This story doesn't have any ONI missions gone badly or anyone on Seaview being injured, near death, shot, or rescued. It's a story testing the love between Lee and Janet Crane. Maybe a little heart tugging at times and too sentimental for some readers who like more action.

Honesty, Understanding and Forgiveness

By JSRobertson

Lee Crane was waiting while the helicopter got into position so he could jump on the deck of Seaview which had just surfaced. He was returning from an ONI mission in a small country off the coast of South America. His job was to infiltrate the compound and take pictures of the new chemical laboratory that was being set up and find out what they were going to make there. He didn't need to do anything more. Other forces would be sent in at a later date to destroy the laboratory once it was fully functional.

((()))

He was exhausted. This was his third ONI mission in the last nine weeks. He'd been in Vadvostok picking up intel and barely had time to recover from a bullet wound in his thigh before he had to leave for the People's Republic on an extraction that went off without a hitch. He finally got to stay home for two weeks before he had to leave again.

His missions have not only been hard on him but also on his wife, Janet, Chip and the admiral. None of them were very happy that Admiral Johnson kept using him for these missions. Janet and Chip were almost killed when FS-1 crashed while he was in Vadvostok. For once Seaview didn't have any missions scheduled while he was in the People's Republic but now they were on their way back to Santa Barbara after helping the Navy find a submarine from a friendly nation in danger of sinking and its reactor blowing up.

He escaped with only a graze wound on his arm. The men setting up the laboratory and the guards never realized why he was there until he was ready to leave. They started shooting at him as he scrambled out of the compound with plenty of pictures. He ran through the jungle staying just ahead of them. Much to his relief, the helicopter was waiting for him on the beach and he boarded it before they could take any more shots at him or the helicopter.

Even though it was getting dark, he had no problems jumping from the helicopter to the deck. He waved to the pilot who dropped him off and he slowly lifted the helicopter away from Seaview. Lee went in the sail hatch and down the ladder to the control room where Bobby O'Brien was waiting for him. He couldn't wait to see his wife, take a shower and hit the rack. But once in the control room he looked around for his wife and Chip. Both of them were not in the control room.

"Mr. O'Brien where's Mr. Morton and Mrs. Crane?" Lee asked concerned they weren't there.

"Mr. Morton is going off duty but is coming back in couple of minutes with some last minutes instructions and I'm not sure where Mrs. Crane is," Bobby said warily.

Lee left the control room went up the spiral staircase to their cabin. He was surprised his wife wasn't there so he checked her office and she wasn't there either. He was worried as she was always in the control room or even on the bridge when he came home from a mission. Hopefully she was working on a project with the admiral. He felt and looked disgusting, he was filthy, bloody and smelly not that Janet or the admiral would have cared how he looked or smelled. He would check in with the admiral and let him know about the mission when he finished taking a shower, shaving off his beard and was in uniform. He would then be able to hit rack and get some much needed sleep.

He would also have to go to sick bay and check in with Jamie as he always did when he returned from an ONI mission.

After showering his wound started bleeding again so he took a towel and wrapped it up and rolled his uniform sleeve over it. It would need bandaging but he needed to find Janet and Chip first.

Before going to sick bay he returned to the control room and found Chip giving O'Brien some instructions before he went off duty for the night. Jamie was also there looking for Lee.

"Hi Chip, where's Janet. I can't find her anywhere," Lee asked anxiously.

"You'll have to ask the admiral," Chip replied quietly.

"Let's go captain. I need to check you out, you know the rules," Jamie said taking him by the arm.

Scowling he yanked his arm out of Jamie's grasp.

"What do you mean ask the admiral...Chip did something happen to her...Please tell me," he asked frantically while the control room listened to the exchange between the two men.

Before Chip could answer Jamie piped up.

"Lee," Jamie said softly, "Come with me and I'll tell you what's going on."

He knew something was wrong when Jamie called him Lee in front of the crew.

Lee and Jamie went to sick bay where Jamie checked him out. His arm didn't need stitches so he put a bandage on it and gave him a shot of antibiotics.

"Jamie, please tell me where she is...isn't she on Seaview...what happened to her," he demanded as he rolled down his shirt sleeve.

"The admiral sent her away. She needed some time away from the institute, Seaview and you."

"Me, why me? I haven't been home for the last few weeks."

"That's the problem. If you want more details, you'll have talk to the admiral. I've already told you too much."

"Where is he?" Lee hissed.

"The reactor control room."

Lee stormed out of sick bay with Jamie following right behind him. He knew Lee was pissed but he also had more to tell Lee about Janet but needed the admiral to talk to him first.

He barged into the reactor control room where the admiral was working with a couple of crewman. He stood in front of the nuclear reactor console and tape machine that recorded the reactor's readings.

"Please leave," he snapped at the crewmen who couldn't get out of the room fast enough.

Pointing his finger at the admiral he yelled, "Who the hell do you think you are sending my wife away with consulting me? What gives you the right to do that?"

"It's a little hard to consult you when you're not around," the admiral said sarcastically looking at him with fire in his eyes. "I did it for her health and well being as her employer. She wasn't fit for duty so I had to take matters in my own hands."

"Her health...not fit for duty?" Lee questioned still livid.

Jamie now angrily spoke up, "Yes especially her health. Have you really looked at your wife lately? She's lost ten pounds from not eating, has dark circles under her eyes because she can't sleep when you're gone. While you were in Vadvostok, I had to sedate her to get her to sleep. Two days after you left on this last mission, she went to Chip's office to give him a report and passed out right in front of his desk. Luckily she wasn't hurt. Chip put her on the couch and put a cold cloth on her head by the time I got there she was awake. I had to threaten her with med bay and an IV unless she started eating. The admiral, Chip and I took turns making sure she ate. Do I have to tell you anymore?"

"I didn't know," he replied rubbing his forehead. "I guess I never paid attention. I would ask her if everything was alright and she would tell me yes."

The admiral barked, "Of course she's going to tell you yes. She didn't want you to have to worry about her while you're trying to save the world and get yourself hurt or killed."

"You had to sedate her...she passed out," Lee whispered. "What I'm I going to do. Please tell me where she is?"

"No," the admiral said emphatically. "She needs to be away from you while you straighten out your priorities."

"Please admiral I promise I will take care of her. I won't leave her alone," Lee pleaded.

"That's what you say now until Admiral Johnson calls with a new mission and off you go and leave her alone again."

"Admiral, I can't believe you won't tell me," he said desperately.

"Skipper," Sparks called on the intercom. "Call from Admiral Johnson."

Lee couldn't help but see the smirk on the admiral's face.

"Pipe it in here please," Lee said guiltily.

"Yes, skipper."

"When are you bringing me those pictures?" Johnson demanded.

"Seaview will be docking in Santa Barbara tomorrow morning."

"I'll look for you in a couple of days then," Johnson said and hung up.

"Lee please believe me when I tell you I'm doing this for her and your own good."

"Yes sir," Lee replied dejectedly.

He left the reactor control room and went to his cabin. He needed to sleep and think about what Jamie and the admiral told him. How could he not notice how badly his wife needed him?

After Lee left Jamie looked at the admiral.

"Harry, are you sure you're doing the right thing?" Jamie asked, "He isn't very happy."

"Jamie, it was very hard for me not tell him where's she at. He's devastated I wouldn't tell him but I have to stick to my guns. My gut tells me I'm right."

"Okay Harry I'll go along with you for now," Jamie concurred.

((()))

Seaview docked the next morning. Lee slept but he didn't necessarily feel better. He went to the control room where Chip was waiting for the rest of the crew to leave.

"You know the admiral sent Janet away, please tell me where? I need to talk to her. Please Chip," Lee pleaded.

"I honestly don't know where she is. The only people that know are the admiral and Jamie and you know neither one of them will tell you," Chip told him. "I'm really sorry Lee."

((()))

The admiral came down the spiral staircase and went to the control room.

"I need to see the both of you in my office in thirty minutes."

"Yes, sir," they replied.

The admiral went up the ladder to the sail hatch and down the gangplank stopping to salute the colors before leaving the sub pen. He went to his car and drove to his office.

Lee and Chip finally left Seaview after making sure all the crew had departed. They walked down the gangplank saluted the colors and stopped to talk to the guards on duty.

Chip had his car so he and Lee drove to the institute office. Lee stopped and stared at Janet's empty office. He had to find out where she was. He went to his office and hung up his jacket. He noticed there was only a few days work on his desk. She must have taken care of everything. He sat down and put his head in his hands. What has he done?

They had no idea what the admiral wanted to talk to them about. They were scheduled to leave on a research mission in a week but there was nothing special about it. No outside personnel would be involved.

Chip stopped at Lee's door to get him. He needed to talk to Lee too but not here.

"Ready. We don't want to keep the admiral waiting."

"No we don't," Lee sighed as he got up from his desk. "Chip I miss her."

"I know I miss her too."

Lee knew Chip well enough to know if the admiral didn't tell him where she was and he was worried about her, something must have been very wrong with her.

Chip and Lee went to the admiral's office where Angie greeted the two of them.

"Welcome back Lee. Hi Chip. The admiral's waiting for you."

"Thanks Angie," Lee said tensely.

Angie could see how unhappy Lee was. All of them missed Janet but Angie knew what the admiral did was for the best. She and Wanda didn't know where Janet was either.

((()))

They went in the admiral's office and sat down in the chairs in front of his desk.

"Chip is everything set for the next mission?"

"Yes sir. All the special equipment will be loaded on Seaview by the end of the week."

"Good. Lee when are you leaving for Washington to give Johnson his pictures?"

"I have a flight out of Santa Barbara this afternoon. I should return to the institute by late tomorrow morning."

"Lee I will tell you where Janet is on one condition."

"Yes whatever it is I will do it."

"When you go to Washington, you have to tell Admiral Johnson that you will not accept any ONI missions for the next six months," the admiral said seriously

"Admiral I don't know if he'll go for that," Lee answered cautiously.

"You'd better convince him if you want to know where Janet is. He will have to call me personally and tell me he will not assign you to any missions before I tell you where she is."

"Can you give up ONI missions for six months," the admiral asked honestly.

"I will do anything to find out where Janet is but what if Admiral Johnson doesn't agree to it will I ever find out where she is?"

"Yes, when I think she's ready to come back and you're ready to take care of her."

"Admiral is she safe where she is?"

"Of course. I would never put her in harms way. You better get ready to leave for Washington. I'll have Tommy drive you to the airport."

"Yes sir." Lee answered wondering why he didn't want Chip to take him to the airport.

Chip and Lee left the admiral's office. They grabbed their jackets and covers and went to Chip's car and drove to Lee's house.

((()))

"Chip, you've been pretty quiet today. What's up," Lee questioned before he got out of the car. He knew something was bothering him.

"Lee, I'm going to add to your misery," Chip said softly. "I would find Janet sitting in your office in the dark wrapped in your coat. She told me she was afraid you weren't coming back. She tells me this every time you leave on a mission. It breaks my heart to see her so unhappy. We went out for dinner and I when I dropped her off, I walked her to the door instead of waiting for the signal she was in the house and everything was alright. She kissed me and not like a brotherly kiss but a very romantic passionate one. I didn't stop her and returned her kiss just as passionate. I'm really sorry bro, I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Has it ever happened before," Lee asked rubbing his forehead.

"No and it won't ever happen again."

Lee could see Chip was very upset at what he told him.

"Lee, you're always gone, she's lonely, worried and afraid.

"I know Chip. I guess it's my own fault. I leave her alone so much and you get to pick up the pieces while I'm gone. I've relied on you to look after her since we got married. Do you love her?"

"No Lee, but I could. I never meant to hurt you," Chip stressed.

"Thanks for being honest with me," Lee sighed deeply. "Does the admiral know about this?"

"Yes, we had to tell him. We felt guilty every time we saw each other. That was another reason why he sent her away so she could sort out her feelings."

"I'm almost as bad as her parents. I've been neglecting her without even knowing it. Too engrossed in ONI, Seaview and the institute. I'm surprised she's still with me."

"Lee, she loves you more than anything. Anyone can see it. She will do whatever it takes to make you happy."

"I really thought she understood by now how difficult it could be married to a spy and the captain of Seaview."

"I don't think the captain part is the problem. As you know from a previous experience she isn't too thrilled with the spy part and you have to admit you've taken on a lot more missions lately than in the past. Maybe you better convince Johnson you're not the only man for the job."

"You're right. If I get her back or should I say when I get her back she will be my top priority after Seaview of course," Lee said with a small grin.

"She'll live with that." Chip replied with a small grin too. "Come on you better get going or you going to miss your flight. The sooner you convince Johnson the sooner you get your wife back."

Lee patted Chip on the back as he left him at the door. He packed his suitcase taking a few extra clothes just in case he could convince Johnson to leave him alone for six months.

((()))

Tommy took Lee to the airport as instructed by the admiral. He dropped him off at the terminal and helped him with his suitcase. Lee boarded his plane to Washington. After his flight took off, he ordered a beer. As he drank his beer, he couldn't believe his wife kissed Chip, his brother, and he kissed her back. He hoped she still loved him as much as he loved her. He had to make his wife understand that he loved her more than anything and ask her forgiveness for the way he has treated her. But he also had to convince her she needed to be honest with him about everything no matter how trivial. He fell asleep about half way through the flight and woke up just before it landed.

((()))

Lee took a taxi to Johnson's office. Sandy, his secretary, greeted him warmly and asked him to wait as the admiral was on the phone. He didn't have to wait too long before he was shown into Johnson's office.