Time Change Everything (Titanic Fanfic) ON HOLD

Chapter 11

Kate's POV

When we reach the gates, we see a small family of five huddled up against the wall; they've given up on the guards.

"Open the gate!" Jack demands as we press ourselves up against the cold metal.

"Go back down the main stairwell."

"I said open the gate!"

"Jack," I whisper, making him pull away.  "Please sir.  Look at this situation logically.  If you let us out, you'll have time to get to the boats, and you'll have saved our lives.  Plus, there's only nine people here!  Why not just open the gates and help us?"

"Because we have specific orders not to open them," the other guard explains.

"Yes, but the reason you've been given those orders are to keep it less crowded up there.  There's only nine people you're jeopardizing, so why not save our lives, as well as yours, and unlock the gates."

One man ponders this for a second, but the other doesn't hesitate to pull out his keys and begin fumbling with the lock.

"Thank you very much, sir!" I exclaim, kissing him on the cheek.  Jack gawks at me, and then pulls me along angrily.

"Why'd you do that?" he asks as everyone else moves to get to the boats.  We're left alone in the hallway.

I smile, innocently and hold up the ring of keys.  "I have someone that I need to see."  I duck underneath his arm and dash down the hallway, him at my heels.  I can tell by his gruff attitude, that he's still both confused and angry.  We turn left at the stairs.

"Kate!  The deck is up," he says, obviously still ticked.

"I'm not trying to go up."  He rolls his eyes, but follows me anyway.  Jack gasps as he sees where we're going.  At the end of the hallway is another gate, but this time, we aren't trapped.  We're on the side with the guards, but they haven't noticed us yet.  The first face I see is Cora's, the little girl from the dance.

"You kissed him for Cora."  I turn around and gently reach up and bring his head down to mine.

"If you'd've known, I bet you never would've been angry at me."

He scoffs.  "I was never angry at you."

I don't buy it, but instead of telling him that, I turn around and pressure-point the one guard at the gate on his shoulder.  He drops to the ground, unconscious.

Jack gets to work opening the gates.

"Uncle Jack!" Cora exclaims, excitedly, her parents smiling behind her.  When the gates are opened, the little girl runs into his arms.  Her parents approach me while all of the other people rush for the deck.  Cora's mother holds a baby in her arms.

"Her name is Caroline.  We need to go back and find our son.  Can you make sure she's safe?"  Her eyes tear up as she place the baby in my arms.  I nod.

"Common Jack," I say, determined not to cry.  I know we will never see them again.

"Wait, where are they going?" he asks as the parents move back down the stairs.

"To look for their son.  We have to go."

He nods and picks up Cora.  The little girl clutches to him, just as the baby in my arms grabs onto my finger.  She laughs, her sound of joy echoing through the hallways.

When we reach the deck, Jack pushes Cora towards me.

"Get to the boat!" he yells over the crowd.

"Not without you!" I yell back, firmly grasping Cora's hand.

"We aren't letting men on at this time, ma'am.  Now, please, make haste and get onto the boat," states one of the stewards.

"Please!  I need him!  I won't be able to support these children without him," I say, racking my brain for anything, everything that will convince him.  Jack then catches up to me.

"Get on the boat."  I turn back to the steward and use the only thing I know that might work.

"I'm pregnant."

"WHAT?" Jack exclaims, looking at my stomach.  I have to hold back my smile.  I find it funny that he would actually believe that lie.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I can't let you on."

I think for a moment, and then see Fabrizio.  "Fabri!  Come here!" I yell.  "Let him take my place," I say to the steward.  "I refuse to leave Jack, but I won't let my children die, too."

Fabrizio comes over.  "No boats!"  he exclaims angrily. 

"No, Fabri.  There is a boat.  You'll take my place.  Can you watch the kids for me?" I ask.  He smiles and takes Cora's hand and the baby from my arms.  I laugh when he puffs his chest out and proclaims that he is a family man now.  I hug him one last time.  "Thank you so much."

Jack and I watch as the boat is lowered with Fabrizio, Cora, and the baby.  "Why didn't you go?"

I turn to look at him.  "Because Cora, Fabrizio, and the baby would have died if I wasn't here, and I might still be able to help people."

"But..." He leans down and puts a hand over my stomach, staring in awe as it rises and falls with each breath I take.

"Jack, I'm not pregnant.  It was a ruse to get permission for you to get on the boats."

"So you aren't pregnant?" I shake my head, but then my eyes widen.

"Well, I guess I could be."

"What do you mean you 'could be'?" he exclaims, looking back down at my belly.

"Well, considering all that's happened this afternoon, and- Oh my God!  I might be pregnant!"  My head falls in my face, the worry evident in my drooped shoulders and quick breaths.

Jack stands back up, and lifts my chin up with his finger.  "I would love it if you carried my child."  That's all the encouragement I need to grab his face with one of my hands and kiss him will all the passion I have inside me.  My other hand weaves around his neck and tugs on his hair, causing him to open his mouth wider for me.  He soon dominates the kiss, making my knees go weak as his tongue scrapes against mine in relentless love play.

"If the ship weren't sinking right now, I'd drag you to your room and make slow, sweet love to you right now."  I shudder at the pleasure that I know would await me if that were to happen, and Jack kisses me again, hungrily and strongly this time.

We break apart quickly as a gunshot sounds behind us, and I jerk away from the noise, burying my face in Jack's shirt.  I fear that the next bullet may come in our direction.  Sensing my fear, Jack pulls me to the stairs, away from the gun, away from the screams, away from reality.

"Let's go find another gate."