Titanic

Chapter Seventeen

Elizabeth paced the living room as Lucy stood near by. She had woken when she heard the door slam. She had been afraid something had happened between the couple.

Looking up as the door opened and Thomas burst through. The look on his face and the sweat covering his forehead let Elizabeth know the worst had happened.

"Lucy get Heather up and dressed. Put on your life jacket," Thomas instructed not waiting for her response before he marched to the bedroom.

Elizabeth looked at the girl and nodded towards Heather's room. Once she had gone in, Elizabeth followed Thomas into the bedroom. Closing the door behind her.

"What happened?" She asked watching as he ripped her warmest coat from the wardrobe. He was frantic barely stopping to take a breath.

He didn't answer. His hands pulling at doors until he found the life jacket for his wife. He threw it on the bed with the coat moving to walk passed her again.

"Thomas, what happened?" She asked catching his arm. When he looked at her, his eyes reflected emptiness and worry.

He cupped her face. Kissing her lips as she held on to his arms. It felt like he was forcing years worth of love and passion into the kiss.

"The ship, it's going to sink. It hit an iceberg. Too many compartments flooded and it is going to go down. In an hour or so, all of this will be at the bottom of the Atlantic," he said. His voice shaking as he held his wife.

She opened and closed her mouth numerous times. Nothing came out. She didn't know what to say. There was nothing to say.

"Put on your coat and life jacket. I need to get you three to a boat," Thomas said and Heather's tired voice sounded in the living room.

Elizabeth dressed quickly, tying her life jacket as quick as she could before she grabbed one of her other coats and ran out.

"Lucy take this and put it on," she said throwing her the coat and moving to remove her maids bonnet on her head.

"She'll have a chance of being on the boat if this is on," Elizabeth said rushed as she felt her husbands questioning gaze on her.

"How long do we have?" Elizabeth asked looking to him as Heather struggled to stay awake lying on his shoulder.

He looked at his watch. The boats were being readied as they spoke. They needed to be there as quick as possible. He needed to be sure his family were safe.

The look was enough. She ran off to the bedroom and collected what she wanted off the bed. Moving back quickly, she turned around looking at the bedroom, all their clothes, jewellery, Thomas' notes. Everything. It'll all be gone.

"Elizabeth, we have to go," Thomas said pulling his wife away from the door. He held her hand making sure she'd follow him as he pulled them along.

He looked back every now and again to make sure Lucy was still following them. He rushed passed the people heading for their rooms. The quiet nature of the passengers was bothering him. How could they not be frightened?

Elizabeth opened the door to the deck where the boats were being launched from. Nobody was out there. The crew were readying the boats but most passengers were still inside.

"Turn to the right! Pull the falls taut before you unchock. Have you never had a boat drill?" Thomas asked spotting that the men had no idea what to do with the boats.

He handed Heather to his wife in a fury as he marched over. There was no time to waste with these.

"No sir! Not with these new davits, sir," the man replied as Thomas took over and started showing them how to do it quickly.

"Tom! Molly look!" Elizabeth said spotting her aunt near one of the boats further up the deck. She held Heather tightly to her chest before they rushed towards them.

Groups were quickly starting to emerge from inside now that more boats were ready to take them off. The first class still attempting to be a head above everyone else.

Thomas took Heather once more. Giving her a squeeze and kissing her head. He turned to his wife pulling her from Molly for a second. He kissed her as she held on to the lapels of his jacket.

"Goodbye for a little while... only for a little while. Go with mummy. Hold mummy's hand and be a good girl," a man near by said as they pulled back making Elizabeth look up.

"You- you're not coming?" Elizabeth asked staring up at her husband. She couldn't leave without him. They've done everything together for the last eight years.

Thomas looked at her. She could see right through his lies but it was worth a shot for now. He needed her and his daughter safe.

"Not yet, my love. Just women and children for now. I'll get on one in a bit," he said kissing her cheek before he set about getting them on board.

Molly settled into the boat before turning back and holding her hands out for Heather. Thomas kissed her forehead again before handing her to his wife.

"I- I can't. I love you," Thomas said kissing her once more before he turned and walked away. He couldn't face saying goodbye to them.

Elizabeth stared at the back of his head as he walked away. He wouldn't do that. That's not the way Thomas was.

Putting her hand in her pocket, she took out what she had taken off the bed and put it into Heathers pocket.

Thomas wouldn't just leave. He couldn't face saying goodbye. He wasn't getting off this ship.

"Lucy go. Give me a second with Heather," Elizabeth said setting her daughter down and looking at her. She helped Lucy into the boat before bending down to her daughters height.

"Now... you're going to go with aunt Molly and Lucy for now okay? You're going to go on a smaller boat. Remember, mummy and daddy love you, so, so much," Elizabeth whispered kissing her daughters head before she lifted her again.

Placing her in Molly's arms, the older woman tucked Heather into her side as the girl started to cry. She didn't want to leave her mother or father. Turning back, Molly held her hand out to help Elizabeth in. Only, she was moving further away.

"Take care of her, please," Elizabeth said with pleading eyes before she turned. Ignoring the shouts from her aunt was hard. But she needed to find Thomas.

"Elizabeth Andrews! Get back here right now!" Molly shouted standing in the boat watching her blonde hair as someone reached out for her.

Feeling a hand on her arm she stopped, turning she saw Murdoch looking at her. He was waiting for her so he could lower the boat. Thomas wanted her safe. He had seen it.

She looked into his eyes before looking back at her aunt and Lucy who had pleading looks on their faces watching her. She looked at Murdoch again. Her eyes said enough.

"Are you- go on, go. I'll make sure she gets down safe," Murdoch promised. By the look on her face, she wasn't getting on a boat without her husband. He couldn't hold her from that.