The weeks flew by that spring in Chippewa Falls. Tommy and Fabrizio grew closer and closer to both Leah and Sarah. The double date that Tommy had set up went well and Fabrizio found himself growing closer and closer and more fond of the beautiful brunette. He found himself thinking less about Helga and more and more about Sarah. By the end of the week, he found himself wanting to go search out Sarah's company. He found himself missing the sound of her voice, the scent of her perfume, and the sight of her brown eyes lighting up with happiness whenever she saw him.

If it wasn't for the guilt, Fabrizio would just admit it. He was falling in love with Sarah Hockley. But there was the guilt and it kept Fabrizio from admitting the truth to himself. What would it say about him that he could just forget Helga and move on to the next girl? Not something very nice, at least in his own opinion.

Fabrizio was in the kitchen, nursing his daily morning coffee, just letting the guilt he felt over Helga and these new feelings for Sarah overtake him. Jack and Rose came down, deciding to make preparing breakfast a couple's activity. They were startled to find Fabrizio sitting alone staring into the dark beverage inside his mug.

"Fabrizio. You're up early and with coffee. That's a surprise, with it being a Saturday and all. You usually sleep in when you don't have to be at the brewery," Jack commented, eyeing his friend curiously. He had thought that Fabrizio's somber moods were gone. He had seemed so much lighter since Sarah had come into his life. He was alarmed to find his friend brooding, especially so early in the morning.

"I couldn't sleep anymore," Fabrizio mumbled, not looking at his friend.

"That's too bad. It's raining out. It's a good day to sleep in," Jack chuckled.

"Yes, sleep in and cuddle with loved ones, but we're up making breakfast," Rose stifled a yawn of her own, kind of wishing that she and Jack had stayed in bed themselves.

"I just couldn't sleep. Can't stop...thinking I guess."

Jack frowned. "Thinking? About what? Anything that we should be concerned about?"

Fabrizio looked at Jack with sad brown eyes. "Helga."

Jack fought the urge to groan in annoyance. He had thought that his friend was finally healing from losing Helga! He had seemed so happy with Sarah lately. Then it struck him. This was guilt! Fabrizio was feeling guilty because he was happy with Sarah and not stuck in the continuous grief over Helga's death! He guessed this because...if Rose had never come back, and he found himself even finding a smidgeon of happiness with another girl...the guilt would most likely eat him alive. He sat down and placed a hand on Fabrizio's arm.

"Fabri...look. This isn't healthy for you. Helga wouldn't want you doing this to yourself. She'd want you to move on with your life. Be happy. Make your dreams come true. She wouldn't want you drowning yourself in guilt day in and day out. She would want you to find a new girl, and fall in love again. Be happy. There's no need to feel this guilt," Jack gently rubbed his friend's arm, trying to be as understanding and comforting as possible.

"You don't understand. Your Rose returned to you. You won't be happy with someone else, as if she doesn't matter anymore."

"That's not what you're doing Fabri. Of course, Helga matters to you! Wherever she is, she knows that. But she'd also know that you're still alive. That you can't stop living because she's not here anymore. That when you find that happiness again, you have to grab hold and hold on tight. Not let go. Just because you're enjoying Sarah's company, just because you're developing feelings for her, it doesn't mean that you're forgetting Helga. It doesn't mean that you've stopped caring about her. It just means that you're healing and you're ready to live life again. A life that Helga would want you to live."

Rose took the chair across from Jack's, at Fabrizio's opposite side. She listened to the conversation with a sad heart and made a startling realization. Fabrizio needed closure. They all did. None of them had attended the memorials. Rose had never gotten to say goodbye to the friends she had made aboard the Titanic and neither had the boys. Lily too needed to say goodbye to her biological parents as well. Titanic was still with all of them and the losses they had suffered would probably always follow them until they were dealt with once and for all.

Rose cleared her throat, gaining both men's attention. "I think what Fabrizio and all of us really, need is closure. We haven't attended any of the Titanic memorials. We never really said goodbye. We've just been walking through this life, accompanied by ghosts of the sinking. Perhaps what Fabrizio needs is a way to say goodbye. A way to lay Helga to rest. We should hold a memorial of our own. Not only for Fabrizio but for Lily too...for all of us."

"That's a good idea, Rose," Jack nodded, liking the idea. He looked at Fabrizio, trying to gauge his reaction. "What do you say, Fabri? We can hold a small memorial for the victims, especially the people we know. We can say goodbye. Give them a good send-off. Do you think that would help?"

Fabrizio frowned at the idea. Was he really ready to say goodbye to Helga? True, it's been over a year now. His life has been at a standstill because he couldn't stand the thought of living his life without her. But now, with the arrival of Sarah...a part of him was wanting to live again. He just had to deal with the part of his heart that still wanted to hold on to what could have been but never can be. Maybe a memorial service was a way to banish the guilt he felt over surviving...over moving on with his life.

"Okay. I like the idea. But where should we have it? Here?"

"I saw a small church up the ways, near the park. It had a small cemetery and everything. We should talk to the preacher about setting up a small memorial plot…," Rose suggested.

"We don't want the whole town there. Just people who were affected by the sinking," Jack frowned.

"Well, can't we talk to the pastor? Tell him that we were on the Titanic and we need the memorial to be private. Maybe we can even set up a collection to donate to the widows of the sinking…"

"Especially the widows in second class and steerage. The first-class women are probably just fine," Jack sighed, sitting back in his chair.

"I want to do it. I need to lay Helga to rest. I can't go on like this anymore," Fabrizio decided. He still loved and missed Helga, but Jack was right. Drowning in grief and guilt would not bring Helga back to him. It would only hinder the dreams he had once held before he had even met Helga. He hadn't been ready to say goodbye to Helga when he had arrived in New York. But now...after finding a home in this small town, after feeling his own heart come alive again with the arrival of Sarah Hockley, Fabrizio felt ready at last.

…..

Rose had been the one to go talk to the pastor, and she came back feeling sad, yet triumphant. Jack had wanted to go with her, but she thought that it'd be best if he stayed at home with Lily and allowed to her deal with making arrangements for the memorial, which was to take place next Sunday afternoon, after Sunday service. The pastor had agreed to start up a collection for the Titanic widows in the morning. Then next week, Jack, Rose, Fabrizio, Tommy, and Lily would hold the memorial service to say goodbye to the friends they had lost.

Sarah and Leah were on the porch when Rose returned.

"Hey, girls. Are you here to see Tommy and Fabrizio?" Rose asked, curious.

"No, we are here to visit with you actually," Leah smiled.

"Yes. We've been so busy with the boys, we've been neglecting you. You must think us horrible," Sarah took her friend's hand.

"Oh, not at all. I understand and don't worry. I wasn't upset in the least. It's not like I didn't have a handsome distraction of my own," Rose chuckled.

"He is stunning," Sarah giggled happily. "Almost as stunning as Fabrizio."

"And Tommy," Leah added.

Rose giggled and shook her head. "You girls make me feel young and silly again. Standing here and talking about boys."

"Rose, you're talking like you're old or something! You're only eighteen!"

"And already an old married woman with a child!" Rose snorted. "Come. Let's sit on the porch swing. The sun has finally dried everything off from this morning's rain."

"Where were you coming from anyway?" Sarah asked, following Rose to the swing.

"The church just up the ways there. Jack and I...well we decided to have a memorial service for the people we had lost on the Titanic. All of us had lost people. We figured that it's beyond time that we all had some closure…"

"Even Fabrizio?" Sarah asked, her brown eyes warm with concern. "I know all about Helga and his grief over her loss…"

"Even Fabrizio," Rose nodded, giving Sarah's hand a supportive squeeze. "I know that the two of you have been getting close. Which is good and I think this memorial service will help Fabrizio...let go and move on…."

"Maybe even be ready for someone new," Leah gave Sarah's arm a nudge.

"I don't want him to feel like he needs to do that though," Sarah bit her bottom lip. She really did like Fabrizio. She enjoyed his company and wanted to get even closer to him, but she didn't want to force him into something that he wasn't ready for. "I'll be patient. I'll wait for him. For however long he needs."

"You really care about him, don't you?" Rose stared at Sarah, once again struck by the difference between siblings. Sarah indeed was nothing like her older brother. She was sweet and gentle. Patient. Maybe things would have been different between herself and Cal if he had possessed those same qualities. Not that she had any regrets. She wouldn't trade the life she had with Jack for anything.

"I do. I never felt so deeply for anyone, but I do for Fabrizio. I...I think I may love him, Rose."

"Oh Sarah," Rose gave her friend's hand another squeeze. "If it's meant to be, it will happen. Just be patient. I have a feeling that after next week's memorial service, Fabrizio may be ready to see where this thing between you two will lead. Just wait and see."

Sarah simply smiled, feeling the first rays of hope light up her heart. She was beginning to wonder if she really had a chance with the handsome Italian. Rose's words gave her hope that she did after all. All she had to do was wait. That was definitely something that she could do.

…..

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Nathan and Caledon Hockley sat in the study, listening to the results that the detective they had hired had gathered. It had been a tedious search, but there seemed to finally be some results.

"So, tell me, kind sir. Where has my daughter and her friend run off to and how hard will it be to retrieve them?" Nathan asked, sitting forward in his chair, the smoke from his cigar nearly filling the room.

The detective coughed, waving his hand to clear the smoke. "Your daughter at the moment is residing in the small town of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. She and her companion are staying in a small boarding house and they seemed to be settling down there. It shouldn't be too hard for you to go there and bring them back."

"Really, this is ridiculous. Father, why don't we just leave Sarah to her own devices. Cut her off since she doesn't want to be here and be a respectable part of this family! We don't need her!" Cal ranted, having enough of dealing with disobedient women! He had gone through hell with Rose and lost her anyway. He was not in the mood to deal with his rebellious sister, who was probably taking after her friend Rose in all the worse ways possible.

"Because she is my daughter and she belongs to me! Just as you are my son and are to follow my directions to the letter! You were a good boy and married who I picked out for you! Now it is her turn! I will not have any disobedience!" Nathan glared at his son. "Now, I need someone to go retrieve my daughter and that person will be you! Take Isabella with you! Make it your post-engagement trip! Hopefully, you won't have the same problems that you had with the Dewitt Bukater girl!"

"You cannot be serious," Cal glared, not wanting to do what his father was requesting, but by his father's dark glare, he knew that there would be no choice.

"Are you refusing an order boy?"

Cal frowned and shook his head. "No sir."

"Good. Now go inform your fiancee to get ready for a trip to the Midwest! Both of you should pack accordingly and don't you dare come back empty-handed! Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly, Father," Cal nodded his head, before walking out the door to follow his father's orders.