Chapter Ten
Lee woke to the subdued lighting of sickbay. He was tucked into a bunk in scrubs and remembered that he had blacked out while communicating with the mermaid. He closed his eyes and searched his inner thoughts for any sign of her call, then opened them again realizing that she had completely withdrawn. He lay there not indicating to the corpsman on duty that he was awake so that he could think things through. He remembered the cold, empty feeling after she removed her beckon and noted that there was no hint of that feeling now, realizing that the mesmerizing had placed him in high state of infatuation. With the beckon gone, he could now articulate his emotions correctly; she was beautiful and intriguing, but he wasn't in love with her. Still, it was hard not to miss her, especially with the new knowledge she had imparted. He smiled at the thought of actually meeting a mermaid and marveled at the crazy adventures he had had since joining Seaview's crew and knew without a doubt, that he wouldn't have traded this one for anything.
He was still tired and decided to give Jamieson the gift of a cooperative patient, instead of skipping out of sickbay; besides, Will had wisely hidden his robe and he wasn't going to walk Seaview's corridors in scrubs. He snuggled back into his pillows and blew out a cleansing breath, then reached over and touched the bulkhead, soaking in the feel of his boat, gauging her present status as stationary, apparently awaiting orders from Washington before moving on from the area.
"Good night, Girl," he said affectionately, patting the bulkhead and closing his eyes, extremely pleased to be back to the life he loved so much. He felt completely at peace, allowing himself to slip back into a restful sleep.
VTTBOTS
"This just in," Harry said, handing Lee a radio dispatch. "Personal congratulations from ONI for a job well-done."
Lee read over the dispatch and tossed it light-heartedly on the table.
"I have a feeling it's made out to the wrong person," he said, knowing that without the mermaid's help, they would have likely never found the bomb.
Harry laughed, they had already discussed the issue and both had agreed that reporting the mermaid's participation wouldn't be wise or beneficial to either their credibility, or the mermaid's way of life.
Lee sighed and then turned very introspective as Harry leaned forward, furling his brow at Lee's apparent troubled mood.
"What's wrong, Lee?" Harry asked quietly to keep their conversation from carrying into the Control Room.
"Her name was Carista," he said staring out the window, and revealing the secret the mermaid had imparted, "and she was the 'angel' that saved my life last year."
Harry moved through several expressions before nodding his understanding.
"That makes sense now," he replied with a nod.
"I didn't have a chance to thank her, Harry. She just imparted the knowledge and then I blacked out."
They both sat in silence for a moment as the weight of that day rushed back in, with Lee reliving the dreadful feeling of sucking on an empty air tank and Harry remembering the pain of believing that Lee was dead.
"I think that's the way she wanted it, Lee; but from what you told me, Lad, I'd say she already knew," Harry answered, trying to ease his concern.
Lee looked up and smiled, adding a shrug of his shoulders.
"At least now we know," he said, letting his melancholy go and accepting Harry's wise words.
"Then for her sake and all the others in the Grotto, we need to keep telling ourselves... she's only a myth," Harry said with a smile.
"Or an angel," Lee replied, returning Harry's grin, and filing the memory of Carista into a special place deep within him.
VTTBOTS
Carista watched wistfully as the windowed vessel moved gracefully along the surface of the ocean. She heaved her shoulders in a silent sigh, content to let him go and satisfied that she had done the right thing in releasing him from her mesmerizing charm. Suddenly, she flipped, splashing her tail on the surface before disappearing into the depths as the "myth" returned to the Grotto with the pleasant memory of her encounter with Lee Crane tucked neatly into her heart.
The End
Episode Credit: The Mermaid, S3E77 by William Welch
A/N - Thanks to all the readers for letting me "fill in the blanks" on this well-known and beloved episode. I hope you enjoyed the ride and will join me for another voyage soon. Until then, may the joy of the season be yours. Subjockey