An Ocean Between Us

Unsinkable

"Women and children only!"

Madge heard those words like a death knell. Her body froze up and she couldn't move, not even as Gale tried to tug her away.

"Madge, what are you doing? We need to keep moving!" he shouted over the din and she just stared at him. There was a grim look on his face and he knew. He'd known before they'd gotten here and so had that nice boy who told them to come this way and so did all these men gathered here, they all knew they were being left behind to die. Madge shook her head.

"No," she whispered, disbelieving and sick. "No. No no no."

Gale grabbed her shoulders and squeezed.

"Madge, you need to get on the lifeboat."

"No," she said again and this couldn't be real, it just couldn't. How could she leave without him?

"Yes," he said firmly and she could see the fear written all over his face. He was terrified, for her, for him and Madge felt as if there was an iceberg where her heart should be, cracking down the middle and filling her up with cold, cold water.

"How can I leave you?" she asked, a sob breaking her voice and he moved his hands to her hair, bringing their foreheads together. She curled her fingers around his arms and she couldn't stop her tears, a hopeless despair thickening in her veins. If you stay you'll die. Oh Gale, oh God…

"I'll figure something out, but you have to get on the boat. You have to."

He was probably trying to sound strong but his tone was pleading, begging and she closed her eyes, unable to face what was happening. If she stayed…if she stayed she'd die. She'd drown or freeze and she wanted to puke at the thought. She wasn't ready to die, the mere thought was enough to nearly send her to her knees but if she left…if she left she'd be abandoning him here to die. How could she do that?

"What's…what's going on?" Delly asked, voice still a bit dazed. Madge opened her eyes and looked over Gale's shoulder at her and Thom and suddenly everything became perfectly clear. Delly's face was confused, her eyes a bit unfocused from that bump on the head and Thom was so pale he could've been a ghost. Delly couldn't stay behind, not in the state she was in, she'd never make it. And Thom and Gale, they were going to have to try and find some way to survive but it wouldn't be easy. If she stayed, she'd only make it harder; after all, saving three people would be more difficult than two. But if she went with Delly, she could look after her, make sure she was alright. And there were her parents to worry about. She promised them she'd get herself and Delly off safe, God they must be so worried. It was obvious what she should do, the most logical choice was clear. She should get on the lifeboat, look after Delly and pray Gale and Thom (and her father, God her father was probably stuck here too) found a way to safety.

It was the only choice, really.

Gale could see the moment when everything became clear to Madge, when realization settled on her shoulders. Good, good, he thought, she's going to leave. Thank God. Madge squeezed his arms and he felt it like a brand on his skin, a touch he never, ever wanted to forget.

"I'll go," she whispered, voice trembling and he felt such a rush of relief he almost fell over. "But only if you promise me one thing," she continued and he felt his heart stop.

"Anything," he found himself saying, because it didn't matter, as long as she was away and safe, as long as she left before he fell apart entirely, as long as she got away before they all sunk down deep to the Atlantic floor.

"Promise me you won't ever give up. That no matter what, you'll do whatever it takes to make it off this thing."

Even laced through with tears, there was steel in her voice and his stomach clenched.

"Promise me," she repeated and he nodded.

"I promise," he swore and he knew he was lying because I'm going to die here, Ma, Posy, Vick, Rory, Katniss, Prim, I'm sorry. I love you. Oh God, I'm going to die.

"I'm so glad I met you," she whispered, soft, sweet and he felt a tragic fluttering beneath his ribs. She touched his face and her fingers were strangely warm on his cheek, her eyes bluer than any he'd ever seen.

"Me too," he mumbled and he was surprised his voice sounded so steady, a scream building up inside of him, of fear, anger, frustration, one so loud he thought it might split him apart. Madge leaned up and kissed him and I've only known you a few days, but dammit, I wish we had more time. Why can't we have more time?

She pulled away and wiped her eyes, her smile shaking. He tried to smile back but couldn't quite and they both turned back to Delly and Thom.

"You're gunna go with Madge and I'll...I'll see you later," Thom managed and Delly furrowed her brow.

"Come, you have to come too," she said and he shook his head.

"It's okay, it's alright. Don't worry, okay?"

Delly shook her head but accepted Thom's parting kiss, tears starting to gather at the corners of his eyes.

"I'll see you soon," he promised again and Madge gently took Delly by the arm.

"Come on, Delly, let's go."

"But..but…"

"It's okay, don't worry," Madge soothed and steered her over to the lifeboat. An officer helped them aboard and Gale found Madge's eyes with his. Good luck she mouthed, eyes bright with tears and he finally managed a grin. Thom moved to his side and together they watched the lifeboat lower, all the way down and still they didn't look away, watched as it rowed and rowed and rowed, leaving them far behind.

Promise me

He thought of Madge, of his family and he couldn't give up yet. He wanted more time, needed it, with all of them. This isn't the end, it can't be. He turned to Thom, relieved at least to have his oldest friend by his side. They didn't need to say anything, had no need for words and they started off together, sharing whatever courage they had.

There's no point in looking for a lifeboat, we have to find a way to stay on the ship as long as possible.

Posy, Ma, Rory, Vick, Katniss, Prim, Madge, I'll see you again. I promise.

I promise.

It was like living in a nightmare.

Madge held Delly tight as she watched the back end of the Titanic rise into the air, higher and higher, almost as if it meant to touch the stars.

This can't be happening.

(but it was, God help them all, it was)

Adrenaline, it seemed, did funny things.

Titanic was tilting, tilting, tilting, tipping everything and everyone into the frigid water below and yet Gale couldn't feel anymore fear, not even a drop. He held onto the railing with both hands and hauled himself towards the back of the ship, Thom following right behind him. All Gale could think, could feel was SURVIVE, beating against his skull and screaming in his chest. There was no room for anything else.

His arms didn't throb even though they should, his hands didn't feel numb even as they clung to the icy railing and Gale pulled and pulled, gravity be damned. Almost, almost, we can do this. People around him wailed and screamed, hung onto everything they could and Gale could see the back of the ship and the endlessness of the sky behind it, almost like the ship was sailing through the stars. He grunted and moved faster; dragging himself towards the closest thing to salvation he'd be able to find in this frozen Hell.

The back end would go under last, if he could get there, if he and Thom could both, they'd stand a much better chance. The longer they stayed out of the water, the better. He reached the hand rail at the very, very back of the ship and grabbed a hold of it, a hot relief boiling in his bones. We made it. He climbed over to the other side, knowing his arms wouldn't hold out if he had to hang from it and Thom did the same, the two of them shoulder to shoulder and ready to face the end.

We can do this, we can do this.

We can.

(we have to)

It sounded like the end of the world.

There was a noise, a noise she could never hope to put into words, a tearing, renting, screeching sound as Titanic split apart, as the front disappeared into the black velvet of the ocean and the back crashed down into normal position, the slap against the water like the loudest thunder.

"God have mercy," someone whispered and Madge nodded. This can't be real. It can't be.

But it wasn't over.

The back end suddenly began to rise again, faster this time until it was standing straight up, skimming the stars themselves. Everyone in her boat gasped but Madge couldn't, her whole body frozen over with horror. Father, Gale, Thom, oh God oh God

And then the last remaining half of the Titanic began to sink.

Down, down, down.

Gale wrapped his arms around the railing and this is it, this is it.

The ship was entirely vertical, ass in the air and Gale felt lightheaded, the rest of the world so very, very far away. They were going down, faster fasterfasterfaster and he tried to breathe, tried to keep the fear roaring in his ears at bay but he couldn't, could barely even think over the terror screaming inside him.

"Holy shit, holy shit…" Thom was whispering and Gale wanted to agree but his tongue didn't seem to work, his throat swollen closed. People were screaming, begging and still they fell, cold fingers slipping off railings and struts and anything else they could hold, their bodies crashing down to the inky black below. Sweet Jesus.

Gale heard a grunt beside him and looked to his left. There was a boy, a blonde boy with a sweaty face, clinging to the rail, his grip clearly slipping. Gale thought he maybe looked familiar and there was something odd inside him, something hot and burning, and without really thinking, he reached over and grabbed a fistful of the boy's jacket. He made a sound of panic, maybe thought Gale would push him to his death but Gale hauled him over the railing instead, dragging him up to safety. The boy gaped at him with big, wide eyes.

"Thank you," he breathed but Gale didn't answer, teeth gritted to keep himself from sobbing. Be brave, be strong, you promised everyone you'd make it out of this.

The water loomed closer, Gale's heart pounding so fast he thought it might burst his chest and he grabbed Thom's hand and squeezed as tight as he could.

I will make it.

He couldn't hear anyone else, not their wailing or weeping, could only hear the thunder of his own blood. Closer, closer, every second closer.

I will.

And then, finally, Titanic went under.

Madge stared and it was gone, the greatest ship the world had ever seen, it was gone.

Just…gone.