A/N: I am so unbelievably sorry it took so long to start this story again! Unfortunately, I broke my phone a while back and I lost everything. I had written on my notes so many future chapters and ideas for this story, and so many others, and I lost it all... I was so heartbroken that I simply could not come back to this... But, here I am. I have been re-reading this story and the wonderful reviews and encouragement I've received, and I guess it got the creative juices flowing again haha.

After being gone for so long, I fear that the beauty in which I originally wrote this in may be buried... I still have such a great love for this, and I only hope I can give this the justice it deserves. I will do everything in my power to recapture the magic in the beginning, but if this chapter is not up to your standers, I promise to do better in the future.

I hope you all can forgive me and will grant me time to get back to who I was when first writing this.

Odette awoke before the sun had its chance to blink its rays of warmth upon the water. The woman slipped carefully from the depths of the comforter, which had caused her early rise with an uncomfortable sense of suffocation. She had hardly slept at all the night before, either sinking with the weight of the covers too deeply or tumbling through lost thoughts. Some time during the ramblings of her mind, Odette had come to a sudden idea; one that was so absurd that she shook herself of such a brash thought as soon as it had come. When it came to her again later that night, she entertained the idea and expanded upon it simply for her own amusement. Now that she was completely awake, the once simple plan festered and pestered at the corner of her every thought until she could ignore it no longer. It was the time to set things in motion.

Easing herself on diligent bare feet, Odette snatched one of her many dresses from her closet and slipped into the washroom. Clovis remained upon the tops of the covers, sounding much like a growling bear as he slept. Despite his look and sound, Odette knew better than to make much noise, if any at all, for his current state could have been labeled a farce. No matter the previous evening's festivities nor his condition come morning, Clovis was quick to rise at even the slightest of sounds. Odette would not risk taking her time in choosing a proper dress nor would she wake Simone. She had to keep the bear at bay.

Odette noticed with a surprised annoyance that preparing herself without aid was much more difficult than she first believed. She always had either her mother or her maids to dress her. She couldn't recall when she had last readied herself without another's assistance, if she had ever done so at all. It was easy enough to slip into the orange and yellow tendrils of her dress once she discovered where her head was to go. It was another story entirely when it came to her laces.

Thankfully, she had the mind to grab an orange dress that laced in the front. Although, her fingers were consistent in fumbling with both the laces and her slip. Worse still, only after the dress and slip were properly tied did she realize her corset had not been tied tightly enough. The dress itself was quite form-fitted so there was no use in emphasizing the fullness of the skirts, but her breasts were certainly not supported enough for such a look. Taking a quick glance at the time, Odette resisted the urge to reattempt her wardrobe attire entirely. With a soft pout and quick tightening of her slip's laces, Odette moved on to her hair.

Her hair was another problem all on its own. She hadn't braided hair since early childhood and the tremble in her fingers proved impossible to attempt anything elaborate. She faintly debated on waking Simone for help. It was obvious even to herself that the morning was not fairing in her favor. A very unbecoming snort from her husband kept her steeled within the washroom. Eventually, Odette decided for a more simplistic look. She tied half of her hair out of her face by use of a yellow ribbon. Thankfully the black strands had kept much of their curl during the night. Loose ringlets parted as small angel tufts at the top of her forehead into longer, softer curls against the exposed flesh of her bosom.

Finally onto matters she understood best, Odette left the washroom and crept to her vanity. She lit her lamp and twisted the dile, careful the fluttering light was dull enough to not disturb her husband. Taking a seat, the young woman was quick to massage a careful assortment of creams onto her cheeks. She even splotched on a few drops of lemon juice to soften her complexion. She dotted her forehead and nose with papier poudre and applied a very light layer of brown paste along the tops of her eyelashes, rounding her sparkling green eyes perfectly. To complete her rushed look, Odette dabbed pink rouge against the apples of her cheekbones and across her pouty lips.

When Odette had finished, she nearly let out a small bout of laughter. The woman in the mirror was certainly her by all accounts. And yet, in the same instance, she could not bring herself to believe it. A stranger watched from within her reflection.

She had caught a glimpse of this stranger once or twice before, yet far too fleeting to confirm. Now that she could regard the mirror in its entirety, a bizarre scurrying of emotions filled the woman in an overwhelming instant. This stranger was no stranger after all. The failure to conceal a giddy grin, the brilliant flickering captured between thick lashes, the constant fidgeting of fumbling fingers; it was all something she was unaccustomed to, yet suddenly understood completely. The stranger was her own happiness.

Was she happy for the oncoming meeting with Will? Was she merely eager for the progress of her self-taught lessons on morse code, craving nothing but his appreciation? Did she simply yearn to tour the walls of the Titanic, focused only on his smile and the sound of his presence beside her own? Or, was she simply happy that she had managed to dress herself?

Each question was absurdly foolish and child-like, yet every one made her smile widen ever further and caused her heart's pace to soar. Her quivering legs nearly bounced her from her seat in pure excitement, the pull towards the Aft of the ship growing as powerful as the push of the ocean waves below. The clock read seven forty-three and she assumed she'd reach the Aft close to eight, a full hour before the set time to meet Will. Odette could not bear to wait inside the darkness of her room for any longer. The space of her room seemed to crowd around her, making her feel quite enclosed and she wanted to run like a giddy child onto the deck.

The woman felt such a sudden rush to leave that she nearly forgot the man asleep in her bed. She was stopped only by another loud snore. Her body gave a shutter, stopping her completely in her tracks as her eyes roamed towards the open bedroom door. Her fingers flexed, clutching around the steel knob of the hallway door as though she could force it to make a decision on her own accord. The most logical option would be to wait for her husband to stir himself awake. After all, Clovis was never a man to miss a meal, so the beckoning hands of breakfast would surely wake him soon enough. Her officer in waiting would not be at the Aft seeing as she was just shy of an hour early, so was there reason enough for her to wait just a bit longer? She mulled over her options, her thoughts bouncing back and forth between sneaking out like an unruly teen or slipping back into bed as a dutiful wife should.

Odette gulped and her fingers regretfully slipped from the doorknob. She inched her way back to her room, where she stopped in the doorway and her hands took hold of the frame. She looked upon her husband, watching his form steadily move up and down with each ragged breath. Her heart continued its palpitations, though they were less friendly now. "Clovis?" she questioned the air, her voice hardly above a whisper. He remained silent. "Clovis?" she dared again, her tone just an octave louder. Her inner voice begged it was not enough to wake him, but she knew better. Clovis' eyes squinted for a moment, his damp brow furrowing deeply as he mumbled something harsh. Then his eyes were open, glaring directly at Odette with a wild haze. Odette met the glare with a gentle smile, despite the new clamminess to her palms. "Clovis my darling, I'm so sorry to wake you, but I fear I've grown rather hungry. Will you accompany me to breakfast?"

"Not now," he snarled and rolled over; the signal that the conversation was over.

Odette twisted her right foot as though she were squishing a bug deep into the floorboards. She wrapped her arms behind her back and twiddled her thumbs, her mind momentarily fogged with both a blinding fear and buzzing anxiousness. Her knees trembled, aching for the chance of an escape; to return to her vanity and wipe off all of her silly makeup and strip off the orange dress she couldn't even lace correctly. However, the simple knowledge that Will would be awaiting her arrival very soon was enough to settle her to the spot. She cleared her throat and ducked her head shyly. "What if I were to get breakfast myself? It's not far from here and afterwards… I'll be continuing my tour with the officer." She flinched at her own words, fearing she had just revealed some dark secret.

To her surprise, Clovis did not snap at her insistence. Rather, he let out a string of nonsensical mumblings and shook a limp hand at her, dismissing her. Although, that dismissal could have meant anything. Her husband could have granted her the ability to do as she pleased. Just as easily, it could have been a sign of scolding for disturbing his sleep. Whatever his meaning, Odette did not dare chance to discover its truth. Instead, she took his gesture at face-value and leaped at her opportunity to escape. She bounced on the tips of her toes, her cheeks twitching in the fight to keep her large smile at bay. She shrugged on a cream colored shawl and slipped out the door.

Odette hardly remembered her travel through the hallways. Many times she had to remind herself how unladylike it was ro run, though the quickness in her step could not have been more appreciated. Her officer in calling already stood on deck, his gloved hands resting upon the railing as he waited patiently. His back was turned to her and the light of the morning had yet to cast away the shadows, but she knew it was him.

Upon skillful toes, Odette snaked her way across the floorboards. Not a single creak gave away her presence, and she stopped herself from giggling like a fool. She mulled over her plan once, then a second time, and when she was sure she had memorized the correct steps, Odette stuck out her foot and began to tap.

Odette could practically see the gears turning within his mind. The officer cocked his head ever so slightly to the right as he listened intently to her tapping, trying to decipher her secret message. The cigarette between his lips lit the side of his face with a dull glow, and she saw him smile. Now feeling confident, Odette decided for a little extra flair. She tapped an extra two dots, two dashes, and two more dots.

Hello? Will

"Been practicing, have we?" Finally, he turned to her. Odette's stomach fluttered, feeling much like she had been thrown overboard at the sight of his lopsided smirk.

"Indeed I have," she nodded. The palms of her hands grew clammy and she brushed them down the sides of her dress, if only to momentarily give her mind a moment to settle. "Have I done well?"

"That depends, did you mean to add the question mark?"

"Oh, I thought it was a comma."

Will chuckled and her cheeks burned. "Aye, they do look similar," he rounded his shoulders in a shrug. "Either way, you're coming along just wonderfully, I'd say."

Odette had the urge to ring her hands, and she hid them behind her back to do so. She raised herself to the tips of her toes, then back down again as her eyes wandered the deck in search of something to distract herself from smiling too boldly. "So," she began, her voice low and filled with hardly concealed excitement, "what grand spectacle will I be shown today?"

"Well, I'm not quite sure, to be frank."

Her lips parted in mock surprise. "Surely you've not shown me everything, Will."

The officer ducked his head, though her green eyes caught the coy smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Surely not." He took one last drag of his cigarette and flicked the orange bud overboard. "Would you care to accompany me on my morning rounds? I could tell you more of the ship and how she works."

"Would it not be inappropriate for me to intrude upon such duties?"

"On a normal ship, yes, but this is the Titanic and hospitality for her passengers is our top priority."

Odette furrowed her brow as if in thought, though she had long since made her decision. "Well, I certainly could not refuse such hospitality, can I?"

"Madame Anouilh!" Odette spun on her heels, her heart momentarily stopping within her chest. Even when she saw the familiar face of Frédéric, her heart failed to properly beat for a few seconds more. She greeted him pleasantly through the buildup in her throat, praying that her smile did not appear as nervous as she felt. "Good morning to you as well, Officer," he shook Will's hand, thankfully ignorant to the woman's startled disposition. "I don't mean to intrude, though I was hoping to accompany you on your tour today!"

"Did my husband send for you?" She regretted the moment the words left her lips. Frédéric seemed taken aback by her question and he shook his head.

"No, I've yet to see him this morning. I believed he would be here with you."

"Oh," she blushed, "he's under the weather this morning, I'm afraid. I wouldn't be opposed to your company, Monsieur. If it's not a problem for you, of course."

"Not at all," Will said and he smiled, though Odette felt her heart fall at the sight. She was rather hoping to accompany him alone this morning, and she got the sense that he did as well. She supposed nothing could be done now as Frédéric beamed happily, completely unaware of the shift in the atmosphere.

They began their tour - or rather, trailed after the First Officer as he attended his duties. Odette tried to listen to him, she truly did, but her questions were overshadowed by Frédéric's own and the men conversed on topics the woman could not understand. She could not fault Frédéric for this as he genuinely seemed enthralled by Will and his words, completely submerged in every word he said, though she couldn't help but long for Will's attention alone. It was selfish of her, yet the thoughts clouded her without restraint. After a while, Odette's disappointment drifted to a more pleasant contentment at listening to the two men. She quite liked seeing the flattery on Will's face at having such an avid listener at his side, and Frédéric's boyish wonderment certainly added to the entertainment.

"I'm surprised Odette has taken a liking to such things. Ships! Never would I have thought such a thing would catch her interest."

Odette startled, having been stricken from her thoughts at the sound of her name. How long had they been speaking of her? She chastised herself for being so absentminded and heat flooded her face when Will turned to her with a raised brow. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised as well," he said. "Though, admittedly, I was unaware of her character beforehand."

"Yes, well, Frédéric hasn't much to say on my character, either," she sniped. She hadn't meant to come across as rude, though she failed to stop the words. She didn't much care for others speaking on her behalf.

As blissful as ever, Frédéric shrugged simply. "We used to be close, I'll remind you, though I do agree that you've changed since those times of friendship. You should have seen her before, Officer. She was certainly a different woman completely!"

She bit her lip. "I don't think the Officer would care to hear such tales of children."

"On the contrary," Will nudged her side gently, and she shivered at the contact. "I wouldn't mind a story or two."

"Did she tell you about the stowaway aboard the train?"

"Frédéric-"

"She and her sister were returning from Germany. They had family there, I believe. We were kids then, mind you, and they requested I help them unpack. When I arrived, they practically dragged me to their room and said I should start with a suitcase. The thing was so old and ragged, and I wondered how their mother let them keep it at all. Anyway, when I opened it, what could the contents be other than a cat! Scared the life out of me, I tell you!"

Odette's ears were on fire. She hadn't thought about that in a long time, and there was good reason. Only, Frédéric was unaware. How could he have known of the punishment the girls received once their mother discovered the animal?

"A cat?" Will repeated with a lovely chuckle that somewhat released Odette of her tension.

"Yes! They'd picked up the thing back in Germany. Poor creature was locked in that suitcase the entire journey back to France!"

"We fed her," Odette argued. "When mother left our carriage, we'd give her water and the meat of our sandwiches. She was perfectly fine."

Frédéric laughed at the memory. "Yes, you kept very good care of her. She loved that suitcase very much, if I recall correctly. What was it that you named her?"

"We called her Effrayer on account of how frightened mother was when she discovered her. It was Collete's idea."

"Collete is your sister, correct?" Will asked and she nodded. "Did she remain in France, then? I don't believe I've met her."

"No, you've not met her." Odette twisted her fingers within her grasp, uncomfortable with the current topic of conversation. She did not like speaking of her sister, and her lingering memories were something she hoped to put at rest once departing from France.

"What does she think of your moving to America? She's proud of you, I'm sure," the Officer continued, seemingly not having picked up on her tone. Odette grimaced.

"She does not think much of anything anymore, I'm afraid."

Will stopped. Odette looked up at the man, and she was startled by his appearance. There was sadness in his eyes, as there would be with anyone who had learned of another's loved one passing, yet there was something else she had not been expecting. Normally, she met others' sadness for her sister with repulsion. They did not know the full story. How could they? Yet they always bombarded Odette with apologetic sentiment of a girl most did not know, nor would have cared to. If they had known her sister had taken her own life, Odette knew that sentiment would disappear. Their fake sympathy would become apparent, as it always did, leaving Odette with a feeling of hollow desolation. She would be reminded of her loneliness again.

Will's look was different, however. Somehow, Odette simply knew his sympathy was genuine. Not just for the woman he never knew, but for Odette. He took her hand within his own and he cupped her tiny appendage delicately. Despite his gloves, she could still feel his warmth. "Like I said," he breathed, his words soft and precise, "she's proud of you."

Odette sucked in a gulp of air through her teeth. Her body was both cold and hot and her eyes stung. She had the desire to say something - anything and everything, yet nothing all at once. She placed her free hand on top of his own, and she brought them to her chest. It was all she could manage to do to show whatever it was she was feeling, and she hoped such a small gesture would come across correctly- even if she did not understand it herself. He smiled softly, sweetly. He understood.

"I say, is that your handmaiden over there?"

Odette and Will drew away from each other. She cleared her throat, only then remembering that she had not been alone with Will. How brainless she was. She could only hope he hadn't noticed such an intimate interaction with the Officer. Quickly, she brushed her hands down her orange dress to rid herself of the tingle left behind by Will's touch.

"There," Frédéric said again and he pointed. "That is her, isn't it? Simone, was that her name? She's dancing with… what looks to be a third class fellow. How did he get here?"

Odette followed his gesture and her eyes went wide. There she saw Simone in the open of the deck. Behind her a band played a jovial song, keeping in tune with the sparse few that chose to dance to their accompaniment. In the center of the group was Simone. Her blonde hair was unmistakable as it bounced about freely from their braid. She wore a cream colored dress with baby blue accents which flowed beautifully against her pale skin. So unlike anything Odette had seen before, a brilliant smile bloomed like a garden of flowers upon her sweet face as a curly haired man took her hand and spun her. Simone giggled at her misplaced feet and she stumbled into the open arms of none other than Tommy.

When Simone's eyes happened upon Odette, her smile faltered only slightly and she straightened herself. She said something to Tommy, then rushed to Odette and her party. "Madame!" she greeted breathlessly while brushing her stray hairs from the sweat upon her cheeks. "I noticed you'd taken your leave before I woke. I hope my short absence in search of you was not inappropriate."

"Not at all," Odette smirked. "In fact, I am in no need of your service at the moment. Would you care to join me later?"

"Later?" she gasped. "You mean, I can stay?"

"We can meet in my quarters after lunch when I take my evening nap. Now hurry along, your gentlemen awaits." Odette couldn't resist the urge to wink, and the look on Simone's face nearly made her laugh.

"Thank you, Madame! Thank you! Oh, and Monsieur, your package has been delivered." She directed this to, surprisingly, Will. Before Odette could question her, the girl had already returned to the third class bloke and their festivities. Odette raised a brow at Will, who took on a look of guilt.

"What could that mean?"

"Oh, nothing. Matters of which don't concern you."

She crossed her arms. "You're hiding something."

He smirked. That same, mischievous smirk that always caused the butterflies in her belly to wake. "I don't know what you're implying."

"I believe I'll take my leave now," Frédéric said as he rubbed the back of his head. Odette's lips flattened. She had forgotten his presence again. "I apologize, Officer, but I really must be going now."

"It's no trouble," Will shrugged and adjusted his cap. "I'll be needed at the helm soon, I'm sure." The men shook and Frédéric took his leave. With him gone, Odette felt her expectations for the morning's activities rise. She was eager for the opportunity to speak with Will freely, though she sunk at the new frown on his face. "Unfortunately, I must be going as well. I have something that needs my attending."

She perked at that. "Might it have something to do with this package my handmaid mentioned?" She wiggled her brow, earning a chuckle from the officer. She didn't know what struck her to act so boldly, though his crooked smirk coaxed her toying.

"Not at all," he winked.

"So, am I also to assume this package has nothing to do with me?"

"Now, Odette, that is presumptuous."

The two chuckled, and he took her hand once more. He placed a kiss on her knuckles, bode her farewell, and he was gone. Odette held her hand against her drumming chest. The apples of her cheeks were sore from how widely she smiled. He had been given a package from Simone, though it had nothing to do with her? How intriguing. A soft giggle escaped her, and she placed the tips of her fingers against her lips to quiet the sound. Although, she continued to smile against the touch. With a new pep to her step, Odette watched Simone and Tommy dance for a few minutes more before deciding on breakfast after all.