A/N: I'd like to apologize for taking so long, I've had this chapter typed up and ready but have been stuck on the next chapter for a while. However! I went and watched Titanic this weekend in the theater for the 25th anniversary and felt inspired again, I believe I know where to go from there and will working away at it soon! Being 3 years old when it first came out I don't remember when I went to see it then and I could not pass up the opportunity to see it on the big screen! I did unfortunately watch Thomas die and in 3D no less! Heart breaking but that's what this story is for! Harold Andrews, I hope you're still with us!

Also, I edited the 9th chapter, just a few paragraphs added at the beginning, you won't miss anything if you don't go back and read though! I somehow left them off when I posted it before.

Dead. She was dead where she lay. And he was Lissie's guardian. 'Don't be a hero' she'd said to him, making him promise to take Lissie away. The guilt of taking a spot on a lifeboat, one surely deserved by another, was eating away at him but his parental drive overshadowed it. The pull to protect Lissie all but overwhelming him.

"Unhand me, you brutes!"

His attention was drawn, finally, back to the present by Hockley's impertinent shouting. Thomas stood, his anger for his wife's murderer radiating and palpable to all around. Lissie began crying, the tension getting the better of her composure after such stressful events.

"Tommy Boy, hand her to me a moment." Molly Brown urged, already reaching for Lissie, knowing all too well that some form of confrontation would surely ensue.

As soon as Lissie was safely out of his hands, Thomas lunged for Cal, snatching him by the lapels and punching him square in the face, the satisfying crunch of his nose heard above the gasps of shock. The officers, having let go of Cal when the ship builder made for him, drug him up from the ground and held him there, awaiting orders or for Thomas to get in another blow or two. They had a lot of respect for the Irishman.

Though he wanted to do more physical harm, time was of the essence and Thomas needed to get his daughter off this ship. "Take this wretched miscreant away. I do not care where, just far out of my sight. He is not allowed off on a boat, he can fend for himself with the rest of the poor souls below deck. Do what you will with him." he turned away.

"You can't be serious!" Cal struggled against the officers pulling him away, spitting blood as he continued his protest. "Andrews, you bastard! How dare you, I'm Caledon Hockley!"

Thomas turned back. "You are nothing but a coward and a murderer. You've taken the life of an innocent woman in your attempt to kill me, you would have shot my daughter had her mother not sacrificed her life. Remember that when the freezing water engulfs you, see if it keeps you warm. Though I'm sure you will find plenty of heat in the afterlife."

With that he took Lissie from Molly and set off toward the boats once more without a second glance at Cal or his wife's cold body laying where she landed.

There were just two boats left, both seemed to be taking whoever was left, regardless of gender or class. One of the boats was nearly full and about to leave. "Come on, Tommy." Molly grabbed him by the arm and hauled him over to it. Thomas gestured for her to step in before him. "Oh, no! You're goin' first. I'm notta 'bout to let you hand me that baby and pull the hero card, no sir! Her dyin' wish was for you to take her safely off this God forsaken ship.'' She took Lissie from him once more. "Now, forgive me but get your stubborn ass on that boat, now!"

And he did, clamoring over the side, seating himself and taking Lissie before helping Molly in herself. A few more people trickled on before they began lowering the lifeboat. He looked over to see Ismay shakily slip into the lone remaining lifeboat, looking for all the world ashamed as he rightfully should be. He made eye contact with the man, putting all his hatred at the injustice of it all into his gaze, before sinking from his line of sight.

Molly told him to turn away, to not look as his masterpiece turned up, split in two, and plunged to her watery grave. But he wouldn't, couldn't. She tried to distract him from the wails that followed, those of the people, all those souls, suffering a slow, painful, inevitable death. When the few boats with room for more turned back to rescue survivors, she reminded him of his promise and told him nicely to sit his ass down. When the eerie silence followed, when those left screaming for mercy succumbed to their fate, she handed him the bottle of whiskey stashed in her coat.

They waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Mercy, rescue, divine intervention, whatever you would like to call it, came in the form of Carpathia.

One by one the lifeboats rowed toward the ship, the crew hauling the cold survivors onto the vessel slowly. Thomas prayed he would find Rose soon, prayed she had heeded him like a good girl and escaped the sinking ship when she had the chance. He wrapped Lissie tighter to him, making certain her little head was still covered by Rose's fur coat. He prayed that illness would not come for her after everything they had survived this night.

The Carpathia crew had worked efficiently and effectively in the four or so hours since the first lifeboat was taken aboard. It was obvious that though they were understandably anxious in the situation, they had gone through training where his crew had yet to. They kept level heads in the chaos and he thanked God for them. When the time came for their boat to be unloaded he passed his daughter to Molly and assisted the men in preparing the boat for hoisting and pulling a line with all of his strength to lift them to safety.

Rose sat on a bench not far from where she had been pulled out of the lifeboat, her mother by her side. Hers was one of the first few to be unloaded and after a quick search through the survivors already aboard for Helen and Lissie, she sat down where she could see those arriving. Many times she had been approached by a crew member offering her a room or someplace to escape the biting cold of the night air, but she refused. She had to see Lissie, had to know that the last surviving piece of Thomas was safe and sound. Her mother had remained silent since the ship sank, though she was hardly talkative before that. After the cacophany of Titanic's last moments, the screams and cries of help from those stranded in the water could finally be heard, she wept silently and hadn't uttered a word since. Rose sat for hours watching, waiting for any sign of the little angel. They'd been given a blanket and were brought a steaming mug of coffee to warm them up. Rose barely acknowledged either, just drank the coffee absentmindedly and counted the lifeboats. There were only two left and her stomach started to sink until she heard the boisterous voice of Molly Brown.

"Careful now, sonny, she's had a long night and said goodbye to someone she never shoulda' had to."

Rose saw a bundle passed up from the lifeboat below and before she could even think about it, she was up and moving. "Lissie?!" the crewman turned to her, slightly startled by her outburst. He stood helpless as Rose hurried over and uncovered the sweet dozing face of the little girl. "Oh! My Darling!" she scooped the child from his arms and held her close. Tears of joy flooded her eyes and she did nothing to stem their flow. Lissie herself woke fully and immediately clung to Rose's neck and buried her tiny face in her hair.

"Don't worry, son, she's her little girl." Molly told the man who for his part looked worried and confused by Rose's suddenly erratic behavior after seeing her seated quietly on the bench for hours.

"Molly! Are you alright!? We didn't see you before we got off, I was so worried!" Rose hugged the woman tight with one arm.

"I'm fine, got off just in time."

"Why did you have Lissie? Where's Helen?'' While extremely happy, Rose was surprised that Molly of all people had Lissie, Helen was barely acquainted with Molly.

Molly herself looked down sadly and spoke quietly for the first time since Rose had met her. "She's gone, honey."

"I don't understand, gone? What do you me-"

"Rose." for a moment she thought she was hearing things, hearing his voice when she knew he was gone. She froze, refused to turn around, to see he wasn't really there and have her heart break even more. "Dear heart, turn to me, please, look at me, love."

Rose closed her eyes, swallowed hard and turned slowly. When she opened them again, there he was, her Thomas, Standing before her. Was he real? He couldn't be, his honor compelled him to stay aboard, she'd seen it in his eyes, he'd fully intended to die with his creation but see as many saved as he could.

"Darling, it's me, I'm here." He reached toward her, waiting for her to come to him.

Molly gave her a nudge and she moved to him, taking his hand, feeling the warmth, the squeeze of his fingers, the pull as he brought her into his embrace. When she heard his heart beating, loud and strong beneath her ear, she began to weep with joy.

"Thomas, I thought I would never see you again!" Sobs wracked her body but she wouldn't relinquish her hold on him, so afraid he would disappear if she did.

"I know love, and you wouldn't have if circumstances had been different. But I am so very happy to see your face again, darling." Thomas' voice broke as the emotional dam within him burst.

Rose felt his tears dampen her hair, felt him shake with quiet sobs. "What happened to Helen?"

Thomas pulled back and looked at her sadly. "Let's sit down." He led her back to the bench. He sighed deeply before telling her what happened with Helen and Cal. He told her of Helen's last words and Rose hugged Lissie tighter, vowing that the girl would know just how much her mother had done for her, had given all three of them by sacrificing herself.

Rose had been grateful in a way to Helen for choosing to leave Thomas and Lissie. But now, she was truly indebted to the woman. Her actions had saved Rose's baby girl but her words and conviction had saved her lover, kept him from going down with his ship.

"God forgive me, I sent Cal to his death. I know he didn't make it off, we were on the next to last boat and he had been taken away. And if you haven't seen him and seeing as he's not on the last boat down there, he's surely gone."

"It's no more than he deserves, Thomas. Please do not feel so guilty. He made his decision. Had you not given the order, I'm sure he would have been taken away anyway. There are… were too many good people being passed over, a bastard like him would not be allowed, especially after he became a murderer."

Thomas nodded, resigning himself to not feel so guilty over the heartless retch. But he already felt too much sorrow over Helen's death as well as every other soul left behind in that icy water to really feel anything else. One thing overshadowed it all though. Love. He had his daughter and his Rose, truly nothing else mattered.

Having no reason to wait and watch the last survivors being brought aboard, the little group made their way to where the rest of the rescued were waiting. From what Thomas could gather, there was no real order other than the obvious separation of classes. Molly pulled Ruth to take a seat at a bench where tea and some food was being offered. Thomas and Rose holding Lissie continued around.

"Thomas!" a man was hurrying toward them, looking disheveled and pale.

"Jacob?!" Thomas ran to the man and embraced him as a brother. "Jacob! My God, man, are you alright?"

Jacob laughed hoarsely but shook his head sadly. "They found me floating on a door, I think. I remember tossing them out with the others and jumping ship before it was too late. By the time I found something to pull myself onto I was freezing and exhausted. It was all I could do to pull myself up. I passed out, I thought I'd died because I didn't feel the cold anymore and everything was quiet." Jacob's eyes were unfocused but pained. "Anyway, they drug me into a life boat. I really don't know how many others they pulled out, or how many are still alive either."

Thomas looked grim staring at his friend. The man had blue lips and hair matted from ice and salt water. "I'm glad they found you, Jacob."

"I haven't decided if I am or not."

"I know." Thomas whispered. "Jacob, go and sit down, I don't want you catching pneumonia." They led him back to where Molly and Ruth were seated and sipping on tea. Thomas stopped a passing officer of the Carpathia, "See to it that he gets something hot in him and maybe find a hot water bottle, he might be on the brink of hypothermia."

"Yes, sir."

"And please, point me toward your Captain."

"He's just through that set of doors, sir."

Rose followed him in the direction given them, Lissie fast asleep in her arms. When they stepped into the room they were greeted with a ruckus that quickly calmed at the sight of Thomas. A man bent over a table littered with telegrams looked up, mild surprised on his face.

"Mr. Andrews, correct?"

"Aye, sir."

The man came round, offering his hand. "Captain Henry Rostron, at your service. We did not know you were among the survivors."

"One of the last boats. I had not intended to, but…" he looked to his child. "I had to get her off, her mother…"

The Captain nodded. "We are unsure how many have survived but I believe we have room for you all until we reach New York."

"That is most kind of you. I actually have a plan for a head count, if you can spare some materials and a few people?"

"Absolutely, Mr. Andrews." Rostron turned and gave orders for Thomas' wishes to be carried out. "We have a room available for your daughter and her nanny to wait and rest if you'd like?"

Rose looked to Thomas, mild embarrassment and anger seeping into her eyes. She caught herself, remembering this was neither the time nor place to make any corrections. Five people had known what was going on between Thomas and Rose and now two were dead. With Thomas having just alluded to his wife's passing, it would be terribly uncouth for him to describe Rose in any light or title even remotely close to being intimate to him. The papers would love a scandal to go with the tragedy. She could see the headlines now:

SHIPWRECK AFFAIR

TITANIC'S DESIGNER CAUGHT WITH NANNY AS HIS CERATION SINKS

DID SHE KILL HIS WIFE TO KEEP HIM?

They would paint her a whore and ruin his good name. For all it was his ship that sunk, he did not make the decisions that caused the wreck, nor those that resulted in so many souls lost. They could survive the mess as it was and come out together, no one need know personal details.

She shook her head when he silently asked if she wanted to take the offer. "Just now, Captain, I think we'd all feel more comfortable together. Lissie will be especially confused if she wakes in a strange room and I am not there to help comfort her. She has seen too much in all this for one so young and it has left her a bit anxious."

Rostron nodded in understanding. No one would be forgetting this night anytime soon. "I'll make sure you get any news we receive. And the room is ready whenever you need it. The crew is squaring away rooms and clothes for everyone. It'll be a tight squeeze but we want everyone to have somewhere to rest."

"Thank you, Captain. You and your crew are to be commended for your bravery and hospitality." Thomas left with Rose, the men assigned to help him in-tow.

Thomas set the men to work on one side of the mass of people while he and Rose started with the 3rd class survivors on the lower deck. It was slow, tedious work taking down everyone's names and where they were from. So many were asking if they'd seen a friend or loved one. And not once was Thomas able to say yes, to give them some small measure of hope.

Rose lost count of the number of people they spoke to. She didn't know how much time had passed since they'd started but when the last name was marked and the crew began showing survivors to cabins, the sun was high in the sky.

"Thomas, why don't we go rest, or eat something at least. I'm sure Lissie could do with a change and something to eat."

He nodded and led her back to where they'd spoke with the Captain. He collected the survivor counts from the crew members as they were shown to a cabin. They were provided with food and a change of clothes for the adults and some clean nappies and a night dress were procured for Lissie. Rose watched as Thomas barely nibbled on the food though he made sure Lissie took in as much as she wanted. She knew he was exhausted, he had been up since the morning before. She'd only had an hour or so after they'd made love before the ship struck the iceberg. It was time to sleep.

"Thomas, why don't you lie down while I change her. I think we all need a rest." he nodded quietly and handed Lissie over, stripping down to his under clothes and slipping into bed. Rose changed Lissie and laid her down in the small cot next to the bed, the little darling's eyes closing as soon as Rose covered her up. Rose removed her dress climbed into bed in her slip. Thomas was still awake, tired eyes staring at the ceiling. She scooted closer to him and rested a hand on his cheek. "You've got to try and rest."

"I keep seeing Her splitting and going down. The power going out and the darkness…"

"I know. I watched almost every lifeboat coming down, watched as She sank knowing my heart went with Her because you were going down with Her." she sniffled, eyes welling at the memory of her heartbreak. "You're here in front of me and I'm so scared to sleep because I fear when I wake I'll be on that boat and you'll be gone."

He looked to her then, tears tracking down her cheeks once again. "Oh my love, come here." he opened his arms and she fell into his embrace. "I am not going anywhere, I will never leave you again." he rubbed soothing circles over her back until he felt her drift off to sleep. The soft sounds of her and Lissie's breathing lulled him to relax and he dozed off.

We were rushing down the grand staircase, Lissie was bundled up in my arms and my hand gripped tightly to Rose's. People were still loitering about, as if water wasn't creeping it's way up through steerage, as if the ship wasn't an hour from being at the bottom of the ocean. Panic was dangerous but this apathy was worse.

"ANDREWS! YOU BASTARD!" I turned to see Caledon Hockley storming towards us "How dare you! She was to be mine! I patiently bided my time and put up with her childishness for so long, to collect my prize!"

He pushed his way passed the last few people between him and us. There was a rage burning his eyes. "And you had the gall to step in and steal her from me!?"

He pulled a gun and the onlookers gasped and began backing away quickly in terror. "No one steals from Caledon Hockley!"

He was aiming for me but at the last second he changed directions and when the shot rang out, my beautiful Rose fell.

"ROSE!" I dropped to my knees and tried to stem the blood that flowed from her chest. "Rose, please no. No no no no!" Lissie was screaming in my ear and Rose was writhing on the floor trying to speak but unable to get anything out. Her eyes found mine, pained and pleading before the life faded from them. "No, my darling, you can't leave me!"

"Thomas, wake up dearest," Rose shook his shoulder gently, trying not to startle him. "Please wake up, it was just a nightmare." She placed a hand to his cheek and his eyes finally opened, full of worry and panic. "There you are."

He sat up, trembling "We were running through the ship and Hockley stopped us with his gun. He was going to shoot me but changed his mind and shot you instead. I couldn't stop the bleeding, I-"

"Shhhh, it's okay, it didn't happen, it wasn't real." She pulled him to her, his head resting over her heart. She ran her fingers through his hair as he listened to the easy thump-thump of her heart. "I'm alive, we're alive. We made it off and we will keep on living."

He breathed in deeply, her sweet scent washing over him and helping to ground him. "I love you, Rose. I'm trying to be strong for you and Lissie, but I'm terrified at the moment and worried you will hate me for it."

Rose hummed and kissed his head, "Being scared keeps you alive, drives you forward. I will never hate you, Thomas, never. I will always be by your side. So when you feel scared, take my hand. When you feel weak, lean on me. Whatever you need, I will always give it. I love you with every fiber of my being and that will never waiver."

He sat up, leaning over her now. "In all my life, I never expected to feel as I do when I'm with you. My only joy in life being Lissie, I never knew I could love and be loved like this."

Rose could still see the worry on his face, but also present was love and affection and it made warmth spread through her. "You gave me a reason to keep living, Thomas. You and Lissie are everything to me and for once in my life I have a purpose. Whatever else you think or feel, you saved me."

He couldn't speak, couldn't put words to how he felt. So he kissed her instead, long and slow, reveling in the feeling of her soft body beneath his, of her slim little fingers digging deliciously into his back. He was still tired, he knew he couldn't do everything he wanted with her. So he pulled back, kissed her forehead and laid back, pulling her back on to his chest just like earlier. He wrapped her in his arms and they both drifted off to sleep a little more peacefully.

One last thing before I go, there was an anonymous and rather dramatic comment that has since been deleted, the commenter was offended by the age difference. In my defense I thought Rose was 18 so for my story sake let's say she is. And as for Thomas's age I used his actual age at his death, 39 and according to the internet, Cal was 30 in the movie so personally, what difference is 9 years? That was completely normal for that day and age, actually up until this last century. The commenter admitted to being a teen themselves and honestly their probably part of the whole Me Too movement and Cancel Culture or whatever. I don't really care. FYI: JJ Astor was 47 and Madeleine was 18. Some people can handle it and some can't. Anyway, rant over. Don't like it. Don't read it.