A/N: Hey guys, I'm really sorry that it took so long for me to post this one but I have an excellent excuse. I have been in the hospital for the last few dies writhing in agony over my four-you heard me, FOUR-kidney stones. I don't know if you've ever had a kidney stone, but let me tell you, I've never been in more pain in my life. My ma says they hurt worse then labor. So, uh, yeah...don't be mad. I'm high like a kite on hydrocodone right now and I still hurt...so yeah...enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy, Squeenix, or any of the affiliates.

Rikku, Sunday April 15, 1912, 12:30 am

"It's so cold!" Rikku exclaimed as they moved, thankful that the water only came up to their feet. She couldn't imagine going on if it were any higher. The place seemed completely deserted as they moved, but they could hear voices yelling farther down the hall. They continued on until they reached a large mass of people crowded on and around a staircase. At the very top, the black gate was drawn closed and locked. People were pressed up against it, screaming and yelling, the words unintelligible due to the sheer amount of voices.

"What are they doing?" Auron snapped. "There are people down here! Are they just going to lock them up to die?" Rikku nodded wordlessly, taking his hand, suddenly extremely scared. She realized that she hadn't been as worried before because of her station. She was a first class female. No doubt there would be room for her on the lifeboats. Now, though, they were stuck down there. Auron growled angrily and began pushing his way toward the tops of the stairs. He pulled Rikku along with him by her hand. The blonde quickly grabbed her cousin's hand as well, and they went up like a chain. Auron reached the gate and grabbed it with one hand, giving it an angry jerk.

"You can't lock us down here like this, we're human beings!" he growled. The steward spoke.

"I'm sorry. Really I am, but it's captain's orders. Women and children first, then the men. If we let you all up now, the decks will be flooded. You'll have to wait patiently."

"Dammit, there are women and children down here!"

Rikku looked back and met Yuna's eyes, certain that they both recognized that voice. The clipped tones of the accent.

"I'm sorry, sir, it's out of my hands…"

"How the hell is it out of your hands? You have the damn keys right there!"

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to please calm down."

Rikku and Yuna pushed past the rest of the people in front of them, Rikku coming to stand beside Auron and Yuna wriggling her way to the very front.

"Tidus," she said, staring at the blonde man who now stared back in a mix of shock, regret, and worry.

"Yuna, what are you doing down here?" he demanded, his voice coming out as barely more then a whisper. "You should be up on deck…you should be on a boat by now…"

"I…I came look for you. I didn't want to leave without knowing that you were okay…Tidus are you really going to leave all these people down here?" she asked.

"I don't want to, Yuna…it's my job…"

When Yuna spoke again, her voice was harsher. "I hardly think that matters, Tidus! You and I both know Titanic is sinking. Does the class distinction really matter? Let us out so we can all have a chance at survival. I was just on deck. Most of the first class is lazing about, not worried at all. If they aren't going to rush to get on a lifeboat, shouldn't these people have a chance?"

Tidus faltered for a long moment before he nodded.

"Of course. Of course you're right. What does it matter if I lose my job? In a few hours my workplace will be nonexistent." He fumbled with his keys, looking for the right one before sticking it into the gate. Just as he did so, another steward came rushing down the stairs.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded. "You know your orders!"

"To hell with orders!" Tidus spat. "We're all going to die if we stay down here following orders!" He unlocked the gate and Auron instantly shoved them open, pushing both girls out before him.

"Come, this way!" Tidus said to them. "We'll take the crewmen's passage, it's quicker." He led them down side passage and they came upon an elevator. He shoved the doors aside and ushered the girls inside.

"The operation is simple enough, all right? Just pull this lever all the way up; it will take you all the way up to A deck." Yuna stared at him hard and he merely stared back. All was silent for a long moment as Yuna shook her head slowly.

"You're coming, aren't you?"

Tidus looked a bit heartbroken as he shook his head.

"It would be pointless, love. Completely disregarding the fact that I'm male, I'm part of the crew. I couldn't get on a lifeboat. It simply won't be allowed. I can do my part, though. I have the keys to most places on this ship. I can unlock the gates. I can give people a chance."

Rikku, still clutching tightly to Auron's hand, thought it was a very noble thing to do. Still, her heart went out to Yuna. At least Auron would stay by her side until the very moment she was put on a boat. Tidus was trusting that Rikku would see to it that her cousin was safe. His cerulean eyes hadn't left Yuna's face, but Rikku could feel it radiating off of him.

"Come Miss Yuna," Auron spoke quietly, trying to keep from sounding insensitive, but sounding urgent all the same. Yuna shook her head slowly, almost imperceptibly.

"Yunie…" Rikku tried, afraid of the words that she knew would soon cross the brunette's lips.

"No," Yuna spoke. Her voice was quiet, but strong and decisive. Her mind would not be changed on the matter.

"Yuna, go with them…"

"No!" Yuna snapped, suddenly not the docile and quiet girl that Rikku was so used to. "No, I won't! I told you earlier, I'm not leaving this ship without you! I won't!" She actually stomped her foot for affect, sending water splashing all over the place. Rikku noticed that it had inched higher, now up to mid-calf. Tidus looked helpless for a moment, and then shook his head.

"Yuna, if I let you come with me now, will you promise me that you'll get on a boat?"

"No, Tidus. I can't leave the ship without…" Tidus cut her off, looking hard at Auron.

"I want you to get her on a boat, no matter what. Carry her if you have to, just do it. Please."

Yuna's eyes widened and she shook her head quickly.

"No! Don't. I'll get on a boat, I promise. Just please…don't leave me yet." Tidus nodded briskly, looking unhappy, but slightly satisfied. Rikku paused, watching her cousin and the steward. She then looked at Auron, who heaved a sigh and massaged the bridge of his nose.

"You won't go without Yuna, will you?" he asked tiredly. Rikku shook her head and Auron sighed again.

"I don't suppose forcibly putting you on a boat would help?"

Rikku shook her head, fighting a smile despite the dire circumstances. "I'd probably jump off once we were lowered to B deck. I can't leave without Yuna, Auron." He sighed and nodded.

"All right. I believe this will be a rather large rescue party, then." Tidus started to shake his head, but with a look from Yuna, he just gave up.

"You are all fools," he sighed. "They're your lives, I guess." He took Yuna's hand and rushed down the hallway. They followed, sloshing water everywhere. Rikku was shivering, her heavy overcoat not doing much to help against the freezing temperature of the water. She couldn't imagine being completely submerged in it. The thought alone made her skin prickle. Most of the gates they passed had no one behind them, but Tidus took the time to unlock them anyway, just in case. The longer they went, the deeper the water got. It was to Rikku's waist by the time they came across a gate with people behind it. She wasn't exactly sure of the time, but if she had to guess, she'd say it had been over an hour since the engines had stopped. She wondered if there were any lifeboats left and, if there were, would there still be by the time they reached the A deck. The steward stationed at the gate had a gun drawn and pushed into the chest of a man behind the gate. Rikku, with an inhalation of breath, recognized him as the Irish man who had so kindly taught her the dance that first night in steerage.

"You can't just hold us down here!" he was arguing. "We've got wee ones! You're killing them, you are."

"I've got my orders," the steward said stiffly, keeping his gun firmly planted. "You're to stay down here."

"Donovan," Tidus spoke up, clamping a hand on the man's shoulder. "Let them out, it's no good now. They'll die if you don't let them out. Do you really want that on your hands?" The steward turned and glared angrily a Tidus.

"You go ahead and throw away your duties when they going gets rough, but I won't! I know what my orders are, and I plan to uphold them!"

"It doesn't matter anymore, don't you see?" Rikku cried, annoyed with the man's pompousness. "You're just being a murderer, denying them even the chance at life! He says there are children down there, children! Are you honestly willing to let them die to uphold your honor?"

The man stared at her coldly. "It would do you good, miss, to hold your tongue. Women are meant to be seen, not heard."

Rikku glowered at him and she heard a low growl from behind her. Auron took a menacing step forward, but the man switched the gun quickly, now having it trained on Auron's chest.

"No foul moves from you. I'm not afraid to plant a bullet in you right now. I'd never get charged for it…" He came to an abrupt stop his eyes rolling to the back of his head. He crumpled to the floor and Tidus set down the fire hose he'd used to knock the man unconscious.

"Let's continue on, shall we?" he said, not caring that the man would drown in moments from his collapsed position, his face under the water. In all honesty, Rikku found that she didn't care either. Auron scooped the gun up and checked to see if the bullets had gotten wet. They apparently hadn't, because he tucked the gun away. Rikku didn't know if he would actually use it, but perhaps it was just a scare tactic. Tidus pulled the newly unlocked gate open, nodding at the flurries of thanks he received.

"Let's keep moving. There're three or four more gates left, though by how fast the water's moving, I don't know if we'll reach them all." The water was about mid-thigh on the men, but Rikku and Yuna were substantially shorter then them.

Auron reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a pocket watch, flipping it open and frowning at the time.

"What time did we hit?" he asked, directing the question to Tidus.

"I'd say a quarter till midnight," he answered with a frown.

"It's almost one o' clock," Auron said quietly. Rikku felt her heart skip a beat. She realized for the first time that she was frightened. More then frightened, really. She was absolutely petrified. She didn't wish to die and she desperately wanted to protect those close to her. Her father, Auron, even Tidus. There wouldn't be boats for them and she knew that. As much as they might try to convince her, she knew that there just weren't enough boats for everyone. Tidus shook his head and stopped his quick pace down the hall.

"It's too late," he said. "All the lower decks will have been completely flooded. I've a different responsibility now." He looked at Yuna and Rikku knew that they were going to head up to A deck and get in boats, if there were any. She wasn't sure if she was ready to let go yet, but she knew she had to.

The Titanic truly was sinking and there was nothing left to do about that then to be sure that she survived.

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A/N: I'm not really sure I like the way this chapter turned out. It doesn't seem as action-packed as it should be, but I don't want to totally rip off the movie because that would be boring and unoriginal. I hope you're not as disappointed with it as I am. Reviews are greatly appreciated.