Written by Melissa Kalson
Based on some situations originated by James Cameron.

7:00 PM
Thursday, April 11, 1912
On Board the RMS Titanic

The luxurious liner RMS Titanic had just left Queenstown, Ireland and was now headed for the open sea.

The passengers in each class were settling down to life on board, prepared to spend the next week in the lap of luxury, even the third class passengers, who weren't used to such a luxury. For indeed, even the third class on Titanic was equal to the first class area on some of the other White Star Line ships and other shipping lines, as well.

Up on the boat deck, a young first class woman, Miss Anneliese Barton, was gazing out over the waters, so deep and mysterious, while trying to figure out what to do with a pesky suitor who kept troubling her.

He had followed her now for months, from one place to another, begging for her to marry him. And she would have none of it.

Why, the gentleman was absolutely loathsome, and she'd have nothing to do with him. But she could hear his footsteps, for he had boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg, knowing full well that Anneliese Barton had boarded in Southampton. And not wanting to be too obvious, he had waited a day and boarded in Cherbourg with some of the other first class passengers, including Molly Brown, the Astors, and Mr. Benjamin Guggenheim and his mistress.

Frank Mayfield followed the stunning young woman, aware that he was making a nuisance of himself, but he was desperately in love with Miss Anneliese Barton, and he did so want to marry her. He felt sure, too, that if he persisted long and hard enough she would eventually fall in love with him, if she weren't already, and then marry him.

7:30 PM

Anneliese turned around to find the man fast approaching, and she pulled her shawl tightly about herself and turned to face the man, willing to have this end now. For she didn't want him to ruin her time on board this beautiful ship.

She stood up to her full height of five feet, four inches, and said, "Excuse me, Mr. Mayfield. You must cease and desist from following me. If you do not stop and you persist with this, I will have to bring this to the attention of the captain of this ship."

He was dismayed, and said, "Oh, but Miss Barton, I only want to declare my feelings for you, to let you know how much you mean to me. I love you, my darling Anneliese."

She was horrified, and said, "I don't know you, really, Mr. Mayfield. Please, I'm asking you to leave me alone."

He turned to leave, and said huffily, "Well, then, this isn't over with yet, Miss Barton. I can assure you of that." And he walked away hurriedly, hands in his trouser pockets.

She was now definitely troubled and wondered if she should find one of the ship's officers and have this brought to the attention of the captain. No, she thought to herself. She would wait it out. Perhaps he might get the idea now that his attentions were unwanted and most heartily unwelcome.

8:00 PM

Anneliese took a deck chair, and almost immediately a steward appeared by her side, waiting to be of any assistance.

She smiled at the young man, who was obviously nervous, and said warmly, "I would like a cup of hot tea, please, sir, with a wedge of lemon and sugar, as well, if you wouldn't mind."

He bowed gallantly, nodded, and then left in the direction of the galley.

8:10 PM

He returned soon, bringing a cup of hot tea, complete with the saucer, a little table to set them on, and then set it all down with the spoon, sugar bowl, creamer, and a little plate with lemon wedges on it, all set neatly upon a lace doily.

Anneliese was enchanted with the service, as would be expected in first class on any ship, but then again, she thought with a smile, this was not just any ship. This was the Titanic, the world's largest ship, and supposedly unsinkable.

She sat there for some time, lost in thought, when she heard a chair being pulled up next to her, and she turned and was dismayed to find Mr. Mayfield sitting next to her.

Anneliese stood up hurriedly, leaving her cup of tea sitting there, and said, in a most agitated voice, "Please, sir, I have asked you to leave me alone. Your attentions are most unwanted, and most heartily unwelcome. I've asked you very kindly, sir. And now, I'll have to bring this to the attention of the..."

Like a predator, he reached out and grasped her arm in a vise-like grip, pulled her up to him, and hissed, "No. I'm not going to take that, Anneliese. I love you and I want you to marry me. Please…can't I make you love me somehow?" Then he reached over, touched her face with his hand while she cringed and tried to back away, and said, in a low, menacing voice, "I won't take no for an answer. Now, just come with me, Anneliese."

And he started trying to walk away, holding onto her tightly. Anneliese was beginning to become frightened. She could feel her heart pounding violently inside her chest and tears filling her eyes. As she walked past the railing, she grasped it and pulled away from him, then leaned backwards and said, in a gasping voice, "Now…get…away…from me…you monster."

He leaned forward, reached out, and slapped her across the face.

Then, in disbelief and sheer horror, she felt him pushing her backwards over the railing, and she started to scream in sheer terror. She knew from reading that it was a seventy foot fall from the boat deck to the water below.

8:45 PM

On the bridge, the captain was watching the ship and the charts showing that the Titanic was making a smooth and steady twenty-two knots. This would be his most impressive ship, and for him, it would be his final command, as he was to retire upon his return to Southampton.

His thoughts were broken by the sound of screaming coming from somewhere further down the boat deck. Good heavens. It was a woman screaming. He and several of his officers ran out of the bridge and down the stairs to the boat deck to find a horrifying scene playing out in front of them.

A gentleman, if you could call him that, had some poor woman by the throat and was trying forcibly to push her overboard.

William Murdoch and Henry Wilde stared at each other for a moment, but before they could reach her, the girl slipped over the rail.

8:55 PM

Captain Edward Smith couldn't believe what he had just seen. A poor girl had been pushed over the rail of the ship, and as he raced over to the railing, he could see the girl's hands hanging on for dear life. Good Lord, he thought. Never had he ever seen anything like this in all his years at sea.

He ordered Mr. Murdoch to take the man into custody and Mr. Wilde to help him pull the girl back over.

As he leaned over the railing and stared into the girl's frightened face, he reached out, and said, "Come on, love. Take my hand. We'll get you back on board in no time."

Anneliese tried desperately, but was frightened that she was going to slip and fall to her death.

Tears were running down her face, she was shivering from cold, and yet she could see the man with his hand out to her. He was the captain of the ship. She recognized his face.

Captain Smith turned to Mr. Wilde and said tensely, "You had best get that emergency cutter boat ready and out in case this young woman falls into the water. I can't seem to get a grasp on her hand, and I think she's so frightened now that she's not going to let go. Go and get that boat ready, and when Mr. Murdoch gets back, you and he get in it. Take an extra hand or two."

Good heavens, he thought as he saw the fear etched on her face. Why ever would a man do something this outrageous?

He reached down towards her, and said once more, in a kind voice, "Please, Miss. Take my hand. I'm not going to let you fall, love."

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see two officers and two other seamen getting an emergency boat ready, and they were lowering it already. Good night! She didn't want to even think about falling into that water, but what if she did? Would those men be able to get her out of there before she slipped under the surface?

And, she wondered, did one sink right to the bottom or did one come back to the top? All of these were thoughts, and not very pretty ones, that were now running through Annaliese's head.

So, struggling valiantly once more, she pulled herself up more towards the railing. Praying silently, she let go with one hand, trying desperately to use her feet against the side of the ship. She pushed herself up some and managed, this time, to catch hold of the captain's hand. He grasped her by the arm, then pulled her up more until he had her by both arms, hauled her back over the railing, and set her on her feet.

Then, she promptly fainted.

Captain Smith ordered the emergency boat brought back to the side of the ship, raised back up, and hooked back up to the falls, ready in case of another emergency. Damn, he thought, and she had looked pretty frightened. Not that he could really blame her. Hanging there, in suspension between the boat and the water, a seventy foot drop that could have easily killed her, he thought to himself.

A small number of people had gathered around, mostly first class passengers, some of the women murmuring sympathies for the poor girl, but after seeing that she had been brought safely back on board, they dispersed, leaving the poor girl insensible and the captain standing there.

When Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Wilde both returned, he said, "Send for the doctor, will you? I dare say this poor lass needs to be seen." Then, to Mr. Murdoch, "You did get that man taken into custody?"

Murdoch nodded and muttered an oath under his breath that something like that should ever have happened, and to a pretty young lass. Probably scared her to death, he thought. And was it any wonder that she was insensible now?

Anneliese came around, however, before the doctor even arrived, and she stood, still shaking terribly and looking quite confused.

When Dr. O'Loughlin arrived moments later, she was seated on a bench and Mr. Murdoch, Mr. Wilde, and Captain Smith were standing there, trying to decipher what had happened and why.

Dr. O'Loughlin, when he heard what had happened, said, "Well, now, lassie, don't you worry about a thing. I'm sure that you're quite all right now. Must have been scary, though. But don't you worry, because Captain Smith won't let that happen again. He's had the man arrested, and he won't be coming out until we reach New York."

That was of much interest to Anneliese, and then she quickly related to the captain and both of the officers how the man had been following her around for some time now, and then he had gotten violent with her. Only moments before, he had tried…well, actually had…thrown her overboard. Only her quick reflexes in reaching out for the railing, had kept her from plunging seventy feet into the inky, dark waters of the North Atlantic.

After the doctor had declared that she was going to be quite all right, she stood up, and said, "Would you please excuse me, gentlemen? I'm very tired now and just want to return to my stateroom."

The captain asked, "Are you in first class, Miss…" He still didn't know her name.

She let a small smile cross her face, and she said, "Yes. Cabin B24. Miss Anneliese Barton."

He sighed, then said, "Very well, then, Miss Barton." Then he turned to Will Murdoch, and said, "Why don't you see her back to her room, Mr. Murdoch?"

Will Murdoch smiled, saluted the captain, turned, left, and said, "Well, then, I shall see you to your room, Miss Barton. Captain's orders." He smiled as he said that, and he then led her off to her stateroom.

All was well that ended well for Miss Anneliese Rose Barton. For the voyage of Titanic was a smashing success, they reached New York, and there was a gala reception for both the ship's crew and the passengers.

The End.

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