Chapter 13

As the night grew colder, and the cries for help died off Harlean looked around to the woman in the boats crying. They should go back, and Harlean tried to open her mouth to suggest this but she couldn't get the words out. The lifeboats were soon rounded up and she noticed Harold Lowe looking around, he looked back towards the cries and then to the people in the boats, "Right listen to me, we have to go back. I want to transfer all of the women from this boat into that one, as quick as you can please. Let's get some space in here, move forward and aft."

Harlean stood up and helped women get into the other boat, she was the last one out, "Good luck," she managed to say to Harold.

He nodded and helped her into the other boat.

XX

As the sun started to come up, the men on Collapsible B noticed a flare going off in the distance, and the Carpathia coming into view. They had slowly drifted towards the other boats, and though all were relieved though no one said anything. They were saved, but they had all listened through the night as people died.

XX

"Miss Carpenter, can you climb up the ladder?" She looked at the Officer who had asked her this and nodded.

Their boat was right up beside the ship and she took hold of the ladder and somehow managed to climb up it. When the boat fourteen had returned, they had three bodies in the boat, two survived the night, and one died. Harlean had since begun to hope and pray that Harold was on a boat that hadn't caught up to them yet, because if not…he was lost forever, and she knew she'd never survive this ordeal if he hadn't made it.

Once her feet touched solid ground, a woman rushed over and took the girl into her arms. She wrapped a blanket around her and got Harlean over to a seat.

A moment later Harlean was handed a cup of tea which she sipped, it did very little to warm her bones. She watched as all the passengers were helped onto the ship, looking for Harold.

"We have a boat that's turned over! The men on it have to be careful getting off!" she heard someone shout.

XX

Harold looked up the side of the ship as they figured a plan to get them off the boat, he then looked to the end of the boat and swallowed hard, there was a man, frozen to death clinging to the boat, "Jack," he whispered.

XX

One of the people Harlean recognized was Colonel Gracie, but he didn't stop to sit down and get warm, he stood and watched as the men got off the boat. Next was Charles Lightoller…maybe…just maybe…and that was when Harlean saw him; she stood up, dropped her tea cup and blanket and rushed over to the nurse who was helping Sparks. She took him into her arms and helped him over to the bench. It wasn't until he was seated with the blanket around him that Harold saw who it was that had grabbed him.

"Sparks," she whispered, emotion laced through out her voice, trying to keep the tears away.

Harold said nothing but pulled her onto the bench next to him and wrapped his arms around her, "I thought I had lost you," she sobbed into his chest.

A woman came over, "Sir…are you in need of any medical attention?"

Harold looked at the woman, keeping his arms around Harlean, "Yeah I think my legs need to be looked at, someone was sitting on them all night and now their in a great deal of pain," he answered.

Harlean looked from his face to his legs, "Are you alright?" she asked, trying to stop crying.

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll be alright," he answered with a slight smile.

"Well let's get you down into the Medical Bay," the woman said.

Harlean stood up and helped Harold with the other woman on his other side. Together they managed to get him below decks, she walked into the room with him and was going to sit with him but the doctor came over, "Miss you need to leave unless you are family," he said.

Harlean looked between the man and Harold, "I…well he's…we are not related…but I love him," she said.

"I'm sorry miss, only his family would be able to be in here, and unless you are his wife, or sister, you can not be in here," the man said.

Harlean sighed and leaned over and kissed Harold on the forehead, "I'll check in on you soon," she whispered.

Harold watched as she left the room and then began to explain the problem to the doctor. As he did this, the same woman who had come in with him and Harlean began to push the hair out of his face, and then he was taking a sip of liquor whiskey he presumed due to how warm his chest suddenly became.

Harlean sat down on the floor outside the Medical Bay, she didn't care if it wasn't proper or how dirty the floor was. There was no place to sit outside the room, and she didn't want to leave.

She watched for awhile as officers brought survivors down to either wait to see the doctor or go down to a cabin and rest. One or two officers stopped to see if she needed help but she just shook her head in a negative response and remained silent.

"Harlean Carpenter?"

She looked up and saw the doctor poking his head out the door, "Yes sir?" she asked, standing up.

"Though I shouldn't allow this…Mr Bride is insistent he talks to you, you two have five minutes," he said.

Harlean rushed past the man and sat down by Harold, he smiled at her, "It would appear I need to stay off my feet for a few days," he said.

"But you'll be okay?" Harlean asked.

He nodded then looked at the ceiling, "I think it stopped working when I wound up underwater, but your Uncle…he gave me something for you," Harold looked back at her and over to where his coat was hanging up to dry out, "It's in my pocket," he said.

Harlean stood up and stuck her hands into the pockets until they wrapped around a heavy solid, ice cold…watch. She slowly pulled it out and managed to not cry, she didn't even feel like it now.

"He asked me to tell you that…he loves you," Harold said softly.

She sat down and turned the watch around as she then opened the watch; it indeed had water inside the clock face and had stopped working around 2:35.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Now…I want you to go get something warm inside you and get some sleep, I'm not going anywhere so there are no worries about that," Harold replied.

Harlean put the watch into her pocket and nodded, she leaned over him gently and their lips met for a brief moment, gently but filled with so much love.

"I love you," Harold said.

"I love you too," Harlean whispered, truly not wanting to leave his side, but knowing she had to.

She then turned around and left the room, the doctor watched as she left and then looked to Harold, "Well that should be enough to get you feeling better," he said, trying to smile at the man, despite the tragedy he had just endured.

"I promised her Uncle I would take care of her, and when we get to New York and I receive the money…I'm going to buy her a ring and marry her," Harold said, watching as Harlean disappeared up the hall and then as the doctor closed the door…

XX

A/N- That was really quite sad, don't cha think? I was going to write more to that last comment, but I thought it was quite good. Anyone else getting into the Christmas Spirit? I dunno why, all of a sudden it's taken over and I've been listening to Christmas music all night! Well earlier I was listening to John Barrowman…but I'm listening to Christmas again…Anywhos….

It be…27 more days till my Sweet 16! I want to get this story done before that happens…I want this done before the Year is over…that is my goal…

If I don't update by next Thursday…I hope all you yanks have a happy turkey day! I'm looking forward to a good one…though I do hope I update within in the next week! Anywhos…gonna update this then I gotta get in bed! All my love!

Beccs! ^_^