Near, Far, Wherever You Are

~Harry~

Today I had to meet the new recruits at the pier. Unfortunately I have to set sail on the Baltic on the twentieth of June, which is two days after Amanda and I get back from our honeymoon. Our original plan was to just stay home, but Molly insisted that she would pay for everything. Oh how am I ever going to repay that woman. Smiling at the thought, I finally reached the pier in full White Star Line Uniform.

Ten men lined up, each one of them had the same emotionless look plastered upon their face. "Gentleman, meet Officer Harold Lowe." Chief Officer Jason Tunstall said. I looked over them, the last of them was being quite figity as soon as he heard my name.

Shaking each of the young men's hand from right to left, each one of them knodding their heads with respect. The last one kept his head down, "Sailor, state your name." I ordered.

"Dawson sir, Jack Dawson." He looked up, I honestly couldn't believe what I saw. I am staring at a dead man, or what I thought was dead. Feeling the anger boiling up inside me, narrowing my eyes, "Gentleman, you're excused. Except for you Dawson." My voice was bitten with anger.

As soon as the recruits were out of ear shot, I glared at Jack and grabbed ahold of him by the lapels of his coat. "Explain. Now!"

"Harry--I"

"Do you have any idea how much you put Rose in grief. That girl was a mess when the Carpathia picked us up. She is a mess now! Damn it Jack, you are supposed to be dead. Rose saw you dead!" My knuckles began to turn white. I was absolutely royally angry at him, how could he not tell Rose or anyone that he was alive!

"Harry I am sorry! I wanted to find a job, make a stable living for Rose and I. I don't want her to go through the shit I went through. I love her to damn much for that to happen!" Jack said. Releasing his coat and my face softening a bit.

"Fine, what we are going to do is I'm going to buy you a pint, and you are going to tell me how you lived." I said to him, before we walked to the nearest pub.

---

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"I don't know what happened, I heard her say there was a boat, I tried to move but I couldn't I was so frozen and stiff my muscles were seized." He took a sip of his beer. "When she let go of my hand I felt water enclosing over my face, filling my nose. I thought to myself, that I must live. That I have to be there for Rosé and Amanda. So when I finally got the strength to kick to the top, I reached the surface and there was nobody insight. The boat she was picked up in was long gone yards away from earshot. I rolled onto the plank of wood she was on I fought to stay warm." Another sip. "A little after dawn boats came to retrieve bodies, they found me and I told them not to tell anyone I'm alive except those who should, like doctors and all that sort of stuff.
After that I got a job with White Stars and here I am now." Jack shrugged while finishing off the pint of beer.

"We'll Jack, that is one hell'ova story there, kid. You do know Rosé and Amanda needs to know that you're alive and well." My face was stern. This is something you can't keep from your loved ones.

"I know. Just not yet, I am currently looking for a house to buy before I tell her." The boy sunk his head in shame.

"I see, so did you know Rose was here?" I now finished my first pint, then signaling the bartender for another for a second. I definitely planned on getting drunker than a skunk tonight, because this this is far to much to handle right now. I have to keep someone's life a secret from my fiancé and soon to be sister-in-law.

"Honestly I thought she stayed in New York but when I heard White Star Lines was hiring for a crew I applied and I ended up here. Not expecting you to be one of the Officers." Jack chuckled awkwardly.

"Oi! I tell you what, the house next door just went up for sale not long ago it's only about nine hundred pounds. It's small and quaint; how 'bout that?" I suggested. It's not at all a bad idea, and it would be good for you and Rose."

"That's a great idea. I will definitely consider your offer thank you so much, Harold!" Dawson was ecstatic, his face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Glad to help, mate!" I grinned as I took another mouth full of beer.



It was around nine when we decided to call it a night, or when the bartender cut us off. I was stumbling everywhere and slurring my words when Jack and I left the pub. "The last time I had this much fun was at the steerage party!" Jack laughed, he to was stumbling and slurring his words everywhere.

Walking through the door wasn't the hard part, it was getting past my fiancé without waking her up. With her being pregnant it was scary waking her up; her mood swings lash out, nearly breaking my nose once.

Setting my hat down on the hat rack, slipping off my coat, I tiptoed through the front room, before getting busted by my fiancé.

"And where have you been Harold Godfrey Lowe!?" Amanda was standing there in nothing but my undershorts and a white button-down shirt.

Oh shit, what am I supposed to tell her 'Oh I was just having a pint with your sister's dead lover!'[\i] I have to come up with a lie and fast. "I was having a few drinks with the boys at the shipyard." I grinned.

"Harry you had me worried sick." She had her hands on her hips whilst tapping her foot. She was royally pissed off.

"I apologize love. I wasn't intending to stay out as long as I did. Do you forgive this old sailor?" I wrapped my arms around her waist.

She looked at me skeptically then a wide grin transformed across her beautiful face, "Oh alright."

"Does that mean I'm forgiven?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," she paused, as I gave her a peck on the cheek. "And you're not old!" She slapped her dainty hand against my chest.

"I love you," I kissed her cheek again, "I truly do."

"I love you too Harold." She smiled sheepishly up at me.

"Come on love, you're tired. Lets go to bed." She smiled again as we descended to our room, taking it slowly as we both rolled into the bed, and as I turned out the light, Amanda released a very loud gasp.
"What is it dear?" I asked alarmed while turning on the lamp.

"Oh Harry! Look!" She grabbed my hand and placed it on her slightly showing stomach. Something was moving around in there. "The baby is moving and kicking!" She grinned.

"Wow that is just incredible! I cannot believe it!" I was beyond happy. I was going to be a father and Amanda, my future wife is going to be the mother of this beautiful child.
I love this woman and our child.
I am the happiest man alive. I have all that I could ever ask for.