decks, she had likely seen more than most of the passengers ever would. Suddenly the pillow was lifted off her head, revealing Molly smiling down at her. Her bright red hair had yet to be pinned, so it looked like a wildfire on top of her head. She was already dressed though, much farther along than Clara. Clara gave her a sleepy smile and stretched. "All right, I'm up. I'll get ready."

"Atta girl," Molly smiled. "I'll send in Mary to lace you up." And with that, she took off toward her wing of the suite. Clara sighed and sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes. She looked around the room. The bed was against a wall, with a small table and two chairs in the center of the room. A dressing screen blocked off the corner next to the wardrobe. A vanity with a water basin sat next to the window. Her bedroom door led out into the main area of the suite that connected with Molly's room, their shared water closet and the door to the hall. It was a rather impressive suite room for one person. She thought back to Tommy's comment on his roommates and felt a small pang of guilt that he and other passengers shared small, crowded rooms.

Clara pinned up her hair at her vanity while she waited for Mary to arrive. She settled upon an easy braid that she then twisted around itself at the nape of her neck. Mary came in then, and Clara gave her a smile through the mirror, still concentrating on her hair. Mary shuffled through the wardrobe.

"Miss?" Mary asked. "What's this?"

Clara looked up to see Mary holding Tommy's coat. She'd completely forgotten about it until now. She slightly panicked. There wasn't a good reason for the coat. "Oh, um. Nothing for you to worry about." It was true- Mary wouldn't mention it to anyone. Had it been anyone else who might've pushed the point, Clara would've thought of a better excuse.

Mary nodded and put the coat back. She pulled a light peach dress and held it out for Clara's approval. Normally Clara was a fan of pastel colors, but she still had a plan to write on the lower decks. She didn't want to stand out in any way. Clara shook her head, "Something more muted."

The next choice was a dark purple with a square neckline and lace at the cuffs. It was pretty, but not as flashy as some of her other ensembles. She nodded and helped Mary lay out the dress, petticoats and corset.

Clara met Molly in the main area of their suite. There was a large table and four chairs in the middle of the room, similar to Clara's, and a chaise lounge in front of the fireplace. No natural light came in since their bedrooms were on the exterior wall of the ship, but the fire and lamps lit the room well. Breakfast was already plated on the table where Molly sat, and a cart with even more pastries and coffee sat nearby. Clara joined Molly and dug into the food waiting for her. She quickly ran through her first cup of coffee. Molly eyed her as she refilled her cup.

"Catch any sleep last night?" Molly asked.

Clara shook her head. "I always have such trouble sleeping in new places. It was almost two weeks before I could get a full night's rest when I first arrived at school."

Molly nodded. "What are your plans today?"

"I think I'll write." Clara paused. She didn't want to lie to Molly, but going too much into detail might be the start of a never ending list of questions. She focused on her plate, not making eye contact. "Maybe head down to E Deck?"

Molly's eyebrow raised. "Really? What on Earth is down there that interests you?"

Clara shrugged. "Figured if I don't want to be disturbed, I ought to find a place where no one knows me. Too many people up here will stop to ask about Father and his business, or even ask about the suitors waiting to meet me," she added sarcastically.

Molly laughed. "This wouldn't have anything to do with that man whose luggage you returned?"

Clara gave her a look, playing coy. "Oh please, Aunt Molly. That was a less than five minute interaction."

Molly nodded and moved on. Clara knew Molly wouldn't mind knowing that Clara was keen on meeting Tommy again, considering how Molly wasn't native to first class and didn't have the attitude that others would against Tommy's class. But she also knew that Molly sometimes couldn't control her filter and word would likely get out.

"Care to know the latest gossip?" Molly asked, proving her lack of a filter.

Clara laughed, "All right."

"Word is that Rose slipped off the back of the ship last night. By some fortunate fate, a man was nearby and grabbed her in time."

"Oh my goodness! Is she hurt?"

"Just shaken up. She's taking the day to herself in her room. But I'm sure it's a timely excuse to escape Ruth and Cal."

Clara rolled her eyes. "They're dreadful, aren't they? I warned you about them."

Molly nodded. "Let's just hope for Rose's sake that she's not stuck with them forever." Clara had to agree.

Clara finished breakfast as fast as she could without seeming off. She waited for Molly to retreat back into her room before leaving, grabbing her notebook and Tommy's coat on the way. By now the path to E Deck was becoming familiar. Clara gave polite nods and smiles to those she passed, acting confident in what she was doing. No one stopped her.

There were already people strewn about E Deck. Children sat sleepily on their mother's laps, sometimes nodding off in the morning sun. Older boys kicked a ball back and forth and used some misplaced broomsticks as goal posts. Clara spotted the blond boy who sat with Tommy and couldn't take his eyes off Rose the afternoon before. He sat by himself but drew in his sketchbook, tracing the image of older men standing and smoking together. Perhaps if she got the chance, she'd introduce herself. Speaking of Tommy, he was nowhere to be found. Clara shrugged it off. She wasn't relying on him to be on her clock.

Chances are, lass, that I'd wait around for you even if you never came, Clara remembered Tommy's words from last night with a smile. He'll show up eventually, she thought. She found an empty bench behind a stairwell, still with a good view of plenty of activity. She did her best to follow the ballgame the boys were playing and take notes on it. She was never the best at understanding these things, but she had attended a handful of rugby matches at school. Of course, most of that time was spent with the other young women and not paying attention. Still, she felt like the commentators at those matches.

A couple of the boys seemed to know what they were doing, and the others just played along for the fun of it. One scored a goal and his team cheered, lifting him up on their shoulders. Clara laughed at their delight. She was sure this activity wouldn't happen on her deck, and she was grateful she made the decision to come down to where she was.

"Well that laugh is a great way to start the day." Clara looked up to see Tommy smiling down at her. "Morning," he said.

"Good morning," she patted the seat next to her.

He took it and glanced at her notebook. "Anything exciting happen this morning?"

Clara gestured to the boys. "These athletes are on their way to Olympus soon enough. I'm hoping to be their primary correspondent for their fame."

Tommy chuckled, "Beautiful, smart and funny. I knew you were a good one."

Clara looked down, already feeling the blush trickle in. Tommy knew how to charm and he didn't seem to be ashamed of it. "How was the rest of your night?"

He shrugged. "Didn't head back right away after you left. Actually fell asleep on the bench 'til an officer woke me. Apparently there was an incident a few hours earlier, and they wanted to clear the deck of any other rats who might try something."

"Did it include a woman from first class?" Clara asked hesitantly.

Tommy nodded. "How'd you know?"

"My aunt told me this morning. Word spreads quickly on a ship."

"I know the bloke who pulled her back." Tommy gestured toward the blond artist that Clara recognized earlier. "Name's Jack. Only seen her twice and he can't stop thinking about her."

"Funny that you know him. I know the woman. We were friends throughout childhood."

"Small world."

"Big ship," Clara added, causing Tommy to laugh.

"And how was your night, lass? Did you finally catch the sleep you were looking for?"

"Fortunately. Until my aunt came in this morning with everything but a street parade behind her. But I wouldn't put that past her in the future."

"Are you here with just your aunt?"

Clara nodded. "It's been lovely to catch up with her. She doesn't quite mold with the expectations set for her. She's loud and obnoxious and it's an absolute thrill to be with her."

"I'm glad you're having a good time," Tommy smiled. "Why do you like to get away so much then?"

She shrugged. "I don't fit in all that well, either. I think that's why I get along with my aunt so well. We're misfits."

"How's that?"

"I come from a good family and have a good education. And yet, I'm unmarried. It's quite the scandal."

"Why aren't you married yet?"

Clara shot him a look. "What kind of a question is that?"

"Sorry… It's just, I wouldn't have thought you'd have a hard time with that. Like I said, you're beautiful and smart... if I can be so forward."

She almost laughed at his self-awareness, but she was too focused on her own. "Go on," she reluctantly said.

"So why are you avoid getting married?" Tommy asked.

Clara wanted to argue that it wasn't completely her fault that she wasn't married. It took two to be a couple. But she gave in. "Men don't like a wife who writes and outsmarts them. And I don't like a man who thinks he's better than me." If Tommy wanted brutal answers, he'd get them.

He raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you're spending so much time with me?"

Clara immediately wanted to take back what she said. She gave him a fearful look but relaxed when she saw him smiling. "I don't think less of you. You… you understand me. I'm comfortable with you." There was a silence as Tommy took in Clara's words. Time to even the score. "So why aren't you married?"

"Ha! So now it's become a total marriage consultation."

"You brought it up!"

He held up his hands in defeat. "I know, I know." He dropped his hands in his lap then, looking dejected. "The farm went under, so I figured I'd become a fisherman. It's what my father was before he married my mother. I thought maybe it'd be in my blood. Anyway, no one wants to marry a failed farmer or a fisherman who can't come home every night."

"But it worked out for your father," Clara pointed out. "How'd that happen?"

"You miss nothing, Clara," Tommy smiled. "My mother was the most understanding woman I know. It didn't matter if she disagreed with you about everything. If you had a problem, she'd believe you were upset and did her best to solve it. She met my father, and he didn't think for a second she'd want to stay with him. The last thing he wanted was to build a life together only to come home one day and realize she had moved on. She promised to keep a candle lit when he was gone, and that candle meant she still loved him and waited for him to return. If the candle was out, he'd know to go back to sea."

Tommy paused, glancing at Clara. She was enraptured with the story. "The candle never went out."

Clara let out a breath she hadn't realized she held. A lump formed in her throat. "Oh, Tommy. That's beautiful… sounds straight from a storybook."

He nodded slowly. "Forty years they were married. Until they passed in their sleep together, of course. They always made the most of their time together. Never fretting about the past or future. They knew to be urgent, but not hasteful." Clara focused on her feet, avoiding all kinds of eye contact. She wanted to cry at his story, but she had no idea how he'd react. Tommy sensed her discomfort and patted her on the back. "How about I shut up and let you write? Isn't that what you came down here for?"

Clara smiled and gave a small nod. The two fell into silence as she picked up where she left off. The boys were well done with their ballgame by now and she hadn't seen the end of it, so she found a new subject in Jack on the other side of the deck. His intense focus on his drawings drew her in. She made a small note of the two of them swept up in their pastimes.

Tommy sat quietly, content in letting her get lost in her notebook. It might have only been because of the romantic story he just told- he'd never know- but he let himself get lost in watching Clara. He finally spotted his coat sitting between them and felt touched that she had remembered to return it. Tommy slipped it on, thankful for the protection. It might have been midday in the sun, but the early spring Atlantic air was still bitter. He quietly left to fetch refreshments for the two of them and returned with two mugs of Irish breakfast tea. Clara gladly accepted her mug.

"I've never had this kind before," she said once he told her what was in it.

"You'll like it. Anything Irish is good for you."

Once again they fell back into sharing silence. And for the first time in a while, they both felt at peace.

A/N: Thank you so much to those of you who have reviewed, followed and favorited! It really means a lot to know you're waiting on this story. If you wouldn't mind, leave a review. I'd love to know your thoughts and perhaps where I could improve on character/plot development? Thank you!