Near, Far, Wherever You Are

i]Chapter eight

~Amanda~

My body was numb, but very warm. I slightly open my eyes and see that Harry was laying on top of me, I tried to say his name but I was so weak, and frail that I honestly couldn't move; So I decided to fall asleep. But when I tried to sleep all I could hear is the faint cries of the stranded and frozen people. It was ear splitting and it haunted me.

"Amanda....Sweetheart. We are going to board the Carpathia. You've got to wake up." Harry said, shaking my shoulder.

"Har--ry." My voice cracked.

"Come on love, try to climb up the ladder." He said to me. Rose and Jimmy were in front of us.

"I'll try." He helped me up, and braised me up, with his arm. I reached out and grabbed a step of the rope ladder.

"Come on, Amanda. Pull yourself up. I've got you." He holds onto my waist while I took the first few steps up the ladder. A few sailors of the Carpathia held out their arms to pull me up. "Amanda, sweet heart, I've got to go help the other passengers. Please go see a doctor and get war. I will find you."

"But Harry--" I said almost about to cry.

"No buts--Amanda, Is that blood on your face?" His facial expression sunk.

"Will--" Tears started to fall. "He, he...killed him self."

"What? NO! Not Murdoch!" His face was upsetting.

"I'm so sorry Harry." I hugged him.

"Harry if you see Cal or Ruth, and they ask if you have seen me tell them no. Please."

"OK...I've...I've got to go. Go see a doctor and then sit with Jimmy, I will see you soon." He hands me a cup of hot tea, kissed my cheek and left.

A steward walked up to me. "Do you need to see a doctor Miss?"

"Yes, Yes sir." I said.

"Follow me."

I followed the stewards to a room in the ship. "This is where the doctor will see you, is there anything I can get you?"

"Yes, if you see 5th Officer Harold Lowe, or 6th Officer James Moody, They're both Officers of the Titanic. can you please send them to me, or tell them where I am."

"Of course Miss. The doctor will me in soon." The steward of the Carpathia, said then left.

After awhile there was a knock on the door, and in walked a man with a leather Medicine bag. "Hello Miss, I am Dr. Johnson. Please open up and say 'ah...'" I opened my mouth and the doctor placed a tongue depressor on my tongue. He looked down my throat, and then placed a thermometer under my tongue. "My, My... You must have gone through the first stage of Hypothermia. But now you're just going to have a cold." He smiled.

"That explains why." I thought out loud.

"What dear?"

"My Fiancé, was laying on top of me...to keep me warm." I said.

"Your Fiancé, is a very smart man. Now please get some rest and drink lots of hot tea." The doctor said before leaving.

Not long after that, there was another knock on the door. "Come in." In walked Jimmy, he looked not to good.

"Hello Amanda. Harry told me to go find you. And then a steward told me where you were." He said. "How are you?"

"Well, I'll just get a cold, but I guess I went through Hypothermia. But other then that, Like hell." I said, While taking off the stiff lifebelt.

"I'm sorry."

"It's OK. How are you?"

"Well I'm also going to get a cold." He tried to smile. His dimpled cheeks were pale and not so dimply.

"That's good. Jim?"

"Hm?" He looked at me.

"You saved my life, ad I thank you so much. If it wasn't for you I would have been raped and left in the ship. So I thank you." I embraced him in a sibling like, yet warm hug.

"If It wasn't for you, I would have froze to death. Thank you." He says to me. We broke our embrace. "Come on, I've got to take you to the other Passengers." He said getting up. I stood up and through the blanket over my head to cover my black hair.
We walked out onto the boat deck were the steerage was. I see Harry talking to a woman who wore her blanket in the same manor I was wearing mine. "Harold!" He looked up and smiled to me, I walk to him with Jim walking behind me. I kiss him hard and passionately . Jim and the woman turned away. We break apart, "I thought I lost you. I prayed and prayed that your OK." He hugged me tight, not wanting to let go.

"I know, I'm glad you're alright. I love you so much, Harry." I looked into his eye; there was tears forming.

"I love you too." He kissed my cheek.

"Um Amanda, there is some one who is desperately wanting to see you." He grinned, trying to hide how tired he was.

"Harry, if its mother or Cal, I have nothing to do with them." I said in a grim voice.

"I know, but she is really wanting to see you."

"OK, OK. I'll see this person." He motions to the woman, who he was talking to. She walks over and our eyes meet, I know those icy blue eyes from anywhere.
"Rose? Oh my god! I knew you were OK! I knew that was you, who Harry pulled in the boat after Jimmy and I. But I past out." I hugged her tightly.
"I know, sister. And you guys are the only ones that will know that Rose Dewitt Bukater is alive." She said looking to the three of us.

"You have our word." Harry said.

"Sir, I don't think you'll find any of your people down here, it's all steerage." We all heard a steward say about thirty yards away.
I turned slightly, to see Cal. He must be looking for us. "Guys look depressed." I said covering my face as Rose did the same. The two men sunk their faces and took off their hats, while still standing. Rose and I huddled together on a bench.

"You! Two!" Cal said.

"Yes sir?" Jimmy's voice cracked.

"You haven't seen my fiancé or her sister, have you?" I heard Cal's voice from behind us.

"No sir, I haven't been able to find them." Harry whispered, faking a tear or too.

"Oh, well then. Good bye." I could hear him turn on his heals. "Oh Mr. Lowe, she would have been better off with my brother. But the slut she was, god had to punish her , for sleeping with a dirty sailor." He laughed then walked off. I could see Harry and Jim was gripping their hats so tight, that their knuckles started going white. What Cal said hurt but, I wasn't worried about it. He wasn't apart of my life any more.

"Harry...." I said.

"He shouldn't have said that about you. It was completely uncalled for." He growled.

"I know but he is now just a face. So I don't really care. Now, you two please calm down." I said.

"OK, but if I see that man ever again, I will beat the shit out of him." He growls. His chocolate brown eyes were filled with anger.

I shoved my fists into my pants pockets, hitting something hard. I clasped my hand around the metal object and pulled it out, It was a gold pocket watch with the initials 'W. M. M.' carved on the back. 'It was Will's.' I felt a tear slide down my cheek, As I watched it fall and land on the casing of the watch.

"Amanda, where did you get that lovely watch?" Rose asks, while placing a hand on my shoulder. I clasped my fingers around it.

"A good friend bet it in a poker game and I won it. I tried to give it back to him, but he refused." I said, as another tear rolled down my cheek.

"'W.M.M.' what does that stand for?" she asked.

"William McMaster Murdoch." I choked a sob.

"Oh." She said in a low tone.

"Will was a good friend of Jim's and I. And also a great Officer. He shall and will be greatly missed." Harry's voice croaked, as a tear tried to escape him.

I hugged him tightly. I could feel his warmth seeping through his wool coat. His hands slipped into my coat pocket, a confused look fell upon his face as he pulls out my hand bag.
"Amanda, what's this?" He said holding the hand bag.

"I figured I may need them."I said. He the clasp of the bag and see the jewels that where in it.

"Please, tell me. this isn't the reason you didn't get on the boat with Lights and Hitchens." He glowered.

"No Harry, I didn't get on the boat because Rose and I had to find Jack... and...and..."

"And what?" His voice was cold. "Amanda, I could have lost you. You could have died on that ship and I would never forgive myself for loosing you."

"Harry, when I found Amanda, She was in a corridor,err..." Jim looked at me. "Well, that man slave of Hockley's was trying to take advantage of her." Jim then looked down to his feet.

"WHAT! That scum! If I ever see Lovejoy, I will kill him. Brutally kill him!" Harry growled vigorously.

"Harry let it rest. The guy is probably dead and It's not now. I am alive and and with you." I kiss him softly on the lips, to ease the tension.