My Clarity

Chapter three

It was truly terrifying to see a young woman in such distress, dangling from the back of the Titanic, with just a dim light up above them. At initial glance, Jack had believed her to be a steerage passenger, lost or perhaps, erratic, judging by the breathing, suppression of sobs and the sounds of her feet but as soon as she had passed, with the fine silken threads of her gown trailing behind like a ghostly bride, he had known that the girl was certainly one of his peers.

For a woman, assuming unmarried, to be out on decks alone at night, especially with Jack around was surely enough to ruin her. Of course, to him, none of that mattered. The societal rule book was thrown overboard as soon as he had seen how she extended her arms out widely and sobbed into the seemingly dead night.

Approaching her quietly, so not to spook her, Jack ceased smoking his cigarette so that the smoke wasn't visible and edging his feet closer, until he could clearly see the back of her head and the luxurious long strands of copper red curls in a disarray about her shoulders, back and face. Her side profile was pretty enough, but it was after he had spoken, and she whipped her head about to face him that he felt as though he had been whacked in the chest by his sparring partner; hard enough to wind him anyway.

As watery lined, beautiful green eyes focused to sharpen upon him. Jack's vision was more serrated than ever known. She. Was. Stunning.

Dishevelled? Yes. Upset? Very much so. Breath-stealing in vision? Absolutely.

With a dress torn over the shoulders and down, exposing the strains of her breasts upon the tightened tops of her gown, they heaved with the way in which she breathed. Erratic. Panicked, perhaps. Their gazes locked, luring him into her in a way Jack Dawson had never encountered, so much, that he almost forgot the girl was on the verge of suicide.

''Stay back. Don't come any closer.'' The girl's voice pierced through his ears, lulling him back into reality.

''Just give me your hand, I will pull you to safety.'' Jack extended his hand, taking a few shifting steps to her but then she fired back again.

''No, stay where you are. I mean it, I can so easily let go and I will do, so.''

The icy warning within her voice should have ceased him, perhaps he should have left her there to contemplate life-or death, whichever appealed the most to her. This was his first night above the maiden voyage and already, it had taken a drastic turn of which one couldn't comprehend. Taking a deep inhale of his cigarette, Jack indicated to her that he was to throw the last of it overboard, to gain closer inspection of her. Once he watched it disappear into a darkened abyss, he thrust his hands into his pockets.

Now, this was the challenge.

''No, you won't.''

''What do you mean, no I won't? Do not presume to tell me what I will and will not do, how could you think that you know me?''

Her tongue was sharp. As sharp as her gaze had been. Falling under the icy spell of hers was bound for a disaster.

''Well, ma'am, I think if you truly wished to jump, then you would have by now.''

''How can I, when you're distracting me.'' She turned, her eyes bearing into him, full of such intensity. ''Oh, go away.'' Turning back to the darkened ocean below her, she was panting again; truly panicking or perhaps in a muddle.

''I wish I could, but I am involved now.''

Off the cuff, Jack removed his outer suit jacket and hung it over the bar of the rail.

''If you let go, then I shall be forced to jump in there after you.''

''Don't be ridiculous.'' She blinked, as though sobriety was hitting her fast. Or perhaps reality. ''You would be killed.''