Archive of Our Own

Work Text

In the crowded pub near the docks of Queenstown, three men approached a small table, where two men sat with drinks half-filled and a stack of cards.  Along with some money made from a full month of hardwork."Jack, why are you doing this?" asked the man on the left.One of the three turned around to address him."Because I want to," Jack Dawson smiled, taking his seat at the small table with the two Swedish men, Sven and Olaf.The man sighed, "Fabrizio, help me out here.""Sorry, you know what he is like when motivated," the Italian man grinned as he sat down next to Jack, who was lighting a cigarette.The man rolled his eyes and rubbed his forehead, "I knew you would do this! We agreed to search London, then go West.""Yeah, I thought about that last night, and I changed my mind," replied Jack as he began a game of poker. "I wish to see my hometown again.""After all these years?" the man raised an eyebrow."Yes, I want to see it again."The man sighed again, "Okay, fine, how about this? You win this game, then you can head to Chippewa Falls.""Sounds good to me.""However, if you lose, we head to London. If my research is correct, Prometheus might be heading there."Jack turned to him and smirked, a trademark of his that said everything about his confidence, "Deal!"The man pulled up a seat next to Jack, although behind him as all four corners of the table were taken."What's the name of the ship these two have tickets for?""Titanic," one of the men of the opposing team answered.The man's eyes widened, "Oh.""What?""Let's just say that in my universe, Titanic is well known for different reasons, although we’re safe here.  That said, I don't wish to be near so many important figures.""It's only a week at worst, what could go wrong?""My presence is a threat to the natural order here. We are barely keeping to the rules of predestination. You know what will happen if we change anything big, especially involving the First Class."Jack scoffed, "Like they would ever let us interact with them.""Hey, I’m suck here until I find Prometheus and find out what he did that stranded us here.  He’s my ticket to get back home.”Jack turned to him and placed his hand on the man's shoulder, " And this here, is my ticket back home.  And stop worrying!  We’ve been searching all of Europe for the man long enough and more than likely your so-called research is wrong on this one too.”"You're seriously doing all of this just to take a trip down memory lane?""I'm going too," said Fabrizio."Of course, you are! Because anywhere Jack goes, you go too!""And I want to see America.""We can do that once we’ve checked London.  I don’t want to leave any stones unturned."“Or, we can do that after our trip to America.”"Like it or not, I'm going,” Jack signed, rolling his eyes.  “And as your friend, take some time to relax and have some fun.  When was the last time you did that?”The man frowned, “That’s a good question.”Jack turned to him, "Taylor, just go to London yourself and search for him. We will rendezvous back here with you once we are done.  Or you could come find us in America.  Either way, I’m going to America.”Taylor shook his head, "Fine, I'm coming too. Assuming you win this!""Taylor, calm down!" Jack patted his shoulder, smiling. "I've got this."The two Swedish men chuckled, catching his attention as the poker game continued.About fifteen minutes into the game, Fabrizio leaned next to his friend, "Jack, maybe Taylor is right. If finding Prometheus is this important, then maybe we should help him."Jack turned to him, "Life is full of chances, my friend. And right now, I have the chance to go see my hometown.""Just don't do anything stupid," said Taylor, crossing his arms."Taylor, I'm not giving up. I'm just taking an overdue vacation.""By going to America to see Chippewa Falls?""Yes! If you've taught me anything, it's that life is a gift and I do not intend on wasting it chasing after a madman. Just because you lost your way home does not mean our lives should be placed on hold. Now, if you excuse me, I have a game to finish."Taylor nodded, "You do know that I have the means of getting us onto that ship, correct?""Yes, I do. But I feel like beating these two at a game of poker for these tickets."Last night slowly came back to him, despite the hangover he suffered earlier, "Oh, so the fact that Olaf stole your girl last night has zero connection to why you’re going for these tickets."Jack glared at him, "No, it's because I'm in the mood for a poker game."Taylor raised his brow, smiling, "Sure, sure. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be securing myself a ticket, since only two are available in this game.""See you on the ship."As Taylor rose from his seat and waved to his two friends, he picked up a briefcase and exited the pub, entering a small alley way.  Finding a small area to conceal himself, he opened the case and reached inside for his hybrid gun.  Activating it, he began the process to forge a ticket for the RMS Titanic.  And not just any ticket, but one for First Class.Once done, he then created two more as a precaution.  Although he had faith in his friend’s skills at cards and poker.Hearing the horn of the Titanic in the distance, he put the hybrid gun back into the case and tucked the tickets into his pocket, quickly exiting the alley and passing two people with their backs to him.Smiling, he walked through the crowd and toward the Titanic, preparing to board.An automobile pulled up to the loading dock of where the Titanic settled, coming to a stop as the driver got out and opened the back door, offering his hand to the female one that reached out. He helped the young woman out of the car as she looked up towards the enormous ship before her. She dressed in fancy clothing and a large hat that kept the sun from shining on her, a noble of royalty birth.A man got out behind her, while an older woman from the second car was let out by the bodyguard. The man and older woman looked up at the great ship in amazement, opposite of the younger woman."I don't know what the fuss is all about," the young woman said, turning to the man. "It doesn't look any bigger than the Mauretania."The man laughed and smiled, "You can be blasé about some things, Rose, but not Titanic. It's over a hundred feet longer than Mauretania… and far more luxurious."The young woman turned away and began to walk towards the steps, while the man turned around to address the older woman behind him."Your daughter is far too difficult to impress, Ruth."Ruth laughed and began to follow her daughter, "So, this is the ship they say is unsinkable.""It is unsinkable," the man cried out."Sir!" an officer approached him."Even God himself couldn't sink this ship-""Sir!""What?!" the man angrily turned to the officer who interrupted him."Sir! You have to check your bags through the main terminal. It's around that way, sir."The man reached into his pocket and pulled out cash, putting it into the officer's hand, "I put my faith in you, good sir. Now kindly see my man."The officer's eyes widened for a second before recovering himself and putting the money in his pocket, "Yes sir. It's my pleasure, sir. If I can do anything at all-" he was interrupted by the bodyguard grabbing him by the shoulder and dragging him back to where the luggage was being unloaded by the servants, giving him instructions.Meanwhile, the man, known as Cal Hockley, heir to a rich steel fortune back in the United States, followed the two women up the ramp to board the Titanic, followed in turn by servants and those carrying their luggage.The young woman, Rose, kept a neutral face the whole time while controlling her body from shaking.Unknown to them, a man in a fancy suit followed, presenting his ticket to the officers as he was let on board.Meanwhile, back at the pub, Jack and Fabrizio continued their game of poker for the Titanic tickets. At first, it seemed like they were going to lose, with Fabrizio expressing his concern, though Jack reassured him that even if they lost, Taylor would have them covered.However, Jack smiled at his friend and revealed his hand, winning the game as he and Fabrizio cheered.Olaf, angry about losing, grabbed Jack by the shirt and formed a fist with his free hand. While Jack closed his eyes and prepared to be struck, Olaf was instead struck by Fabrizio, sending him into Sven and onto the floor.Before the two could get back up, Jack immediately began to collect the money and the two tickets, then making a run for the door of the pub with Fabrizio. They barely heard the two Swedish men cry out at them in anger."Thanks for the save!" Jack cried out."No problem! Let's get out of here before they catch us!""No need to tell me twice!"They didn't need to look behind them to know that the two were already charging out of the pub in hot pursuit, fueled by anger and rage. Thankfully, they just had enough fear of imagining what they would do to them to stay ahead and outrun them. The moment they turned a corner, they saw the ramp just ahead and the ship that would carry them to America.From high above, amongst the crowd on the deck of the Titanic, Taylor smiled as he drank a glass of wine, which he took from one of the servants without anyone noticing.Running up the ramp and ignoring the protest of the officers, as well the two Swedish men from afar, Jack and Fabrizio made it to the loading doors, presenting their tickets to the officers."Have you been through inspection?" one asked.Jack nodded, "Yes, of course! Anyway, we don't have any lice! We're Americans! Well, he's part America and Italian, but born American! We're just looking to get home!""Yes!" Fabrizio panted.The man frowned and sighed, waving them through, "Right, come aboard."As the ship started to move slowly away from the ramp, the two jumped aboard, laughing as they ran through the halls.The two Swedish men ran up the ramp, cried out as the door closed and officers came to pull them back, watching as their ride took off without them.As Jack and Fabrizio ran through the halls in search of their room, they came to stop at the sight of their friend, Taylor, who was standing in the middle of the crowded hall."I see the game went well.""Well, I won, didn't I?" Jack smiled."Yes, and barely made it just in time. However, no need to worry about your room. I secured us one a lot nicer."The two smiled and followed him up the stairs. Taylor presented papers to secure them access to the 1nd Class, where a more luxurious room was waiting for them. The room was not huge, but it was a lot bigger than the ones down below. The windows were more inviting, and the view of the sea was breathtaking.Once putting their bags on the floor, they immediately ran for the deck and waved to the people on the docks along with the other passengers."See somebody you know?" Fabrizio asked.Jack shook his head, "Of course not. That's not the point. Goodbye!""Goodbye!""I'll miss you!""I'll never forget you!"Taylor rolled his eyes at the two as they waved at the crowd below, feeling the raw strength of the Titanic as it began to pull away from the dock of Queenstown. Even from where they stood, they could feel the propellers begin to spin.As the ship got further away, the crowd started to disperse and go about their business.Meanwhile, the young woman and her mother joined Cal in the main suite that had been reserved for them on the highest part of the 1st Class floor, one of the best rooms available. As they began to settle in and began to unpack with the help of servants, the young woman focused on her art collection to help brighten up her room.The young woman was Rose DeWitt Bukater, the only heir to a now fortunate-less family, with the family name holding any value to it. A mask to the debt that her father had left behind after he had passed away. Now it was falling on her to fulfill her mother's wish to restore the family's former glory. Cal was to be her husband in the coming months, a final resort to restoring the wealth they had lost.Cal criticized Rose's collection of art and even the name of the artist, Picasso. A criticism that seemed to increase their friction. But one she took with silence all the same.On the bridge of the ship, Captain Smith approached First Officer William Murdoch."Take her to sea, Mr. Murdoch," he said with a hint of pride, hands on the railing as he smiled. "Let's stretch her legs.""Yes sir," Murdoch smiled back before going to fulfill the order.Jack, Fabrizio, and Taylor stood at the forehead of the ship, watching dolphins as they swam in front of the ship and leaped into the air. They could feel the chill of the wind on their skin as the ship began to travel faster."I can see the Statue of Liberty already. Very small, of course."Jack laughed."I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD!" Jack shouted as he stood on the first level rails, arms stretched out.Fabrizio laughed, while Taylor rolled his eyes but ultimately couldn't help to smile, as they stared out towards the horizon.Rose sat at a table of six, amongst her mother, Cal, Molly Brown, Bruce Ismay, and Thomas Andrews, while trying to entertain herself.Except for her and Molly, all of them were discussing Titanic's origins and structure.Rose eventually resorted to smoking, which her mother disapproved of, forcing Cal to intervene and take it from her, which earned a glare from Molly, one of the newest first-class members who had recently found wealth.After ordering their meals, or rather Cal ordering for the both of them, Rose eventually grew too bored and got up to leave, but not before insulting Ismay for his arrogance, which earned a smile from both Molly and Andrews.On the front deck of the ship, Jack was drawing pictures of the people around him in his notepad, currently focusing on a father and his young daughter, Bert and Cora.While Taylor and Fabrizio were deep in discussion."It's not that I'm against taking a vacation and going to revisit old homes, but this is a waste of time.""Will you stop whining about this?" Fabrizio moaned. "You're the one who decided to come.""Only because I'd rather not lose contact with you guys.""It's been a year since we last saw him! How do we even know he’s in London?  Why go there?”"That's what I’m trying to find out. I'm lucky to even know about his existence. I need to find him in order to go home."""My friend," Fabrizio put his arm around his shoulders. "We're on a journey for America, the land of opportunity and freedom. Can't we just enjoy a week of relaxation and take Jack to his hometown one last time? Then we can make our way back to London and find Prometheus. Let's just take a little bit of time to ourselves and have some fun.""A businessman, yeah?" a voice called out.The two turned to find an Irishman leaning against the rails with a smoke in his hand, smiling.Fabrizio smiled, "Good afternoon, I'm Fabrizio. You are?""Tommy Ryan," the man replied, reaching out with his hand. "Got a last name?"Fabrizio shook his hand and nodded, "De Rossi.""And you?"Taylor stared at him for a moment, "Taylor Huston.""American?""Born and raised."Tommy laughed, just as some first-class folk walked right past them with their dogs, making him shake his head, "Typical! First-class walking their dogs to take a shite."Jack heard him as he turned away from his drawings and said, "To make sure we remember where we rank in the grand scheme of things."Tommy laughed, "As if we could forget?"Jack, Fabrizio, and Taylor laughed."I'm Tommy Ryan," he shook Jack's hand."Jack Dawson.""You American as well.""Just like him," he nodded towards Taylor."Do you make money with your drawings?" Tommy motioned towards his large notepad.Jack nodded, "Not as much as I would like, but it's far more than just something to make money. It's a passion and I don't wish to turn it into a job.""Well spoken."Suddenly, Jack's attention was pulled to the upper deck across from them, his eyes fixated on a young woman who was walking towards the railings and leaning against them, staring out into the horizon.Tommy, Fabrizio, and Taylor turned to see what he was looking at.Tommy laughed and turned back to him, "Ah, forget it, boyo. You're more likely to have angels fly out of your arse than you'll ever get to being next to the likes of her."Jack didn't hear him as he continued to stare directly at the girl. Everything fell away, as if the ground had opened and there was nothing but the girl in front of him. Time itself had no effect on him.Taylor continued to look at the girl, feeling something very familiar about her.The girl felt his stare and turned to him, quickly glancing away, though she looked back a few seconds later. She seemed uncomfortable about the way he was looking at her. But whatever she was feeling quickly vanished the moment a man approached her and took her by the arm, whispering into her ear. Whatever it was, it wasn't friendly, as it made her moan and move away from his grasp, walking away. The man looked frustrated as he followed.As Jack watched her go, Fabrizio waved his hand in front of his face, making him and the two laugh at how oblivious he was.In a first-class room, a man began to set up shop, putting up equipment and a series of notes. He checked his watch and began to sort out everything he needed. Taking a briefcase, he set it on the bed and opened it, reaching inside for a hybrid gun within.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Your target is a young man in nineteen-o-seven. His location is in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. The others have agreed that he is too dangerous."
A hidden figure in the darkness of the room handed over a file from across his desk, leaning up in his seat.

The newest member of the organization took the file and opened it, quickly reading the important bits.

/

Target: Jack Dawson

Location: Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, United States

Year: 1907

Born: 1892

Reason for red flag-

/

He stopped reading as he processed the information of the two dates.
"Sir, this is a fifteen-year-old boy!" he protested. "What could he have possibly done to warrant such a red flag?"
The hidden figure sighed, "I didn't wish to throw this upon you, but my superiors wish to see your demonstration of loyalty to this organization. Some believe that you haven't proven yourself."
"Sir, I have nothing to hide.  You all know why I’m joining you. You’ve been keeping up your part of the bargain and I assure you that I will uphold mine.""I know you will," the man's smile could be seen, even from the darkness. "You don't need to prove anything to me, but this isn't me who needs proof, son. It's for others who do not share my faith."
The young man nodded, "May I ask why this boy is being selected?"

The man sighed, "Very well. But do not breathe a word of this to anyone. Even I will suffer the consequences."

The young man nodded with renewed interest and motivation, "Yes sir."
"In this timeline, there has been a 'Split'."
The young man's eyes widened in surprise.
"According to what we could find, an event that wasn't supposed to happen occurred on April 14th, 1912. A ship known as the Titanic struck an iceberg and sunk with over fifteen hundred people."
The young man frowned, “A reality where Titanic didn’t sink?”
"We do not know the full circumstances of what caused this event, but we found that Jack Dawson plays a role in it.""How?""I cannot provide that info. But rest assured we know that he is cause, although not the mastermind. Whoever is behind this is setting something into motion and we cannot guarantee anything on Mr. Dawson's part, aside from the fact that he does play a role in what will happen.  Let me be clear, you are to kill Jack Dawson long before this event. It'll cause some problems, but the Split will Merge back together, and the timeline will be restored."The man opened his mouth to speak but paused.  Controlling himself, he sighed and asked, "What about the mastermind?""The elders will deal with him. You’ll be dealing with 'Dawson'."Taylor awoke, staring up at the ceiling as he pushed the dream to the back of his head. As his vision cleared, he removed the layers of blankets and got up, heading to the restroom to freshen up before the others. He looked over towards Jack before disappearing into the bathroom.After brushing his teeth while the tub filled with hot water, he undressed from his night clothing and took a moment to bathe himself. He focused on being quick, not wanting to use all the hot water for himself before the others. Something he had started doing since Jack joined him. It took a while to get used to, as he always wished to take his time in the water but managed to discipline himself over time.Once drying and redressing, he exited the bathroom to find the other two still asleep. He couldn't help but smile at the two.Just two years previous, Fabrizio had entered the small group that he had secretly put together. Jack had come into the fold just three years before him. His time with them reminded him of his brothers.His heart sunk at the very thought of them. Especially his mother.It was hard not to be reminded of his family. Over six years since he last saw them and the ache was still heavy. As much as he wished to see them again, he was reminded why he couldn't. There was only one way that he could be reunited with them now.At the very least, having Jack and Fabrizio in his life made things slightly easier. On that, he couldn't help but be thankful to God for.Shaking his head, he walked over and shook Jack away."Hurry up and claim what's left of the hot water."Jack's eyes shoot open as he flew out of bed, with Fabrizio in hot pursuit but too late to the door as Jack slammed it shut behind him. Fabrizio banged on the door, cursing in Italian."You can join me if you'd like!" Jack shouted from the other side, making Taylor laugh as Fabrizio cursed him some more.Rose arose from her large bed, stretching as the sunlight shined on her with welcoming warmth. Just as she got to her feet and began to brush her hair, her handmaiden Trudy knocked on the door and entered."Good morning, milady."Rose turned to her and smiled, a truly genuine smile that was very rarely ever seen."Good morning, Trudy," she turned back to the mirror."Mrs. Butaker is washing up as we speak, so we have half an hour before she will be ready.""Trudy, there's no reason to be so formal around me. Won't you call me by my first name?""And risk suffering the wrath of Mrs. Butaker? I think not."Rose laughed, "Fair enough."Trudy began to prepare the dress and settle it on the bed, "Looks like it's going to be another sunny day. Your mother will be hosting dinner with some nobles later this evening, and tea with her friends in the afternoon. For now, it looks like she wishes to have dinner with Cal in the suite-"Rose sighed, at the least happy that he didn't have to join the others in the dining area but still upset that he would still have to spend her time with her fiancé and mother.Once done dressing, she joined Cal and Ruth for breakfast, keeping quiet the whole time unless spoken to, looking out the window towards the horizon in the distance. "You know, I bought the new clothes so we could blend in."Jack ignored his friend as he put on his regular clothes.Meanwhile, Fabrizio was already trying on the new clothing that Taylor had bought, smiling as he presented himself in front of the mirror, muttering something in Italian."I hear that the third class was having a party last night," said Jack. "We should join them for the next one tomorrow""If we do, that's when we should be in our regular clothes. Don't want to look out of place or be the center of attention to a drunken third-class passenger.""Oh, so now you're fine with me wearing regular clothing.""Only when it is useful. I was able to get us a first classroom for our benefit of a pleasant journey. That being said, we need to keep up appearances to lower suspicions and stay away from the first class."Jack raised his brow at him, "And how well does getting a first-class room help with that?"Taylor shrugged, "Hey, I said we should keep our distance, not be shoved into a room that can barely hold four people on one of the greatest man-made ships in history.""Well, regardless, I prefer my time spent on the deck and exploring the ship. Anyone want to join?""I'll come," cried Fabrizio.Taylor shook his head, taking his briefcase and setting it on his bed, "I need to do some homework if you will.""What's homework?" Jack asked.Taylor waved him off, "An old saying where I come from. I don't know why but… something doesn't feel right."Jack and Fabrizio looked at each other."What do you mean?" Jack asked.Taylor regarded him, deep in thought."Titanic has a… history. One that I'm sure won't happen this time around. But… I don't know… I get a gut feeling that I should keep an eye out.""One of those 'must keep secret to preserve the timeline'?" Jack asked.Taylor nodded, "I'll tell you once April 14th has come and passed.""Why April 14th?" Fabrizio asked.Jack elbowed him in the ribs, making him yelp and curse, "Come on, let's leave him be."The two exited the room, leaving Taylor alone as he took the briefcase and opened it. A screen pulled up as a light scanned his eye, granting him access. He pulled up something on the screen that read:
/

- Time-Locked

-Unable to determine full status or travel until tonight

/

Taylor frowned.He wasn't surprised to see the "Time Locked" but the second worried him deeply. Why tonight? What could possibly be so important?But it also brought up another possibility that made his heart leap with excitement.If whatever was going to happen tonight be a factor in determining travel, it could mean that he would be able to make contact with his people again and leave this world to bring reinforcements. Three years of uncertainty and now he was presented with something aside from relying on Prometheus to get back home. It was far more than he could hope for.But the worry came back again.He hated uncertainty. Especially when it was this important. And to make matters worse, it was happening on the Titanic and he was fully aware of the reputation that came with it in every world he has been to.But that shouldn't be the case here. Here, Titanic's fate was different. He saw to that five years ago.Sighing, he pulled something else up, checking for any messages or ways of communication, but again was left with nothing. And the time lock was what was causing it.Nothing made sense when he tried to think it through. Everything should have fine. Unless…No, he refused to go there. He made the right choice. He double-checked for any Splits after that day. It was still one singular timeline as it was meant to be. He had succeeded without sacrificing his morals.No, it had to be something else. Was it Prometheus? Was he the cause for all of this? Was he trying to create another Split where the last one failed?He shook his head, trying to make sense of all of it.Instead, he pulled up charts of the timeline, studying through for anything out of the ordinary.Meanwhile, Jack and Fabrizio explored the Titanic and all it had to offer. As they passed by the third-class area, they stopped to have some cheap beer and talk with the men. They also ran into Tommy again, sitting at a table to hang out.Fabrizio turned and saw a cute Norwegian woman on the other side of the crowded room. When her eyes met his own, she blushed and shyly smiled back. Smiling in return, he picked up his beer and Jack's before heading towards her.Jack and Tommy watched him in amusement, giving each other a knowing look as Fabrizio sat down next to her and offered her Jack's cup. She laughed and took it, sharing her name with him: Helga Dahl.Though she couldn't speak English very well, Fabrizio was able to speak some Norwegian just fine to communicate.In one of the first-class rooms, a man prepared for tonight's dinner with the higher society. He dressed in a fancy suit and put-on cologne.Tonight, was the night he made things right where the young fool messed up all those years ago. Tonight, was the night he would be free to return home after the last three years. Tonight, was the night he made sure the Split was once again Merged.There was a part of him that knew what the cost was and felt shame over it. But he swore a vow to uphold all timelines and make sure nothing was out of place. That all must be singular.As the night sky loomed overhead, Jack laid on the bench, staring up at the stars while lighting a cigarette.He left Fabrizio and Tommy a while back, letting them have their fun in the company of the women and men they were hanging out with. He knew Taylor would be busy on his… well, he couldn't remember what he called it. So, he decided to lay beneath the stars and enjoy the sound of the ocean and engines of the ship.In a weird way, he was at peace, despite the cold.This was the life he wanted.He was thankful for meeting Taylor all those years ago after the death of his parents. The man promised him a life of adventure and freedom on the open road. He had become a brother to him, teaching him how to be a gentleman and how to be a good person in general.Money was never an issue for them, not with that case of his. It granted him more freedom and fewer worries than he believed he would have to face the day his parents died. Even when Taylor was away on his missions, he was well taken care of.But he did worry about the last five years. Ever since Taylor discovered that he couldn't leave this universe, it had stranded him without warning. He didn't know how it all worked but he had a general idea of what he was and what he did. So, he had an understanding that it was serious.He felt bad for making Taylor come along even though he was supposed to be helping him find Prometheus. But he had a life of his own to live, and felt the need to take a break every once and a while. After all, once Taylor got what he needed and captured Prometheus, he was free to leave once again. And it wasn't like Prometheus was leaving Europe.He pushed those thoughts to the side, clearing his mind.As Rose sat at the dinner table with her mother and the other ladies, she stared down at the empty plates, like an empty shell. No one noticed or addressed her if they did. She was internally screaming deep down, barely able to keep the frustration, panic, fright, and anger down.The men, including Cal, had already excused themselves to a room where cigars and bourbon were waiting for them, which was a small mercy.But every second that ticked by, the more the realization that this was going to be her life sunk in for her.Without turning to her mother, she quickly said, "Excuse me."Ruth Bukater frowned at her as she got up and quickly walked towards the exit.Once outside and onto the deck, she burst into tears as everything was released at once. She felt as if she was drowning in an ocean of emotions. She panted as she began to run, bumping into people without concern or acknowledgment of their presence. She felt the need to run, to escape.As she did, she passed a bench, catching the eye of the young man who was laying on it.The mysterious man ate at the dinner table, alone.Some glanced his way, trying to recognize him from somewhere. Some wrote him off as new money. Some grew curious.He made sure not to pay any attention to the table with the beautiful fiancé of Cal Hockley but he watched from the corner of his eye as he ate a small meal and drank some wine. He was waiting for the right moment when she would get up. For the last three years, he did his homework and managed to work out a timeline to follow, all the while staying ahead of his pursuers.The moment the girl rose from her seat, he did the same and walked out the opposite exit, offering a smile to a woman who was staring at him, making her blush.As walked as fast as he could to keep up, knowing she would travel on the opposite deck. When he appeared by the stern area, he saw her run down some steps and pass a bench.Seeing that the coast was clear, he prepared to make his move on his intended target.Until someone got up from the bench, making him pause.As Rose came to the end of the stern and lean on a pipe, she managed to catch her breath and began to recollect herself, allowing for her emotions to calm. Looking towards the rails and into the darkness beyond, she approached and placed her hands on the cold railings for support.An idea popped into her head, something that suddenly made everything fall into focus. It was her way out. A way to escape for good.Stepping onto the rails, she began to pull herself over the edge and stand on the other side, with only the support of her hands and feet on the railings keeping her from falling towards the dark, cold rushing water below.A part of her wondered if the fall would kill her or if she would drown. A part of her began to doubt if this was a good idea at all. But the moment she thought of her mother and fiancé, what was waiting for her back in America, the fear came rushing back.She knew what she needed to do. What she believed she should do.Jack slowly approached the woman he had followed, curious about why she was a crying mess when she passed him. He figured he would find her by the stern, looking out towards the sea. He figured he would check on her and leave her be.But the moment he came into view, his eyes widened when he saw the woman on the other side of the railings. His heart raced, unsure what to do except approach as slowly and quietly as he could.He thought about silently sneaking up on her and grabbing her by the waist to pull her back. But he feared she would hear her and let go before he reached her. Or worse, frighten her into slipping and falling into the depths below.So, he chose another option, reaching out with his hand."Don't do it."Rose turned her head, a rush of fear rushing through her as she realized she had been caught, "Stay back! Don't come any closer!"The young man slowly approached, hand reaching out to her, "Come on. Just give me your hand and I'll pull you back over.""No!" she shouted. "Stay where you are!"He stopped, worried about how close he could get before she would let go."I mean it!" she paused. "I'll… I'll let go!"He could hear the conflict in her voice, the need to sound serious. And it was there, but so was the conflict, which told him enough.Realizing he still had his cigarette in his hand, he took the opportunity to get a little closer by motioning to her that he was going to throw it overboard but far enough away from her.Though understanding of what he was going to do and slightly believed him, she kept her eyes on him like a wounded animal.Throwing it over the side, he stood where he was and put his hands in his pockets."No, you won't."She slightly frowned, confused."What… What do you mean, 'no I won't'?" she slightly glared at him. "Don't presume to tell me what I will or will not do! You don't know me!""You're right, I don't. But I know you won't do it. You would have done it already if you were serious. I think a part of you doesn't want to."She frowned at him, confused, "Stop it! You're distracting me! Go away!""I can't do that.""Why not?! Of course, you can!""Too late. I'm involved now," he began to untie his shoes and take them off. "If you let go, then I'm going to have to jump in there after you.""Don't be absurd!" she shook her head. "You'll be killed!""I'm a good swimmer.""The fall alone would kill you.""It would hurt. I'm not saying it wouldn't. Tell you the truth, I really wish I had some whiskey earlier.  It would have helped with the pain. That cold water down there is what worries me more than the fall."She paused."What do you mean?""Well, water that cold will be painful. If we somehow survived the fall, the cold water will kill us slowly."She turned to him, "How cold?"He finished taking off his shoes and jacket, "Freezing. Maybe a couple of degrees under." He felt better on the inside, knowing he was starting to win her over. "You, uh, ever been to Wisconsin?"She frowned, "What?""Well, they have some of the coldest winters around, aside from Canada. I grew up there, near Chippewa Falls. I remember when I was a kid, my father and I went ice fishing out on Lake Wissota. It had recently been opened to the public, a man-made lake."He saw some confusion in her eyes."Ice fishing is, you know, where you-""I know what ice fishing is!" she shouted.He put his hands, apologetically, but also slightly cringing, "Sorry. You just seem like, you know, more of an indoor girl."He raised his eyebrows as he leaned against the railings."Anyway, I… uh… I fell through some thin ice. And I'm telling you… water that cold, like that down there, probably worse… it hits you like a thousand knives stabbing you all over your body."Fear grew inside of her."You can't breathe. You can't think. Except the pain."Noticing her silence, he knew he had her."Which is why I'm not looking forward to jumping in there after you. Like I said… I don't have a choice. If you jump, I jump."She was staring at him in awe, trying to comprehend what he was saying and why he was doing this. She was beginning to wonder who he was."You're crazy!" she turned away.Jack laughed, "Maybe I am. But with all due respect, miss… I'm not the one hanging off the back of a ship here."She took his words to heart."Come on," he reached out with his hand towards her. "Please, give me your hand. You don't want to do this."She shook her head."Please, miss. I've been there before. Maybe not in the same way as you, but I know that feeling that maybe there isn't anything for you to live for anymore. That the best way to end the pain is through death. But life isn't something that should be tossed away like it's replaceable.  A friend of mine taught me that each day should be lived like it's your last."She couldn't help but give in as the realization sunk in that he was serious.Reaching for his hand, she felt his grasp once she took it. He helped her turn around to face, moving slowly as possible. As she came face to face with him, she couldn't help but stare into his beautiful eyes. He was handsome and young, and skinny.He let out a sigh of relief, "I'm Jack Dawson.""Rose… Rose DeWitt Bukater."Jack smiled, "I'll have to get you to write that one down for me. Come on."She laughed as he helped her begin to climb up the rails. However, her dress got under her high heels and caused her to slip, crying out as she lost her grip on the rails.Jack managed to grab a hold of her, stopping her from falling into the ocean below. It took all of his strength to keep ahold of her, feeling the cold steel of the railings against his ribs as he held onto her for dear life."I got you!" Jack grunted. "I promise, I won't let go!"She saw the look in his eyes that reassured her, sparking something from within."Now push yourself up!"She nodded, helping as much as she could.He managed to pull her up a bit, just enough for her to get her leg onto the edge and her free hand onto the railing, but it was too slippery, and she almost lost her grip, until another hand reached down and grabbed her.Jack was taken by surprise as a man who looked familiar to him appeared by his side, grabbing Rose by her other hand."On three!" he shouted to him.Recovering quickly, Jack kept ahold of Rose while the man began, "One!""Two!"Jack put his foot on the railing."THREE!"They pulled at the same time, managing to swing her over the railing and into the air. She crashed into Jack, making him stumble backward and onto the ground. She went with him, her body on top of his. The man who helped managed to keep his balance, stumbling a bit.As both Rose and Jack caught their breath and the adrenaline subsided, they slowly realized the position they were in and blushed. Rose quickly raised up to her feet in seconds, followed by Jack.A couple of men appeared, rushing towards them."What in the bloody hell is going on here?!" one of them demanded.Jack's eyes widened as he raised his shoes were on the ground, as well as his jacket. He knew what the first thing would be on their mind. It made him thankful that they didn't see Rose on top of him.The man approached them, "Gentlemen! There's no need for alarm. Allow me to explain the situation."About fifteen minutes later, the man had explained everything to the fellow sailors and officers, including the Master at Arms."Well, that pretty much covers it!" the Master at Arms raised his arms, turning to Rose, who was covered by a blanket and sitting on the bench. "You're one lucky lady to have such strong men around when you needed it. That was foolish of you to even try to get a glimpse of-""WHAT HAPPENED HERE?!"Rose's heart sunk.Cal Hockley made his way to the area, followed by his bodyguard, Spicer Lovejoy, and a fellow first-class member, Col. Archibald Gracie."SOMEONE ANSWER ME! WHAT-" he saw Rose and rushed to her. "Are you okay? Were you hurt?"Rose tried to look away from him, shaking her head."Everything is fine," the Master at Arms announced. "Mr. Kyle Craig just informed me that your fiancé tried to look over the bow and get a glimpse at the propellers, only to slip and nearly fall over. Mr. Dawson reached her first, saving her life, and Mr. Craig provided support to help get her back on the ship."Gracie's eyes lit up, "How extraordinary! These two are heroes! Well done, good sirs!"The Colonel approached them and shook their hands.Cal turned to the two and offered a small smile, "Yes, thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me that my fiancé is safe." He turned to Rose and raised her to her feet. "Look at you, you're freezing. Let's get you inside."Gracie approached Cal before he could lead Rose away, "Perhaps a little something for these gentlemen?"Cal let out a small moan, though Rose was the only one who heard it.The two turned around, with Rose staring at Jack with wonder and awe, while Cal looked towards the man known as Kyle Craig."Yes, of course," Cal forced a smile and turned to Lovejoy. "Go ahead and pay them a good sum."Gracie frowned, "But, Mr. Hockley, they saved your fiancé from certain death. Surely, we should repay them with more than just cash. They may have even saved us hours' of delay if the ship were to be turned around to rescue her. Not that it's more important than her safety.""He's right," said the Master at Arms. "If your fiancé had gone overboard, we would have been forced to turn around in the attempt to rescue her. These two not only saved her but also saved the Titanic from being delayed."Cal took their words to heart, in his own way.Rose suddenly had an idea, turning to her future husband, "They're right, my dear. Surely, money shouldn't just be the going rate of for saving the woman you love. They prevented quite the scandal in so many ways. It would be an injustice just to pay them and not show them off to the others for their bravery."Cal stared at her, slightly smiling, "Rose is displeased. What to do?"Everyone waited for his answer."Oh, I know," he approached the two gentlemen. "Perhaps you could join us for dinner tomorrow evening… to regale our group with your heroic tale."Jack almost opened his mouth to reply."We would be honored to join you," Craig slightly bowed. "Thank you for the invitation."Cal was taken back by his manners, "You must be first-class. I'm sorry, I've never heard of you… Mr.?""Kyle Craig. I'm afraid I made my fortune off of gold a while back, mainly due to investments out West. So, I'm what you would like to call, New Money.""Oh," Cal smiled. "Well, we would love to hear about your rise to riches. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow."Craig nodded as he turned to walk away, followed by everyone else except him and Jack."This should be interesting," Cal whispered to Gracie, who nodded.Rose turned to look back at Jack, wishing she could stay to ask him the many questions she had. A fire was burning deep within to know them and to thank him.Craig turned to Jack and then to Rose, smiling."Hate to break it to you, but you're hitting on another man's girl. No matter the amount of interest she may show, don't expect anything out of it. Save yourself the heartbreak."Jack shook his head, watching as Lovejoy followed his master from behind. He saw he had cigarettes but decided not to ask for any. Instead, he turned to the man."Thank you. For helping me. I wasn't so sure I would have gotten her back onboard."The man nodded, "You did a great thing, helping another find it in themselves to live on."He felt great respect and admiration for the man. However, he began to feel something familiar about him."I apologize, but have we met before?" he asked.The man shook his head, "Not that I know of. Unless you've been to London.""Not yet. Someday, I hope to visit it.""Wouldn't recommend it. The place is filthy and full of poverty, including lots of crime."Jack nodded, "You're Mr. Kyle Craig, right?"Craig nodded, offering his hand, "Correct. And you are?"Jack shook his hand, "Jack. Jack Dawson."The man's grip tightened as he stared at him, a slight hint of surprise in his eyes."I'm sorry, could you repeat that for me?"Jack frowned, "Um… Jack Dawson."A few seconds passed as Craig continued to stare at him as if he was studying him over."Is everything alright?" Jack managed to free his hand.The man blinked, "Apologizes. It must be the wind.  It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Dawson. I look forward to the dinner party tomorrow night."Jack nodded, "Me as well. Have a good night."Craig walked away, leaving a very confused Jack behind.Rose sat in the chair next to the mirror, brushing her hair as she prepared for bed, listening to a tune from a musical box. Cal walked into the room, carrying a small fancy box with him."That was reckless of you tonight," he approached her. "I've always known you've had a curious side but as your fiancé, I must insist you never do such a thing again."Rose nodded, daring not to look up at him, "Of course."Cal knelt next to her chair, closing the musical box, and placing the box he had on the table, "For you, my dear."Staring at it, she reached out and took it, tracing her hands over it."I meant to save this for you on the day of our wedding. But after tonight, I figured it would make for a great early present to make you feel better after what happened."She opened the box and her eyes widened, "Good gracious!"Cal smiled, "Perhaps as a reminder of my feelings for you."She looked up at him before taking the diamond in her hand, "It is the-""Heart of the Ocean? Yes! Worn by Louis XVI and known for how heavy it feels. One of the most expensive diamonds ever."He reached for the diamond and took it out of her hand, placing it around her neck and locking the chain."How does it feel?"She stared at herself in the mirror, "Overwhelming. Heavy.""Well, it's for royalty. We are royalty, Rose. We deserve the absolute best in life. You deserve the best in life."
What about happiness?
Rose sighed as he got to his knees next to her, hand on the arm of the chair and up against his chin."You know, there's nothing I couldn't give you."
What about love?
There's nothing I'd deny you... if you would not deny me."
What about freedom?
She turned to him."Please, open your heart to me, Rose.  And I will do the same."She continued to stare at him, realizing the belief he had in his own words, but not the understanding. She turned back to the mirror and touched the diamond on her neck, slightly swallowing.Cal smiled as he stood up and kissed her on the cheek, "Sweet dreams, my dear."Jack walked back to the first class room he shared with others, trying to process what had happened earlier. It was beginning to sink in for him. Like a fog lifting from the path.As he entered the room, he found Taylor on the bed, still on the device he had, and both Fabrizio and Tommy playing a game of cards."Hey, boyo!" Tommy cried out. "I never realized you guys had a first-class room. How'd you steal this one from under their noses?"Jack smiled as he approached them, "Guys, you won't believe that just happened."Kyle Craig entered his room, tired from the evening.  And also frustrated.His plan was almost ruined, but his mission was a success in the end.  He was confident that what had happened set things right.But he was surprised by the appearance of Jack Dawson, a man he believed to be dead.  It made him to begin to realize certain things that were incorrect and even answered some of his questions that lingered for years.He paused.If Dawson was here, then it meant that Taylor was as well.He smiled and made a mental note to remember the party for tomorrow night.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Rose tossed and turned in her bed, unable to fall asleep with how loud her mind was. Thoughts of what had happened at the stern just hours ago kept pushing their way to the forefront of her attention. The fear, the anger, the panic, the… soft contact with the young man's hand.
Jack.
The name came back to her, ringing in her ears like an echo. A simple name, with a handsome face to go with it. And a fine body from what she remembered when falling on top of him.She gasped, blushing as she buried her face into the pillow, letting out a muffled scream that barely reached the door. She shouldn't be having such thoughts. She was engaged.
But not married yet.
She moaned, trying to push these thoughts away. It proved to be a challenge to focus on something else.She remembered the other man who had come to the rescue at the last second. The man known as Kyle Craig. A name she had never heard before. Then again, he did say he was new money.Like Molly.She smiled at the thought of Mrs. Margaret Brown. Aside from Andrews, she was the only person in the entire first-class who she got along with. At least it was easy to talk with her and listen to her, even if she can be a little much. But still better than anything having to do with Cal or her mother.Her thoughts came back to Mr. Craig.
Who was he?
The man was mysterious, far more than Jack was. He must have heard her cries and happened to be nearby. She could tell he was very well disciplined by how well he spoke. Well-mannered and polite in the ways of the first class but nothing about him was mindless or narrowed. There was something beneath that he kept hidden but just barely.Maybe he was a friend she could get along with, like Molly and Andrews. Another addition to her small list of friends in the first class. A trinity.But Jack surely held her interest the most, with how caring he was. That surprised her the most. The genuine care he displayed when trying to convince her not to jump. It wasn't for show or some alternative agenda, he cared about the fact that she was going to throw her life away and was trying to save her just because he wanted to.His speech about knowing what she was going through warmed her heart, because she recognized the pain in is voice, no matter how concealed it was through his desperation and hope that she would accept his hand. She knew he was speaking the truth. It was the first time in years since her father died that she didn't feel alone.With her eyes closed and her mind finally began to calm, she remembered his face and those beautiful eyes. She couldn't tell what color they were. She could see blue but also green as well. They were mesmerizing, like the ocean itself. A peacefulness welcoming her.She smiled before dozing off, not once thinking of the worries of tomorrow. Only excitement for what it might bring."So, let me get this straight," said Tommy. "You saved a first-class girl from falling off the back of the ship and some random guy just happened to be there to help you?"Unknown to them, Taylor stepped out the room, silently closing the door.Jack nodded, "About sums it up.""And how much did they pay you?"Jack reached into his pocket for the money that the bodyguard had given him, presenting it like a piece of paper that meant little to him, "Twenty dollars."Tommy and Fabrizio whistled."That's a good catch! You could live off that for a long time."Fabrizio scoffed, "Not that it's needed, especially with Taylor's way of getting money for us. He's been funding our little travels for the last two years.""Five years," Jack corrected him. "I've been with him longer than you."His eyes widened, cursing himself for getting, "The girl that Mr. Craig and I saved, she was the one from yesterday. The girl I was staring at."The two stared at him in shock, mouths and eyes wide open."Wait… what?!" Fabrizio cried out."No way!" exclaimed Tommy.Jack nodded, smiling as if he had won a prize, "It's true. I recognized her when she ran past me.""What are the odds of that happening?" Tommy asked, more to himself."I don't know, and I don't care. Tomorrow… I'm dining with royalty.""Wait, they offered you a seat with the first class for dinner?""Not the point! It's my chance to see her again!"Tommy and Fabrizio looked at each other with a knowing look and a devious smile before turning back to him."Uh oh, someone is falling hard," Tommy teased."When's the wedding?" Fabrizio winked.Jack laughed, "Guys, it'll probably just one night, my only chance to actually talk with her. After that, they'll all forget about me. Even that Craig guy told me not to get my hopes up. And one last thing I forgot to mention… she's engaged."Their faces fell."Yeah, that's a deal-breaker," Tommy laid back on the bed.Fabrizio smiled sadly at his friend, "Besides, even she wasn't, that Craig guy was right about not getting your hopes up. We may have a first-class room but we will never be part of their society."Jack nodded, "True to that. But… guys, it was so much more than just happening to meet her at two random chances. She was"-He stopped himself, realizing that he was about to give away the fact that Rose was trying to commit suicide. While Mr. Craig may have thought that she slipped over the railings by accident, it was Rose who told the officers that it was because she wanted to see the propellers. Clearly, it would heavily be frowned upon and ruin her reputation if it was ever known what her intentions were, regardless of the reason.His heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. So much of what he was trying to figure out was coming into perspective for him. She clearly wasn't happy. Why else would try to do such a thing?It reminded him of the day the fire that killed his parents. How alone and empty he felt. But even then, suicide never crossed his mind. He just wanted to leave and put as much distance between him and his hometown. So, he became a drifter, with no home or job security. Just living his days like they were his last. It was only when he met Taylor that things became easier for him.But for Rose…He could tell she had no one who cared for her. No one to lean on when things were too much, let alone have the freedom to speak for herself. She was alone. And it was all building up to the breaking point. He just happened to be there before she snapped."Jack?"Fabrizio's voice brought him out of his thoughts, seeing the concerned looks his friends were giving him."Sorry, I… I just realized that upon meeting her… she didn't seem happy.""No person would when they've come so close to death," said Tommy.No one spoke for a while."Hey, what are you going to wear tomorrow for the party?" Fabrizio asked."And any chance we may be able to come?" Tommy added, teasing.Jack shook his head, "Well, only me and Craig are allowed. And as for a suit, I guess I'll need to rely on Taylor's expertise."He looked at the empty bed and then towards the door."Speaking of which, when did he leave the room?"Fabrizio rolled his eyes, “Seriously, was he trained by ninjas or something?”Taylor walked on the deck of the Titanic, deep in thought as the ship pressed on through the sea. The peacefulness of the night was what he was looking for. Especially after hearing Jack's tale about how he saved a woman named Rose, along with the help of a first-class passenger.He was intrigued by how enthusiastic Jack was about telling them what had happened. But his mind immediately began to pick up warning signs as Jack told them everything.Well, not everything.He questioned how he was able to take off his shoes and jacket when she had slipped over the side and was holding on for dear life. No, he figured out quickly that it was no accident and that he had a reason for taking off his shoes and jacket. The only logical conclusion was that she was going to jump, and the slip was when he was trying to get her back onto the deck.But the last bit was what worried him the most. The explanation that if she had jumped or even fell from the slip, the ship would have been delayed searching for her. And this wasn't just some third-class passenger, this was a first-class woman. A first-class woman who was engaged to a rich businessman. The captain and crew would have been forced to do so.And Jack was the one to prevent it.Taylor was no stranger to the legacy of Titanic. He knew from his own homeworld how it went, and from other worlds, despite some differences and outcomes. But this world’s fate of the Titanic was supposed to be different.He helped make sure of it five years ago.Now, he was facing two logical conclusions of what Jack's actions meant.Logical outcome one, his rescue of Miss Bukater would keep the Titanic on course and prevent the ship from sinking.Or logical outcome two… his rescue of Miss Bukater would ensure the Titanic's sinking.Fear rose deep within him as he tried to decide which outcome which was. He hoped it would be the one he wanted, but he equally feared the one it could be.A part of him wanted to rant at Jack for getting involved when knowing that his actions would have severe consequences. But he couldn't bring himself to do so. He wasn't going to criticize him for saying a life when he was there to do so. He did the right thing, and he did so because that's who he was.And he couldn't be prouder.So, no, he wasn't going to burden him with the knowledge that he may be the cause of one of the world's greatest tragedies.But the fear and worry were still there and for good reason. It was why he left the room when Jack was almost done with his tale.He remembered what the computer said about tonight being the deciding factor in the Time Lock's status. And it was no coincidence that Jack was involved. This was the deciding factor in so many things.One thing was certain, he knew he would have his answer by tomorrow night.Kyle smiled as he looked at his computer and read the status. Closing the case, he prepared for bed, ready for tomorrow when he would confront his pursuer.But his thoughts kept returning to Jack Dawson, making the possibility of sleep almost impossible.As far as he was concerned, Jack Dawson died five years ago. He remembered the report that shocked everyone when they found out two years after it had happened. The day when the Time Lock occurred.His research proved that his existence was needed to prevent Rose Dewitt Bukater's suicide from Splitting the timeline. But with the belief he was dead, the only logical conclusion was to save Rose himself. Only to find out that Jack Dawson was alive and well. A revelation that made him question so much.It was why he came to this world before the Time Lock was complete, but the process had damaged his means to get back. So, he secured the equipment needed from another time-traveler. Someone he held responsible for the events that led to now. But his actions exposed his presence.He has so many questions that needed answering. And he intended to get them.When Rose awoke from her slumber, she wore a smile that surprised Trudy when helping her dress for the day."You're in a good mood. I would have thought nearly falling overboard would have the opposite effect."True, even she thought so.She knew that news of her slip and rescue was traveling like wildfire across the entire first-class. She cursed herself since it would mean having to endure everyone's questions and disapproval looks. Probably even have to hear "silly girl" or "this is why machinery and women don't mix".But she wasn't afraid or weighed down by it all. Instead, she was happy and felt a rush of life she hadn't felt in years. She tried to think hard about why that was, but she couldn't figure it out.After breakfast with Cal and her mother, which was spent with Ruth berating her for being so careless as she did the night before, Rose decided to go look for the man who had saved her last night. To escape suspicion, she told her fiancé and mother that she would go on a walk to clear her mind.The moment she made it onto the deck; she felt the sunlight touch her skin as if she were experiencing it for the first time. She smiled and closed her eyes, bathing in its radiance."Glad to see the young miss is starting her day off better than how she nearly ended last night."She almost jumped as she turned to the voice and saw Kyle Craig, leaning on the railing.Though slightly embarrassed, she pushed those feelings aside and smiled, walking towards him."Mr. Craig, am I right?"Kyle held up his hand, "Please, Kyle is fine. No need to be too formal."Rose felt relief with such restriction not needed."I would like to thank you for saving my life. I know it's silly of me to try and see the propellers, I don't know what came over me."Kyle smiled, "No need to explain, mam.""Please, call me Rose. If we're going to less formal, allow me to return the favor.""Very well, Rose," he bowed, earning a laugh from her. "I must say, your explanation as to why you needed saving was smart thinking."Her heart sank, just barely keeping her breathing under control, "Uh, excuse me, I'm afraid I don't follow.""I find it no coincidence that Mr. Dawson's shoes and jacket were already off when he was trying to save you. I've thought about it last night and realized that your accident may not have been one hundred percent accurate. It's a good thing no one noticed that his shoes were off, they may have gotten the wrong impression."Already she could feel her joy and excitement fading away, realizing that her secret was out.Kyle saw the fear on her face and put up his hand, "No need to worry, my lips are sealed. As is Mr. Dawson's, since he went along with your part of the story. The only person who can reveal it now is you, my dear. Whatever caused you to act as you did, that's your business. I'm simply happy you are safe."Relief overwhelmed her, sighing as she nodded, "Thank you, Kyle. That means more than you can imagine."Kyle returned her nod, "I imagine tonight, Mr. Dawson and I will be flooded with questions. It would be a good time for you to go thank him in person.""I was just on my way to do so. Do you happen to know where he might be?""I do not know his current whereabouts, but I do know that he is staying in one of the first-class rooms."This surprised her. He didn't come off as a rich boy, especially with his clothing. Maybe he was related to someone rich? Either way, it worked in her favor."Would it be alright if I ask which room?"Rose knocked on the door, waiting for a few moments before the door was opened by a young man in a suit. His hair was curly and black, thin and simply average, from her perspective."Hello," she nodded. "I apologize for disturbing you. I'm looking for Jack Dawson."The man smiled, "He's down in the living quarters of the third class."Already she was more surprised. A man who stays in the first class but spends his time with the third class? Just who was this Jack Dawson."You must be Rose Bukater. Jack wouldn't shut up about you."Rose smiled, hearing the teasing in his voice, "Yes, it was quite the embarrassing scandal.""Would you like me to come with you to help find him?""No, it's perfectly fine. I think I can manage.""Good day, Miss Bukater.""Good to you… um, Mr.?""Huston," the man replied. "Taylor Huston.""It was nice to make your acquaintance, Mr. Huston.""As to you," he closed the door, allowing her to make her way to the third-class living quarters.The whole way she thought about the man who was staying in the room. She was surprised that Jack had a friend. Or was he a relative of his? A brother? She would have to ask, if possible. It seemed surreal that there were far more people she could tolerate in the first-class than she originally thought.Arriving at the steps that led down to the third-class living quarters, she stepped in and closed the gate before heading down. She could hear music, laughter, the sound of children giggling, different languages being spoken at once. Even the sound of a piano.The closer she got, the more excited she felt.Jack smiled as he watched Cora, who was sitting in his lap, draw her picture on a free page of his portrait book. He had plenty of pages left before he needed a new one, so it didn't bother him. After drawing them yesterday, Jack had struck up a conversation with the girl's father, Bert Cartmell. Or was it Cartwell? It was hard to know with the different pronunciations the two seemed to have.Men and women, of all kinds of races, were talking and laughing. Children ran around, playing with reckless abandon and limitless energy. Some were even chasing a rat. Some were around the piano, singing along with the man who was playing it. The whole third-class living quarters was alive, a welcoming place of harmony.Fabrizio was talking with the Irishwoman, Helga Dahl, trying to help her pronounce his name in English or Italian. Though the two had trouble understanding each other, they enjoyed being in each other's company. Much to the dismay of her parents, who were sitting close to Jack and Cora.Tommy was going through Jack's drawings of the people he had just done earlier, comparing each one to the person he drew, in awe of the excellent work.He shook his head, smiling, "This is very good."Jack nodded to him, keeping his attention on Cora's work, helping her out with some advice but ultimately letting her unleash her imagination."Seriously, Jack, these are very, very good.""Thank you," Jack nodded to him.Suddenly, everyone started to quiet down. The talking stopped in seconds, as did the piano playing and the singing. Even the children stopped running around. Everyone's attention was now towards the stairs.Tommy, Fabrizio, and Hegla turned their attention to what everyone else was looking at and were hit with a stunning sight.Jack frowned as he looked up, just now realizing how quiet it was."Uncle Jack, why is everyone so q-" she gasped the moment she turned her head.Jack turned to what she was looking at and his heart stopped at the beautiful sight before him.The moment Rose reached the end of the stairs, she smiled at the sight before her.So many people were gathered into one area, never feeling uncomfortable with how little space there was, how crowded it was. Men and women of all kinds of races and nations were talking to each other without worry about how they sounded or spoke. There was no mindless chatter, no need to say something in a certain way. They just said what was on their mind.She smiled at the children who ran amok, chasing each other or chasing the poor rat that was trying to stay ahead of them and find a way to safety.She smiled at the man who was playing the piano and the men who sang around him.To her, it was paradise. A haven she wanted to see more of.Sadly, it wasn't to last as everyone began to notice her. The talking ceased and the piano playing stopped, going with it the singing as well. Even the children stopped what they were doing.Now, the attention was on her.Her smile disappeared as she felt so vulnerable to stares that everyone was giving her. She tried to smile again but it failed to reach her ears. Never before had she felt this embarrassed as she began to walk among them, her eyes looking for Jack. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire.Men tipped their hats to her, while the woman giggled and whispered amongst themselves.As her eyes scanned the crowd, she met the eyes of blue and green, and a shocked face that belonged to one, Jack Dawson.Feeling relieved, she made her way to him, wearing the same smile from the night before.Jack turned to Cora and whispered, "I need to get up and talk with an old friend, you can continue coloring. Alright?"Cora blinked and turned to him, nodding with a bright smile, "Okay. Go get her, Uncle Jack."He blushed as he picked her up and set her to the side of the bench, allowing him to stand up just in time as Rose approached him."Hello, Mr. Dawson," she greeted.Jack swallowed and nodded, "Hello, again."She trembled a little at being so close to him, her dreams coming back to her.Thankfully, life in the quarters came back as people began to talk again and the piano resumed, though no singing this time, and the children's attention was drawn elsewhere.Only those closest to them kept watching."May I speak with you?""Yeah," Jack nodded.When he didn't move, she realized he didn't understand. She could feel the eyes of several eyes who continued to watch them."In private."His eyes widened, "Oh, yeah, of course. My apologies.""Here you go, Uncle Jack," Cora handed his portrait book to him. "I'm done now."The two turned to the little girl.Rose smiled as she glanced between them.
He's good with kids.
"Thank you, Cora," he took the book from her. "Are you sure that you're done?"She nodded, "I should go find my dad. Goodbye, Uncle Jack.""Bye, Cora," he watched her run off, disappearing into the crowd.Turning back to her, he motioned towards the stairs."Lead the way."Nodding, she turned to head back, ignoring the continuous stares from others.Tommy looked between Jack and Rose, raising his brow a few times with a smile, earning a small smack on the chest.As Jack followed, Tommy and Fabrizio looked at each other with dumbfounded faces, while Helga continued to marvel at Rose's beauty. Casting one last glance at them as they started to head back up the stairs, they turned back to each other and began to laugh.Once they were back on the deck of the Titanic, they stopped by the railing and faced each other.Rose felt her heart beating now that they had some privacy, despite those who were walking about.As the silence continued, things felt more awkward between them."Soooo… you said you wished to speak with me?"Rose shook her head, "Yes, sorry. Beautiful weather we are having, don't you think?"She contained her need to cringe, feeling so vulnerable and stupid for saying something so unrelated and mindless. Even her face felt hot.Jack raised an eyebrow at her and laughed, "Yes, we are."
Oh, God, he must think I'm so stupid and silly!
Shaking her head, she motioned to the pathway before them, "Tell me something about yourself, Mr. Dawson."Nodding, he walked beside her as they left the railing."Well, I was born in America, specifically in a little town called Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin."She felt captivated by his voice, so soft and gentle."When I was fifteen, my parents passed away and I just left.""I'm so sorry for your loss," despite she truly did feel bad for him, the way she said it felt mindless, something she internally scorned herself for. "Why did you leave? Don't you have any kin there?"He shook his head, "Born an only child. No brothers, sisters, cousins. Nothing. And I was a fifteen-year-old boy who couldn't wait to see the world. At the time, I was looking to put as much distance between me and my hometown. Just… too many memories that brought back the pain of losing them."She felt so many different emotions at once for him. Admiration for how carefree and adventurous he was. And sadness for the loss of his parents. It reminded her of the day her father died."So, I just lit on out of there and haven't been back since. Until now.""What do you mean?""Well, I'm going back for the sole reason of visiting my hometown again. I think I'm feeling a little homesick. I guess we need to remind ourselves of where we come from, where we began."She nodded, admiring his words of wisdom."You could call me a tumbleweed blowing in the wind."They both chuckled."Well, Rose, we've been walking for a good deal of time around this boat deck and chewed over how great the weather's been and a little bit of how I grew up, but I reckon that's not why you came to talk to me, is it?"Rose sighed, "Dr. Dawson, I-""Jack," he interrupted her.Taken back, she nodded, "Jack. I want to thank you for what you and Mr. Craig did. Not just pulling me back or for understanding to a degree, but for your discretion."Jack nodded, "You're welcome."They turned to each other.She sighed, "Look, I know what you must be thinking. 'Poor little rich girl. What does she know about misery?'"Jack frowned and shook his head, coming to lean against a cable as they stopped, "No. That's not what I've been thinking at all since last night. What I've been thinking about and having trouble understanding is… what could have happened to this girl to make her think she had no way out."She stared at him in awe."Just because you may not know misery as others do, doesn't mean you don't go through your own."She blinked, trying to keep her mouth closed from how surprised she was by his understanding."Well, I…"Suddenly, she felt something within break. Like a dam that finally hit the breaking point."It was everything!" she walked around him to the railing. "It was my whole world and all the people in it!"Jack turned and followed her."And the inertia of my life, plunging ahead and me… powerless to stop it!"Jack nodded."Every day it's the same thing! Get up, get dressed in tight dresses that you can't breathe in, have breakfast with my mother and fiancé, listen to them talk mindless chatter, go on tea dates with other high society women, listen to more of mindless chatter, walk around and talk about the state of things and how they should be better, talk in a polite matter that feels so fake you swear it's all a con or trick, and then repeat everything over again until it's time to go to bed!"But the worst of it is my engagement!" she held up her hand, showing off the ring.Jack bent down a bit to take a closer look, taking her hand into his own.Rose froze, feeling warmth rush through her by their contact."God, look at that thing!" Jack exclaimed, teasing. "You would have gone straight to the bottom."Rose laughed."Over five hundred invitations have gone out. All of Philadelphia society will be there. And all the while I feel like I'm standing in the middle of a crowded room, screaming at the top of my lungs, and no one even looks up."As her high from the outburst started to cease, she slowly started to realize that she had just opened herself up to a man she barely knew, but yet… for some reason…"Do you love him?"She blinked, frowning at him, "Pardon me?""Do you love him?"She was dumbfounded, "You're being very rude. You shouldn't be asking me this."Jack felt confused, unable to comprehend how it was rude, "Well, it's a simple question. Do you love this guy or not?"She scoffed, "This is not a suitable conversation.""How is it not?  Marriage should be between a man and a woman who love each other. Two people who want to share their lives together, no matter the hardships or trials. If you don't love the guy, then it's in both of your best interests to not get married."Now she was swimming in an ocean of confusion and anger, as if she were numb but also feeling. She laughed as she walked away from him."This is absurd.""Why can't you answer the question? It seems like a good one that needs answering.""You don't know me, and I don't know you, and we are not having this conversation. You are rude and uncouth and presumptuous and- I'm leaving now!"Jack struggled to contain his laughter, making faces as he looked up and down, left to right in the attempt to not laugh. He was even wondering what uncouth and presumptuous meant."Jack- Mr. Dawson," she took his hand and started to shake it. "It's been a pleasure."Now he was on the verge of losing it."I sought you out to thank you and now I have thanked you.""And you've insulted me," Jack added as they continued to shake hands.Rose was caught off guard, "Well, you deserved it.""Right," Jack choked back his laughter."Right."They continued to shake hands as she stared deep into his eyes, once again getting lost in the beautiful colors of blue and green."I thought you were leaving," Jack smiled.Rose shook her head and released his hand, cursing herself for being so stupid and silly, "I am!"She turned her back on him and began to walk away. As she did, the embarrassment grew inside, her thoughts focused on the overdone handshaking and attention she gave to his beautiful eyes-She turned around, "You are so annoying!"Jack laughed.The moment she turned away again, she felt far more embarrassed and angrier, which ignited a realization."Wait!" she spun around, walking back to him. "I don't have to leave! This is my part of the ship! You leave!""Oh-ho-ho-ho!" Jack exclaimed, using it as a vent for his amusement as he leaned against the cable again. "Well, well, well. Now, who's being rude?"Rose gasped at him, unable to think of anything to say back.Jack watched her, amused and mesmerized by how beautiful she looked right now. He was seeing the real her, and it was quite the experience. In all his travels, he had never met a woman like Rose.Then she saw the portrait book in his hands and snatched it from him."What is this stupid thing you're carrying around?!" she demanded, opening it. "What are you an artist or something?"Normally, Jack would feel alarmed at such a thing. He was quite protective of his work, with some exceptions. But for some reason, he was more than okay with this. It made him far more amused with her.Rose was surprised by the drawings inside, immediately melting away her embarrassment and anger. She began to walk towards the nearby bench that was empty, casting glances back at Jack the more she looked at them."These are rather good," she sat down, being followed by Jack. "They're very good, actually."She looked at a drawing of a mother breastfeeding her baby and another of a man holding his child, showcasing the giant hands to the small body of the toddler."Jack, this is exquisite work.""Ah, they didn't think too much of them in old Paree.""Paris?" she asked, turning to him.He nodded.She raised an eyebrow, "You do get around for p-"She paused, afraid to offend him.Now Jack raised his eyebrow, further amused by how she went from being on the offensive and was now considerate of his feelings."Well, a- a person of limited means."Jack nodded and nodded, "Go on. A poor guy. You can say it."She turned the page and found a drawing of a beautiful woman, naked as the day she was born.Jack was immediately embarrassed, his worries were brought to life as he twist and turned where he sat."Well, well, well," she turned back to him with a raised eyebrow before turning to the next. "And these were drawn from life?"Jack nodded.She felt a hint of jealousy.A man walked by a little too close, making her close it so he couldn't see. She was becoming fully aware of her surroundings, feeling paranoid.Once he had passed, Jack leaned in, "Well, that's one of the good things about Paris. Lots of girls willing to take their clothes off."She looked at him and laughed. Normally, such a thing to say would offend almost everyone. But for her, it just made too much sense.She turned the page and found the same woman from the last, "You like this woman. You've used her several times."Jack felt more uncomfortable, "Well, she had these beautiful hands, see? Even I couldn't do them justice, you had to have been there to see them for yourself. So soft and gentle. They were like the hands of an angel."Rose laughed, despite the jealousy growing within, and smiled at him, "I think you must have had a love affair with her.""No, no, no, no!" Jack protested. "She was a one-legged prostitute."Her eyes widened."See?" he turned to the next page.The moment she saw what he meant, she gasped and laughed a little.Jack couldn't help but laugh with her, "She had a good sense of humor though."Rose turned to him, feeling the warmth inside her heart as the jealousy melted away. Though, she couldn't help but wonder if he had been intimate with any of the girls he had drawn. She hoped not."Ah, and this lady," he turned the page to the next that presented an elderly lady at a table. "She used to sit at this bar every night, wearing every piece of jewelry she owned… just waiting for her long, lost love."Rose felt a sting of sadness for the woman while smiling at Jack."I called her Madame Bijoux. A name that many others picked up, even Taylor likes it. You can see that her clothes are all moth-eaten."Rose's smile grew, "Well, you have a gift, Jack. You see people.""I see you."She was beaning far more than she ever did before, sticking her nose up into the air, "And?""You wouldn't have jumped."Her smile fell, feeling disappointed and annoyed by his answer.Ruth Bukater and her friends sat down for tea, talking about marriage to suitable husbands. Ruth expressed great annoyance towards her daughter for not wanting to go through with the marriage to Cal.The moment Molly Brown walked towards them, they pretended to be done with their tea and got up."Hello, girls!" Molly exclaimed. "I was hoping to catch you at tea.""We're awfully sorry you missed it," said Ruth, faking her sadness. "The Countess and I were just off to take the air on the boat deck.""Oh, what a lovely idea. I need to catch up on my gossip."Moving past her, Ruth's face fell, frustrated that her plan didn't work.As they moved to go outside, they passed Captain Smith and Ismay at a table of their own, discussing the idea of lighting the last four boilers to make the ship go faster. And though Captain Smith was against it, he was pressured into it by Ismay's promise of fame and recognition, as this would be his final voyage.Jack and Rose stood at the railing, deep in their conversation as the hours passed them by without even knowing it.Rose was amazed by his stories and the places he has been to. He spoke of visiting California, Nevada, Mexico, and even the Caribbean. For the last three years, he had been in Europe, visiting France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, and then Britain."Taylor really wanted to go to London next, to search for someone but lost a bet to me. So now, here we are, heading back for the United States for the first time in three years.""Why can't I be like you, Jack?" she exclaimed, full of energy just from hearing his stories. "You and Taylor seem to have been all over the world, living a life of adventure and having the freedom to do whatever you wanted. Why can't I just head out for the horizon whenever I feel like it?"Say that we'll go there sometime, to that pier you talked about. To that beach where the sand is so welcoming. To the beautiful snowy mountains. Just say that we will, even if we don't."Jack laughed, looking at the excitement he could see in her eyes, "No, we'll do it. We'll drink cheap beer, ride on the roller coaster till we throw up."Rose gasped, unable to hold back her laughter."We'll ride horses on the beach, in the surf. But you'll have to do it like a real cowboy. No sidesaddle stuff."Rose was taken by surprise, "You mean with one leg on each side?"He nodded, "Yeah.""Can you show me?""Sure, if you like."She smiled, "Teach me to ride like a man!"Jack returned her smile, tuning his voice to that of a western cowboy, "Chew tobacco like a man."Rose laughed, trying to use the same western accent as he did, "And spit like a man!""You didn't learn any of that in finishing school? Wait, what does finishing school even mean?""I have no idea!" she laughed. "And no, I did not learn any of that.""Well, come on, I'll show you.""Wait, what?! No, Jack!" she was already being dragged away with him."Come on, I'll show you! It's not that hard!""No, Jack, no! Wait! I can't possibly, Jack!"Despite her protests, she felt excited as he brought her to the railing."Watch closely," he inhaled, hawked, and felt the snot hit the back of his throat before spitting it out into the ocean.Those nearby or passing by glanced at him in disapproval and disgust."That's disgusting!" Rose cried."Alright, your turn."Giving in, she bent over the edge and spit.Jack rolled his eyes, "That was pitiful. You really have to hawk it back. Get some leverage. Use your arms."He snorted."Arc your back."He hawked and shot the large snot out into the ocean."You see that range on that ring?""Mm-hm," she was unable to reply due to the snot she was holding in her mouth."Okay, go!"She shot it out, unaware that her mother and the party she was with were currently walking towards them."That was better. You have to really work on it. Really try to hawk it up.""So, this where you've been the whole time."Jack and Rose turned to find Taylor standing behind them, opposite Ruth and the others, who just realized that Rose was there as they began to approach them."Hey, Taylor!" Jack exclaimed. "Have you met Rose?""We've met," said Rose. "He told me here to you find you.""And it would appear I've led you straight into quite the curious situation.""Ah, don't be like that, I was just showing her how to spit like a man. She wanted to know."She scoffed, "After you literally dragged me off to do it.""Come on, you were enjoying it. No one was around to see it."Taylor laughed, "Aside from the people who are uncomfortable watching you do it, I can name one person who did see it and is not impressed.""Like who?"He nodded to the woman behind them.They both turned around and came face to face with Ruth Bukater, Margaret Brown, the Countess, and another first-class woman."Mother!" Rose exclaimed, fear piercing her heart at the disapproving face she was giving her. "Um, I introduce J- I mean, Mr. Dawson.""Charmed, I'm sure," said Ruth, eyeing the boy from head to toe before turning to her daughter, a look that told her everything she needed to know.Even Taylor could tell that this woman did not like what saw, not one bit. In fact, he dared to believe that she saw him like an insect beneath her. One that she wanted to squash quickly.Ah, so she’s one of those people! he thought, reminded of other women he had met in his life just like her, with the only thing that was remotely impressive being that each one somehow managed to become more annoying.Despite what Ruth thought, the others were looking at Jack with curiosity and awe."Well, well, well," Molly Brown approached Jack. "Sounds like you're a good man to have around in a sticky spot."She turned to Taylor, "And you are?"Taylor bowed and approached, "My name is Taylor Huston, ma'am.""This one has some good manners."Suddenly, the fanfare sounded."Why do they always insist on announcing dinner like a damn cavalry charge?" she said, laughing at her own joke.Jack, Rose, and Taylor couldn't help but laugh with her."Shall we go to dress, mother?" Rose asked, immediately taking her mother by the arm to lead her away. "See you at dinner, Jack."Jack waved goodbye, while Taylor rolled his eyes."Uh, son?" Molly tried to get Jack's attention, who was trying to get another glimpse of Rose. "Son!"Taylor smacked him on the side of his head, "Down, boy! Down!"Jack glared at him.Molly laughed, "Well, it's nice to see someone is looking out for you. But, seriously, do you two have any idea what you two are doing?"Jack and Taylor frowned."I'm afraid I don't follow," said Taylor."Not really," said Jack."Well, you two are about to go into the snake pit. What are you two planning to wear?"Taylor's eyes widened, "Um, ma'am, I'm not invited. Jackie boy here is.""And I pretty much just have this."Taylor narrowed his eyes at him, "I got you a fancy suit, similar to mine. Why don't you wear that?""Because I like these just fine!""You are so damn picky when it comes to clothes!"Molly rolled her eyes as she got between them and locked her arms around their own, dragging them away."Well, I'm not letting you two come to a dinner looking like a bunch of hillbillies."Taylor tried to free himself, "Ma'am, I'm not invited to this. Only Jack is the one who is going.""Well, I'm adding you as my plus-one, kid. I'll need the company just to make it through this."Before Taylor and Jack knew it, they were in Molly Brown's suite, being dressed in much fancier suites than what Taylor had bought."Ah, I knew it!" Molly exclaimed. "My son's clothing matches your size."Does she just always carry her son's clothing? Taylor thought to himself as he looked at himself in the mirror.Molly whistled, "You two shine up like brand new pennies.”Jack and Taylor shared a look.Later that evening, both Jack and Taylor walked to the first-class dining area, where a doorman let them in without a second thought and greeted them."I can't believe I've been dragged into this," said Taylor."Hey, it's a party with the first-class, how can this screw up the timeline?""Well, if last night was any indication, anything can go wrong.""What is that supposed to mean?" Jack glared at him as they descended the stairs. "What was I supposed to do, let her die?""No, that's not what I mean. You did the right thing saving Rose's life, end of story."Jack relaxed, feeling proud by the small praise."Never mind," Taylor shook his head. "It's one dinner and I highly doubt anything big will happen just because we're here.""Ah, nice to see you again, Mr. Dawson."Jack turned around and smiled, "Mr. Craig. It's nice to see you again as well."As Taylor turned around, ready to meet the man who helped Jack the night before, time itself felt as if it was slowing down for him the moment, he even caught a glimpse of him from the corner of his eye. His natural instincts kicked into high gear. His muscles tensed. And every alarm going off inside his head.Once he was fully facing him, his eyes widened upon recognizing him. His body began to shake, and his heart was pounding against his chest like a hammer. His mind was failing him, unable to think about anything except for one thing.
Prometheus!

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The noise drowned out and his surroundings vanished, leaving Taylor completely focused on the man who stood before him. If someone were to attack at that moment, he wouldn't even know it. Nor would he feel it. He was in pure shock.His mind failed him as a part of him tried to regather himself to do anything. Everything felt a blur inside his mind like he was in a dream that refused him to awake. He felt like he was underwater.Prometheus stood before him.The man he had been chasing for three years was just a couple of feet away. In plain sight, out in the open, in public. And he was staring directly into his eyes.It felt so surreal to him to finally be face to face.Prometheus smiled, though whether it was real or for show, he couldn't tell.Jack was oblivious to his friend's state as he stepped toward the man, shaking his hand, "I would like for you to meet a friend of mine."He turned around and motioned to Taylor."This is Taylor Huston. Taylor, this is Kyle Craig, the man I told you about."Calming himself, Taylor blinked and stepped forward, offering his hand and a small smile, "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Craig."Prometheus shook his hand and smiled, "And it's a pleasure to meet you… Mr. Huston."He felt a powerful chill rush through him, tingling down his spine as if he were being electrocuted. He saw the look in his eyes and the way he said his last name. He knew that his target was aware.Even the tight squeeze of his hand confirmed it."Your friend is quite the hero."Taylor slightly shook his head, "Yeah, he is. Lucky he was there to save her. And he was lucky that you just so happened to be passing by."Jack frowned, confused.Prometheus kept his smile, "Lucky indeed. Though, I'm sure Jack could have been able to save her without my help."Taylor knew he couldn't make a move against him. Not with so many people around and with Jack so close. And to make matter worse, Jack wasn't even aware that the man who helped him was the person they had been searching for. It made him thankful for Jack's decision to board the Titanic.He decided not to inform Jack just yet about who this was. There was no way to do so without provoking Prometheus. And the last thing he wanted was to make him more nervous than he was. The first-class was already a challenge for him. This was something he could deal with alone."But your help did make it easier," said Jack, stepping next to Taylor. "To be honest, I'm happy that the two of you are here. The last thing I wanted was to be alone with such high-class royalty."Prometheus laughed, "Yes, they can be a little much. I much prefer real dinners with those who are not afraid to speak their mind without such pleasantries to satisfy another's pride. But, regardless, I am interested in seeing how this dinner will play out."He turned to Taylor, "Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Huston?"Taylor returned his smile, "I'll admit, I am a little curious. I was dragged to this by Mrs. Brown.""Ah, yes, Mrs. Margaret Brown. One of the few people in the first-class I believe the three of us can agree is someone we want around.""I thought I heard my name. And that's very kind of you, Mr. Craig. Maybe I should consider sitting next to you."The three turned to the stairs, where Margaret Brown was standing at the bottom step, clapping her hands and smiling with delight in the dress she had chosen, "Well, you three gentlemen are a sight to behold."She approached Prometheus, "I would introduce myself, but it would seem my reputation proceeds me. Just call me, Molly."Prometheus smiled and took her hand, kissing it, "Pleasure to meet you, Molly."She slightly blushed, "Well, aren't you a charmer. Why don't you boys walk with me to the dining room, our table should be ready soon.""Oh, um, I'll stay to wait for Rose," said Jack. "Go on without me."Molly raised an eyebrow at him, "Suit yourself. She should be down shortly."Taking Prometheus and Taylor by their elbows, interlocking them with her arms, she led them to the dining room for the first-class."Not every day I meet New Money like myself, especially on a ship. What exactly do you gentlemen do to be so wealthy.""Well, I just recently struck gold out West. I'm returning from a business trip, just trying to make my way back home.""And how about you, Mr. Huston?""Just Taylor, please. I'm afraid I barely qualify as first-class. I'm just a gentleman who sells things for a great price. My wealth is through whatever I make of it.""Self-made men. Better to be born poor and make your wealth later than to be born into wealth."Well said," said Prometheus."Why thank you!" they stopped a couple of feet from the large table, where servants were going about setting it up. "Looks like it's going to be a little while longer. Oh, I'll be right back, I see Sir Cosmo and Lucile!"They watched as she ran off to greet the couple, standing in silence for almost a minute."It's about time we met face to face, Taylor."His change in tone made him feel so vulnerable but he refused to let it reduce him to something else, "I agree. You're a hard man to catch.""Well, you did almost have me in Paris."Taylor felt irritated, "We are in agreement not to cause a scene here?""Of course! Wouldn't want to cause any trouble with so many important people around. Not to mention the fact that Romeo hasn't recognized me yet. He must be so nervous to be among such a high class. It would be a shame to add to that.He nodded."Speaking of which, I was under the impression that Jack Dawson died five years ago, not long after the death of his parents. Funny how that mistake went unnoticed."Taylor frowned, "I do not understand what he has to do with anything.""Jack has everything to do with what is happening now. Especially with the Time Lock, we've been experiencing for the last three years.""What do you mean?"Prometheus turned to him, frowning, "You have no idea what I am talking about, do you?"Taylor faced him, "The last three years have made no sense to me. Last time I checked, I prevented the Time Lock, until you showed up."Prometheus's eyes slightly widened, "Prevented?"He continued to stare into Taylor's eyes, deep in thought before chuckling, "Quite the misunderstanding we find ourselves in. You believe I'm the cause of the Time Lock, correct?""Without a doubt.""You're incorrect, Taylor. I did not cause the Time Lock. I just responded to it."Now Taylor was at a loss. He wanted to believe that he was lying but the look on his face told him everything. It was genuine."But… but the last report I got was that a rogue time-traveler caused all of this. You and I are the only ones stuck in this era."Prometheus studied him, "And where did this report come from?""From one of the elders. Klein Reeves."He betrayed no emotion."I call an extended truce beyond this dinner. Meet me at the forecastle of the ship once we are done dining. We have much to discuss."He offered his hand, "Deal?"Taylor stared at his hand, considering the possibilities that could happen. He wondered if this was a trap to dispose of him. But he also wondered if this was truly a conversation Prometheus wanted to have. Nothing about him suggested he had ulterior motives.In fact, the more he thought about it, he had plenty of times to attack him and Jack at any given time. He could have killed Jack at the stern, during or after he had saved Rose. He could have snuck into his room and killed them all.No, something was up, and he knew it.Making his decision, Taylor shook his hand, nodding, "Deal."Prometheus nodded, "I look forward to it."As Jack waited for Rose, he watched the first-class citizens walk by to get to their tables. At one point, he tried to copy what an elderly man was doing while passing by with his wife, by standing straight and putting one arm behind his back.He watched as Ruth Butaker and Cal Hockley come down the stairs and pass him by, refusing to acknowledge his presence.While watching them, he couldn't help but wonder what had gotten into Taylor's mood earlier when introducing him to Kyle. He decided to ask him afterward.Unknown to him as he watched the two walked toward the dining room, Rose was descending the stairs towards him.It had taken nearly an hour for Rose to get ready for dinner. It was thanks to the help of Trudy that she made good timing. The whole time she was thinking about Jack, feeling butterflies in her stomach at the idea of spending an evening together with him. Even if it was at dinner with her mother, Cal, and the rest of the first-class royalty.She couldn't wait to see him again. The entire afternoon she spent talking to him was perhaps the best time she ever had in years. It was so easy to lose herself in their conversations, to be so at ease in venting her frustrations while he listened to every word she said. But it was the moments of just talking that brought out the best in her.His own life was almost the complete opposite to hers. Just hearing about his adventures made him so intriguing. His carefree nature, handsome face, confidence, and charming personality was captivating.She felt so alive with him. And she wanted to feel it again."You're in a cheery mood," said Trudy as she helped her get dressed. "Are you sure you're alright?"Brought out of her thoughts of the young man, she nodded to her handmaiden, "Of course, just can't wait for tonight's dinner."Trudy raised an eyebrow at her, "Would it have something to do with that boy who saved you?""Trudy! Be nice, he's three years older me and more mature than a boy, even if he has a teasing side to him.""So defensive!" Trudy teased. "What on Earth could have brought this out of you?"The question lingered in her mind as Trudy finished helping her with the final touches. Why was she acting and feeling this way?She was so lost in her own mind that she didn't realize she had reached the clock by the stairs, only being brought out of her thoughts the moment she saw Jack at the bottom, trying to impersonate the style of a rich. No doubt having seen someone else do it in front of him.She smiled, finding his attempts cute and funny. The clothing he wore showed off his fit physical body, the gel used for his hair only made him look sharper with the suit, and the handsome face that went with it only made him look so much more desirable.As she started her way down to him, he turned around and met her eyes.The moment Jack turned around, he struggled not to gasp or stare at Rose like an idiot. She was so beautiful in the dress she wore that hugged her body and showed off her curves. But it was her face that held the most beautiful thing to him.He walked toward the front step; his eyes focused solely on her as she took each step towards him.The next thing they both knew, they were right in front of each other, just a step away.Oblivious to the music and the people around them, they continued to stare at each other, captivated.Reaching forward, he took her hand and slowly kissed it.Despite the long gloves she wore, she could feel the contact of his lips that made her heart leap, just separated by the fabric that she wished wasn't there."I saw this in a nickelodeon and always wanted to do it," he said.They both laughed.Offering his arm, she smiled and intertwined it with her own.As they began to walk towards the dining room area, he stuck up his nose and stood straight, making Rose slightly laugh at his mockery. The entire time she watched him, trusting him to lead the way.As they entered the dining room, they came behind a group of people. The moment she turned to see who it was, her smile disappeared upon realizing her mother and Cal were there.She reached for her fiancé's sleeve, "Darling, surely you remember Mr. Dawson."Cal turned around, as did her mother, who's smile disappeared upon realizing who Rose was with, even scowling at the fact their arms were interlocked.Cal was taken by surprise, "Ah, Dawson! You look amazing. You could almost pass as a gentleman."Although feeling a little offended by his meaning, Jack forced a smile and slightly nodded, "Almost.""Quite extraordinary," Cal offered his arm to Ruth, who accepted; the two walking away.Rose watched Jack with a smile, impressed with his ability to be polite.While following them the rest of the way, Rose began to name off some of the richest and most powerful people to Jack as they passed them, even giving quick details about them. Though Jack wasn't interested or impressed, and could barely keep up with her, he was purely drawn in by her voice and impressed with the fact that she could remember so much about so many people. To him, she was the only person he was interested in the entire room."Care to escort another lady to dinner?"Molly appeared by his side, offering her arm.Jack smiled back at her and intertwined hers with his, "Certainly.""Sweet pea!" Cal called out. "Sweet pea! Our table is ready!"Rose nodded to him as they followed to the large table, where so many of the guests were already getting seated. At the table, she recognized Kyle Craig and Taylor Huston, surprised that the latter was there."Ain't nothing to it, is there Jack?" said Molly. "Remember, they love money. Pretend like you own a gold mine and you're in the club."Before Jack could reply, Molly was already crying out for a man named Astor, someone who Rose had pointed out earlier.Taylor watched as Jack interacted with the first-class with both Rose and Molly at his side.
At least the kid is having fun.
He glanced at Prometheus, who was carefully searching his surroundings.A few moments later, everyone was at the table, already either having taken their seats or just doing so. Molly sat between Taylor and Jack, while Rose sat between Cal and Thomas Andrew to the right, and Prometheus between Jack and the Countess on the left.As the servants began to bring over the food and beverages, Col. Archibald Gracie took notice of Taylor."And who may this be?" he asked.Taylor felt everyone staring at him, but he kept firm where he sat and pushed his emotions back.Molly leaned forward, "He's my plus-one for the evening. And he so happens to be a friend and roommate of Jack Dawson, the man we have to thank for saving the life of dear Rose."Already people whispering to each other as they studied the two men."And let's not forget about Mr. Kyle Craig," Gracie added. "He was there to help save Rose from death as well.""A toast!" Molly raised her glass of champagne. "To heroes and new friends!"Everyone raised their glass and repeated the same after her. Even Cal and Ruth, despite their reluctance."So, tell us about your heroic tale of saving Miss Bukater's life," said the Countess. "We've heard rumors, but we are all curious about how authentic they are to the truth."Rose sighed, not happy with the story that would be told but still happy that the truth wouldn't be known.Jack began his story by talking about how he was hanging his feet off the side of the ship without his shoes, wanting to feel the wind between his toes. He went on to explain that he heard a cry for help and ran to the stern to find Rose hanging for dear life, just managing to save her before it she lost her grip. He then motioned to Kyle, explaining that he had heard the cry for help too, and assisted him in pulling her back onto the ship.Everyone clapped once he was done telling his story, smiling as if it was the greatest tale ever told.Rose was thankful he left out the made-up reason for why she fell over and was even more thankful that no one seemed to pick up on that missing detail, though she feared they may have already known from the rumors and were just being polite about it."Tell us more about yourself, Mr. Dawson," said the Countess. "We've been left with questions about you."Jack nodded as he took a sip of his champagne, "I was born in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, an only child to my parents. They passed away when I was fifteen…"Some of the ladies held their hands over their hearts."…so I was on my own for a little while, until I met Taylor."He motioned to his best friend."Since then, we've been traveling from city to city, living life as it passes us by.""Such an exciting thing to hear!" said a woman."Mr. Dawson is from the third-class," said Cal. "We invited him for dinner, as well as Mr. Craig, for their assistance with my fiancé last night."Molly frowned, "Actually, Jack and Taylor are staying in a room as part of the first-class."Once again, the gossip resumed."Oh, so you come from a noble family?" Gracie asked. "Or perhaps, new money?"Taylor took the initiative, "He stays with me. While I may not come from a rich family or own anything like the steel industry, I make my own fortune through my work.""And what is that good sir?" Ismay asked."I invent and sell things that people want, for a good price," he hated lying but he knew it was enough to satisfy them. "Jack makes his money off the art he draws and sells. I keep telling him he should let me do the selling, but he has let to let me do so.""Only because I wish to establish myself first," said Jack, winking at him.Taylor smiled."You're an artist?" the Countess asked.Jack nodded, "Yes, mam. I first learned how to draw when I was a child. It's a gift."Rose blushed from the glance he sent her, "Mr. Dawson was kind enough to show me some of his work today. He's quite good."Cal rolled his eyes, "Rose and I differ on our opinion of art. Not to impugn your work, sir."Though Jack didn't know what impugn meant, he quickly deduced he meant to insult, so he waved him off, "No offense taken."As more food was brought out, Rose and Molly gave him advice on how things worked at the dinner table, though Rose had to cough and mutter to him. Ismay and several others began to talk about the ship, congratulating Andrews on his magnificent work on building her.As they ate the food brought out to them, Ruth Bukater turned her attention to Jack, making Rose moan internally."Where exactly do you and Mr. Huston live, Mr. Dawson?"Jack swallowed, "Well, right now, our current address is the RMS Titanic. After that, we are on God's good humor."Rose smirked behind the glass she drank from."So, despite that Mr. Huston funds everything, you seem to have trouble with success. Without him, I question how you would have the means to travel."Anger rose inside of her, wishing to smack her mother.Both Taylor and Prometheus frowned at her.Jack kept his smile and replied, "Well, Taylor has been very good to me. He's like a brother to me. Ever since he found me wandering around the countryside, he took me in and provided for me. Yes, I may live off what he makes, but until the day he tells me to leave, I'll stay by his side.""A day that will never come," said Taylor, binging the attention back to him. "Yes, it is true, Jack has trouble with success, but big successes start off as small beginnings. I believe he will make his own mark and wealth when he gets his chance.""Here! Here!" cried Gracie. "Men of fortune and opportunity!"Almost everyone smiled and nodded."I won my ticket on Titanic through a lucky hand at poker. A very lucky hand. I didn't have Taylor backing me up or relying on him to purchase my ticket, I won it myself."Rose smiled."All life is a game of luck!" said Gracie."Hmm," Cal shook his head. "A real man makes his own luck. Right, Mr. Dawson?"Jack nodded."But luck itself isn't enough," said Taylor.Cal turned to him, frowning, "I'm sorry, care to repeat that?""Luck isn't enough. It's one thing to make your own luck and make your own wealth but it doesn't matter in the end if that is all you have. You can have the sound of a thousand voices calling your name and have the spotlight shine on you for all your life. But even castles and kingdoms eventually fall in the end. The only thing you leave behind is how much you loved.""Loved?""Love is one of the most important things a man or woman should have in their life. Without it, what's the point in living if you can't love or be loved back? The freedom to love and the freedom to choose are the only things we need in this life. They help us form who we are and what our destiny will be. Luck is just a tool to be in service to those things, not to be the goal."Cal was dumbfounded, while Rose, Jack, Andrews, Molly, Gracie, and a few others smiled and nodded."What about you, Mr. Huston?"Taylor froze, turning to the direction of Prometheus, surprised that he had spoken."I'm afraid I don't understand what it is you're asking."Prometheus nodded, "What is it that you love the most? Or I suppose the correct question is, who do you love the most?"Taylor regarded him, wondering what his play is, "My family."Everyone waited for him to elaborate."Do you visit them often?" the Countess asked.Sadness fell upon, "Everyone I've ever loved has passed on. The only person I consider family is Jack."Everyone looked upon him with sympathy."But you can't let that stop you from loving again. No matter the pain or hardship, you must live on and love again. Part of the journey is to keep going."Some took his words to heart."But yet, you choose to live among the commoners when you can ascend to so much more, to travel when you could establish a family footing in society," said Ruth. "This is what the two of you believe is appealing?"Molly, Taylor, and Prometheus frowned, while Jack and Rose kept their faces neutral."Yes, mam, we do," declared Jack. "We've got everything we'll ever need, right here with us. I have air in my lungs and fine clothing to get me through the day. I love waking up, not knowing what will happen, or who I will meet, where I will end up."A few days ago, my friends and I were sleeping under a bridge when we could have gotten a hotel room. Not because we couldn't afford it but because we wanted to lie beneath the stars. Now, we are on the grandest ship in the world, with you fine people."He handed his cup to the servant next to him with the champagne, "I'll take more of that."Taylor rolled his eyes, while Rose beamed at him."Life is a gift, I don't intend on wasting it," he smiled at Taylor, who smiled back. "You never know what hand you'll get dealt."Cal held a cigarette in his hand but realized he had no lighter."You take life as it comes at you," Jack realized this as he reached for his lighter and tossed it to him. Here, Cal!"Cal managed to catch it in time before it hit his face, startling him."You make each day count.""As if they are your last," Taylor finished."Well said," said Molly."Hear, hear!" cried Gracie.Rose raised her glass, "To making it count."Everyone did the same, with only Ruth and Cal remaining silent, "To making it count."As time passed by, stories and jokes were passed around the table, with Molly at the forefront. Jack and Rose kept stealing glances at each other from time to time, making the other blush.Taylor sensed that the time was approaching for his talk with Prometheus, something he was anxious about but ready for.Shortly after, Prometheus rose from his seat, "I apologize to leave you so soon, but I wish to get some air and then my rest for the night. It was a pleasure to dine with you all. And as such, I thank you for the lovely experience.""Ah, but won't you stay for some brandy or bourdon in the smoke room?" asked Gracie. "We even have the best cigars at our services."Prometheus smiled, "I've made it a habit not to drink or smoke anymore. Or, at the least, limit myself in my drinking. But even then, I do not do so before bedtime."Gracie nodded, "A good man always takes care of himself as he gets older. But for me, I have not reached my limit yet. Let's leave the ladies to their gossip, gentlemen."All the men, except for Jack and Taylor, began to rise from their seats.Prometheus made his way out of the dining room."Next is brandy in the smoke room," Rose whispered to Jack. "Where they retreat to congratulate each other on being masters of the universe."Jack smiled, making her chuckle a bit and catching the eye of her disapproving mother."Ladies, thank you for the company," said Ismay.Cal leaned down to Rose, "May I escort you back to your cabin?"Rose looked up at him and shook her head, "No, I'll stay here."Jack and Taylor rose from their seats as well."Here, Molly," Jack gave her the pin she had allowed him to borrow back, which she accepted."Boys!" Gracie approached them. "You going to join us for a brandy, or do you want to stay with the women?" He laughed at his joke.Taylor shook his head, "I think I'll do the same as Pr- Mr. Craig and go out for a breath of fresh air before bed. I'll see you later, Jack."Jack frowned as he watched him leave, wondering what was up with him."And you, Mr. Dawson?"He shook his head, "No, thanks. I need to head back."Gracie nodded before walking off."Probably for the best," said Cal as he approached him. "It'll be all business and politics. None of it would interest you."Walking past him, he stopped and turned, "But, Mr. Dawson, it was good of you to come."Just as Jack turned back to him, he threw the lighter, which he caught with ease, while Lovejoy walked right past him.He turned to Rose and walked up to her."Must you go?" she asked, hoping deep in her heart that he would say no.Jack nodded, "Well, despite that I may have a first-class room, I believe the high society's patience for someone like me has run very thin by this point."Rose laughed.Jack held a folded piece of paper in his hand, he reached for Rose's hand and kissed it, making sure she felt the paper and tighten her grip, so it didn't fall, "Goodnight, Rose."She watched him go, her heart yearning for him to return, but then she felt the paper and paused, waiting till Jack had left. Once he was gone, she looked down and slowly opened it, just outside of her mother's sight, despite feeling her eyes on the back of her head.It read: Make it count. Meet me by the clock.She looked up, excitement filling her heart.Remembering her mother, she decided to wait a minute or two, hoping Jack wouldn't have left by that point. Once the two minutes were up, she rose and turned to her mother."I think I'll retire for the evening.""But Cal already left after offering," she protested. "Why now?""I guess I'm just tired now. Goodnight, mother," she turned to leave before Ruth could protest again.Reaching the floor with the clock, she found Jack at the top.Exhaling to control her anxiety and excitement, she climbed the stairs to him, each step feeling like an eternity.Sensing her presence, Jack turned and smiled, "How about we go to a real party."Although a part of her knew it was a bad idea, her heart leaped with joy and her smile grew at the fact that her time with him was not yet over.The walk to the forecastle of the ship felt like an eternity. Each step was met with the increase of anxiety inside of him. Each second was like the clicking of a time bomb, only getting louder the closer he got.Soon, he found himself standing at the front of the ship, stopping just a good eight feet from the figure in front of him. The only light was from the headlights above or on the ground, casting their shadows across the floor.Prometheus turned around, hands by his sides.Taylor exhaled and stared into his eyes, "Alright, let's talk."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The cold wind brushed against them as the Titanic pushed through the Atlantic, the sound of the ocean crashing with steel echoed around them, and the darkness of the unknown stretched out before them.The moon was a waning crescent, but the stars stood out like beacons in the endless void, with no clouds in the sky.Taylor stared at Prometheus, the man he had been searching for the last three years. A part of him could hardly believe that he was here, let alone on one of the greatest ships known.Prometheus stared back at him, interest in his eyes.Despite the cold air blowing against them, they barely felt it.Taylor sighed, "Let's get the obvious question out of the way. 'What are you doing here?"Prometheus frowned, "I'm fixing the timeline. I'm Merging the potential Split back together before it can be complete."He shook his head, irritated, "No, I fixed the problem years ago.""How?" Prometheus shot back. "Everything was fine until you came into the picture.""Me?! You're the one who came here just before the Time Lock!"Prometheus shook his head, "I responded to the Time Lock before it was engaged. I came to investigate the possibility of an anomaly."Right then, Taylor began to put the pieces together, or at least some of it."It's because of Jack, isn't it?'"Yes."Fear rose in him, "If you're here to kill him, you'll have to kill me first."Prometheus frowned and then laughed, "Kill him? You're not as bright as I've given you credit for. If I had wanted him dead, I would have killed him last night.""What do you mean?! Of course, that's why you're here! To finish the mission that I refused to accomplish!"Now Prometheus was taken by surprise, "Mission? What m-?"Then it dawned on him, pieces of the puzzle he had finally coming together for him."Let's start at the beginning, with Jack Dawson. In the report I read, it said that Jack Dawson's grave was found outside of Minneapolis two years after the death of his parents. I'm assuming you helped fake his death. But what I can't understand is… why?"Taylor considered his options, wondering if it was wise to attempt to lie to him. He might be able to dance around the subject and not lie directly, but Prometheus would easily see through anything he said. They were trained to do so, but only one of them had decades of experience. And the last thing he wanted was to be caught doing so."After the success of my fourth mission, I was ordered to report to Klein Reeves for another assignment. He told me that I was expected to accomplish a mission to prove my loyalty to the Time Guardians and the to the Elders. He ordered me to kill Jack Dawson to prevent the sinking of Titanic.""Prove your loyalty? You were already accepted by the Elders, no one was questioning your loyalty.""Reeves said otherwise."Prometheus shook his head as he began to put the pieces together, "You have no idea.""What?""We'll come back to that. First, answer my question… why didn't you kill Jack Dawson?"Taylor stared at him, trying to understand what he was getting at."When I joined the Time Division of the Guardians, I did so because I wanted to save lives. That's all I wanted to do was help others from threats beyond their control. And that's exactly what I did."He paused."But the order to kill Jack… it was wrong.""So, doing what is necessary is beyond you?""No! I'm willing to kill if it's necessary. I may regret my actions being necessary, but I will accept them to save others, as long as my victims are the ones who intend to cause harm. But Jack… he was just a boy."What wrong did he do to deserve such a fate? Even if he was to become a terrorist, I knew that I could change it. All he needed was guidance, someone to help him. So I choose not to go through with the order. But I knew something needed to be done, so I faked his death by burying a John Doe in a marked grave with Jack's name on it. It proved to be enough to fool the Time Division, even Reeves. But…""But then the Time Lock happened."Taylor nodded, "When the Time Lock happened, I feared that my actions would be discovered, that it was related to me. But then I saw you and realized that it must have been you who caused it to happen."Prometheus sighed, "None of this was me. It was you."Taylor's eyes widened, shock freezing him."What? But- How?!""You really don't understand what is truly going on here, do you?""No, I don't!" his anger overflooded his confusion."Then allow me to explain, Klein Reeves has been manipulating you!"The bold claim only made him more confused and angrier."Reeves made it perfectly clear that Jack would somehow cause the sinking of the Titanic, so he sent me to prevent that! He and the Elders may have seen fit to kill Jack but I found another way, the Time Lock is proof of that!""Taylor!" Prometheus' voice rose. "Listen to me now and listen to me carefully! You have been lied to and manipulated to do his bidding! Klein Reeves has been in league with the Forsaken!"Everything went numb to him, barely comprehending the words he had just heard."Wha- No! You're lying!"Prometheus felt sympathy towards him, "It's true. Reeves has been their spy for some time now. When he started to be, no one knows. I originally thought you were in league with Reeves, but it has become clear to me that you were nothing but his expendable pawn."Taylor shook his head, angry tears filling his eyes, "No!""Before the Time Lock went into effect, the Elders discovered that Reeves had been sending time-travelers on a series of missions that had been causing Splits in so many multiverses. Our fears were confirmed when Reeves was seen meeting with Kronan."Taylor barely heard him as he slowly processed the information, his heart hammering against his chest, fully numb to even the freezing cold weather. He remembered back to his meeting with Reeves all those years ago when he was given the assignment to kill Jack Dawson. It was all starting to dawn on him the reality of what all this meant."Taylor?"Prometheus' voice echoed in his ears."You mean… I… was the cause of… all this?" his voice shook with shock and fear.Prometheus nodded, "Yes."His knees nearly gave out, only managing to find support next to a cable."Good God…" he began to slightly pant. "My mission… was based… on a lie?"Prometheus closed his eyes and nodded, "Yes. We were able to confirm that Reeves gave the unsanctioned order, we just didn't know who carried it out. I only figured it out once I began investigating the cause of the Time Lock. But last night, when Mr. Dawson helped me rescue Miss Bukater, I realized that the real reason for the Time Lock was because of the uncertainty if Jack would stop Rose from committing suicide."Prometheus paused, a realization coming to him as he laughed."What's so funny?""It's ironic. Reeves sent you to kill Jack to prevent the Titanic's sinking to cause a Split but you're value of morals prevented his intentions from happening. I think even without my help last night, Jack would have saved Rose from falling over."The realization hit Taylor as he began to put the pieces together now.Reeves had lied about there ever being a possible Split to begin with. Jack was destined to board the Titanic and save Rose from suicide, ensuring that the Titanic would strike the iceberg and sink. This universe was just the same as the others, there was nothing wrong with it. All he did was slightly change a few things just enough to cause a Time Lock.Fear pierced his heart.If he had followed through with the order five years ago. Then…"Damn you, Reeves!" he spat, turning back to Prometheus. "How many Splits has he caused?"Prometheus looked down, "Thirty-eight. They've been disrupting the megaverse so much that it's nearly revealed the Infinities to them. If anymore are caused, they may get the locations to the ones they need."Taylor nodded, "And Reeves?"Prometheus shook his head, "Unfortunately, he escaped before we could arrest him. I was only able to come to this timeline before the Time Lock was complete, so beyond that, I don't know the true state of things. The number of Splits may even be higher, for all I know."Taylor nodded, "So, what happens to me?"Prometheus regarded him, "Normally, a time-traveler who disrupts the timeline to Split is to be brought back as a criminal. But in your case, the circumstances are different. Reeves manipulated you to kill Jack Dawson, which you did not do. And while your actions did put a Time Lock into effect, it was your decision not to kill Jack that prevented a Split in the long run."As far as I am concerned, Mr. Huston, you're a victim of false information. I will explain everything once we ensure that this timeline is fully restored and upon our return to the Time Division. I will see to it that you are not charged with anything, even your actions in faking Dawson's death. The Elders will understand and may see fit to even raise you in our ranks."Taylor knew he should feel proud and relieved but something heavy was weighing down on him. A realization that slowly sunk in the more he thought about it."But… what about Titanic?" he asked.Prometheus' face fell, sadness filling him, "You know the answer to that."Taylor let go of the cable, heart racing at the realization, "No! I… that's… all those people-""That's how it happened before, so that's how it'll happen again. It's the only way to prevent a Split.”His thoughts drifted to Jack, Fabrizio, Tommy, and even Rose. Others like Molly Brown, Andrews, and the third class entered his mind. His conclusion arriving at the same destination, with no answer to their fate."What… what happens to Jack? Did he… survive…before?"He was trying to control himself.Prometheus lowered his head, "I'm sorry but I do not know. Any information on Jack is solely based on what happened last night, not after. Regardless, that isn't your concern.""Of course, it concerns me!""Don't let one life get in the way of our mission.  Nor fifteen hundred. Last night's events kept the timeline from being Split.  Everything is back on track.""Even if Titanic sinks, Jack's fate can't affect what comes after that much.""You thought that before and he turned out to be an important chess piece in its sinking. It was by pure luck that things went the way they did.""And what about the rest of the people on this ship? Can you stand by and let them die?"Prometheus shook his head, "Do you think of me as an emotionless monster? I don't wish to do this anymore than you, but we have to ensure that the Titanic sinks to restore the timeline. That includes its tragic nature. If not, it'll only cause more disruption in the megaverse and may be enough to give the Forsaken what they want.""How is this one a game-changer compared to the rest?  It might not do anything.""One might be all that is needed!" anger rose in Prometheus. "You took an oath to uphold all timeline of all universes and to protect them from events such as this! Now, keep it!"Taylor wished to argue back, but he was at a loss for words. He couldn't think of anything. Because deep down, he knew his choices and the consequences of each one.Prometheus sighed, "I know this is difficult for you to understand right now. But I promise you, you will understand one day that we cannot allow the lives of the few to outweigh the lives of the many. That sometimes, our need to save everyone will cause more harm than good. Regardless of what happens to Jack, you'll have to do the one thing you don't want to. You knew the risks when you became one of us."Taylor breathed heavily as he tried to push his emotion down, "But I never thought it would be this hard."Prometheus nodded, "We never do until we're faced with decisions such as this."Silence passed between them."How…" he forced the words out of his bitter mouth, "… how do you want to do this?"Prometheus gave him a small smile, "All we need to do now is ensure that Titanic sinks like it's supposed to tomorrow night. Once the ship collides with the iceberg and begins to sink, the Time Lock will begin to deactivate and we will finally be able to leave this universe."Taylor nodded, "Very well. I'll… I'll meet you back here tomorrow to see any final preparations needed."As he turned to walk away, Prometheus called out, "Taylor... You're making the right decision."He stopped and turned to face him."It may not feel like it, but you are. I’m sorry that this was forced onto you.  But for now, make peace with your friend.  By tomorrow will be your last day to spend with him.”Taylor stared at him, feeling angry, sad, terrified, and satisfied, all at the same time. He had no idea how to respond to that except…"Understood."Without looking back, Taylor walked away, deep in thought about the revelations he had learned and the realizations that rose to the surface of his mind. He felt as if the weight of a far bigger burden was settling on his shoulders, darkening his face.The sound of music was alive and loud in the third-class living quarters. Men beat on the drums, played with their guitars, the piano, and other musical instruments that helped bring the entire room to life in the peaceful evening.Men and women danced, while others sat at the tables, eating and drinking. Some even smoked to their hearts' content. Others were telling stories or making jokes, yelling over the loud music and laughter. Children ran around, giggling as they played their games.Tommy was among a group of men at a table, playing a game of who could drink their beverage the fastest and hold their liquor. Fabrizio was dancing with Helga, placing his hand on the side of her hip, teasing her as she smiled and stared deep into his eyes, letting him lead. Meanwhile, Jack was dancing with Cora.Rose smiled and felt her heart race with excitement, looking in awe at the crowd around her. At first, she was embarrassed by how so many looked at her as if she were an angel descending from Heaven to be among them in such a beautiful dress. But soon, everyone turned away from her, allowing her to breathe and feel at ease. She even began to feel like she was one of them.She beamed at watching Jack dance with Cora, the little girl she saw him with earlier that morning, drawing on one of the pages of his portrait book. It amazed her how he got along with kids such as her. Even the young boys trusted him, though they dared not to try and steal from him.Thoughts of Jack as an older man entered her mind. She could see him with a young boy and girl, playing with them in the backyard of a decent home, chasing them across the green grass. She could image a swing that hung from a large branch of a tree in the background. A beautiful meadow in the countryside of America and a lake with swans. And watching them from afar, she could see a woman coming to join them. A woman with red hair and green eyes.Rose shook her head, pushing such thoughts from her mind as a man leaned against the table, opposite of her, speaking to her in Swedish."What?" she asked as Tommy made his way to his seat next to her, sitting four large, filled cups on the table."Talar froken Svenska?" asked Swedish man."I'm sorry, I can't understand you," she replied, motioning to the loud music before accepting her beverage of beer. Once setting it down, she began to clap with the rest of the crowd.Startled by the sound of glass breaking and a man falling to the ground, she turned toward the commotion, expecting to see a fight breaking out between a couple of drunks. Instead, she found a group of men, laughing as they helped the man who had collapsed back to his feet, who immediately demanded another round at their game. She laughed in amusement.As the music drew to a close, everyone stopped dancing to clap and praise the men behind the instruments of music, chanting for another go.Jack slowed down his moments with Cora as he led her to the table, allowing them to rest for a bit."I'm going to dance with her now, alright?"Cora nodded, smiling knowingly at him.Jack turned to Rose and reached out to her, "Come on."Rose's face fell, confused and slightly embarrassed, "What?""Come dance with me. I want to see what you can do.""Jack, I can't!" she protested."It doesn't matter if you don't know how, I can lead," he reached for her hand and pulled her to her feet."Jack!" she had no choice but to follow. "Jack, wait."They stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by other dancers as the music resumed."Jack, I can't do this."Jack smiled, sending a rush of electricity through her body as she felt his hand reach behind her back and the other taking her hand."We'll have to be a little closer than that," he pulled her against them.It slowly dawned on her that her chest was against his, making her heart race and her face blush. She knew that she shouldn't be so close but yet, she wanted to be. Her heart and body yearned to be even closer to him. To feel his heartbeat against hers."Like this."She swallowed at seeing his face so close to hers, his lips just inches away."A little too close… don't you think?"Jack laughed, "That's the idea."Cora watched from the table she stood next to, trying not to look so jealous at the girl who was against him. While she would never admit it, she realized that she had a small crush on the man with who she had formed a bond within just two days. But even in her jealousy, she couldn't help but feel proud of Jack for winning the beautiful girl to his side.It was like a love story out of a romance novel her mother used to read her before bedtime, only she was witnessing it before her eyes. A testament that it was real.Jack saw her expression from the corner of his eye and turned to her, "You're still my best girl, Cora."Cora smiled at him, despite knowing that he only said that to make her feel better, she knew it was only a matter of time before the girl in his arms would take that spot. But a part of her was happy for that, recognizing that Rose was perfect with him.As Jack got into the sway of things, Rose struggled to follow him."Where I come from, they call this the Polka dance.""I don't know the steps.""Me neither," replied Jack. "Just go with it."Rose couldn't help but nervously laugh, deciding to trust in his advice."Don't think," he said, making her exclaim. "Let the music influence you. Taylor taught me that back in Los Angeles when I had my first dance."Rose immediately felt jealous at knowing that someone else got to dance with him before she did. She even wondered if the faceless girl was his first kiss.She shook her head, 'Why am I thinking such things? I'm engaged.'She looked into his eyes, following his every move.Tommy watched them with a smile and a cigarette, 'Way to go, Jack!'Even Cora watched in awe at the two of them, wishing she were taller to be able to be as fast as they were together.As they moved faster and in sync with everyone else, Rose felt her anxiety wash away and be replaced with a rush of excitement. She was laughing and able to keep up with Jack the whole time. They were moving like a perfect set-piece that never swayed from one another.Soon, Fabrizio and Helga joined in with the rest of them, dancing right next to Jack and Rose.Despite some protesting from Rose on occasion, she followed his lead and laughed as they came close to bumping into other people.Afterward, Jack led her to a platform, where he began to tap dance with his feet, matching the beat of the music who noticed what he was doing and matched their tune with his.As Rose watched in amusement, she took off her shoes and tossed them to a woman behind her, who caught them and set them down. Taking a moment, she began to follow in his footsteps, trying to match what he did.Jack was left surprised and speechless as she beamed at him.Once she was done, he danced for a moment before letting her do so again. Then they locked arms and began to dance around each other, being followed by others, including Fabrizio and Helga. Taking her hands into his, he made them spin in a circle, making them dizzy as their surroundings passed by them in a blur."Jack!" she screamed, laughing. "No!"Jack laughed at seeing the nervous and exciting look she had in her eyes, loving the way they shined bright with life and happiness. It was a look he wanted to see for as long as he lived. He couldn't help but tease her to make her shine brighter.Realizing that she needed a break, he slowed them down and carefully led them off the platform, leaning against a post for support as their dizziness began to fade.Rose laughed, feeling her heart race like never before, only to go faster the moment she looked back into Jack's eyes. She saw something in them, something that made her body tremble, unable to make it out.Time felt irrelevant to Jack as he looked deep into the eyes of the woman before him. All noise went silent to his ears and his surroundings blurred out. All he saw was Rose and Rose alone.A part of him knew that what he was feeling wasn't right. She was engaged and he was a steerage, despite his first-class room above. But his heart yearned for her, as did his body. He wanted to feel her in his arms again.It took them a while to realize that the dizziness had already worn off, shaking their heads as they laughed and made their way back to the table Tommy was at, who was in the middle of an arm-wrestling match with the Swedish guy. Cora was right next to him, cheering him on.Reaching over the two of them, Jack grabbed their drinks and handed one to her.As they drank, Jack stopped before he could make it halfway but was surprised to find Rose was downing hers without a second thought, taking large gulps. She had her fill just a quarter from the bottom, turning to Jack with a taunting smile."What? You think a first-class girl can't drink?" she laughed.Jack couldn't help but laugh with her as he raised his drink to her, only an inch away from drinking before a drunk man bumped into him, spilling his drink on her chest.Rose gasped, dumbfounded by what happened, but ultimately laughing at the fact that her mother's favorite dress was ruined, and that Jack's drink was spoiled.Jack glared at the man, wishing to punch him but instead grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pushed him away, "Get out of here!"He turned to Rose, taking a napkin he had in his pocket to wipe the alcohol off her face and shoulders, "Are you alright?"She smiled, taking the napkin from him as she wiped her soaked dress, happy that being damped didn't make it a see-through, "I'm fine."They heard a crash, turning to see Tommy's hand against the table, having spilled the other two cups over. The Swedish man cheered with his friends, while Cora pouted that Tommy lost."Two out of three!" Tommy declared, putting his elbow against the table. "Two out of three!"The Swedish man smiled at him as he put his elbow against the table, taking his hand.Rose smiled, mischievously as she put her drink down the table, catching their attention."So…" she took Tommy's cigarette from his lips and brought it to hers, "… you think your tough men?"She breathed in the smoke and then breathed it out before stepping back to Jack and handing him the outskirts of her dress, "Hold this for me, Jack. Hold it up."Jack raised his brow at Tommy before doing as she told him, wondering what she was going to do.Closing her eyes, she began to support herself on her feet, stretching her arms into the air, with the cigarette still in her hand.Jack, Tommy, Cora, and the others watched in awe as she began to stand on the tips of her first toes, holding back the excruciating pain as she held out for a few seconds.When she reached her limit, she cried out in pain and fell right into the arms of Jack, who was holding her like they were about to kiss.Some began to clap, while others smiled at the two of them."You okay?"Rose laughed, "I haven't done that in years.""Well, you probably shouldn't do it that too much. Might end up crushing your toes."Rose raised her brow at him, "My, my, Mr. Dawson! Are you worried about me?"Jack held back a blush, "Wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't. Call it a word of advice from the wise.""Well, you are a gentleman, that's for sure.""What is that supposed to mean?"Rose laughed.Unknown to them, Cal's bodyguard, Mr. Spicer Lovejoy was watching them from the staircase of the steerage living quarters, his eyes glaring at the two of them. He took note of how Jack was holding her and how Miss Bukater was laughing, as well as smiling up at him. He left a second after recognizing the situation, heading back to report to his master.Heading down the stairs, Taylor barely noticed the man walking right past him, too lost in his thoughts to recognize that he was not of the third-class. If anything, he could have been walking right into a trap and would fail to see the warning signs. He felt numb and depressed, like his heart sinking deep into a dark void from within, sucking any light that he rushed to find comfort from.So many things were rushing through his mind, trying to process so much in one moment.A part of him questioned how he didn't recognize the warning signs that his master- his friend had betrayed him. Looking back, he knew what Prometheus said was true. It all made sense now.He remembered the day he found Jack, just outside of Minneapolis. The moment he saw that lost look in his eyes, the hurt of losing those he loved… it took him back to a time when he felt the same. It was all he needed to know that this boy couldn't be the cause of a ship to sink. No chance. So, he made a choice to disobey his master and find another way.He couldn't kill him that day. Not knowing that he was no threat. He couldn't live with himself if he had taken his life.That was the biggest positive out of this mess. He found a friend out of all this. Of that, he was thankful to God for. It had been a long time since he felt some form of connection since that night.His thoughts turned back to Klein Reeves, his heart filling with anger every step he took down the stairs.While he was not willing to kill unless necessary, he felt a burning desire to see Reeves dead. The man who had sent him to kill an innocent for his own personal gain, a person who mattered to him. The same man who he had trusted.
Trust.
He began to realize how easily he has given it away. To someone who was in league with the enemy. The true enemy.
The Forsaken!
He shuddered at the thought of them. Only once had he ever seen them, but only from afar. He could remember their blue, purplish eyes. The dark cloaks they wore and the hidden faces that were concealed within.The very thought of even combating them sent shivers down his spine. He hoped such a day would never come, but he knew that it was a matter of time before he and so many other Guardians would one day have to fight them from finding the Infinities.He quickly realized that he had reached the end of the stairs, finally acknowledging the music and laughter coming from around him.Taking in his surroundings, his heart sunk at the sight before him.He saw men and women dancing as if there was no tomorrow. Children running around without a care in the world, oblivious to anything else. Couples kissing without the worry of anyone watching. Musicians playing their instruments without restriction, putting their hearts into their passion. He saw women chatting amongst themselves, men drinking and cheering together.But most of all, he saw Jack among them.He watched as he drank with Rose from their cups, laughing as she said something that nearly made him choke on his own drink. He looked so happy; more so than he ever did in the five years they had traveled the world together. But it was the look itself that caught his attention.It was a look Taylor had seen so many times before, despite never having experienced it himself. He saw it in the way he looked at Rose, the way he treated her, and the way he considered her. It was a look that was burning deep within him, shining bright for those who could see it.And he could see it in her eyes too.He turned to Fabrizio, who was drinking with the woman known as Helga Dahl. The two smiled at each other as if they were the rarest thing ever.He turned to Tommy, who was trying to arm-wrestle a Swedish man, losing to him as a little girl patted his back in order to comfort him.
The girl.
He looked to the girl of five or six years old, his attention captivated by her smile and innocence.Suddenly, his stomach began to twist and turn, the sound of the music and the laughter fading from his ears. He heard nothing but pure silence as reality sunk in.
Tomorrow.

April 14th, 1912.

Titanic. Iceberg. Fifteen hundred people.

They were all going to-
Before he realized what was happening, Taylor was rushing back up the stairs and vomiting over the railing. He barely acknowledged the pain from his stomach and didn't see the disgusted looks on those who immediately moved away from him.Once he had nothing else to empty from his stomach, he continued to lean against the railing, spitting out the bitter bile taste that lingered. Using a napkin to wipe away the drool on his face, he tossed it overboard, watching it as it landed in the icy cold water.The very thought immediately triggered more realizations as he struggled not to cry out in terror.He felt so helpless, so compressed by his anxiety and so trapped.
It has to be done.
The voice of Prometheus echoed in his head.Deep down, he knew that he was right. If Titanic was meant to sink like in the original timeline, then it was his duty to see to it that it was preserved. It was what he was supposed to do.But…His thoughts drifted to the people below. The third-class who held no special privileges as the first-class did, who had less of a chance of survival. Others like Molly Brown, Mr. Andrews, and Rose would most likely survive, due to their status, but the others…He shook his head, trying to force this terrible feeling down. He hated the guilt that rose within, the disgust he felt for himself for thinking that somehow, someway… this was okay.But reality also forced its way in, something he desperately clinged to as a source of relief, for justification.It wasn't like he had a choice.Prometheus was on this ship, looking to restore the timeline before it could Split. He couldn't do anything to change his mind, let alone ask him to turn against the code of their organization. He would most likely be killed for even mentioning it.He had no ch-"There's always a choice."The female voice he hadn't heard in so long echoed through his head as if he had heard it yesterday.Tears formed in his eyes as he began to pant, the image of her face reforming. An image he had long believed was lost."I have no choice!" he said to himself."There's always a choice," the woman's voice said from within. "It's just a question of what consequences you can live with."Moaning, he struck the railing with his fist before walking off, ignoring the looks he was receiving from everyone.As the night came close to midnight, Jack and Rose walked along the deck of the first-class ship, laughing and singing the "Come Josephine, In My Flying Machine" song together. Despite being a little drunk, they managed to walk straight and stay focused.However, upon seeing the 'First-Class Entrance' sign, Rose's face fell, as did the joy in her heart, being replaced by dread. She turned to Jack, offering a small smile that didn't reach her face. She took off Jack's jacket, giving it back to him."Here we are," she said.Jack frowned upon seeing the look in her eyes, "What's wrong?"Rose shrugged, looking down, "I don't really want to go back. Tonight was the most fun I've had in years.""Funny. One would think having all the money in the world would mean you get to have all sorts of fun."Rose rolled her eyes, slapping his shoulder, "Don't pretend to be so naïve, you're smarter than that."Jack laughed, "But seriously, what's wrong?"Rose stared into his eyes before turning away, unable to bare his handsome looks. She lost herself in how she was going to tell him. The realization slowly sunk in as the excitement and fun wore off.Looking up towards the sky, her thoughts disappeared upon seeing the beautiful sky above, in awe of the bright stars."Look," she said, walking toward the railing. "It's beautiful."Jack looked up and smiled, "Yeah, it is."He followed her to the railing."So vast and endless," she held onto a cable. "Yet the ocean itself is so small compared to it. And to also think, all those stars up there are not even dust in God's eye. Makes you wonder, what is man compared to nature? What is a ship, as magnificent as this, compared to the sea? What is a planet compared to the ocean above?"Jack looked at her, smiling "I don't know. But I do know this, true beauty is within, not without."Rose blushed, looking away, "Very true.""And to be honest, there's been a mistake."She turned back to him, "And what would that be?""You got mailed to the wrong address."She laughed, "Yes, I did, didn't I!"They looked back up to the sky."Look!" she pointed. "A shooting star!"Jack rushed to her side, quickly seeing it before it disappeared."Wow!" his eyes were wide, making her chuckle. "That was a long one!"They continued to stare at the sky."You know, my pops once told me, every time you saw one of those, it was a soul going to Heaven.""I like that. Should we wish upon it?"Jack turned to her, "Why would I? I have everything I'll ever need. I'm more curious about you. What would you wish for?"Rose paused as she stared into Jack's eyes, a hopeful wish already on her mind but too scared to say out loud. And a silly one at that."Something I can't have."Jack laughed, "Well, that's the point of a shooting star. You're supposed to wish for something you want the most, no matter how impossible it may be."Rose felt her heartache upon hearing that, knowing that even for a shooting star her wish wouldn't come true, despite how much she wanted it above all."You know, in Montana, Taylor took me to a town called Deer Lodge. While there, he showed me how big the sky looked compared to everywhere else we would eventually go to. But at night, the sky looks so beautiful without any clouds. It was like looking up at the world's biggest portrait ever made, always-on display for everyone to see. Goes to show that God is the greatest artist out of all of us."Rose smiled, "Do you always think of everything as portraits?""Well, it is my hobby."Rose laughed, "Why Deer Lodge of all places?"Jack shrugged, "I don't know. Taylor is very secretive about his past. But he has let slip some things to me. I know for a fact that the greatest person he has ever known in his life was his mother.""What happened to her?""I don't know. I just know that he missed her. I don't think he has anyone else in his life except for me."Rose felt her heart squeeze at hearing this, 'I'm sorry.""Nothing for you to be sorry about. It's all a part of life. We love and lose those we care about, but we always keep moving forward."Rose smiled, "I like that. It sounds… harsh but peaceful."Jack nodded, "I hope to return to Montana one day, to draw nothing but the night sky and sell a couple for a good price. With one of my own to keep.""I hope you do, Jack. Maybe one day you can show me that portrait if you come to visit."Jack frowned, "What are you talking about? We can go together, with Taylor and Fabrizio. And maybe Tommy if he wants to stick with us."Rose's smile fell, "Jack… I don't think I'll be able to.""Why?" it suddenly dawned on him. "You're afraid your fiancé and mother won't let you."Rose nodded, "My world is very much different from yours. I don't have the freedom as you do. I just got a taste of that tonight, one that I suspect I will never taste again."Jack felt anger rise within, but it melted away upon seeing the longing look she was giving him."Hey, come join us tomorrow. Fabrizio, Tommy, and I are planning something for Taylor. And I know Cora would love to see you again."Rose looked away, struggling to hold back the tears, "Jack, I don't think I will be able to. If I can, I will. Believe me, I want to.""Then do it.""It isn't that simple.""Life can be a series of hard decisions, Rose… but a decision like this is not one of them. You're not some puppet or slave they can just order around."Rose turned to him, mustering up all the courage she could find as she placed her hand on his cheek, "I want to see you again, Jack. I do! But if Cal or my mother refuses to let me, then it's best I get goodbyes out of the way first."Jack was speechless."Thank you for saving me last night. Both you and Mr. Craig have my eternal gratitude for not just saving me but for your discreet and willingness to keep my secret. And thank you for giving me an amazing time tonight. If we don't see each other tomorrow or after... please, just let it be. Keep your distance. I want you to know that today was the best day I've ever had in years. Possibly the best in my entire life."She walked past him, heading for the door until she stopped, turning her head slightly."Goodnight, Jack."He watched her walk away, managing to stop himself from chasing after her when he realized he had taken two steps forward. His heart sank as he watched her go inside, disappearing as the door closed behind her. He reached up to his cheek, still feeling the warmth of her hand that was once there, and the longing to feel it again.A few minutes passed until he looked up towards the sky, staring at the spot where they saw the shooting star. Despite what he had said to her, he had one wish on his mind. One that began to make him question so much about himself and what he wanted.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Thunder echoed across the land of southern Minnesota as heavy rain poured upon the ground and anyone caught outside in its wake. The clouds created a dark, grey atmosphere, with no light to be seen. The hard ground was quickly becoming mud, as did the roads. It was clear that travel was not wise.

A young boy of fifteen years hid under a bridge, being sheltered from the rain as he ate from an apple and read from a book. It appeared that nothing seemed to worry him, not even the weather.

The apple he had stolen from a nearby farm, using the rain as cover to do so. He knew that one apple would most likely go unnoticed and even if the farmer knew what had happened, it would be too late. But the book was another story. That one he found in the garbage while traveling through a village from Chippewa Falls.

The very thought of his hometown brought a shadow over his head, a sadness that always rushed back into his heart at just the mere thought of anything having to do with that place.

And with memories of Chippewa Falls also came the night of the fire. The night his-

He shook his head, stopping himself from finishing the thought. Instead, he pushed his nose into the book and continued to read, finding a distraction in the chapter he was on.

He had been on his own for the last few weeks. Or was it months? He had lost track of time to even remember anymore. It had become easier that way.

Suddenly, his head jerked up at the sound of footsteps. Listening to his surroundings, it was hard to differentiate from the sound of the rain and that of the sound of boots. His heart raced, anxiety rushing through him as he wondered if it was the farmer or some stranger who saw him as prey.

The last thing he wanted was to abandon his hideout in such a time as this, he felt so at peace.

He heard the footsteps again and quickly rose to his feet, trembling.

Then the footsteps stopped and only the sound of rain remained.

Believing whoever it was gone or that it was part of his imagination, he sighed and turned around to sit back down. Fear pierced his heart as he came face to face with a man just a few feet away from him.

Gasping, he nearly fell to the ground as he stumbled backward, immediately freezing in place as his heart was hammering against his chest.

The man wore a heavy rain jacket that was fastened around him, stretching down to his ankles. He also wore big boots and thick pants, with a hoody over his head. In his hand, he carried a briefcase and a small bag over his shoulder.

Nearly a minute of silence passed between them.
"What…" the boy managed to find the courage to talk, "… what are you doing here?"
The man continued to stare at him, as if he were deep in thought, "Getting out of the rain. Hope you don't mind if I use the bridge for a bit. A little rest while waiting for this storm to end will do me so good."

He sat down on the ground, laying down with his arms behind his head.
"Um, okay," the boy calmed down, sitting down a good distance from the mysterious man. "My name is Jack… Jack Dawson."
The man turned to him, "Name's Taylor Huston. So, what is a young boy like you doing out in the middle of the nowhere? Won't your parents be worried?"

Jack Dawson looked away, pain-stricken all over his face, "They… they've recently passed."

Had he been looking at the man named Taylor, he would have not seen a surprise or shocked expression, only sympathy.
"I'm sorry."
Jack nodded, "I've been on my own for a while."
"No other relatives?""Not that I know of. The last thing I want is to be thrown into an orphanage.""At the very least you would have had a roof over your head."
Jack scoffed, "So would being in a jail cell, doesn't matter if you don't have the freedom to live as you please."

Taylor regarded him with admiration and respect, "Freedom is indeed a great gift, but the greater gift is what we decide to do with it. Don't misuse it for anything that can take it away. Too many have made that mistake."

Jack frowned at him, surprised and taken back by how he spoke to him. He didn't treat him as a child, like other grown-ups did, aside from his parents.

The thought of them felt like a knife in his heart.
"Where you headed?" Taylor asked.
Jack shrugged, "Just out west, probably southwest. I would like to go someplace where it doesn't get too cold during winter. Been considering California, an area called Santa Monica."

Taylor nodded, "Not a bad place to avoid the cold weather."
"What about you?""I'm heading to Deer Lodge, Montana."
Jack laughed, "What's out that way? Work?"
"Nah, just visiting the area. The sky is beautiful there, especially at night."
Jack smiled, "Sounds nice. I would have to pay a visit there sometime."

Taylor looked at him, deep in thought, like as if he was conflicted with himself, "Do you intend to live this way forever?"
"What?" Jack was taken back."This life of traveling. Do you intend to do it forever?"
Still stunned by his question, he quickly recovered, "Well, I don't intend to get married or raise a family, if that's what you're getting at."

Taylor regarded him, "Why not?"

Jack shrugged, "Don't really care about it. I want more than just a regular life, settling in one place and never getting to see the world. I want adventure, excitement, the thrill of life, to never know what will come tomorrow. The idea of settling for less just seems… terrifying."
"Because you fear what awaits you or because you don't truly know?""I highly doubt there's anything mysterious about a regular life.""You'll be surprised."
Jack raised his brow at him, "And how would you know?"

Taylor's face fell, a shadow casting over him, "Let's just say that… I once had a relativity normal life. A job, family, friends… people to care about…."

Jack immediately regretted asking, feeling sympathy towards him.

Taylor stared off into the distance, mesmerized by the rain, "You may feel that such a life holds no interest to you now, but in the future… you might feel different, once knowing what it means."

Jack frowned, "I don't understand."
"That's my point."
They continued to sit in silence, listening as the storm began to calm down.
"It would seem the way is clear now."
Jack nodded, rising to his feet, "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Huston."
"Please," he extended his hand. "Call me Taylor."
Jack shook his hand, "Then call me Jack. I wish you good luck in Montana."

Before he took a step away from him, he paused when Taylor spoke again.
"Why don't you join me?"
Jack turned to him, "What?"

Taylor shrugged, "Well, you seem like you could use a companion. Come with me to Montana, then we can make our way to California before winter arrives. After that, we can decide if our paths are worth traveling together on."

Jack felt excited by the offer, but also scared.

How could he know if the man was a predator or some serial killer? Or worse, someone who kidnapped young men and women like him for trafficking? Was it by coincidence that he just so happened to find him?

Anxiety began to rise deep within, so insecure and unsure.

But then he wondered why he didn't attack him when he had the chance. If he was a target, then he would have killed him or knocked him during the storm. He had so many opportunities beforehand.

No!

He instantly decided that the man was no threat to him. Just the way how he talked to him felt genuine and kind. Plus, he had a thing for reading people and nothing about him sent off any red flags.

Jack smiled and nodded, offering his hand, "It would be my pleasure."

Taylor smiled back and accepted his hand, "Likewise."
Jack awoke, staring up at the ceiling as he laid on the comfortable bed, hearing Fabrizio and Tommy snore in the bed right next to him. He turned and saw that Taylor's bed was empty, already made. He leaned up and saw that the bathroom light was off, with no presence of anyone inside.He frowned and looked around the room.'Where is he?'He began to worry about his friend. Remembering how distant and quiet he was when he came back to their room last night, finding him sitting at the edge of his bed, with a dark look in his eyes.
Right after dropping off his tuxedo to Mrs. Brown, Jack walked back to his room, deep in thought about what Rose had said, feeling concerned and a little heartbroken.

He shook his head, trying to push such thoughts from his mind. She was a first-class woman, engaged and way out of his league. It wasn't like there were in a relationship. The time he spent with her and the other first-class passengers was nothing more than a show of gratitude for saving Rose's life. He was only invited because Rose had suggested that money was not enough.

But… there was so much more than that between them.

The hours they spent talking to one another, their glancing at one another during dinner, the dancing and drinking during the party.

And just earlier when they were watching the stars together.

He saw something in her eyes throughout that entire day, something he had never seen before. And he felt something deep inside of him. A feeling he had never felt before.

He knew he had to do something. Something to help her. Last night was no coincidence that she suddenly wanted to end her life. It was all built-up frustration and anxiety, all over the course of her entire life.

All because of them.

But, at the same time, he couldn't do much about it if she was the one telling him to leave her alone.

It was mind-boggling. He had no idea what to do.

Reaching the door of his room, he turned the knob and walked on inside, finding Taylor sitting at the edge of his bed, staring at the floor.
Frowning, he approached and sat right next to him, bumping his shoulder, "What's wrong?"
Taylor continued to stare at the ground, hands folded, remaining silent.

Jack immediately felt worried, "Hey, come on, what's wrong?"

Taylor sighed and turned to him, "To be honest… I don't know how to explain it.”
"Well, give me abridged version."
Taylor shook his head, "Tomorrow is the day the Time Lock will be lifted, and… I'm not sure what to make of that."
"Will it result in a Split?"
Taylor shook his head, "No. It appears that everything has been set into motion to Merge back together, even without my interference."
"Well, that's good news. Now you can time-travel again. No more chasing after Prometheus, right?"
Taylor sighed, "That's one positive."

Jack frowned, "How is that the only one? The problem is being fixed, after all these years. Your mission is complete. Or it soon will be."

Taylor looked away, hiding the fear and guilt that covered his face.
"I saw you with Miss Bukater," he looked back at him after managing to push his emotions away.
Jack blushed.
"I haven't seen you that happy in… well, ever. Out of all the girls you've courted, none of them have had this effect on you."
Jack laughed, "We're not courting, she's engaged. I was just… showing her a good time. She really needed it."
"Any chance it went into 'overtime'?"
They laughed, feeling the dark shadow lift over their heads for a bit.

Once they calmed down, Jack's smile fell as he fumbled with his fingers, nervous to ask the questions he had.

Taylor noticed this and bumped his shoulder, "Hey, what's on your mind?"

Jack sighed, "I… Well… Shit, I don't even know where to start!"
"Just make an example or start at the beginning and work your way from there."
Jack took a deep breath, "What do you do when you know something is wrong but can't do anything about it, because others say it's wrong of you to try and do something about it?"

Taylor narrowed his eyes, thinking hard, "That depends. I'm correct to assume that this has something to do with Miss Bukater?"

Jack nodded.
"What's the problem that she has?"
Taking a moment, he began, "Last night, when Mr. Craig and I saved Rose, we 'omitted' some things. Rose didn't end up over the railing by accident… she was going to jump."

Taylor remained silent, showing no hint that he already knew. He just nodded.
"And it wasn't because of just some nervous breakdown over nothing, it's because she's trapped! Trapped in this life of confinement and lies! I saw the fear in her eyes when she was about to go back to her to fiancé tonight! It was the same fear I saw when I was trying to convince her not to jump!"But when we were together… I see this spark of life inside of her. This amazing gir- woman is buried beneath so much bullshit that her own mother forces her through, and I can't help but want to do something about it! But…"
Jack did not realize that he had gone on a small rant and was panting.

Taylor nodded, sadly, as he patted his shoulder.
"I just… I don't know what to do. I'm not sure if I'm being selfish or selfless by having such thoughts, because I don't want today or tonight to be the only memories, I have of her. And I don't want them to be the only good memories she will have in her life."When I think of her… my heart races. I even blush! Just saying or hearing her name makes me excited! I can't stand the thought of her marrying that no good, son of a bitch that everyone bows down to!"I just… I don't know what it is I am feeling but I know it is real."
Taylor listened and smiled, tears forming in his eyes as the realization sunk in.
"What should I do?" Jack looked him in the eyes, pleading.
Taylor's heart broke at seeing the look on his face, all his own worries and problems fading away for the moment.

He sighed and tightened his grip on Jack's shoulder.
"I cannot answer that. Only you can. But I can give you some advice."
Jack felt some relief and hope lessen the weight on his shoulders.
"When I was a young boy, my mother used to have this saying, 'The only thing worse than living alone, is living with someone who makes you feel lone'. At the time, I never understood what she meant. It took me years to finally get a grasp of what she was trying to tell me."In life, we must choose very carefully who we spend our lives with. That we must take care of our relationships with others through how we treat them and how we act. That our decisions matter more than we can ever realize."Once I realized that I also came to realize that there is always a choice in every action we make. And that they come with consequences, whether if we realize it or not. So, the real question is, 'what can you live with'?"
Jack frowned, "What?"
"I mean, what consequences can you live with the most? Can you sit by and allow Rose to be dragged through this miserable life? Or will you make a fool of yourself by trying to force a decision upon her? Or… will you offer her a choice, one of her own free will to act upon, that no one has ever done before?"
Jack was dumbfounded, frozen in place as he processed everything at once. Suddenly, everything became clear to him as the weight was fully lifted off his shoulders. Seeing a way forward that held no doubt.

He now knew what he needed to do.

Wiping the tears from his tears, Jack pulled Taylor into a hug and said, "Thank you."

As he got up, he approached the bathroom, ready to change out of his clothes.
"Jack."
He turned around.
"Whatever happens tomorrow, remember to give her the choice."
Jack smiled, "Got it."
Remembering their conversation from last night made him smile, feeling more confident about what he needed to do.But first, he needed a bath and a game plan to get to Rose.As the morning sun reached across the room and touched Rose's cheek, she smiled and opened her eyes. Rising from the warm comfortable bed, she stretched and got to her feet, ready to dress for dinner before Sunday service with the first-class.Right on time, Trudy entered."Good morning," Rose greeted her.Trudy smiled back at her, mischievously, "You know, if this boy is going to make you smile so much, I would highly recommend more alone time between the two of you. I heard it was quite the party last night.""Trudy!" she exclaimed. "Don't go putting such scandalous thoughts into my mind!""Why? Is my plan working?""You are the worst!""Well, you're not married yet, no shame in that."As Trudy helped her dress, her smile disappeared at the realization that if she already knew about where she was last night and the party, then that meant they knew as well.And with that in mind, she remembered what she had said to Jack before heading to bed for the night, a dark reminder that may have been the last time she would see him.And just as she made her way to the breakfast table on the outer deck of her their suite, all traces of her smile from waking up was erased.She didn't even acknowledge Cal as he came to the breakfast table and took his seat with a newspaper in hand. She could feel his eyes on her, the kind she was used to when her mother did the same.But this time, it was different. It felt different.As Trudy poured coffee into her cup, she smiled up at her, not wanting to talk before Cal did.Once Trudy had offered the same to Cal and was refused, both her and the man serving the two were given the nod to leave.Rose looked up at him as the two left, offering a small smile that did not reach her lips before looking away, feeling so vulnerable under his gaze.She took a sip of her coffee as Cal finally spoke."You didn't come to me last night."Shock and fear rushed through her, knowing what he meant. It was the same complaint he hid behind gentlemen-like wording whenever she refused to come to his room at night.She held her cup and small plate in her hands, "I was tired."Cal seemed to tremble for a second, only able to regather himself, "Well, your exertions below deck were no doubt exhausting."She knew that this would come up eventually, despite her hopes for the contrary.Anger filled her, "I see you had your undertaker of a manservant following me."Cal closed his eyes and immediately reopened them, looking calm enough, "You will never behave like that again, Rose. Do you understand?"Never before had she felt so infuriated and vulnerable, but she also felt a fire deep within burning bright to fight back.She sat her cup and plate down on the table, "I'm not one of your mill foremen who you can command around."She felt pride at seeing a hint of anger behind his eyes as he looked down."I'm your fiancée!"His head slightly jerked up, the anger behind those eyes growing as he seemed to tremble."My fiancée," he whispered, laughing a little as his voice rose. "My fiancée."Right then, she knew she had crossed a line."MY FIANCEE!" he shouted, quickly rising to his feet as he slammed his fist into the table, making the dishes bounce, startling her. "YES, YOU ARE! AND AS SUCH, YOU ARE MY WIFE IN PRACTICE, IF NOT YET BY LAW, SO YOU WILL HONOR ME!"He took the table that stood between them and threw it across the room, crashing against the wall as the dishes shattered. Food, coffee, and tea split all over the floor.Rose felt her body freeze as she gasped, her heart racing at the sudden outburst. She felt tears forming in her eyes and her body beginning to tremble in fear. The fire she felt burning being extinguished.Cal rushed forward and placed his hands on the arms of the chair, getting up close to her face, his dark eyes staring deep into hers."You will honor me the way a wife honors her husband! Because I will not be made a fool of!"Rose sank into her seat, wishing she could disappear. She desperately wished that Jack was there with her, holding her hand as he did last night."Is that in any way unclear?"Her body was trembling uncontrollably at this point as if she were freezing.She managed to shake her head and say, "No."Cal half-smirked, "Good. Now, excuse me."He walked away, passing a worried Trudy who had rushed in upon hearing the commotion, keeping her distance from the man who was fuming.Rose kept her eyes on him, worried that he may change his mind and return. She felt a slight huge breath of relief upon seeing he was out of the room and that Trudy was there. Then she turned her attention to the mess on the floor and gasped."Oh, Miss Rose!" Trudy ran to her, making sure to keep her formality in check. "Are you okay?"She knelt beside her, checking for any abuse.Rose got up and knelt to the floor, trying to clean up the mess, beginning to pant as everything settled in on top of her, "We had an accident."Trudy's heart ached for her, "It's alright. We'll take care of it.""I'm so sorry. Here, let me help you."Trudy took her arm and made her look up at her, "It's alright, Ross. None of this is your fault. You hear?"Ross began to sob and collapsed next to her chair, making it move as Trudy wrapped her arms around her."It's alright," she caressed her hair. "Let's go ahead and get you into your Sunday service dress. Let the others handle this."Rose calmed down and nodded, being helped up to her feet as they walked back to her cabin, passing a couple of servants who nodded to him, offering their silent sympathies before cleaning up the mess.They remained silent the whole time as Trudy helped her dress, lost in their inner thoughts about what had happened.Trudy was sad for her poor Rose and angry about Cal, refusing even to allow the bastard to have any formality in her mind. Though, she felt, even more, angrier by thinking of his first name. She would have to think of a suitable nickname for him later.The more she thought about how Rose woke up these last two mornings, the more she was growing to like this Jack Dawson. Somehow, he left quite the impression on Miss Rose and claimed a special place in her heart in just two days. Something no one else, not even Mr. Hockley could do.She wanted to say something to her. Anything to lighten the mood. She even wanted to encourage Rose to go find Jack again and just be with him. But a part of her knew that it would only make things worse.Only silence seemed to be the answer.Suddenly, the door opened, and Mrs. Ruth Bukater walked in."Trudy, tea!" she commanded.Slightly bowing, Trudy walked out of the room as Ruth closed it behind her.Rose turned to her mother, knowing why she was there and dreading the speech that was going to come with it.As she walked towards her, she turned around and allowed her to help dress her. She felt her anger and frustration by the way she tightened the strings and straps, forcefully making sure she felt each one."You are not to see that boy again. Do you understand?"Rose glared towards the wall in front of her."Rose!" Ruth raised her voice, feeling her daughter's inner defiance. "I forbid it!"Ross sighed, "Oh, stop it, mother. You'll give yourself a nosebleed."Glaring at the back of her head, Ruth forcefully turned her around, "This is not a game! Our situation is precarious. You know the money is gone.""Of course, I know the money is gone. You remind me every day.""Your father left us nothing but a legacy of bad debts, hidden behind a good name. That name is the only card have left to play."Rose leaned against the railing of the bed, trapped between it and her mother."I don't understand you. It's a fine match with Hockley. His wealth will not only wipe our slate clean but also provide for generations to come. And it will ensure our survival."Rose stared back at her mother, unable to comprehend her desire for wealth over her, "How could you put this on me? Do you not care about my opinion? About my feelings?"Ruth frowned, confused by her reaction, "Do you think of me as an emotionless doll? Of course, I care about your feelings and the understanding of this crush you have on this boy. It's the kind of crush all young girls always find in a young handsome boy like him."She paused, taking a sharp, deep breath as she came back to reality from the memory that tried to push its way through, "But boys like him are tricksters, using their charms to lure girls like you into their good graces. And before you know it, you end up as another conquest in bed, pregnant with their child and left behind like a piece of trash. That's the life he will leave you with."Rose felt angry at her mother's words. How dare she accuse Jack of such a thing! She barely knew him. He wasn't the type at all. Even his own friends were good people."You don't know a thing about him!" she spat.Ruth scoffed, eyes wide, "Stop being so ridiculous, Rose! Of course, I know him! I've seen many others like him! I see them every day! What you're feeling right now is nothing more than lust for a handsome boy!"Rose's face was turning redder than her hair, "I may not know what I feel towards him, but it is not lust. I've felt what that was like before and this is so much more than that.""What is wrong with you?! You fail to see the good in what we have, to appreciate the life we get to live right now. Are you willing to throw it all away? For this boy who saved you from slipping over the railing? He's a steerage at heart, using the other man's money to travel the world and do what he wants without consequence.""He's kind, polite, truthful, dares to see the beauty in the world that the rest of us ignore, and he cares! That is what I've witnessed from him these last two days. That night he saved me; I saw how much he truly cared about my well-being. He didn't even know who I was, but he cared regardless.""He is not one of us."Rose laughed, "On that, we agree. Which is why I trust him.""Why are you being so selfish?"Rose's mouth turned into an O-face, "I'm being selfish?!"Ruth stared back at her, shocked beyond belief, "Do you wish to see me working as a seamstress? To be a mistress to another man?"The look on her mother's face melted away her anger."To see our things sold at auction? Our memories scattered?"Her voice broke, turning away as she brought her hand up to her mouth.Rose closed her eyes, feeling conflicted."It's so unfair."Ruth laughed, turning to look back at her, "Of course, it's unfair. We're women. Our choices are never easy. We don't marry for love or happiness, only for the wellbeing of ourselves and our children."Reaching forward, she took her daughter's face and pulled her forward, kissing her on the cheek."I'm doing this for not just my sake, but yours as well."Rose rolled her eyes.Ruth glared at her, "Does that amuse you?"She shook her head, wiping the tears from her eyes, "No, it's a very good reason, I'll give you that. Only, it's easy for you to be making all the decisions while using me as an excuse for why to satisfy your own desire.""Easy for me, is it? Easy to see our life crumble before my eyes, to find any solution to our problem?""When have you ever done something that wasn't for my benefit or for the both of us? Something that forced you to put your own desires on the line?"Ruth backed away, trembling, "You think I haven't sacrificed to have the life I have now? I married your father when I could have chosen another path. Another life. But I knew what that life meant for me if I did. It meant hardship beyond measure. To work hard for money that wouldn't amount to anything, no matter how hard I tried. I chose this life because I knew what the consequences were if I didn't choose it. I sacrificed more than you can ever imagine, and I will not see it be in vain!"Rose was shocked by her mother's sudden outburst, her fierce determination that rose from deep within."Everything I do, I do because I know it needs to be done. There's no other choice but to see things happen as they are supposed to. No matter the cost.""Even if it means ignoring my feelings? What could be if I wish to follow them?""Yes, even that. Because one day, you will understand, Rose.""Understand what?""That we must sacrifice our own desires for the greater good. That our needs cannot outweigh the needs of the generations that will come after us. This is the right decision, Rose. You just can't see it because of this boy."Ross was at a loss, unable to respond. Instead, she turned around and allowed her mother to finish helping her dress.Soon, Trudy arrived with the tea, just before they headed off for Sunday service, followed by Cal and Lovejoy. She purposely kept her distance from Cal.With every step she took, she felt the fire deep within burning out, dimming as darkness followed.Taylor stood at the entrance of the chapel, looking through the glass doors at the cross that was nailed to the wall.It had been a long since he had attended church services. He had been so busy with his duties as a Time Guardian that he barely had time for anything else. He figured why not attend now that he had the time, with Prometheus was no longer his concern.A part of him felt uneasy, feeling like an outsider as he entered. But the moment he took his seat and set his eyes on the cross, all of his nervous feelings washed away.He saw Rose, Hockley, Mrs. Bukater, and many others enter, followed by Captain Smith, who took his place on stage.He rose with the rest of them as the singing began, picking up a paper that had the lyrics to the songs they would be singing. A little outdated for his taste but still better than most music in the world he came from.Jack hurried down the stairs, passing Thomas Andrews."Hello, Mr. Andrews!"Andrews looked up from the paper he was reading, having been pulled out of the worship service to attend to some issues. He smiled at the young man, instantly recognizing him."Hello, Jack. Good to see you again.""Hey, is Rose in there?" he pointed towards the chapel.Andrews nodded, but he reached out taking him by the sleeve of his shirt."Not that I'm trying to stop you, but it would be impolite if you interrupted service at this time. They rarely open up the doors once the singing starts."Jack nodded, "I was actually thinking of joining."Andrews couldn't help but laugh, 'The boy is in deep.'"Well, at the very least let me help you get inside. Come with me."Jack followed him to the door of the chapel.The two men stationed there smiled at Andrews but frowned upon Jack, holding up their hands to stop him."I'm sorry, sir, but the third-class chapel is on the other side of the ship."Andrews up his hand, "He's with me."The two men nodded, reluctantly as they allowed Jack in with him, opening the doors slowly so they didn't interrupt the service.Andrews led Jack to the backseats, standing beside him as he handed a paper to him. As Jack took it, the two began to sing with the rest of the first-class, while Jack stared at the back of Rose's head. His heart urged him to go to her but forced himself to stay put.Mr. Lovejoy frowned upon seeing Jack Dawson in the chapel but refrained from taking any action due to the presence of Mr. Andrews right next to him. Instead, he was forced to watch the boy, waiting for the moment to strike.Taylor frowned, sensing something was off. It took him a moment to turn his head and search the room.His eyes widened as he saw Jack, standing right next to Mr. Andrews.He cursed internally, angered that he would pull something like right now. This was not what he meant when he told him he should confront her one last time.He saw Lovejoy, realizing that Mr. Hockley's bodyguard was waiting to make his move.As the worship was on its final song, Andrews excused himself, deciding that his presence had served its purpose. He whispered in Jack's ear that he had duties to attend to and left through the doors.The moment Mr. Andrews left, Lovejoy smiled and made his way to Jack.Upon seeing Lovejoy heading towards his friend, Taylor abandoned his seat and raced against time to beat him, while doing so stealthy.Jack realized that he was in trouble the moment he saw Lovejoy walking towards him. Before he realized what was happening, he was being dragged by the collar to the double doors and pushed out of the chapel."Hey!" he marched up to Lovejoy, only to be stopped by the two doormen."Mr. Hockley and Mrs. DeWitt Bukater are still appreciative of your assistance, but your time here has now become inappropriate. They asked for me to give you this, as a token of their gratitude."He placed a twenty-dollar bill in his hand before pulling him close and whispering into his ear, "As well as to remind you that while you may be staying in a first-class room, you are nothing more than a steerage."Anger rose inside Jack, ready to shove the money back at him, before a figure appeared and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him away.Rose slightly turned her head, watching from the corner of her eye as she thought she saw Lovejoy dragging someone out of the chapel. Her heart urged her to go see who it was, hoping that it was-She shook her head, not allowing herself to think his name. She knew she needed to forget him. To move on and leave him be.Pushing his name and face from her mind, she resumed singing."The hell do you think you're doing?!" Taylor growled as he dragged Jack away.Jack tried to pull free, "Let me go! I need to speak to Rose!"Taylor looked back, watching as Lovejoy smiled and walked back into the chapel."You'll never get close, and it's foolish to do something like this, especially with so many people around. You couldn't have waited till after the service was done?""That was the plan!"They went around the corner and Taylor pushed him up against the wall, catching the attention of several people who immediately continued with their business."Jack, when I said that you should talk to her again, I meant when it was convenient for you two to be alone. Hockley and Rose's mother will never let you near her again, let alone give you two some privacy. You need to think this through."Jack sighed, "What do you suggest?"Taylor backed away from him, deep in his mind. Suddenly, his head shot up."I got it!""What?""Once I'm done explaining, go back to the room and get Fabrizio and Tommy, they’ll need to be backup, just in case."Jack nodded."Here's the plan."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Fabrizio and Tommy were playing a card game, oblivious to the beautiful day outside, lost in their battle of intelligence. Until the door suddenly slammed against the wall, almost putting a dent in the wood, as Jack rushed in and grabbed them by the collar of their shirts."Guys, come on! I need your help!"Fabrizio moaned as he was pulled to his feet, "Oh, come on, Jack! I'm close to beating him!""You wish!" Tommy rolled his eyes and smiled.The two found themselves on their feet and clothes being thrown at them."Come on, get ready!""Ready for what?" Fabrizio asked, as he began to undress and put on the clothes that Jack threw at him."And can we at the very least have the door closed while we dress?" Tommy asked, watching as a maid walked by, slowing down to check them out as she giggled before disappearing. "On second thought-"Jack quickly closed the door and turned to his friends, "Okay, here's the short story of what I'm doing-""Oh, thank god! I thought we were going to get the long version," Fabrizio exaggerated his moan.Tommy laughed."Haha, very funny! Anyway, I need to speak to Rose-""Oh God, he has fallen hard!" Fabrizio's eyes widened as he joked. "My boy has been enchanted by a goddess among men!"Tommy sighed, "Jack, leave her be. This isn't something you need to get involved in. She's already told you to stay away."Jack ignored him, "It's just this once. All I need is a chance to see her and talk to her. After that…""After that… what?" Tommy asked. "She chooses you over some rich guy? Ride off into the sunset with a redhead you've only known for less than two days now?""It's complicated.""When is it never?"Jack sighed, "Taylor is about to get them in position. You guys just need to back me up and keep watch.""And we are doing this… because?""Think of it as an 'I'll own you one later' deal.""And where is the part we get to choose if we want to do this?"Fabrizio raised his hand as he finished dressing, "I'll do it!""That's the spirit!" Jack smiled. "Now, come on, we need to be ready.""Hey, at the very least let me finish dressing!" Tommy cried out as the two walked to the door.Taylor waited for his moment to approach the elite group after the Sunday service was over. He was thankful he had brought the bag that held Molly Brown's tuxedo with him, providing a reason for being there. Though, the way how he was dressed was enough to be in their presence without testing their tolerance.Seeing his moment, he walked toward Molly Brown, who acknowledged him."Ah, good to see you again, you champ! I see you've brought my son's tuxedo with you."Everyone turned to him, some curious and some frowning, while others didn't seem to care.Taylor smiled as he slightly bowed and handed her the clear bag, "I wanted to thank you in person for allowing me to borrow this. Much better than any of my other options I have."She waved him off as she took the bag, "It's nothing, don't even think about thanking me."She turned to a servant and handed him the bag, "Take this up to my room for me, will ya?"The man nodded after getting her room number and left with the bag in hand.Molly turned to Taylor, "We were just about to head outside for a stroll, the captain has offered to escort us through the restricted area. Why don't you come with us!"Ruth sneered behind her fan, while others seemed intrigued to have him come along. Even Cal, much to his own surprise.Taylor smiled, "I'd be happy to.""Then it's settled!" Archibald Gracie cried out, patting him on the shoulder.Rose couldn't help but smile at seeing a familiar face, only for her smile to disappear the moment she was reminded of Jack's face and smile.Taylor walked beside Molly, listening to her ramble about something as they walked toward the stairs for the deck.Nearly an hour had passed as the three waited by the railing of the first-class deck, enjoying the beautiful day."I'll admit, she is a goddess among mortal men, there's no denying that," said Tommy, hoping to change his friend's mind. "But she's from another world that's very different from ours, Jack. She isn't one of us!""She was fitting right in with us last night.""That was one night. One night of fun. That's all it was.""It was more than that," Jack protested. "I can't explain everything. It isn't for me to share.""What is that supposed to mean?""I think what he's trying to say is that there's more to the story than he's allowed to say," Fabrizio spoke up, leaning against the railing with Jack."And why is that?" Tommy pressed."He just said he can't say."Tommy frowned, confused by his friend's secrecy, and then a realization hit him."That man… Mr. Hockley, I believe is his name… is he abusive toward her?"Jack sighed, "That… I do not know. But I fear that maybe the case."Tommy sighed and nodded, leaning against the railing with the two of them, "Jack… I'm not one to know much about love and all of that… but I do know this… She doesn't know hardship like us. She's a first class, just like the rest of them.""No, she isn't.""But she was raised like one since birth, regardless of who she is. Leave her be. And forget about her."His face lit up, fuming with anger at just hearing the idea of forgetting about her. How could he? She was all he could think about."I can't."Tommy shook his head, "Say that you succeed in winning her over and get to be with her… what next?"The anger receded as he turned to him, "What?"Even Fabrizio was curious."What happens next? You can't just keep living the life of a drifter forever, especially when you got a girl.""It's not like we're just going to settle int one place once we dock.""Yes, but eventually you'll have to settle down, get married and have kids. It's a tale as old as time, my friend. The life of an adventure, even for you, doesn't last forever. There's a reason for that."Jack stared at him as his words sunk in, his barriers finally cracking at the realization of what he was saying. And for the first time in so long, fear pierced through his heart. Fear of the unknown.For so long, he hadn't been afraid to just do something without a second thought. If he wanted to go somewhere, he went there. With no objections from Taylor, or even Fabrizio. If he wanted to do something, he did it.The unknown was like a destination that he couldn't wait to reach. Always chasing after it. He never feared it. Never shied away from it.But now…Now he was faced with perhaps the greatest unknown that he hadn't considered until Tommy had made him acknowledge it. It was enough to plant the seeds of doubt in his heart. The fear of knowing that his days of adventure would be numbered.What would the life of a normal person be like? He would be able to support himself and a family? What kind of job would he have? Would he be successful? Would he like it? Would he hate everything about it? Would he long for the days of his old life and regret leaving it behind? Would he fail to be a good husband and father? What about the place he would call home for the rest of his life? Would he find peace there?Or was he destined to be an adventure until the day he died? Was he destined to die without knowing what it meant to be a husband? Or a father? Would he regret never having to experience it? What if he were to die tomorrow and never got to see Rose again?
Rose.
The name washed away all his fears and doubts, like water against dirt. It brought joy and hope to him as he imagined her face and smile. It made him excited.Then it finally hit him.His days as an adventurer were always numbered, no matter what happened. Regardless of if Rose chooses him, he would face a similar trial again. But he hoped to God that Rose was the one he hung up his life as a drifter for in the end. It was impossible to imagine anyone else beside him in life.He smiled, "Does it matter? It's her choice to make. If she or someone else chooses me, then I'll take life on with whatever it throws at me. If she gets tired of life on the move and wants to settle down, then we settle down. If she wants to get married and have kids, then we'll marry and have as many kids as we want."Life is an adventure in more ways than one. You just have to look for it in any way that you can."Tommy stared at him, dumbfounded and inspired."Did you just come up with that just now?"Jack laughed, "How else would I have?"Fabrizio nudged his ribs with his elbow, "Here she comes."They turned to see a group of first class heading towards them, with Taylor talking with Molly Brown and Mr. Andrews.Jack's heart leaped at seeing Rose, recognizing the neutral face she was putting on in front of everyone. Not that they cared, as long as she wasn't doing anything they frowned upon. A realization that only added fuel to the fire burning inside of him.This was his one and only chance to speak with her. To let her know that she had a choice. Another path to choose if she so wished.He remembered Taylor's words from last night and made a silent promise not to force a decision upon her, nor to manipulate her. He would make sure to help her understood the consequences of both choices and then leave the decision up to her to decide, without him or anyone else to pressure her.But he couldn't deny the anxiety from within. The beating of his heart that got faster as his moment drew near. His one chance to reach out to her."There's a gymnasium right over there," Tommy pointed. "The moment you reach Rose, take her in there. We'll keep watch."Jack nodded, "But where should I hide?""In the gymnasium, dummy!" Fabrizio shook his head, shoving him towards the door. Peeking inside, they saw that it was currently empty, and Jack was pushed in. "Just keep the door open a bit and the moment you see Rose by herself, reach for her."Jack nodded as he watched Fabrizio and Tommy walked down further, using the lifeboats as cover to hide themselves once they got far enough away but close enough to be of use.Taylor never felt so bored in his life being with the first-class group he was walking along with. His only enjoyment was with Molly, who provided a much-needed distraction from how formal everyone was. He wondered how he was able to get through last night without losing his mind.They had been allowed to visit the wheelhouse of the ship by Captain Smith himself, who explained how everything worked when asked, along with help from Andrews.Taylor couldn't help but feel honored to be so close to a legendary captain like Edward John Smith, despite knowing how it would end for him.His heart sank upon seeing one of the privates hand him a telegraph of iceberg warnings, again being reminded of what was to happen.His shame and guilt felt heavy upon his shoulders.When Captain Smith took his leave to attend to matters at hand, the group continued on with their little tour, now being led by Andrews himself. He couldn't help but admire the man's love for the ship he had designed and saw the construction of.Which only added to his sorrow.His moment of reprieve was answered as they walked down Deck A, able to make out three figures down. He knew who it was and was ready to help in any way that he could. His only hope was that his friend would succeed.He kept his eyes off Rose but made sure to have her within sight, hoping that she would be isolated just enough for Jack to make his move.He listened as Andrews went on about the ship before Rose took asked her questions, mainly about her concerns over there not being enough lifeboats for the number of people on the ship. Andrew's reply angered him as he said that he was overruled in getting more to be able to hold the number onboard, if the situation called for it. All so that there could be more room on Deck A.Cal's reply that it would be a waste of good space only fueled his anger, wishing to strangle the man for being so arrogant.Andrews reassured Rose that he had built a strong ship and there was no need to worry, a falsehood that Taylor struggled to hold his guilt down upon hearing.As everyone began to walk ahead of them, leaving only Rose and him, Taylor smiled as he saw the door to the gymnasium open a bit, walking close next to it as he whispered, "Now."Walking past Rose, he approached Andrews and stood next to the man."Not to be one to bother you over such things but I thought I heard the crew saying that were no red flares to be found. Is this true?"Andrews frowned, turning to him, "Just earlier?"He nodded, smiling as he saw a figure from the corner of his eye reach out to Rose.Jack's heart began to race the moment he heard Taylor whisper "Now" to him as he walked by. He felt safe knowing that no one was able to see what he was doing the moment he recognized the redhead follow just a second later.Opening the door, he reached out and took Rose's hand, startling her.Rose felt fear pierce her heart upon feeling a hand on her arm, turning to see Jack next to her, pointing towards the open door he had come out of. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped, shocked that he was pulling such a stunt. She had no choice but to listen and follow him into the gymnasium. Fearful that the others would see them if they remained outside any longer.Hearing the door close behind her, she turned to Jack and took a deep breath to remain strong, especially in front of him."Jack, this is impossible," she quickly said as he turned to her. "I can't see you. Not anymore."She tried to walk past him, not daring to look him in the eyes.Jack took her arm as he felt her brush right by him, making her turn around and back up to the wall before she could reach the door."I need to talk to you.""No, Jack…" her voice failed her, not when she was forced to look into his blue eyes. "I… I meant what I said last night. I didn't want this to happen, believe me… but it doesn't matter now…""Of course, it matters."Jack was fueled by adrenaline, his focus purely on her as his energy went wild. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her, to know what it felt to feel her lips on his. But he shoved those thoughts to the side, keeping control of himself.Rose felt herself losing control, struggling to keep herself from speaking the words she so desperately wanted to say."Jack… I'm engaged," she looked away and then back at him. "I'm marrying Cal."Her heart sank upon seeing the hurt deep in his eyes."I…" she felt the words get stuck in her throat, like bile, before forcing herself to say them, "…I love Cal."Despite a part of him feeling like he was being sucked into a black hole at hearing those words, Jack couldn't help but sigh and give her a look, knowing better.He struggled to see how to approach her and help her see the truth. To let her know that she wasn't truly trapped and that there was another path for her."Rose… you're no picnic. You're a spoiled brat who knows nothing of the hardships like me and the others do. But… under that… you are the most amazing woman I have ever met. And I've met a lot of them, even courted a few of them. But none of them have ever come close to you. And-"Rose felt the tears coming and the struggle to hold them back, as she tried to move toward the door, "Jack, I can't be with you."Jack blocked her way, "Wait, please! All I'm asking is a few minutes of your time. That's all I want. A couple of minutes to say what I need to say. Allow me to do this and you'll never see me again."Jack forced the words out, hating himself for even thinking of saying them.Rose her heart tighten upon hearing those words, wishing that he hadn't said them.Taking a deep breath, she nodded, already lost in his ocean-like eyes.Realizing that this was the final shot he was hoping for, he wasted no time, feeling the anxiety grow deep inside his heart."I'm not an idiot. I know how the world works. First class are not supposed to be with third class. I'm supposed to be nothing but a slave to those like you in your class."'You're not!' she wanted to yell out to him."The only money I have is forty bucks that I was given by that Lovejoy guy and it's far more than I will ever make in this life. Forty bucks and a life of freedom, adventure and… love. That's all I can offer you."Rose felt her heart skip a beat."I won't lie, my life doesn't have the luxuries as your life does. I only live so comfortably because Taylor has his ways of getting money better than I ever could. And I know that one day I will have to make do on my own. My life has struggles, I won't sugarcoat it."And I know that I shouldn't be involved, especially not this much. But I am too involved now, and I can't walk away without letting you know that you don't have to live like this. You cannot convince me that you suddenly feel fine marrying into this life, not after what I witnessed that night!"Every word he said, she was hung on to."You jump, I jump. Remember?"She did. No matter how much she tried, she could never forget."I can't turn away without offering you a chance to escape this hell. Without knowing that I gave you a chance. All I want is to know that you'll be alright. That you've made your choice. That's all I want."But he wanted so much more. More than he was supposed to want. More than he deserved.No matter how much she wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him, to feel his lips on hers, she forced herself to speak."Well, I'm fine. I'll be fine. Really."Jack could feel how lifeless those words were the moment she said them.He gave her a look, "Really?"She tried to nod but her body refused to listen.Jack pointed in the direction of her fiancée and mother, "They got you trapped, Rose! They can spin whatever manipulative lie they want to control you, but you know that all of this is for them, not for you. You are smarter than this!”Silence followed.“If you don't break free… you're going to die. Maybe not literally or right away, because your strong… but time will be the enemy to destroy you."He placed his hand on her cheek, moving closer to her.Rose knew she shouldn't allow him to touch her or get near her, but she yearned for it. She wanted him to be so close to her. To feel the warmth of his body."You have a fire burning bright inside of you. A fire that I love so much about you, Rose. But if you continue to live like this… that fire is gonna burn out."She knew he was speaking the truth. Every word was filled with the honesty and caring nature of his soul. And she wanted nothing more than to choose him right then and there. To seal her fate without a second thought.The thought of freedom filled her soul with joy, the thought of doing all the things they spoke of the day before made her excited, and the thought of being with him was the only future she genuinely wanted.But her mother's voice entered her mind and the seeds of doubt that were already planted deep in her mind began to take hold."It isn't up to you to save me, Jack."Jack nodded, "You're right. Only you can do that."Unable to resist, she touched his hand that rested on her cheek, wishing the glove wasn't in the way to feel him.She knew right then and there that this decision would affect her entire life going forward. She knew that he would keep away if she refused. She knew the consequences of both.And she felt the fire begin to die."I'm going back," she forced the words out of her throat, looking away from his eyes. "Now, please… leave me alone."Jack's heart sunk upon hearing those words as she left the gymnasium as if his soul was dying.Rose never looked back as the door closed, struggling to keep the tears from coming forth. She was under so much grief that she ended up not heading back to join the others and instead began to run back to the suite, passing many people who looked her way. She managed to hold herself together until she nearly burst through the door, just barely turning the knob in time. Once the door was closed, she fell to her knees and began to cry, the tears breaking free like a dam from the pressure.Supporting herself on her hands and knees, she let her sorrow as the realization of what she had done and said settled in on her.She barely noticed as Trudy ran toward her, kneeling to support her.Only her cries of agony filled the room.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Rose cried in the arms of her best friend, setting her emotions free from deep within. It was one of the few times when she was able to, without letting anyone else see how vulnerable she was. Trudy was perhaps the only true friend she ever had before Jack.Just thinking about him made her cry harder.Now she was back to where she started. Just one friend she could confide in. All the while trapped in a life she so desperately wanted to escape from.She hated herself for turning him down. Hearing him say those things was all she ever wanted to hear. It was so much she ever dreamed of. And all she had to do was say 'yes'.But she couldn't.'You were wrong about me, Jack.'She was not strong. Not enough to just say what she felt. What she wanted. She couldn't stand up to her mother or her fiancée.She was weak and powerless."Shh," Trudy caressed her hair, calming her down. "It's alright."Rose shook her head, knowing it was all to make her feel better. Even if Trudy believed it, she couldn't. Not when she had rejected someone who was going out of his way to do so much for her.As time passed, she began to regain control over herself and catch her breath before being helped to her feet."Do you want to talk about it?" Trudy asked, deeply concerned.Rose shook her head, "No. I just need to freshen up before heading back. Surely, my mother and Cal would have noticed I've been gone by now."Despite wanting to convince her to change her mind, Trudy nodded and followed her to her room, where they wiped away the tears and reapplied makeup.Once ready, Rose began to make her way to the door of the suite."He came to you, didn't he."Rose stopped, keeping her back to her.Trudy nodded, her silence being all she needed, "Rose… I know this isn't my place to say but allow me to break my formality just this once."She remained still, just within reach of the doorknob."I don't know this, Jack Dawson. I don't know who he is or what he has done to earn your smile, but I know that he has more than earned it. I haven't seen you smile like that since your father was alive."Rose kept her back to her."I'm not telling you to choose him just because he saved you or showed you a good time last night. But, as your friend, I can't help myself. I need you to realize that a life with Cal won't have any of those smiles. Maybe you'll find a way to live with it but what kind of life would that be?"Rose closed her eyes, hearing Jack's voice in her place."But it doesn't have to be Jack either. Love is so complicated. I've been in love with other men in my life. But I've never smiled as you have. Maybe it's the myth of love at first sight or maybe it's just nothing more than a crush. But I know that Cal is not the right person for you to marry."The pressure and anxiety made her wish she could disappear, never to be found again."I just want you to be happy, Rose."Silence followed as Rose took her words to heart before opening the door and exiting the room."Has anyone seen Rose?" Ruth asked, looking behind their group as she came to realize that her daughter wasn't around.Everyone frowned as they looked around the deck.Taylor saw Tommy and Fabrizio about to make their move to distract them and held up his hand a bit, halting whatever plan they had."She said that she needed to use the restroom."Ruth frowned, "Mr. Lovejoy!"The former detective approached her."Please go find my daughter and return her."Cal laughed, "No need to worry, my dear. It's just a quick restroom break, she'll be back. If she doesn't return soon, Lovejoy will fetch her."Lovejoy nodded as he backed away, keeping his distance.As they continued the tour, Taylor saw the young Miss Bukater making her way back to them and signaled Tommy and Fabrizio that their assistance were no longer needed, watching as they walked away, glancing at the redhead as she passed them by."Ah, there she is!" Molly cried out. "Your mother was about to have a cow."Ruth glared at her.Rose giggled under her hand, "I apologize… I needed to return to the suite for a bit-""No need to explain, Mr. Huston already did that for you."Rose nodded to him, which he returned as they continued the tour.As they neared the end of their little walk, Rose walked next to him after being berated by her mother."I thought I saw Jack's other friends as I was walking back. I should have known that the four of you were in cahoots."Taylor shrugged, "He needed help, so we did what we could.""If you're going to try and convince me to-""Miss Bukater, whatever decision you've come to or will reach, is completely up to you. All we did was help Jack get his chance. And as for Jack… I trust he was smart enough to not force you into anything. Whatever happens next is entirely up to you."Rose was caught off guard by his defense of himself and friends, especially Jack. She was expecting him to lecture her about Cal and how he wasn't a fit for her. It was rather refreshing."I've been meaning to ask you… what kind of boy was Jack like five years ago?"Taylor turned to her, "Well, he was very eager to travel the world. It took some time for the two of us to become best friends and see each other as family. But his heart was in the right place, just struggling to heal from the loss of his parents at such a young age. He wasn't as wise as he is now. Experiencing what the world is like can do that to a person. But that's what he is… an adventurer."Rose nodded, smiling as she imagined him as a fifteen-year-old teen. How she wished she could have been there to experience the world has he had."Thank you.""For what?""For being honest. Please… look after him."Taylor's heart sank, "That's... that's not a promise I can make, Miss Bukater.""Rose.""Pardon?""Rose. Please, call me Rose."Taylor nodded, "Rose it is then.""But please… for however long you can, look after him."Taylor looked at her, feeling sorry for both her and his friend, "I'll do my best."Rose nodded, feeling a little weight being lifted off her shoulders.Jack couldn't remember how he ended up back inside the room he shared with the others. All he could recall was Rose telling him to leave her alone and watching her walk out the door of the gymnasium. After that, it was blank.He was standing over his bed, feeling the tears crawl down his face, even tasting the salt from them as they entered through his lips. Slightly shaking his head, he sat down and put his face in his hands, unaware of his surroundings.He didn't hear the door open as Tommy and Fabrizio entered.The two looked at each other before approaching him, worried."Eh… Jack?" Fabrizio called out.Jack didn't hear him."Jack?" Tommy reached out and touched his shoulder, startling him as he looked up.The two felt their stomachs drop at the sight of him.Fabrizio was the most worried, having never seen his friend like this in the two years they had known each other.He looked away from them and down at the floor.The two shared a look before backing away and exiting the room, closing the door as he was left alone.He felt like his soul was being sucked into a dark place deep inside of his heart, with no light to scare away darkness that threatened to take everything that made him happy. He hadn't experienced anything like this since the day his parents died.Looking out the window, he saw the beauty of the sunny day, feeling a small longing to feel the sun on his skin. Forcing himself up to his feet, he walked to the door and left the room.Taylor approached the stern of the ship, finding Prometheus there. The orange sky stretching on for as far as the eye could see. A bittersweet atmosphere that almost matched how he was feeling.The experienced time-traveled turned to him."We don't have much time. By eleven forty tonight, the ship will strike the iceberg as it is supposed to. Once that happens, we need to be ready."Taylor nodded as he stood right next to him, staring out into the ocean."Something wrong?" Prometheus asked, narrowing his eyes at him.Taylor sighed, "Are we truly doing the right thing?"Prometheus regarded him, "Our duty is to preserve all timelines. This one is no exception.""But we have a chance to save lives. Isn't that what we are all about?"He sighed, "We've talked about this. Deviating from the original course will cause a Split, one that Reeves wants to happen.""What about catching the attention of the California? They can help save as many lives as possible, while still letting the Titanic sink.""The Titanic is known for its tragedy of fifteen hundred people dying, not just the sinking. Saving that many lives will still cause a Split, regardless of if the Titanic still sinks. Maybe a couple of dozen could be saved if they have no real impact on the future timeline. But it's still too high of a risk. We must stay the original course."Taylor sighed, "It seems too monstrous of us to let so many people die when we have the power to save them.""You know the consequences if we did anything to Split the timeline in two. You can have the best reasons in the entire megaverse and you'll still face them all the same."Taylor nodded, placing his hands on the cold steel of the railing, "So… what's the plan?"Prometheus nodded back, slightly smiling, "Once the ship begins to sink and the head starts to go under, the Time Lock will be lifted for us to leave this universe. After that, we report back to base to inform them of everything."Taylor sighed, "And then?""Then you will be reassigned to your next mission, which I highly suspect will be to track down Reeves."He turned to him, "Reeves?"Prometheus nodded, "Once I help clear your name, I'll put you in for a recommendation to be reassigned to the team tracking down Reeves for his betrayal. That's if they haven't captured him yet."He let the information sink in, wondering if that was what he wanted. To track the man who caused all this mess and bring him to justice. But deep down, it wasn't enough.He pushed such feelings and thoughts to the side."When should we regroup?""Meet me by the front of the ship by midnight. It won't be submerged yet when the Time Lock is lifted."Taylor nodded, "Midnight it is, then."He walked away from Prometheus, missing the look he was giving him.Rose sat at the dining table with her mother and two other noble ladies, wearing her usual neutral expression that kept her slightly sane and her mother happy. Staring emotionlessly at nothing, like as if she wasn't even alive.She was able to block out the noise and the mindless chatter her mother was having with the two women. She thought she heard her mother talking about something that she disapproved of her doing, but it was nothing of importance to her. She was always disapproving of almost everything she did.Her thoughts drifted back to Trudy, Taylor and Jack. All three conversations kept flowing back into her mind, no matter how much she tried to push them far away. She kept telling herself that she had made her choice and that it was the right one. But so much doubt kept nagging at her.She felt so frustrated. So sad. So… trapped.Dinner had already been served but she didn't eat much, just enough to satisfy her mother. She was thankful when the men moved to their usual area for cigars and alcohol, but it wasn't enough in the end as she had to once again endure her mother's little tea party.Something caught her attention from the corner of her eye, causing her to turn to see what it was, out of curiosity.She saw a young girl, sitting at a dinner table with her mother. She was sitting with her back fully against the chair, earning a disapproval look from her mother, who motioned her to sit straight up. She obeyed and corrected herself in how she sat under her mother's direction. Once the tea was being served, she was putting a napkin on her lap, once again under the observation of her mother.Rose watched the girl with interest, recognizing something familiar about her.As she looked away and down at the floor, a realization suddenly struck her. A spark that reignited something deep within. A vision that followed afterward.She saw a woman and a child, sitting in the grassy field of Pennsylvania, just outside of a dark manor. The woman seemed emotionless and stiff, just watching as the child played with her toy. She could see a man in the background, calling for them to come inside as a storm approached. A man who looked similar to someone she held no love for. She watched as the woman picked up the child and carried her inside, never once looking at the man.Coming out of her vision, Rose shook her head and turned to her mother."I'll be returning to the cabin," she said, turning away before her mother could object.The whole time, as she walked back to the suite, she finally allowed herself to think of Jack and how she felt about him. How she felt after she had made her choice. How the pain of realizing what she had done had settled in.In all her life, she hadn't experienced anything as painful. Not since the day her father died.Her thoughts drifted to the night before, when she was partying with Jack and the third-party class. It was by far the most fun she had ever experienced. And she wanted to experience it again. With him.Coming back to her senses, she found herself in front of the door to the suite she shared with her mother and fiancée.She questioned everything right at that moment. All doubts and fears fled from her as she thought about her future and the vision she had seen. She thought about the little girl she had just witnessed, recalling moments like that when she was at that age.And then it dawned on her.The meaning of it all.She began to shake as anxiety took hold, tears forming in her eyes.Her thoughts ran to Jack, wanting to feel his presence, to see his smile, to hear his voice.Before she knew it, she rushed to the room she remembered from the day before and was knocking on the door, panting.The door opened and an Irishman appeared, surprised by her appearance before smiling."Ah, so the young little bird has changed her mind!""Where is he?" she demanded.She recognized Fabrizio when he appeared right behind Tommy's shoulder."Heyyyy, Rose!" the Italian beamed at her.Tommy nodded down the hall, "Jack's at the front of the ship. He's still there."Rose smiled as she nodded, "Thank you!"She took off, running as fast as she could. As if her life depended on it.Tommy and Fabrizio shared a look, high fiving each other before closing the door to return to their card game.Taylor entered the chapel, making his way to the front of the room, where a cross was mounted on the wall. Despite how dark it was, save for some laps lighting up the room, he felt at peace being there.Kneeling on both knees before the cross, he bowed his head, closed his eyes, and folded his hands together.It took a moment to begin his prayer."Dear Heavenly Father… I know it's been a while since I've been to church. Today was the first time since… well… that day. I haven't lost faith. It's just… it's been so hard after… what happened. Too many things kept reminding me of what I had lost… and I ended up diving deep into my work to numb the pain and to get back what I had lost. But regardless, I'm sorry for it all. For all the sins that I've committed in my life."I confess that I've killed in the name of saving lives. And I beg for your forgiveness for all of them."He paused."I need your guidance. I face a choice that… I don’t know the right answer to. I know what will happen if I let it come to pass. But I also know what will happen if I don't. And I don't know which one I can live with."Tears started to slide down his face."Please, show me a sign. Anything to show me the way, what I need to do. But please, spare Jack from this catastrophe. If the price is my own life, then I make that sacrifice to see him live. He's still so young. No wife, no kids. If you'll spare him, I will do anything you require of me in return. Just please, let him live!"Amen!"Taylor rose to his feet and looked up to the cross, bowing to it before turning to leave.Rose found him at the head of the ship, feet on the railing as he stared down into the ocean. She stopped to catch her breath, hoping not to startle him but struggling not to run to him and embrace him. She approached as slowly as she could. Each step feeling like an eternity to her.She stopped when she got close enough to him."Hello, Jack."Jack turned, slightly startled and surprised.Rose smiled.A true smile that reached from ear to ear."I changed my mind."Jack felt his heart leap, unable to hold back the smile as he felt life being breathed back into his soul.Rose walked to him, "They said you would be up here-""Shh!" Jack raised his finger to his lips and then reached for her hand. "Come here."Though slightly startled, she took his hand."Now close your eyes."She hesitated, curious as to what he was doing."Go on."She smiled and did as he said, allowing him to lead her to the railing."Now, step up."She allowed him to guide her, feeling her feet step up onto the railing."Keep your eyes closed. Don't peek."Rose laughed, "I'm not."He helped her up a little higher on the railing and got up on the same level as her, spreading his feet so that they didn't go over, while also keeping his hands just above her hips.She couldn't help but blush at feeling his hands on her. She felt a little disappointed when his left hand moved to the cable right next to them for support."Hold on. Hold on. Keep your eyes closed."She laughed again as the wind blew into his face."Do you trust me?"Rose nodded, "I trust you."Taking both of her hands and spreading them out in a T-pose, Jack then moved his hands back to her hips, supporting her.Rose felt nervous at being so vulnerable, worried that she may fall over. But the moment she felt his hands back on her hips, the fear washed away."Alright," he whispered into her ear. "Open your eyes."Slowly opening her eyes and adjusting to the sight before her, her eyes widened in awe and she gasped.There was nothing but the open ocean ahead of her and the beautiful orange sky from the sunset. The sea passed beneath her, as if she were flying over it. The wind blew against her, sending a peaceful chill down her spine.Removing his hands from her hips, he took both of hers into his own."It's beautiful!" she nearly shouted.Jack smiled and nodded, completely captivated by her."Yes," he said, looking at her. "Beautiful."They didn't dare move an inch that could ruin the moment.Jack leaned in closer and began to sing 'Come, Josephine, In My Flying Machine', making Rose laugh. Then he took her hands and brought them to her stomach, along with his own. His left arm was around the cable, as support for them.Staring out into the horizon, she slowly turned to meet Jack's eyes and got lost in the blue ocean just inches away. She turned her head to the side and leaned in, acting purely on autopilot. A part of her was against it, but a bigger part of her was wanting it. It was all she could think about.Jack leaned in as well, staring deep into her eyes.Their eyes closed the moment their lips were an inch apart and they felt the contact they've both been desiring when that inch was gone. Their lips crashed against each other under the orange sky of the sunset, oblivious to the cold wind against them.Their lips parted, allowing their tongues to wrestle as they connected, lost to their intimate moment together.Rose raised her hand to the back of his head, slightly tightening her hold on his hair to bring him closer. Her other arm moved to his hand, trying to get ahold of him, to feel more of him. His lips tasted like the sea; a sweetness that made her want more. So much more.Taylor watched from afar as the two kissed at the prow of the ship, with the sun setting in the distance.He had caught them just seconds before they had started kissing, hoping to speak with Jack. But he kept back in the shadows, just inches from the light. The last thing he wanted was to ruin their moment. Especially after the heartbreak that Tommy and Fabrizio said Jack was going through.But now, it seemed that the young Rose had made her choice.It was inspiring to see her take charge of her own destiny and break away from the bonds of her miserable life. Lord knows it would have taken so much strength and courage to do what she did. To choose which of the consequences she could live with.But in witnessing this, he began to come to a bittersweet conclusion that his time with Jack was coming to an end. That their days of adventures together were numbered.Even a blind man could see that Jack had found love through Rose, just as she through him. It was only natural that the two would go off to have their own adventures and settle down to raise a family. It was what he had hoped for him, after all. Even if it meant that he would have to leave him behind.
If they both live.
His smile fell at the realization that suddenly struck him.What were the odds that their love would survive one of the worst tragedies in human history? Would both survive? Or only one?And what about the others? Tommy? Fabrizio? Cora? Or the other fifteen hundred lives that hung in the balance?His conversation with Prometheus came back to him, once again questioning everything the time-traveler had been telling him.Could he change history and live with the consequences? Or could he live with the possibility that he may be dooming Jack's future? Or even Rose?Maybe he could save both of them. Maybe Tommy, Fabrizio, and Cora as well. Maybe even more.But what good was easing his conscience when so many more were going to die? What good was leaving his friends in the hands of fate when he could do something about it? What good was it to find a compromise that would do little to ease his suffering in the end?He looked back at the two as they got off the railing and back onto the deck, laughing.Seeing how happy Jack was with this woman was too much to handle, but he forced himself to watch them as they kissed again.
No!
His face narrowed at the two, a decision finally being reached as he watched them begin walking his way.He moved into a corner, watching as they walked right past him, laughing as they held hands.
Damn the consequences!
If he was looking for an answer to his prayer, then this was as good as it was going to get.He watched them walk down the deck, oblivious to his presence. Living in the moment. Just as all of humanity was supposed to.This was all he needed to know about what he needed to do.He would change fate. Change the outcome of what was supposed to happen. If he was going to be forced to live with the consequences of his actions, let it be the consequences he could live with the most. He would rather live in a reality where he tried to save lives than stand by to watch them die.He knew deep down what this meant. The consequences that would follow. The hunt that would keep him running for as long as he lived.But he was willing to live with it.It was time for a new path. A new fate.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Taylor walked through the door of the first-class room he shared with the others, determination deep in his eyes as he headed for his bed, reaching under it for his briefcase.Tommy and Fabrizio nearly flew off the bed as they continued their card game."Jesus, boy-o!" Tommy cursed. "Where's the fire?""Oh, good news!" Fabrizio recovered first. "Rose changed her mind. She chose Jack! You should have been here earlier. She looked like she had been stressing about it, probably worse than how Jack took it."Taylor barely heard them as he opened the briefcase, facing away from them as he powered up his computer and began to do his research on the Titanic.Tommy and Fabrizio looked at each other, confused.Fabrizio shrugged as he sat down on the bed and resumed their game, Tommy quickly following.Taylor spent the next thirty minutes doing his research, ignoring the status update of the Time Lock, signaling a Merge was immediate. A possibility he was hoping to change.He took out a piece of paper and began to write down a list.
Binoculars!

Red Flares!

Californian!

11:35 P.M.
Feeling satisfied with the knowledge he now had, Taylor shut down his computer and opened a secret compartment, finding a small device from within. He took it out and went into the bathroom, making sure the other two didn't see what he had.Tommy and Fabrizio frowned at him with suspicion.Once the door was closed, he turned the device on and searched its settings.
Hybrid gun activated!

Setting list of options: Time-Dilation Mode, Ice Bomb Mode, Regular Bomb Mode, Regular Gun Mode, Fire Extinguisher Mode, Teleporter Mode, Time-Travel Mode, Regeneration Mode, Printing Mode, Laser Mode, Flare Mode-
He smiled as he clicked on the last option and found a list of colors, sighing with relief.A plan began to form in his head as he prepared himself for what he was about to do. He knew that the moment he went through with this, his dream of getting back home was done for. There would be no way back, no chance to fulfill his promise.A promise that he had to forsake.Hiding the device behind his back, he exited the bathroom and put the briefcase away, turning to the two on the bed."I'll be back in a little while. In the meantime, keep an eye on Jack and Rose if you see them. I have a feeling they have really kicked the hornets' nest.""Where are you going?" Tommy asked.Taylor walked to the door and opened it, "To set things right!"He closed the door behind him and headed off to find James Andrews."-and the next thing we know, this cat appears out of nowhere.""Oh, no!" Rose gasped, trying not to laugh. "Please don't tell me!"Jack smirked, "And we ended up hitting the damn cat."Rose covered her mouth but was too late as she began to laugh, moving to hold her stomach as she lost herself."That's not funny, Jack! You're so cruel!"Jack laughed along with her, unable to help himself, "Hey, not our fault the thing decided to run out in the middle of the road. Plus, you're the one who's doing the laugh.""How did you guys even manage to find an automobile?" she managed to ask."We stole it," he answered, bluntly.Rose laughed harder, nearly falling over.Jack laughed as he watched her, enjoying how beautiful she looked."You and Taylor live the most adventurous life," she calmed down. "I wish I could have been there for all of them."Jack's smile grew as he took her hand, "Now, you will be. It'll be just the four of us. Maybe five, if Tommy wishes to join us.""I like the sound of that. Like one big happy family. With the added bonus of adventure and freedom."Jack's smile fell, "Rose, I meant what I said before back at the gymnasium. I can't offer you the luxurious life you know. It's cheesy of me to say, especially now that you have made your choice. But I need you to know that while it won't be as bad with Taylor by our side, it won't be the same."Rose stared at him, a sense of reality sinking in for her as his words took root. But the remembrance of what she felt just little over an hour ago and every day before she met Jack was strong enough to chase those doubts and fears away.Smiling, she put her arms around his neck and drew him in, their lips meeting as they stood in the middle of the empty hallway.Jack, though taken aback, kissed her back, savoring the taste and smell of her.Pulling back, her smile grew, "I know that it'll be hard but I'm serious about this, Jack. I want this. I want you."Her heart began to race, slowly realizing how real this was. She was really going to go through with this. And it was exciting her with every second that passed by."When the ship docks… I'm getting off with you."Jack stared at her, feeling a rush of joy in his heart at hearing those words. He couldn't help but smile as he kissed her again."This is crazy."Rose laughed, "I know. It doesn't make any sense."She paused, caressing his hair, "That's why I trust it."They lost themselves in their intimacy, unaware of their surroundings, despite no one around to see them."So, where are we going?" he asked.Rose looked down the hallway, "To my suite. If I am going to leave my old life behind, I want one last taste of the luxurious life, as you've put it.""How so?" he raised his eyebrow as they resumed walking."Oh, I have several ideas," she smiled, mischievously.Taylor reached the suite of James Andrews, knowing that he would be inside as dinner was over for some time now. The man was known for retiring to his suite after dinner was finished.While he wished to do things himself, he feared that Craig would be keeping an eye on him, so he came up with a plan to ensure Titanic’s safety without alerting him.He stood before the door, ready to knock, but he hesitated.Reality fully settled in as he realized what he was about to do. The consequences that would follow if he did this. What he would be giving up.He thought he had made peace with it but it seemed to be pulling him back, begging him not to do this. The promise that he had made all those years ago.If he did this, there would be no going home. No chance to see his mother again. No chance to live his own life.But he knew the alternative if he didn't. And he couldn't see himself living with it.Pushing such feelings aside, he knocked on the door and Mr. Andrews answered, surprised by his visitor."Mr. Huston, am I correct?"Taylor nodded, "Yes you are, Mr. Andrews. I apologize for how sudden this is, but I was hoping to speak with you."Andrews smiled and nodded, allowing him inside."What can I do for you?"Taylor turned to him, trying to decide on how to go about this."The binoculars that the crew have been unable to find are in the crow's nest. A Mr. David Blair was originally assigned to this ship before being reassigned, which unfortunately was done so hastily before he could leave the key to open it."Andrews frowned, "And how do you know this?"Taylor kept his facial expression neutral, "I overheard some of the crew talking. It would be best if you went to inform Second Officer Lightoller or First Officer Murdoch. They'll be able to verify my claims."Andrews continued to stare at him with caution, "If what you say is true, then how come no one has informed those said officers?""You'll be surprised by how much miscommunication has been going around as of late. You said yourself that the ship does not have enough lifeboats for the passengers and the captain has ordered the ship at full speed, despite the iceberg warnings. Not to mention the lack of red flares to signal for help. And now the binoculars are missing because no one knows where they are, on a night when the ocean is calm, no moon or wind. A recipe for disaster if anything were to go wrong."Fear pierced Andrews' heart, growing anxious with every word he heard."What are you talking about?"Taylor sighed, "Mr. Andrews, it is in your best interests to give this information to the officers. Those binoculars are more important than you may realize. Also, I would recommend telling the officers to change course by moving a little further south by eleven thirty-five post meridiem, to avoid icebergs that were seen in the area that we are currently heading towards. More warnings have been sent to the crew; it would be best to avoid being surrounding by an icefield that would delay the ship's arrival."Andrews was confused now, trying to understand the man before him."Why are you telling me this?"Taylor sighed, "Like I said, it would be in your best interests to inform the officers of this. I highly doubt they would listen to someone like me."He stepped around him, hand on the doorknob."I apologize for startling you. It wasn't my intention. It would be best to keep this between the two of us, no matter what happens next."Andrews turned to him and nodded, "I'll get right to it. But expect me to come asking for answers later if anything happens."Taylor nodded back, "Fair enough."He exited the room, heading towards the front of the ship to keep watch.Rose entered the sitting room of the suite with Jack, laughing at a joke he had made."It quite proper, I assure you. This is the sitting room."Jack whistled as he looked around, mesmerized by how big the one room was and expensive items all around."Will this light do?" she asked, putting her scarf on the arm of the couch."Pardon?" he asked, staring at the clock.She frowned at him, "Don't artists need good light?"Jack smiled as he turned around, speaking in a French accent, "That is true, but I'm not used to working such horrible conditions."Rose laughed.Jack saw the paintings on the other side of the room and his eyes widened, "Monet!"He rushed over to one of the paintings."Do you know his work?" Rose followed."Of course!" he traced his hand over the art. "I love his use of color here. Isn't he great?!""I know, it's extraordinary. Unfortunately, Cal doesn't agree."Jack laughed as he looked at the other paintings, "Sounds about right. Anyway, what did you mean by the light earlier?"Rose paused, her heart beginning to race, "Well… I was thinking about it and I've decided that I want you to draw me."Jack nodded as he continued to look at the paintings, seemingly oblivious.Rose looked over to the small room that held Cal's safe and walked over to it, remembering the combination to open it, reach inside and take something out. Once closing the safe, she went over to Jack and presented the Heart of the Ocean diamond before his eyes, the chain rattling in her fingers.Jack's eyes went wide as he took the diamond in his hand, "Is this the…""The Heart of the Ocean, worn by kings and queens, one of the most expensive and rare diamonds in the world."He shook his head, envying the life that Cal Hockley got to live."This thing alone could make one man rich for life."Rose stared at him, trying to understand why so many people saw it as a precious item worth admiring. To her, it was just a diamond. Forged from the hard work of others to be paraded around for others to admire."Jack, I want you to draw me, but not just like anyone else you've done before. I want you to do it like you did with your French girls."He nodded, keeping his eyes on the diamond, "Okay.""Wearing this.""Alright."Jealousy filled her at how he marveled at the diamond, feeling more bold and teasing as she blushed at the very idea that was occupying her mind. She knew what she needed to do to win back his attention, to get her point across."Wearing only this."Her words slowly registered with him as he turned to her, the diamond suddenly forgotten.Rose smiled, satisfied with the look on his face."Uh… Rose…" he struggled to speak as images tried to force their way into his head. "You don't have to…""I want to."The look in her eyes silenced whatever protest he was about to speak out, making him realize that she was serious.After a few moments, he nodded and gave the diamond to her."I'll get everything ready."She continued to smile as she walked into her bedroom, closing the door behind her as she began to undress, feeling herself shiver with excitement and nervousness.Meanwhile, Jack moved the couch into position as Rose let her red hair free and loose, no longer held up to hide her true beauty. She then put the diamond on, feeling the weight on her neck. Only this time, she was able to bare it.Jack moved the chair into position, as well as a small table, laying out all of his tools and taking out his portrait book that was in the pocket of his coat.Covering herself in a robe, Rose took a deep breath before exiting her room to find Jack in the chair, his portrait book and drawing pin in hand.She smiled at him as she leaned against the door and raised her brow, spinning the tie around like a rope.Jack smiled back, struggling to keep his thoughts calm.Rose approached him, moving slowly but gracefully, "The last thing is another picture of me looking like a porcelain doll. As a paying customer…" She presented a quarter to him and tossed it, which he caught, "… I expect to get what I want."She backed away before slowly allowing the robes to fall from her shoulders.Jack swallowed upon seeing her naked form before him, his thoughts running wild as his heart began to race in his chest, pounding a drum. She looked so beautiful, so perfect. Nothing could top this.It was so different than all the other times he drew a woman naked. He couldn't deny that there was a level of lust and desire he felt towards them, but with Rose… it was truly different. To him, this wasn't just another painting he wanted to get right. This was the painting he needed to get right.Rose never felt so insecure and so excited in her entire life, not at the same time. She felt so exposed with how he looked at her, feeling his eyes scan over her entire body. She hoped she was beautiful enough for him, that she was desirable in his eyes.Jack managed to regather himself and pointed towards the couch, "Over there… on the bed… Uh… I mean… the couch…"Rose smiled as she laid down on the couch, moving into position under Jack's direction. Once settled in the way he wanted to be, he began to draw her.As Rose lied there, she felt the struggle not to move become more problematic as her body begged to become more comfortable, but she forced herself through it. Once and a while she would say something in a deep voice, managing to get a laugh out of him before stopping so his concentration wasn't ruined.As she looked into his eyes, the numb feeling in her body slowly faded as if it never existed. She felt at peace, like as if she were beyond physical feeling.Time became non-existent to her as she continued to lie on the couch, completely lost in the ocean-like eyes of Jack Dawson, oblivious to everything around her.As she stared into his eyes, a realization slowly dawned on her. One that she already knew deep down but was slowly coming to acknowledge. It was so obvious now that she mentally berated herself for not realizing it sooner.
She loved him!
Like a huge burden being lifted off her shoulders, she let out a breath of relief and happiness, offering a quick smile to him before resuming her facial expression she had during the proximity of the drawing.If she were to die right then and there, it would be as perfect of a death she could ever ask for.As more time passed, Jack finally made the final touches to his drawing and sat his pin down."All done!"Rose moved her legs to the ground and bent down to grab the robe, putting it back on.Jack looked away, looking the drawing over to keep himself busy.Once fastening the robe over her body, she walked over to him and bent over his chair, placing her hand on his shoulder as she smiled at the beautiful painting. It matched her in every way possible, a moment in time caught on paper to be remembered.She felt a sense of pride from within, a newfound sense of worth. The old her from three days ago would never have done this. It was exciting, and she didn't want it to end.Jack blew across the paper as the drawing settled and slowly began to tear the paper from the book and handing it over to her, "All yours."She took the other end of the painting and looked at him, "Thank you."Leaning down, she kissed him and tried to pull the paper free, only to feel him resist as he continued to kiss her, making them both laugh as she struggled to make him let go.He finally relented as she walked away, both wishing the kiss could have lasted longer. Reaching the safe, placed the paper down and opened it, taking a blank piece of paper and pin.Jack began to put the couch, chair, and small table back to where he originally found them. Or at least where he thought he found them.Rose smiled as she wrote the letter, wishing she could be there to see Cal's face when he reads it.Once done, she placed the diamond and the painting, as well as the letter, inside the safe and closed the metal door."What are you doing?"She turned to see Jack leaning against the door of the small room, unable to help herself find him so handsome with the smile he wore. He was just so full of life that it radiated off him and into her.Approaching him, she put her arms around his neck and kissed him.Unable to help himself, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed back, loving the feel of her lips and the scent of her body.Managing to take control, Rose backed him up and steered him towards the door of her room, managing to make sure they didn't trip and fall.It took Jack a moment to realize that he was walking backward, completely lost in the intimacy of their kiss. Worry rushed in as he halt their snogging and looked around, realizing that they had come to a stop in a bedroom. Her bedroom.He turned to her and saw a disappointing look in her eyes, one that quickly evaporated into a smile at her realization."Did I scare you?" she teased.Jack laughed, "A little."Rose kept her arms around his neck, biting her lip as she leaned in and whispered, "Put your hands on me, Jack."It slowly dawned on him what she meant, making his heart race like a horse. He worried that he misunderstood and that she meant something else. But he quickly realized that wasn't the case, not the way how she said it.Seeing the nervous look in his eyes, she took his hands and placed them on both of her shoulders, on the edges of the robe that concealed her from him.Having his answer, he gently pulled the robe from her shoulders and allowed it to fall to the ground behind her, exposing her body to him once more. Only this time, it was just inches away.He swallowed, unable to take his eyes off her chest, breathing hard as he realized that this was happening."Are you nervous?" Rose asked.Jack nodded, "A little. You?"She shook her head, offering a small smile, "No."Taking his hands, she moved them down to her breasts and placed them on her flesh, sighing at the contact. Then she moved her arms around his neck once again and began to kiss him, but this time far more aggressive than the last few they shared.Jack felt all control vanish the moment his hands touched her body and the force of her kiss on his lips. He kissed back and began to squeeze her breasts, smiling at the moan he got out of her. A part of him knew that they had crossed the point of no return. Unless if someone came right through that door, there was no way they could stop.
The door!
Slightly opening his eyes, he saw that the door to her room was open and slowly backed her up just enough to reach out with his foot and close it.Then, without warning, Rose moved her hands to his waist and began to undress him, throwing his shirt and tunic over her shoulders, unbuttoning his pants, and pulling them down. Next were his boots and socks, leaving nothing on him. Within seconds, he was as naked as she was.She paused to look at his body, realizing that she was experiencing a moment with him without any friction. While not muscular, he was skinny in all the right ways and had the potential to develop if he worked for it.She blushed as she looked lower, feeling a little nervous.Pushing such feelings aside, she rushed forward and captured his lips, snogging him rotten as her hands began to explore him.Caught by the surprise of her attack while staring at her body, Jack kissed back and his own hands began to explore her, unable to restrain himself.Within minutes, they crashed onto the bed, with Rose moving on her back further up the covers as Jack stood on his hands and knees over her, kissing her neck and then her chest as she closed her eyes and moaned, her hands moving through his hair.Acting upon their emotions, they explored each other as much as possible, taking in each other's body without a care in the world.She knew that she shouldn't be doing this. If her mother knew what she was doing, she would die of a heart attack, and the rich society she was a part of would label her as a whore. This was very much against the rules. And she was enjoying every second of it.She wondered if this technically counted as cheating since she was engaged to Cal, despite the fact that she wasn't married to him yet or that she wasn't wanting to go through with the marriage. Whatever thoughts she had about it vanished the moment she felt Jack go lower, making her cry out.A moment later, Jack was above her again, kissing her as if it would be their last. Her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer.Feeling her guide him, Jack made her stop, staring deep into her eyes."I… I don't want to make you do something you'll regret," he whispered. "Just say the word and I'll stop."Rose looked up into his eyes, seeing the love and care directed at her. Her heart and soul lit up at hearing those words and seeing that look in his eyes. She knew right then that he was the one. But she needed him to make her feel it.Leaning up, she kissed him and guided him into her, making her cry out a silent scream.She felt pain at first, trying to adjust to him as he began to move slowly, staying vigilant about her well-being. It took a few minutes for the pain to slowly recede and all she began to feel was pleasure. Absolute pleasure that she had never felt before.Encouraging him to go faster, she felt her heart sore with joy at feeling him ravish her with reckless abandon. She placed her hands on each side of his face, bringing him closer so she could kiss him, feeling their tongues wrestle for supremacy.It wasn't long before she saw stars and an unmeasurable pleasure rush through her, crying out Jack's name like it was the most beautiful word in the world.She just barely heard Jack cry out her name as he slowed his thrusts and fall on top of her, oblivious that his weight was now on her. But she didn't care. Just feeling his skin on hers makes her smile with joy and her heart race. Her legs moved up and down his own, caressing his skin that made him shiver.No words could describe what she was feeling. Nothing on Earth could measure up to what she experienced. And nothing in her entire life could compare.There was no doubt. She loved him. To the deepest parts of her heart, she loved him more than she ever loved anything or anyone else.'When the ship docks… I'm getting off with you.'Those words rang so true in her mind as she recalled what she said to him just hours ago. Nothing could make her choose another man over him. He was all she wanted. All she needed.As she slowly came back to her senses, she lifted his head and stared deep into his eyes, both of their bodies covered in sweat and panting.It took her a moment to realize that his body was shaking."You're trembling."Jack struggled to catch his breath as he smiled, "Don't worry, I'll be alright."He felt a sting of guilt upon remembering that this wasn't his first rodeo. He wished that this was his first time, but then again, if he hadn't learned all he knew, then he probably wouldn't have been able to make it as good for her as it was for him. If not more so. But still, it was a pang of guilt that he couldn't help feeling now. But he also felt so happy and so at peace with the woman next to him. It was enough to help begin chasing the guilt away.He rested his head against her chest, closing his eyes at the sound of her heartbeat.Rose smiled at feeling his head between her breasts, caressing his arms and hair, never wanting to let him go.Reaching for the covers and managing to get them both to move to get them out from under each other, she pulled the comfort of the covers of them, allowing sleep to overtake them from their moment of passion.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

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, Trudy 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 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 a 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 if I 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.""SCREW 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!"

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"AH!"

The man screamed as he took the hybrid gun and nearly threw it out into the ocean, only to stop as a small part of his mind reminded him that he couldn't afford to lose or damage his only way of travel, despite how little use it seemed to him.

Tears filled his eyes as he panted, breathing heavily as anger radiated off him. His whole body felt numb, like as if he didn't belong in the current plain of existence. He didn't even know what world or timeline he was in. All he knew was that he couldn't get back to the timeline he needed to get to.

All attempts to travel back to the era he truly belonged in resulted being sent somewhere else. It took a good five hours on the first day to realize that he wasn't even in his own universe. Now all attempts to even get back to his universe were being blocked by something called a 'Time-Lock', which apparently was allowing no one to enter. He highly suspected that he may had been the one trigger it or that maybe his attempt to time-travel forced him out due to it being in action.

Leaning against the railing of the bridge, he looked up to the stars in the dead of night.

It seemed no matter how hard he tried; he couldn't get back home. He would never see his family again, let alone his mother. It made his heart feel like it was being squeezed.

"If you're thinking of jumping, I wouldn't recommend it. The fall wouldn't kill you, but it might break something."

The man turned around, hybrid gun in hand.

A mysterious figure stood a good fifteen feet from him, wearing a long coat that reached his ankles. His face was hidden under a hat, concealed by the darkness.

"Who are you?!" the man demanded.

The mysterious figure reached up and took his hat off, revealing his face.

"My name is Klein Reeves. And you are Taylor Jordan Huston, of Earth-Prime 21. Or rather, the now "Time-Locked" Earth 21. I've heard you caused quite the trouble."

Taylor shook his head, "Wha- what are you talking about?"

Reeves smiled, "How about you put that away and talk with me like gentlemen. I have a proposition for you."

"I'm not interested," he slightly lowered the gun.

"Oh, but I think you will be. I understand that a 'Time-Lock' is keeping you from going home. What if I were able to help you find a way to break it?"

Taylor paused, slowly lowering the gun.

"How?"

Reeves' smile grew, "Simple, become part of the Time Division of the Guardians and help us locate the Infinities. Just one of those can easily lift the Time-Lock and you'll be able to return home. No Splits, no Time-Locks, just a simple click and away."

Taylor thought deeply about this before looking back up at him, hope reigniting in his heart, "You guys have dental?"
Fabrizio and Tommy awoke to the shaking of the ship, scrambling out of the bed that they had fallen asleep playing cards on."The hell was that?!" Tommy exclaimed.Fabrizio shrugged, opening the door to the hallway, just as other passengers were doing the same.Jack and Rose leaned over the railing, making sure not to trip over the ice that had gotten onto the deck."How bad is it?" Rose asked.Jack frowned, "Well, it looks alright. I don't see anything."She turned to him, "Would it have damaged the ship?"Jack shrugged, "It was a nasty bump. If it did, it would be on the lower levels.""What about flooding?""Well, I remember Taylor talking about the newer ships having been designed to stop flooring on the lower floors through separating compartments. So, I think we're alright."As he turned away, looking down the right side of the ship, Rose smiled and reached down, grabbing a piece of ice and carefully placing it under his shirt and dropping it."Ah!" Jack cried out, trying to reach for the ice as it slid down his back. "Oh, that's it! You're going overboard!""No-Tah! Put me down!" she slapped him as he picked her up and pretended to throw her over, laughing along with her.Behind them, men and women of the third class were kicking ice around, while others of the first class looked on, some in their pajamas.Andrews rubbed his head as he got back up to his feet and sat down in his chair, slowly coming back to his senses as he tried to remember what had happened and what the shaking was from.He heard a knock at his door a few minutes later and went to answer, still dazed.One of the men from the control room was there, his face full of worry."Captain wishes to speak with you! Immediately!"Andrews frowned, rubbing his head as if he was going through a hangover, "Um… what?""The ship hit an iceberg, sir! Flooding on the lower levels is being reported!"Though slightly confused and dazed, Andrews became to feel focus come back upon hearing this and nodded, "I'll be right there. Tell the officers to report back on the flooding locations and how fast it's occurring!"The officer nodded back to him before running off, "Yes, sir!"Andrews turned away and went to his deck, opening drawers to find blueprints of the ship. As he was about to exit his suite, he stopped upon remembering the warning that the young man from earlier had come to him with. He was trying to remember his name but was struggling to recall with how dazed he was.Remembering what the officer had told him, he pushed such thoughts and questions to the side, making way to the control room.Cal exited the room of his luxurious suite, looking around the hallway until he saw a Steward walking towards him."You there!""Sir, there is no emergency.""Yes, there is! I have been robbed!"Lovejoy stepped forward, "Get the Master at Arms!"The Steward froze."Now, you moron!" Cal cried out."Yes, sir!"After the steward ran in the opposite direction to get the Master at Arms, Cal turned to Lovejoy and handed him the large diamond."I trust you know which room."Lovejoy nodded and smiled, "Of course."Jack and Rose made their way to the first-class deck, managing to overhear Captain Smith, Andrews and several officers talking about the damage to the ship as they made it up the steps and got out of their way.Once the group were down the stairs, the two turned to each other, worrying filling their hearts."So much for my analysis earlier.""What does this mean for the ship?"Jack shrugged, "I don't know."Rose nervously nodded, "We should tell Fabrizio, Tommy, and Taylor."Jack nodded back, "And make sure we don't run into Cal or that Lovejoy guy.""Jeez, where is Jack?" Fabrizio asked as he paced around the room."Probably with Rose. Or Taylor. Speaking of who, where is he?""Should we go look for them?""Gentlemen!" a voice cried out from the open doorway.Fabrizio and Tommy turned to the man, frowning at him."Who the bloody hell are you?" said Tommy.Lovejoy glared at him as he began to walk next to the drawers, looking around."My name is Mr. Lovejoy, personal valet to Mr. Hockley.""Ah, well, good for you. Why are you in our room?"Lovejoy slowly opened the drawer with his hand, looking inside."My employer just recently lost something very valuable to him. You wouldn't know anything about it… would you?"Tommy turned to Fabrizio and shrugged. Both making a face."Nah, not really. Don't know this Mr. Hockley."Lovejoy closed the drawer."Ah, well, in that case, I'll leave you be. Good night, sirs."The two watched as he left the room and closed the door behind him."That… was weird," said Fabrizio.Tommy smiled, "Nah, it just means that our boy has definitely won the war. Got 'em trying to be intimidating. All bark, no bite!"Fabrizio nodded, "Yeah… I guess."Cora awoke to her father shaking her awake, yawning as she was picked up and forced to stand on her feet."What's going on, papa?" she said, tiredly."Something's wrong, sweetheart.""What is?"Bert began to dress, putting her clothes on the bed for her to do the same."I don't know. Hurry up and dress. We need to head to the deck."The Hockley suite was being searched by officers for clues, even searching the safe, while Mrs. Bukater was in a nightgown, pacing around the room with a cup of tea."Well, I think they're very good, sir. The man has a talent and has captured her beauty to perfection."Cal sat in his luxurious chair, leg over the other as he sighed in frustration and stood up, grabbing the painting of Rose from the Master at Arms."Take this more seriously! My diamond has been stolen! And don't touch anything until the entire room is photographed!"The Master at Arms rolled his eyes, "Very well, sir. Do you have any suspects in mind?"Cal smiled before turning back to him, putting on a serious face, "Yes, I do. A man named Jack Dawson and his entourage has been disturbing me and my group for quite some time."The officer frowned, "The same Dawson who saved your fiancée?""The same. Sadly, he has been trying to steal away my fiancée, trick her into his arms. I believe he has been using the rescuing of Rose as way to get into our lives so he could take what is his. Do you know he has a first-class room?"The man nodded, "I am aware, but he has deemed no suspicious activity."Cal leaned in, "Have you ever considered how it is that Mr. Dawson and Mr. Huston can afford such luxurious rooms despite their third-class appearance?"He shook his head."Well, I've heard rumors about con-artists who steal from the first-class and use the money to live comfortably. I find it no coincidence that my fiancée has a mishap and one of them is there to save her, getting into our good graces.""But I am also aware that Mr. Craig was also one of your fiancée's rescuers."Cal started to become frustrated but remained calm, "Either he's in on it too or was just a good Samaritan! Come on, you're the Master at Arms! Even you can't deny it!""I can't argue that it all does seem rather fishy to me, but I cannot arrest a couple of men just because of your accusations alone."Cal was struggling not to yell at the man."But, if I were to find evidence, I will do my duty. Do you know which room Mr. Dawson and his entourage are staying in?"Cal smiled as he watched Lovejoy walk back into the room, giving him a wink."Why, yes, I do."Andrews went over the report he had managed to get together and was very anxious. It was worse than they thought possible. It was hard for him to think it, let alone say it.Ismay joined them in the captain's quarters as he told them of the situation. Captain Smith and several of the officers were also there too.Once Andrews was done, he was breathing heavily, trying to comprehend what he had just said."As of this moment, no matter what we do… Titanic will founder."Smith, Ismay and the officers started at him in shock."The ship can't sink!" Ismay exclaimed.Andrews felt his frustration rise to new levels as he turned to him, "She's made of iron, sir! I assure you, she can! Despite what you and everyone say about not even God being able to sink her!"Ismay was taken back by his anger."She will go down, that is certain. In fact, it's a mathematical certainty."Smith turned to him, "How much time?"Fear pierced through Andrews' heart, feeling a chill run down his spine."An hour."Eyes widened, as did Ismay's."Two, at the most."Smith looked away, his face filling with worry and concern, unable to believe what he was hearing.1st Officer Murdoch swallowed."H… how many aboard… Mr. Murdoch?"The 1st Officer struggled to speak, "Over two thousand, two hundred souls on board, sir."As another officer stepped into the quarters, Smith turned to the man who he had chosen to listen to, despite his better judgement."Well, I believe you will get your headlines, Mr. Ismay."Jack and Rose reached the room, opening the door to find Tommy and Fabrizio inside."Jack!" the two exclaimed."The hell were you?!" demanded Tommy."Yeah, we've been worried!" said Fabrizio.Jack ignored them as he walked to Taylor's bed, reaching down to grab the briefcase."Where's Taylor?"The two shrugged."Haven't seen 'im," said Fabrizio."By the way, what was rumbling earlier, boyo?" Tommy asked."The ship hit an iceberg," Rose answered.Their mouths dropped."Wait, what?!""And we missed it?!"Jack placed the briefcase on the bed, "This is serious, guys.""On that, we agree!"Everyone turned and became still at the sight of Cal, Ruth, Lovejoy, the Master at Arms and several officers at the entrance of the doorway, walking on in.Rose backed away, her heart racing as she reached for Jack's hand, who responded by taking her hand and giving her a comforting squeeze.Cal and Ruth saw this, instantly making them furious."Search them!" Cal ordered.The Master at Arms nodded to his men, who took each man and began to search him, leaving only Rose, who was forced to let go of Jack's hand."Hey!" Tommy protested."What is this?!" Fabrizio cried out."Let it go, guys," said Jack, trying to calm them down as the officers patted them down."Nothing on them, sir," said one of the officers."Then search the room!" declared Cal.The Master at Arms nodded to his men, who immediately began tearing up the place. One of the men grabbed the suitcase but couldn't open it. Then one of the men began to open the drawers."Sir!" the officer reached into one of the drawers presented the Heart of the Ocean diamond.Jack, Tommy, and Fabrizio stared at the diamond in shock.Cal smiled, "I believe this is the evidence you've been looking for."The Master at Arms nodded, looking back at the three with a mix of disappointment and anger."Take them to my office for holding!"The officers began to handcuff them."What?!" Fabrizio exclaimed."We didn't steal it!" cried out Tommy."You have the wrong men!" Jack began to panic, feeling the cold steel around his wrists. "We didn't steal anything!""Jack!" Rose tried to reach out to him but was held back by one of the officers, while her mother came to her side, glaring at him.Cal stepped forward and grabbed Jack by the chin, forcing him to look into his eyes."Let him go!" cried Rose."After all I've done to show my appreciation for what you did, you do this to me?! Like a common criminal?!"Jack's eyes widened as he realized what was going on."You put it there!"The eyes of Fabrizio and Tommy widened as they looked at Lovejoy."He was in here earlier!" Tommy cried out."Yeah, he must have planted it to frame us!" added Fabrizio."Take 'em away!" shouted the Master at Arms as the three were forced out of the room."Rose!""Jack!"Rose was held back, unable to follow."ROSE!" he cried out once more before being forced down the hallway. People were watching them being led away. One of the officers brought the suitcase with him.Cal turned to the Master at Arms, "There's one more. A Mr. Taylor Huston. He may be a part of this too."The Master at Arms nodded, "I'll put out an order for his capture. I apologize for the trouble, Mr. Hockley. I assure you that justice will be served.""Please, make sure that it is."The Master and his officers left the room, leaving only Cal, Lovejoy, and Ruth with Rose.Lovejoy closed the door and stood guard.Ruth glared at her daughter with a burning fury. But it was Cal's glare that was the most terrifying to her. It was masked behind a face that was trying to keep calm yet showing its true nature."How dare you allow yourself to be defiled by that boy!" her mother spat with venom, begin to shake from the anger.Rose scoffed and began to laugh, "Oh mother, don't act so surpris-"She didn't see the slap coming, nor even feel it until the numbness began to fade and felt the heat from the strike. It took her a little longer to realize what had happened. And once she did realize what had happened, she was surprised to see that it wasn't Ruth who had slapped her, but rather Cal.Then again, she probably shouldn't have been that surprised.Though Ruth would have been disapproving of such behavior, she was more than willing to make an exception for it this time.Cal got up close to her face, grabbing her cheeks with his right hand to force her to look him in his eyes."So, you're his slut now, are you?!" he growled. "Drawing you wasn't the only thing you allowed him to do."Ruth's eyes widened, covering her mouth with a fan.Rose looked into his eyes and smiled, "I would rather be his slut than your wife!"Ruth gasped.Cal's eyes widened with fury as he raised his hand and struck her once more, forcing her to the ground. Making sure she was beneath him as he stood over her, his eyes filled with rage.As she held her cheek, she stared back at him, wanting him to know that his words and actions meant nothing."Lovejoy! Take her back to her room and lock the doors! She's not to leave without my say so!"Lovejoy nodded as he took Rose by the arm and pulled her up, leading her out the door and down the hallway, all the while as she was trying to pull free and make a run for it, only to be stopped by his strength.Ruth turned to Hockley, worry deep in her eyes."Mr. Hockley… I trust that this doesn't ruin the engagement."Cal turned to her, feeling a desire within to not let his go."Of course not. Just a minor setback. She'll know her place once Dawson and the others are dealt with… permanently."Ruth nodded, "Good."The two walked out of the room.Taylor didn't know how long he stayed sitting on the floor, completely lost in the shock of his failure. He had failed them all. Jack, Fabrizio, everyone! And now they were going to die. Over fifteen hundred lives would be lost, because he had failed.He wondered how his mother would think of him. Or his family.Tears crawled down his cheeks, trying to find some middle ground, some way out of the pit he was in. But nothing came for his salvation.His thoughts drifted to Jack, Fabrizio, and Tommy. He could imagine them lying the middle of the Atlantic, their bodies rotting in the freezing cold waters. Or having sunk down with the ship, where the pressure would crush them. Or even sea creatures tearing at their flesh.A fate that would befall everyone.A buzzing fibrated against the ground, with the shock wave reaching him.Looking up, he saw the hybrid gun and mustered up the strength to get up and walk over to pick it up. Once it was in his hand, saw the reminder alert going on and pressed the hologram button upon activating it.Then he saw a list appear before him:x
Binoculars!

Red Flares!

Californian!

11:35 P.M.

x
Upon reading that list, his eyes widened and began to realize something that he hadn't thought of before. Something that changed his perspective and provided a new way for him to follow. A way to save everyone.The officers led Jack, Fabrizio, and Tommy down to the Master at Arms officer, where they were handcuffed to a large pipe. One of the officers sat the briefcase down on the table.Once they were left alone, they immediately began to try and find a way to break free.Tommy started yanking at the cuffs against the steel of the pipe, but it was too round to get a good leverage."Damn it! What do we do?!" he asked.Jack sighed, feeling frustrated and pissed about their situation."I don't know.""Um, guys?" Fabrizio pointed toward the window. "Does it look like the water is getting closer?"Jack and Tommy turned to what he was pointing at, and their eyes widened."Shit!" exclaimed Jack.Rose was thrown into her room as Lovejoy closed the door and locked it. It wasn't long before she was up on her feet that she heard the other door to the hallway lock as well. She tried to force the doorknob to turn or even use her body to slam into the door, but it was no use.She cursed herself for not realizing that Cal would go this far.Not long later, she heard the door to the hallway unlock and open.Getting to her feet, heart racing, she prepared for whatever was going to happen next. Only to see Trudy enter and quickly close the door to the hallway, having managed to get a key."Trudy?!""Oh, thank God, you're alright!" Trudy ran up and hugged her, slightly touching the red spot on her cheek. "Quick, undress and put one of your other dresses on.""What?"Trudy was already undressing from her maid outfit."Lovejoy is currently in the other room with your mother and Mr. Hockley. We don't have much time."Nodding, Rose began to undress and quickly dressed into another one of her outfits.Before they left the room, Rose grabbed a pen and paper, writing something down and putting it on top of the dresser.Once they were out of the room and heading down the hallway, Rose spoke to her friend."Do you know where Jack is?"Trudy shook her head, "I overheard Cal planning to frame him for the diamond, which I am correct to assume he's already done?"Rose nodded, "Bastard probably had Lovejoy do it. We need to find Andrews."Trudy raised an eyebrow as they turned a corner, "Why?""Because he's the only other person I know who can help us find Jack."Cal paced around the room, while Ruth sat down to drink her tea. Lovejoy stood next to the bedroom door, keeping watch. In Cal's hand was the diamond and the painting of Rose, trying to decide what to do with it.There was a knock at the door."Not now!" Cal cried out.Ignoring him, the steward walked on in."Sir, the Captain has ordered all passengers to the deck! Please, dress warmly! It is quite cold out tonight!"Cal rolled his eyes as he nodded to Lovejoy, "Bring her out and keep her close."Lovejoy nodded as he opened the door and found no one inside, taking out his pistol as he searched the room.Cal's eyes widened as he ran in, furious.Ruth walked on in and saw the note on the stand, picking it up.x
I've lived with your choices for all my life. Now you must live with mine.

Goodbye, mother!
xRuth gasped as she dropped the note, her heart nearly giving out as she sat down on the chair.Cal walked up and snatched the note, his eyes blazing with anger as he let it fall to the floor once reading it."She'll go for Dawson!" said Lovejoy."Then that's where we're headed too."Cal turned around and walked straight to his safe, taking out a gun of his own, while putting all the money and the diamond into a small bag that he put stuffed into his deepest pocket on his coat."I make my own luck," he said to Lovejoy."As do I," Lovejoy replied, smiling as he presented his custom-made handgun."Sirs, there is no need for such things!" the steward protested but was shoved aside as the two walked out of the room, concealing their weapons from those outside.Waving them off, the steward found Ruth in the bedroom, sobbing."Oh, not to worry, miss. I'm sure it's just a precaution."Andrews felt his heart sink upon looking at the people in first-class lounge, knowing well that there were not enough boats for all the passengers on the ship. He knew that the first-class passengers would have the first chance to get on a lifeboat, with status and everything with it that entitled them to such things. While the third-class would be the majority of those who would not survive by morning.After having seen what it was like outside with the process of getting the boats ready for boarding, it was already looking bleak.He had passed so many people, including the unsinkable Molly and even Ismay, who looked as pale as a ghost."MR. ANDREWS!"He recognized that voice as he turned around and saw Rose rushing up to him, followed by the maid who served her. Trudy, he believed was her name."Rose?"She took his arm, her eyes pleading, "Where does the Master at Arms take those for holding?"He frowned, "What? Rose… it's not a good idea to go down there. Not with…"He paused, realizing that he was speaking too loudly.Rose saw the fear in his eyes."Mr. Andrews… what is it?"He swallowed, unable to find his voice.She touched his cheek, making him look into her eyes."I see it in your eyes. Please, tell me, what is it?"Taking a deep breathe, he leaned in, "Titanic will sink."Rose's breath caught and her heart skipped a beat, "Are you certain?"Trudy was close enough to hear, her eyes widening.Andrews nodded, "Within an hour, or two, if we're lucky, all of this will be at the bottom of the Atlantic."Rose couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was only not so long ago that it seemed like it was just a minor accident that would delay them. It was like reality was settling in."Please, tell only those you must. I don't wish to start a mass panic."Managing to find strength from within, she pushed such shock away, "I understand. But please, tell me where I can find the Master at Arms quarters."Nodding, he gave her a layout to follow.Once done, he took her hands into his, tears filling his eyes."I'm sorry I couldn't build you a stronger ship, young Rose."Truly feeling for him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him."It's not your fault," she whispered. "Best of luck to you."As they pulled apart, he smiled, "As to you. If you both manage to survive tonight, I wish you and Jack a happy life.""Thank you," she teared up, touching the side of his cheek. "Goodbye, Mr. Andrews.""Goodbye, Rose."Turning away and wiping the tears from her eyes, Rose began to head towards the elevators, with Trudy following.Mr. Andrews watched as Rose disappeared into the crowd. He only hoped that she would make it out alive and be able to live a happy life with Jack. He wasn't blind to the how things were for her. That her mother wished for this marriage with Mr. Hockley to happen.But it wasn't his place to interfere, only to provide encouragement. The rest was up to her, and he was proud to see her making the best of it. He knew her father would be proud as well.Suddenly, people gasped as a loud noise was heard and a red light appeared outside.Frowning, he made his way to the outside, where flares were being shot into the sky to warn other ships in the area, but it wasn't the white ones as he was told they only had. They were red. The very kind they needed.Another shot off, lighting up the sky red and reflecting off the surface of the ocean.Curious, he made his way to the front, wondering who was firing them and how they came across such flares.Coming around the corner, he was surprised see the man from earlier being the one to send the flares. But he was using something he had never seen before.
"You!"
He suddenly remembered his name and the conversation they had.Taylor Huston turned to him, shooting another flare."Mr. Andrews," he nodded. "I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough."Andrews approached him, "You knew?"Taylor stared at him for a long moment before nodding and shooting a red flare, "Yes.""But… how?"Taylor paused, thinking hard about his response, "Titanic cannot be saved. It will sink tonight. But fifteen hundred lives do not have to perish along with it. The red flares should be enough to get the California's attention.""The California?"He shot another flare.Andrews stared at him with shock, trying to comprehend what he was saying and how he knew such things."But there's no guarantee that any ship will reach us. We have very little time.""Then I'll buy us time."He frowned, "How-""MR. ANDREWS!" a voice cried out, making him turn.A young officer ran up to him, "The captain wishes to speak with you!"Nodding back to the man, he turned around but found that Taylor was gone."Sir… is everything alright?"Shaking his head, he nodded and followed the officer to Captain Smith's office.Smith looked up at him as he came in."We've made contact with the SS California."Andrews paused, "What?""Thanks to the red flares, the California was able to make contact upon seeing them. The problem now is that it'll take them two hours to reach us."Andrews' reignited hope started to wane again."And we have maybe half an hour before she goes down.""Which is why I am giving the order for any attempts to give us more time to be made."Andrews nodded, "Very well. Perhaps we should see to finding anything that can be used as a raft, anything that third passengers will have to use in order to survive for that long."Taylor began making his way to the lower deck, knowing that while the red flares sped up the time of rescue, it still wouldn't be enough. Now he needed to buy as much time as he could.His only concern was the attention he was now placing upon himself and the consequences that would follow.Rose and Trudy used the elevator to get to the lower levels, where a body of water was waiting for them and poured into the elevator.The operator cursed them and began to have the elevator go back up, forcing them get out into the cold water.Making it through to the crew hallway, they began to run once they reached the floor that wasn't flooded yet.Cora could hear water down the corridor as her father lead the way, holding her hand.Somehow, they had managed to get lost in the maze that was the lower parts of the ship, finding that no one was letting any of the third passengers up past the stairways, being blocked off by gates and stewards. So, her father thought it best to find another way.And it wasn't looking like the best course of action now."Daddy, I'm pretty sure we're lost.""Nah," he smiled. "We've got to be heading in the right direction.""But I hear water.""We'll be fine."For a second, Cora thought she could hear voices but believed it was her mind playing games on her.
"Will you stop putting your foot on me?!"
Cora stopped, recognizing the voice.
Jack!
"Honey, what's wr-""Daddy, come on!" she took off running, nearly dragging him along."Whoa, slow down there!""Jack!" she called out."Cora?!" a voice called back."JACK!""CORA!"As they got closer, they could hear water getting slightly louder and began to see the water further down the corridor.Letting go of her father's hand, she ran to the door, not hearing her father call her name as she opened it, finding Jack, Tommy and the other man she never could remember the name of inside, handcuffed to a wide pipe of some kind."JACK!" she screamed, running up to and giving him a bear hug. "Wait, what are you doing here? And why are you chained up? Did you do something bad?"Jack laughed, "Good to see you too, Cora."The other two stared at her."Cora!" her father came into the room, stopping at seeing the three of them. "Okay… not what I was expecting.""Please, help us!" Tommy cried out.Cora's father sighed and reached into his pockets, taking out a lockpick."Good thing I know a thing or two about locks and clocks."Immediately, he began picking the handcuffs, using his key against the steel to listen."Jack!"Jack's head popped up, hope and happiness filling his heart."Rose?!""Jack!""ROSE!" he cried out, making Bert screw up and try again."JACK!"Cora frowned, Isn't that we just did? Kinda annoying.Rose appeared in the doorway, her face lighting up at seeing him as she ran and threw her arms around him, kissing him with passion.Jack tried to kiss back, without the use of his hands.Cora smiled."Thank God, I found you! The water is rising at the elevators, we can't go that! Me and Trudy were soaked trying to get here!""Who's Trudy?" Cora asked."Hi."Jack, Tommy, Fabrizio, Cora and Rose turned to the woman in the doorway, waving at them."Got it!" exclaimed Bert as he freed Fabrizio, moving on to Tommy next, just as the cold water beginning to reach the room and pour in.Cal and Lovejoy made it to the bottom of the staircase, where a large body of water was waiting for them, making them stop."Sir… perhaps it is best that we turn back.""Not without her!" he growled, stepping into the water as he drew his gun.Sighing, Lovejoy followed.Ruth sat in her chair, refusing to listen to the steward who was trying to get out of the room and to the deck area."Please, ma'am, you need to leave. Captain's orders are specifically clear.""Ruth!" a voice called out, making her head pop up and scowl. "Come on, you old grouch! Time's a wasting! No one's telling me what's going on but-"Molly Brown came around the doorway, eyes wide at seeing Ruth in the chair and the steward next to her."What are you doing? Everyone's waiting on the deck area, something about boarding on the lifeboats! Come along, we got first serve! Where's Rose?"Ruth refused to look at her, replying in a small voice, "Gone… with that boy."Molly's eyebrows raised, smiling on the inside, "Well, I'm sure we'll run across her in no time. Now, stop moping around and come along."Though not wishing to go with her of all people, Ruth allowed for the southern woman to pick her up by her elbow and lead the way out of the suite, followed by the steward, who was thankful for the oversize woman to come to his rescue.As Taylor descended the stairs and reached the bottom, he saw the large body of water and immediately reached for his hybrid gun, switching its settings.Once finding the one he wanted, he selected it and pointed the gun right at the water. Taking a moment to charge, he fired a Time Dilatation bomb that immediately spread cross the water and stopped it from moving.Switching to another mode, he then fired an Ice Bomb that turned the water into pure ice.Satisfied, he began to move to other hallways, repeating the same progress.Just as Tommy was freed, Bert moved on to Jack next but the water already rising to their knees."Take my daughter and get to the deck!" Bert cried out."I'm not leaving Jack!" Cora protested, despite shivering from the cold water.Jack turned to her and smiled, "Don't worry… I'll be right behind you."He turned to Tommy and Fabrizio, "Take her, Rose, and Trudy up to the deck and get them on a lifeboat.""I'm not leaving you!" Rose took his hand, standing as close to him as possible.Though Tommy and Fabrizio didn't wish to leave their friend behind, they nodded. Fabrizio picked Cora up and headed out the door.Rose turned to Trudy and nodded to her, "It's okay… go with them."Though hesitant to do so, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Tommy nodding to her."Let's go."Nodding back, she followed him.Just as Bert was about to unlock the handcuffs, the lockpick slipped from his fingers and fell into the water.Rose gasped as Bert dived under to find it but when he came back up for air, he shook his head."I can't find it!"Dread filled their hearts as it sunk in for them.Jack and Rose looked at each other, giving one another a look as they squeezed their hands together."Go," said Jack. "Get out of here."Bert stared at them. Torn between what to do, until Rose spoke."It's okay. You tried your best. Go be with your daughter."Taking a moment, he shook his head and dived up the water, searching desperately for the lockpick.Tears slid down Rose's face, mixing in with the sea salt water."Go!" said Jack. "Get out of here!"Rose shook her head, "Not without you!""Rose-""NO!" she declared, kissing him on the lips. "You jump, I jump! Remember?!"Jack was about to protest until he looked into eyes and saw that no words he could think or say would convince her otherwise. She had made her choice."You're so stupid!"She smiled, "Then I guess we're one weird couple.""You're the weird one.""Excuse me!" she gasped.Jack couldn't help but laugh, until she kissed him again."Jeez! Get a room, you two!"Gasping, they turned to see Taylor at the front of the doorway as he made his way through the water, careful not to bump into the man who was searching for something under the freezing surface."Might want to cover your eyes for this part. Jack, put your hands up high and the spread the handcuffs against the pipe!"Jack obeyed, while Rose turned away and covered her eyes.Pointing his hybrid gun up against the small chain between Jack's hands, he selected a mini–Ice Bomb round and pulled the trigger. The metal chain shattered, with tiny pieces falling into the water.Jack opened his eyes and began to laugh, as Rose looked at his hands with wide eyes, unable to believe what she just saw. She had so many questions but found a way to push them aside for the moment. She grabbed Jack and kissed him, smiling with joy.Bert came up for air, "I'm sorry, I can't find- wait, how are you free?! And who are you?!""Well, come on, let's go!" Taylor motioned for them to door as the water started to go above their waists.Listening to him, they partially swam to the door, while Jack immediately hugged him. Bert made it to the hallway and made his way up, while Rose waited."Thank you, my friend."Taylor hugged him back, "You'll have to tell me how all of this happened later.""Cal," was his only response.Taylor chuckled and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, that about sums it up."Taylor looked over and saw his briefcase on the floating table, almost untouched by the water. Reaching forward, he grabbed it and made his way to the door with Jack, who took Rose's hand and began to swim run to the dry parts of the floor that was slowly becoming steep.Taylor waited till they were far enough away before using his gun to fire a Time Dilation and an Ice Bomb at the water.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Fabrizio, Tommy, Trudy, and Cora made it to the upper levels of the third-class passengers' area, right after busting through a locked door and being criticized by a steward for the damage.Frustrated, all four shouted "Shut up!" at the man before heading to another area where a large group of people were trying to get up the steps but were blocked by gates and stewards refusing to let anyone through.Tommy made his way forward, managing to get to the front and at the gate, "Hey, what's the hold-up! Let us through!"One of the stewards shook his head, "No one allowed through until the first class is safely evacuated.""For God's sake, man! There are women and children down here! Let us through so we can have a chance!"The steward took out a gun, making everyone gasp and slightly freeze, "Get back!""Just give us a chance!" Tommy screamed, kicking the gate and pointing at the steward before heading back to the others."What's going on?" Trudy asked.Tommy huffed, face red, "They're not letting anyone through.""What do we do?" Fabrizio asked, still holding Cora in his arms."Guys!"They turned to see Jack, Rose, and Bert making their way through the crowd toward them."Daddy!" Cora screamed, being let down by Fabrizio as she ran to her father, jumping into his arms and wrapping her own around his neck."Jack!" Fabrizio and Tommy hugged their friend.Rose and Trudy met halfway, embracing each other.Upon seeing Taylor, Fabrizio and Tommy pulled him into the hug as well."Jack, it's useless, we can't get through here! They're not letting anyone through!"Jack cursed under his breath, "Alright, we need to find another way.""Fabrizio!" a woman called out.Fabrizio turned and his eyes widened at seeing Helga running toward him, throwing her arms around his neck."Helga!" he exclaimed, hugging her back.He began to speak her language, poorly but got the point across.Helga bobbed her head and pointed down the corridor, saying something in return."What's she saying?" Rose asked.Fabrizio turned to them, "She says there's another way out that's less guarded."Jack nodded, "Alright, then we follow her lead."Ruth boarded the lifeboat after Molly, sitting down as the officers and workers lowered them into the water.The whole time, her mind was Rose and the shock of the last few hours still weighing in on her. She could only hope her daughter was smart enough to get on a boat and that she could find her when it was all over.There was still time to make all this right and help see the path for them to survive. But she would have to be stricter and harsher for now on. The last thing she needed was for her daughter to turn full rebel.The small letter entered her mind, but she paid no serious thought to it. Believing it meant nothing, nor could persuade her. She will make sure her daughter would do what she needed her to do.Finding many of the pathways flooded, it became clear that they couldn't reach the Master at Arms office, forcing Lovejoy to grab Cal by the shoulder and lead them back the way they came, just barely managing to make it to the stairs they down before it completely flooded."Leave them! We need to get to the lifeboats!"Though wishing to resist, Cal listened to him as he made his way up the stairs, putting away his gun for now.Reaching another checkpoint that was gated with the help of Helga, the small group managed to make their way to the front, begging to get through.Helga reunited with her family."Go back to the main stairwell!" the steward repeated himself for the millionth time, his words reaching no one as they pressed against the gate."Open the gate, right now!" Jack demanded, pointing at the man."Go back to the main stairwell, as I told you!"Jack and the others sighed in frustration before he lost his cool and began to kick the gate, making it shake as he cursed them. The outburst scared Rose and the others, but no one dared to call him out on it. Some felt the same way.Seeing a bench, Jack ran to it and began to pull it free. Some of the men noticed and ran to help him, including Tommy, Fabrizio, Bert, and Taylor.Rose and Trudy motioned for everyone to back up and give them room.Once pulling it free, the group of men got situated to hold the bench and began to charge. The steward demanded that they stop but they refused to listen to him.Making the first charge, they managed to weaken it. On the second charge, they completely broke through and set the bench down to the side.Jack grabbed Rose's hand as they moved over the broken gate and the bench, ignoring the steward as he demanded they stop until Tommy punched him in frustration.Heading up to the deck of the ship, they reached the top and burst through the door that led to the outside, already feeling the ship becoming far steeper than before."The boats are gone!" said Tommy as he looked around.Jack ran to the railing, using the cable to lean over the edge and see further down.Rose saw Colonel Gracie and ran to him, "Colonel, are there more boats?"The Colonel shook his head while interlocked with his wife's arm and the other with a nameless woman, "Yes, miss, there are a couple of boats all the way forward."He pointed down the deck, "This way, I'll l-"They didn't hear him as they all began to run down the deck, passing many passengers who were trying to find a boat.Eventually, they found a boat that was currently still allowing passengers, but only women and children.Bert took his daughter and offered her to the officer, "Please, take her!""No, Daddy! No!" she protested, squirming as the officer took ahold of her and loaded her into the boat."It'll be alright, I'll go find another," he smiled. "We'll see each other again."Trudy stepped forward, "I'll go with her."The officer nodded as she helped her into the boat, taking her seat to Cora before picking her up and placing her on her lap so there could be more room.Cora cried into her shoulder while looking at her father."It'll be alright," he repeated, repressing tears of his own before walking away.Fabrizio turned to Helga and tried saying in her language to get in, but she refused. It was only because of her mother offering to go with that she agreed, taking up the last spots left before it was lowered into the water. Helga's father waved from above before walking off.Jack looked at Rose, "Get-""No!" she grabbed his shirt, hugging herself to him. "I'm not leaving unless you are! Like I said before, you jump, I jump!"Though he wanted to protest and force her in, he decided against it, fearing that she would do something stupid. Like, jump onto one of the lower decks or something of the sort.Tommy tapped Jack's shoulder, making him turn."We'll go look for any more boats," he offered his hand. "Stay safe!"Jack shook it, "You too."Fabrizio nodded to him and Taylor, and they did the same before the two ran off, disappearing into the crowd.Taylor looked around him and saw the chaos, seeing the actions of his failure coming to fruition. His attempts to slow down Titanic's sinking were halted when he heard Jack and Rose's voices from earlier, sidelining his mission to make sure Jack was safe.He turned to the two and watched as Jack stroked her hair and held her head against his chest. How she hung onto him like he was going to disappear. Like he was the most important person in his life. How everything else didn't matter, not even being surrounded by so much chaos and the possibility of death, to never see another morning or sunset ever again.He slowly came to the realization that the time had come. The moment he dreaded for half a decade, each year making him more anxious and wary that he would have to say goodbye. That their days of adventures together would come to an end.But he felt closure in such a thought as well, knowing that he now had someone to take his place. To look after him and make sure he wasn't alone in this world. And it couldn't have been a more perfect person than the one who was clinging to him.He smiled at the two of them, feeling a deep desire to one day have what they did. But he knew, deep down, that would never be a possibility. Not after tonight.Stepping forward, he placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, catching his attention."Taylor?" his voice was laced with concern, as well his eyes.Taylor smiled, trying to keep his emotions bottled up for the time being, "Remember what I once said… about when there would come a time when I would no longer be there?"Jack swallowed and nodded."That time is now.""No!" Jack shook his head.Taylor nodded, "It's time."Jack looked back at him, tears filling his eyes, "Don't go!""I must. After all of this, what I'm doing right now… it won't be safe for you."He looked down at Rose, "Take good care of him."Though confused, she nodded, "I will."Turning back to Jack, he squeezed his shoulder, "And you… take good care of her. Live each day as a gift."Letting go of his shoulder, he turned away and made his way to the first-class main stairwell entrancing, moving through so many people as he walked towards the stairs and began walking down.Jack watched him leave, tears falling down his cheeks as he remembered his words, unable to believe them.Letting go of Rose and removing himself from her reach, he ran after him."Jack?!" Rose called out, running after him.Jack shoved his way past so many people, ignoring their angry outbursts and glares. Once reaching the stairs, he saw Taylor reaching the end of the before going down another, charging after him.Sensing him, Taylor turned and watched as he slammed into him, throwing his arms around him. Though feeling embarrassed by such action with so many people around, he hugged him back."Don't go!"Taylor closed his eyes, trying to keep the tears at bay."I can't stay.""Whatever it is that you're doing, we can outrun them, stay hidden-""And force you to live a life in secret, with no chance at a normal life with that girl there?" he looked up at Rose, who was standing in the middle of the stairwell. "That's no life for you. Either of you."Jack tried to speak again but his voice failed him, unable to think of a solution.Taylor closed his eyes before reopening them, "I haven't been entirely honest with you."Jack frowned, "What do you mean?"He took a deep breath, preparing himself, "The day that we met… I didn't meet you by accident."He paused."I was sent to kill you."Silence followed.It took a good half a minute for Jack to fully process what he had just heard, even stepping away from him.Rose was too far away to hear, deciding to give them a moment alone."What?"Taylor closed his eyes, "I was sent to kill you by someone who saw an opportunity to use me for their own gain. You were a mission at the time."Jack's mouth hung open and his mind was completely blank."Wh- why?"Taylor sighed, "Because you were connected to Titanic's sinking. From what Prometheus told me-""Prometheus is here?!" Jack's eyes widened, feeling a chill down his spine.He nodded, regretting to have spilled the beans on that one, "Yes, but he isn't a problem anymore. From what I understand, if Rose had committed suicide, the ship would be forced to turn around to search for her and would have avoided the iceberg. But because you were always meant to save her and did so, Titanic's fate was corrected, despite some differences.""I… I don't understand… I thought Prometheus was the one who was responsible for the Time-Lock."He shook his head, "It was me. The mission to kill you was supposed to cause a Split, but because I spared you it caused a Time-Lock instead. Saving Rose set the timeline to Merge before the Split could happen. Everything was on the right course… until now."Jack frowned, "What do you mean?""I'm trying to slow down the sinking in any way I can, but it will cause a Split. And if I succeed, I'll be a fugitive for now on."Jack shook his head, "It's all… really confusing. But that's not what I meant. I want to know why you spared me."Taylor's eyes widened, thinking back to that day he first met him."Because I saw someone who wasn't a threat, nor a bad person. Someone who was looking to make his own way in the world. To kill you would have been a sin because you were innocent. As you are now. Even if you were to become a threat, I knew I could change it."Jack hung onto every word."I spared you because I couldn't bring myself to do it. It wasn't right, even it was for the right reasons. Maybe it's because I'm too simple-minded. Or that I wasn't strong enough. But all I knew was that it was wrong."He stepped forward and touched his shoulder, giving it a squeeze."As many people as I've met, in so many different lifetimes, in so many different worlds, only a small few are truly as great as they are said to be. And even fewer are who I believe are the best people I've ever known."Tears rolled down Jack's face."There's so much I wish to say, so much I wish to explain. But there's no time. If I manage to keep Titanic from sinking for at least another hour, a rescue ship will come to get everyone. But all of it counts on what I do now. And what happens afterward will be because of that."Jack nodded, feeling a sense of closure."I guess this is really it."Taylor nodded, "Yes, it-"Suddenly, his eyes widened, and immediately pushed Jack aside as he reached for his hybrid gun and dropped his briefcase.Jack was taken back by his sudden change in behavior, nearly falling.Rose felt time slow down as she watched Taylor push Jack away and reach for a gun of some sort, wielding it in his hands as he pointed it at her. She put her hands in front of her face, ducking to try and avoid what was coming.Both she and Jack heard a loud sound that almost resembled that of a gunshot but somehow different. She expected to feel the gunshot wound but nothing happened after hearing the shot. She carefully traced her hands over her body, fearing to feel a hole or blood, but felt nothing except the fabric of her dress and her skin beneath, unpenetrated.She frowned, confused as to what was going on.Then she heard a loud thump from behind and turned to see a pair of legs hanging over the first step of the stairs.Taylor ran up past her and reached the top, pointing down at the body before aiming in a different direction."I would prefer not to take a life here tonight," Taylor said in a firm tone."He's not dead?" a voice asked.Rose immediately recognized who it belonged to, running up the steps to find the unconscious body of Cal Hockley on the floor and looked up to see Spicer Lovejoy standing a couple of feet away, gun in hand and startled.Jack followed, standing beside Rose before kneeling next to Cal's body and checking his pulse."He's alive," Taylor confirmed, silently switching the setting of the gun from Stun to Live.Rose also knelt beside him. She paused as her knee hit something in Cal's coat pocket. Her hand traced over the pocket and immediately felt the shape of something that made her eyes widen."How about a deal," Taylor kept his eyes on Lovejoy. "Leave these two alone and you get to leave with your boss to live another day. Sound good?"Lovejoy stared at him, thinking hard."I cannot promise he won't come after you tomorrow. My duty is to watch over him, not to change his mind.""And no one is asking you to."Lovejoy took his offer to heart and nodded, "Very well."Taylor motioned for the two to get behind him and they obeyed, climbing down the steps while keeping his trained-on Lovejoy. Even as they reached the bottom, he kept his gun in hand. It wasn't until they had reached the next floor below did he lower and put it away.Breathing in relief, they took a moment to relax.Lovejoy waited till they were out of sight to put his weapon away and pick up Cal, carrying him like a sack of potatoes to the outside.He wished to kick the young unconscious Hockley heir for his unprofessional attempt to kill Jack, without accessing the situation or consider that Rose was between him and his target.But he was thankful that the man known as Mr. Huston didn't kill his employer. Or rather his employer's son. It wouldn't have been a good track record for him, let alone having to report to Hockley's father that his son had died on his watch. He must obey the Code that his father had taught him to follow.How he missed the days of being a detective sometimes, despite how little it paid to what he was making now.Once he found a boat that was willing to allow men on board, he used Cal's unconsciousness as an excuse to gain sympathy and was allowed to get on, forced to hold him still as they were lowered into the ocean.The three stood next to the clock, feeling the ship become more unstable as it continued to sink."What do we do now?" Jack asked. "He's never going to stop looking for us."Taylor sighed and closed his eyes, "I'll deal with that. For you two, when the rescue ships arrive do not board the one called the RMS Carpathia. Only board the California.""Why?" Rose asked."Because the first-class will immediately board the Carpathia, so you can guess where Cal and your mother will be."The two nodded."Not to mention that California will not be able to hold over two thousand people to ship back to New York and the Carpathia will want another to take maybe half of the passengers.""How do you know all this?"Jack walked up to him and threw his arms around him, "If this is truly goodbye… thank you."Taylor smiled as he hugged him back, "Don't worry, it isn't goodbye forever. We'll meet again... some day. Just make this count.""I will."Rose frowned, "Where are you going?"Taylor turned to her and pulled her into a hug, "I expect you to keep that promise. Look after each other."Though confused, she hugged him back, "We will."As Taylor pulled away, he turned to Jack and nodded, picking up his briefcase.Jack smiled, nodding back before turned away and headed down the stairs, disappearing around the corner."What was he talking about?" Rose asked, turning to Jack.Jack laughed as he walked up to her and took her hand, "I'll explain later. Let's get back to the top."Filled with so many questions, she pushed them aside and followed him back up the steps, rejoining everyone on the deck as the ship continued to sink, deciding to move to the stern when all the boats were gone.When Taylor reached the bottom of the stairwell, he began searching for flooded areas to use his gun on, using the Time Dilation and Ice Bombs to slow the rushing water. He repeated the process, managing to slow the sinking as much as possible.After covering some more areas, he reached one of the last few places left, ready to do it again until he felt the presence of someone behind him.Preparing himself, he turned around and came face to face with Prometheus, who was pointing his hybrid gun at him."Sir!" one of the officers approached Captain Smith and Andrews by the railing."What is it?" Smith asked."Reports are coming in that the flooding has slowed down, sir."The two frowned.While the ship was supposed to have sunk almost an hour ago, they had learned that it was due to the efforts of those down below that they were given more time. But as things went on, it became clear that the flooding wasn't as severe as it was believed to be. Only the head of the ship was below the surface now.Things started to look up as more ships were on their way to assist with the evacuation so the California didn't have to hold over two thousand souls, let alone shipping that many to the mainland. The other closest ship was the RMS Carpathia."How is this possible?""No one can say, sir. There are other reports that the water has frozen over."Smith scoffed, "Rubbish! It may be cold but not to the point to freeze the ocean, let alone inside a sinking ship."Andrews narrowed his eyes at the ground, "Show me."The officer swallowed, "Very well sir!"Suddenly, the bell rang as more flares were fired, catching their attention. Moving to the other side, they saw the people cheering as a ship approached them from the distance.Using a pair of binoculars, Smith read the name of their rescuer.
SS California!
"It's the California!" he gasped.Andrews took the binoculars and read the name, his breathing pausing a moment."They're early by twenty minutes," one of the officers said."They must have gotten through the iceberg field quicker than expected," said Smith as he turned to them. "It would seem the good Lord is on our side tonight, gentlemen. Begin boarding procedures and call the lifeboats back.""Yes, sir!" they all cry out, feeling more hopeful and relieved.Andrews turned to the officer from earlier, "Take me to the area where the ice was frozen over.""I would sir, but I need to assist with the evacuation.""Then tell me where it was reported to be."The two stared each other down, guns drawn and aimed at the other. A showdown that reminisced of an old era."It's too late," said Taylor. "Even if you kill or subdue me, the Split will still happen. The California should be here soon."Prometheus remained silent as the water got closer to them in the hallway."You know what this means."Taylor remained firm, not letting him get into his head, "Yes.""No, you don't. Not truly.""I won't apologize for this.""I know. Which is why it's more frustrating that you truly believe you are doing the right thing."Taylor began to laugh, surprising him."You know, I have no idea if this is the right thing or not. Your laws were written by smarter men than me. And I know, deep down, that those laws hold more importance than the fifteen hundred lives here tonight.""Then why do any of this?!" Prometheus pressed, the water reaching Taylor's shoes. "You could have saved Jack, Rose, Fabrizio, and even Tommy. All without causing the timeline to Split.""Because I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I walked away, knowing I let these people die. And I don't know what that says about me," tears filled his eyes. "Maybe I am doing the right thing. Or maybe I'm not and it's just me being selfish.  All I know is that I can't live with letting these people die.""You can't save everyone. You can't go to every timeline in every world and try to prevent a disaster.""I know that! It's not like I'm going to save JFK or Joan of Arc as many times as I can. It's being right here, right now that makes me act. The moment when I can change fate."Prometheus closed his eyes and shook his head, "It isn't just you who have failed here tonight, Taylor. I failed as well. Failed to recognize that you wouldn't let this go or stop you.""I didn't fail!""Not in the way you believe."Suddenly, their hybrid guns went off, signaling a message.The moment Andrews saw the frozen water, his heart stopped. It was unlike anything he had seen. Nothing scientific about it was possible.He could see that the ice was already started to thaw out, breaking down due to the environment. It was clearly never meant to last very long. But he still couldn't conclude on how it happened.As he came back to his senses, he began to make his way back up, thinking hard about what had happened. It was then that he thought about Taylor Huston, remembering what he had once said about buying time.Without lowering their weapons, the two read the hologram message that said: Split Complete / Time-Lock Lifted!Taylor sighed with relief, while Prometheus lowered his head in defeat."It's done."Taylor nodded."I can't just let you get away with this.""Like you have a choice."Prometheus remained silent, deep in thought.Taylor knew that he couldn't win against him. Maybe run away and even get away, but he would follow, and he would lose against him. He was too experienced to be beaten by someone like him, who only had four missions under his record."The way I see it… you've earned yourself twenty-four hours."Surprise and relief flowed through him."If I were you, I would make good use of the time to get your affairs in order. To make peace with your actions. Because come tomorrow… We will come for you."It was more than he expected to get from someone like him. But it was enough.Prometheus lowered his weapon, causing Taylor to lower his too as he closed eyes, tears falling from his face.
Forgive me, mom.
He watched as Prometheus went to the settings of his own hybrid gun and made a selection."See you around."Prometheus pulled the trigger, "For your sake, I hope not."A bright light engulfed him, disappearing from sight.Nodding, Taylor turned around and fired another Time Dilation and an Ice Bomb at the water.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It was nearing five in the morning as the sun began to rise over the horizon, forcing the night to recede. The air was freezing cold and the ocean even more so. It should have been a beautiful sight, but today was a bittersweet feeling for those were on the Titanic.Two ships were next to the sinking ship, evacuating all the passengers and the crew.The Carpathia arrived two hours after the California did, just in time as the flooding began to resume. The California already began evacuating many of the passengers, though many were third-class, and few were first-class.When word had spread about the flooding having slowed down to the point that the Carpathia would arrive in time, many of the first-class decided to wait in order to be on a better ship that would have rooms for them.The people in the rowboats were told to stay put for the time being and wait for the Carpathia, which upset many but were in no position to demand anything, though some tried.The gates that kept third-class passengers from coming up eventually were opened before anyone from the two ships could see it for themselves, finally allowing everyone to be evacuated. And once that was done, the crew members of the entire ship were next.Among those on the California were Jack and Rose, who had purposely boarded the vessel in hopes to avoid Cal and Ruth. If Taylor was to be believed, they would board the second vessel that would arrive, granting them peace of mind.Sadly, they had yet to reunite with Tommy, Fabrizio, Trudy, Cora, or Helga. Though, the last three were on the rowboats, which meant they would board soon.Rose sat next to Jack, with a blanket wrapped around them both and her head nested against his chest. With her ear against him she could hear his heartbeat, granting her the ability to sleep a little, despite the cold.Even in her half sleep, she kept thinking about her mother and what all of this meant. She wished to speak with her again, to make it clear that she wouldn't marry Cal or anyone she chose. Only Jack would be the one to marry her, to be the father of their children, and her partner in life. No one else would be her choice.But another part of her knew that she couldn't. She knew her mother would do anything in her power to make sure she married Cal. And she knew Cal would never let her go. It was in his nature to win, no matter the cost. He wasn't used to being defied, and she had done exactly that.
No!
Her note, if she had read it, was the bottom line. She had made her choice and now it was time to live with it. No matter the consequences.Then she thought about what Cal and her mother would do once everyone had been evacuated.Her heart beat quickened as she realized that they would search for her. Despite being on a different ship, they would ask for her whereabouts. And once they reached the mainland, there would be a search warrant out for her, possibly even a bounty.
And what would that mean for Jack?
Anxiety was creeping in, making her imagine Jack being a wanted fugitive. That him being spotted would expose her and lead Cal to them.The image of Cal's face entered her mind, and the anxiety turned to hate. How she hated him more now than she ever did before!Once, her hate was because of her fear of him. Now, it was because of how she viewed him. A sad, small man who got his power through being above anyone else, especially her. She couldn't help but find it funny that she ever feared him to begin with.And as for her mother… it was hard to tell how she felt.She didn't hate her, but she was angry with her. Angry that she saw fit to mold her life in compliance with her own satisfactions. For her own desires and dreams, but never a single one of her own.She wondered what would become of her now that the marriage with Cal would fall through. She couldn't imagine her working in factories or some bakery. Or even a maid. Though the last one was funny to think about.She had no idea what would become of her. And she honestly didn't care. She was long past it now."Jack! Rose!"She opened her eyes and turned her head in the direction of where the voice was coming from, feeling Jack slowly rise, making her lean forward to support herself.Jack's eyes widened and his smile returned, running forward."Fabrizio!"The two best friends collided, arms around each other as they basked in their reunion."Boyo!"Tommy ran from behind and threw his arms around the two, nearly lifting them up. All three laughed."Where were you guys?!" they parted but kept their hands on each other's shoulders."We couldn't find a lifeboat, so we ended up waiting with everyone else," said Tommy."Although, we did see that Hockley being carried off by his bodyguard who framed us," added Fabrizio.Rose cringed, but otherwise kept smiling at the two of them as she rose to her feet."Speaking of which, should we be worried about that?" Tommy asked.Jack thought hard about it before shaking his head, "As long as Hockley is on the other ship, we'll be fine. Though I recommend skipping town before he can get a word out, if he remembers to do it."The two nodded before seeing Rose behind him. They approached her with wide smiles and hugged her."Glad to see you made it, Little Rose," said Tommy.Rose sighed, "Oh great! Now you've come up with a nickname for me!""And I'm never going to let it down."Fabrizio patter her shoulder, "Welcome to the party.""Hey, that's my girl you're hitting on," Jack teased, making them laugh.Fabrizio frowned as he looked around for someone, "Wait, where's Taylor?"Jack paused, eyeing Rose and Tommy as he thought hard about how to respond."Most likely on the other ship. Although, we should talk later."Though slightly confused, Fabrizio nodded."Sooo… what happens now?" Tommy asked.Jack shrugged, "Well, when we get back to the mainland, Rose and I are leaving New York immediately. We'll rest in the nearest town before heading for Chippewa Falls so Rose can see where I grew up."Fabrizio smiled, "Don't forget me! I'm coming too!"Jack raised an eyebrow, "You sure you want to come?! Things will be a little different now."The Italian nodded, "I'm not done having adventures with you and Taylor just yet. I wish to see these places you keep talking about over in America."Jack's smile fell at the mention of his friend. It was going to be heartbreaking to tell him that Taylor would no longer be part of their adventures from now on.Pushing such thoughts and feelings aside, he turned to Tommy."How about you? Any plans?"Tommy shook his head, "Aside from going to America to try and make some good cash, not really. This whole trip was a new start for me. I have no one else back home."Jack nodded, "How about coming with us? There's always room for one more. And besides, I hear there's plenty of work out west."Tommy thought about it before looking up and smiling, "Deal!"Rose's head popped up at suddenly remembering something as she reached into her pockets."And speaking of money," she presented a bag. "Look I what I found."As they leaned forward, she opened the bag and their eyes widened."Holy shit!""Good lord!""How much is that?!"Some people were looking their way, making them quiet down.Giving them a better look without anyone else seeing, Rose presented some bills wrapped up in a roll, with several more like it. And a very certain blue diamond."Looks like we won't have to worry about money for quite a while.""Quiet a while?" Tommy looked at her with wide eyes nearly threatening to pop out. "Do you have any idea what that thing is worth?""Oh, I have an idea," she smiled. "But I think it's best we wait a long time before we try to sell it."Jack nodded, giving Rose a knowing smile, "It would be for the best. With what we have here, we wouldn't have to worry about selling it for a long time. If not ever."Suddenly, they heard gasping and cries of terror as a loud noise echoed across the water.Turning towards the source, the four watched in awe and horror as the Titanic began to go down by the head. The two ships immediately began moving away as the mighty Titanic slowly descended beneath the waves.Everyone on both ships watched as the once believed to be Unsinkable Ship sunk beneath the surface of the sea.Onboard the Carpathia, Captain Smith, Andrews, and Ismay watched as their ship went down, a reminder to the mistakes they had made that brought them here. Fully unaware, or unwilling to know, about the consequences of what could have happened.It took a total of forty minutes until the ship had descended beneath the waves, crying out as the steel cracked from the pressure of the water and the way it titled into the air, making it more unstable until it broke in half. And everyone had witnessed it with their own eyes.By the time it was over, and the Titanic had floundered, the two ships set a course for New York, radioing ahead that nearly all the passengers and crew were now aboard, and the fate of the titanium ship itself.Watching from afar, Taylor kept hidden from the small group, fully satisfied that they were safe. He was even more relieved to hear that they now had cash for the hard road ahead. And he was very impressed with how Rose had managed to get her hands on the diamond.Now that was going to be a real headache for Hockley to deal with, despite the insurance he would get due to the tragedy, which he would use as reason for losing it.Speaking of which, he had more work to do on that little problem.After witnessing the Titanic's descent, which was a sight he would never forget, he began to think about how to handle Hockley. He knew the man would never stop looking for Jack and Rose, if he knew they were alive. But how to present them as dead without bodies was a hard one to come up with.As he thought about it, his attention was suddenly turned towards the people all around, as he slowly began to realize that nearly all fifteen hundred lives who were supposed to lose their lives just nearly three hours ago, were now able to experience another day. To live their lives as they see fit.He wondered what many of them will do, how they will turn out, if some will do better with their lives or do worse. He could only hope that the experience will make as many of them as possible to be stronger. But also knew that not everyone will use this second chance to live better lives. That some will not be able to get over what had just happened. And some won't even recognize it an experience to read into.The realization made him realize that part of what Prometheus was talking about was true. His actions wouldn't have satisfying results, that there would be no true reward.Then his thoughts drifted to the crew members who had lost theirs when the ship collided with the iceberg. He felt a sting in his heart, feeling like a failure for not being fast enough to prevent it.The future ahead would have far more challenges for them all, especially for Jack and Rose.There would be the Spanish Flu, two World Wars, and the Great Depression to worry about. And he worried about Jack, whether he would be drafted into the military when the wars came. Or even if Jack or Rose would survive the Spanish Fu, considering how deadly it was.He had faith that the money and diamond would get them through the Great Depression when it came. Plus, things would get better after 1945. And the 1920s wasn't a bad decade either.He couldn't help but wonder if Jack would have survived in the original timeline. Or Rose. Or any of the others. He wondered just how much of his actions had affected so much. Changed so much.His only hope was that Jack and Rose would survive and stay together through it all. He hoped for the two to grow old together, to have lots of babies to raise, and then die in their beds, warm and content with their lives.But none of these future events were his to worry about. He couldn't do anything about them, unlike how he was with Titanic. He couldn't allow himself to fall into that trap of trying to fix everything.But he did begin to wonder how the events of last night would affect the future of this new timeline. Anything was possible now that fifteen hundred lives were saved from death. He had a feeling that the sinking of the Titanic would still change things once an investigation would be launched to determine what had happened. He knew Captain Smith would face charges, though Ismay would avoid punishment. Mr. Andrews might face backlash but otherwise would be okay.The shipping companies would mandate a lot of things like in the original timeline, so there was nothing to worry about there.But he wondered if any of the fifteen hundred lives would play large roles in the future ahead, if any would go on to change the world or have some part in how society advanced.He shook his head, pushing such thoughts away as he looked at a little baby in a woman's arms, being rocked to sleep. He smiled at the young babe, remembering that this was the moment he had fought to achieve. Not for a perfect future, just this single moment for all to live in. No matter how they felt.Taking one last look at Jack, he smiled as he realized that he had given him a chance to live on.Stepping away into a corner to be out of sight and took out his hybrid gun, selecting something on the settings.He took one last look at Jack and whispered, "Good luck, Dawson."He pressed the button and was immediately teleported to the Carpathia, appearing in a closest.After opening the door, he made his way through the ship, asking around for Cal Hockley's room, which one nurse directed him to the hospital area that was set up.Once arriving, he found Spicer Lovejoy there, watching over the unconscious man.He had to admit he did like the man's loyalty, even if it was paid for.Keeping away but close enough, he waited for his opportunity.And it finally came when Lovejoy stepped away for a bathroom break.Approaching the sleeping man, he took out his hybrid gun and selected a viral, injecting it into his neck.While he couldn't bring himself to kill Hockley, he wasn't going to allow him to wake up and resume his search for Rose. Six days in a comatose state would be more than enough for the two to begin a brand-new life together, without the worry Cal hanging over their heads. The rest would be up to them.Smiling as he walked away, he found the closet he had been using and used the hybrid one to select a feature he hadn't used in a long time: Megaverse Travel Mode!Before selecting his next destination, he paused as he remembered Prometheus' last words to him.
"We will come for you."
He shivered.Once his twenty-four hours were up, the entire Guardians organization would be gunning for him, not just the Time Division. He had broken their sacred rules, despite the Titanic still sinking. Fifteen hundred lives were supposed to parish, and he had prevented it. The Split still happened, which would only make matters worse for the war against the Forsaken. It was just a matter of hoping that it didn't give them what they wanted.Just as he was about to pull the trigger, a sound went off and he paused.He recognized the tune, despite three years of not hearing it.He looked at the hologram of the gun and saw that a call was being received.He debated whether to answer it.It couldn't have been Prometheus or anyone from the Guardians. He made sure to disconnect and eliminate any way he could be tracked. But he still feared to answer it. Wondering if this was a trap to get his location. That maybe they had found a way.Staring at the device, the ringing echoed around him in the closet before he made a decision and pressed "Answer".He was silent, unsure of what to say."Who is this?" he finally asked.Silence followed, until a familiar voice responded.
"I have to say, I did not expect this from you."
His heart began to race, eyes wide.
"Maybe I was wrong about your usage. In retrospect, it would have been wise to try and recruit you to our side."
He finally found his voice."Reeves?"Klein Reeves laughed, "You sound so surprised."He was dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what was happening right at that moment. It had been so long since he heard the man's voice. The one person he once had complete trust in.
"I take it that you had a little chat to Prometheus about me."
Recovering himself, Taylor closed his eyes and began to think clearly again. Only, once he did, he began to feel anger towards the man. Memories of his meeting with Jack. The kill mission he was sent on. All of it, because of him.He never felt so relieved in his life at knowing that he made the right decision in not killing the boy who would become one of his best friends.
"Anyway, I'll cut to the chase. Come join me."
If he hadn't been so angry, the offer would have shocked him."I can give you back your life. Your family.""You're nothing but a lying piece of shit!" his voice was laced with venom.Reeves laughed, "Oh, am I? Since when I have ever lied to you?""How about Jack?! Or the fact that you sent me to kill him?! An innocent fifteen-year-old-boy! My best friend!"Reeves paused, "Okay, I'll admit, I did lie to you there. That's one. But everything else, I've been truthful.""You're doing it right now!"
"Point being, I'm the only one who was willing to help you when you needed it. I helped give you purpose. Now allow me to give it to you again. One that will give you all you've ever wanted."
"And what is that?!""Don't think that the Guardians will win this war. They won't!" his voice became more firm, more serious. "Once the Convergence starts, everything will be reset. But I can give you back your home world, your one chance to live your life at the exact moment it was taken away from you. All you have to do is join me. To join us."Taylor took his words to heart, even in his moment of anger. It was all so appealing, so tempting. It was all he ever wanted.He could imagine himself seeing his mother again, as well as the rest of his family. To go back to his old life before all of this. But like his mother always said, "It's too good to be true, then it probably is."Then, he began to realize something. Something that he had once thought about but never took seriously enough. Until now."Tell me something… did you purposely lock off my home world to manipulate me into joining the Guardians?"Silence followed, but it was enough."You son of a-"
"I needed a fall guy for the Time-Lock that would eventually happen once Titanic drew near, and I saw you discovering the technology to travel between universes.  You became the best candidate for me to us as a fall guy and take suspicion off me by causing a Time-Lock to happen three years ahead of time. Unfortunately, they saw right through my plan, despite still painting you as a traitor. And I never imagined that Jack would still be alive."
"Who you sent me to kill!"
"For a good cause! And you can't deny the possibility that Jack could have died when the Titanic sank, even with your influence over his life. The Guardians were the ones who were telling you to leave him to die. Admit it, Prometheus told you to, didn't he?!"
"Doesn't change the fact that you sent me to kill him and frame me! And you expect me to join you?!"Reeves sighed, "Now, now! Think real hard about this. You have the most powerful organization in the megaverse trying to hunt you down right now. Are you really going to turn down an invitation to join the only opposing group who can protect you from them?"Taylor was fuming, "The only one who is going to need protection is you!"Silence followed before Reeves sighed.
"Well then, if that's how you want to go about it-"
Taylor hung up, breathing heavily as he struggled to contain his anger and frustration. Maybe it hadn't been the best idea to announce to his newest enemy that he was now targeting him. But he needed to vent after the last two days. And boy, did it feel good.Once calming down, he went through the settings and made sure to block the number that the call came from, making sure that it could never be used to track him.Once done, he remained standing to get himself together, to mentally prepare himself for what will happen next. It would be a while before he could enjoy certain moments like he used to. Or if he ever would again.Or see Jack again.Right then, he felt the weight of so much hit him. He began to cry. His heart sank at the realization of what was happening. Of what he had done. And what it all meant.Moaning, he pushed such thoughts away. He couldn't allow himself to mourn just yet. He had work to do. Things to sort out. A time limit to get a head start before the hunt could begin.Going through his hybrid gun again, he selected a time and place to go to, pressing the button as he disappeared in a bright light.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Three Years Later
On a roller coaster at Santa Monica, Los Angeles, a man and a woman were screaming at the top of their lungs as the cart finally dropped from the top, after a long suspenseful build from the other side. The woman had tears in her eyes as she closed them, hands high in the air. The man did the same, though his eyes were wide open. Both their screams were of pure excitement.After getting off the roller coaster, they went to get ice cream and sat down at a bench nearby, staring out towards the ocean ahead, enjoying the final minutes of the day as the sun got closer to settling on the horizon."I wish we had more time," said Rose, smiling at Jack. "I have an audition for a role tomorrow."Jack's eyes widened, "What?! Why didn't you tell me?!"Rose laughed, "Because I was embarrassed!""Not a very good actress if that can get to you."Rose punched him on the shoulder, nearly making him drop his ice cream, "Jerk!""So?" he nudged her. "What role is it?"Rose paused, her smile fading."What's wrong?" Jack asked.Rose looked up at him, "It's a role for a woman on a ship. A tragedy film about the... Titanic."Jack was almost going to eat more of his ice cream until she said that last part, making him pause. He closed his mouth and turned toward her, meeting her eyes.Tomorrow was the 15th. The day that would mark three years since that night.How odd it was to them that an audition for a role of the event they went through would happen on such a day. Let alone be a film Rose would choose. She had spent a great deal of time trying to put the event behind her, to move on from her previous life. She had even slightly changed her appearance to keep from being recognized, even choosing a stage name to hide her identity.He couldn't help but think back to the day they docked and everything that happened after.
As the heavy rain fell upon them, Jack, Rose, Tommy, and Fabrizio stared up in awe at the Statue of Liberty as the California neared its docking point in New York. Tommy had managed to 'find' a couple of umbrellas for them to shield against the rain.

Thankfully, the California had managed to get ahead of the Carpathia, granting them a head start.

"Jack," Rose whispered. "He's coming."

Jack turned and saw an officer of the California coming towards them. Turning back to her, he squeezed her hand and smiled. Unable to help herself, she smiled back.

They watched as the man asked and wrote down the names of their friends before reaching them.

"Can I have your name, love?"

Rose paused, panic rising within as she tried to think of a response, until...

"Dawson!" she exclaimed. "Rose Dawson!"

Jack, Fabrizio, and Tommy stared at her with wide eyes.

"Thank you," the man nodded before turning to Jack.

"Oh... um, Jack Dawson."

The man frowned upon looking at their hands.

"Married or related?"

Rose smiled as she squeezed Jack's hand before he could respond.

"Married. We unfortunately lost our rings during the sinking."

The man nodded as he wrote down Jack's name, "Good luck finding replacements. And thank you."

They waited until he had walked away.

"Dawson?" Fabrizio asked.

Jack raised an eyebrow and smiled, "And married?"

Rose shrugged, returning his smile, "Why not? 'Rose Dewitt Bukater' isn't a name I can use freely anymore."

"And using Jack's last name provides good cover," said Tommy.

"And I give it one week at the most before you two are in front of a preacher."

They all laughed.

"Probably be best if we skipped town tonight," said Jack. "Knowing Hockley, he'll have every officer in the city looking for you."

Rose nodded.

"And us, considering we're still wanted for 'allegedly' stealing the diamond," said Tommy.

"Which we technically did," added Fabrizio.

"Don't try taking responsibility for something I did," Rose teased. "But Jack's right. The sooner we are out of New York, the better."

All three nodded as the ship neared the city.

The moment the ship docked; they were immediately met with surprise at the audience that had gathered to celebrate their journey. News of the Titanic has spread quickly, bringing forth newspaper journalists and worried civilians.

But they also found three special people waiting for them.

"Jack!"

As they entered the station, Jack turned to the source of the yell and felt something small crash into him. He looked down to see Cora hugging him, tears sliding down her cheeks. Smiling, he hugged her back and picked her up, while Rose smiled as she watched.

"I thought we would never find you!" she exclaimed.

Jack's smile grew, as did the rate of his heartbeat.

"Rose!"

Rose turned to see Trudy running towards her. Feeling her heart race, she began to run and embraced her friend.

"Fabrizio!" a woman cried out in Norwegian.

Fabrizio turned to see Helga running towards him and he charged right back, the two colliding as they embraced and kissed. From behind, Helga's parents turned away, hiding their disapproval.

After their high emotions calmed, they exited the station and into the streets of New York, which were still alive in the night. Not wishing the moment to end, they talked and lost themselves into their conversations, until the time came to part.

"Cora!"

The young girl turned from Jack and saw her father rushing towards her, "Father!"

She ran to him and jumped into his arms.

Jack smiled as he walked towards them.

Bert sat his daughter down and embraced him, "Thank you for taking care of my daughter."

"Don't thank me," he turned to Trudy, who was deep in conversation with Rose. "Thank the maid."

Bert nodded as he took off his hat and walked towards the two, immediately thanking her.

Cora turned to Jack, tears filling her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, bending by the knees to get down to her level.

"This... this is goodbye... isn't it," she sniffled as she wiped away the tears. "We won't see each other again."

Jack's heart sank, "Hey, just because we'll be going our separate ways doesn't mean this is the end. We'll met again."

"But... how?"

"Well, I'll get your dad to give me your address so I can mail you letters."

"Can't you give me yours?"

Jack laughed, "That's going to be a little hard. I don't normally have an address like you and your dad do. But one day..." he looked towards rose, "... maybe one day I will. Until then, I'll make sure to let you know where I'm going next."

Cora smiled, winking at him before looking towards Rose, "You better!"

Offering his hand, she accepted it and they walked towards her father.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio and Helga shared one last kiss before she departed with her family. Fabrizio watched with tears as she left, wishing they could spend more time together after everything that had happened. But at least he had managed to get a small piece of paper that contained the address of her grandmother's home in Florida, a parting gift she gave him so they could write each other.

After getting the address of where Bert and Cora were going, Jack turned to the young girl and embraced her one last time.

"I'm going to miss you," Cora kissed his cheek, making Rose and Trudy smile.

"I'll miss you too," he patted her shoulder. "You be a good girl. And I promise to visit when I can. Alright?"

She nodded, wiping away the tears as began to smile, "Deal!"

As they waved goodbye, Bert and Cora disappeared into the large crowd.

Suddenly, a loud horn was heard in the distance, and they turned to see the Carpathia coming in to dock.

"Let's get out of here before Hockley docks," said Jack.

Everyone nodded and began to walk towards the city.

Suddenly, Rose came to a stop and grabbed Jack's arm, "Wait!"

Everyone turned to her.

"Let's get married!"

Jack, Tommy, and Fabrizio's eyes widened, while Trudy covered her mouth, hiding her shock.

"If I'm going to start my new life with you, then let 'Rose Dawson' become official."

Jack was taken back, but he smiled and leaned to kiss her, which she returned.

"Well, then, we better find a church."

Trudy smiled as she looked towards the city, "I know a place."

"Dear lady and gentlemen, we are gathered here tonight to witness and celebrate the union of Rose- Um, what was your maiden name again, dear?" the priest asked.

Rose smiled as looked into the eyes of the man she was about to call husband, "It doesn't matter. Let my former name disappear like the dust in the wind."

The priest's eyes widened before smiling, having had his fair share of discrete moments like this. It filled him with happiness to hear such motivation and clarity in her voice. Whatever she had went through was clearly something she wished to put behind her, starting with this short-notice wedding. He silently prayed to the God above that their love would be strengthened their bond in the years to come.

In the very small church that rested on the outskirts of New York, an attendance of only three people filled the building, not including the priest or the couple to be married.

The priest was about to lock his doors for the evening until he heard a knock, surprised to find Trudy, who he had not seen in a long time. Her request was a bit of an odd one, especially when it concerned the drenched couple ready to be married as soon as possible, along two men to be witnesses the special event. Although tired, he was more than willing to allow the small group into the House of God and prepare for a wedding.

Standing at the altar, the priest held a bible in his hands and began.

"We are gathered here tonight to witness and celebrate the union of Rose and Jack Dawson in marriage. Through their time together, they began the journey to become husband and wife. To form a bond that will stand the test of time and fight through the hardships of life until death do them apart, under the watchful eye of our Creator."

Tommy, Fabrizio, and Trudy smiled.

"True marriage is more than just joining the bonds of two people in marriage; it is the union of two hearts. It begins well before the wedding day, and the efforts of marriage will continue well beyond this ceremony's end. A brief moment in time and the stroke of a pen is all that is required to join two souls together in a legal bond of marriage, but it is the commitment of love and compromise that truly makes a union in marriage durable and everlasting. Tonight, you will declare your commitment to each other before family, friends, and the Almighty himself. Your pasts have led you to this moment, your starting point to new future of togetherness that will hopefully become clearer with each new passing day."

The priest paused upon seeing they had no rings, "One second."

Jack and Rose frowned as the old man left the room and returned a few seconds later with two pieces of string.

"As we do not have rings at the moment, may these serve as your wedding rings in their place to signify your love and bonds of marriage to one another."

Smiling, they each took a piece of string.

The priest turned to Jack, "Raise your hand."

Jack did as he was told.

"Do you Jack Dawson, take Rose to be your lawfully wedded wife, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, and whatever challenges you may face, from this day forward until death do you apart?"

Jack stared into Rose's eyes, "I do!"

The priest smiled as he motioned for him to take the string in his hand, "As this representation of your love, your bond, and your promise, please tie this string around Rose's marriage finger."

Once Jack was done, the priest turned to Rose.

"Do you Rose, take Jack Dawson to be your lawfully wedded husband, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, and whatever challenges you may face, to obey and follow him, from this day forward until death do you apart?"

"I do!" she declared.

"Take the string you hold and tie it around Jack's marriage finger, so it may be a representation of your love, your bond, and your promise."

As Rose did, she struggled not to kiss him just yet, knowing he was doing the same.

"With the power blessed within me by the Lord and his son, Jesus Christ, I now pronounce you both Husband and Wife!"

Before Tommy, Fabrizio, and Trudy could begin clapping, Jack and Rose met in the middle as they kissed to their hearts content, completely lost in their intimacy.

Unknown to them all, a figured watched from the dark corner, silently leaving before anyone could notice.

It was late into the evening following the wedding of Jack and Rose when the group finally got their chance to rest without being on a ship. Once it was all said and done, they bid farewell to the priest and immediately out as far from the city as possible, managing to find a small motel to spend the night. The moment they got to their room and into their beds, they fell right to sleep.

After getting much needed rest, the group left the next morning. Arriving at a train station, Trudy decided to take her leave. Rose paid for her ticket and also gave her a little bit of cash, to help in starting over.

"I guess this is goodbye."

Trudy smiled sadly as she nodded and hugged Rose at the entrance of her train, "I wish I could go with you, but my place is with my parents in DC. It'll be nice to be with them and to find a new job there."

Rose nodded, struggling to keep the tears at bay, "Just a fair warning, there's a chance some people may come asking questions."

"Well, it'll be a waste of their time," she winked. "I could have sworn I saw Rose DeWitt Bukater disappear on a train for Canada. Too bad I didn't get to say goodbye."

Rose smiled, "Yeah, it's a real shame."

The two waved goodbye before going their separate ways.

Rose joined Jack, Tommy, and Fabrizio on a train of their own, heading out west.

"Okay, so what happened to Taylor?" Tommy asked.

Jack swallowed his drink as they sat around the campfire, having put some distance between them and New York in the last two days. Fabrizio watched him, wondering how he was going to respond.

"Long story made short, Taylor's involved with some... dangerous people. He left so we would be safe from them."

Tommy's eyes were wide, even taking a drink of his liquor before throwing the bottle across the corn field, "Well, that would explain why he had so much money. I hope he's okay."

Jack nodded as he looked up towards the stars, "Yeah, me too."

He hated lying to them, even if he was telling a small portion of the truth. He knew Fabrizio understood, despite not entirely knowing everything like he did. There were times when it was tempting to reveal all that he knew, but he feared how it would affect his Italian friend.

Meanwhile, Rose watched him, frowning at how he seemed to answer as little as possible. But she understood it wasn't his secret to tell. She was willing to wait and hope that he would one day tell her, so he wouldn't have to hold the burden on his own.

"So, this is where you grew up," said Tommy.

After months of traveling, they had managed to arrive in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

"Yep," Jack nodded as they walked through the small town.

He doubted anyone there would recognize him. He had changed and experienced so much in the last five years. He couldn't recognize himself at times when looking into the mirror.

They even paid a visit to the area where his family's house once stood. Little remained of the foundation, but it wasn't too hard to find it.

Coming back hit Jack harder than he realized. It was only through the feeling of his wife's hand intertwined with his that kept him from losing control. But later, when he had a chance to get away, he allowed himself to cry and mourn. He eventually found the lake where he and father would come to. Such memories made him smile.

"That bitch!"

Jack rose from the bed as he ran to the kitchen, finding Rose trembling as she stood over the table, holding a copy of the daily news in her hands.

"What's wrong?" he approached her, slightly touching her arm.

She turned to him, recognizing his presence.

"She found a way!"

Jack frowned as Tommy and Fabrizio entered the kitchen, worried.

"Who?"

She slowly offered him the paper and he took it, reading what was printed on page 3.

/

Wife of the Late Howard DeWitt Bukater remarries into the Gordon Family!

/

"She always finds a way," Rose whispered, though loud enough for Jack to hear. "She always does."

Jack sat the paper down and embraced his wife, "Hey, look on the bright side. Now she won't be on the search for you anymore."

Rose slightly smiled as she buried her face into his chest, "Still..."

Jack laughed, "You say that like you wanted her to lose everything."

"And you act like it's a bad thing."

The two laughed and continued to embrace each other as Tommy and Fabrizio left the kitchen, smiling.

"Wow! The sky is beautiful!" Fabrizio exclaimed as he stared up towards the stars in the evening sky.

Nearly a year had passed since they left New York. Now the group had settled in Deer Lodge, Montana for the time being. An area they all fell in love as soon as they arrived. After traveling south to escape the cold winter, they had immediately journeyed north once spring arrived, to visit the place that Jack wished to go.

Being there reminded Jack of why Taylor loved the landscape so much. He only wished his friend could be here to experience it along with them.

All four were on their backs, not far from their campfire as they stared up towards the sky, with the full moon and countless stars above.

"Isn't this what Taylor was talking about?" Tommy asked.

Jack nodded as he continued to draw on his piece of paper from his book, using a small lantern for light as he did.

"I wonder where he is right now?" Rose asked.

Jack paused, wondering the same thing. His heart sank upon remembering that one week from that night would mark the first-year anniversary. A fact that also felt like a dream to them all.

Once Tommy and Fabrizio had left for town, Rose made her move to talk with her husband in private.

"I know you're lying."

Jack paused in his drawing of the landscape of the Yellowstone, turning to his wife. He had known this day would come when he would be forced to explain everything to her. He only hoped she had the mind to believe and understand it.

He turned to her, "Are they gone?"

She nodded, "Yes."

Nodding back, he sat the unfinished drawing down and turned to her as she sat down the piece of wood.

"Are you sure you wish to know?"

"Yes!"

He saw no hesitation, no doubt to be found.

"What I am about to tell you must never be repeated to anyone else. Not even them."

Rose nodded, "I understand."

'Do you?' he couldn't help but wonder.

"Then let's start at the beginning."

As he explained everything to her, he felt a weight being lifted off his shoulders. A burden that he had been carrying for so long. Not even Fabrizio knew all that he was sharing with her. And it felt reliving to share all that he knew with someone he called his wife.

As Rose listened to every word, every explanation, she never once detected a lie or a half-truth. By the time he was done, her eyes were filled with tears.

"Rose?"

"We need to tell them!" she declared.

Jack's eyes widened, "We can't!"

"We can't just sit on this and not let the world know what he did."

"Even if we did, no one would believe us."

"They will if I reveal myself."

"Not even that will help. All we would end up doing is revealing ourselves to Hockley."

She began to cry, "Then what do you expect us to do? Nothing?"

"It's what he would want."

"How would you know that?"

"Because I know him better than better than most. Say that if the world does believe you, how do you think they would react knowing that he had the power to do such things? They would drag his name through the mud, label him as something he isn't. Maybe even blame the event on him. Not everyone can handle such knowledge as you and me."

Rose sobbed, "Is there a way to find him? To thank him?"

Jack shook his head, "Knowing him, he's probably in another multiverse. What he did that night has made him a fugitive for the rest of his life. The last thing he would want is for us to try and look for him. It would attract the attention of those hunting him."

"It's so unfair."

Jack sighed and nodded, "Yep, that's normally how it goes. But he gave us a chance to live. To truly live, Rose. I don't know if anyone of us would have survived that night if it wasn't for him. It would have been a miracle if only one of us did."

Rose shivered at the thought, "I can't imagine a life without you. Which is why I can't stand the thought of him not being recognized for it."

Jack smiled as he rose to his feet and walked to her before getting to his knees and taking her hands, "I've thought the same. Believe me, I have! I wish I could thank him too and let the world know. But we can't. All we can do now is live our lives to the fullest and make this life count for something. To make his sacrifice mean something."

Rose sniffled and squeezed his hands, nodding, "You make it sound so easy."

"Nothing worthwhile ever is. But it's what we've been given. And it's better than most."

He embraced her, looking up towards the sky as the moon and stars shined down on them.

As they began to enter the state of Colorado and settled in for the night at a motel, they planned their next journey.

"So, where should we got next?" Fabrizio asked.

"The Rocky Mountains!" Rose announced.

"I'm in!" Tommy cried out.

"Ah, but I was hoping for Florida!" complained Fabrizio.

Jack patted his friend on the shoulder, "Don't worry, we'll visit Helga in the future."

"You know, they might walk in on us," Rose teased as she laid on the couch, posing for Jack as he drew her nude, except for the diamond that rested against her chest.

Jack laughed, "Come on! You know you feel excited that we could get caught at any moment. Besides, we still need to replace the one we lost."

She laughed, "How much longer?"

"Just a little bit longer."

"Jack Dawson, if you don't hurry up and finish, you'll be the one sleeping on the couch!"

He shivered, remembering the last time he had pushed his luck.

As the year moved along like the wind, they made their way to Oregon, renting out a small home to stay in for a short while. It was during their stay that the subject of Florida came up.

"Come on, when are we going to Florida?!" cried Fabrizio. "We've been putting it off for too long now."

Jack laughed, "He's got a point. Maybe we should go there once our time here is done."

"But it's so far," whined Rose.

"We can afford train tickets to Florida," said Tommy. "Be a lot faster."

Jack nodded, "Then it's settled. Let's reunite Fabrizio with his love."

Fabrizio blushed, "It isn't like that."

"Sure, it isn't," Rose teased, making them all laugh as they continued to eat.

They had kept up on the news surrounding anything having to do with Titanic, especially on the trials that were held for those deemed responsible for the accident. An unidentified number of workers on the ship had lost their lives in the engine and coal rooms. Captain Smith managed to get off the charges, as did Ismay, but they were both ridiculed in the eyes of the public. Andrews never got much public attention, nor brought to court.

Although, a lot of rumors surrounding the Titanic's sinking were surfacing, especially one about how there were reports of the water being frozen over. As well as Mr. Andrews' interest in studying if it was possible. A rumor that only made Rose feel more terrible as she and Jack knew the truth behind it.

Jack and Rose had considered many times buying real rings, but they couldn't bring themselves to buy replacements for the pieces of string on their fingers. Instead, they opted to keep the strings for as long as possible, doing all they could to keep them from breaking down. But it wasn't long before the elements of nature and their finger growth eventually wore the strings out and broke. It saddened them but they then decided to buy real rings one day during their time in Montana. The strings that had broken were kept as souvenirs, tapped to the inside of Jack's drawing book.

Letters from Cora, Trudy, and Helga would arrive from time to time, though it was mainly them who were writing and sending off the letters due to how much they traveled. It was easier that way.

Cora had sent a picture of herself and Bert, giving them a glimpse of how big she had gotten and matured since they last saw her. She had begun to take art lessons, wishing to follow in her 'Uncle Jack's' footsteps.

Helga was living with her grandmother, who was growing older and frail, which was making her parents become impatient about when she would marry. A fact that worried Fabrizio to the point of becoming jealous of the thought of another man stealing her from him.

As for the Heart of the Ocean diamond, Rose couldn't bring herself to sell it or do anything with it. It was too precious to her as it represented the moment she had fully given herself to Jack, in both body and soul. It was a representation of her old life and her new one. She didn't know if she could ever let it go.

As for Cal Hockley, they had learned from the newspapers that he had married a high-class lady from a wealthy family. Something that put Jack and Rose at ease, especially since the bounty for Rose's whereabouts had seemed to be no longer active.

And finally, Trudy had gotten a new job as maid and was currently living with her parents. She also found a suitable man to court, though no word had come back if their relationship had become serious. She mentioned that Ruth had tracked her down and demanded if she knew anything about Rose, but she kept her word and refused to tell her anything.

But she also mentioned something else that greatly disturbed Rose, who immediately informed Jack after reading one of her letters. About a time when two men claiming to be from the Federal government wished to speak with her about an individual named Taylor Huston, who they claimed was a wanted criminal. Thankfully, due to never having interacted with him, they bought that she knew nothing about him.

But it was still a very worrying fact that made them more concerned than that of Ruth or Cal. A concern that they hoped would remain in their imaginations and not become reality.

Their stay in Oregon brought about a change in Tommy, who began to show signs of wanting to stay in the state. Jack knew that this day would come when the group would start to go their separate ways and live their own lives. It just a matter of time.

They had planned to leave in the first two days for Florida, which left Tommy with a difficult decision to make. Jack knew what he was going through but never confronted him or told the others. He wanted him to make the decision on his own.

Then, one day...

"Guys," Tommy announced at the dinner table one evening. "I don't know how to say this but... I've decided to stay here."

Everyone turned to him, shocked to hear him announce such a thing. Only Jack seemed to be the least bit surprised.

"I like the country here and the work pays fairly well. Even the guys I've spent time with have recommended me to their boss and... I want to see what he has to offer."

Silence followed, until Jack smiled and offered up his glass of water, "Best of luck to you, mate."

Rose and Fabrizio followed, though saddened by the news, making a toast before drinking.

"We're going to miss you," said Rose, who was struggling not to cry.

Tommy smiled as he stood up and walked around the table to hug her, "Hey, don't be so sad. We'll see each other again. Just remember to come visit when you can."

"We will," promised Jack. "Make sure to give the address of the place you're working so we can correspond with letters."

"Sounds like a deal," Tommy approached him next and the two embraced before hugging Fabrizio last.

The next day, they went out to the beach and swam in the ocean for hours before returning to the small house they were renting, where they celebrated with one last dinner together as a group.

By the next morning, three set off for a train station to head to Florida, leaving Tommy behind with some cash to begin his new life.

After a few days on the train, they finally arrived in Florida, where Fabrizio was reunited with Helga. They rented out another house by the beach, visiting Helga when they could, who was already speaking English much better than when they had first met her.

About two months into their stay did Jack start to realize a change in Fabrizio as well. The moment they began talking about finally visiting California did Fabrizio start to act strange whenever it was brought up. Like with Tommy, Jack left his Italian friend to his thoughts and let him come to a decision, even if he knew what it would be.

Then, one day, Fabrizio made it.

As they sat on the sand, looking out towards the ocean, Fabrizio turned to his friends.

"I'm staying."

Jack closed his eyes and did his best to keep the sadness within from coming out, to make this easier for his friend. It saddened him that his friend was moving on, that their days of adventure were coming to an end. But he was also happy to know that he was doing it for the right reasons.

"You're leaving too?" Rose's voice was filled with shock and sadness.

Fabrizio smiled sadly at her, "Helga's parents are pressuring her to get married and I decided to grant them their wish."

Both Jack and Rose stared at him in awe.

"You proposed?" Rose asked.
He laughed at their expressions, "I know, I'm shocked that I was able to do it too. But it's better than watching her marry some Norwegian man she barely knows. Her parents will be very disappointed, but they're have to make do with me."
"Or you two could disappear like we did," Rose teased, making them laugh until their laughter died out and silence followed.

They remained sitting there, letting the reality of the moment sink in. Eventually, they went for a swim and went back to their beach home for the night.

Over the next month, they did everything they could together, even traveling a little ways to visit some towns and swamps. It wasn't long before Helga and Fabrizio announced their engagement, which upset her parents but otherwise accepted it. Although, it made Helga's grandmother very happy.

But by the time the third month came to an end, Jack and Rose made their decision to leave for California but not before their friends' wedding.

On the day of the wedding, Jack was the Best Man, while Helga had chosen a close friend of hers as the Maid of Honor, though Rose was one of the bridesmaids. They clapped when Fabrizio and Helga were officially wedded at a small church, with a small audience. They celebrated at the ceremony and danced to their hearts content. When the time came for Fabrizio to take his wife to their home, which ended up being the house they were renting, Jack and Rose approached him.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye, old friend," Jack embraced him, followed by Rose.

Fabrizio was taken back, "You're leaving?"

"We're leaving the house to you," said Rose. "There's some money waiting in the master bedroom. Hopefully it'll help in finding a new home for you and Helga. But tonight, is supposed to be between you two."

"But... you two didn't mind when Tommy, that maid, and me were with you."

Jack and Rose laughed.

"That was our decision, and we had plenty of private times," said Jack. "But something tells me Helga will not feel the same. We already got tickets to leave tonight for California."

"But... why didn't you tell me?"

"Because we didn't want it to be hanging over your head," said Rose.

Fabrizio nodded, saddened by the news, "I'm going to miss you."

Jack and Rose nodded, smiling.

"We'll miss you too," Jack embraced him one last time. "You take care. Especially her."

"Fabrizio!" Helga cried out. "It's time to go!"

Jack laughed, "Not even to the house and she's already bossing you around."

Rose elbowed him.

"OW!"

Fabrizio laughed as he hugged Rose.

"Take care. I hope you guys have fun in California."

Rose hugged him back, "We will. Now, you better go before your bride comes looking for you."

He nodded and waved as he ran off to find his wife, leaving them alone.

Jack turned to her, "Ready?"

Rose nodded, "As I'll ever be. Let's go."

After grabbing their things by the front door of the church, they made their way to the train station, where they boarded a last-minute train ride to California.

About a few days later, they arrived at the one state they had been planning to visit for years.
Jack smiled sadly at the memories of the last three years.Now it was just him and Rose, traveling together like they promised to do. Drinking to their hearts content, riding horses, chewing tobacco, and anything else they wished to do. But Jack knew that the day would come when Rose would ask to settle down and begin a family.It scared him that his adventure days were coming to an end. It was all he had ever known since the day his parents died in the fire. But it was a day that was bound to come sooner or later. And he was more than ready to accept it. All he needed to hear was Rose's asking for it. Although, he couldn't help but wonder where they would make their home.Chippewa Falls? Somewhere in Montana? California? Or maybe North Carolina?Regardless, he hoped it was a place where he could draw to his hearts' content.He also wanted to talk to her about selling the diamond, believing that it was time to let it go and get some more money that they could use to retire off on.Returning to the question at hand, Jack smiled and put his hand over hers, "You'll do alright. And who knows, maybe it'll be a hit."Rose smiled, "You don't think Cal or mother would notice?"Jack shrugged, "Well, he hasn't found us yet and he's married now. Plus, your mom has solved her problems without you."Rose frowned, "Please don't remind me."Jack laughed as he rose from the bench, "I'll be back. Gotta use the restroom."Rose nodded as she finished the last of her ice cream, "Hurry back! I don't want to miss the sunset without you."He waved back at her as he ran to the newest bathroom, coming back out a few minutes later to rejoin his wife.
"Evening."
Jack stopped, his eyes widening.Turning around, he came face to face with an old friend he was beginning to think he would never see again. Tears filled his vision as his heart pounded against his chest like a drum.Taylor Huston stepped forward from the shadows, revealing himself into the light.Jack was taken back by his appearance. He looked older than when he last saw him. His hair was nearly white, and his face looked like it had aged nearly a decade. He looked tired, in many ways than one. There was even a scar on his face, close to his right eye, and another right on his neck.But it was his eyes that were the most different.They retained their brownish color but there something inside that gave him pause."Taylor?"Taylor smiled, walking forward as he pulled him into a hug, "It's been too long."It took a moment for Jack to hug him back, tearing up as he relished this."Where have you been?""Oh, you know. Here, there... everywhere."Jack laughed as they parted, "I mean it! Where have you been?"Taylor rolled his eyes, "Well, it's a long story. One I'm afraid I don't have time to tell."Jack's smile disappeared, "What do you mean?"Taylor reached for his backpack and placed it on the ground, reaching inside to grab a notebook and hand it over to him, "You're going to need this. And whatever you do, do not let anyone else see it."Jack frowned as he took the notebook, almost opening it until Taylor's hand grabbed his, stopping him."Look at it after I'm gone.""What is it?""A survivor's guide. One that will help you and Rose out for the next thirty years. And trust me, you're going to need it."Although confused, Jack nodded as the two stared at each other.Taylor sighed, looking over towards Rose, "You're a lucky man, Jack. So many men wish they could have what you do."He turned back to him."I'm proud of you."Jack's face started to fill with concern, "What's wrong?"He stared at him. His face now blank.It was a little scary for him to see such an expression.
What the hell has happened to you?
Taylor smiled, "I wish I can say that I just came here to just pay an old friend a visit but… I don't have a lot of time. I needed to come to say goodbye… before it's...""Before what?"Regret filled his expression as he placed his hand on his shoulder, "I have a chance to fix everything. To make things right. But..."He paused, a look of fear showing on his face for a brief second before he replaced it with a smile.Jack touched his hand, "Taylor, what's going on?"He remained silent, trying to figure out how to explain it all to him."There's something that I must do in order to make things right again. But... regardless of how it goes, I don't think I'm coming back this time."Fear struck Jack's heart as he began to understand what he was trying to say, "Then don't do it!"Taylor shook his head, "I can't. I forfeited the right to reclaim a normal life when I choose to save fifteen hundred lives. Staying was never an option for me.""But... you don't have to go-," tears were forming in Jack's eyes again.Deep down, he knew that this was different."I wanted to thank you for the amazing years we spent together. They're some of the best years of my life. I only wish we could have had more of them."Jack opened his mouth to continue but couldn't think of anything to say. His mind and voice completely failed him.Taylor's smile grew as he handed him a napkin, which he used to wipe away the tears and blow his nose."Whatever happens next, just remember to live your life to the fullest."He turned towards Rose, who was oblivious to them.Jack looked towards his wife, watching as her hair moved with the wind and skin bathing in the sun that her all the more beautiful. And somewhere in that moment, he found the strength as he nodded and turned back to his friend, embracing him."Thank you for the amazing adventures. I'll tell them to my children one day. The Adventures of Jack Dawson and Taylor Huston!"Taylor smiled, "Sounds like a best seller."They laughed with wide smiles before they slowly faded."Thank you for giving me such great adventures, Jack. In a time during my life when I was on the verge of losing myself, you helped keep me together."He paused."But now… there are no more adventures to be had. Except one."Jack felt the tears trying to come forth, but he resisted letting them fall. There would be time for that later."Thank you for coming to see me… one last time," one tear managed to fall through his eyelids.Taylor smiled, "No problem, kiddo."Suddenly, a small noise activated on the hybrid gun, drawing their attention as the hologram light turned to red.Taylor took the gun in his hand and read the message on it.
ALERT – Convergence Imminent – ALERT
Taylor's face fell as he closed his eyes and sighed.The wind brushed against them, sending a chill down Jack's spine.
"It's time."
He barely heard those words as time itself seemed to slow down.Looking back at him, Taylor offered one last smile and pulled him into a hug, "Goodbye."Jack, knowing he wouldn't get another chance, hugged him back, squeezing as hard as he could, "Good luck!"Nodding, Taylor turned away and selected something on his gun, putting in the coordinates.Jack watched as he pulled the trigger and vanished.It took everything he had not to fall to his knees or scream. He could barely contain the tears. It felt as if his own body was trying to turn against him. But remained strong and wiped away the tears before heading back to his wife."Hey, what took you so long?" she asked.Without thinking, Jack pulled her against him and hugged her, struggling not cry again. Rose, though taken aback from his embrace, moved her arms around him and hugged back.When they parted, she asked, "Where did that come from?""I just... felt like doing it.""Well, you should do it more often."He laughed as he took her hand and looked out towards the horizon, just as the sun was setting in the background. Catching it at the exact perfect moment.He couldn't help but remember when his new life of adventure began on a dark, rainy day when he met someone who would become so important in his life. And now, here he was, witnessing a sunset that would mark the beginning of a new life with the one person who could make it happen. A new beginning for the both of them.As the sun was just about to vanish over the horizon, a bright light suddenly rushed forward and engulfed them, like as if they and the world itself had suddenly ceased to exist. Until it faded and they were greeted with the last bit of the sun setting down."What just happened?" Rose asked, looking around in confusion.Jack looked around too, stunned and feeling uneasy by what had just occurred. And it wasn't just them who had experienced it either. Those who were in the park were trying to make sense of what they all had seen and felt.Staring back at the spot where he last spoke to his friend, a smiled formed on his face as a tear fell from his eye and he softly whispered, "Thank you."Rose frowned, "What?"Jack took her hand and pulled her toward him. His lips clashing against hers, pouring forth renewed passion and love. Rose gasped but quickly followed along as she kissed him back with equal passion, moving her arms around his neck and lifting one foot.Lost in their kiss under the sky, a bright shooting star passed them by.
Although this marks the end for Jack and Rose's story,

Taylor Huston's story will continue & conclude in:

"Serenity" & "Convergence"

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Thank you for reading my story!
 
Like I said in the first chapter, this whole concept was inspired by Matpat's FilmTheory video on Jack Dawson possibly being a time-traveler.  The video itself is really good and almost convinced me into believing it, UNTIL the second half of the video when it started to poke holes through that theory and I no longer believed it.  But still a good video regardless.  I was so inspired by it that I started to envision the idea of a new character who was traveling with Jack who happened to be a time-traveler.
 
Granted, the character of Taylor Huston ended up being far more than just a time-traveler, as he's also a multiversal traveler.  I started to plot out the character's story and motivations, simply that he just wants to go home after his universe became "Time Locked", meaning that all forms of travel (including time-travel) has been blocked, leaving him stranded and forced to team up with an organization known as the Guardians.  That's all I will say about the organization for now, due to upcoming plans and stories.
 
I originally wrote this story back in 2021 for FF.net and undergone some edits and changes in 2022.  Some more changes happened this year when I began to plan to bring this story over to A03, although the overall story has remained intact.
 
This story was put under the "Harry Potter" fandom for only its connections to other stories like "Redemption" and "The Mysterious Traveler".  Everything will be building up to my final story/installment in the "Megaverse Saga", which will be titled "Convergence".  Taylor's return will happen in another story called "Serenity", while "Convergence" will serve as the conclusion (to both him and the saga), thus kinda making these three a trilogy for him.  I even have his ending all mapped out.
 
Funny thing, I originally meant to kill off Taylor in this story, but I went with an entirely different ending and direction, once realizing there was more to do with him.  He's become a main player, and the events of this story will have a huge impact on the other stories, as it all can be traced back to here (hence, why this is the first installment).  We saw the positive impacts of his decision in the last chapter but now it's to time focus on the negatives, because there was a reason (several, in fact) that Prometheus and the Guardians forbid what he had done.
 
Also, I wanted to ask you what your thoughts are on if Taylor is a villain or a hero.  Or maybe even an antihero.  In fact, let's throw Prometheus in there as well.  Please let me know what your thoughts are on the two characters and who was ultimately right, if either of them were.
 
As for Jack and Rose, their story does in fact end here.  I am debating on whether to do a one-shot story to touch on them and see how things went in the coming decades, but I like the idea of leaving it up to the imagination of the readers instead.  They got their happy ending, and I believe readers can fill in the blanks from there.  Until I decide otherwise, which is less likely, this story is the official conclusion to Jack & Rose.
 
Thank you for reading, and if you wish to continue on the "Megaverse Saga", Part 2 is ready to be read.