I don't know how long I lay there for. To me it felt like hours, although I knew it was probably only a couple of minutes. I was in shock and too scared to move.

Something cold hit my hand. I turned to my right and looked toward the floor. It took a couple of seconds to realize what I was touching. Water.

Water!

I sprung up and stood on the bed, bending over so I wouldn't hit my head on the top bunk.

"OK," I said to myself. "OK. I can do this. I just need to get above deck."

I pulled my skirt of my dress up and jumped off the bed. My feet were met with ice-cold water and immediately a chill ran up my spine. I shivered but ran out of my room. I started my way up the stair following a couple of people as they ran to safety when I stopped. I had to find Jack! I spun in my place thinking.

Where should I go? Should I ask for help? What do I do?

Questions were running through my head when I thought of one name. Rose.

Rose might know where Jack is.

I continued up the stairs panting as I ran. I pushed through the crowd attempting to find my way through the people. I saw Cal whipping his face with the back of his hand. And I heard a shrill voice scream "Rose! Rose come back!"

The woman, who I recognized to be her mother, was looking down her left. I looked over and saw a flash red. Rose.

I ran after her running into a few violinists on the way. Why they were there I had no clue but rich people are funny like that.

I saw Rose talking to a man who was pointing down the hall. She thanked him and ran off. I followed.

"Rose!" I yelled.

She stopped and I ran into her wrapping her in a hug. I felt a connection to Rose. It was like we were already sisters. She hugged me back and said "Aubrey what wrong?" She reminded me of Jack at that moment. They both showed concern for people not material things.

"I was in my room. And it was filling up with water. I need to find Jack. I need to," I said between gasps.

"OK Aubrey," she said smoothing my hair. "That's where I'm going now."

She took my hand and pulled. We ran down a couple of hallways. We were obviously lost.

"Jack!" I screamed desperately. "Jack where are you?"

"Aubrey!" I heard my name in the distance followed by a rattling sound.

"Jack!" Both Rose and I yelled together.

"In here!" I followed the sound of my name and the chains.

"Jack!" I yelled one last time running as fast as I could. I ran past a room and heard Jack yell again. I backed up and went into the room.

Jack was standing on a ledge his hands chained to a pole looking scared. My heart momentarily stopped. I've never seen my brother scared and the fact that he was scared made me feel ten times worse.

"Jack," I whispered. Tears were coming to my eyes. I ran forward not caring that the water was up to my waste. I ran to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. Rose followed me into the room and hugged us both.

"I'm sorry Jack," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"Ok," Jack whispered. "We're all OK. I need you two to let go and look in the cupboard for a small key. It's silver."

Rose let go and frantically took keys off the hooks. I stayed close to Jack his hands were slowly rubbing my shoulder. He always did that to calm me down.

I remembered the time when the tornado hit Chippewa Falls. I was nine at the time and Jack was thirteen. I remember how he was slowly changing. He was getting taller and his voice was getting deeper. He was growing up. But nothing would change his reckless eyes or his childish personality. He would always be the same Jack.

I can still remember the night of the storm. My father woke me up in the middle of the night and took us all into the barn. I sat there the whole night listening to the wind howl and the thunder crash. Teas streamed down my face as I lay curled up in a ball. My eyes floated from my father who was smoking to my mother who was praying to Jack. Jack had the same fearful look in his eye that night as he did tonight. But just the same, Jack put on a brave face for me.

In the barn Jack crawled over to me as I flinched from the thunder. He put his arm on my shoulder and started to rub it in slow comforting circles.

"Don't worry none Aubrey," he said. "I'll always be there. Nothing will ever change that. Not even this storm."

I looked up at my brother his hands still chained to the pole. He looked at me and I could see it in his eyes that he too remembered the storm.

"I can't find the key!" Rose called. Jack and I broke from our thoughts.

"Here Rose," Jack pointed with his foot. "Try over there."

Rose wadded through the water and looked through the desk. "There's no key!" she yelled.

"Alright," Jack said. "You are going to have to look for help."

I looked over at Rose and wondered if I was as pale as she was. Then it hit me. I was only a year younger than her. I pictured her as a women and I as a child but I realized that we are the same age. Which meant I was going to have to grow up. I couldn't stay with my brother all my life and I couldn't stay now. Jack needed my help and standing next to him wasn't going to help him.

"I'm going to go to," I announced.

"No Aubrey. Stay here," Jack said. "I don't want you getting hurt."

"But I need to help. I'll come back. I promise." I kissed him on the check and hugged him again.

I took Rose's hand and we ran from the room.

We ran down the now silent hallways looking in vain for another person. No one was in sight.

"Help! Anyone!" Rose called out.

A man ran by but completely ignored us.

"This way," I said. I pulled her down the hall. We ran into one of the workers from the ship. He had his hands full of life vests but somehow managed to grab Rose's arm.

"This way. You shouldn't be down here. It's alright..." He wasn't listening

"No," Rose said rather calmly. "I need your help. There is a man..."

"Stop panicking Miss and come with me..."

"NO!" Rose screamed. She let go of my hand and punched the man in the face.

"The hell with you," he muttered and ran off.

I looked at Rose and we both laughed. But only for a moment as we remembered the situation we were in.

Rose's eyes left mine. She was staring at something across the hall. I followed her stare and saw an ax. My blue eyes met her green ones again and I knew we both shared the same thought.

I grabbed a piece of wood from the ground and broke the glass taking the ax from its protective case.

With a plan, we made our way back to my brother. I had a new form of energy. I couldn't explain where it came from but I've never run faster.

Running to the stairs was where I reached my first problem. The staircase was flooded. Firstly the water was freezing and I don't enjoy being cold and secondly...

"I can't swim," I croaked out.

"What?" Rose said.

"I can't swim," I said louder. "I've never been a good swimmer."

"OK let's figure this out." She took the ax from me and pointed at the beams at the ceiling.

"Grab onto those to keep afloat. And keep kicking your legs. Don't stop."

Rose went first and I followed her lead. I slowly lowered my body into the icy water and grabbed onto the beams.

"Good Aubrey," Rose said. "Keep kicking."

I was growing tired and panicky. "Help!" I screamed. Water was filling my mouth. My salty tears mixed with the salt water. I couldn't think or move. I felt noting. I was numb.

Rose reached out and grabbed my hand. We were both dunked under the water but Rose grabbed the ceiling and pulled me up with her.

"We're almost there," she said.

Together we made it past the water and ran down the flooded hallway to Jack.

"Will...this...work?" Rose said between gasps.

"Yes," Jack said smiling. "Ok hit it fast and hard Rose, OK?"

Rose went to swing but Jack stopped her. "Maybe you should try a few practice swings." I saw that rare glint of fear flash in his eyes as he looked at the silvery ax.

"Just hit that cupboard in the same spot," Jack instructed.

Rose did as she was told but missed the second hit. Jack but his lip. "Aubrey you try it."

"What?" I asked.

"Here we don't have time for a practice swing. Take the ax and hold it up closer to the top."

I took the ax and held it just as my father had done.

I held it above my head. Jack turned it head and closed his eyes. I swung and a clank of broken metal filled the room. Jack opened his hands.

"Haha!" He cried wrapping me in a hug and kissing Rose. "Let's go." He took our hands and we all ran down the hall.

This boat was like a maze and it seemed like we would never be able to find our way out. We reached a door but it was locked.

"Damn it!" Jack cried slamming his hand on the door.

"Jack I'm scared," I said trying unsuccessfully to keep the panic out of my voice.

"I know," he said. He looked around thinking if what to do next. "Stand back," he finally said.

Both Rose and me took a step back. We were holding onto each other for dear life.

Jack took a couple of steps back then hit the door with his shoulders. There was an unmistakable sound of wood splitting and I knew he was going to break the door. After a couple of times the wood got weaker and Jack managed to break through.

He grabbed our hands and pulled us through. We were on the second deck and people were running trying to get out.

"Quick! Lets follow these people."

Jack, Rose and I ran following people and the sound of voices. Jack somehow lost my hand and I was sent a few feet back.

"Jack!" I yelled out. "Wait up!"

"Hurry Aubrey!" he yelled over his shoulder. I ran as fast as I could hiking up my skirt so I wouldn't trip.

Jack and Rose reached a crowd of people screaming and pushing trying to get to a locked gate.

"Give us a bloody chance you bastard! There's women and children down here" I heard a familiar voice yell.

"That's Tommy," I said to Jack. He nodded.

"Jack! Aubrey!" We both turned and saw Fabrizio coming towards us.

"Fabri!" Jack said giving him a hug. "What's going on? Is there a way out?"

"Not this way," Tommy said over my shoulder.

I grabbed Jack's arm desperately trying to calm down. But it was so hard. I was cold, tired, scared and everybody around me was screaming.

"Let's go this way," Rose said. "Maybe there's another way out."

We pushed our way past the crowd looking for another door.

"Go back to the main stairwell."

A small crowd was standing at another gate but the guard was telling them to go back.

"Let us out!" Jack yelled at the guard.

"Go back to the main stairwell." He said again. "You can't go this way."

Jack turned around, eyed Rose and then looked at me. My eyes filled with tears.

"Ahhh!" Jack screamed hitting the gate. "Let us out!"

"No. You can't-"

Jack pushed back and looked at a bench.

"Fabri. Tommy. Come here." The three men each started to pick up the bench and break it from the floor it was attached too.

"Get back," Rose said directing people. She grabbed my hand and we moved to the side.

"You can't go this way!" The man was screaming now.

Ignoring him, Jack, Fabrizio and Tommy charged at the gate attempting to break it.

"Try again!" I yelled when the gate didn't break.

The men backed up and hit it again. The gate, falling off its hinges, began to give way. Jack pulled it down and led the way through.

"You can't go this way!" The guard yelled again. Tommy punched him in the face on the way out. Blood squirted out of his nose and I was instantly reminded of Rose punching the man from before.

Climbing the stairs turned out to be a difficult task. I could tell that was Jack getting tired. Every so often his eyes would dim and I would think that he's giving up. But then they would get that spark again and somehow he would muster up the energy to fight. Jack never went down without a fight.

I for one was exhausted. I could barley get up the stairs. Jack was pushing Rose who was in the front and pulling me by the arm. I tried my best to keep up but I couldn't.

"Jack...I'm tired," I said gasping for air.

"I know, Aubrey. You can make it. Come on."

"I can't!" I cried. "I can't. I need to stop."

"Just a little further. You can do it."

Jack somehow gave me the strength to get up the stairs but the last one I collapsed in a heap.

"Aubrey!" Jack said as I pulled his arm down.

"Come on Aubrey," Rose said pushing my hair back. "We have to get to the life boats"

"I can't," I whispered.

I was small and thin from living on the streets so it wasn't a surprise to me when Jack picked me up so easily.

"Come on Rose!"

Jack and Rose ran towards the edge of the deck looking for a boat.

"Are they all gone?" I asked quietly.

"No. Well find one," Jack said.

"Col, do you know if there are any more boats?" Rose asked.

"Ah yes Miss Rose. There are more down there. I will escort you-"

Not listening to the end, Jack and Rose sprinted towards the direction Col pointed.

Crowds of people were pushing there way toward a tiny boat.

A girl was crying "Daddy!"

"It's ok darling. Go with Mommy. Daddy will meet you."

The talking was making the little girl feel better but it did nothing for me. I looked up at Jack. "I can't go. Not without you."

Jack put me down and looked at Rose and me. "Both of you get on the boat. I need to make sure that you are safe."

"No not without you," I repeated.

Rose nodded agreeing with me. "I love you Jack. I can't go without you."

"I have to make sure your safe. I can take care of myself. Remember I'm a survivor," Jack said. "Get in the boat the both of you."

I looked over at the boat. Did I go and save myself or do I stay with my brother?

Ok so I know it's been forever since I updated. I promise that I will finish this story but I don't know the next time I'll be able to update. I'll try my best to update ASAP!

Anyway you faithful readers I need help! I had to stop the chapter here cause I didn't know whether or not Aubrey should go on the boat or jump off like Rose. So tell me what you think! Please I need help with this!

Thanks to everyone that reviewed or favorited this story. I'll try to update soon!

Morgyane