The Carpathia was on its way back to America, carrying the survivors of the greatest maritime disaster of the century. Rose Dewitt Bukater sat on one of the benches in steerage, hidden beneath a blanket. She was too shell shocked to process anything really. Everything that had happened to her in the past forty-eight hours seemed like a blur. The iceberg. The flooding ship. Jack making her promise to go on. Discovering him dead and forcing herself to let go in order to keep the promise. It was all too much for her tired mind to bear. Never before had she suffered so much loss in so short amount of time, with the loss of Jack being the worse. All she wanted to do was find a quiet room and just cry it out.

"None of your people are down here, sir," a crew member was heard from behind her. She turned around and gasped in outrage to see Caledon Hockley, making his way down to steerage, obviously looking for her. Even now, he refused to leave her in peace. It wasn't fair! Why was it that he had survived and her Jack was dead? It wasn't right!

"I am down here to see about the child that I had rescued. I want to make sure that the child has proper accommodations," Cal was heard explaining, his voice full of first-class disdain.

So that was how the bastard survived! He had used a child! Somehow, this did not surprise her. It would be just like Cal to do such a thing! Well, at least his selfishness had benefited an innocent. That was something at least.

"I'd like to see her, please," Cal demanded, his voice booking no argument.

"Right this way sir," The crew member nodded, beckoning for Cal to follow.

Rose couldn't help herself. She was curious. Who was this child and what did Cal plan to do? Was he going to adopt the girl? Could he look past his own selfish ideals to do so? Or would he leave the poor child an orphan? She just had to find out. Making sure to keep the blanket wrapped around her body and head, and to stay out of sight, Rose followed. This will hopefully be her last time having to even think about what Cal was up to.

She followed the two men down a flight of stairs and into a room full of beds, toys, and children. She fell back into the shadows of the room and watched as they approach a small girl with red hair who was sitting on a bed, holding a doll with tears in her eyes.

"What is her name?" Cal asked, folding his arms across his chest. "Where are her parents?"

"Her name is Lily Byrne. I'm afraid that her parents didn't survive. They have yet to claim her. Are you sure that you are not the girl's father, sir?"

Cal snorted and shook his head. "I may have claimed to be her father, but I am not. You must understand, sir. I was desperate. I needed to save the child and make sure she was safe. I felt a responsibility to her."

Rose wanted to choke as he said those words. That was such bullshit! The only person Cal felt responsible for was himself! The girl was just a means for his own survival. He was probably just checking up on her to make himself look good.

"What will happen to her now if no one claims her?"

"She will have to go to an orphanage. Be a ward of the state until someone does adopt her. It'll be a life in group homes for this one."

"Hmm...just as well then. Maybe when she gets old enough, she can work for me. Be sure to give her my name and address. It'll be the least I can do," Hockley snorted, before bidding the crew member good day and leaving to return to the first-class deck.

Feeling disgusted, Rose stepped out of the shadows, shaking her head. Caledon Hockley really was an unimaginable bastard! Instead of taking the girl home and raising her, knowing that she was an orphan, he just made arrangements for the poor thing to work in his mill once she was old enough to do so. Rose had seen his mills. She wouldn't wish such a place on her worse enemy! She couldn't let that be this child's fate! She had to do something to make sure that the girl had a better future! That she had more than a group home to go to! Yes, she was homeless at the moment. She had no idea what her next move was going to be, but surely she would think of something.

"Excuse me, sir," Rose approached the crew member, pulling the blanket off her head to reveal her own red curls.

"Miss?" The crew member frowned. He had not seen Rose enter, so he was a bit disconcerted to find her there. "What may I do for you, Miss?"

"Yes, that there is my...sister Lily. Our parents had perished and I believe that I am responsible for her now. May she come with me?"

"This girl is your sister?" The crew member's glare was skeptical. Somehow, he wasn't believing this strange girl that had just come out of nowhere.

"Yes. Can't you see the resemblance? We both have red hair and green eyes, surely you can tell that we related," Rose continued, willing the man to believe her.

"You don't sound Irish."

Rose wanted to scream. She found it funny that dark-haired Cal's lie could be believed, while she was getting skeptical looks! "I've been in America for a while. I had gone back to Ireland to retrieve my family and now, my baby sister is all I have left and you are refusing me? How dare you, sir," Rose sniffed, willing tears to appear in her eyes. "My parents are gone and Lily is all I have left."

Feeling bad, the man sighed and stepped aside. He had not meant to make the girl cry and both girls had been through a lot and deserved a happy reunion, now that their parents were obviously gone. "Very well, Miss. I did not mean to stand in the way. You may collect your sister. May I also point you to the second class sitting area. There you will find passengers willing to share their rooms and some funds to help you get back on your feet and some warm clothes for you both."

"Thank you, sir. That is very appreciated," Rose nodded, feeling relieved that she now had some idea of where to go for a little bit of help.

"Good day to you Lily and..."

"Rose."

"Rose. Hmm, interesting," the man chuckled before leaving the room.

Now alone with the girl, Rose knelt down to the girl's level so that they could talk face to face. "Hello, Lily. My name is Rose."

"Where are my mama and papa?" Lily sniffed, hugging the doll tighter, tired of all these strangers. First, the strange man that had swept her up into his arms, claiming to be her papa so he could get on a boat, then all the people on the ship as the man abandoned her, and now this woman that she had never seen before in her life! She didn't want any of these people! She just wanted her mama and papa! Why couldn't anyone understand that?

Rose's heart broke for the girl as she saw the fear and longing in her eyes. For such a little girl, she was suffering too much loss at such a young age. Rose silently swore to the girl that the losses were about to stop. She was going to make sure of it. "I'm sorry sweetie. Your mama and papa have gone to heaven. They didn't want to go, but they had no choice. Not to fear, they sent me to take care of you once we get to America."

"Papa said the streets are made of gold in America," The girl sniffled, sticking her thumb in her mouth.

"Well, not quite. But I am sure we can make a good life there, me and you."

"But I want mama and papa!" The girl known as Lily began to cry.

Rose sat on the bed and wrapped her arms around the child, her own heart breaking. It broke not only for little Lily but for herself as well. The loss of Jack was eating away at her slowly. At times, she felt unable to breathe even. If only she hadn't promised Jack that she'd go on. If only he hadn't died. But if onlys weren't going to help her, nor the little girl.

"It will be okay, Lily. You'll see. I'll take care of the both of us, I promise. Together, we'll make it."

A couple of days later, as Rose stood on the deck holding little Lily's hand, she watched the statue of liberty come into view. It was indeed a symbol of freedom. Her freedom. She was free of her mother and of Cal. Now she had a new life and in honor of Jack, she was going to make it count.

"Name Miss?" The officer asked, holding a notepad and a pad.

Rose paused. The man wanted her name. She couldn't use Dewitt Bukater. That was for sure. Her mother and Cal would find her and her plans for Lily and herself would be ruined! They'd force her back into first-class life and little Lily would again be abandoned to live her life in a group home with no one to love her. What could she do? What would Jack do? Jackā€¦.

Rose looked at the officer, her green eyes bright and clear. "Dawson. Rose and Lily Dawson."

The officer simply nodded and scribbled down the names before walking off, leaving Rose to lift her new daughter up into her arms as she continued to watch the statue of liberty.

"What are we going to do now?" Lily asked, feeling uncertain about the future now that her parents were gone.

Rose smiled as she hugged the child close. "We are going to make it count."