Just a short little chapter here.
Being so close to death was an interesting experience.
He didn't remember most of the sinking and what he did; was for the most part, confused.
Vaguely, he remembered being pulled into the water and the sharp cold from it. He remembered giving John his pocket watch to give to his siblings and his acceptance to joining his parents.
Oddly enough he had memories of the hope of rescue. Of John putting him on her lap and staring at the rescue ship in the distance. Unable to do much more than blink.
Beyond the most tired he had ever been, and yet being aware of a hand brushing through his hair with words begging him to hold on a bit longer, before blackness claimed him.
He had woken up to seeing John's concerned face.
He barely had the energy or strength to even try to sit up.
"You're awake." John breathed.
"Sorta." His voice came out dry and soft, only loud enough for John to have just heard him.
John had to help him sit up, and even then he didn't stay up long.
He was only awake long enough to be fed a couple spoonfuls of broth, and for John to have expressed the concerns he'd had.
John explained how he had been in and out of consciousness for the past day or so. That he had been, and still was under close watch from the doctors on board.
They were now aboard the Carpathia and a Miss Piston had been continually asking about how he was faring.
He couldn't have been awake more than 15 minutes that time.
Each time he woke up, he was able to do a bit more and stay awake a bit longer.
Being able to change into his own clothes was wonderful.
The longest he could typically stay awake for was about an hour.
Never had he thought that talking in much more than a murmur could take such effort.
As far as he could tell, John never left his side. Not that that was saying much considering how he was asleep most of the time.
He did speak with Miss Piston, who was occasionally in the room when he woke up.
She was the first class lady he had run into only a matter of days ago, and the one he found out who had been brushing her fingers through his hair.
"Mr. Winters, they think they've killed him. He's inconsolable. I have tried to assure him that Mr. Hudson is recovering. It wasn't purposeful." Miss Piston said.
"I know. I've spoken to him and said as much as well." John sighed.
He cleared his throat now that he was more awake.
"Bring him here. I want to talk with him."
"Are you sure you're up for that Jesse?" John asked turning to look at him.
"Bring him here John, I'll be ready."
John just shrugged his shoulders before leaving, as he sat himself up, leaving Miss Piston behind.
She was looking down at her lap, fidgeting.
"I suppose I should go for the time as well. Give you the chance to get ready..."
"You don't have to go... just step outside the door for a few minutes."
"If you're sure...?"
He nodded.
"What are you going to tell him?" She asked as she left the room.
"The truth. It's not something he could have controlled."
Miss Piston waited outside the door as he made himself a bit more presentable, coming back in once he was done.
John brought the gentleman in not long after.
It had been a very serious conversation between him and the man who pulled him overboard.
"Look, do I seem like I'm at death's door any longer? I'm not. I'm healing. I'm going to be fine. You didn't try to pull me into the water. It was just another one of the multiple things that went wrong that night. There was nothing you could do about it."
He didn't know if he got through to the man, but it was the best he could do.