An Ocean Between Us
Epilogue One

Thursday, April 18, 1912
Carve Your Name Across My Heart

The rain stung Madge's eyes as the Carpathia arrived in New York, Titanic's meager survivors finally reaching their destination. Madge squeezed the handrail and there was no excitement in her now, no swell of hope or happiness. There was a just an exhaustion she couldn't shake, one seeped in misery and heartbreak. The ice from that night seemed to live inside her and everything still felt a little like a dream.

(a nightmare)

How could any of this be real?

(The water was so cold, so fucking cold Gale couldn't think and Thom! Thom! But was he even shouting? He couldn't tell and fuck fuck fuck fuck, Thom!)

Madge knew she should count her blessings.

She was alive, Delly was alive, and both their mothers and Delly's brother had made it as well. Even that blonde boy that had pointed them towards their lifeboat, Peeta his name was, had made it and he'd brought great news with him.

He was second class like them and they'd heard him searching through the huddled, wretched remains of the second class passengers, calling out for Delly. They'd waved him down, desperate for any news and he explained how he'd survived by climbing on the back of an overturned lifeboat, but most important for them had been the boy beside him, a boy named Thom. Delly, seemingly recovered from her head bump, had burst into tears and Madge had held her tight, both elated and terrified. Peeta'd smiled kindly and said Thom had asked him to find Delly and assure her that he was alright and he was, Peeta promised, safe and sound with the rest of the third class survivors.

He'd had no word of Gale.

(Gale couldn't find Thom, could barely think through the cold and he tried to keep swimming, moving but God he was suddenly so, so tired. Maybe if I just rested a second…

"Over here, son! Over here!"

For a moment, for just one frozen second, Gale was sure his father was calling him but no, that wasn't possible. He's dead, just like I'm about to be…

It was a man, one probably his father's age but with a rounder face and fairer hair. He was waving at Gale, shouting words Gale could barely make out over all the wailing, screaming, praying but Gale swam over anyways, needed to keep his blood pumping. The man was hanging onto a large wooden door, his torso kept out of the icy water and he was gesturing for Gale to come closer, closer, closer.

"Yes, yes, here. Grab hold. You need to keep afloat," the man said in a warm, soothing sort of voice and Gale did as he was told, grasping firmly onto the door.

"Are you alright?" the man asked and it suddenly occurred to Gale how strange this was. Why was this random man helping him? Why not climb on top of the door and save himself?

"Why…why are you doing this?" Gale managed through chattering teeth.

"Help will be coming, the lifeboats will be back for us," the man said firmly and Gale almost found himself believing it too. "We all need to stay as warm as we can until then."

That didn't make sense, but then nothing made sense.

God, he was so fucking cold)

There had been no word of Gale, nor of her or Delly's father. Were they all dead? It was a terrible thought, one that shook Madge deep down in her bones and it couldn't be true, could it? But what if it was? What if they were all gone?

Madge had barely slept since they'd been found by the Carpathia and that was the thought that haunted her.

What if they're all gone?

("Keep talking to me. We need to stay awake," the man said and Gale nodded, forcing words out of his frosted throat.

"M-my n-name is Gale. I'm…I'm from L-London…")

Madge followed her mother off the boat onto the dock and held tight to Delly's hand. Hope dwindled in her chest and she knew there was no chance her father, Gale or Delly's father had survived. So many had been lost. So, so many.

They were gone.

She had to accept that, had to somehow learn to live with the loss. Even though her heart felt like it was being torn to shreds, even thought she wanted to sob and never stop. How could they be gone?

I never even said goodbye.

Madge felt the tears coming, felt her knees quake and her stomach toss. They're gone, they're gone, oh god, why? It's not fair, it's not right! Why why why! Oh God, father, Gale…God…why?

"Madge!" Delly said suddenly and Madge looked up, eyes burning. She followed Dellys' line of sight and…

He was alive.

He was alive.

(Joseph Undersee looked at Gale and knew what he had to do.

The poor boy had passed out, too cold to stay awake and if Joseph didn't do something soon, that young man would die. Help was coming, he had to believe that, but it was clear now that they wouldn't both live to see it arrive. If they stayed in the water, they'd freeze and Joseph could feel his consciousness starting to fog, could feel numbness creeping into all his limbs. He had more fat on him than Gale, extra insulation he'd always laughed when Margaret tried to make him eat better, and that had to be what was saving him so far, what was keeping him awake just a little bit longer.

It would be simple of course; to climb on top of this door and live but Joseph knew he couldn't do that.

I'm sorry Margaret, he thought as he shuffled around to Gale, the water stinging and stabbing at his legs. I promised I'd see you again soon, promised I'd find Madge and make sure she got off safe. I'm so so sorry.

I'm sorry Madge, he thought as he hefted Gale up onto the door, the effort stealing all the breath from his ice coated lungs. I swore I'd find you, swore I'd always keep you safe. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.

Joseph panted and used the last of his strength to rub Gale's sopping legs, hoping against hope that he could get his blood pumping. You're young, you're strong, don't give up Gale, not yet. This was the end, Joseph knew that, but maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be Gale's end.

Forgive me Margaret, Madge. I love you)

Gale was alive.

He was standing just down the dock and she didn't know how, didn't know why but it didn't matter.

He was alive!

He turned as if by magic, as if he sensed her there and when their eyes met, Madge felt it straight down to her toes.

He's alive!

Madge stopped thinking, stopped breathing and ran.

He's alive!