Author's Note: I own nothing.

The party was in full swing. In the two weeks since the ship sunk into a lava rift, the UEO put together a plan to rebuild it and announced it tonight. What started out as a 'good bye' party became a 'I'll see you as soon it's done!' party. Most of the crew from the SeaQuest was in attendance and there were several teary good byes being exchanged, more than half with the help of alcohol. Everyone understood some of the crew would be going on to different things. Phone numbers and email addresses were exchanged and promises of never losing touch.

A tall dark haired man watched the blonde teen with a toothy grin. Anyone who didn't know him would say it might be a dangerous smile, anyone who did know him, would say it definitely was. He watched the youth scan the room while seated at an empty table. His father was several tables away speaking to the boy's captain. As his head swiveled back and forth, the man knew the boy had no idea he was behind him, watching, waiting. The teen leaned over and snatched up his father's beer bottle. He risked one more look and took a deep swallow. "Bleh!" He grimaced and shuddered. He set it down exactly where he picked it up, trying to look innocent.

"And that's why it's for adults, Lucas." Ben Krieg said stepping beside him.

Lucas jumped and flashed a guilty smile. "Well… uh… would you believe me if I told you my dad said it was ok?"

Ben shook his head, "not in the least."

"Damn… I just wanted to taste it." He pouted at Ben, hoping his friend wouldn't rat him out.

"I know, and it's all part of being a teenager, at least you do one thing normal. I won't tell your dad, or Captain Bridger." He patted the top of Lucas' head like a puppy and got a scowl back. "But you'll want to drink some soda or something. Kristin wants to talk to us and if you smell like beer, I'm sure she'll find some way to blame me."

"What does the Doc want?" Lucas asked, after obediently taking a drink of his can and swishing it around in his mouth. He was glad to get the beer taste out, he didn't understand why people drank that stuff.

Ben shrugged, "she interrupted me flirting with a very pretty waitress and asked me to get you. She's waiting outside."

"I just have to let my dad know, hang on." Lucas stood and waved at his father to get his attention. When Lawrence Wolenczak looked past his shoulder, Captain Bridger turned as well. Lucas pointed to the door and Ben, then flashed five fingers. Both men nodded that they understood the message and went back to talking.

"So you kind of have two dads right now, huh? How's that working out for you?" Ben teased.

Lucas rolled his eyes, "I'm really happy to be spending time with my dad but between him, the captain, and Kristin, I feel a little smothered. Do you know how many nights I've actually slept for eight hours in the last two weeks? It's unnatural."

Ben paused before opening the door, "are you getting along with your dad?"

"Yeah, I mean, I think so. I don't actually know how we're supposed to act. He spends most of every day with me. We've talked a lot, which is nice, but I don't really know how to feel about it." He shrugged and stared at the floor. "I mean, what if… he just gets sick of me again? What if I say the wrong thing and… now that the SeaQuest is gone for a while, if he wants to send me somewhere, where will I end up?"

"Hey, I really don't think that'll happen, kid." Ben let the go of the door and fully turned to Lucas. "He almost died, trust me, that opens your eyes."

Lucas gave him a quizzical look. "How would you know?"

"Did I never tell you when I got caught with an Admiral's daughter in the academy?" Lucas shook his head and started to laugh. "Oh… remind me later." Ben pushed the door open and ushered the young man through.

"Thank you Ben." Doctor Kristin Westphalen's crisp British accent cut through the night air. She was leaning against a railing on the balcony and motioned the men towards her. They looked at her expectantly. "I wanted to tell you about something I think will interest you. I was propositioned by an old friend recently…"

"Does the captain know that? He may be annoyed." Ben quipped. Lucas bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing as Kristin blushed and looked flustered.

She took a deep breath and tried again. "He invited me to do some scientific surveys on the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan in particular. And another of his associates offered a new submersible he designed to help with the study. It needs testing though. They have had some issues with the on board computers and sensors. When I told him I knew you, Lucas, he was overjoyed and asked if you would look at. I thought you both could come with me."

"Both of us?" Ben asked, "why do you need me too?"

"To pilot the sub, if I'm doing research and Lucas is helping me as well as working on the computer we need a driver." Lucas shook his head slightly and grinned at Ben. "It doesn't go very fast, and the sensors are top of the line… when they're working. You won't have a chance to crash into anything."

Ben squinted his eyes, "I think I should be insulted by that… but I like you to much to be." He nodded, "I'm in." He turned to Lucas. "You?"

Lucas chewed his lip for a few moments. "I… I don't know. I really wanted to spend time with my dad now that World Power is done for a few months."

Kristin nodded her understanding. "Why don't you invite him along? There are several wind farms near where we will be staying, I'm sure he'd love to visit them. And the some of the universities are leading the pack with other alternative energy sources."

"Where are we going to be?" Lucas asked.

"Just north of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A town called Port Washington. It's on the lake and has plenty of things to do. We'll probably only be spending a few hours a day in the water." She explained.

"Wisconsin? Isn't it really cold there?" Lucas protested. "And aren't they all like crazy about football?"

Ben laughed as Kristin shook her head. "It's summer Lucas, it will be as warm as Buffalo was."

"I've been there, you're pretty safe in the off-season, even if you don't care about the Packers. Just don't insult their beer." He gave Lucas a knowing smirk. "Or their cheese… or their beer cheese soup."

"Beer… cheese… soup? Why would anyone ever eat that?" Lucas asked in horror.

"I really don't know." Ben said making a disgusted face.

"And what kind of name is the 'Packers'? Were all the good names taken?"

Ben started laughing again and couldn't answer. "Lucas," Kristin started, trying to get his attention again. "Do you want to come?"

"Yeah, I'm interested. I'll have to ask my dad though. I hope you're right about the wind farms."

"What wind farms?" Lucas turned to see his father and Captain Bridger coming out the door. Lawrence clapped a hand on his son's shoulder. "Are we talking alternative energy? You know I can go on for hours on that."

"We know…" Ben muttered, Lucas was the only one who heard and choked on a laugh.

"Would you be interested in seeing some smaller operations in action?" Kristin asked him, reeling him in.

"Yes, of course. But not right now. I need to spend time with Lucas and I'm sure he doesn't want to be lugged around looking at old windmills."

Lucas smiled at Kristin and pushed her agenda. "What if I'm already in the area?"

Lawrence caught his mischievous grin. "What are you three planning out here?"

Kristin quickly outlined her plan and Lawrence was already nodding half way through. "Will we be near Fond Du Lac? I've been dying to see the new turbines they installed."

"Only about an hour away I believe." Kristin told him.

"Then I think it would be wonderful." Lawrence turned to Captain Bridger, "Will you be coming with us, Nathan?"

The captain shook his head, "I need to attend several dozen dull meetings over the next few weeks. And I'll be over seeing the start of construction on the new ship."

"So when do we leave?" Ben asked, "I can't wait to crash a brand new sub!"

Lawrence looked at him in shock and Lucas whispered out of the side of his mouth, "you are not helping."

"Oh, uh… kidding Dr. Wolenczak, just kidding."

Lawrence plastered a fake smile on his face. "I hope so. I'll arrange my plane to meet us, we can leave tomorrow afternoon and have plenty of time to check into a hotel."

"Actually," Kristin said with a small smile, "I heard there are some wonderful B n' B's in the area. I hoped we could stay in one of those."

"A what n' what?" Ben asked looking lost.

Kristin sighed at his lack of culture. "A bed and breakfast. It's much homier than a hotel and they'll feed you."

Ben looked skeptical, "for some reason, I'm getting images of lace covered things when you say that…"

Ben gaped when he saw Dr. Wolenczak's private jet. "No way is that for us."

Lucas smirked at his expression, "Did I never tell about my dad's jet?" Ben scowled when his words from the night before came back to him.

Ben and Kristin settled into plush leather seats with a happy sigh. Kristin pulled out a binder of papers, printed from the reports her friend sent her, and started reading. Ben craned his neck around to see Lucas and his father a few seats away.

The seventeen year old was describing something animatedly and his father was nodding and laughing. "They seem to be doing better together." Ben observed.

Kristin put down her reading material. "I sure hope so. The poor boy has waited for his father for so long. Maybe now, Lawrence finally sees that."

Ben stopped listening to her when a pretty flight attendant came to check his belt. "I think I need some help buckling it." He tried flirting with her. She smiled professionally and walked away. "Damn…"

A few hours later, their plane touched down in a small private airport. They filed off the plane and found a chauffeur holding a sign with 'Wolenczak' printed on it. Their pile of luggage was already on a cart waiting next to him.

The slid into the back of a limo that was almost as nice as the jet. Ben looked around in wonder, "just how loaded are you?"

Lucas covered his face with his hands. "Geez Ben, could you be less tactful?"

Lawrence chuckled good naturedly. "I hold the patents on several inventions. As does Lucas. When he leaves the SeaQuest, he won't have to work if he doesn't want to." He turned to his son, "but I hope you continue to expand your horizons."

"I'd be way to bored resting on my laurels." He grinned back.

"What?" Ben said in amazement. "You borrowed money from me a month ago. And you haven't paid it back!"

Lucas laughed, "no, you owed me money. You just won't admit I won the bet."

"You've been betting?" Lawrence asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well… uh… I mean…" Lucas went pale and stammered for an answer. "It wasn't for much and um, things get a little tense underwater sometimes. We just try to have some fun." Lawrence nodded slowly but everyone present could tell he wasn't thrilled with the idea.

"We may have to talk about that." He finally said. Lucas chewed his lip glumly and looked at the floor.

Author's Note: Yes, I get to make fun of Wisconsin, I've lived here all my life! And yes, beer cheese soup is really something we have here.

Please review! Thanks for reading.