Erik, Marabelle and I had moved to the 'mess hall' for our dinner, which was surprising compaired to the meal that we had served to us for breakfast. The fresh fish and asparagus was delightful and after some coaxing to Marabelle to try asparagus, she tried and as polite as she could, she spit it into her napkin. Erik seemed to find this amusing where as I had found it slightly annoying. My mother would have scalded me for doing such an act; but I wasn't my mother. I wasn't going to let this get to me; at least she had tried it.

The rest of our day was spent in my room as we would spend time with Marabelle, although she spent most of her time napping. The poor child had been exhausted, and I was sure that it was her way of grieving. Erik and I spent time on the floor, while Marabelle spent time on the bed and when it was time for supper, she rose without question and was once again her normal bubbly self.

Supper had passed with the same food that was being served for dinner, except instead of asparagus, they had boiled potatoes, which was a welcome taste. My eyes felt heavy after the meal and I excused myself, leaving Erik and Marabelle to finish their supper. My emotions had been running high and when I had reached my room, I was utterly exhausted, so much so I didn't want to open the door. I laughed slightly as my arms had felt like led as I raised them to unlock it.

Somehow I had made it to my bed after I had unlocked the door, for when I woke up in the middle of the night, I had two extra bodies in the bed with me. Erik was at my back, and Marabelle was at my front with Erik's arm wrapped around the two of us. A tear silently slid down my face, my new family had risen from the watery depths of the ocean, of a travesty, it was like a phoenix and I couldn't have been happier.

Days later, on April 20th, we arrived at the statue of liberty and she was beautiful. Her arm extended in the air with a torch that was symbolic to the American people; the crown perched atop her head seemed so far away, but it was beautiful all the same, the book she held in her hand was unreadable, but I was almost sure that it was the bible. Her copper robes glistened as the sun bathed her in light. The statue was truly a symbol of American freedom and I could feel the pride that radiated off the statue.

"Christine?" Marabelle moved up beside me and took my hand "What's that?"

I smiled and looked down at the girl "Well, that's the statue of liberty. The French gave it to the American's in the late eighteen hundreds." I smiled "She's beautiful isn't she?"

Marabelle nodded and looked up at me, her hair fell into her face, despite my feeble attemps to braid it earlier in the day. "Not as beautiful as you though." She smiled and looked back at the statue, which was lolling by slowly.

I smiled and pushed her hair away from her eyes gently before I turned to look back at the skyline of New York City. The sky scrapers were magnificent and they played with the sky which was a magnificent blue. Not a cloud in the sky today; the day that was supposed to be for Titanic. I sighed slightly and looked down at the child holding my hand, she was so innocent, yet she was so grown up at the same time, and I remembered being like that. Perhaps that was why I was so drawn to Marabelle, she and I were one of the same.

When the Carpathia docked at the New York harbor, we were given instructions on how to exit the boat. First class passengers first, like always. Erik, Marabelle and I had no belongings except for the clothes on our back. I made a mental note that during our stay in New York we'd have to buy some clothes as we couldn't possibly stay in the same clothes for another two weeks on our way back to England.

The hotels in America were offering free room and board for a few days only, which after all we had been through, was just enough or maybe not enough, I wasn't sure. My excitement to tour the city had grown as I sauntered down the walk way, Marabelle between Erik and I, as if we were afraid to lose her off the narrow way.

I stopped at the end of the walkway and looked at the land below me. I wished I had came to America with the rest of the Daae family, my family. I inhaled slightly and lifted my skirts as my right foot came in contact with the concrete of the New York Harbor. The feeling of solid land almost made me dizzy, I still had my sea legs as one would call it, but it didn't stop me from moving forward. I straightened up as another foot touched the solidness of New York City and it took all in me not to run off in a different direction from the ship. I grabbed Marabelle by the hand and Erik had stood by me and grabbed me by the hand as well. Flashes of cameras went off as we walked down the isle, away from the ship that had saved us, away from the memories that haunted us; at least for a little while.

I inhaled slightly and looked over to Erik, who had to tilt his head down slightly just to look at me. It made me smile, and it was comforting that he would always be taller than I, and that I would always have him to literally look up to "Where are we going?" I questioned.

Erik looked around "Well, I grabbed a voucher for…." He pulled it out of his pocket "The Gotham Hotel." He shrugged "I heard it was a posh place, perfect for you Christine." He winked at me "It's not too far from here, I believe that we should walk, it's a wonderful day in the city, or at least I think it's a wonderful day." He laughed slightly.

Marabelle looked up at Erik who towered over the girl "Erik?" She looked up at him and he looked down at her "How long are we going to be here?"

He pursed his lips and started towards the direction of the hotel, or at least I had hoped it was the direction of the Gotham hotel "Well, we are here for at least a week, until the new ship is ready to depart from the harbor."

Marabelle seemed unhappy "But why can't we leave tomorrow?"

Erik seemed annoyed, I could tell that raising Marabelle would prove to be a much more difficult task for Erik than it would be for me. "Because the next ship departs in a week, I promise."

I looked at Marabelle and smiled slightly "What do you say we go tour the city? See what America has to offer?" I smiled slightly "I saw a sign back there for ice cream." I raised my eyebrows and looked up at Erik "And if Erik is feeling up to it, we can get new clothes. There must be a bank around here somewhere." I mumbled to myself. This concrete jungle was different than the one back home, foreign in concept.

He smiled and ruffled Marabelle's hair who seemed to enjoy the display of effection Erik was giving her. Then I realized that's how her braid had messed up earlier "Of course, I'm up for it. Who could not be up for some shopping with two pretty ladies?" He winked over at me.

Marabelle beamed up at me and smiled "He said we were pretty, didchu hear that?" she smiled

I laughed slightly and nodded "Yes, I did. Erik is always a gentleman." I smiled and held his hand tightly. He looked at me and smiled, he seemed happy, he seemed content.

His eyes made their way down to the piece of paper in his hand and his brow knitted together "What street is this Christine?"

I frowned slightly and looked up at the street sign "West street" I said quetley as a lady walked past me looking at me strangely.

He seemed not to notice the strange looks we have started to aquire "Well, great!" he threw his hands up in the air "We're just a street over." I looked at him, honestly shocked. His actions suggested he was angry, although he wasn't angry at all. He looked over at me and smiled "I know how to get around pretty well." He boasted and it caused Marabelle to laugh and both actions made me smile.

"What street?" I questioned which prompted him to look down at the paper again

"Greenwich street." He said raising an eyebrow, the scar following the eyebrow raise in a pristine manner. It made me love the man at my side even more. I laid my head on his shoulder as we walked, making it slightly awkward to walk, but comfortable none the less.

Erik, Marabelle and I made our way to Greenwich street, which was nothing on like it was in England. I was disappointed but none the less ready to take a shower, seeing as if the Gotham hotel had a shower, I was sure they did. Erik had checked us in to The Gotham hotel and we had received our key, which was a tiny brass one. They paled in comparison to the slightly larger silver and gold ones the Titanic had, the ones that were still safely on Erik's hip.

We boarded the elevator, much to my dismay. I had backed into the corner and turned a horrible shade of white. Marabelle said I had looked like one of the sheep they had before they had to sell it. It made me laugh when she mentioned something about cutting my curls like she did the sheep's and proceeded to make 'scissors' with her first and middle finger and pretended to cut my hair.

We finally reached the top floor, and into our room which was rather small. Two beds sat in one room with a tiny bathroom off to the side in another room. A sitting room was adjourned through a large hole in the wall, but it wasn't filled with fancy furnature like the Titanic. I leaned in the doorway to the sitting room and closed my eyes. I had to stop comparing everything I had seen to the titanic. Nothing was going to compare, nothing.

"Something wrong with the room, love?" Erik said as he moved in behind me, wrapping his arms around my tiny waist.

I sighed slightly and leaned into him, placing my hands ontop of his "No, nothing. It's perfect." I sighed once again "Which bed did Mary take?" I questioned.

He glanced behind him "The one on the left." He chuckled

I smiled wearly and looked back at the sitting room "Do you think you and Mary could take a tour of the city? I didn't realize how tired I was until now. All the emotions of the week seemed to have taken a toll on me." I smiled slightly.

"Of course." He moved his hands away from my waist and moved into the bedroom "Marabelle, let's go exploring shall we? Christine is tired."

"D'aww.." Marabelle made her way towards me and wrapped her arms around my waist "I wish you could come with us Christine." She pouted.

I laughed and yawned slightly "Well, perhaps tomorrow."

She nodded and smiled before she grabbed Erik's large hand "Can we find a toy store!" she said excitedly as she and Erik both walked out of the door.

Authors Note: Like how I threw in a bit of batman in this here story ;) can't take the nerd out of the girl, even if she never left it anyway. By the way, as I write this, it's may fourth, you'll get this much much later than may fourth, but may the fourth be with you ;)