By Molly
Disclaimer: I do not own SeaQuest...you really think I would be writing this if I did. Anyway its not mine, this story is also a contiunation from Cassie Jamies Story's, and I highly recommend reading them! Topanga is mine however. About the only thing that is mine here so please be kind to her.
"Nathan I'm serious this time."
"I know you are, I'm working on the problem Kristen"
"I need a new assistant and the sooner the better" She glared at him, making Nathan shift uncomfortably. "And this time I get to choose"
"Okay, okay I'll work on getting a list of applications to you ASAP"
"Good" She gave him a small smile and walked away, clearly happy with the results of the conversation.
"Hey Dad, what you doin'?"
"Talking to your mother" He gave Lucas a look telling him not to ask.
"Oh? Fun was it?"
"Very funny Lucas, aren't you supposed to be on duty now?"
"Yep, just came to give you Moi."
Nathan took the little girl out of Lucas arms, "Okay now go report."
"Sure"
"What you looking at?" Lucas walked over to where Kristen was staring intently at her computer screen.
"New assistants"
"Oh? Anyone interesting?"
"Nothing that you would find interesting. Anyway why the sudden interest in what I'm doing?"
"No reason." Lucas tried to look over her shoulder but she changed the screen on him.
"What do you want Lucas?"
"Me? Nothing."
"Uh huh? Why do I not believe you?"
"I don't know" He was grinning at her, knowing full well that he was going to look at those files later. "I still don't get why I can't be your new assistant"
"Because your not a qualified and certified medical doctor"
"So?"
"Lucas"
"Okay, okay" He raised his hands up in defeat. "See you later yeah?"
"Yes"
ONE WEEK LATER
He stared, unable to tear his gaze away. 'Trust mom to get a good looking assistant' He continued to gaze at her, her long light red hair captivating with the blonde streaks through it. Her eyes were entrancing, even her laugh was gorgeous to him.
"Hi I'm Topanga, are you alright?"
"Huh?" Lucas hadn't even realized that she was talking to him.
"Hey! Wake up! You okay? Look at me, can you tell me your name?"
"What?" Lucas continued to stare at her and then finally snapped out of it when he heard Kristen speak.
"It's okay Topanga, he often gets like this around young women"
"What? Mom!" Lucas felt his cheeks heat up and knew that he'd gone bright red.
"I said hi, I'm Topanga, I'm Dr. Westphalen's new assistant."
"Oh? Hi I'm Lucas Bridger; I'm the chief computer analyst"
"Cool, I might need you help later to set up my computer if you don't mind?"
"Yeah sure"
"See you later" She picked up her bags and followed Kristen down to Med. bay, apparently her quarters wouldn't be too far away from there. In case any emergencies came she could be at the med. bay as soon as she could. "I really appreciate you giving me this job Dr. Westphalen."
"That's okay, and you can call me Kristen, I'm sure that you'll do a fine job"
"I hope I meet your expectations"
"You'll do fine, stop worrying, Your record shows that you have an outstanding knowledge of medicine and that you graduated with full honors."
"Yeah, well..." Topanga blushed she couldn't help it, whenever any one begin to give her praise she blushed automatically. She wore a bright smile most days, even in the morning. She knew that she could easily captivate a male audience but she found that disconcerting and usually unbearable especially when she was around her friends or family.
"Here we are, this is where you will live from now on, you can do basically anything you want to it."
"Woah, are you sure this is mine?"
"Yes, this is where the previous assistants have stayed in the past, there isn't a problem is there?"
"Problem? No, no there is no problem at all this is fine, I love it."
"You do?"
"Yeah it beats mine and Gabby's room any day."
"Gabby?"
"Oh, my little sister" She replied of hand.
"Oh right, well I'll leave you to it, I'll send someone around in little while to show you around."
"Thanks"
Kristen was turning to leave when Topanga spoke again; stopping her in her tracks "What did you mean by past Assistant's?"
"Well we seemed to be having trouble keeping them aboard for some reason"
"What reason?"
"Oh, nothing worth you worrying about"
"Hmm, okay, I'll see you later then"
"Okay, I hope you stay longer than the others Topanga"
"I'm sure I will, don't you worry. I have a little sister and a pair of twins. Believe me I can handle most things that are thrown my way."
"I certainly hope so"
"Lucas," Kristen spoke to him sternly, "No tricks this time I'm running out of options, due to the bad reputation we're getting."
"Okay, I promise no tricks."
"Lucas if you continue to 'test' the new assistants we will end up not having anyone."
"I said okay"
"Yes but you have your fingers crossed"
"What? Me?" Lucas gave her his innocent expression but uncrossed his fingers from behind his back anyway.
"Now could you please go and give her a tour?"
"Pleasure" Lucas gave her a quick glance and then ran out of the room. He almost collided into Topanga when he came out. "Whoops sorry, I should have..." Lucas looked up and saw whom it was that he just barely missed. "...Hey what are you doing wandering around, I'm supposed to give you the tour?" He felt about two inches tall at that moment, he couldn't believe that he had almost ran into his latest victim.
"I'm looking around, I would have thought that was obvious, plus I need to talk to you mom"
"You do?"
"Yep, do you know where I could find her?"
He pointed to the door he just came out of. "Thanks" She said as she knocked lightly on the door. Kristen yelled come in from the other side. "Sorry to bother you Dr. Westp..." Kristen gave her a stern look "...Kristen" Topanga corrected her self quickly not wanting to get on the wrong side of this woman, "um...I was wondering when my shift starts"
"Oh, sorry I forgot to tell you that, well hmm. Tomorrow morning at 8 I guess."
"Okay thanks"
"See you then"
Topanga left and ran into Lucas, who was leaning against on of the walls. "Can I help you?" she asked politely.
"Yep"
She waited for him to elaborate but when he wasn't forthcoming she asked, "Well? What can I help you with?"
"I'm your tour guide remember"
"Oh right, well then lets go and get it out of your system"
Kristen had a sinking feeling about letting Lucas give Topanga the tour, she had let him do the first tour for her with her first assistant, and he had ended up wanting off as soon as they stopped next. When she confronted Lucas about it he professed innocence the whole way through. The last couple of assistant's eventually decided to leave also, she wasn't sure what was going on but she dearly hoped that it stopped although she doubted it would.
"And then you back to where we started."
"No we're not"
"Yes we are"
"No we're not"
"Are you saying I'm a liar?"
"No I'm just saying that we aren't back to where we started we're about two doors away from it."
"Really?"
"Really, you open that door and you won't find your mothers quarters" She said pointing to the door beside her.
"Why don't you open it if you so sure."
"Fine." She opened the door without knocking and found some very disgruntled men who were getting changed for bed. "Excuse my interruption, just proving a point."
"That's ok" One of the squeaked.
She gave a little smile, "I wouldn't look so worried" She told him "I've seen it all before" She closed the door and looked back at Lucas "See, what did I say."
Lucas blushed. "Now if you don't mind I think I will be going back to my room now" She began to walk down the corridor before turning around to tell him "And by the way, I'm sure that I'll see yours to before the tour is over". Lucas didn't think it was possible but he went redder.
"Don't worry Lucas, I'm not going to be leaving for a while." She gave him a wicked grin and left him to ponder what had just happened.
He wasn't sure how it had happened but his plan to find her weaknesses had failed miserably. She had handled every situation he had thrown at her with more calm then he thought possible, with all the others they had gone running to Kristen asking to leave, even the one's that he hadn't taken on the tour he had been able to test. He was completely baffled as to what had happened.
He walked down the corridor a little way and into the room where Moi was sleeping peacefully next to Kristen. Kristen was rubbing her back when she heard Lucas enter; she looked up at him and saw that he wasn't looking very happy. She thought that she could cheer him up a little though "Hey, Lucas" She whispered "Are you ready for some dinner in a few minutes?"
"Huh? Yeah sure"
"Good we'll go as soon as your father gets here, and we can pick Topanga up on the way"
Lucas looked at her in complete shock, "What?" She asked she had no idea why he had just gone two shades redder than before "I thought you two would like each others company, seeing as she is new here and she is around the same age as you"
The table was relatively quiet except for when Kristen and Topanga spoke about something medical. Topanga left the table to go and get another drink when Kristen turned to him "Lucas try to make conversation please" Nathan just gave a little chuckle which Kristen heard and kicked him in the shin "Ouch"
"Serves you right" Lucas replied. Lucas was sitting next to Kristen and Topanga sat next to Bridger so that Moira was sitting in between Nathan and Kristen on the end. Nathan was directly opposite to Kristen and felt the full power of her kick.
When Topanga returned she noticed Lucas' discomfort and felt his uneasiness towards her. She knew that he was worried about her mentioning the stunts that he had pulled on her that afternoon.
"You know something Lucas?"
"No what do I know?" he said quietly.
"Conscious is when you are aware of something and conscience is when you wish you weren't" She gave him a knowing smile, to any one else it would have just looked like she was trying to be friendly. "Well, Doctor, Captain I think I should be going to bed now, early start tomorrow. Thank you for allowing me to sit with you."
"That's okay, you were great company" Kristen replied.
The next few weeks had passed without Topanga even really noticing that she had made a lasting impression with the crew. Those that had ended up having been looked at by her had accepted her age quickly and found her sense of humor a relief especially when they were feeling out of it. She had soon realized that Kristen wasn't kidding about making sure that if someone had a contagious illness or disease then to make sure they didn't go near anyone else. She was currently trying to treat a line of twenty or so crew members for influenza. She was so sick of seeing runny noses, blocked noses, sore throats and fevers. She couldn't wait until Kristen came back from shore leave to take over. "Next" She called after she had told Ensign Simmons to go to bed and to take the pills she had handed him three times a day.
"Lucas?" She looked at him with suspicion in her eyes. "What can I do for you?"
"I think I've got a cold, and if I didn't have before, I do now after that line up" He mumbled.
She could only giggle at him; he sounded so strange with his blocked nose. "Okay let me look at you." After a lot of questions and humming and ahh-ing she turned to him, "Hey?"
"Umm"
"What's green and goes backwards 30 miles per hour?"
"I dunno what?"
She gave a big sniffle, "Eww that's Gross T"
"I'm a doctor it's part of the job. I have worse ones, trust me" She said and shrugged. "You'll be fine in a week or so, here are some pills for your fever, throat and nose. Enjoy some bed rest."
"I will, oh and T?"
"Hmm?" She said not looking up from the form that she was completing about his current visit.
"I'm sorry about the tour incident, and I really appreciate you not telling anyone."
"Yeah? Who says I didn't?"
"You didn't!" He looked at her shocked, she didn't think his jaw could drop any lower.
"No I didn't but I had you worried," She put down the file and walked over to where he was standing. She grabbed his shoulders and turned him around "Now go to bed, and stay there, no giving this flu to anyone else alright?"
"Yeah okay."
"Good now I have other people to see."
"Thanks T" She smiled at him and yelled.
"NEXT!"
Also this was intended to be the first in a series...hence I've only made it short and uncomplicated. Please tell me what you think of it, but if you do please leave an email address so that if needed I can address your concerns personally. Thankyou.
--Molly