Sheldon gripped to the bow of the life boat as it was pushed farther away from the ship as the funnel fell. His closest friend was gone. While the whole thing was tragic and he knew that numerous people will have lost family and friends; but he was sure it wasn't going to be him.

He knew that Penny and Millie were relatively safe with them being in an appropriate lifeboat. He cursed himself for not making sure that Peg and Thomas had made it safely to the main deck. His concern though wasn't them. His concern was the two young woman who he really wished he was holding at that moment.

Sheldon tried as he might to drown out the sounds of screaming people as they fought to survive in the freezing water. He even tried to shuffle himself to cover he ears with his arms. But that proved to be very painful. "Ow!" he screamed. Positive that he had quite a few broken ribs, he had to settle in a position that was the least painful and wait for anything to happen.

XXXXX

Leonard held his breath as the ship took its final plunge into the dark water. He kicked and pulled himself to the surface. "Ah" he gasped for breath. He looked around for anything that could keep him afloat while he waited for one of the lifeboats to come back; which he was sure was going to happen.

Everywhere people were screaming, crying, fighting to stay alive. "Help us!"

Leonard pushed his way through shoving people aside when needed. Nothing seemed to be able to hold him; he tried a chair, a small table. Each item sunk with his weight.

He was freezing, he was beginning to lose feeling in his feet and the feeling was moving up his body. He wasn't sure how much more time that he had.

XXXXX

Penny felt that the screams were the worst part. She knew that they needed help "we have to go back for them!" she said the crewman.

"We can't do that if we do they will fill the boat and we will all be dead. No we are waiting here."

Penny couldn't believe it. "You mean we are going to let them die when we have room?"

"Do you have a death wish or something lady. I said we aren't going back."

"You are going to have nightmares of those screams, and you are always going to remember that you could have saved more people." Penny spat as she pulled Millie closer to her. Millie looked up at Penny "What's going to happen now?"

Penny brushed a stray hair from Millie's face "well we are going to wait for the recue ship where we will see your mama, papa and Sheldon. Everything will be fine" she said gently not fully believing her own words.

Millie buried her face back into Penny's chest and cried. She softly cried until she fell asleep which relieved Penny. However she did keep checking to make she was just sleeping.

The screams went on and on for another 15 minutes then everything was silent. Now Penny knew that was much worse than the screams. Least with the screams you knew that people still had a fighting chance. Silence well it was over. Looking up at the sky she saw all the shooting stars and recalled the conversation she had with Sheldon only the other night. Was Sheldon part of the silent now? She wished she knew.

XXXXXX

"Alright men we are going to put the women from this boat into that one" Officer Lowe ordered as he pointed from his own lifeboat 14 to lifeboats 12 and 10.

"I am going back to look for survivors any volunteers?" he asked. A few men offered and the rowed back to the wreck.

"Hello is anyone alive? Can you hear me?" his voice boomed in the cold.

Leonard floated close by. Barely able to move. His breathing had gotten slower, he was shutting down. The thought of giving up crossed his mind but he was a Hofstadter and Hofstadter's don't quit.

He wiggled his toes, then his feet, then his legs until he was slowly moving towards the voice.

"Hello is anyone alive out there? Can you hear me?" Lowe called again. Leonard made the biggest splash that he could muster hoping that it would do the trick. His last memory was being pulled into the boat.

They picked up four other people in a sea of thousands.

XXXXX

Sheldon softly sang "soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy Kitty sleepy kitty purr purr purr." Over and over again. The song that usually made him feel instantly better was doing nothing. He was alone- save the others who are trapped on this flipped lifeboat.

The ship had been gone for 40 minutes by now, based on the count he was doing in his head.

Suddenly he heard a shout from the one of the men "Look a rocket!" He looked up and saw the white flash across the sky. It was still very far away, he figured at least two hours. "Great" he said.

XXXX

"Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr" Penny sang to herself and Millie. The silly song that Sheldon had taught her really did make her feel better. She rocked back and forth trying to keep herself together. "Oh my stars" Amelia said.

"What?" Penny asked.

"It's a rocket; from a rescue ship. We are going to be saved!" She smiled. Penny looked in the direction of another rocket. "It is so far away" she complained.

"Don't you dare quit on me now" Amelia scolded. She turned towards the crewman "we should row closer to the rockets."

"Why did I get stuck with the boat with annoying women?" the man said.

"What is your name sir?" Amelia asked. "James" came the reply.

"Well James; while you may think we are annoying we are not going to sit here and freeze. If we row towards the rockets we won't drift that far away, and the motion of us rowing will warm our bodies which will help us. Now you can either help us or get thrown overboard your choice." Amelia was amazing the whole boat cheered.

Fearing what these crazy women would do to him James commanded them to row.

"You amaze me Amelia" Penny said.

"And you amaze me dearie" she squeezed Penny's hand.

XXXXX

Howard helped row the boat far away from the ship. Bernadette buried her face in his chest when the boats lights went out. He sighed a big breath of relief knowing that she was alright. However he knew that she wouldn't be alright until she knew that Penny was well. He feared that it was something she could not get. He hoped that someone had guided her to a boat and that she actually got into it.

But Penny was stubborn and violent, he knew from experience as his nose was still sore. They drifted in the water more lifeboats came around them but none of them had Penny. Bernadette pushed Howard aside every time a new one pulled up. "Penny? Penelope" she called to no avail.

"Howard what if she didn't make it and she never gets to know that I believe her" Bernadette sobbed.

"Penelope is a fighter. She is going to make it." Howard pulled her closer only believing his own words a little.

XXXXXX

"Tom!" was the last thing that Peg was able to utter before a rush of water burst into the hallway dragging them along with it. Neither ever making it up to the main deck.

So we are gearing up towards the end of this. I want to thank everyone who has followed and favorite and reviewed. I've enjoyed writing this story. I'm thinking one more chapter and then an epilogue not sure. Again thanks for everything.