Dear Fate

Holly smiled as she followed Olivia off of the ship. She knew that it was probably in bad taste, but she simply couldn't help it. James was alive. She could still hardly believe it. In fact, she kept expecting to wake up and find that this had all just been a wonderful, yet cruel, dream.

She kept looking around for James, and then remembered that he had some stuff to take care of with Harry first and that he would meet her again later in the week. She honestly didn't know how she was going to cope for several days without him. Now that they had been separated and Holly had been under the impression that he had died, she wanted to spend every waking moment with him.

"Where are your parents meant to be?" Holly asked Olivia as they finally reached the ground.

"I'm not sure. I think they are sending a driver. Although, that might not be the case anymore after… what happened," Olivia trailed off.

Holly nodded and both girls looked around the large crowd of people but gave up after about five minutes as there was really no use in trying to find them.

"Miss Hamilton?"

Both girls looked up to see an older man in probably his fifties had pushed his way to the front of the mob and was peering down at her curiously.

"Yes?" Olivia asked politely.

"Good, I am here to pick you up and deliver you to your parents," the old man said, smiling kindly.

Olivia smiled and nodded, but Holly could tell she was a little hurt that her parents hadn't come for her personally. She knew that they were aware she was alive, as a message had been sent through the Carpathia message system to them, but it still would have been nice to see them there. Both girls followed wordlessly behind the older man until they reached a sleek black car. He opened the door for the both of them and they slid inside.

"It might take a bit longer to get to your home, as they streets are quite crowded," the old man said as he slid into the front seat.

Olivia nodded but again said nothing. The rest of the car ride was spent in silence, and in a little under an hour, they reached a rather large townhouse. The little old man exited the car and opened the door for the two girls. They both stepped out and immediately headed into the house. Olivia made her way to the parlor room, where she knew her parents would be, and Holly made to go off into the kitchen.

"Stay with me."

Holly turned around to see Olivia clutching her arm, looking at her rather scared, as if afraid that if Holly left she'd never see her again.

"Oli- Miss, I hardly think that is proper," Holly corrected herself rather quickly. She had to remember where she was now.

"After everything we've been through, you're reverting back to that?" Olivia asked, disgust present in her voice.

"Olivia, it doesn't matter what we've been through. Your parents did not go through it with us, and therefore they would not understand," Holly told her gently.

"Just- just come into the room with me. Stand against the wall if you have too, just come with me. I fear I don't have the courage to face this alone," Olivia smiled sadly.

Holly returned the small smile and together they made their way into the parlor. They'd barely made two steps in before there was a shrill scream.

"Oh, Olivia Mae! I've been so worried!" Mrs. Hamilton flung herself at her daughter.

Holly took a step back to observe the room. Besides Olivia's parents, there was a young man in his early twenties, who Holly could only guess was Olivia's fiancé. Beside him was a man in his late forties and a woman who looked almost identical to the young man, besides being a woman, who Holly could only assume was his parents.

Mrs. Hamilton fawned over her daughter for several more minutes before introductions were finally made, in which Holly was proven right. Henry Wellington stepped forward and grasped Olivia's dainty hand in his rather large one.

"My dear, I am terribly sorry for what you've had to go through. I only wish we were meeting under less tragic circumstances," he said, his suave voice soft and rather comforting.

Olivia nodded her head with a polite smile. She turned to her mother.

"Mother, I am terribly sorry for being so impolite, but I fear I am rather exhausted. Would it be alright if I were to go have a nap?" she asked.

"Of course, dear, of course. Holly!"

Holly snapped to attention as the Wellington's looked over at her, having just noticed she was in the room.

"Yes ma'am?" Holly asked politely, stepping forward.

"Take Olivia up to her room and make sure she is quite comfortable for her nap. Get her out of these dreadful rags," Mrs. Hamilton said disdainfully, looking at the dress Olivia had received on the Carpathia in disgust.

"Yes ma'am," Holly curtsied and followed Olivia out of the room.

"Well that was exhausting," Olivia said loudly when they were in the hallway.

"Sh! I'm sure they can still hear you!" Holly said frantically.

"I don't care. Come on, let's go find my room. I don't know how she expected you to know where it was when you were on the ship with me. It's like she forgot you were there," Olivia said, walking up the staircase.

"She doesn't care about my wellbeing. I'm surprised she remembered my name," Holly grumbled, following Olivia up the stairs.

Olivia laughed, "I am surprised as well."

They reached the landing of the second floor and began opening doors, looking for one that looked like it might be Olivia's. The third door they opened looked promising. The room was large, with a large bed on one side of the room and a vanity directly across from it. There was a dresser in there as well, and two doors which Holly assumed was a bathroom and closet. There were two chairs with a small table in between them and a balcony on the opposite side of the room. There was also a small couch at the end of the bed, facing the room.

Olivia stepped in and immediately began stripping off the clothes she was wearing. Holly went to go rifle through the dresser, looking for something that Olivia could slip on to nap in. She finally found something and turned around to hand it to Olivia, only to find her already asleep in the bed in her undergarments, laying on top of the blanket. Holly smiled and shook her head before walking over to the bed and pulling the covers out from under her friend, pulling the back over her. She then made her way over to the couch at the end of the bed and sank into it, pulling her legs up and falling asleep as well.