You Jump, I Jump >> Jack Dawson (Titanic)

ONE; ship of dreams

Elizabeth's POV

The day my parents finally decided to leave England was the day I felt like I might be free. After spending most of my life here, though I was born in America, I was finally going back. When I was four, my parents dragged me to Southampton to raise me in a more "classy and extravagant" environment, "more fit for a lady." Which made me hate the place even more the older I got.

Now seventeen, I'm almost an adult and can escape the rich, ugly grasp of my snobby parents. My father, Thomas Michael Evergreen, was the owner of a large oil company in the US, and a railroad company in England, hence the move. My mother, Martha Sue Waterman-Evergreen, was born to a poor family and was betrothed to my father because he thought she was pretty. Of course she was forced to marry him because he was rich, and all her parents wanted for her was money. As my parents want for me.

There was only one reason my parents were taking us back to America - they were introducing me to the son of my father's best friend, a railroad company owner. The son, whose name was James, was only to inherit his father's money after marriage. And because both of our parents were rich, sharing the wealth would only add to their already-rich status.

"Miss?" Reggie said, holding out his hand from the opening of the car door. "We've arrived."

"How many times must I tell you, Reggie?" I said, taking the young butler's hand and stepping out of the car. "Please call me Beth."

"My apologies, miss," he said, causing me to raise an eyebrow. "I mean Beth."

Reggie was a year older than myself at eighteen, and he'd been working for my parents as a butler for five years. He was a small boy, very thin and clearly poor. But after taking the job, his black hair was slicked back and his brown eyes would shimmer every time he looked at me. It had been obvious since we met that he'd loved me. I'd shut him down a million and one times, but he still tried to pursue me, despite how my father forbid it. I saw Reggie as more of a brother, than anything.

"Formalities, Reginald," My mother corrected as he helped her out of the car as well.

"My apologies, ma'am," he said, letting go of her hand and waiting for my father. "Shall I get the bags, sir?"

"Yes, thank you," My father replied. Reggie grabbed the suitcases from the back and carried them all as he followed us to security. I looked up at the ship, entitled the RMS Titanic, admiring the beauty of the vessel. Moving back to America would be a new kind of freedom for me, as I could finally go to a school that doesn't spend hours a day correcting you on how to sit or hold a cup of tea. "Are you impressed, my dear daughter? Isn't she a beauty?"

"She's big," I said, trying not to seem as impressed in front of my father, as to never be the daughter he wanted me to be. "Though I'm unsure about pretty."

"Hard to impress, isn't she, dearest?" He said to my mother, earning a nod. "Well, I had to get the best and fastest ship to take us home. Personally, I'd say I did just that."

"I'm just ready to get out of here," I said to myself, shifting in my uncomfortably large blue dress.

As I stepped into the ship, I was welcomed by an employee. "Welcome, Miss Evergreen, to the RMS Titanic."

Jack's POV

"Sven?" I looked over at one of the two men betting their Titanic tickets in a game of poker. We swapped cards as I exhaled a puff of smoke from my cigarette. I silently prayed we were winning this round. I set the card down in a small pile and drew from the deck. I stared across the table, the stopwatch ticking on the table, adding to the otherwise silent tension of the game. "Alright," I set down my cigarette. "Moment of truth. Somebody's life is about to change... Fabrizio?" He set down his hand. "Niente."

"Niente," he repeated.

"Olaf?" I asked. He set down his hand. "Nothing. Sven?" Sven set down his hand. "Uh oh. Two pair. I'm sorry, Fabrizio." He started yelling. "I'm sorry! You're not gonna see your mom again for a long time... 'cause we're going to America! Full house, boys! Woohoo!!!"

> moments later >

Fabrizio and I ran to the ship with only a moment to spare with everything we owned in sacks on our backs. We sprinted to the entrance right as the ship began to pull away. "Wait! We're passengers!" I yelled.

"Have you been through the inspection que?" The doorman asked.

"Of course." A moment of convincing later, Fabrizio and I were in our room, claiming our bunks that we'd rightfully won in that bar. Both of us were so excited for America. I was going home, and he was going for the first time.

Home. Now that's a word I haven't thought about in a long time.