A/N:
Ack! This one really isn't that good…but I really like it. Lol..doesn't make sense does it? Oh well! Anyways! Please review! The next chapter is very important, so I'm spending some time on it. Don't forget about me! You guys are the best! Thanks for all your wonderful comments!
~Rena





Kristen walked into Med-bay as Bridger gently lay Lucas down. The boys eyes were
closed, fresh tear tracks running down his ashen cheeks.


"What happened?" she asked Ben, who was looking at Lucas with eyes full of sorrow.
"He…he was crying again, memories hurt him so badly…" he paused for a moment, "how could
anyone do that to a child?"

Bridger turned to her, taking her in his arms. She hugged him back tightly.

"Love?" she asked gently, "are you all right?" His grip tightened.

"they stabbed him." His voice was gruff.

"I know, we saw his file, remembe…" Bridger cut her off.

"No…in his hands. They took the knife and stabbed through his hands!" he heard her sharp
intake of breath, and pulled away slowly.

"No…" she whispered. That wasn't just abuse, that was sheer torture.

Bridger closed his eyes, "he has the scars Kristen. He's hurting so badly." He looked to
the bed and saw Ben stroking Lucas' hair back. Kristen clung to the captain, letting her
own tears fall for the boy. She couldn't stand to think about the pain he must have gone
through.

Ben gasped softly as Lucas opened his eyes; eyes that were emotionless once again.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Ben…I'm so sorry…" Lucas voice was small, horse.

"I know kid, it's all right," he smiled as Lucas yawned tiredly.

"Lucas?" Kristen walked up to the bed. Lucas noticed her tears almost imMediately.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing sweetie, go back to sleep. I'll let you get back to work…everything…tomorrow
okay?"

Lucas let his heavy lids fall as e nodded, asleep almost instantly.

Bridger put his arm around Kristen's shoulders and Ben stood up.

"Lets let him sleep."

They left Med-bay quietly, so as not to disturb the sleeping angel in front of them.

***~~~***~~~***

Lawrence Wolenczak sat, bored, at his desk. He was thinking about his dear son,
that stupid, stupid accident of a child. He wouldn't have had to beat his if the kid had
any common sense! But, he was worried. Not for Lucas of course, lord, that boy could rot
in hell. But he's hurt Lucas badly before the boy had gone back to the ship, and he knew
that questions would be asked, and that the boy would tell. It was partly his fault, he'd
made it very difficult for Lucas' to come up with a lie, but if the kid knew what was good
for him he'd keep his damn mouth shut! But what if he didn't? he'd lose his job, go to
jail...


He couldn't let that happen.
He pushed a button on his intercom.

"Helen?"

"Sir?"

"Get me O'Bryan, now."

"Yes sir."

Lawrence smiled, this was going to be fun!

***~~~***~~~***
Lucas sat leisurely beside the moon pool, listening to Darwin splash happily. It
had been a week since his break-down, and he wasn't feeling much better. But everything
would be okay. He was in control.

He smiled as his stomach rumbled insistently, crying out for food. He was so proud
of himself, he had eaten only once within the past week. Not only that, but he had
managed to keep his eating in control under the watchful eye of the entire senior staff!
Only a person who was in such complete control of his life could do that…well…maybe he
couldn't control anything in his life right now, but he could control what he ate.

He smiled again as his stomach gave the same pleading cry. This time Darwin had
something to say about that.

"Lucas hungry!" he yipped.

"No Darwin, I'm not hungry at all!" Lucas voice was commanding. He was lying through his
teeth though, he was starving; but if he didn't eat, everything would be okay.

"Lucas strange." He splashed Lucas playfully. The teen laughed and stood slowly.

"I need to get back to work. Bye!"

Darwin looked to Lucas' retreating form. Something wasn't right.

***~~~***~~~***
Thomas O'Bryan walked silently through the empty corridors. His stride was quick,
anxious. He wasn't sure how Lawrence had gotten him onto the SeaQuest, or such a friendly
greeting from the captain, but he had to respect the man.

He walked , quick and silent, into the small doorway of the resident teen's room.
He smirked, this brat had it coming to him. The bastard had stolen O'Bryan's job. He was
supposed to be on the SeaQuest. He was supposed to be the computer genius! Not and
insolent fourteen year…wait…he was fifteen now, wasn't he?

O'Bryan had memorized this code, Lawrence had given it to him only hours before to
open Lucas' door with, and never had he been so happy as to finally have an opportunity to
get his revenge.

He punched the numbers in slowly, smiling at the soft click of the lock, and opened
the door. Lucas sat on the floor, his back to O'Bryan, shaking slightly. He was playing
with something, a computer chip of some sort. O'Bryan couldn't tell what it was in the
darkness.

"What now Ben?" Lucas said as he turned around, "aren't you supposed to be…" he stopped
short, noting in fact that this bearded man in front of him was NOT the Lt.

"Hey kid," O'Bryan said gruffly. He sprung almost instantly, catching the boy by his
collar and putting a hand to his mouth.

Lucas was terrified, his entire body shaking. Who was this guy? He started to
squirm, cry out, anything.

"Shut up!" O'Bryan whispered hoarsely, "be still and shut the hell up!"

Lucas did as he was told, closing his eyes as the man pulled out a pistol and held it to
his head.

"we're leaving, and you're going to get us out of here," the gun clicked, "Understood?"

Lucas let his tears fall as he nodded. He glanced at his watch…2:30 A.M., nobody was up
but Ben…and he was so far away.

O'Bryan pushed Lucas roughly in front of him, having him lead to the launch bay.
He was going to steal that sub back…and the kid was going to cooperate damn it!

Passing into the ship and shoving Lucas into the captain's seat, he leaned against
the wall of the ship.

"Drive."

***~~~***~~~***
Bridger woke with a start, bolting up, heavily breathing and sweat soaked.

"Nathan?" Kristen murmured sleepily beside him, becoming immediately concerned when she saw
the look of complete terror on his face.

"Nathan! What's wrong?" she wrapped her arms around him tightly, allowing him to bury his
face in her neck.

"Some…something is wrong Kristen…"

She rubbed slow circles on his back, soothing.

"What…?" she was cut off by an insistent knock on the door. Grabbing her robe and giving a
regretful glance back to the captain, she opened it.

Tony stood there, looking absolutely distraught.

"Lucas is gone."

***~~~***~~~***

The only sound in the room was the soft clank of the shackles around Lucas' wrists.
He was hanging from a pole on the ceiling, the cuffs chained around it, feet inches away
from the cold stone floor. His arms felt as if they would rip off at any moment, the
strain on his arms too painful. His shirt was off, displaying the bloody welts and bruises
about his chest. His back held home to brutal lashes, blood dripping slowly down his
flesh. His shoes had become nothing but tattered strips of leather, his feet numbing in
the cold of his own personal hell. His face was bruised beyond belief, his lips broken and
bleeding. And his hair, once a silky blonde, now streaked scarlet and hanging limply in
front of his blue eyes.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been there, a week at the most. His head hurt like
all hell, pounding blood between his ears. He's been drugged; apparently his keeper was
experimenting with a new torture concoction he'd worked up, and Lucas was his guine pig.
It was horrible pain, that awful drug, horrid hallucinations that brought more pain than
anything he could imagine. He shook his head, trying to shake out the memories, but only
succeeded in causing pain to shoot through his skull.

He lifted his head,, slowly, careful not to hurt himself too much, and looked
toward the ceiling. He didn't even know where he was! God…he just wanted to go home! He
wanted the Captain, and the doctor…

"Captain…" A futile, raspy whisper coming from his parched lips and horse throat. He
wouldn't give up, but how much more could he take?

"Help…"