-1912-

- The Titanic -


"I have to admit, I'm a bit surprised. I didn't think I'd find you on a ship again." His voice was grinning as he walked up behind her. She shivered in the cool wind but she smiled, she didn't have to turn around to recognize him. He leaned against the railing next to her, dressed as finely as she had ever seen him. A full tuxedo, a white shirt, and matching bow tie.

"It wasn't so bad last time." She shrugged.

"Really? You seemed in…a mood." He said tactfully.

"I was in a mood." She shoved his shoulder playfully. "And for good reason." She had to admit, she never thought she would have been joking about it. But then, it had been more than two years ago that Donna had sat her down and made her feel substantially better about everything. It was also easier with this version of him, knowing that he did know.

"Oh?" He frowned. "Oh, right." He nodded slowly. "Ah, yes, the bit with the TARDIS. I had forgotten." She tried her best not to laugh at him. He hadn't been looking past her painted history, it had just hardly registered.

"Besides," She said. "I haven't got a spaceship to take me anywhere I'd like. So I have to settle for a ship if I'm to make it to the America's."

"Yes," He frowned. "I am working on that."

"Any luck?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. She already knew the answer though, otherwise, she assumed she would have seen him sooner than now.

"Not yet." His eyes glittered, reflecting the smile on his lips. It almost seemed like a promise.

"Well then, ship it is. Besides, my luck can't be that bad all the time."

"Right," His smile faded somewhat. "Funny you should mention that…"

"No." She said, pressing her gloved finger against his lips to silence him. The smile on her face was replaced by a stern glare.

"No?" He managed to mumble.

"No. Absolutely not. No. There are no whirlpools threatening to sink us. No cybermen ready to attack from below decks. And there's certainly no genius aboard raising the dead." She removed her finger from his lips and dared him to contradict her.

"Well, yes. You're right." He admitted reluctantly.

"Alright then." She placed the pleasant smile back on her face. "I'm on a luxury ship, spending my hard earned money and I intend to enjoy it for a moment. There doesn't need to be a disaster for you to show up."

"That's also…technically true." He nodded slowly, a smirk pulling at his lips.

"I'm glad we're in agreement then." She gave a curt nod as though she had properly put him in his place. The grin spread to the rest of his face.

"It's good to see you." He swooped in and hugged her tightly against his chest.

"And you." She agreed. She wasn't quite willing to admit how glad she was to see him again. "I've got ten, how many have you?" Her fingers felt the necklace as a habit, but she had no real need to count.

"Nineteen." He said proudly. She noticed he didn't need to produce his chain to count either. She let a small sigh escape, it was always a bit more difficult when it felt like she was trying to catch up with him. But she supposed it was far better than the alternative, when he didn't know her at all.

"Don't give me that. I'll be a perfect gentleman." He huffed at her indignantly.

"Not like I haven't heard that before." She teased him.

"Well…" He shrugged. "I'll just have to try my best." The wink he gave her was a playful one as he stepped back and let his hand drift down to her own, raising it above her head and twirling her in place. "Along that train of thought, might I add that you look quite lovely."

She was smiling as she spun, her free hand trailing down the midnight blue gown she wore. The small cap sleeves made it a bit chilly for the deck, but there had been a party, and it had been the only nice dress she had indulged in purchasing. The crystals that scattered across the folds of dark fabric had beckoned to her some weeks ago when she had still been planning for the trip. It had just begged to be splurged on. At least, that was what she had told herself. If she wasn't careful, she wouldn't have anything left by the time she reached the America's.

"I thought you might like it." She grinned as he pulled her close again. The mischievous look in his eyes made her heart flutter in her chest, but he didn't try anything untoward. She half wished he would.

"You knew I was coming?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No." She shrugged. But it had been hard not to think of the Doctor and his blue box when she had seen the dress in the store, the one that reminded her so much of the starry sky.

"But you have been thinking of me." He was just close enough that she could feel the warmth of his skin. It would only take the slightest movement of her head, and she knew she could close the distance between them. But she didn't feel quite that bold yet, not with him. It was quite a rush to think that maybe she would be soon. But she took a deep breath, steadying herself.

"Maybe," She said with a laugh, stepping back so she could breathe properly once more. "Or maybe you're just a bit predictable." She started to walk along the deck and he joined her. "Did you know I would be here?"

"No. Not exactly. Well," He shrugged. "Not before I arrived anyway. The TARDIS does that fussy thing, I'm starting to recognize it. So I guessed maybe you were. Lucky me." He walked close enough to her that their shoulders brushed against one another.

"Yes, you are." She bumped against his arm playfully. "I suppose me not quite being a real person was bound to have an effect on the poor girl." She said it in jest, but there was an unintended edge to her voice. Perhaps she wasn't quite recovered from all that then. Just because it had been so easy for him to dismiss, didn't mean she could all the time.

His warm hands grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him, his gentle smile suddenly turned to something more serious.

"Of course you're a real person." His eyes searched her own as he spoke. "It doesn't matter how you were born. Only that you're here now. With me." He said the last part softly, inching close and her breath caught in her throat again. It was amazing how he had that kind of effect on her every time she saw him. Whatever her fears were about his thoughts about her origins, it was suddenly very clear that he didn't share them.

And then his progress stopped, a smile pulling at his lips again.

"Almost forgot. I'm being a gentleman tonight." He started to push back but she felt her hand catch his shoulder.

"I don't mind." She said breathlessly. His eyes widened in surprise, but then his grin grew wider.

Whatever else she was thinking was torn away as the ship shrieked around them and the ground shook violently. She clung to the Doctor as her feet swayed below her, but whatever it was seemed to have passed.

"What was that?" She asked, looking around, but his eyes were focused over her shoulder at a fixed point. She followed his gaze and gasped as she saw the monster of an iceberg looming over the side of the ship. It was close, too close. It glowed brighter as the lights from the bridge reflected off of it, finally smashing against the railings and large hunks of the beast falling to the deck.

"That." The Doctor said irritably. "Means that I've arrived much too late." He wrapped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her along, heading toward the rear of the ship.

"Where are we going?" She asked as he pulled her to the side, he brought out the sonic screwdriver from his jacket pocket and aimed it a nearby door labeled 'crew only'. It popped unlocked with minimal resistance and he tucked the sonic back away. "I don't think you're allowed in there." She raised her eyebrow, he was being uncomfortably silent.

"I'm the Doctor, I'm allowed anywhere." He stooped into the doorway quickly and returned. Seeing the concern on her face, he flashed a grin. "Look, I've brought something for you." He held out a thick white vest. A life jacket. "Now," He said, all business once again as he pushed the thing down over her head and began to secure it. "You're going to listen to me. Actually listen." He warned her with a stern finger. He tightened the straps around her waist. "And put this on," He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it over her shoulders, it was still warm from his skin and smelled like the sky and the earth all at once. "Because it's going to get cold. Very cold."

"What's going on?" She asked, frowning now. She had the sinking feeling that he knew what was going on, and he was intentionally avoiding telling her. Of course some kind of disaster was going to befall them, why had she been so silly to think it wouldn't?

"Are you listening now?" He asked. "Good. You're going to head to the back of the ship. And you're going to wait by the lifeboats. They won't load for another…oh, twenty minutes maybe, but that's alright. You'll just stand there looking a bit silly-" He stopped himself. "Radiant. You'll stand there looking radiant. But eventually these important looking fellows will come along and start loading up passengers. And you'll get on one of the boats."

"Why aren't you coming with me?" She frowned.

"It's nothing. Just a bit of business to attend to, below decks. Won't take but a minute." He shrugged. "Not to worry. I'll be along shortly."

"So why can't I go with you?"

"Oh," He waved his hand at her dismissively. "You'd never make it to third class. A lady like you? Traipsing her way through the crew decks? No one would buy it. It would take far too long and I don't really have the time to argue with every person I run into down there."

"But you'll have no trouble at all?" It sounded like an excuse to her, a poorly thought out one.

"Sure, I'm the Doctor." He grinned brightly. "Plus I'm just oozing confidence. No one questions a confident well to do man."

She wasn't buying it, and she was about to tell him when he cupped her face in his hands. "Calypso," He said as he kissed her forehead, gazing into her eyes. "I need you to trust me." He said the words gently. She knew better than to believe him. But she did it anyway.

"Back of the ship?" She asked with a sigh. He beamed at her proudly and kissed her cheek before releasing her.

"Yes. Wait for me there. Or. Don't wait. No. Wait for me in the boats. I'll be right behind you." He promised before rushing off to dive head first into whatever trouble he had planned. She just shook her head as she watched him disappear below decks, tugging the jacket tighter around her shoulders and trying to ignore the sharp feeling in her gut that was begging her to follow him.