Chapter 21

Kristin literally felt like her world was falling apart. She had put so much hope into the hypnosis session that she believed it was the key to all of their problems. For some reason, she had believed it would be like a miracle. She realized now how naïve that was of her. She was listening to Nathan tell her that Sylvia couldn't tell them much, his voice a distant echo since she was having trouble focusing. She suddenly felt dizzy.

Finally, she heard Nathan ask, "Kristin…are you all right?"

She turned to him. He was giving her an expectant look, as were the others. They also looked very sympathetic.

"Kristin?" Nathan said again.

She finally opened her mouth to speak. Indeed, she was certainly not all right, and she wasn't going to pretend as if she was. She spoke quietly and deliberately, "It's a bit of a shock…"

She felt Nathan hug her a little tighter. "I know, but we'll get through this."

Joshua reached over and took her hand. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

Even Lucas tried to comfort her. He sat on the opposite side of her. "Doc, it's going to be okay, I'm sure of it."

Kristin could tell when she was being patronized. She knew they were only trying to help, but she felt a sudden flash of anger. She stood, freeing herself of their comforting hands. "I think I need some space. Excuse me." She headed into the bathroom and closed the door behind her, not being careful about it. The door shut hard, but she didn't care. She then locked it. She didn't feel like seeing anyone.

She then heard questions coming from Lucas, Nathan's apologetic and worried response, and Joshua trying to offer reassurance.

"She's just in shock. She'll come around," Joshua said.

"I know, I know," Nathan replied, sounding frustrated and worried at the same time.

"Well, I guess we'd better be going."

"Remember, not word of this to anyone," Nathan reminded.

She heard affirmative responses.

"Goodnight, kiddo."

"'Night. Tell the doc I love her."

"I will," Nathan promised.

Then, she heard Nathan bid them adieu and close the apartment door. She knew what was going to come next. She heard him approach the bathroom. He knocked gently. "Kristin?"

"I'm fine…just go away! I want to be alone!" She hadn't meant to be so rude, but she was hurt, confused, and angry. Really, she was feeling about a thousand different emotions at once. She felt fresh tears threaten to fall, but she held them back.

She heard him try the doorknob, noticed it jiggle slightly.

"Kristin, please…open the door!" Nathan's voice was desperate. He wasn't angry, just concerned.

"Just go…go away…please." She tried to stifle her sobs, but couldn't hold them back. She leaned against the wall and finally allowed the tears to fall. She heard Nathan mutter something she couldn't understand and heard his footfalls walking away from the door. She slid to the floor and sobbed uncontrollably, feeling absolutely hopeless.

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Kristin didn't know how long she'd been sobbing when she heard a familiar voice.

Kristin?

"Sylvia?" Kristin asked through her tears.

Yes…please…please, don't cry.

"I…I'm not sure what else to do. I feel so…lost." Another small sob escaped her throat.

I know, honey, I know; that's my fault, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for ignoring you as well. I was trying to decide how to rectify this. I honestly haven't figured that out. I wish I could do something more, but right now, you have to trust me.

"Trust?" Kristin said bitterly. "I did trust you, and look where it's gotten me."

Kristin heard a frustrated sigh.

You're absolutely correct. I've gotten you into a lot of trouble. You have every right to be angry.

"I'm glad you approve."

But don't take it out on Nathan.

"What?"

If you're going to be angry at someone, be angry at me. But none of this is Nathan's fault. He didn't do anything to deserve the way you treated him.

"I just…" Kristin started. "I didn't mean…"

I know. Believe me, I know exactly how you're feeling. But there is still hope. Did Nathan explain to you about my plan to create another storm?

She shook her head. "If he did, I wasn't really listening."

On the night of the sixth, you and Nathan will be separated. But you won't be alone. I promise you, I won't leave you. At the right moment, I'll create another storm, which should, hopefully, create another vortex. If I do everything correctly, we should be able to separate. And you'll be able to go back home, safe and sound.

Kristin was silent for a moment as she thought about what Sylvia had said. Her tears had finally quieted. She took some toilet paper and dabbed at her eyes. "But what happens if-"

No buts. I will do it. I'm not going to let you die.

"And Nathan? Lucas? The others?"

Will be fine, Sylvia finished. Dry those eyes, okay? You have no reason to cry. You're going to have a long life, I know it.

"Really?"

Yes, really. Now, chin up. Open that door and go to Nathan. Tell him you're sorry. You can't afford to do this alone. You need his support. You don't want to push him away now.

Kristin nodded and blew her nose. "Okay."

Just try not to worry, okay? I'll take care of everything.

"I'll try," Kristin promised. But she then had an afterthought. "What if I-"

Try not to worry, Sylvia repeated. Now go.

Kristin stood and smoothed out her skirt. She then walked to the sink and splashed some cool water on her face. After dabbing it dry with a towel, she looked in the mirror. Deciding she looked presentable, she walked to the door, her hand hovering above the knob. She hesitated for a moment and took a deep breath. Then, she opened it.

Part of her expected to see Nathan standing there, waiting for her. But he wasn't there. She stepped out into the hallway, looking in the direction of the living room. She couldn't see him from her vantage point, so she took a few more steps. She saw him, sitting by the window, looking rather pensive. He didn't turn to her, so she guessed he hadn't known she came out. She walked closer to him.

"Hi…" she said quietly, feeling rather awkward.

He turned to her; the look on his face was one of surprise. He just stared at her for a few minutes as if trying to determine what was going through her mind. "Hi," he finally answered. He walked to where she was standing.

Kristin took a deep breath. Apologies had never been very easy for her. "Nathan, I…I'm sorry. I was never angry with you. I just-"

Nathan then wrapped his arms around her. "I know; you don't need to apologize. I'm just glad you finally came out of the bathroom. And I'm glad you're not crying anymore; it wasn't easy to listen to you and not be able to comfort you."

She snuggled into him. "Sorry…I'm feeling a little better now."

"That's good," Nathan said, pulling away to look at her. He put his hands on her shoulders. "You're not just saying that?"

She shook her head. "Sylvia came by to talk to me. She explained a few things. I can't say I'm completely confident on the matter, but I'm not feeling as hopeless as I was."

Nathan placed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm glad to hear that." He ushered her to the sofa to sit. "Are you hungry? I made some chicken and sauce over rice," he told her.

She nodded. "A little."

"Then let me get you some," he offered.

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"That was delicious," Kristin said after finishing her last bite. "Thank you."

"Well, it was just something I whipped up," Nathan said with a shrug. "It wasn't anything fancy."

"It certainly tasted much better than the food in the mess hall. I never knew you were such a good cook."

Nathan smiled. "Carol was always upset with the fact I was a better cook than she was."

"Well, that makes two of us."

Nathan gave her a look.

"I'm a terrible cook," she admitted finally. "Oh, I can make simple things, but give me a recipe, and I always mess it up."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "You don't see it as a chemistry experiment?" he teased gently.

"No, that would be easy," she said with a laugh.

"Tell you what; sometime soon, I'll give you a personal cooking lesson. That is, if you want one."

"Sounds wonderful," Kristin gushed.

Nathan stood and took her dirty dishes to the kitchen. "I'm just going to do up the dishes here," he called. "Keep talking."

Kristin followed his lead. "How about you wash, and I'll dry?"

"Deal," Nathan agreed.

So the two washed the dishes and chatted quietly as they worked. They were nearly finished when there was a knock at the door. Nathan and Kristin both exchanged a questioning glance.

"Perhaps I should excuse myself for the moment," Kristin said, quietly heading into the bedroom. If it were one of the seaQuest crew, she would have stayed there. But she didn't know if it was someone from the brass…or even Richard.

Nathan waited until she had closed the door behind her, then dried his hands on a towel. He then answered the door.

"Good evening, Captain," greeted Admiral Beatty. Standing beside him was a short but burly-looking man.

Nathan recognized him from photos he'd seen. "Admiral, Secretary Knox, come in."

Once they'd entered, Nathan held out a hand in greeting to both of them. Then he motioned to the sofa and chairs in the living room. Nathan took a seat and the two men sat across from him. "Secretary, sir, what an honor it is to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Captain," the secretary replied. "I suppose you're wondering what this impromptu visit is all about."

"A little, yes." Nathan looked from one man to the other, trying to read the expressions on their faces.

"Well, Jack, word is you were present when the senator had his...unfortunate outburst earlier today," the admiral explained.

Nathan nodded. "Um, yes…"

"And please know we'd like to apologize for that personally," the secretary added. "We know you and Mrs. Mayfield are rather close."

"Oh…" Nathan replied, suddenly worried if he was going to be involved in this divorce scandal.

"How is she?"

Nathan hesitated. "She was a little shaken up, but she's fine now."

"Is she here?" the admiral asked.

Nathan looked to the bedroom door. He was sure Kristin was listening, but he hoped she would decide not to come out. He still wasn't sure what this little meeting was all about, and he didn't want her under any more stress than she already was. After a few moments, he realized she was staying where she was. "She's sleeping."

"Oh, please don't think we're concerned about whatever is going on between you two," the secretary continued. "Really, it's the senator's fault for what happened."

"Okay…" Nathan replied, still quite unsure about the intentions of the two men before him.

"We would like to know, however, if Mrs. Mayfield may have ever…mentioned anything to you."

"Sir, I'm not quite sure what you're getting at…"

"Jack, you know the senator is highly involved with the navy," the admiral began.

"Yes…"

"Which is why he's been so generous to fund the Nautilus…and so many other naval ships. But you do realize how he gets that funding, don't you?"

"I'm not…I suppose I haven't thought about it…" Nathan said after a moment.

"In short, Captain, the senator might be involved in some not-so-kosher business dealings. Now, for us, we'd rather look the other way because, let's face it, we need his money right now. This is a dire time our country is in, and we can't afford not to have funding like this," the secretary stated. "But surely, he must have told his wife something."

Nathan suddenly understood. "I really wouldn't know…"

"Oh, come now, Captain," the secretary countered. "We want to know what she knows."

"I really don't know," Nathan said again.

"We know you two are as thick as thieves."

Nathan didn't like the sinister turn this meeting was taking. "Why don't you talk to the senator about this?"

"We did, and I'm afraid we were the cause of his outburst. We wanted him to be sure she just kept mum on anything that she might know," the admiral said.

"I really don't think-"

"You need to understand, Jack…the fact that she might know something could be very crucial to our cause. Even her mentioning something in passing might mean the destruction of everything we've worked to build."

"And that in turn could potentially leave us defenseless for any sort of attack," the secretary finished.

Nathan thought for a moment, trying to decide how to respond to all this. "I really don't think Mrs. Mayfield knows anything, and even if she does, I think her intention is to simply get a divorce and start a new life. She wants nothing to do with the senator or his money. And I highly doubt she cares about his business dealings and whether they're kosher or not. I assure you, she doesn't know anything."

"How can you be so sure?" The secretary raised a challenging brow.

"I just know, sir. I simply ask that you trust me."

The secretary and the admiral both contemplated on the matter for a few minutes.

Finally, the secretary spoke once again, "Very well, Captain. I suppose I have no choice in the matter but to do so. Let me just say this; you'd better not prove me wrong."

Both men then stood. "Goodnight, Jack," the admiral said with a nod.

"Goodnight, Captain," the secretary echoed. With that, they both left, closing the door behind them.

Nathan stood to look out the window, wanting to be sure they were leaving since there was something unsettling about the conversation. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump. He turned to see Kristin.

"Sorry," she muttered, her voice a low whisper as if someone might be eavesdropping. "I heard everything." She looked out the window as well. The two men were standing in front of the apartment building talking, their backs turned to them.

"I'm glad you stayed put. I didn't quite like that."

"I think that's what Richard was trying to tell me," Kristin finally said. "I told you I thought he was trying to warn me."

"Well, he had a funny way of showing it," Nathan commented dryly.

"I…I know…but I think I'd rather be in a room alone with him rather than those two," Kristin replied. "You don't think they're the ones who…"

"I really don't know, but maybe we shouldn't dwell on that." Nathan stepped away from the window. "Remember, positive thoughts?" He headed towards the kitchen to finish the dishes.

Kristin stood at the window. She saw the admiral start walking away, but the secretary lingered. He suddenly turned and looked directly at Kristin.

She stood frozen for a moment, unsure of what to do. Could he see her?

After a moment, the secretary gave her a wink, then turned to catch up with the admiral.

Kristin took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her pounding heart. She then turned away from the window and took her place beside Nathan. "Yes, positive thoughts indeed."

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After the dishes, Nathan asked, "What would you like to do now?"

She shrugged. She felt it was best to keep her little encounter with the secretary to herself for the moment. "Maybe a game of cards?" she said weakly.

Nathan gave her a look. He could tell that's not what she really wanted to do. "Listen, if you're tired, don't feel like you need to stay up to appease me. I'll be fine."

"Well…" she said thoughtfully. "There is one thing I'd like…"

"What's that?"

"It's silly," Kristin said with a wave of her hand.

"Oh, come on," Nathan pressed. "Go ahead."

She sighed. "Well, I'd really like to take a bubble bath. Do you know how long it's been? Well, actually, you do. We don't have that luxury on seaQuest."

Nathan smiled. "Then you go right ahead. Enjoy yourself."

"You're sure?"

"Positive. I'll just read a book or something."

She gave him a quick hug and headed into the bathroom.

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One hour later, Kristin emerged from the bathroom, feeling more relaxed. She'd forgotten about the drama of the day, and she was suddenly feeling very sleepy. She yawned.

Nathan appeared in the hallway, a cup and saucer in his hand for each of them. "Feeling better?"

"Much, thank you," she replied.

"I made you a cup of tea," he told her. "I see someone's feeling tired."

"A little," she admitted.

"Come on, we'll drink it in the bedroom."

Kristin followed him and the two sat on the bed, sipping the tea.

"This is lovely," Kristin said after a moment. "I really am happy you're here with me."

"Me, too," Nathan agreed. He put an arm around her and placed a kiss to her cheek. "Everything's going to be fine, you know. You don't need to worry."

She nodded and snuggled into him. For once, she was starting to believe that, even despite the meeting with the admiral and secretary. She felt her eyes start to close, and it wasn't long before she drifted off to sleep.