Ballard was ready in time for the Centennial but he knew he'd only have one chance at this. Titanic was on her last legs. The only thing that kept her going was the prospect of seeing sunlight again. Ballard was careful to keep other curious ship out of the area as they gathered. By now the whole world knew what was going on here and the whole world was watching. Ballard enlisted the help of Gomar Explorer. The old ship had been commissioned by the US navy to raise a Soviet submarine from deep waters. She easily could raise Titanic's bow. The stern was scheduled to be raised the next year.
"Ready on my end." Glomar said. "Ready on mine." came the faint reply from one of the submarines. Glomar began hoisting and at first the lines remained slack, then they pulled taught. "Ouch! Goddamn mud!" Ballard couldn't help but laugh. "A fine Edwardian lady like you, cussing?" He asked. "Shut up." Titanic grumbled as she began her long journey up to the surface. It took hours but eventually she was within sight. "I see something!" A lookout cried. Ballard rushed to railing in time to see the water froth and roil and seconds later, the bow of ocean liner pierced the surface. Titanic took her first gulp of atmospheric hydrogen in 100 years. Her crimson eyes shot open and she could see the sun just beginning to set. Glomar had her hauled onto a platform that he'd set up for her and began to tow her towards New York. "Thank you." Titanic said. "Of course dear lady." He replied. Titanic ducked her head shyly, the makings of a blush appearing upon her bow. "You flatter me." She muttered. Glomar merely laughed.
A flotilla of vessels greeted her in New York. Glomar forced his way past them and headed for the navy yard and drydocks. "Arleigh!" He called. "Hmm?" The US navy's fleet healer looked up, turning towards the sound of his voice. Her blind gaze penetrated his hull. "Glomar, that you?" He asked. "What's wrong?" "Nothing's wrong, just got a ship for ya to patch up." He replied. "What's the damage?" Arleigh sighed, already turning to her herb store. "Herbs won't help here. How good are your welding skills, or riveting for that matter?" Glomar asked. "Still up to par." Arleigh replied. "Why?" "Well let's just say Humpty Dumpty needs to be put back together!" Glomar replied. "Hey!" Titanic exclaimed. "You're comparing me to that old egg." "Well it's true." He replied. "Hmph." She sniffed. Arleigh's eyes were wide in shock. "I'm sure I can figure something out. I'll have to talk to Olympia though. She knows more about riveting than I. Bring her in." She ordered. Glomar scooped Titanic out of the water. The ocean liner squealed in surprise. "Glomar!" She gasped. He chuckled. "The drydock's this way madam." He replied. "Now you're mocking me." She scowled. "Ah admit it you like it." He said. She merely huffed in reply but she didn't protest when he placed a kiss on her cheek before backing away.
Arleigh shared a few words with Ballard before coming in. "Alright dearie, I'm gonna put you under then I'm gonna see what I can do about keeping that open part of your hull covered until your stern can be recovered." She said. Titanic sighed. "Do what you can Arleigh, I ask nothing more." She replied. The medicine Arleigh gave her was strong and she remained unconscious for nearly 2 years. Glomar stayed with her as often as he could. His face was the first Titanic saw when she woke.
"Ngh, Glomar?" She rasped. "Right here darling." Glomar replied, leaning over the drydock wall to nuzzle her. She purred. "You look beautiful." He said. "Such a charmer." She giggled. "You do." He insisted. "You're in completely one piece now." He said. "And my livery?" She asked. "Arleigh said that's up to you. You can change it, if you want. Cunard might decide to employ you. Your engines have been upgraded to burn oil and the piping's been diverted so you only need to use one of your four funnels. The rest are just dummies. Your range has been increased to 12,000 miles at 14 knots and your top speed has improved too, thanks to the bulb Arleigh added. You can now comfortably cruise at 30 knots with a top speed of 36." "36 knots?!" Titanic repeated incredulously. "Yep." Glomar grinned with a special pronunciation on the "P". Titanic rolled her eyes.
Arleigh sailed in with a passenger onboard. Titanic found herself nearly hypmotized by those piercing green eyes he had. "RMS Titanic." He greeted with a 20th century gentleman's bow. Titanic dipped her head in return. "My name is Dirk Pitt. I'm with the National Underwater and Marine Agency, NUMA for short." "A pleasure Mr. Pitt. What can I do for you?" Titanic asked, straightening up. "I'm here to make a job offer. There are several options open to you right now, I felt it fair to offer you the best one." Pitt said. "I'm listening." Titanic said. "Your choices are either to return to your old surface as an ocean liner. Only Cunard though does transatlantic passages nowadays but it's not a very profitable business anymore so you'd most likely be sent to the Caribbean to be a cruise ship." Titanic winced. "Not a chance, what's the next option?" She asked. "Most people are rooting for this. Become a museum. You're an old ship Titanic, and I personally would not mind it if you chose to be one." Pitt said. She shrugged. "I may be old but I don't feel it. I went into hibernation for 73 years and was in and out of it for another 27. I only feel the 10 months I was when I sank." She said. "Then that leaves us with the third option. Join NUMA." Pitt said. "And what would I do with NUMA?" She asked. "What the rest of our ships do. We search for shipwrecks and sometimes we raise them, sometimes we don't." Pitt replied. "I heard you had a hand in finding me." She said. Pitt nodded. "Yes. I was in one of the first submarines to dive down to you." He replied. "I thought I recognized you." She murmured. "Very well then Mr. Pitt, we have a deal." She agreed. "Drop the mister, Titanic. I'm not that old yet." Pitt laughed. "Very well then Dirk." She said.
It was a few months later that the ships of NUMA gathered to greet the newest of their number. Dirk was careful not to mention Titanic by name as he wanted it to be a surprise. Soon enough, a loud whistle was heard and Titanic, after successfully completing her sea trials with her new engines, rounded the spit into New York harbor. She was painted in NUMA's livery. A turquoise blue hull gleamed under a white superstructure and her four funnels were dark blue with a black cap. The American flag flew from her forward mast. Her crimson eyes sparkled. Several ships' jaws dropped. "No fucking way!" gasped one. Pitt chuckled. Titanic halted in front of him. "Ships of NUMA, may I present to you the newest of our number, the Research Steam Ship Titanic!" At two ships sounded their whistles and eventually all the gathered ships were sounding. Titanic's blue paint didn't hide her blush as well as her black paint did and her cheeks turned purple. Glomar laughed and kissed her cheek which only made the liner blush more but nevertheless she decided to surprise him and caught him in a kiss on the lips. Glomar seemed surprised but his hesitation only lasted for a second and he'd scooped the now nearly 55,000 ton liner up against his side. "I love you." She said. "About time." He purred and kissed her again.