After ages I managed to finally get another chapter of this done, I was simply too invested in "A Lady's Pride and a Gentleman's Prejudice" (and life, obviously).
I hope you still enjoy this AU!
Disclaimer: I still own nothing.
Chapter 3: Trouble in the Port
Lee kept prancing in front of them through the little corridor with Zak desperatly trying (and failing) to keep up with him on his little legs. When a bunch of rough looking chaps came their way, definitely not looking where they were going, Laura quickly dashed forward, scooping the little boy up. Only then did she realize the liberties she was taking, she was neither their governess nor their mother, and just wanted to apologize to the father, when he stopped her.
"Thank you Ma'am," he said gently, "apparently you seem to have a talent to keep my children out of trouble."
Laura blushed.
"I am only doing what everyone would have done," she tried to play it down.
He didn't look convinced, but then seemed to hold his tongue. Just when Laura wanted to step closer to Bill, ready to pass over Zak to him, the little boy started to fist his hands into her coat.
"Stay!" he proclaimed in the decisive tone that only children use.
"But-," Mr Adama just wanted to argue, but she shook her head.
"It's fine, I can keep him for now. I bet you will have enough trouble keeping an eye on Lee."
"If you don't mind," he finally conceded.
They climbed up the stairs to the deck used for the third class passengers. It was already quite crowded, people pressing towards the railing to wave goodbye to the people on the shore. Mr Adama quickly picked up Lee before he could dash into the batch of people and get in trouble and together the couple with the two kids moved towards the side of the ship. They actually found a space where they could see well from, and Laura was again surprised about Lee's curiousity and knowledge about ships. He probably knew more about it than most grown men on board and told her with an enthusiasm that made her smile. It really was endearing. Zak on the other hand kept looking at everything with big eyes and Laura kept pointing out things to him in a more toddler-friendly way - the sea-gulls, the fishing boats on the water, the preparations being made. Then, suddenly, there was a roaring sound and Laura knew it was time. They really were leaving. Over the children's heads her eyes met the blue ones of her spontaneous companion, and again she felt that surge cursing through her. However, he might have seen something in her eyes, too, something she might not be willing to tell yet. He took one step closer towards her, moving Lee further on his hip, so his left hand was free, briefly touching her arm. It was only a short caress, still it sent sparks running up her body. The woman moved Zak too, catching Mr Adama's left hand with her right while taking the boy's full weight on her other arm. She would surely regret that later when her shoulder would hurt, but for now, when their fingers intertwined, the comfort was worth it. For the first time in months she didn't feel alone, all due to a family she barely knew.
The sun was high in the sky as the people on the quai slowly became smaller, when she suddenly heard screaming. At first, Laura did not understand why, until she saw Lee pointing towards a ship also anchored in the port. At first, Laura did not see anything wrong with it, but then she noticed that it seemed to be moving, slowly drifting towards the Titanic.
"The ropes must have ripped!" Mr Adama huffed, sounding concerned, but not half as panicked as Laura felt. "It is drifting towards us, but slowly. We can't move out of the way, the Titanic is too big, but they could stop that steamer."
They kept standing at their spot, looking across the water, until after a time the father let Lee slide to the ground and took Zak from Laura. She gave him a grateful smile, her shoulder wouldn't have been able to make it much longer with the full weight of a toddler on it.
"Lee, you stay here with us. Nothing is happening right now!"Laura told him sternly, "I will tell you if there is any change and then you can have a look, alright?"
She firmly held the boy's hand, not willing to loose him in this chaos. After some time a ship came closer to the one that was still drifting, attached something Laura didn't quite understand and then started pulling it away.
"Mr Adama, would you hand me Zak again so Lee can see?" Laura asked.
"You sure?" he asked, only passing the boy as she nodded.
He lifted up a squealing Lee.
"Oh, please call me Bill," he added like an afterthought.
"Call me Laura then," she answered with a coy smile, interrupted by the children's exitement.
Zak was pointing towards the moving ships, babbling something about "mama and baby duck" while Lee would probably have clapped his hands if they had been free and not wrapped around his father's neck.
"That is amazing, I always wanted to see that!" he cheered.
Laura grinned a bit wrily, she would have gladly passed on the opportunity of seeing two ships nearly collide. But she preferred an excited to an upset child, that much was clear. After a while, the Titanic started to move more quickly again, still the woman kept eyeing the other ships in the port suspiciously. Nothing else happened and soon the dock became more distant and the cheers more silent. Mr Adama- Bill- set down Lee again, taking Zak, while she took the older boy's hand again. More and more people started to move around the little group, apparently having seen enough. Still, the boys apparently hadn't, complaining loudly when their father proposed sitting down a bit further away. He gave the woman an apologetic look.
"Don't let us keep you!" he told her sincerely, but Laura found herself shaking her head.
"No worries, I have nothing else to do. I am very happy to stay here."
She meant it, a distraction and company was exactly what she needed, a hundred times better than wandering around on her own with only regrets and ghosts of her past as companions.
Thank you for reading! Stay safe!