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Disclaimer: Anna Lyn Connor and other unknown characters belong to me. Everyone else (who is NOT in the movie) is real. Any of the enjoyable characters of James Cameron's movie belongs to him, along with all of the legalities and technicalities.

Truly, I want to thank those who have been reading and reviewing. Your profound support is what drives me to update and it constantly motivates me to share my story with you. I hope I didn't loose anyone in the delay and if I did, I hope you come back!

Asides from that, enjoy!

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11 April 1912, 7:05 PM

Mrs. Lyons was extremely reluctant in allowing Anna to leave the confines of her cabin. Even up until the last moment when the Mrs. Lyons herself was getting dressed for dinner, she was questioning her own decision of agreeing to Anna's request. However, Anna was as firm as Mrs. Lyons on going to attend dinner with the officers. She watched Anna leave in agony over the conditions of the poor woman amongst the group of officers--male officers, at that!

However, Anna wasn't her ward and it was foolish to reprimand a woman of thirty or so not to do as she wished. It was absurd!

Anna shivered slightly as the chills of the season cloak her like a great coat. She folded her arms together and hugged the embodiment of warmth close to her skin.

As she strolled down the chilly boat deck, she saw some of the people were out for a pre-dinner stroll. As she passed, they greeted her with such a familiarity that made her question if there was any sincerity in their greetings or it was just a faux act to uphold the 'reputable act of kindness' of the first class. They were the same people who scowled her when she was dressed in her dirt-cloaked attire. Anna had nothing else to do but raise her dainty hand, gave a nodding motion of her head and smiled as her rebuttal.

Jane the maid left a few small ringlets of hair down to frame her thin face and those ringlets now danced about her face in response to the wind. It made her look younger than the three and thirty she truly was. Compared to the other women about her age with their healthy full cheeks and round hips, Anna's own cheeks hallowed into her bones. Her body, which was now crushed by a corset, was a frail hallow stick than a beautiful vase she once was. The awkward illustrations of Le Mode Illustrate was imprinted as the silhouette of Anna's body.

But she was certainly interesting to look at.

The journey to the bridge was rather a difficult one for her. She was shaking with anticipation of how William Murdoch might perceive her now in her new form. Mr. Lightoller would certainly have something to say about it, but what about all of the other officers? Especially Mr. Murdoch!

The chilly deck was serene as the she listened to the combination of soft conversation, laughter, clicking of women's heels and water rasping sporadically against the side of the ship. This was the Titanic's sweet serenade.

"Miss Connor?" It was Lowe's voice that pulled her out of her bliss. He went forward to swing the gate open for her and whistled boyishly. "You clean up nicely!"

"Well, good evening to you too, Mr. Lowe. Ever so straight forward sir!" Anna replied with furrowed eyebrows but with an elated smile.

"Miss Anna, please forgive me. But I believe you look wonderful ma'am." Lowe bowed as an apology.

"Very well, Mr. Lowe. I guess I cannot stay cross with you for very long."

"It is not wise to," Lowe replied with a laugh.

"No. It is not! Where are the others?" Anna asked with a turn of her head around the port wing of the bridge. It was strangely quiet.

"Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Lightoller are off to dinner along with Mr. Pitman and Mr. Moody. They have only been there for ten minutes. So, you better hurry..."

Anna nodded and started to walk towards the wheel house, but Lowe called out to her, making her stop in her tracks.

"You're going to the wrong way!"

Anna froze in her position. She didn't turn around and just looked at Officer Boxhall who greeted her kindly and softly, but pointed in the other direction of the bridge. She smiled sheepishly.

"You walked away with such a conviction towards the other direction that I was almost embarrassed to stop you!" Lowe laughed, causing her to turn around slowly.

"Then Mr. Lowe, sir, would you direct me in the right direction?" Anna laughed uncomfortably at her mistake.

"Quickly cross to the other side of the ship and walk aft to the third funnel. Before you get to the gate for the Engineer's Promenade, underneath the third funnel on your right should be a door."

Anna made a face as she was trying to remember the directions. "Aft, third funnel, door on right..." She nodded a few times to signal to him that she understood.

"Better hurry," Lowe urged with a smile.

She nodded again and the hair that was piled on her head swayed heavily. She asked him if it was all right if she cut through the wheel house. Lowe didn't mind, but still warned her to hurry so it would not raise any concern and curiosity amongst the crew of the bridge. It was an indirect reminder that she didn't belong there. Not even as a guest. Anna, however, didn't think much of it and bade him a good night.

Officer Wilde, who had agreed to cover for Lightoller for a little bit, in trade for a later shift, was in the wheel house. He did it so Lightoller could attend the dinner that Anna Lyn Connor would be attending also. Wilde wasn't as horrible as people have perceived him to be and again, to Wilde's experience so far, it was better to be friends with Lightoller (who was still vexed about being bumped from his post) than make enemies with him. Especially Lightoller!

"Miss Connor, good evening." Wilde's voice was soft. It was gentle and strangely, it was almost fatherly.

Anna looked up from her position near the telephones and curtsied sloppily. She had not curtsied to anyone...for years!

"Please Miss Connor," Wilde started to say, shaking his head. He didn't want her to trouble herself by curtsying to him as if he was of a higher status than she was.

"Good evening, Mr. Wilde," she returned softly, timid of their unusual encounter.

"I see you found a patron?" He motioned his head towards her new attire.

"Mr. Andrews was kind enough to see me to her, sir."

"I see." Their replies were drastically short and not much was conveyed in their short time together. Anna felt uncomfortable because of their earlier encounter and her first impression of him. However, she knew that Mr. Wilde is not a bad man, but it will take her some time to get use to it.

"It is a Mrs. Lyons, you see," she continued in effort to try to sustain their conversation.

"Mr. Andrews is one to count on for providing any type of aide."

"I am deeply indebted to him." They then cease to a silence. Wilde wasn't as uncomfortable as Anna was. She kept her eyes trained everywhere except for his face. Wilde, on the other hand, was looking at her from the tip of her hair down to the silk slip of her shoe.

"I shan't keep you, Miss Connor. I bid a pleasant evening," he finished off and stepped around her. She turned around to see him walk off.

"Good night, Mr. Wilde," and he responded with a small wave of his hand, but not a look back to her face.

- - -

"Well, calm down, Mr. Murdoch!" Lightoller laughed, slapping his friend on the back. The junior officers merely smiled while watching their first senior officer fumble with the white tablecloth, wrinkling it.

"What if she got lost? We haven't shown the Officer's Mess to her" Murdoch asked around the table. His eyes fell on Moody intentionally. The boy frowned in reply. Moody was constantly haunted by his incidents of failed passages around the ship's decks.

"She's not lost! She's just...late," Lightoller looked for the correct phrase. "Perhaps it is the first class trait to be late by a few moments for dinner."

A steward who was leaving the Officer's mess had pulled the door to the boat deck and nearly crashed into the woman who was about to enter. He stopped, confused in seeing this figure of the opposite sex, the sex that was not supposed to be entering this part of the ship. "Um, ma'am?"

"May I?" Anna asked, causing the four officers to look up.

"Um..." the steward stuttered, not knowing how to reply, but Anna pushed on any ways to enter the mess.

When Anna Lyn Connor walked through the door, all four officers had to blink twice to realise that was their dinner guest. They sat rooted to their seats, not knowing how to respond.

"Good evening." Her voice stirred something in them and they instantly realised that they had to stand when a lady enters a room.

The sound of scrapping chairs and uniforms shuffling to stand filled the air as all of them stood up from their seats to greet her.

"Annie! It is a pleasure that you can join us," Lightoller smiled his same ol' smile at the sight of her. Anna cleaned up extremely nice and now her speech matched her appearance. So much so that William Murdoch stood with his mouth opened slightly, staring at her. Lightoller looked to Moody who was situated next to Murdoch. "Please join us. Mr. Moody, please move..."

"No that is all right, Mr. Moody. I can take a seat else where! Don't trouble yourself from moving--" Anna went forward to stop him.

"He insists," Lightoller said quickly, causing Murdoch to throw him an unpleasant glance.

"Yes, I insist." Moody smiled in reply. Moody picked up his silverware and moved to sit next to Officer Pitman.

Anna was about to pull the chair that Moody just left, but after Lightoller kicked Murdoch on the foot, Murdoch pulled the chair out for her in reception and etiquette. She smiled divinely at him and sat down.

He resisted the urge to touch her hands which were now as pale and white as milk, to feel if they were as smooth and warm as they appear to be. It didn't help with the gentle touches of her skirt brushing against the soft fabric of his trousers.

The same steward who was trying to bar Anna from entering was looking at her strangely as he placed a setting of plates and silverware in front of her. He gave her the menu that the officers had received and asked for her preferred drink choice. She chose water. After witnessing what alcohol could truly do, she vowed to never touch it.

She scanned the menu and none the officers wished to say a word. Even the usual boisterous and joyful Lightoller was silent. Though the only reason he kept his silence was because he was hoping Murdoch would say something! A compliment of her appearance would do wonders!

"You look beautiful, Miss Annie," Moody injected.

Anna took her eyes off the menu and smiled. "Thank you, James."

Oh damn it, Will! Why didn't you say anything? Now Moody took away your only opportunity to compliment her! Lightoller mentally smacked his friend for his lack of speed.

"May I suggest a dish?" Murdoch started.

At that, Lightoller took back what he previously thought about his friend as he watched Murdoch reach over to point something on the menu to the said goddess beside him.

"The fish is something the White Star Line is known for and that is the best pick from the menu," Murdoch said while hesitating slightly to move away from her proximity.

The steward cleared his throat to signal his presence and the two of them straightened out into their seats. Lightoller made a mental note to talk to the steward to be a little more conservative in his entrance.

"May I, Miss Connor?" Murdoch asked, signalling to the menu.

"Please, Mr. Murdoch, by all means!"

"She will have the same."

Anna blinked at the simplicity of it, but smiled at his effort of tending to her. She suppressed even a bigger smile as a waft of his aftershave filled her senses as he reached over to point the menu item to the steward.

She looked up when Murdoch was collecting the menu in her hands to give back to the steward. Lightoller caught her eyes and she smiled towards him with an unspoken secret dancing in her eyes. He picked up his water glass and made a movement with his hand as if he was toasting her. They came to a further understanding.

"So, Annie, enthral us on your journey so far!" Lightoller urged, leaning in as if she was a beholder of great news.

Their dinner was strangely eaten in a quick succession. It was due to the thirty-minutes timeframe the junior officers had in exchange with the other junior officers. Lowe and Boxhall were standing in for Moody and Pitman. So the third and sixth officer ate their fish in no more than five bites. Even though, the senior officers had a little more time, they ate their fish as fast as their younger counterparts in force of habit. Anna was barely done when Moody and Pitman stood up from their seats to bid her a good night to tend to their shifts.

"Will we get the opportunity to see you again, Annie?" Moody inquired as he put back on his jacket and hat.

She looked to the other two officers left at the table. "I hope so in the very least, James!"

"Then we'll hold you to that," Pitman added with a smile. His whiskers moved with his lips in reflection of his elation.

The two officers waited patiently as Anna finished her dinner. She was trying to rush, pushing the forkfuls of food into her mouth, not wanting them to wait for her. When she finally got down to nothing else left on her plate, she apologised for her delay. Both of the officers made an efforts to erase her apologies into nothing and their choruses of 'no, no it's all right' and 'I'm glad you enjoyed it' filled her ears. Lightoller sighed contentedly with a full stomach.

"And my one hour exchange with Mr. Wilde is finally up! Annie, you have made tonight one of the best dinners so far on the Titanic!"

"You've only had two since the start of the journey," Murdoch corrected, gaining him a laugh from Anna.

"Well, I did say one of the best, but I never mentioned the length! I hope to have more evenings like this! The same thing every night can get dreary and ol' Murdoch is not the same type of company. He does not look as beautiful in a dress as you do."

"I hope to never look as beautiful in a dress as Anna, Lights!" Murdoch laughed.

"Well, it was a pleasure to have both of your company and the food was exceptional." She touched Murdoch's arm and thanked him. He fumbled with a reply as heat flared from her hand to his ears. The healthy Scottish blush left him warm.

"Please enjoy the rest of the night, Annie and I will see you later." Lightoller grasped her hand and kissed it. Before going out, he clasped Murdoch on the back again. It was the type of clasp that told him Lightoller was urging him to do something. The type of clasp that he knew too well in situations such as this one. "I'll see you around 9 tonight, Will. Cheerio!"

The steward moved away jerkily when Lightoller nearly ran him over as he was coming out of the pantry. The tray of coffee and tea clattered momentarily.

The two occupants of the table sat in silence. The same uncomfortable silence they had witnessed before in his cabin. The same uncomfortable silence they both wished to erase. The same uncomfortable silence that was always hanging around them. Even after the steward left from serving them coffee and tea, they still sat in silence not knowing what to say to each other.

The steward furrowed his eyebrows as he came down the stairs that lead down to the lower deck to find Lightoller pressed close to the wall. The Second Officer made hand movements to signal that he didn't want the steward to say anything. The steward merely nodded. It was a strange night from the start and it didn't make a difference to find Officer Lightoller eavesdropping. The steward was going to finish up and erase what he had witnessed tonight when he get to his cabin. Something told him it wasn't his business to remember who she was and why she was there.

"Mr. Murdoch--" "Anna, I--" They managed to say at the same time.

"Please, you first," they chorused again.

"No, please..." they chorused yet again.

Little did they know, Lightoller was still there, fighting the urge to bang his head against the wall. They were both stubborn and even with Anna in such a grand dress, William Murdoch was still tongue tied.

"Mr. Murdoch, please I truly insist, you first."

He cleared his throat and nodded. It took him a moment before he started talking. "Is your patron providing you a berth tonight?"

Anna wasn't expecting this question and hesitated. She thought for a moment. This was the opportunity she was looking for. This was her privilege to choose between the berth in Mrs. Lyons cabin or perhaps one closer to the bridge, away from the hospitality of the first class.

What about the rumours? Wasn't Anna Lyn Connor afraid of the rumours that could emerge from any stories about her interacting so closely with the bridge? Of course not! She was a stowaway! No rumours could be worst than the ones that were floating around the decks now.

But what of the reputation of others? They couldn't possibly pinpoint one officer at fault when all of them were welcoming her!

She made a promise to the Good Lord that brought her all of her good luck that she would repay all of them back somehow, even if it takes her entire life to do so.

"No..." she lied.

Lightoller himself was surprised.

"No?" Murdoch confirmed.

"As much as a chair, but nothing else..."

"Then, Miss Anna, you must take my offer of the berth in my cabin. I cannot permit you to sleep on a mere a chair. There is a sofa in my cabin as well as Mr. Lightoller's cabin for me to sleep on!"

"I wouldn't want to intrude, Mr. Murdoch!"

"You are not intruding, Miss Anna...It is much better than a chair, I can tell you confidently." His eyes were almost begging, but his own propriety kept him at bay. He smiled kindly at her.

Murdoch leaned to the side to pull out the spare key he keeps in his pocket. Anna looked between the key and his face, pulling out the space of time to play as if she was considering the choice between his berth closer to the joviality of the bridge or the cold, hard chair of Mrs. Lyons's cabin. Even Officer Lightoller was holding his breath, waiting for her answer.

Her fingers grasped around the key and she smiled at the relieved face of William Murdoch. "I thank you dearly for your kindness, Mr. Murdoch." She took the key from his hand and looked at it, sitting in her calloused palm. Her eyes flickered upwards to match his. "I will never forget it."

A sweet blush was fixed on both their faces, but didn't tempt them to pull their eyes away from each other. He smiled more broadly in return. "And neither will I, Anna."

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