ON MY OWN





"LUCAS" Bridger now said a little louder, still recovering from the shock of holding the boy

who was covered with blood. Everyone else in the room was just as concerned as were trying

to gather round the injured teenager to see where the bleeding was coming from.

Commander Ford and Miguel Ortiz ran to the front door at the sound of squealing tyres

and only saw the red tail lights of a beat up old Cadillac coming from the rear of the Diner.

"Sorry Captain, couldn't see who it was in that car" Ford said as he walked back over to

where everybody else was.

Captain Bridger had heard the Commander's comment but didn't give any indication of

actually understanding what was said.

Amy Sullivan had scurried into the Diner's kitchen and came out with every single bit of

cloth she could lay her hands on. He handed Bridger a few of the tea towels so he could

apply some pressure to the still bleeding wound.

"Let me get in there" Kristen said in a gentle but firm voice as she went into doctor mode.

Kristen knelt by the boy's side and started to check him over. She cursed herself for not

being more prepared and not having her black medical bag available at short notice.

She took Bridger's hand away from the wounded area and carefully lifted up the blood-stained

t-shirt. The material was absolutely saturated with blood and actually clung to the Lucas's

torso where the bleeding had soaked in the heaviest.

She grabbed at another clean piece of cloth and started to wipe away the blood to enable her

to get a better view of the injury. Thankfully, the bleeding had slowed somewhat due to the

pressure that the Captain had been applying.



"Hold this here again please" Kristen said to Bridger as she went about checking him elsewhere

for signs of injury.

Kristen lifted his eyelids and saw the boy's eyes were slightly dilated. This was probably due to

the blood loss and drop in blood pressure. She didn't have the necessary equipment to check

his breathing or pulse in detail so she had to do the best she could under the difficult

circumstances.

The boy's breathing was a little laboured, but much more than she would have expected

with somebody starting to suffer from blood loss and the initial stages of shock. His

pulse was a little rapid, but that was probably due mainly to the adrenaline rush he had

from the fear he had felt just as he was injured.

"Could you get a warm blanket please?" Kristen asked Amy with a smile. She could see

the fear for Lucas written on the girl's pretty features. "We need to keep his body warm

in order from him going into full shock. It will help keep his body temperature regulated

until we can get him to help."

"How are we going to do that though?" Howard Sullivan now asked as his daughter

went to get the blanket as requested. "The nearest hospital is a good day's drive from here

I'm afraid."

"That's were my second in charge flexes his muscles" Bridger said with a faint smile.

"Commander?" he said and glanced to Jonathan Ford hoping he knew what to do.

Without further delay, they all watched as Commander Ford took on his most military

looking expression and grabbed a hold of his PAL Communicator and started to speak

into it.

"This is Commander Jonathan Ford of the SeaQuest" he began. "I want a U.E.O.

Medical Helicopter fully equipped and ready on my instruction within the next 15 minutes

to a predesignated destination ready to transport an injured crew member to hospital"

he continued "Do I make myself clear?"



"Yes-s S-Sir, Commander Sir" came the quiet mouse like voice of the person on the other

end. "I'll have everything you need when you want it, you just tell me where"

" Thank You, Ford Out" Jonathan ended the conversation and looked up with the look of

accomplishment on his face. He at least felt he was playing a small part in getting Lucas the

medical help he needed in a hurry.

"Now you know why he's my right hand man" Bridger said with a slight smirk to Howard

Sullivan. He knew that he could always rely upon Jonathan to get things done in a crisis.

Bridger returned his attention to Lucas as Amy had returned with a royal blue woollen

blanket and now handed it to Kristen who then started to drape it over Lucas's unconscious

form on the floor.

"How do you get yourself into these messes" Bridger whispered to the boy who neither heard

the question or could provide a verbal answer. He continued to stroke the boy's cheek in

an attempt to rouse him from his unconscious state. The skin on his hand had started to

feel a little clammy and cold to the touch. No doubt due to the shock that Kristen was trying

to ward off with the blanket.

Amy know went to her father and looked at him with pleading eyes "I want to go with them

to the hospital Dad. I have to make sure he's going to be alright." she said as the tears

welled up in her eyes.

Now was the first time that Bob and Sandra Stevens had spoken since arriving at the Diner.

Like the others they were just too shocked with how they had seen Lucas to find the words

to say. They had kept their distance a little, thinking that they would only be in the way.

But this did not diminish their fears any degree. They too were very concerned over the boy

who had come to mean so much to them in such a short space of time.

"You are both welcome to come with us" Bob Stevens now said to Howard Sullivan. He and

Sandra had every intention of following the SeaQuest crew to the hospital as well to see how

Lucas was. They would travel via their own vehicle and there was more than enough room for

two more passengers. Just like them that could see the effect that Lucas's personality had on

these relative strangers.

Commander Ford had given the UEO Medical Helicopter pilot the directions to the Diner

and the machine could soon be heard hovering just above the highway below.

"Can't see the sense in staying here" Howard Sullivan said with a wink to his daughter "Doesn't

look like trade is going to pick up tonight anyway."

Two medical personnel had entered the small Diner with a stretcher and now made their

way over towards the crowd and injured teenager.

Bridger hated the idea of having to relinquish the teenager to these people, but he knew that

it had to be done. The boy needed more help than he could provide at the moment. Once

he was mended and recovering, there would be time for explanations and words of comfort.

Everyone stood back momentarily as Kristen instructed the medical team on how to pick

up the injured boy and place him on the stretcher. Lucas gave a few moans of pain as he

was moved but showed no signs of regaining consciousness.

"Nathan, you can come with us" Kristen said "The rest of you I'm afraid will have to make

your way by road. There just isn't enough room for us all in the helicopter."

"You just take good care of him, you hear" Ben Krieg said with a lump rising to the back of

his throat. He laid a gently hand on the still form covered with the blanket as the stretcher was

lifted from the ground and they started to make their way out to the waiting helicopter.

"He'll be alright Lieutenant" Kristen said soothingly "By the time you meet us there, he will

be all patched up and sleeping comfortably in a bed. He'll be fine, wait and see."

Ben nodded his head and followed the others outside to the transport. They would all be

ready to go at a moment's notice as soon as the helicopter lifted off the ground.

Howard and Amy Sullivan made a hurried check of things and locked up behind them and

made preparations to climb into the Steven's vehicle ready for the long trip to the hospital.

*************************************************************************

In the helicopter in the air, the medical team just stood back as Kristen hovered over her

injured patient and rummaged through the medical supplies and took what she needed.

At some stage during the flight, Lucas had tried to regain consciousness. He moved his

head back and forward on the pillow trying to shake off the intense pain down his side.

He opened his eyes when the pain didn't ease hoping to find a cause to him feeling so

awful. He remembered very little of the stabbing incident at this stage. He looked about

with a blurry gaze. He noted that the fabric of the blanket that covered him was itching

his wound some and causing it to itch. He didn't have the strength to lift his arm and

try and scratch the problem area.

Bridger had been watching him the whole time since they boarded the helicopter and

put on his bravest smile for the boy as Lucas's gaze fixed upon him. "Just lay still, Lucas,

everything will be alright." he said. He was not really convincing to himself or the boy

he was trying to comfort.

Lucas sole concentration had to be on the pain that was radiating up and down his body

at the moment. Apart from the pain, he suddenly felt cold and was grateful for the warmth

that the blanket offered, even if it itched like crazy.

Kristen watched the facial expressions that were exchanged between Lucas and Bridger and

saw a yearning in both of them to talk to each other and make amends. But at the moment,

the most important thing was to get Lucas well again.

"He really needs to rest first Nathan" Kristen said with regret. She hated to interfere with

the tenuous relationship that was trying to re-establish itself but at the moment, it was necessary.

"There will be lots of time to talk later" Kristen said as she put a comforting hand on his arm

"He really needs to rest and conserve his strength before we get to the hospital" she continued.

She soon realised that her speech was not needed however as the boy was rapidly falling back

asleep. Kristen had already prepared a syringe of pain killer and now injected the drowsy boy

with the clear fluid to try and ease some of his pain. By the time she had removed the needle

from his arm, he was fully lost in sleep again and probably wouldn't wake up for quite some time.

The trip seemed to take forever for Bridger who just wanted to get the boy to help as quickly

as possible. After what seemed liked an eternity, he could hear the helicopter pilot talking

to the small town hospital that was to be their destination. It wasn't a first class medical

facility, but the one doctor on roster was dedicated and would help Lucas as much as he could.

The site of a medical helicopter landing just outside the local town hospital did cause a slight

eyesight for the local residence, but the people inside were only interested in getting the

patient inside and getting him well again.

Lucas's stretcher was put on a trolley with wheels and then shuffled off inside to the emergency

department. Thankfully it was a small town hospital and there were no other immediate

cases taking up the doctor's valuable time. His name was Doctor Roland Roberts and he had

been briefed at the patient arriving while they were still in the air.

As the stretcher made it's way into the hospital, the doctor signalled where exactly they could

leave the trolley in safety. Kristen introduced herself and told the local doctor of her medical

qualifications. She told the man the name of the young patient lying on the stretcher and then

quickly introduced the Captain who refused to leave the boy's side. The doctor was about

to ask Bridger to leave again when Kristen explained not only his relationship to the young

patient, but assured the doctor that the boy would be more at ease if he suddenly woke up

with the Captain for support. The doctor listened to the arguments and finally gave in and

told Bridger that he could stay as long as he liked around the injured boy.

*************************************************************************

Back on the highway, the rest of the SeaQuest crew travelled along the road at a quicker

pace than normal. Their vehicle was followed by the Stevens's car which also carried the

Sullivan's and their pet dog MAC. Bob Steven's thought the company of his canine

friend might help the boy's recovery. The dog had been very out of sorts since the teenager

had left so suddenly.

What all of them failed to notice was an old beat up Cadillac that also trailed

the two vehicles in front. The Cadillac travelled some distance back from the other two out

of worry of being seen. However, it maintained the same route as the others, hoping that

the two occupants inside would soon learn the fate of their young kidnap victim.

Their only hoped that they could reach the boy before he was able to take to authorities

and name them as his kidnappers.

Somehow they would need to wait until everybody was out of the room and try and

keep the boy from spilling what he knew.

***********************************************************************

Doctor Roberts washed his hands and prepared to take a look at his young patient. Kristen

had also scrubbed up and was prepared to assist in any capacity needed. There was a nurse

present as well to document the injuries. Kristen had told the doctor the circumstances

surrounding the boy's suspicious injuries and she wanted them noted in case they could be

used to arrest the culprits at a later date.

The first thing Doctor Roberts did was to administer a light sedative to Lucas. He knew that

Kristen had given the boy a small dose of morphine during the flight, but he wanted to

minimize as much movement as possible while he conducted his examination. He didn't

even know what the extent of the injuries were yet. The sedation would be mild enough

to keep Lucas still and allow him some relief from any pain as he slept.

Bridger kept out of the medical team's way and remained at the head of the stretcher,

ready to administer and comfort and shed as much love as possible to the boy that he had

thought he might have driven away due to his carelessness. The fact that he was injured in

the first time was due to his thoughtlessness. If Lucas hadn't heard the conversation, then

he wouldn't have run away, he wouldn't have been at the hands of kidnappers and he

wouldn't be lying in this hospital bed right now. Just about everyone of Bridger's questions

he had in his head started with IF.

Using a pair of scissors, Doctor Roberts and Kristen now cut away the boy's blood-stained

t-shirt. It wouldn't be needed much more.

Now that the bleeding had completely stopped, it was much easier to see the source of the

blood. There was a long uneven gash along the boy's rib cage that ran from front to back and

was about ten centimetres long. They gently used a some water to wash the blood from the

area to get a better look. Once the area was clean, they could gauge that the gash was about

one centimetre deep. It hadn't been deep enough to effect any vital organs on the inside, but

it had torn through the true skin and would be painful for a couple of months until it healed

completely.

Bridger tried not to look at the wound. Every time he saw it he blamed himself and promised

himself that he needed to talk to Lucas as soon as he was well enough to comprehend what

he had to say.

"Looks like it was made by some sort of sharp instrument, Dr Westphalen" Roberts said as

he continued his examination. "Luckily it isn't too deep. It will require a number of stitches

to close the wound together. It will need to be redressed daily with clean bandages and it will

need to be monitored carefully for signs of infection. But so long as movement, particularly

movement to the side or rash action can be restricted, the wound should start to close itself

and begin to mend nicely. The boy will need to have regular pain medication for the next

month or so as he heals. If the facilities aboard this SeaQuest are as good as you say they are,

I think the boy should be able to return there under your medical supervision within a few

days. Provided of course there is no onset of infection or other unforseen complications."

"Thank you Doctor Roberts" Kristen said. "If you and I attend to Lucas and get him settled

in his room while the Captain here fills out the necessary administration paperwork" she said

as she turned to Nathan. Nathan nodded and was very reluctant to leave the teenager until

he at least showed signs of waking up. He finally sighed loudly and resigned himself to his

task of filling out the numerous forms that needed a parent's or guardian's signature to admit

Lucas to a ward in the hospital.

About an hour later, Kristen came out into the waiting room where Bridger was still filling

out the form. There were any number of questions that Bridger didn't know the answers

to. Like what Lucas's blood type was. What his mother's maiden name had been. What

if any allergies he might have had to certain types of medication. It was just another few

hundred to add to the list that was headed up THINGS NOT KNOWN ABOUT LUCAS.

Being a guardian, anybody would have normally expected Bridger to know some of the

answers. But Lucas was a very private person and there was still a multitude of things from

his past that he wanted to remain a secret even from his new Dad.

"He's settled into the ward now."Kristen said as she sat down and explained what she knew.

"It took fifteen stitched to close the wound properly so he is going to be very sore for the

next few days. Especially when those stitches start pulling at the skin tries to close back over

the wound."

"You can go and see him now if you like. But remember he will be very groggy at first

and might not know where he is."Kristen explained "I know you two have a lot to talk

about so I will leave the two of you alone for a while. Just remember that he will be in

some pain. You will have to be patient and understanding. Call if you think he needs

.anything or if his pain becomes excessive."

Bridger handed Kristen the half completed forms and started to walk down the corridor

that led to the boy's bed. Lucas was in the hospital's most monitored room at the moment.

He wasn't hooked up to any machinery yet, but it was all there if the need arose. The

room was made up of a large wall in the middle where Lucas's bed was on the other side and

a door way on either side of the wall. One to the left and one to the right just in case entry

to the room needed to be gained in a hurry.

Bridger entered the room through the door closed to him on the right. The left hand side door

was further down the corridor. When he walked into the room his eyes needed to adjust to

the powerful lighting in the room.

A nurse was just leaving as Bridger was coming in.

"I just opened a window a little in the room to allow the air to circulate some" she said

"The air conditioning is not working so well in the room and because we are a small town

hospital, we are not likely to get funding in a hurry. I'm sorry for the second class facilities

we have to offer your son at the moment Mr Bridger." she replied truthfully.

"You see to it that my son get well again and I'll talk to whoever is necessary to get that

extra funding" Bridger answered. These people had been there for Lucas when he needed

them the most so it was the least he could do for them.

The nurse returned an appreciative smile and left the room. She didn't really think that anything

would come of his promise, but it never hurt to believe she supposed.

Bridger walked over to the bed and looked down at the figure laying on the crisp white linen

sheets and the thin cotton patchwork quilt that was spread over the top.

Lucas looked so incredibly vulnerable as he lay in the bed right now. The sheets and quilt

were only pulled up half way so as to expose from his waist up. Bridger could help but see

the thick layers of padding and bandaging that encircled the boy's midriff to just under his

arms.

Fifteen stitches sounded like an awful lot to him. It sounded very painful and he wished he

could wish it all away before the boy had a chance to wake up to the pain he was going to

be in for.

Apparently the sedative he had been given had been mild as promised and as these thoughts

ran through his head, the boy started shifting slightly on the bed. He moved his head from

side to side on the pillows and tried to roll away from the pain he felt burning in his side.

As soon as he moved though the pain flared into sharp jabbing ones that ran down his whole

left side and he couldn't hide the gasp that was on the his lips.

Bridger pulled up a chair from the corner of the room and took the sleep limp hand in his

own as he waited for the boy to wake a little more before bombarding him with sounds and

words.

Lucas felt somebody holding his hand but at first it didn't register who it might have been.

He was still trying to figure out where he was and why and why the hell he hurt so bad.

Flashes started occurring in his mind and he could remember seeing the flash of silver before

the burst of pain from his side. That was where the pain was coming from now.

He gasped out loud as he remembered seeing the faces of Biff and Danny and all at once

he tried to sit up as if trying to flee once again from his kidnappers. His short burst of energy

was soon spent though and he had to bite down on the inside of his cheek and hold his breath

at the searing pain that the motion of sitting up had on his wound and the stitches that held

it all in place.

Bridger had been so surprised when Lucas sat up so suddenly that the boy had almost tumbled

out of the bed. "Whoa Lucas are you alright?" he asked as he watched the pain move across

the boy's face in waves and shadows.

Lucas nodded his head in answer because it was the only action he could manage without

screaming out from the pain he had in his side.

Bridger wasn't fooled though by Lucas's attempts to act brave in front of him. As Lucas

turned to face his Dad, Nathan could see the same deep down feeling of dread that had been

building up that he had himself felt after the teenager's departure.

"Seeing how your still a little too out of it, how bout I start this conversation" Bridger

said in soft tones as he made the boy look at him and take in every word he was about to say.

"Lucas, I know what you think you heard that night" Bridger began and Lucas tried to turn

his head away already in shame at what he had thought.

Bridger took the boy by the chin gently but firmly and kept going "And if I could only take

those words back, I would. They weren't about you, I don't know if you know that by know?"

he asked and waited for Lucas to nod his head slightly in reply. "They weren't for you, but

I can understand from what was said why you would think we were talking about you."

"I feel like I'm on trial here" Bridger said as he ran a nervous hand through his silvering hair

and tried to find the words to make all of Lucas's hurt go away.

"You want to hear my side first then?" Lucas asked in a heavy voice as a result of the sedation.

"Okay" Bridger said, grateful for the chance for the boy to open up to him. "Tell me what

you feel inside Lucas, I really need to know."

"I know that I am supposed to forget all about my other life and just begin again when you

adopted me" Lucas said. He looked down at the patterned bedspread the whole time he spoke

just to keep focus and to hide the tears that threatened.

"But it's like there's this little boy inside of me that will always be afraid on my past. Afraid

of the past, the future, the unknown. No courage to speak up for myself. No courage to ask

for love and affection when I need it. When I was living at home, my father literally drummed

it in to me that to show any emotion at all was for the weak."

"The reasons why didn't matter. If you showed weakness in his eyes, then you were weak

in his eyes. I guess that's how I will always be perceived by him no matter what I do. Once

you get into that mode of thinking, it's kind of hard to accept anything different. Especially

the love and friendship that you, Kristen and the SeaQuest crew have shown me. It's like I

have been told to toss the old learning book aside and learn from scratch again. And to be

totally honest with you, I don't know if I can do that again."

"I guess old habits die hard, like they say" Lucas said and finally looked at Bridger for his

reaction to his explanation.

"I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for running away. I spoke to a friend

once (Howard Sullivan) who reminded me that I needed to put my own selfish pride aside

and accept the love that's offered now because your friends and family might not be there

tomorrow for you to tell them." Lucas said.

Bridger now moved closer to the boy so Lucas could rest his head on the Captain's shoulder

as the tears now ran down his cheeks. "I wish I could take it all back" Lucas whispered

through his soft sobs. "I'm sorry."

"You've got nothing to be sorry for Lucas" Bridger said as he found it hard to gain control of

his own emotions. "It's me that should be sorry."

"When you left that night, I felt like I was the one who had driven you out. My heart had this

black hole in it where you had been. It was like losing Robert and Carol all over again but worse

because I had caused the hurt this time. I know it's hard to let go of the past. But please

believe me when I say that I will be there for you every step of the way, no matter what. If you

need to talk I'll be there. If you need anything else or just a hug to say everything's all right, just

let me know. Please don't shut me out again because I don't think this old ticker of me could

last through something like this again."

For the next half an hour, Lucas and Bridger poured each others feelings and emotions out

to one another. Kristen had approached the door at one stage and heard part of the conversation

and knew that she would only be intruding if she interrupted him.

Lucas had explained to Bridger about his movements after he left the island. He even told him

about his secret feelings towards Amy Sullivan that seemed to grow almost overnight.

He told him all the sordid details about him being kidnapped and drugged on the highway by Biff

and Danny. He told Bridger that it was these same two characters that had stabbed him behind

the Diner. Bridger promised him that he would contact the righful authorities and have Biff

and Danny arrested as soon as possible for kidnapping, assault and attempted murder.

Bridger could see that Lucas's staying power was waning fast and the boy was almost asleep

on his shoulder. He managed to maneuver himself enough from the boy's side without jostling

his stitched too much. The boy let out a few soft moans of pain but mostly grinned and bore

the constant ache that seemed to be in his side now.

"You spend a few days resting and we will soon have you back aboard the SeaQuest and

recovering quicker than ever." were some of the last words that Lucas heard as his head

touched the pillows.

"The other crew members should be here shortly. You rest for a while and you can have

some visitors later on" Bridger said as he covered the boy to his shoulders and went to

leave the boy sleep for a while. He knew that the boy had gritted his teeth through much of

the pain he was experiencing while they talked. He was just grateful to have him safe and

sound again.

"Love you kiddo" he whispered at the doorway as he took a last glance back at the sleeping

figure under the covers.

Out in the waiting room, the other SeaQuest crew members were just arriving and being

told by Kristen how Lucas was doing. They all sighed in relief at the news that he would

be alright after some rest. They all promised to help him in this recovery once they were

back aboard SeaQuest. They all had murderous thoughts for Biff and Danny as they

were told the full details of Lucas's kidnapping and stabbing.

Ben Krieg almost had to be physically restrained as anger laced through him at the thought

of Lucas at the hands of such people.



"Your probably going to be one of the first he wants to see when he wakes up again Ben"

Bridger said to the Lieutenant. "I know how you feel, but right now we have to leave those

two characters to the authorities and concentrate on getting Lucas back home again where

he belongs. He really needs to be reminded that he had family and friends that love him at

the moment."

Ben slumped down in a chair but wasn't very happy about the whole situation.

Kristen and Bridger looked at each other and could see that the Lieutenant was being torn

up inside over his friend.

"Ben, the others and us are going to get something to eat and sit down for five minutes"

Bridger started to say "How bout you go and sit with Lucas for a few minutes. He'll be asleep,

but I think you would feel better if you could sit with him wouldn't you?"

"Yes please" Ben said as he hurried off to be with his friend.

Ben walked silently into the room and looked down at his sleeping friend and sat in the

chair that Bridger had occupied earlier.

Outside the hospital, Biff and Danny had parked a few blocks away from the little hospital

and now made their way towards a back entrance, trying not to be seen. They were unaware

that Lucas had already told Bridger who they were and were determined to silence the boy

before he could talk to anybody.

They had started to walk towards a back entrance when they spied the open window the nurse

had spoken to Bridger about earlier. They cautiously took a look inside and could scarcely

believe their luck when they spied the blond haired teenager asleep on the bed inside the room.

Ben Krieg had up until a few seconds ago been sitting in the chair and would have seen the two

of them creep in the open window. But he had stepped out to get a drink of water.

Captain Bridger had now eaten his meal and was now approaching the corridor from the other

side to check on Ben and Lucas.

Both of them had no idea of the dangers that lurked within the room where Lucas was sleeping.

Biff and Danny had tiptoed over to Lucas's bed and now looked down at the boy as he slept

on, oblivious to their presence. The boy had fallen into a deep sleep due to the residual effects

of the sedative and the exhaustion his body felt from blood loss and pain from the stab wound.

The two of them could see the bandages around the boy's waist, but at the moment, there only

concern was getting the boy out of the room before somebody saw them.

Biff now put his big hands back over Lucas's mouth as the boy slept and started to try and drag

the boy from his hospital bed.

The first thing Lucas actually felt was the pain, not Biff's hand over his mouth. The pain he

felt as he was unceremoniously hauled from the bed was excruciating. The stitches felt like

they were pulling in all directions and Lucas had an overwhelming feeling of dizziness as well

as the pain.

He opened his eyes to see the reason for the increase in pain and once again his heart leapt in

fear as he saw the faces of his kidnappers Biff and Danny. He had thought himself safe from

these two after Bridger had talked to him. He had felt completely safe in his Dad's arms only

to find that security now shattered to pieces. He couldn't rely on hospital security either

because in such a small isolated hospital it probably didn't even exist.

Lucas used all the strength he could muster whilst trying to cope with the increasing pain in

his side to remove the hand over his mouth and cry for help. If he could just cry out he was

sure that his Dad would come and help him before they could hurt him again. The hand

had a vice like grip on him though and wouldn't release in the slightest at his feeble attempts.

Biff managed to grab the boy around the waist and held the terrified boy in front of him. He

was unaware that the whimpering that now came from Lucas weren't to cry out for help, but

came as the result of his arm pressing against the wound and stitches in his side. Some of the

stitches had been torn slightly and had even begun to bleed slightly. But the blood couldn't

be seen yet under the thick layers of padding and bandages. Lucas felt his hold on conscious

slipping and tried desperately to alert somebody else in the hospital to his situation.





Just as Biff had managed to grab a hold of the teenager, Ben Krieg walked in the left hand

side door and Bridger walked in the right hand side door.

Both of them cried out in alarm as they saw the frightened teenager once again being held

against his will. Bridger assumed that these were the two thugs that had tried to hold him

ransom in the first place and the two that had ultimately stabbed him outside the Diner.

"LET HIM GO NOW" Bridger roared at the top of his voice.

"YOU BACK OFF OLD MAN" Biff said gruffly as he now held Lucas in front of him as

a human shield and started to walk towards the same door the Captain had come in.

There was no reason to hide their presence now so they decided as long as they held the

trump card in the kid, they could walk out and get away before any police showed up.

Bridger and Krieg now did as they were told and were wary of the fact that these two held

Lucas's life in their hands. They could see the pain and exhaustion written all over the boy

and noted the small splotch of blood that now showed through the white bandages.

Bridger and Krieg eventually found themselves backing out into the corridor towards the front

door of the hospital.

The shouting and commotion had alerted the rest of the SeaQuest crew and the hospital staff

of the boy's plight as Biff and Danny walked out into the hospital's foyer with their hostage

firmly held in front of them.

"IF ANY OF YOU THINK OF BEING HERO, THINK AGAIN" Danny now yelled at

the crew who had their weapons drawn and ready to fire "I SWEAR TO GOD WE WILL

ICE THIS KID, NOW BACK OFF"

The crew looked to Bridger for advice as to what to do and slowly lowered their guns as

the Captain shook his head and warned them not to allow Lucas to be hurt any further.

Kristen was concerned not only for the boy's apparent terror, but she could see the fresh

blood on the bandages and knew that the boy's wound needed to be attended to again.

If these two thugs escaped and took Lucas with them as a hostage, there was no telling

what they would do to him.

Bob and Sandra Stevens and Howard and Amy Sullivan could only watch on in horror

as they saw the teenager in the grasp of two desperate men. They couldn't believe that

this poor boy was still going through hell.

Biff and Danny now managed to back out through the front doors with their hostage still

in front of them. They were almost ready to dive into one of the park cars and take off

with Lucas when suddenly Bob Stevens got an idea of somebody who might be able to

stop their escape.

Bob Stevens let out a shrill whistle and got a strange look from all involved except for

his wife Sandra and Lucas who somehow knew exacting what he was doing.

Biff was too busy worrying about watching the SeaQuest crew with their lowered weapons

to see anybody else moving up behind him.

"Um Biff" Danny began as he saw the danger coming but he wasn't quick enough to get

the rest of his sentence out and the next thing he heard was the sound of gnashing teeth

on flesh and the blood curdling scream that came from his partner Biff as Mac the

Rottweiler sank his teeth into Biff's unprotected behind.

Biff immediately released his grip on Lucas and the teenager instinctively dropped to the

ground as the senior crew made their move and pounced on the two would be kidnappers.

Biff and Danny soon found themselves both face down on the ground outside the hospital's

front door with their hands restrained behind their backs. Both of them knew that they

were in for a lot of trouble and seemed to be resigned to accepting their intended fate now.

Lucas now sat on the ground where he had dropped to while getting his fair share of ecstatic

licks from MAC. Bridger and Kristen had rushed over to the injured boy as too had Amy

Sullivan. Lucas seemed to be rousing on the dog in a firm but fading voice but on closer

observation by a doctor's eye, Kristen soon noted the pain that the boy was experiencing

from the retorn stitches in his side.



Bridger and Kristen helped the woozy boy to his unsteady feet and were about to take him

back inside to be looked at again before being put back to bed. Before they got to the door,

Bob Stevens started to talk to the teenager.

Bob and Sandra tried to give the idea of having Lucas as their adopted son one final last

chance. They knew it was only a half-hearted attempt, but they needed to try anyway.

"Um Lucas" Bob started nervously "You know that you will always have a home and a job

back at the Service Station if things don't work out you know."

Kristen and Bridger noted the sad tone in the Stevens's eyes and wished they could do something

to ease the loss for them over Gavin.

It was now Howard Sullivan's turn to add his offer as well as his daughter Amy now edged him

forward. "That goes for us too Lucas. You will always be welcome at the Diner. Amy had

already told me that you two plan to keep in contact after you get out of here."

Lucas now smiled a genuine and warm smile at the two families that were willing to take him

in, no questions asked. "You know that one day I might just take you both up on that offer.

And yes, it's true Mr Howard, Amy and I will be seeing a lot more of each other he said with

a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at Amy."

Lucas looked back at Captain Bridger, to Kristen and the SeaQuest crew however and had

one final comment to add "But for now, I have a family and friends that are waiting for me

back home ready to love me for just who I am. And that's the best feeling in the world right

now." he said and put his arm around his two favourite people and started his shuffle back

towards the hospital.

THE END.......SORRY BUT IT'S TIME TO END THIS ONE FOR NOW.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.

EPILOGUE...... Lucas went back to the SeaQuest after three days of hospitalization and

still has pain from his side for two months. He and Amy Sullivan had exchanged telephone

numbers and are always talking to each other over the webnex. And who knows, down the

track their paths might cross again unexpectedly. But for now, Lucas and Bridger are just

content to spent their time trying to rekindle that relationship that had once been so strong

and true. He still visits Bob and Sandra Stevens a few times a year, even pumps a few

litres of fuel for Bob and gets a few more wet licks from his friend MAC. He found the

real Lucas Wolenczak. He really wasn't lost at all, just hidden a little until the blanket of

unsurety and disappointment was lifted up and thrown again and replaced by the warmth of

love and understanding.

Biff and Danny were tried and when it came time to give evidence, both blamed each other

as the mastermind behind the kidnapping and drugging and attempted murder of Lucas

Wolenczak. Both of them received minimum sentences of 10 years imprisonment with no

possibility of parole. But at night when they lay in their flea bitten beds, the only person

they think of when they get out in ten years in the teenager that put them there in the first

place. Lucas Wolenczak. Who knows, revenge can be a funny thing sometimes.

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