Author's Note: So there have been a lot of questions about things and I've trying to answer for them now. I apologize for the delay…oiy the flu mixed with exams sucks. Also, I realize I'm at chapter 20 and not much has happened… I comfort myself with the knowledge that these are short chapters and I really did mean for a long story. Don't worry; the next few chapters will be ridiculously exciting and monumentous.

Lucas and Katie spent the afternoon trying to fix the vocorder, while Kristin, Caesar and Malcolm tried to help. Meaning, Malcolm tried to help while Caesar watched and Kristin lectured Lucas on his enlistment.

"…really I just don't understand it Lucas," said Kristin for the umpteenth time.

Lucas was ready to lose it. He loved Kristin as a mother, but she was pushing all his buttons. He was just about to snap when Katie spoke up.

"You know, I think we're done for today," she said. "We're not getting anywhere, and while I don't know about Ensign Wolenczak, I for one am tired. Ensign, would you object to breaking for the day?" she asked turning to Lucas.

Lucas released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "Sounds like a plan," he answered nonchalantly.

"Good. Malcolm can you show us to our rooms?"

"Of course." Malcolm turned to lead them out of the room with Lucas two steps behind him. Katie noticed Kristin was about to follow and decided to put a stop to the rant. "Kristin can I talk to you?"

Both Malcolm and Lucas stopped at the request.

"Should we wait for you?" asked Malcolm.

Katie smiled. "No, I'm sure Kristin can show me my room when we're done." With that Lucas and Malcolm left. Katie turned to the other person in the room. "Caesar, do you mind?" she said kindly. "I'll see you at dinner?"

"Yea, sure," he grumbled and left.

Katie began organizing some of the equipment that was staying in the lab. It didn't really need organizing she just needed something to do.

"Kristin, you need to back off of Lucas," she said softly.

"I beg your pardon," replied Kristin angrily. "I have every right to-"

"No you don't," interrupted Katie. "Kristin I know what Lucas means to you. He and Caesar are like the sons you never had, but" Katie paused, "if you keep this up you will lose him forever. I know that last ten years were hard for you…

"You have no idea how hard there were! He just disappeared, I thought he was dead!" yelled Kristin.

"I know what it's like to see someone you love go out into that ocean and never come back," Katie whispered softly.

Kristin paused. She knew it was wrong to yell at Katie. She loved the girl like family and it wasn't her fault Lucas had been missing. She was just so… so angry.

"Yes, well I suppose you do," replied Kristin curtly, but no too unkindly.

Katie wrapped Kristin in a hug. "He'll be fine," she whispered reassuringly into Kristin's ear.

"I hope your right," the older whispered back.

Separating Kristin clapped her younger colleague on the back. "Now enough about Lucas tell me about you. How's Seaquest?"

The two women headed towards Katie's room while discussing Katie's new posting.

"It's wonderful really, the labs are amazing Kristin! I mean I know the ones on the first boat were wonderful, but compared to this, I don't think they quite measure up. If I could just get along with the crew…" Katie paused. Kristin had stopped a few moments before to indicate this was her room but Katie had been reluctant to enter. She really needed to talk to someone about this, and there wasn't anyone on Seaquest who she thought could really understand.

"Kristin was it hard for you being on Seaquest?" she finally asked.

"A bit. The military personnel and the science personnel didn't exactly get along in the beginning. But you shouldn't have any trouble with that, you're military now."

"But that is the trouble…I'm a lieutenant and I've only been enlisted for a few months… I understand that the secretary general thought it was better if I had a higher rank, but all its doing is causing crewmates to hold a grudge. They think it's because Katie is my mother…" Katie trailed off again. "But it's really just this stupid new policy. Anyone, ANYONE, who heads a science team, is required to have a PhD and hold at least a lieutenant's rank. I wish they'd never made it." Katie slumped against her door.

"Katie, you deserve this job," Kristin tried to comfort her. "I know it's hard, but you'll manage."

"Thanks Kristin," Katie managed with a smile.

"You get some rest dear; I'll see you for dinner in an hour?"

"I'll see you then."

As Kristin walked away, Katie slumped further against the door. "Well at least she thinks I can do it," she said to the empty corridor.

"She's not alone," a voice answered back.

Katie stood up straight and looked at the person the voice belonged to. "How long have you been listening?"

"Long enough," he said, taking a step towards her. "You really do deserve it," he said quietly.

"Right, because I did so much to get promoted," she argued.

"Well under normal circumstances I'd say the rank was unearned, but you said it yourself, it's a requirement under the new policy. And there's no one better suited for the position of Chief Science Officer on Seaquest than you.

"Not even you?" she challenged softly.

Lucas laughed. "If you had asked me a few months ago I would have argued that. But after I got over my anger," they both smiled at that, "and actually read some of your work I realized your brilliant. Lieutenant, you got two PhD's by the age of 18, that's amazing. Even one would have been brilliant."

"You had an MA at 15; you could have completed a PhD too."

"Maybe someday I will," he chuckled. "Of course we don't all have the private tutors you do…" they both laughed.

It was true. There was no way Katie could have accomplished all she had if it hadn't been for who her parents were- and who they knew. She'd taking the high school equivalency test immediately after Katie Hitchcock had adopted her, and had flown through her BA. When you have nothing to do but read and study, school comes fairly easy. Then her mother had allowed her to work with Kristin and Malcolm, she had made sure that every project Katie had wanted to work on that she got it. It wasn't all to her mother's credit though – she still earned the spots that she had, Katie just opened up doors and found opportunities that she otherwise would not have found. Really the second PhD was because of Katie's link to Kristin and to Malcolm. Malcolm never really took on students, but he did it as a favour to the old crew of Seaquest.

"Oh sure, give them all the credit," she joked. Katie was laughing still when she realised how close Lucas had gotten.

"I think," he whispered, "you're the one who should get the credit." Moving closer, he whispered in her ear, "I think actually that you should be rewarded for it." With that Lucas brushed his lips against her cheek. "Yes," he said thoughtfully, trailing kisses down the side of her face, "a reward is definitely in order." By this time he had reached her mouth.

Katie was speechless. She knew she should pull away, but there was absolutely no part of her that wanted to.

Then Lucas kissed her. It started soft but turned strong and passionate. His arms wrapped around her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck. They stayed like that for a moment before Lucas broke away.

"I'll see you at dinner ok?" he whispered in her ear before he disappeared into the room across the hall.

Katie was speechless. What the… before Katie could finish that thought, Malcolm came barrelling around the corner.

"Katie! Just the person I was looking for!"

As Katie listened to Malcolm talk about the problems with the vocorder she wondered what had just happened.

Author's note 2: The schooling thing… I know PhD's take a while…BUT I don't know about the state but in Canada an undergraduate degree can be done in three years or four years depending on the level. I'm not even a genius, and I did manage to knock a whole year off of my undergrad. Also, Katie is like Lucas, a genius. I also have several friends who have done PhD's… while not common it is possible to do one in two or three years, or less. Also, MA's (in Canada and a few other places) can be done in one year sometimes. So while not the norm, I think Katie's schooling is explainable in genius circles lol. Also, do you not watch criminal minds? Spencer Reid is 24 with three PhD's and three BA's…. so :P