I do not own seaQuest or it's characters. I am not profiting form this story, it is for entertainment
purposes only. I use the year 2004 as the year of birth for Lucas.
Healing: The Aftermath of It
By: Kaitlyn Rose
Nathan handed Lucas and Kristin their bags, then he exited the launch and stepped on to the dock.
"See you in a four days," Ben said.
"Thanks," Nathan told him.
Lucas and Kristin were waiting on the porch for Nathan to come and unlock the door. Nathan let
them in and they carried their things into the living room.
"Should I take the futon in the guest room?" Lucas asked. "That way Kristin can have my
bedroom."
"That's not necessary," Kristin said. "I'll take the futon. I slept on one of those for five years
while I got my BA."
"Are you sure?" Lucas asked.
"I'm positive," she replied.
"Lucas, why don't you go and watch tv while I take your bags upstairs," Nathan said.
"I can do it," Lucas said. He grabbed them and went upstairs before his dad could do it. He
understood that dad was just concerned about him, but it was getting just a bit ridiculous. Everyone he'd
talked to last night and this morning had treated him like a fragile doll that would shatter any second.
He dropped his bags on the floor and laid back on his bed. He'd been told that he'd been sick, but
he didn't remember being sick. Also, if he were sick, then how come he was perfectly fine now. He didn't
understand why everyone was lying to him, keeping secrets.
He kicked off his shoes and his socks. He always went barefoot when he was here. He crossed
the hall and went to the bathroom. He did a double take when he saw one of those medical chairs in the
bathtub, the kind that old people use so they can get in and out of the tub.
He went down stairs to ask why that was there. He found his dad and Kristin putting boxes in the
store room off the back porch.
"What are you doing?" Lucas asked.
"Nothing," Nathan replied, "just storing some junk."
"What kind of junk?" Lucas asked suspiciously.
'Come on, Lucas," Kristin said, "let's go see if Darwin is here yet." She casually took his arm in
hers and led him back through the house.
When Nathan heard the screen door slam he quickly began to search through the house for any
more medical supplies. He couldn't believe he had actually forgotten to call his caretaker, John, and have
this stuff removed. He ran upstairs. Luckily there was nothing in Lucas' room. He went into the bathroom
and saw the stool in the tub. He grabbed it and quickly took it down stairs and shoved it in the storage
room. It looked like that was all of it.
He casually walked outside and down to the edge of the dock. Kristin was sitting, dangling her
feet in the water. He pulled off his own socks and shoes to sit next to her and watch Lucas swim and play
with Darwin.
"I see fish face didn't waste any time getting here," Nathan said.
"He was waiting for us as soon as we got to the dock," Kristin told him.
"He always seems to know when Lucas needs him."
"Nathan, honestly, how did Darwin help Lucas? I mean, what happened?"
"I don't know," Nathan replied. "Darwin pulled us along through the water picking up speed.
Suddenly Lucas grasped my fingers with his and he was moving his legs. Darwin turned around to bring us
back, and halfway there Lucas looked at me and said 'Dad'. You saw the rest. I don't know why Lucas
came back any more that I know why he slipped away in the first place."
"He's going to start asking questions, ya know."
"I know. I'll deal with it when it comes."
"You mean we'll deal with it," she smiled.
Darwin towed Lucas over to the dock and he let go and smiled up at Nathan and Kristin. Darwin
splashed them and chattered happily.
"Hello to you to!" Nathan laughed.
"We really must teach him some manners," Kristin joked, wiping the water off her face.
"You can try, but I don't think you'll succeed," Lucas grinned.
Darwin squirted Nathan again. "Okay, that's it," Nathan said. He stood up and pulled his shirt
off, then he dived in. For the next ten minutes the three of them played tag.
Lucas felt himself tiring out. He swam over to the dock and just held on for a second.
"Lucas, you okay?" Kristin asked.
"Yeah, just tired," Lucas replied. Nathan came up behind him.
"What's wrong, kiddo?"
"Nothing, I'm gonna get out now." He climbed up on the dock and sat down. His arms and legs
felt like jelly. He didn't understand why he tired out so quickly.
"We should go in before we start to burn," Kristin warned. "None of us thought to put on sun
block." Lucas nodded and started towards the house.
"What's wrong with him?" Nathan asked.
"He was in bed for two weeks. His muscles didn't get any use, so it didn't take long for him to
tire out just now, that's all. A couple of days of playing tag with Darwin will fix that," Kristin told him.
They walked in the house and saw Lucas coming down the stairs, already in dry clothes.
"Why don't you go change and I'll start cooking dinner," Kristin told Nathan.
"Sounds good to me," he said.
Kristin searched through the fridge and the cupboards. She decided to go all out.
Nathan came down and found Lucas laying in the couch watching MTV. He went in the kitchen
and grabbed a coke and some Oreo cookies when Kristin wasn't looking. Then he went back to Lucas.
"Hey, thought you might like a snack," Nathan said.
"Cool, thanks," Lucas said. He sat up and started flipping through the channels.
"Do you want to watch a movie? I had John get us a bunch of new ones."
"Dad, I'm okay, really."
"I know. I just asked if you wanted to watch a movie is all."
"Dad, what happened to me? Everyone is treating me like I have some fatal disease or something,
including you and Kristin. I don't do I, have a fatal disease that is?"
"No, you don't have a fatal disease, or any other disease for that matter."
"Then why is everyone acting so weird, and why don't I remember. I mean, one minute you are
picking us up off the island, and then next thing I remember is seeing you crying in the moon pool."
"Lucas, you know I would never do anything that would hurt you. Do you trust me?"
"I trust you," Lucas said, "but it's frustrating not knowing."
"I know, but I promise, everything will be okay. I'm gonna go help with dinner. You relax," he
said and patted Lucas on the leg.
Lucas went to the tv cabinet and selected a movie disk and started it up. He was about halfway
through the space adventure when he was called to dinner.
Lucas stepped into the dinning room and couldn't believe all the food he saw. "Wow."
"Have a seat," Kristin said, "I hope you're hungry."
"It smells delicious," Lucas said. He eyes the fried chicken, mash potatoes and gravy, string
beans, and homemade biscuits hungrily.
Everyone sat down and Lucas was a bit surprised when Dad said grace. Lucas dug in.
"Kristin this is great."
"Thank you, but I didn't do it alone," she smiled and patted Nathan on the hand. He smiled back
at her.
"I used to love to cook when I actually had people to cook for," Kristin said. "But then life
changed and cooking for one is definitely no fun, so I sorta stopped."
Lucas ate a few bites of everything and was surprised to find that he was already full. He began to
shuffle his food around his plate. Kristin and his Dad went through a lot of trouble and he didn't want to
hurt their feelings. He saw Dad look at him and he forced another bite of potatoes.
"Lucas, is something wrong? Don't you like it?" Kristin asked.
"I like it fine," Lucas replied. "I'm just full already."
"Kiddo, why don't you eat just a bit more," Nathan encouraged. "You need to gain some weight.'
"There's nothing wrong with me weight! I'm fine." Lucas stood up and walked away from the
table.
"Lucas!" Nathan called. He stood up to go after him.
"Nathan, no!" Kristin said. "Leave him be." They heard the screen door shut.
Nathan sat down and sighed. "I would have thought he'd be starving. He's been on a liquid diet
for two weeks."
"Exactly," Kristin said, "it's that very reason why it took such a small amount of solid food to fill
him. We can't push him. I think he just needs a little space. I would imagine he's feeling a bit suffocated
right about now."
"I guess," Nathan replied.
Lucas sat on the sandy beach. It was a bit cool but the sand still held the warmth from the days
sun. He felt bad that he lost his temper. He couldn't even really explain why it had happened.
He knew it would only be a matter of time before either Dad or Kristin came out to talk to him,
and he realized that he really didn't want to talk. Especially since he knew they wouldn't tell him anything
anyway. He knew they only had the best intentions, but he didn't like being deceived. He also didn't like
the fact that he felt so weak and he had no appetite.
He stood up and started to walk, digging the sand between his toes. When he reached the rocky
part of the beach he turned toward the tree line. He listened to the birds and the crickets as he walked
through the woods. He always liked it in here. Dad had deliberately let it grow wild here, except for the
winding path that went through it. He walked quietly, listening to the wind rustle the leaves. It only took
about ten or fifteen minutes for him to come out on the other side of he island. Here was another sandy
beach, much smaller than the one where the house was.
He sat down and watched the waves crash onto the shore. He felt so relaxed and peaceful here.
He could understand why Dad had spent years hiding away from the world here. He stretched his legs out
and laid back, watching the clouds drift by. A gentle breeze blew over him and he slowly closed his eyes,
letting the sounds of nature sooth him.
"Lucas!" Nathan called. "Lucas!" He didn't see him anywhere. He wished the boy had stayed by
the house. He knew Lucas was safe on the island, but after what they had just been through, he hated for
the kid to be out of his sight.
He walked back into the house and sat down in the living room with Kristin. She was reading a
book.
Lucas thought of all the changes that had happened over the past year. He would be turning
fifteen soon. He couldn't believe what a difference a year could make. He had been so angry when he had
been sent to seaQuest, who knew that it would end up being the best thing that ever happened to him. He
had gained a family and friends. He was loved now. Sometimes he still couldn't believe that the Captain
had adopted him, and even more incredible was that his father was in jail. Lawrence was going to be out of
his life for at least the next six years.
He looked up at the sky again and saw it turning into beautiful shades of purples and oranges as
the sun started to set. He'd have to go back soon before they started to worry, so he decided to just close
his eyes and enjoy his last few minutes alone.
"He's been gone a long time," Nathan said.
"He's just gone for a walk. After everything that's happened I think he just needs some time
alone."
"I know," Nathan replied, "but it's starting to get dark and it looks like a storm is coming. I
shouldn't have let him go."
"Nathan, you can't keep him under lock and key."
"My head knows that, but my heart would beg to differ. These past couple of weeks, when I
thought I would never seen that smile, or the sparkle in his eyes when he gets excited…when I thought that
another son had been torn away from me, I just…part of me just wanted to die. Plus, I thought I'd lost you
too. About the only thing that kept me from doing something stupid was the knowledge that if I hurt
myself, then Lucas would have no one. I couldn't let him be put in some hospital with a bunch of strangers
and be forgotten. He deserved better than that."
"I'm sorry you felt so alone," Kristin told him. "I still feel so terrible, that during our worst
moment, I let you down."
"Kristin, stop. You didn't let me down. You were just trying to cope with your own grief."
"I know, but I still feel guilty. I swear, from now on, no matter what life throws at us, we face it
together."
"I like that idea," Nathan said. He took her hands in his and gave them a little squeeze. "I'm glad
you're here."
"Me too," she said.
A small rumble of thunder made Nathan remember that Lucas still hadn't returned, and now the
cloud cover made it prematurely dark out.
"That's it. I'm going to go find him," he said. He went to into the kitchen and grabbed a
flashlight. The wind coming off the water was rather cold so he put on his jacket and also grabbed Lucas'.
"Do you want me to come?"
"No, stay here in case he comes back. Last thing we need is for him to come back to an empty
house and then go out looking for us." Nathan walked down the porch and followed Lucas' footprints in
the sand. Soon he ran out of sand and he followed the dirt path through the small woods. Luckily his
island was less than a square mile so there weren't too many places Lucas could be.
"Lucas!" he called out. Hopefully Lucas had stayed on the path and hadn't wandered into the
woods. "Lucas!" No reply. He noticed the wind was picking up. A small flash of lightning lit up the sky
and once again thunder could be heard. Nathan walked faster down the path.
The first thing Lucas realized was that he was cold. He went to reach for the blanket only to grab
a handful of sand.
"What the?" He quickly sat up, trying to remember just where he was. Suddenly it dawned on
him He fell asleep on the beach. Oh no! It was dark now. How long had he been here? Dad and Kristin
were going to be angry. Don't panic, he told himself. Dad might be mad, but he won't hit you. He'd
never hit you. His brain knew the truth, but he couldn't help but feel just a bit nervous.
"Lucas!"
He turned to look where he had heard his name coming from. Dad was looking for him.
Nathan stepped onto the beach and saw Lucas sitting there. He felt relieved immediately. He
jogged over to the boy.
"Dad, I'm…I'm sorry. I fell asleep. Please don't be mad."
Nathan dropped down to his knees and pulled Lucas to him. Lucas was shivering. Nathan quickly
wrapped Lucas' jacket around him.
"You had me scared half to death, kiddo."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
"I know son."
The rain finally broke and came hard and fast. They were quickly soaked. "You must have a
thing for being on the beach during a thunderstorm! Come on, let's get back before Kristin decides to
come looking for the both of us."
They quickly got up and started back to the house. It was only a ten minute trip, but by the time
they got back they were drenched and shivering. The thunder and lightning was increasing in intensity, and
the wind was strong enough to blow small branches off the trees.
"Oh thank goodness," Kristin said when she saw them. Nathan had been gone longer than she
thought he would and she was starting to worry. The minute Lucas reached the top of the porch she tossed
a towel over Lucas head and ushered him into the house.
"You two upstairs and out of those wet clothes," she ordered. "I'll go make something hot for you
to drink."
A couple of minutes later Lucas and Nathan came back down, both in t-shirts and sweat pants.
Lucas sat on the sofa and Nathan took his spot in the recliner. Kristin came in and handed them both mugs
of hot chocolate.
"Thanks," they both said.
"Where were you?" Kristin asked as she wrapped a blanket around Lucas and sat down next to
him.
Lucas cringed. This felt very familiar to when he got stuck on the island and got yelled at for
wandering off. He really didn't want to get yelled at.
"I'm sorry. I fell asleep on the beach. I didn't mean to. I promise it won't happen again."
"Lucas, relax. You're not in trouble. We know you didn't do it on purpose. We were worried is
all."
"Really?" Lucas asked, glad that he wasn't in trouble.
"Really," Nathan told him.
Kristin jumped when a rather large branch flew onto the front porch, making a loud crash. "I can't
believe how fast this storm moved it," Kristin said. "It's really coming down out there. I've always loved
a good thunder storm."
"Same here, just so long as the surge doesn't rise up to the house," Nathan said.
Lucas stared into his cup listening to the wind howl through the trees. His mind drifted to another
storm, similar to this one. It hadn't been a pleasant experience at all.
"Lucas, you okay?" Nathan asked
"Huh?" Lucas snapped back to the present.
"Kristin asked you if you liked storms."
"Oh, um, their okay." Lucas set his cup on the table. More debris could be heard hitting the
house. Lucas jumped when the lights suddenly went out. Kristin put a hand on him to calm him.
"Stay put, I'll grab some candles," Nathan said, leaving the room.
"Don't be scared," Kristin said. "It was just the storm." She placed a pillow on her lap and Lucas
laid across the sofa and rested his head on the pillow. Kristin pulled the blanket up and tucked it around his
shoulders. Then she began to run her fingers though his still damp hair. When Nathan entered the room
with several candles he found Kristin humming to a very content looking Lucas.
"There, that's better," Kristin said, watching Nathan light several more candles till the room
shown with a warm glow.
"The better to see you with," Nathan teased.
"I remember when I was a small girl in London, a particularly bad storm came through, knocked
all the power out for two days. It had actually been fun. We stayed up late that night playing gin by candle
light. My father told stories of the olden days. That night had been so fun that I found myself getting
hopeful every time a storm came that we'd lose power. Of course I was too little to realize what an
inconvenience it was to my parents, that they'd lost all the food in the fridge."
"Well, lucky for us, I have a small generator that kicks on when the power stops. It keeps the
fridge and the vid-phone running.
"I remember a bad storm once, when I was little," Lucas said. "I was five, my parents hadn't
divorced yet. They had gone to some kind of a banquet and left me home. The cook was supposed to stay
with me, but she had a family emergency and she left me alone. She told me to stay in my room until my
folks got home. A big storm broke out soon after. A tornado actually ended up going through our
neighborhood. It didn't hit our house, but the wind had been strong enough to make the old tree in the front
yard fall over onto our roof. I was so scared. I ran down stairs and sat by the front door to wait for my
parents to get home. Unfortunately, it would have been better for me if I had just stayed in my room.
When mom and dad got home dad was furious. The tree had done a lot of damage to the roof. He was so
angry that he proceeded to take his frustrations out on me. Mom just stood there and watched while
dad…while he…you know…" Lucas stopped. He didn't know what had possessed him to tell that story.
He looked at Dad and saw him staring back at him with huge eyes, eyes that were filled with love, and
horror at having heard what he'd just did.
"It's no big deal," Lucas said quickly. "It's in the past now. I don't even know way I told you
that."
"Kiddo, you can always tell us anything. You know what they say, confession is good for the
soul. Not that you've done anything wrong that you have to confess, but you don't have to carry those
memories alone anymore."
Lucas smiled at him. Kristin continued to massage the top of his head. Nathan started to tell a
story form his childhood. Lucas tried to pay attention. He wanted to hear the story, but between the
warmth of the cocoa and the blanket, and the relaxing motions of Kristin's hand in his hair, he just couldn't
stay awake. He closed his eyes and let sleep take him.
"You look like you're enjoying that," Nathan whispered.
Kristin smiled, "I used to do this with Cynthia. I'd spend hours playing with her hair. It always
relaxed her."
"Well, it seems to have had the same effect on him. He's sound asleep."
"I think I'm ready for sleep myself." Kristin whispered. Nathan stood up and walked to the sofa.
He gently lifted Lucas into his arms. He smiled as Lucas mumbled in his sleep. Kristin picked up one of
the candles to light the way for Nathan. He was very careful going up the steps.
Lucas slowly opened one eye and saw where he was. "Dad," he mumbled, "you have to stop
carrying me." A huge yawn escaped his mouth before he continued, "I'm…not…a…baby." Nathan
smiled but didn't reply. He looked down to see that Lucas was already falling back asleep. He also knew
that Lucas' protests were for show only. The boy would never admit it, but he liked being held and carried.
Lucas no longer feared being touched by the people he cared about.
Kristin led the way into Lucas room and pulled the covers back. Nathan deposited Lucas into the
bed and then pulled the blankets up to cover him. They both gave him a kiss on the forehead before
leaving the room. Nathan pulled the door closed but left it slightly open just a crack so he'd be able to hear
him if something happened.
Nathan went back downstairs with Kristin. He needed to put all the candles out before going to
bed. He never got the chance. Kristin wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him. He was shocked
for a second, but he quickly returned the kiss.
"Nathan, I need you," she whispered after they pulled apart to breath. Nathan looked into her eyes
and then pulled her into another kiss.
"I've missed you," he groaned, "I've missed you so much. Your touch, your kiss, feeling you next
to me."
"Well I'm right here right now," she said, running her fingers through his hair.
Nathan bent down to scoop her up into his arms and then he carried her into the guest room.
"You're good at this you know, carrying people that is," she teased.
"I do seem to do a lot of it, don't I?" he joked as he laid her down on the futon. Kristin was about
to reply but Nathan stopped her by kissing her again.
"Talk later," he said as he started to remove her clothes.
Nathan woke a couple of hours later. Kristin was still asleep. He kissed her gently and then
quietly tiptoes out of the guest room. He knew Lucas knew that they had sex, the boy was smart enough to
figure it out, but he still couldn't get used to the idea of Lucas seeing them together. He went back to the
living room and blew out the candles that were now just little stubs. Once upstairs he looked in on Lucas
and saw the boy sleeping peacefully. Then he went to his room and crawled into his own bed after putting
on his pajamas.
Lucas sat up with a gasp. He tried to stop the shivers that ran through his body. God, that had
been the most horrible nightmare he'd ever had. He ran a hand threw his sweaty hair recalling the image of
his father grabbing him, but it hadn't been just that, his dad had teeth like a monster, and his eyes,
they…they had been different. He shuddered at the memory. He was about to get up and go to his dad's
room when he remembered that they were at the house, and there wasn't exactly a cot in dad's room and he
would just be way to embarrassed to sleep in his dad's bed. He forced himself to lay back in his bed and
try to go to sleep, but as soon as he closed his eyes he saw Lawrence's horrible monstrous face and he sat
back up in his bed. He reached over to turn on the light but he soon found that the power was still out.
Great, how was he supposed to chase away the dreams if he couldn't even turn on a light. He got
out of his bed and walked back and forth next to the bed, trying to get his body to calm itself. He wondered
if the day would ever come when he would be free of the nightmares that tormented him. Nightmares of
his father beating him, his parents abandoning him, Cobb kidnapping him and Kristin, ghosts drowning
him, nightmares of bad things happening to his new dad and Kristin, causing him to be alone again. Now
he had a new one to add to the list, Lawrence turning into a monster. What had he done in this life to make
him have so many nightmares? He had to admit though that they were getting better. At least he didn't
have them every night anymore. Hell, before he used to have several a night, now it was just one or two a
week.
He really wished he could turn on a light, or go to his dad's room. It amazed him how safe he felt
when he was with the Captain, but it really wasn't all that surprising when he thought about it. The captain
had rescued him from his father, proved his mother unfit and adopted him, and had gone out of his way to
make Lucas feel happy and loved. Lucas was so happy about having him for a father that he had started
calling him dad even before the adoption had been finalized, but only in private. He didn't call him dad in
front of the crew until the papers had been signed. He knew that the captain liked it when he called him
dad.
A loud rumbling from his stomach drew his attention. He realized that he was starving. He
remembered that the fridge had power from the generator. Cool, he could grab some food and then he
could light a few candles to chase away the dark. He quietly tiptoed downstairs, careful not to wake
anyone up.
Truthfully, he was surprised that dad wasn't up already. It was slightly bizarre how the older man
always knew when Lucas needed him. He remembered when he first joined seaQuest that that psychic lady
had said that Bridger had some psychic abilities. Lucas suspected that was true. The man had an uncanny
sense of showing up when needed. Lucas remembered how in the beginning that drove him nuts, but now
he found he was grateful for it most of the time.
He grabbed a couple of candles from the living room and then went to the kitchen. He grabbed the
box of matches on the stove and lit them. The soft glow already put him at ease. He opened the fridge and
was blinded by the light, but it was also comforting. He took out the plate of fried chicken that was left
over from dinner and poured himself a glass of milk. He was about to warm the chicken in the microwave
when he realized that the microwave didn't work without power. He sat down and decided to eat it cold.
That was okay, he liked cold chicken. He had just finished eating his drumstick when he heard the sound
of his dad's feet coming downstairs. Lucas just smiled, not the least bit surprised.
"What are you doing up?" Nathan asked when he walked in the kitchen.
"I was hungry," Lucas said, starting in on a second piece of chicken. He watched dad pour
himself a glass of milk and sit down next to him.
"That all?" Nathan asked, seeing that Lucas' hair was all sweaty.
"Uh huh," Lucas replied.
Nathan knew he was lying but he didn't push. Lucas would talk when he was ready. At least the
boy was eating. He picked up his own piece of chicken and started to eat.
"Why are you up?" Lucas asked.
"Don't know. I just woke up and decided to come down here. Did you test to see if the power
was back?"
"It's still out," Lucas said. "I tried the lights already."
"Not surprised. It probably won't be back until sometime tomorrow. They take care of the
mainland before they worry about the islanders," Nathan said.
Lucas finished his second piece of chicken and downed his glass of milk. He was surprised to find
that he was still hungry. He got up and poured another glass of milk and grabbed a third piece of meat.
"Don't get mad at me, but this is the most I've seen you eat in one sitting since we went to Disney
World."
"I woke up and was starving. Beats me. I don't understand half the things I do," Lucas joked.
"That makes two of us," Nathan teased. Lucas finished his last bite of food and yawned. "You
about ready to go back to bed?" Nathan asked, then finished his milk. Lucas nodded. He put the remaining
chicken back in the fridge and the empty glasses in the sink. He felt his dad wrap an arm around his
shoulders and lead him back upstairs.
Lucas stopped when he got to the door of his room. Nathan watched him stop.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"No," Lucas whispered "Good night."
"Good night, kiddo," Nathan replied, but he saw that Lucas still wasn't going in his room. He was
positive the boy had had a nightmare now. "Lucas, do you want to stay in my room?" he asked. Even in
the dark he could see the boy cringe.
"No, I'm fine," Lucas said. He walked into his room then and pushed the door to. "Get a grip,"
he told himself. They're just dreams, they can't hurt you." But he knew that really wasn't true. His
dreams weren't just dreams, they were memories of things that had hurt him, had hurt him very much in
fact. He sat down on the edge of the bed and listened to the rain. It was still falling, but it was a clam rain
now, not the wild weather of earlier.
He pulled himself back in the bed and sat with his back against the wall, drawing his knees up to
his chest. He hated being afraid. He wondered if fear was doomed to be his constant companion in life.
Nathan stood in the hallway. He didn't know what to do. He knew Lucas wasn't going to go to
sleep, but he also knew that Lucas didn't want to look like a baby. He wasn't surprised to find himself
opening Lucas' door and stepping into the room. As expected, Lucas was leaning against the wall.
"Kiddo, you're not going to get anymore sleep if you stay in here, and I'm not going to get
anymore sleep if I know you're awake in here, so do me a favor and come on," Nathan said, "cause I really
do want to get a little more sleep."
Lucas made a noise that sounded like half a sob and half a laugh, but he got out of his bed and
followed Nathan to his room. Lucas laid down on his half of the bed and curled up in the covers.
"Good night, dad."
"Good night, son." Nathan lay there and watched Lucas drift off to sleep. He was so happy to
have his son back. He hated that he still had nightmares, but compared to what had become of Lucas the
past two weeks he realized that they could live with the nightmares. Now that everything was right again
he could handle just about anything that came his way. He had Lucas back, and he had Kristin back. He
let his mind wander back to their love making. He loved her dearly. Tomorrow he would have to call a
ferry to come and take him and Lucas to the mainland. He and the boy had some shopping to do. Lucas
could help him pick out an engagement ring for Kristin. He fell asleep with wedding bells in his head. He
wondered who would be more excited, Kristin, or Lucas.
purposes only. I use the year 2004 as the year of birth for Lucas.
Healing: The Aftermath of It
By: Kaitlyn Rose
Nathan handed Lucas and Kristin their bags, then he exited the launch and stepped on to the dock.
"See you in a four days," Ben said.
"Thanks," Nathan told him.
Lucas and Kristin were waiting on the porch for Nathan to come and unlock the door. Nathan let
them in and they carried their things into the living room.
"Should I take the futon in the guest room?" Lucas asked. "That way Kristin can have my
bedroom."
"That's not necessary," Kristin said. "I'll take the futon. I slept on one of those for five years
while I got my BA."
"Are you sure?" Lucas asked.
"I'm positive," she replied.
"Lucas, why don't you go and watch tv while I take your bags upstairs," Nathan said.
"I can do it," Lucas said. He grabbed them and went upstairs before his dad could do it. He
understood that dad was just concerned about him, but it was getting just a bit ridiculous. Everyone he'd
talked to last night and this morning had treated him like a fragile doll that would shatter any second.
He dropped his bags on the floor and laid back on his bed. He'd been told that he'd been sick, but
he didn't remember being sick. Also, if he were sick, then how come he was perfectly fine now. He didn't
understand why everyone was lying to him, keeping secrets.
He kicked off his shoes and his socks. He always went barefoot when he was here. He crossed
the hall and went to the bathroom. He did a double take when he saw one of those medical chairs in the
bathtub, the kind that old people use so they can get in and out of the tub.
He went down stairs to ask why that was there. He found his dad and Kristin putting boxes in the
store room off the back porch.
"What are you doing?" Lucas asked.
"Nothing," Nathan replied, "just storing some junk."
"What kind of junk?" Lucas asked suspiciously.
'Come on, Lucas," Kristin said, "let's go see if Darwin is here yet." She casually took his arm in
hers and led him back through the house.
When Nathan heard the screen door slam he quickly began to search through the house for any
more medical supplies. He couldn't believe he had actually forgotten to call his caretaker, John, and have
this stuff removed. He ran upstairs. Luckily there was nothing in Lucas' room. He went into the bathroom
and saw the stool in the tub. He grabbed it and quickly took it down stairs and shoved it in the storage
room. It looked like that was all of it.
He casually walked outside and down to the edge of the dock. Kristin was sitting, dangling her
feet in the water. He pulled off his own socks and shoes to sit next to her and watch Lucas swim and play
with Darwin.
"I see fish face didn't waste any time getting here," Nathan said.
"He was waiting for us as soon as we got to the dock," Kristin told him.
"He always seems to know when Lucas needs him."
"Nathan, honestly, how did Darwin help Lucas? I mean, what happened?"
"I don't know," Nathan replied. "Darwin pulled us along through the water picking up speed.
Suddenly Lucas grasped my fingers with his and he was moving his legs. Darwin turned around to bring us
back, and halfway there Lucas looked at me and said 'Dad'. You saw the rest. I don't know why Lucas
came back any more that I know why he slipped away in the first place."
"He's going to start asking questions, ya know."
"I know. I'll deal with it when it comes."
"You mean we'll deal with it," she smiled.
Darwin towed Lucas over to the dock and he let go and smiled up at Nathan and Kristin. Darwin
splashed them and chattered happily.
"Hello to you to!" Nathan laughed.
"We really must teach him some manners," Kristin joked, wiping the water off her face.
"You can try, but I don't think you'll succeed," Lucas grinned.
Darwin squirted Nathan again. "Okay, that's it," Nathan said. He stood up and pulled his shirt
off, then he dived in. For the next ten minutes the three of them played tag.
Lucas felt himself tiring out. He swam over to the dock and just held on for a second.
"Lucas, you okay?" Kristin asked.
"Yeah, just tired," Lucas replied. Nathan came up behind him.
"What's wrong, kiddo?"
"Nothing, I'm gonna get out now." He climbed up on the dock and sat down. His arms and legs
felt like jelly. He didn't understand why he tired out so quickly.
"We should go in before we start to burn," Kristin warned. "None of us thought to put on sun
block." Lucas nodded and started towards the house.
"What's wrong with him?" Nathan asked.
"He was in bed for two weeks. His muscles didn't get any use, so it didn't take long for him to
tire out just now, that's all. A couple of days of playing tag with Darwin will fix that," Kristin told him.
They walked in the house and saw Lucas coming down the stairs, already in dry clothes.
"Why don't you go change and I'll start cooking dinner," Kristin told Nathan.
"Sounds good to me," he said.
Kristin searched through the fridge and the cupboards. She decided to go all out.
Nathan came down and found Lucas laying in the couch watching MTV. He went in the kitchen
and grabbed a coke and some Oreo cookies when Kristin wasn't looking. Then he went back to Lucas.
"Hey, thought you might like a snack," Nathan said.
"Cool, thanks," Lucas said. He sat up and started flipping through the channels.
"Do you want to watch a movie? I had John get us a bunch of new ones."
"Dad, I'm okay, really."
"I know. I just asked if you wanted to watch a movie is all."
"Dad, what happened to me? Everyone is treating me like I have some fatal disease or something,
including you and Kristin. I don't do I, have a fatal disease that is?"
"No, you don't have a fatal disease, or any other disease for that matter."
"Then why is everyone acting so weird, and why don't I remember. I mean, one minute you are
picking us up off the island, and then next thing I remember is seeing you crying in the moon pool."
"Lucas, you know I would never do anything that would hurt you. Do you trust me?"
"I trust you," Lucas said, "but it's frustrating not knowing."
"I know, but I promise, everything will be okay. I'm gonna go help with dinner. You relax," he
said and patted Lucas on the leg.
Lucas went to the tv cabinet and selected a movie disk and started it up. He was about halfway
through the space adventure when he was called to dinner.
Lucas stepped into the dinning room and couldn't believe all the food he saw. "Wow."
"Have a seat," Kristin said, "I hope you're hungry."
"It smells delicious," Lucas said. He eyes the fried chicken, mash potatoes and gravy, string
beans, and homemade biscuits hungrily.
Everyone sat down and Lucas was a bit surprised when Dad said grace. Lucas dug in.
"Kristin this is great."
"Thank you, but I didn't do it alone," she smiled and patted Nathan on the hand. He smiled back
at her.
"I used to love to cook when I actually had people to cook for," Kristin said. "But then life
changed and cooking for one is definitely no fun, so I sorta stopped."
Lucas ate a few bites of everything and was surprised to find that he was already full. He began to
shuffle his food around his plate. Kristin and his Dad went through a lot of trouble and he didn't want to
hurt their feelings. He saw Dad look at him and he forced another bite of potatoes.
"Lucas, is something wrong? Don't you like it?" Kristin asked.
"I like it fine," Lucas replied. "I'm just full already."
"Kiddo, why don't you eat just a bit more," Nathan encouraged. "You need to gain some weight.'
"There's nothing wrong with me weight! I'm fine." Lucas stood up and walked away from the
table.
"Lucas!" Nathan called. He stood up to go after him.
"Nathan, no!" Kristin said. "Leave him be." They heard the screen door shut.
Nathan sat down and sighed. "I would have thought he'd be starving. He's been on a liquid diet
for two weeks."
"Exactly," Kristin said, "it's that very reason why it took such a small amount of solid food to fill
him. We can't push him. I think he just needs a little space. I would imagine he's feeling a bit suffocated
right about now."
"I guess," Nathan replied.
Lucas sat on the sandy beach. It was a bit cool but the sand still held the warmth from the days
sun. He felt bad that he lost his temper. He couldn't even really explain why it had happened.
He knew it would only be a matter of time before either Dad or Kristin came out to talk to him,
and he realized that he really didn't want to talk. Especially since he knew they wouldn't tell him anything
anyway. He knew they only had the best intentions, but he didn't like being deceived. He also didn't like
the fact that he felt so weak and he had no appetite.
He stood up and started to walk, digging the sand between his toes. When he reached the rocky
part of the beach he turned toward the tree line. He listened to the birds and the crickets as he walked
through the woods. He always liked it in here. Dad had deliberately let it grow wild here, except for the
winding path that went through it. He walked quietly, listening to the wind rustle the leaves. It only took
about ten or fifteen minutes for him to come out on the other side of he island. Here was another sandy
beach, much smaller than the one where the house was.
He sat down and watched the waves crash onto the shore. He felt so relaxed and peaceful here.
He could understand why Dad had spent years hiding away from the world here. He stretched his legs out
and laid back, watching the clouds drift by. A gentle breeze blew over him and he slowly closed his eyes,
letting the sounds of nature sooth him.
"Lucas!" Nathan called. "Lucas!" He didn't see him anywhere. He wished the boy had stayed by
the house. He knew Lucas was safe on the island, but after what they had just been through, he hated for
the kid to be out of his sight.
He walked back into the house and sat down in the living room with Kristin. She was reading a
book.
Lucas thought of all the changes that had happened over the past year. He would be turning
fifteen soon. He couldn't believe what a difference a year could make. He had been so angry when he had
been sent to seaQuest, who knew that it would end up being the best thing that ever happened to him. He
had gained a family and friends. He was loved now. Sometimes he still couldn't believe that the Captain
had adopted him, and even more incredible was that his father was in jail. Lawrence was going to be out of
his life for at least the next six years.
He looked up at the sky again and saw it turning into beautiful shades of purples and oranges as
the sun started to set. He'd have to go back soon before they started to worry, so he decided to just close
his eyes and enjoy his last few minutes alone.
"He's been gone a long time," Nathan said.
"He's just gone for a walk. After everything that's happened I think he just needs some time
alone."
"I know," Nathan replied, "but it's starting to get dark and it looks like a storm is coming. I
shouldn't have let him go."
"Nathan, you can't keep him under lock and key."
"My head knows that, but my heart would beg to differ. These past couple of weeks, when I
thought I would never seen that smile, or the sparkle in his eyes when he gets excited…when I thought that
another son had been torn away from me, I just…part of me just wanted to die. Plus, I thought I'd lost you
too. About the only thing that kept me from doing something stupid was the knowledge that if I hurt
myself, then Lucas would have no one. I couldn't let him be put in some hospital with a bunch of strangers
and be forgotten. He deserved better than that."
"I'm sorry you felt so alone," Kristin told him. "I still feel so terrible, that during our worst
moment, I let you down."
"Kristin, stop. You didn't let me down. You were just trying to cope with your own grief."
"I know, but I still feel guilty. I swear, from now on, no matter what life throws at us, we face it
together."
"I like that idea," Nathan said. He took her hands in his and gave them a little squeeze. "I'm glad
you're here."
"Me too," she said.
A small rumble of thunder made Nathan remember that Lucas still hadn't returned, and now the
cloud cover made it prematurely dark out.
"That's it. I'm going to go find him," he said. He went to into the kitchen and grabbed a
flashlight. The wind coming off the water was rather cold so he put on his jacket and also grabbed Lucas'.
"Do you want me to come?"
"No, stay here in case he comes back. Last thing we need is for him to come back to an empty
house and then go out looking for us." Nathan walked down the porch and followed Lucas' footprints in
the sand. Soon he ran out of sand and he followed the dirt path through the small woods. Luckily his
island was less than a square mile so there weren't too many places Lucas could be.
"Lucas!" he called out. Hopefully Lucas had stayed on the path and hadn't wandered into the
woods. "Lucas!" No reply. He noticed the wind was picking up. A small flash of lightning lit up the sky
and once again thunder could be heard. Nathan walked faster down the path.
The first thing Lucas realized was that he was cold. He went to reach for the blanket only to grab
a handful of sand.
"What the?" He quickly sat up, trying to remember just where he was. Suddenly it dawned on
him He fell asleep on the beach. Oh no! It was dark now. How long had he been here? Dad and Kristin
were going to be angry. Don't panic, he told himself. Dad might be mad, but he won't hit you. He'd
never hit you. His brain knew the truth, but he couldn't help but feel just a bit nervous.
"Lucas!"
He turned to look where he had heard his name coming from. Dad was looking for him.
Nathan stepped onto the beach and saw Lucas sitting there. He felt relieved immediately. He
jogged over to the boy.
"Dad, I'm…I'm sorry. I fell asleep. Please don't be mad."
Nathan dropped down to his knees and pulled Lucas to him. Lucas was shivering. Nathan quickly
wrapped Lucas' jacket around him.
"You had me scared half to death, kiddo."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
"I know son."
The rain finally broke and came hard and fast. They were quickly soaked. "You must have a
thing for being on the beach during a thunderstorm! Come on, let's get back before Kristin decides to
come looking for the both of us."
They quickly got up and started back to the house. It was only a ten minute trip, but by the time
they got back they were drenched and shivering. The thunder and lightning was increasing in intensity, and
the wind was strong enough to blow small branches off the trees.
"Oh thank goodness," Kristin said when she saw them. Nathan had been gone longer than she
thought he would and she was starting to worry. The minute Lucas reached the top of the porch she tossed
a towel over Lucas head and ushered him into the house.
"You two upstairs and out of those wet clothes," she ordered. "I'll go make something hot for you
to drink."
A couple of minutes later Lucas and Nathan came back down, both in t-shirts and sweat pants.
Lucas sat on the sofa and Nathan took his spot in the recliner. Kristin came in and handed them both mugs
of hot chocolate.
"Thanks," they both said.
"Where were you?" Kristin asked as she wrapped a blanket around Lucas and sat down next to
him.
Lucas cringed. This felt very familiar to when he got stuck on the island and got yelled at for
wandering off. He really didn't want to get yelled at.
"I'm sorry. I fell asleep on the beach. I didn't mean to. I promise it won't happen again."
"Lucas, relax. You're not in trouble. We know you didn't do it on purpose. We were worried is
all."
"Really?" Lucas asked, glad that he wasn't in trouble.
"Really," Nathan told him.
Kristin jumped when a rather large branch flew onto the front porch, making a loud crash. "I can't
believe how fast this storm moved it," Kristin said. "It's really coming down out there. I've always loved
a good thunder storm."
"Same here, just so long as the surge doesn't rise up to the house," Nathan said.
Lucas stared into his cup listening to the wind howl through the trees. His mind drifted to another
storm, similar to this one. It hadn't been a pleasant experience at all.
"Lucas, you okay?" Nathan asked
"Huh?" Lucas snapped back to the present.
"Kristin asked you if you liked storms."
"Oh, um, their okay." Lucas set his cup on the table. More debris could be heard hitting the
house. Lucas jumped when the lights suddenly went out. Kristin put a hand on him to calm him.
"Stay put, I'll grab some candles," Nathan said, leaving the room.
"Don't be scared," Kristin said. "It was just the storm." She placed a pillow on her lap and Lucas
laid across the sofa and rested his head on the pillow. Kristin pulled the blanket up and tucked it around his
shoulders. Then she began to run her fingers though his still damp hair. When Nathan entered the room
with several candles he found Kristin humming to a very content looking Lucas.
"There, that's better," Kristin said, watching Nathan light several more candles till the room
shown with a warm glow.
"The better to see you with," Nathan teased.
"I remember when I was a small girl in London, a particularly bad storm came through, knocked
all the power out for two days. It had actually been fun. We stayed up late that night playing gin by candle
light. My father told stories of the olden days. That night had been so fun that I found myself getting
hopeful every time a storm came that we'd lose power. Of course I was too little to realize what an
inconvenience it was to my parents, that they'd lost all the food in the fridge."
"Well, lucky for us, I have a small generator that kicks on when the power stops. It keeps the
fridge and the vid-phone running.
"I remember a bad storm once, when I was little," Lucas said. "I was five, my parents hadn't
divorced yet. They had gone to some kind of a banquet and left me home. The cook was supposed to stay
with me, but she had a family emergency and she left me alone. She told me to stay in my room until my
folks got home. A big storm broke out soon after. A tornado actually ended up going through our
neighborhood. It didn't hit our house, but the wind had been strong enough to make the old tree in the front
yard fall over onto our roof. I was so scared. I ran down stairs and sat by the front door to wait for my
parents to get home. Unfortunately, it would have been better for me if I had just stayed in my room.
When mom and dad got home dad was furious. The tree had done a lot of damage to the roof. He was so
angry that he proceeded to take his frustrations out on me. Mom just stood there and watched while
dad…while he…you know…" Lucas stopped. He didn't know what had possessed him to tell that story.
He looked at Dad and saw him staring back at him with huge eyes, eyes that were filled with love, and
horror at having heard what he'd just did.
"It's no big deal," Lucas said quickly. "It's in the past now. I don't even know way I told you
that."
"Kiddo, you can always tell us anything. You know what they say, confession is good for the
soul. Not that you've done anything wrong that you have to confess, but you don't have to carry those
memories alone anymore."
Lucas smiled at him. Kristin continued to massage the top of his head. Nathan started to tell a
story form his childhood. Lucas tried to pay attention. He wanted to hear the story, but between the
warmth of the cocoa and the blanket, and the relaxing motions of Kristin's hand in his hair, he just couldn't
stay awake. He closed his eyes and let sleep take him.
"You look like you're enjoying that," Nathan whispered.
Kristin smiled, "I used to do this with Cynthia. I'd spend hours playing with her hair. It always
relaxed her."
"Well, it seems to have had the same effect on him. He's sound asleep."
"I think I'm ready for sleep myself." Kristin whispered. Nathan stood up and walked to the sofa.
He gently lifted Lucas into his arms. He smiled as Lucas mumbled in his sleep. Kristin picked up one of
the candles to light the way for Nathan. He was very careful going up the steps.
Lucas slowly opened one eye and saw where he was. "Dad," he mumbled, "you have to stop
carrying me." A huge yawn escaped his mouth before he continued, "I'm…not…a…baby." Nathan
smiled but didn't reply. He looked down to see that Lucas was already falling back asleep. He also knew
that Lucas' protests were for show only. The boy would never admit it, but he liked being held and carried.
Lucas no longer feared being touched by the people he cared about.
Kristin led the way into Lucas room and pulled the covers back. Nathan deposited Lucas into the
bed and then pulled the blankets up to cover him. They both gave him a kiss on the forehead before
leaving the room. Nathan pulled the door closed but left it slightly open just a crack so he'd be able to hear
him if something happened.
Nathan went back downstairs with Kristin. He needed to put all the candles out before going to
bed. He never got the chance. Kristin wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him. He was shocked
for a second, but he quickly returned the kiss.
"Nathan, I need you," she whispered after they pulled apart to breath. Nathan looked into her eyes
and then pulled her into another kiss.
"I've missed you," he groaned, "I've missed you so much. Your touch, your kiss, feeling you next
to me."
"Well I'm right here right now," she said, running her fingers through his hair.
Nathan bent down to scoop her up into his arms and then he carried her into the guest room.
"You're good at this you know, carrying people that is," she teased.
"I do seem to do a lot of it, don't I?" he joked as he laid her down on the futon. Kristin was about
to reply but Nathan stopped her by kissing her again.
"Talk later," he said as he started to remove her clothes.
Nathan woke a couple of hours later. Kristin was still asleep. He kissed her gently and then
quietly tiptoes out of the guest room. He knew Lucas knew that they had sex, the boy was smart enough to
figure it out, but he still couldn't get used to the idea of Lucas seeing them together. He went back to the
living room and blew out the candles that were now just little stubs. Once upstairs he looked in on Lucas
and saw the boy sleeping peacefully. Then he went to his room and crawled into his own bed after putting
on his pajamas.
Lucas sat up with a gasp. He tried to stop the shivers that ran through his body. God, that had
been the most horrible nightmare he'd ever had. He ran a hand threw his sweaty hair recalling the image of
his father grabbing him, but it hadn't been just that, his dad had teeth like a monster, and his eyes,
they…they had been different. He shuddered at the memory. He was about to get up and go to his dad's
room when he remembered that they were at the house, and there wasn't exactly a cot in dad's room and he
would just be way to embarrassed to sleep in his dad's bed. He forced himself to lay back in his bed and
try to go to sleep, but as soon as he closed his eyes he saw Lawrence's horrible monstrous face and he sat
back up in his bed. He reached over to turn on the light but he soon found that the power was still out.
Great, how was he supposed to chase away the dreams if he couldn't even turn on a light. He got
out of his bed and walked back and forth next to the bed, trying to get his body to calm itself. He wondered
if the day would ever come when he would be free of the nightmares that tormented him. Nightmares of
his father beating him, his parents abandoning him, Cobb kidnapping him and Kristin, ghosts drowning
him, nightmares of bad things happening to his new dad and Kristin, causing him to be alone again. Now
he had a new one to add to the list, Lawrence turning into a monster. What had he done in this life to make
him have so many nightmares? He had to admit though that they were getting better. At least he didn't
have them every night anymore. Hell, before he used to have several a night, now it was just one or two a
week.
He really wished he could turn on a light, or go to his dad's room. It amazed him how safe he felt
when he was with the Captain, but it really wasn't all that surprising when he thought about it. The captain
had rescued him from his father, proved his mother unfit and adopted him, and had gone out of his way to
make Lucas feel happy and loved. Lucas was so happy about having him for a father that he had started
calling him dad even before the adoption had been finalized, but only in private. He didn't call him dad in
front of the crew until the papers had been signed. He knew that the captain liked it when he called him
dad.
A loud rumbling from his stomach drew his attention. He realized that he was starving. He
remembered that the fridge had power from the generator. Cool, he could grab some food and then he
could light a few candles to chase away the dark. He quietly tiptoed downstairs, careful not to wake
anyone up.
Truthfully, he was surprised that dad wasn't up already. It was slightly bizarre how the older man
always knew when Lucas needed him. He remembered when he first joined seaQuest that that psychic lady
had said that Bridger had some psychic abilities. Lucas suspected that was true. The man had an uncanny
sense of showing up when needed. Lucas remembered how in the beginning that drove him nuts, but now
he found he was grateful for it most of the time.
He grabbed a couple of candles from the living room and then went to the kitchen. He grabbed the
box of matches on the stove and lit them. The soft glow already put him at ease. He opened the fridge and
was blinded by the light, but it was also comforting. He took out the plate of fried chicken that was left
over from dinner and poured himself a glass of milk. He was about to warm the chicken in the microwave
when he realized that the microwave didn't work without power. He sat down and decided to eat it cold.
That was okay, he liked cold chicken. He had just finished eating his drumstick when he heard the sound
of his dad's feet coming downstairs. Lucas just smiled, not the least bit surprised.
"What are you doing up?" Nathan asked when he walked in the kitchen.
"I was hungry," Lucas said, starting in on a second piece of chicken. He watched dad pour
himself a glass of milk and sit down next to him.
"That all?" Nathan asked, seeing that Lucas' hair was all sweaty.
"Uh huh," Lucas replied.
Nathan knew he was lying but he didn't push. Lucas would talk when he was ready. At least the
boy was eating. He picked up his own piece of chicken and started to eat.
"Why are you up?" Lucas asked.
"Don't know. I just woke up and decided to come down here. Did you test to see if the power
was back?"
"It's still out," Lucas said. "I tried the lights already."
"Not surprised. It probably won't be back until sometime tomorrow. They take care of the
mainland before they worry about the islanders," Nathan said.
Lucas finished his second piece of chicken and downed his glass of milk. He was surprised to find
that he was still hungry. He got up and poured another glass of milk and grabbed a third piece of meat.
"Don't get mad at me, but this is the most I've seen you eat in one sitting since we went to Disney
World."
"I woke up and was starving. Beats me. I don't understand half the things I do," Lucas joked.
"That makes two of us," Nathan teased. Lucas finished his last bite of food and yawned. "You
about ready to go back to bed?" Nathan asked, then finished his milk. Lucas nodded. He put the remaining
chicken back in the fridge and the empty glasses in the sink. He felt his dad wrap an arm around his
shoulders and lead him back upstairs.
Lucas stopped when he got to the door of his room. Nathan watched him stop.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"No," Lucas whispered "Good night."
"Good night, kiddo," Nathan replied, but he saw that Lucas still wasn't going in his room. He was
positive the boy had had a nightmare now. "Lucas, do you want to stay in my room?" he asked. Even in
the dark he could see the boy cringe.
"No, I'm fine," Lucas said. He walked into his room then and pushed the door to. "Get a grip,"
he told himself. They're just dreams, they can't hurt you." But he knew that really wasn't true. His
dreams weren't just dreams, they were memories of things that had hurt him, had hurt him very much in
fact. He sat down on the edge of the bed and listened to the rain. It was still falling, but it was a clam rain
now, not the wild weather of earlier.
He pulled himself back in the bed and sat with his back against the wall, drawing his knees up to
his chest. He hated being afraid. He wondered if fear was doomed to be his constant companion in life.
Nathan stood in the hallway. He didn't know what to do. He knew Lucas wasn't going to go to
sleep, but he also knew that Lucas didn't want to look like a baby. He wasn't surprised to find himself
opening Lucas' door and stepping into the room. As expected, Lucas was leaning against the wall.
"Kiddo, you're not going to get anymore sleep if you stay in here, and I'm not going to get
anymore sleep if I know you're awake in here, so do me a favor and come on," Nathan said, "cause I really
do want to get a little more sleep."
Lucas made a noise that sounded like half a sob and half a laugh, but he got out of his bed and
followed Nathan to his room. Lucas laid down on his half of the bed and curled up in the covers.
"Good night, dad."
"Good night, son." Nathan lay there and watched Lucas drift off to sleep. He was so happy to
have his son back. He hated that he still had nightmares, but compared to what had become of Lucas the
past two weeks he realized that they could live with the nightmares. Now that everything was right again
he could handle just about anything that came his way. He had Lucas back, and he had Kristin back. He
let his mind wander back to their love making. He loved her dearly. Tomorrow he would have to call a
ferry to come and take him and Lucas to the mainland. He and the boy had some shopping to do. Lucas
could help him pick out an engagement ring for Kristin. He fell asleep with wedding bells in his head. He
wondered who would be more excited, Kristin, or Lucas.