A New Fate
Hey guys! Managed to get another written and updated! It's a long one, so enjoy reading Chapter 10!
Chapter Ten:
Collision
The man smiled as he worked on the hybrid gun, applying the technology needed for modifications. Almost an entire year was spent researching and finding the requirements for his weapon. Now his desire was finally within his grasp.
Excitement filled him as it slowly sunk in that he had finally done it, finally found a way home.
'But only if it works', doubt crept in.
Shaking his head, he pushed such thoughts away and continued working through the night, too lost in his work to realize what time it was.
He couldn't wait to see her again, to see his family. To hug them and talk with them.
How long had it been since he last saw them?
'Too long', he thought.
As morning rose in the distance, he applied the final touches to the hybrid gun and set his tools down.
He took a moment and drew a breath, his heart racing as he activated the gun.
'Hybrid gun activated!
He searched through the settings on the holographic projection and clicked on 'Time-Travel Mode'.
'Time-Travel Mode! Mode has been repaired and is ready for use.'
The man paused as he read the status of the mode and rubbed his eyes before re-reading it again. He read it a third time before it sunk in.
Happiness and relief rushed forth inside of him as he cried out a loud "Yes", being overwhelmed by his emotions as he began to cry. He felt as if he was on autopilot, unable to contain himself.
Once he calmed down, he turned his attention to the gun and picked it up, re-reading the status one more time to be sure.
Setting it down once more, he left the small room and began to pack everything he had into a small bag. Then he took a note and pen, writing a message on it before taking it to the landlord's office of the building he lived in and taping the note to the door.
Standing with the hybrid gun in hand and a bag over his shoulders, he activated the Time-Travel Mode, found the timeline and location he wished to go to, and pulled the trigger.
A bright light flashed through the hallway.
Taylor used his hand to block the light coming from above, having reached the end of the railing of the ship before he could enter the area of the bow. It was already dark out and the night was freezing. But he had been to colder places than this.
He stood near the crew quarters, getting a glimpse of the man behind the steering wheel, as well as Captain Edward Smith and 1st Officer Lightoller having a conversation together.
It was only a matter of time before Thomas Andrews would arrive to inform the captain of the binoculars and a request to turn the ship in a slightly different direction. He just hoped it would be enough.
Staring out into the darkness of the unknown, he couldn't believe how clear and calm the ocean was. It resembled too much of a mill pond, with no waves in sight.
That was one of the contributing factors as to why no one saw the iceberg in time, as history would prove to those who researched the conditions of this very night. Such conditions not only made the bergs harder to see but also helped camouflage its presence from a long-distance away.
Taylor couldn't help but wonder about any other universes where Titanic survived or maybe a rescue ship was able to reach them in time. Surely there were a couple where the outcome was different.
He shook his head, trying to keep focus and not let his mind wander.
It was only a matter of time before Prometheus would figure out what he had done, and he needed to be prepared for when the iceberg was no longer a factor. It wouldn't take long for the Split to take effect and become official, allowing time-travel to be a possibility to allow his escape.
His heart sunk at the realization of what this meant, feeling as if his heart was being stabbed by a thousand knives.
He would have to leave Jack behind.
Jack's place was here, in his timeline, with Rose. He couldn't allow him to go on the run, nor leave or get Rose involved for his sake. It was no life to force on him.
And that meant leaving Fabrizio as well.
No matter how this would go, it seemed all roads led to the same destination.
But he would rather see his friends alive and well, instead of dying in the middle of the Northern Atlantic. At least then they would be able to live their lives, even if it meant not being a part of it.
He hoped that he was ready for what would happen next, despite the fear that rushed through him at the realization that he would be hunted for as long as he lived. He would be considered an enemy of the Time Division, an enemy of the Guardians. And it meant that his dream of returning home, to reunite with his family was now lost forever.
His heart felt as if it was being squeezed.
Taylor closed his eyes and put his hands on the railing, breathing in the cold air as he forced such emotions aside to focus on the task at hand.
Cal sat with the rest of the higher society men in the large room where they could smoke and drink to their hearts content without worry of their wives or mistresses around.
But he never took a sip of the brandy or the wine brought out to them, though he could not refuse a cigar. While everyone was deep in conversation about business and finding ways to get politicians to let some of their deals pass through without trouble, Cal's mind was on Rose and her whereabouts, as she had disappeared after dinner. He had sent Lovejoy to find her but the former detective had been gone for some time now.
His thoughts drifted to Jack Dawson and his attempt to speak to Rose earlier that morning during service.
He formed a fist and struggled to keep his anger under control from turning his face red.
The boy got under his skin where others were unable to. It was not his status as a steerage, despite him managing to get a first-class room onboard, or his carefree attitude that upset him so. It was how he seemed to affect his fiancé in ways that he never could.
He remembered the way how she would steal glances at him during dinner the previous night, how she smiled when looking at him. It was a smile she never graced him with.
But what he learned from Lovejoy about Rose's time with the third-class right after dinner… that set off something inside of him that made his blood boil at just thinking of the name of Jack Dawson. He could imagine them together, dancing and drinking, lost in their happiness. He could see her smile and the look she would give him, like she did at dinner.
Both of which that was supposed to be his!
Truth be told, he was upset about his outburst at breakfast, wishing he hadn't done that in front of the woman he was supposed to marry. But the way she disrespected him, fought back against him, made him appear weak. That only made him more angrier at the realization that it was all because of Jack's influence over her.
"Never allow anyone to make a fool of you, Cal!" the voice of his father echoed in his mind. One of the many lessons he was taught since the age of six, lessons that made him the successful businessman he was today. "A woman's place is behind you, never ahead of you."
He couldn't deny that he loved that defiance nature about Rose, that fire that burned deep within her. Her refusal to bow, to yield to him was captivating and he admired her for it. Even loved it. But he was starting to remember his father's warnings and knew he needed to begin showing Rose her place and start acting like the wife she was supposed to be to him.
But the one obstacle that remained in his way was that of Jack Dawson.
If the boy was going to continuously be a problem, then he would need to remove him from the equation. But how?
His attention was immediately drawn to Spicer Lovejoy as he entered the room, nodding to him.
Rising from his seat, he excused himself from the others and joined Lovejoy just a few feet away.
"None of the stewards have seen her. I checked the suite, but she wasn't there either."
Cal sighed, "This is absurd! It's a ship, there's only so many places she could be."
Lovejoy nodded, "I'll keep searching before reporting this to the Master at Arms. She may be back at her room."
Cal nodded, "Just find her. And if you happen to see Mr. Dawson…"
He leaned in.
"… be sure that he is no longer a problem."
Lovejoy nodded, "And if he is?"
Cal paused, pondering what he should do.
"I'll think of something."
Trudy made her rounds as her shift was ending for the evening, entering the sitting room of the suite as she began to make sure everything was cleaned and organized. However, she paused upon realizing that the couch and chair were slightly out of place.
Shaking her head, she began to straighten up what she needed to and walked to Rose's room. Placing her hand on the knob, she slowly opened it to look inside and see if her friend was alright.
She frowned upon realizing that the lights were still on, wondering if she was still up. With the door open just far enough, she looked toward the bed and her eyes widened at what she saw.
Gasping, she quickly closed the door and put her back to it, hand over her heart.
She was breathing hard as images of what she had seen flashed in her mind, already conflicted over whether if it was real or not. Surely, she was just seeing things and that it was Rose in bed. Or maybe no one was in bed.
Once calming herself, she opened the door again and her eyes widened once more as she confirmed that it was real.
Rose DeWitt Butaker was naked in bed, which wasn't the first time she found her as such. But this time, she wasn't alone under the covers.
A young man was with her, naked as well, and laying next to her. No, his body was lying almost on top of her.
It took a moment for her to realize what was happening. She was so dumbfounded, unable to believe it despite looking right at them.
The man had to be Jack Dawson, the one who helped rescue Rose from two nights prior. The man who seemed to bring out the best in Rose.
Trudy couldn't help but smile upon realizing that her best friend had taken her words to heart and finally made a decision. Though maybe took it a little too far.
Then again, who was she to judge?
Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door to the sitting room.
"Miss Rose?" a voice called out.
Fear pierced her heart upon recognizing who it was and quickly closed the door, just loud enough to alert the two inside.
Rose and Jack awoke to the sound of the door shutting to the room, startling them as they sat up in bed.
Rose used the blankets to cover herself as Jack slowly got to his feet, approaching the door to listen.
Trudy turned to see Lovejoy entering the room, closing the door behind him as he regarded her.
"Ah, Miss Bolt."
Trudy did a small bow, "Mr. Lovejoy, how may I help you?"
Lovejoy approached her, "Is Miss Rose in her room?"
Trudy nodded, "She had just retired for the evening. I was just finishing up my work before turning in myself."
Lovejoy nodded, though seemed suspicious of her slightly red face, "Have you noticed anything off about Miss Rose?"
Trudy shook her head, "Nothing out of the ordinary."
Jack was already dressing as quickly and quietly as he could upon hearing voices on the other side of the door, silently cursing to himself.
Rose was struggling not to laugh as she put on a sundress, feeling a rush of excitement and fear that melted away how tired she felt.
She instantly recognized Trudy's voice and smiled, silently thanking her friend.
"If it isn't too much to ask, I wish to speak with her."
Trudy's heart beat quickened, "I'm afraid it would be inappropriate. She was exhausted and much in need of rest after her… activities."
Lovejoy frowned at her, raising an eyebrow, "Miss Bolt, are you alright?"
Once Jack was fully dressed, he helped Rose with her sundress and they immediately reached for the second door that led to the hallway outside, accidentally and unknowingly closing the door a little too loud.
Trudy's heart stopped at the sound of a door on the other side, slowly turning to the entrance of Rose's room. Hearing Lovejoy's footsteps from behind her, she felt his hand push her to the side and open the door, walking straight on in.
"Mr. Lovejoy, this isn't very discrete!"
Lovejoy gazed over the bed and then around the room before turning to Trudy, anger filling his eyes.
"Where is she?!" he demanded.
Trudy swallowed, forming fists with her hands as she stood between him and the secondary door.
"I don't know."
Lovejoy pushed her out of the way and opened the door, looking out into the hallway. Upon seeing no one down the right, he turned to the left and saw a couple walking together, instantly recognizing the back of Rose's head. And he instinctively knew who the man was.
Rose struggled to contain her laugh as they walked away from the suite, probably wondering if they should run, but began to worry if it would cause too much attention. Jack also struggled not to laugh upon seeing her face.
However, upon hearing a door from behind open, Rose couldn't help but look behind her and see the angry face of Lovejoy, who was immediately walking fast towards them.
Sensing this as well, Jack looked behind and his eyes widened, immediately taking Rose's hand.
"Come on!" he cried out, getting into a sprint with her.
Rose began to laugh as she pushed herself to keep up.
Lovejoy began to run after them, passing confused passengers who stood by.
Excitement and fear rushed through Rose's heart, mind and soul as they ran for their lives from the former detective, turning a corner to the elevators as they slid across the floor and pushed themselves to the available elevator there was.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Rose and Jack called out as a wealthy couple exited the elevator, stepping inside as the operator closed metal bar gates.
"Take us down!" Jack quickly said, panting.
The operator, though frowning upon their appearances, nodded and pulled the level to get the elevator to go down.
Lovejoy nearly crashed into the metal bar gates and watched as they descended to the lower levels.
Rose and Jack looked up at him, seeing the angry look he was giving them.
Feeling a little intimidated, Rose brought up her hand and used the middle finger at him, laughing with Jack before the ceiling of the elevator disappeared below ground.
Growling, Lovejoy ran for the stairs, nearly pushing someone out of the way.
Once they reached Deck E, Jack and Rose rushed out of the elevator once the operator had opened the metal bar gates, accidentally bumping into a worker.
"Sorry!" Jack apologized before they resumed running.
Never had Rose experienced something as adrenaline-rushing as such as this. Her heart was racing and pounding against her chest, like a drum that echoed in her ears. She felt sweat on her brow and a little on her face, as well as tired yet still pulsing with wild energy.
Climbing down another flight of stairs, Jack ran into a large cart of plates and cups, accidentally knocking some off and onto the floor. He helped pick a few up fast before following Rose through the double doors, laughing as they stopped to catch their breath.
They both looked through the small manhole of the double doors, making sure they weren't followed.
"Pretty tough for a valet, this fella."
Rose continued to laugh.
"Seems more like a cop."
Rose leaned back against the wall, "He was. Cal's father hired him after he retired from the service to look after his only heir, to keep him out of trouble and make sure he made it back with his wallet after drinking in the city. Though, he seems to be more his servant than a bodyguard."
She paused to catch her breath.
"Seems like the gig is up," Jack smiled as he walked up to her, taking her hands with his own. "It's only a matter of time before he reports back to his boss about this."
She should have felt any kind of fear from that fact, but she didn't. She felt excited by the image of Cal's angry expression, unable to do anything about it. She laughed as she backed Jack up against the wall behind him, staring deep into his eyes as she put her arms around his neck and leaned in.
Jack almost closed his eyes as he leaned in for a kiss, but he saw the figure of Lovejoy at the end of the double doors through the manhole and his eyes widened.
"Oh, shit!"
Before she could turn around to see, Jack took her hand, and they began running down the hallway, turning on the only corner there was and almost hit the wall of the seemingly dead end.
Rose's heart sunk upon realizing that they were trapped and left at the mercy of Lovejoy.
Jack almost thought the same thing until he saw the door to Rose's left and rushed to it, "Over here! Come on!"
Opening and stepping through the door, they slammed it shut and locked it, finding themselves in a boiler room with a ladder that lead down to the engine area. It was so loud that they were forced to cover their ears with their hands.
"Now what?!" Rose cried out over the loud noise of the machines.
"WHAT?!" Jack cried out as the two laughed.
Instead of replying, Rose pointed towards the ladder and Jack nodded, heading down first before Rose. Once they had reached the bottom, Jack helped her to her feet before an engine worker turned to them, startled by their presence, and demanded to know what they were doing in such a place. Laughing, they began to run, just barely hearing the man cry out to them that it was dangerous.
As they ran through the engine room, passing hardworking men as they shoveled coal into the engines, who were sweating from the heat and covered in coal ash, they laughed and lost themselves in their amazement. Many of the workers looked at them in confusion before returning to their jobs.
After they turned a few corners, hidden away by the steam, Jack took her hand and made her turn around, stopping as they took a moment to catch their breath once again. They stared into each other's eyes, lost in their own little world as the noise became non-existent to them. They drew closer to each other, their hearts racing. Then their lips met and the need for more took over, deepening into something far more.
Jack's hand went up to her neck, with his fingers cupped the side of her cheek, while the other touched her shoulder. Rose's hands went around his arms and clutched onto his shoulders, drawing him closer against her.
Leaning her head back, she exposed her neck to him.
Accepted her invite, he kissed her skin and even biting a little, earning a moan from her. She loved the way he pleasured her, worshipped her. It made her greedy for more, to re-experience what they had together in her bedroom just less than an hour ago.
Despite the heat and the knowledge that anyone could see them, it never registered to them.
Jack leaned back and stared deep into her eyes, putting his forehead against hers.
They smiled at each other, so lost that they never wanted to be found.
Once they had come back to reality, they made their way to the exit of the large engine room, managing to find their way to the cargo area, where the air was a lot cooler. Able to breathe again, they began to search around and enjoy the peace and quiet.
They eventually came across a Renault that caught Jack's eye.
Jealous his attention to the car, Rose stepped up next to the door of the Renault and cleared her throat.
Jack turned and saw the look she was giving him, smiling as he walked around her and opened the door, offering his hand in a silly way to help her in. She laughed as she climbed on in, mockingly thanking him before he closed the door and climbed up into the driver's seat as Rose lowered the upper window from behind him. After doing so, she saw a pair of red roses in a small glass vase that was mounted to the wall, making her smile.
Jack pressed the horn and the sound echoed across the cargo room, making Rose laugh as she leaned on her arms.
"Where to, Miss?"
Rose leaned in next to his ear, "To the stars."
Before Jack could turn to her, she grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him back, managing to get him through the large open window and onto the backseat next to her. They laughed and settled in, with her leaning against him and resting her head on his shoulder. Jack put his around her shoulder, while his free hand held her own, intertwined.
They sat there in the Renault for a while, just staring off into the distance, deep in thought.
"This is really happening," she whispered.
Jack smiled, "Having second thoughts?"
Rose elbowed him, making him cry out in pain, "Never!"
He rubs his side, "So, what will we do about Cal?"
Rose looked at him, cupping the side of his face with her hand, "I don't know. The more I think about it, it probably would have been better if I stayed in the bedroom and let you leave. It would have been smarter."
"Guess we got caught up in the moment. Now it's only a matter of time before Cal's bodyguard informs him of this."
"Doesn't matter," she moved her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. "I'm getting off with you at the docks. My mother and Cal can't change my mind on that."
"But he will try to keep you, no matter what. Even your mother will do whatever it'll take to get you back."
Rose scoffed, "I'm of age now. She can't do a thing."
"But Cal will still be the biggest problem for us. Men like him don't like losing to people like me."
"Well, he better start accepting the fact that my heart doesn't belong to him, let alone my hand. But you're right, he won't let this go." She paused, feeling fear once more as she began to imagine what he would do.
Jack's eyes widened, "I have an idea."
Rose looked back up at him, curious.
"Go back."
Rose's mouth dropped wide open, "WHAT?!"
Jack raised his hands in defense, "Just listen! I know it sounds backward with what you may be thinking right now."
"Jack, I'm not going back!" her voice rose.
"Wait, you haven't heard the rest yet. Just hear me out."
Despite every fiber in her being wished to protest, she closed her eyes and drew a breath, nodding to him.
"I'm listening. Just don't expect me to agree."
Jack nodded, "Alright, fair enough. If you go back and pretend to accept Cal, that'll give us more time until we dock in New York. If you stay with me, he'll be over our heads for every step of the way. The only way to get him off our backs is if he believes that you left me and have chosen him."
Rose stared at him.
"Think about it! What happens if he decides to get the Master at Arms involved or even bribe them that I did something wrong. Money is more influential than the system itself. The system answers to people like him because of his wealth.
"He could just lock you up in your room and never let you out until we dock. Don't think for a second that he isn't above it. You know that he won't even second-guess himself."
Rose took his words to heart, thinking hard about the logical side to his plan. It made her scared of going back, to be under his control again. But it would only be temporary. A trick to keep him from doing something stupid.
Suddenly, they heard a noise coming from the other side of the cargo area, startling them.
They saw light being shined through the barely lit darkness, warning them that someone was looking for them.
Exiting the other door, they quietly moved around the large luggage and cargo that surrounded them, managing to evade the two stewards in white suits as they snuck up to the Renault and quickly opened the door, shouting "Got ya!"
They struggled to contain their laughter as they climbed the stairs up to the next floor, heading to the surface of the ship to escape.
Cal entered the sitting room suite with Lovejoy, his face fuming with anger as he approached the servant girl, getting up close and personal.
"What happened?!"
Trudy put her hand behind her back, looking away, "I don't know what you mean."
"Don't lie to me!" he growled, making her shake. "Why was Rose with Mr. Dawson? In her room?!"
Trudy shook her head, "I don't know what you're talking about. It was only her."
It took every ounce of control that Cal had not to strike her.
"Leave!"
Trudy quickly ran around him and out the door.
Turning to his safe, he approached it and opened the door, looking inside for anything that might be missing. But instead, he found something that wasn't supposed to be there.
"Anything missing?" Lovejoy asked as he approached him.
Cal looked at him and reached inside for the note and paper that was there. He read the note first:
Darling,
Now you can keep us both locked up in your safe
Confusion filled him at first, trying to make sense of it.
Lifting the piece of paper he held in his other hand, he unfolded it and saw a painting of a naked woman, a beautiful one at that. But the closer and longer he examined it, he quickly realized that it was Rose.
Anger rose within, a red mist clouding his vision. He began to shake, nearly panting. It took everything he had not to yell and curse the name of Jack Dawson as he read the very name at the bottom of the painting.
Now it was all starting to make sense, even if a part of him already knew.
The drawing of his fiancée, naked, wasn't the only thing that happened this night. The noise his valet heard from the room, the servant girl's refusal to answer any questions, and the way both Rose and Dawson left. It was all coming together.
And now he was imagining it all.
He could picture Rose on the couch, posing as she did, while Jack drew her. He could imagine the boy studying every part of her body, recreating it on this very piece of paper. He could imagine the thoughts he was having, the things he wanted to do to her.
Then he imagined what happened after the drawing. The image of the both of them kissing to their heart's content, Dawson stripped naked, the two on the bed, and-
His anger reached the breaking point as he took the piece of paper and prepared to tear it to shreds.
But a thought stopped him. A thought that made him feel as if all was not lost. That there was a way to get his Rose back and remove Dawson from the picture. A way to get his revenge and maybe even sell this painting for a fortune. To make good cash on what Dawson made with his own hands.
Laughing, he turned to Lovejoy, who raised an eyebrow at him.
"I have a better idea."
Unknown to the two of them, a hidden was figure was listening outside the sitting room.
Taylor frowned as he checked the time, worry weighing heavily on his heart and mind as he waited for Thomas Andrews to approach the officers in the command room, but he was already a few minutes late.
Captain Edward Smith had already retired for the evening and 2nd Officer Lightoller had left to do his rounds. Now only 1st Officer William Murdoch and the man at the steering wheel were left.
Sighing, Taylor turned to walk back to Thomas Andrews suite, just missing the door down below the deck slam open as a man and woman rushed out.
Reaching the door that led to the front of the ship, Jack and Rose slammed it open and stumbled onto the surface of the Titanic, laughing as they spun each other, trying to catch their breath without falling to the ground.
"Did you see the look on their faces?! That was priceless!"
Rose put her hand up to his mouth, silencing him as she looked deep into his eyes.
As they both calmed down, they once more lost themselves in their moment together, oblivious to everything around them, even as 1st Officer Murdock watched from above.
"I'm not going back," she declared.
Jack frowned, "What?"
"I'm not going back. I've thought about what you said, and while you may be right, I can't go back. I'm done wasting another second living that life, even if it means making things easier. Cal can try whatever he wants to get me back but it won't work."
Jack stared into her eyes, his love for the fire that continued to burn brighter grew along with it. There was nothing more beautiful.
He cupped the side of her face, "Very well. I guess I should inform the others that we have another guest."
"Hope they won't mind the two of us sharing a bed together," she raised a knowing eyebrow at him.
"Fabrizio and Tommy are pretty much sharing a bed, so it shouldn't be that uncomfortable."
Rose laughed, "Anything going on between the two of them that I don't know about it."
"If you're implying what I think you're implying, then no. They're just sharing a bed because me and Taylor refuse to."
"Jerks!"
"Hey, Fabrizio is the smallest of us. Only way Tommy can fit."
Rose put her arms around his waist, drawing him closer to her.
Leaning forward, Jack kissed her and she kissed back, lost in their intimacy that warmed them up against the cold winds of the night.
1st Officer Murdoch smiled as he looked away.
Taylor arrived at Thomas Andrews' suite and knocked on the door. When no one answered, he knocked again, this time a little louder. Met with only silence once more, Taylor turned the knob and opened the door, letting himself inside.
Walking around the sitting room, he found the door to the man's private office open, already making him worried.
"Mr. Andrews?" he called out.
With no reply, he slowly approached the private office and pushed the door open all the way, looking inside.
His eyes widened at the sight of an unconscious Thomas Andrews on the floor, laying on his back.
Rushing forward, he checked for a pulse and sighed with relief upon confirming that he was breathing. He also checked for any injures but found none. Whatever caused this wasn't done physically. Which meant that it had to be done-
"The man couldn't handle the taste of his wine," a voice called out.
Taylor spun on around, hybrid gun ready in hand as he deduced the location of the intruder and was shocked to find Prometheus standing at the entrance of the doorway, staring right at him.
"What happened?" he asked, fear creeping in.
Prometheus walked forward, his own hybrid gun in hand, "Simple… I took care of a potential threat. Non-lethal, of course."
"Why?" he asked, hoping to play dumb.
Prometheus sighed, shaking his head, as he brought his other hand forward, presenting a couple of binoculars that hung from his hand from the strings.
Taylor's heart began to race, his mind failing him.
"Did you honestly think I wouldn't keep an eye on you? To make sure that you wouldn't interfere? Your reactions for the past twenty-four hours have only proved to me that you have become emotionally compromised. Then again, that's what happens to a time-traveler who has been stuck in this universe's 20th century for three years."
Taylor couldn't think or form a plan, he was completely lost in his anxiety.
"Prometheus, hear me out-"
"Hear what out? That you decided to save the Titanic, save your friends, save fifteen hundred lives that are meant to die tonight? I know what it is you're going through, Taylor. I've been there. We all have!"
Determination filled him, "It doesn't have to be this way! Just give me a chance to save these people!"
"And create a Split in the process?! You know it's forbidden!"
"I can't stand by and watch fifteen hundred lives perish!"
"It might be all that the Forsaken need to jumpstart their plans. I can't let you do this, not at such a critical time. Don't let Reeves further manipulate you more than he already has."
"I'm not doing this for him."
"I know that! But it'll work into his favor and I can't let that happen."
Suddenly, Taylor's alarm on his hybrid gun went off. His eyes widening in fear.
Prometheus sighed, "There's still time to back down from this. Let this go and I won't tell anyone when we rejoin our brothers and sisters. It'll be our secret."
"I can't live with the consequences if I just let this go."
Prometheus sighed, "Then you leave me no choice. Trust me, kid. I'm doing you a f-"
"ACTIVATE EYE STUNNER!"
Suddenly, Taylor's hybrid gun flew up into the air, spinning around as a bright light began to flash all around the room. Taylor shielded his eyes the best he could, while Prometheus wasn't so lucky.
Counting to five, he reached up and grabbed his gun before it fell to the floor, rushing forward with his shoulder in front of him and slammed into Prometheus, knocking him into the wall and on the floor.
Knowing he bought himself fifteen to seconds at best, Taylor rushed out of the room, despite how blurry his vision was, and ran for the command section of the ship.
Meanwhile, as two men in the crow's nest stood watch and looked out towards the darkness, they suddenly began to see something in the distance.
Unable to use any binoculars, they struggled to get a good glimpse of what exactly they were seeing. Then as the time passed by, they started to make something in the distance and soon figured out what it was as they drew closer.
"Bugger me!" one of them shouted, ringing the bell, while the other picked up the phone and rang the control room.
Hearing the phone ring, 2nd Officer Lightoller came to answer it, having made himself some tea in the other room.
Picking it up, he heard someone crying out if anyone was there.
"Yes! What do you see?!"
"ICEBERG! RIGHT AHEAD!"
"Thank you!" Lightoller hung up and walked to the outside to get a look, only to be met by 1st Officer Murdoch.
"Iceberg, right ahead! Hard a' starboard!"
"HARD A' STARBOARD!" Lightoller repeated.
Taylor ran as fast as he could, trying to reach the Quartermaster that he knew was on duty. If he could reach them in time to prevent them from steering the ship to the left, then there was a chance the ship could be saved.
He cursed himself for not thinking that Prometheus would figure out his plans, that he wouldn't take action to stop him.
Orders and signals were sent to the stern and engine rooms of the ship, ordering that the ship was to turn left.
The Quartermaster turned the wheel to the left all the way that he could.
As Taylor almost reached the control room, he suddenly felt something crash into him, hitting the wall with such force that he nearly passed out.
Turning to his attacker, he barely had enough time to block the coming attacks by Prometheus, who was moving so fast that he was forced to drop his hybrid gun.
Men working in the engine room and at the stern of the ship began to hurry in their attempts to get the ship turning left, unsure of what was happening, only that they needed to make it fast.
Jack and Rose were brought out of their kiss as heard yelling from above, turning to see what the commotion was all about.
1st Murdoch, 2nd Lightoller and other crew members could only watch and wait for the ship to turn, praying that their efforts were enough.
Managing to get free of Prometheus, Taylor kicked him in the face and quickly got up to his feet, grabbing his gun as he took off running, with Prometheus right behind him.
As the ship began to turn, one of the crew members at the front began to run back.
"SHE'S GOING TO HIT!"
Murdoch and Lightoller's eyes widened as they heard this and what came next sent chills down their spines.
Before Prometheus could tackle Taylor, they both felt the ship shaking, causing them to fall.
Jack and Rose felt the shaking of the ship, turning to see the iceberg as the ship moved past it.
"Get back!" he shouted, backing her away as ice fell onto the deck, scaring others away who were near.
Down below, the metal that separated the entire ocean from the engine room and the compartments was torn by the sheer force of the ice that penetrated it. Cold water rushed in, beginning to fill the compartments and the engine room, hitting many workers.
Others felt this as well, including an barely conscious Andrews, who began to awake from the shaking.
As did Tommy and Fabrizio, who awoke to the shaking of the ship.
Even Cal and Lovejoy, as they plotted.
Taylor's eyes widened as he knew what this meant.
"No!"
Having felt the shaking, Murdoch ran inside the control room and began acting the safety protocols, closing all entrances to the engine rooms as some men were left trapped as the cold water poured in.
Jack and Rose approached the railing, looking out towards the iceberg in the distance.
Captain Edward Smith entered the control room and asked what was going on. Upon learning what had occurred from 1st Officer Murdoch, his heart and soul sunk deep in his chest.
As Taylor rose to his feet, he was suddenly grabbed from behind and slammed against the wall, coming face to face with Prometheus.
"Consider yourself lucky that I am willing to let this slide. We have much to do if we are to survive this."
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!" Taylor shouted.
"I saved you from making a big mistake!" Prometheus shoot back. "What do you think would have happened if I let you go through with this or never figured out what it was you were up to?! Do you want to become a fugitive for the rest of your life?!"
Taylor shook his head, tears filling his eyes.
Prometheus sighed, lowering his hybrid gun, "Changing what happens here will cause bigger problems than you will ever know. Fifteen hundred lives are nothing compared to the lives of the megaverse. This is how fate needs it to happen."
"FUCK FATE!" Taylor got up in his face, fuming with anger. "These people deserve a chance at life!"
"Let me tell you something about fate!" Prometheus glared. "When you screw with it, it always screws back! Don't expect this to lead to some happy ending for everyone on this ship if they had lived. Life is not a fairy tale, Taylor Huston! There are no guarantees, except only in death! You think you're doing this because you're a good person?! Because it's the right thing to do?! No, you're doing this because you can't live with the consequences!"
"At least I was willing to live with the consequences of that of a fugitive than that of a bystander!"
Prometheus shook his head as he let him go, staring deep into his eyes.
"It doesn't matter what you do now. Titanic will sink like it was always meant to. If you wish to save your friends, go right on ahead. Their survival or death shouldn't have that much effect on the outcome to cause a Split. But I cannot guarantee your own survival if you do."
Prometheus began to walk away from him, heading to the front of the ship and leaving Taylor in the middle of the hallway, tears sliding down his face as the realization of his failure sunk in for him.
He had failed. He had failed Jack. He had failed Cora. Failed Fabrizio. Failed Tommy. Failed fifteen hundred people. And they were all going to die because of it.
Staring up at the ceiling, he fell to his knees and the hybrid gun fell from his hand.
"Dear God!" he let out a prayer in a sad, tearful voice. "Help me!"
Hope this lived up to the hype. Can't believe I've reached Chapter 10 with this. Not sure how many more chapters there are going to be but I'm guessing between two to three, but I could be wrong.
Anyway, thank you for reading and I'll see you guys in Chapter 11!