"You're here early, sir." Lee stood in the open door to Nelson's office, waiting for the other man to acknowledge him.
"Good morning, come on in." Nelson stood up from his desk and walked over to his coffee machine. "I started this when I came in, it should be ready by now."
The admiral poured two cups of coffee and handed one to Lee before gesturing toward the sofa. "I hoped you would take a couple of days off." Nelson said sitting down opposite Lee.
"That's why I stopped by. I'd like to take the rest of the week off, a few days any way," Lee quickly temporized. He paused and ran his hand back through his hair not meeting what he knew would be a fairly intense examination from Nelson. He'd been at the Institute for six months and he'd already missed several weeks of work from various injuries. He wasn't sure how far the admiral's tolerance for his missing work was going to stretch.
"Are you okay?" Nelson asked, the concern evident in his voice. "Did you stop by Medbay and get one of the doctors to check you out?"
At Lee's slight shake of the head Nelson gave him a stern look. "I'm planning to expand sickbay on the boat and hire a full time doctor just for Seaview. We won't be sailing any longer without the ability to handle our own medical problems."
"Sir, I'm fine. I was checked on the carrier after the team was picked up…"
"Lee, I'm looking right at you. You aren't fine, saying you're fine doesn't make you healthy. Now how badly hurt are you?"
"Honestly, sir, I'm sore from being tied up in an awkward position and I've got a couple of cracked ribs but nothing of any importance. I just need to get away, to think… I've got to try and sort out…" Lee looked away from the admiral toward the big windows that over looked the sub pen where he knew Seaview laid waiting for him. "I know I've missed a lot of work…it's just…" Lee stopped and looked down at his ring as he slowly turned it around on his finger. "I know I've missed a lot of time, I just need…"
Nelson reached across the small coffee table and covered Lee's hand with his own. "Lee, its okay. You've saved the world twice in the six months you've been here. You've saved my life more times than that. I don't mind you missing a few days work when you've been beat up saving the world. I mind the beating but not the time to recover." Nelson paused until Lee looked up at him and then removed his hand.
"It's not me begrudging the time off you hear, it's my concern that you're asking for it. I've seen you working when any sane man would be in his bed. I'm worried that something has you so bothered that you're asking for time off. I'm hoping it's something I can help you with or if not me maybe Dr. Preston?" Nelson mentioned the name of the staff psychologist diffidently, doubting Lee would want to talk to the man and not wanting to discourage Lee from talking by bringing in the medical profession.
Lee nodded his head as if he were agreeing to something before looking back down at his hands again. "Its personal, sir, doesn't have anything to do with the mission. Something came up. I think I've done something I shouldn't have, made an error of judgment. I need to get away, to think it through. I can't here, it's too close…" Lee trailed off and shrugged his shoulders in an uncharacteristic gesture, "Its complicated."
"And you don't want to talk about it because it's personal?" Nelson said after a long silence. "Something personal that came up between the time you left the boat at 0100 and 0630 this morning?"
"If this isn't a convenient time for me to be gone I can certainly wait and go on the weekend." Lee said, straightening in his chair and moving his hand away from his ring.
"I have a cabin near Yosemite, it's about a six hour drive. Take as long as you need up there. Work through whatever is bothering you and when you're ready, come back and talk to me. Tell me what you want to do." Nelson paused, waiting for Lee to meet his eyes again. "I don't want to lose you, Lee, you're very important to me not just as the captain of Seaview. Whatever's bothering you, we can work it out."
"I don't want to go, sir. This job, this place, the people here…they're very important to me. I…" Lee looked away. "I need to think."
"You take the time you need, but don't decide anything final without giving me a chance to talk to you, okay? Whatever's happened we can deal with it. I'm your friend, Lee, I want you to stay."
Lee stood up without speaking or looking at Nelson. When he got to the door he stopped with his back to the room and the admiral. When he thought he could bring it off convincingly, he turned and smiled. "Thank you, sir."
"Angie will give you directions to the cabin. Call me in a day or so, let me know you're doing all right."
Lee nodded but remained frozen at the door. He didn't know how to thank Nelson for this generosity, not the cabin, kind as that was, but the time, the lack of questions, the friendship. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome. Now go do your thinking and come back and tell me your answers."
"Yes, sir." Lee turned away.
"Oh, and Lee, stop on your way and buy some food. The cabin is run on one of the NIMR fuel cells so everything is up and operational, but there's no food and you need to eat while you think."
Lee turned back, hoping that he didn't look as young and foolish as he felt, "Yes, sir, I'll eat and sleep."
"Don't promise too much, just do your best."
Smiling more broadly Lee nodded, "Yes, sir, eat and sleep."
"Good boy, now go, come back next week, a smart, well fed, well rested captain ready for work." Nelson made a shooing gesture with his hand as he rose from the couch and Lee left the office feeling considerable less despair.