Author's Note

Hey guys, thanks for more reviews and stuff, they really make my day. I am so glad I downloaded this app, it has lots of promise. Anyway, I got a new tablet for Christmas, and it was acting stupid when I was trying to type, but it's working pretty great right now for some magical reason I can't explain.

Daily Top 5 with Merra time!

Top 5 dog breeds (yeah, I'm a dog lover!)

1. Those huge mop dogs :)

2. Shih-tzus

3. Springer Spaniels

4. Chocolate Labs

5. German shepherds

(Anyway, as always, I don't own the Titanic characters...I own the made up characters.) So...let's go!!

xXxXx

Cassiddy woke up to find she was on the floor, surrounded by a heap of blankets. Yawning, she stood up, rubbing her back...and promptly fell over, due to the lack of balance the blankets were causong her. Cursing, she untangled herself and carefully stood up.

She glanced at her bed, grimacing at the thought of some poor maid who had to make it, because it honestly looked like she had been at war in her sleep.

She stretched, walking across the gigantic bedroom to the window. The sun was peeking through the clouds at her, making Cassidy squint at the brightness. Looking across the waves that were lapping against the ship, colored by the sunrise, Cassidy felt a feeling of hope she hadn't felt for over a month.

Her thoughts drifted to Tommy. She was still a bit humiliated about her breakdown last night, but she had a feeling that he would forgive her. She wasn't exactly certain what would result of this, but she hoped it would be good.

Cassidy walked back to her bed and dragged her suitcase over with it. She pulled out the dress she had worn yesterday when she had boarded. It was quite lovely, it had belonged to her mother before her. It was sky blue with white lace, and a matching blue pearl hair clip.

Putting it on, she sighed. She had to go sit through boring first class breakfast now. She had never really enjoyed socializing with the other women at breakfast, it was all girl talk. Who is engaged to who, and which lady had the finest dress at the last gala.

Well, at least now I have something to look forward to, thought Cassidy, thinking of Tommy again. She twisted the knob on her door...and came face to face with Joseph Dillans.

"Oh...I'm sorry," Cassidy said, but wondered what exactly she was apologizing for, and also what Joseph was doing right outside her door.

"It is alright, Cassidy," Joseph said. "It was my fault for standing in front of your door like that. Did I scare you? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Cassidy said, frowning. "But what are you doing here? I was just about to head down to breakfast."

"Ah, what a funny thought. You see, I was about to head down to breakfast as well, and I told myself, now, be a polite young gentleman like your parents raised you and find a nice young lady to escort to breakfast. And so I have concluded that I shall be your escort to breakfast, because last night's dinner was lovely."

Yes...lovely, Cassidy rolled her eyes mentally. Are we skipping the fact that I ran out crying before the main course even got there?

Yes...lovely," Cassidy said out loud. Joseph held out his arm. Sighing, Cassidy took it. They began to walk toward the dining hall.

"Hey, Cassidy, you never did say where your parents were last night. Mrs. Calaghan said they didn't get on the ship with you. Was I right? Are they off to see King Henry the...what number are we on?"

Cassidy glared at him. All her tears had gone last night, now she was just angry.

"You know what, Joseph? Maybe it's none of your business! Maybe they are visiting the king! Maybe they're not prone to traveling on ships. Maybe they're dead, for all you care! Why does it matter?"

"I...uh, look here, Cassidy–" Joseph began.

"Good day, Mr. Dillans," Cassidy interupted, and stormed away to breakfast, leaving Joseph dumbfounded behind her.

Cassidy arrived in the dining room by herself and glanced around the room. She scanned the tables, quickly finding Mrs. Calaghan, wanting to talk more with her. She headed over to the table of ladies sitting next to her.

"Why, Cassidy!" exclaimed Mrs. Calaghan. "Good morning, child. I never saw you after dinner last night!"

"Oh, yes," Cassidy said, her smile a little forced. "I...had to retire early because I wasn't feeling well."

"But you are feeling well now?" asked another lady.

"Oh, yes," Cassidy smiled, genuinely now. "Yes. I...must've gotten better over night."

"Well, please, please sit down!" Mrs. Calaghan told her.

"Of course," Cassidy grinned, sitting in the elegant chair. Smoothing her dress, she looked around at the other women. Mrs. Calaghan noticed this, and started to introduce them to her.

"Cassidy, have you had the acquaintance of meeting Ruth Dewitt-Bukater?"

"Charmed," Cassidy smiled at the older woman. Ruth smiled politely back at her with a sort of detached look in her eyes.

"And her daughter, Rose," Mrs. Calaghan continued, nodding toward the young redhead. "She had a slight accident last night, did you hear?"

"Oh...yes," Rose said. For some reason, she turned slightly pink.

"Oh, no," Cassidy said, cringing at how fake she sounded, but she was genuinely concerned. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I...was leaning over the edge of the ship...and I slipped, but thankfully a kind gentleman heard me and saved me."

There was a slight interruption when the steward offered Cassidy tea. She allowed him to pour her a little, and took a sip.

"Very fortunate," Ruth said, refering back to the man who saved Rose. "Mr. Hockley, of course, was none to pleased, I heard."

"Not pleased about much, though, is he?" Rose muttered. Cassisy hid a smile.

"Do you mean, Caledon Hockely? Joseph Dillans' friend?" Cassidy asked Ruth.

"Oh, yes. He's quite the gentleman. Rose and Mr. Hockley are engaged, and quite happy." Rose did not look at all happy.

Cassidy glanced between Ruth and Rose. She did not entirely believe what either of them were saying, and planned to ask Rose the truth.

Just then, she noticed Joseph sulk into the room, closely followed by none other than Caledon Hockley. Cassidy was pleased to see Joseph looking sullen. She hoped he wouldn't bother her again.

Rose, however, did not look pleased at all to see the pair of men, in fact she stood up rather quickly, and cleared her throat.

"It really has been lovely, ladies, really," Rose said, "but I really must get some fresh air." She then proceeded to walk out of the room quite quickly.

Cassidy glanced back over at Joseph and Cal. Cal was searching the room, undoubtedly for Rose. Joseph looked like he was looking for Cassidy. She stood up as well.

"Perhaps...I had better check on her," she said, nodding to the women around the table.

"Maybe that's a good idea," said Ruth, taking a sip of her tea. "Goodness knows if she'll listen to anyone these days, though."

"I'll try," Cassidy said. "Perhaps I will see you all at lunch today." With that, Cassidy walked out of the room the same way Rose did.

xXxXx

Cassidy spotted Rose standing next to the rail of the ship outside, surveying the poop deck below them. She walked over to her and leaned up on the rail. Rose glanced in her direction.

"Hello...Rose, was it?"

"Oh, yes...hello. I didn't catch your name."

"Cassidy," she said.

"Pleasure," Rose smiled weakly, then looked down toward the poop deck again.

"Are you alright? You seem, I don't know, out of place."

"I don't know Cassidy, I honestly don't. I...I'm engaged to a man I don't love...and this isn't the life for me. I wish I could break free...but I just can't. Cal always does everything for me, but I'm a capable person, I want to do my own work!" She looked back at Cassidy. "You probably don't care about any of this."

"Oh, no, I totally get it," said Cassidy. "I would probably feel the same way if I was in your shoes. Hearing your story makes mine feel somehow less important than yours."

"Oh?" asked Rose. "Not to be rude, but what happened to you?"

Cassidy sighed. "My parents died about a month ago...in a house fire...they had to make sure I was out of the house before they tried to escape, but it was too late..."

"I'm so sorry, Cassidy," Rose gasped, placing her hand on Cassidy's.

"It's alright...I...think I might be able to get over it."

"I lost my dad around a year ago, but I wasn't all that close to him, so it didn't hurt too much," Rose said.

"Ah, well," Cassidy said, but stopped when she noticed a certain curly-haired Irishman down on the poopdeck. He was talking with a young sandy-haired man who was quite good looking, but Cassidy couldn't stop looking at Tommy.

She finally looked up when she heard Rose chuckling. "Do you have a third class man you're smitten by down there?"

Cassidy blushed. "Oh, I wouldn't say smitten. He helped me out last night when I...had a bit of trouble."

Rose just smiled. "Boy, does that sound familiar." She looked down at the men as well, and stopped when she landed on the sandy-haired man.

"Looks like I'm not the only one smitten by a third class man," Cassidy teased. Rose blushed as well.

"He's the one who saved me last night," Rose said, still looking at him, smiling.

Cassidy gave her a sideways glance. "Saved? Are you positive you just slipped?"

Rose turned to Cassidy, sighing. "Remember...how I told you I was engaged to a man I don't love? Well, last night, it didn't seem like I had any way out...I...I tried to jump off the ship."

Cassidy was shocked. "But...obviously that didn't happen...what did happen?"

"Mr. Dawson down there convinced me to come back over the rail by telling me if I jumped, he would jump in after me."

"Well, how does everyone seem to know about this, then?"

"It was stupid, really. He was pulling me back over...and I tripped over my evening gown. So, there I was, dangling over the side of a ship, and a hundred feet below me was freezing water. Naturally, being the lady I am, I screamed my head off."

Cassidy gasped. "That sounds terrifying!"

"It was," Rose agreed. "Well, Mr. Dawson managed to pull me over, but my screams had managed to alert the crew members on duty. And they found us...well, we were in a sort of... uncomfortable position."

Rose blushed.

"Well, at least you're both okay," Cassidy said. "So, have you talked to him since?"

"Mr. Dawson? No...I mean...have you talked to your Irish friend since last night?"

"No...but I've made plans. I'm going to meet him at noon and we're going to talk."

"Well...I'd like to speak with him...and thank him for saving me...and not telling my fiancé about my little...exploit."

"You should go talk to him!" Cassidy encouraged.

"Alright, maybe I will. Anyway, I'd better get going, my mother is probably seething at my departure. Have a good rest of the morning, Cassidy, it was a pleasure speaking with you Cassidy."

"You too, Rose. I hope I'll see you at dinner, I may not be aeound at lunch."

Rose grinned and waved, then went back to the dining room. Cassidy glanced back down at Tommy one more time, smiling. She had two new friends now. Then she remembered Rose's words. Do you have a third class man you're smitten by down there? Cassidy quickly shunned that thought out of her brain. She just enjoyed his company.

But when Tommy looked up at her suddenly and they made eye contact, Cassidy had to admit that his smile set butterflies free in her stomach.