After a quick detour to the their cabin to drop off their miniscule luggage and explain to a confused, older Irishman why Steven wasn't coming, Ronald, Eric and Alan found their way back up on deck towards the front of the ship.

"Why would you guys want to stay inside? How often are we gonna get a chance like this again?" Ronald walked on ahead, pointing out designs and features that would normally go unnoticed. He truly looked like a child on Christmas morning. "Oh! There's something I've always wanted to do."

The excited blond ran on ahead to the very front of the deck where the railings connected and climbed them, spreading his arms out as he yelled. "I'm the king of the world!"

"Ronald!" Alan cried and he and Eric climbed up as well to make sure their friend didn't fall.

"You crazy bastard." Eric laughed as the sea breeze whipped around his hair and clothes. He looked over at Alan who was laughing as he and Ronald tried to keep their balance. The three of them stayed that way for a moment, drinking in the atmosphere of being at sea. "C'mon you two."

Eric jumped down and helped Alan off the railings. Ronald hadn't moved so Eric forcibly pulled him off, resulting in them both falling over. Eric tried to look annoyed but he couldn't stop laughing from the pure enjoyment radiating from Ronald. "Ha ha, if you insist Eric."

The two blonds stood up and followed Alan back towards the doors leading inside. Eric threw an arm around Ronald's shoulders. "A fine game of poker young chap." He spoke with a mock posh accent.

"Indubitably good fellow." Ronald replied in the same fashion and they started laughing again as Alan just stared at them with a look not too dissimilar to that of an annoyed housewife.

"Are you two coming or are you just going to stay here?"

"Uh oh, in trouble with the Missus again?" Ronald whispered to Eric, resulting in a good-natured punch to the arm. Eric just smiled at him. "Jealous?"

"A little."

"Have no fear, America is big and you're bound to find the girl of your dreams there." Eric clapped the younger male on the shoulder and shoved him forward so they were following Alan again. "Come on, we have a bar to drink dry."

Grell sat and watched patiently as his mother and fiancée ordered servants around their suite. They had already unpacked their belongings and were now positioning them around the rooms. The red head tuned them out as he sipped a glass of champagne William's manservant had brought him. He was an odd man, dressed all in black and with long silver hair that obscured most of his face, but William trusted the man with his life. Grell set the glass down and quietly walked out the noisy room. He doubted anyone would notice him missing as he found himself on a raised part of the deck that looked over towards the front of the ship. He leaned on the railings and watched the people milling about and the clouds passing by lazily.

"I'm the king of the world!"

Grell started, broke out of his reverie by a loud group playing about on the railings at the front of the ship. He heard a few nobles around him complain about their behaviour but Grell just smiled and watched them, a small coil of jealousy winding its way in his stomach.

They're free to do what they want.

His eyes were drawn more to the younger looking blond whose friends had had to forcibly pull off the railings. He heard them laughing and couldn't help the small laugh that left his lips.

"So this is where you got to." Grell turned around to find William standing behind him. "It's time to start getting ready for dinner love."

"Oh, ok." He took William's hand and walked back towards their suite, casting one last glance at the blond and his friends.

"More!"

"I think it's tight en…"

"No! Uh…lace it tighter." Grell was holding onto the bedpost as his mother laced the corset for his dress that evening.

"Oh, well I've never had to do this before." Angelina complained as she pulled on the ribbon impatiently. Grell's personal maid had fallen ill right before the trip and had been unable to come. Seeing as how no one else knew Grell's true gender, it had fallen onto Angelina to help her son. "Is this tight enough?"

"No, just put your knee in my back and just pull." Grell rolled his eyes at his mother's tentativeness. "I'm not made of glass."

Angelina did as her son requested, placing her knee in the small of his back, she pulled as hard as she could.

"Yes." He gasped, revelling the feel as the corset restricted his breathing. "Perfect."

"Finally." Angelina quickly tied the ribbon and fetched the red and black dress off its hanger and placed it over her son's head. "You're worse than me when I was your age."

"A lady has to look her best for her fiancée." Grell retorted as he straightened the dress and turned around in front of the mirror. Angelina laughed softly.

"Come and sit down and I'll help you with your makeup."

Ronald sat back and nursed his whiskey as he listened to Eric retell the tale of their win to the passengers they were sat with.

You'd think it was him that had won he tickets.

Ronald just smiled, he was happy to see his friends in such high spirits. After they had indulged in a modest meal, they had spent most their evening in the bar, talking with other passengers over drinks.

"Well you guys sure are lucky sons of bitches." The man Eric was talking to was a chef called Bard. He was a tall man with short blond hair and held a cigarette in his mouth at all times.

"You're telling me." Eric laughed and met Bard's glass with his own as Ronald and Alan's glasses joined them and they all drank. Ronald motioned he was going to go outside and left the men to their chatting. He breathed heavily as he stepped into the cool night air, the small bar had been stiflingly warm and filled with smoke. He was making his way towards the stern of the ship when he heard loud voices and a cry of frustration, followed by the sound of breaking glass. He ran over to where he heard the noise and was astonished at what he found. A tall, red headed woman was holding a broken glass bottle to the throat of an elderly nobleman. He was pushed up against the railings as the woman advanced, her long hair coming free of its intricate bun.

"Did you want to try that again?"

"N-no, it was…"

"You thought I would accept it like all your other whores?"

"I…"

The red head grabbed the man by the collar and inched the glass closer to his eyes, a demonic grin gracing her features.

"Stop!" Ronald dashed forward and while the woman was momentarily distracted, the man knocked the glass from her hand and grabbed her wrist, twisting it around her back. She yelped in pain and the man looked at Ronald.

"You lad, help me subdue this bitch." Ronald stepped forward, but instead of helping the man, he grabbed his wrist and forced him to let go of the woman.

"Just leave, you've had your fun."

"W-what do you think you're doing?" The man spluttered. "She was trying to attack me."

"No, she was defending herself and I can testify to that."

"Who's going to believe a piece of trash like you?"

"I don't know, let's find out." Ronald put his fingers in his mouth to whistle.

"Oh, you're not worth it." The man growled angrily and pushed past them. Ronald turned to the woman, only to find her staring angrily at him as well.

"What did you stop me for?" She advanced on him now, her hands balled into fists. "He needed to be taught a lesson."

"Well I thought a murder would put a damper on the voyage." Ronald smirked and backed away a little. "I must say, I've never seen a lady fight back like that."

She stopped, put her hands on her hips and cocked her head.

"A girl needs to know how to take care of herself." She sighed and attempted to pin her hair back into place. "I suppose on some level I should thank you mister…?"

"Oh, Ronald Knox, and you are?"

"Grell Sutcliff." She held out her hand and Ronald kissed it, looking her in the eyes.

"Well, Miss Sutcliff, I hope you are not harmed in anyway." Grell giggled but didn't move her hand.

"Oh, you can be quite well spoken."

"Of course." Ronald smirked again. "So, are you busy now?"

"No, why?"

"Care to join me for a drink?"

I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't be here.

Against his better judgement, Grell had accepted Ronald's invitation for drinks found himself sat beside him and another blond man named Eric as a brunette named Alan passed him a small glass of whiskey and smiled.

"Oh, thank you." He sipped the amber liquid tentatively and tried to listen to the raucous conversation over the music. Giving up, he listened to the music instead. A group of men were playing a bizarre mix of instruments but the combined noise was enjoyable and they seemed to be having fun. He felt a tapping on his shoulder and turned to face Ronald. The young man was indicating whether he would like to join in game of cards. He nodded and Ronald smiled as they made their way away from the band.

"Ah, I can hear myself think again." Eric shook his head as if trying to shake out the noise of the music. Grell nodded in agreement as they all sat around a circular table. Along with Grell, Ronald, Eric and Alan, they were joined by Bard, the chef, and his friend Finnian, a short, youthful looking man with blond hair.

How many blondes are on this ship?

"What's your game?"

"Hmm?" Grell saw Ronald looking at him while he shuffled the cards. "Oh, I'm afraid I don't know many games…um…Blackjack?"

"Twenty one?" Grell nodded and Ronald looked at everyone. "You guys game?"

There was a murmur of agreement as Ronald dealt out the cards and everyone threw in some change. Grell paled and looked panic stricken at Ronald.

"I don't have any money on me."

"No problem, we'll have to think of something else then." Ronald tapped his chin thoughtfully and grinned widely. "Got it. One hundred rounds, whoever wins in a round you lose, ten times, is invited for dinner in first class."

"You can't be serious mister Knox?" Grell gaped at the youthful blond. "My mother would kill me."

"I'm sure you could come up with something." Ronald carried on shuffling the cards slowly and smiled. "So…"

"Oh fine then!" Grell fell back in his seat in defeat and crossed his arms.

"Alan, keep a tally!" The brunette pulled out a notebook and pencil and everyone looked at their cards, signalling the start of the game. Bard and Eric started the game bust and tossed their cards into the centre. Alan called stick while Finnian asked for another card. He called bust and put his cards in the middle as well. Grell looked at his hand and chewed his lip.

A nine and six.

Grell snapped his fingers and Ronald slid over another card, a four, making Grell's total nineteen.

"Stick."

"Ok guys, show me what you got." Alan showed his hand first, a ten and eight. Grell was next, showing his nineteen and Ronald grinned as he showed his two tens. "This is gonna be a fun game."

An hour later and the game was nearly over. Bard had already lost all his spare change but stayed to watch and cheer on Finnian. Eric had fallen asleep in his chair, leaving Alan with his money and Ronald only had to win one more hand to win the first class dinner invitation. The blond smirked at Grell as he dealt.

"So, what's the food like in first class?"

"Don't get ahead yourself Knox." Grell snapped as he picked up his cards. "Your on par with Finnian, it could go either way."

"True, true. But be honest, you'd rather I came with you right?"

"Be quiet and give me a card."

Ronald laughed and passed cards over to Grell and Finnian.

"Ahh, I'm bust." Finnian sighed and Grell paled. Not touching the card Ronald had passed over as Alan sighed as well, throwing his cards in.

"Listen Kno- Ronald." The blond looked up. "How about this, this final round, you win, I'll give you fifteen pounds tonight. I win, you call this whole thing off."

Ronald raised an eyebrow as he looked at the untouched card.

"I'll agree to make this last round and if you win, no one will come to dinner, ok?"

Grell growled in frustration but nodded. He picked up the card, altogether they made twenty-one. He smiled and laid them out, confident in his victory he waited for Ronald to show his.

"Tough breaks love." He sighed heavily and dropped his cards in front of the stunned red head. A jack and an ace, the perfect Blackjack.

"So." Ronald leaned forward and placed his chin on his hands. "What time's dinner?"

AN: Please tell me if you spot any errors ^^"