Author's Notes: This story consists of a bunch of scenes taken from Lucas' life centered around the words "I Promise." I'm pretty sure I stayed mostly in canon, except for Lawrence and Cynthia's divorce.
Disclaimer: I do not own seaQuest or any characters contained in this story. I am making no money from this.
Cynthia Walenczak looked over at the door as it was opened by a young nurse. Despite her exhaustion, she immediately sat up straighter in the hospital bed to receive the tiny bundle the nurse was cradling.
Tears sprung to her eyes as the nurse transferred Cynthia's newborn baby into her embrace. Gazing down at his small face, she felt her heart skip a beat. This was her son!
Quickly she took inventory. Ten fingers, Ten toes, two eyes, two earsÉ everything seemed in order. No, it was more than that; he was beautiful, perfect in every way possible.
"Hello, Lucas. I'm your mother." The tears fell from her eyes then, as she realized the full meaning of that word and the extent of her love for this tiny human being squirming in her arms.
Whispering, she bent her head closer to the newborn's form. "Lucas, I've started a lot of things in my life, and most I never finished. But you... you're one project that I'm going to follow through with. I promise."
"But Dad, you promised!" Seven-year-old Lucas clenched his fists, hurt and anger emanating from his eyes. He stood in the doorway of his parent's bedroom in his pajamas, watching as his father finished the final knot on his tie and grabbed the car keys off the counter-top.
"Lucas, I'm sorry, but I have to go to this meeting. It's important, son." Lawrence turned and looked at his son, guilt stabbing at his heart as he took in Lucas' trembling form. Sighing, he knelt down in front of him and laid a stern hand on his shoulder. "Look, we can go to the aquarium next weekend. By then I'll be done with this giant proposal; you know how busy I am right now, Lucas. We'll go next Saturday, okay? I promise."
Ten-year-old Lucas scanned the audience, his intense blue eyes searching for the two people he loved most in the world. He really had thought that they would make it this time. They had promised...
He fiddled with the tassel that hung down into his face. He guessed deep down he hadn't really expected them to come. Lately any time his parents were together for longer than ten minutes they started to fight. Maybe it was better this way. Now he could enjoy his graduation and not be distracted by his parents. What was being celebrated today was an accomplishment that he could be proud of. Not only was he graduating high school, but early and as valedictorian. Why should he let them steal his day?
Who was he kidding? He desperately wanted them to be there. What kinds of parents don't come to their child's graduation? Weren't they proud of him? Maybe if he had worked just a little bit harder, graduated just a little bit sooner, they would've been proud of him.
How could they miss this? They had promised...
"Lucas, your mother and I, well, we're not happy." Lawrence and Cynthia sat across from their son in the living room of their New Cape Quest home. "We haven't been happy for a long time. You know that, I'm sure, and, well, we're getting a divorce."
Lucas stared at his father in shock. Divorce?!? Yeah, they fought, sometimes badly, but a divorce? He looked at his mother, searching for a reason, anything that would counter-act the voice in his head telling him that his parents would still be happy if he wasn't around...
"It's for the best, Lucas," she said at his panicked look. "You know that." She reached over to pat his hand patronizingly. "Honey, this won't change my relationship with you, or your relationship with your father. You're still our son, and we will always be here for you. I promise."
"But I don't want to go to some submarine! I don't care what kind of scientific research they do there, it's sill a UEO warship!" Lucas paced furiously in the living room of his father's house.
"Lucas, you don't have a choice. I've already made the arrangements." His father sat on the couch, his anger coming close to matching that of his son's.
"How could you do that without consulting me? This is my life we're talking about here! Don't I get a vote in what I do with it?"
"Not while you're still living under my roof! Look, Lucas, this is a great opportunity for you. You'll be able to pursue your vocoder idea and you might even learn a little discipline. Lord knows you need to do that."
Lucas shot him a dirty look before sitting down in a chair and resting his head in hid hands. After a moment he had composed himself and raised his head to look pleadingly at his father.
"Dad, can't I just stay at Stanford? I'm already doing graduate work there, and Dr. Stanton is really interested in the vocoder-"
"Absolutely not. I'm leaving in a month to go to World Power. You know that. You're not old enough to be on your own."
"Then why can't I come with you?"
Lawrence sighed, his anger subsiding. "Lucas, I know this is scary for you. Hell, you think I like the idea of sending my only son to a military submarine? But when Admiral Noyce called, I had to give him an answer. This is a wonderful opportunity for you, Lucas. You'll see." He reached over to pat Lucas' knee. "It'll be okay. I'll call you every weekend, I promise."
Captain Bridger sat beside Lucas' unconscious body in MedBey. The Stinger accident earlier that morning had scared him. Everything was going fine and then all of a sudden all he could hear was Lucas' scream as he disappeared off RADAR. He knew that he shouldn't have let Lucas test pilot the Stinger, but the boy had been so excited, so eager. Bridger just couldn't say no to that.
Face it, Nathan, he told himself. You just can't say no to that boy. Lucas had managed to work his way into Bridger's heart after he had vowed never to let anyone in again. There was something about the kid, something behind the cocky walls he had built around himself, something that told him Lucas needed him as much as he needed Lucas.
"Lucas," he spoke to the prone figure, "please wake up." There was no movement from the bed. "Lucas, please." Bridger didn't know what he expected to happen. He couldn't simply order Lucas to become conscious. He sighed. He was the captain of the most powerful ship in the world and he couldn't protect one small boy. What good was he?
Grabbing on to his hand, Bridger brushed back Lucas' unruly blond hair from his bruised face. For the first time in years, he began to pray.
Gentle movement from the bed shook Bridger out of his reverie. Lucas had squeezed his hand! After quickly calling for Kristin to come in, he looked over to see a set of tired blue eyes staring back at him.
"Hey, kiddo."
He didn't get a chance to say anything more as Kristin, in full doctor mode, rushed in and started to examine her patient. Bridger stood back and thanked whatever God was above for the miracle of having Lucas back. I will never let anything else happen to you, kiddo, he vowed. I promise.