Disclaimer: See Part One
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Lucas leaned down and gently began picking up the pieces of glass that had broken and fallen in the floor and was silently berating himself while doing it. 'I can't believe I did that, how could I have been so stupid. Not only breaking a glass becoming an emotional wreck with the doc. Boy Lucas you really are a dope, a first class moron.' He looked up and caught site of the doc entering the room as he bent down to pick up another piece of glass.
The doctor entered the room and caught site of Lucas on his knees picking up pieces of the glass that had fallen on the floor. She stepped back in the bathroom and wet a hand towel in the sink and re-entered the bedroom. Coming over she spoke to the teen. "Lucas don't pick that glass up with hands, you might get cut again. Here let me get the stand with this towel and we'll see if James can come up and sweep this up."
The teen nodded and got up and watched as the doc washed down the stand and then picked up the towel carefully and carried it back in the head. Lucas sat on the bed easily and somewhat cradled his bound hand against his body. It was definitely emitting a deep throb at the moment and with the adrenaline gone it was beginning to hurt.
Kristin came out of the head with her bag and saw Lucas sitting on the bed. She came over and sat down beside him and placed her hand on his knee and looked over at the teen, "How you doing Lucas?"
"I'm okay doc but the hand is a little sore."
"I'm not surprised; you really did do a nice job on it. Let me see it a second."
He gave her the bandaged hand and she inspected it before letting it loose. "It looks okay Lucas but what do you say we go call Nathan and then I'll give you a painkiller in addition to the other stuff."
Lucas nodded and stood up and then turned back to the doc, "What other stuff?"
The older woman rose and grabbed her bag and headed for her room why talking to the teen at the same time. "Why you were talking earlier I decided you needed some sleep. I'm going to give you something to help but since your hand incident it will be much easier to give you the painkiller and the sleep aid at the same time."
As they entered her room Lucas responded in his own teenage way, "Aw come on doc, I'm not tired. My hand just hurts a little."
"Sure it does Lucas, that's why you're cradling it like it was broken. Besides you're asleep on your feet, so do be a good boy dear and don't argue; just give in graciously."
The teen knew there was no point in trying to argue so he slowly nodded as they headed downstairs in search of James. Truth was the doc was probably right, he was really tired and his hand hurt like it might be broken. After they found James and he headed up to clean up and sweep the floor Kristin and Lucas headed for the den and the vid-phone to call Nathan.
Upon entering the den the pair were greeted with an enormous room. All the walls were lined with bookcases full of books and there were a couple recliners set in the middle of the room with a small wooden table in between them. A fire was going in the fireplace that was set under a huge mantle and a picture of a roadside country scene from around the turn of the 19th century or so. Kristin made her way to the huge mahogany desk that held the vid-phone while Lucas began making his way around the room and looking at some of the books. Soft music filled the room before Lt. O'Neil answered Kristin's call. "Hello doctor."
Kristin smiled and said, "Hello Lt. O'Neil may I speak with Nathan please?"
"Sure thing it will be just a moment. He's been waiting for you to call."
The doctor looked up and over at Lucas who was standing beside the fireplace with a book in his hands. "What are you reading Lucas?"
He came over and held the book out to her 'Moby Dick'. She nodded and said, "That's a good one Lucas. I like that one a lot."
Suddenly Nathan's grinning face was on the screen, "Hi baby. I'm glad you called. How are you and Lucas doing?"
Before Kristin could say anything Lucas launched into the tirade of the adventure on the plane and then their getting mobbed by reporters. Kristin just sat silent looking over at Nathan as he silently listened to the teen. Finally Lucas stopped short of telling the older man about his emotional scene and his hand. Kristin could tell by the way Nathan was watching the teen he wanted to know what had happened to his hand but to the older man's credit he didn't say anything. Finally Lucas stopped and the Captain only whistled and said, "Boy you two really do go and have fun together don't you. Are you both okay Kris?"
"Yes Nathan we're fine although a little tired." She felt Lucas shifting his weight beside her and she turned her attention to him, "Yes dear?"
"Doc I'm going back up to my room if you don't mind. I want to start reading this book, I've never read it before."
The doctor nodded and said, "Go ahead Lucas but as soon as I'm done talking with Nathan you're in for a rest young man."
The boy smiled grabbed his book and ran off. The woman shook her head and turned her attention back to Nathan. The Captain smiled and then broached the obvious question that he had wanted to ask the entire conversation, "Kris, what happened to Lucas' hand? Why is it bandaged?"
The doctor ran a hand through her hair and said, "Nathan you aren't going to believe it." She then spent the next half an hour telling Nathan the ordeal about Lucas and the beatings and smashing the glass and cutting his hand. When she was finished the older man had tears in his own eyes, "Is Lucas okay?"
Kristin nodded and said, "Yes Nathan, although he did manage to cut his hand up pretty good. I stitched one cut and the rest have butterfly bandages holding them together for a couple days until they heal."
Nathan nodded slowly and looked at Kris, "What's the but Kristin?"
"What are you talking about Nathan? Lucas and I are both fine."
The older man smiled over at his companion. "Kristin I know that look, you're thinking of something. What's on your mind?"
Now it was the doctor's turn to smile and said, "Well Nathan since you brought it up. I was wondering if you might be able to get away for a week or so."
"The training with the new recruits is going well and I know Commander Ford would love to be in charge for a while, why what are you thinking?"
"Nathan during Lucas' emotion breakdown this evening I came to a conclusion; I think Lucas needs to get away from things for a while. I mean I don't think this conference is enough. I'm sure he'll have a good time but I'm talking something more relaxing, more fun."
"Sounds like a good idea to me baby, where were you thinking of and when?"
"Well I was thinking of right after this conference is over at the end of the week and as for where I was hoping you would agree to join us as we visit Mandy. Her break is coming up next week and it would be a perfect time, plus I know Lucas would love to see her."
Nathan was quiet for several minutes and wasn't sure what he was thinking until the smile broke out across his face. "Kris it's perfect. The four of us could really use some time together. I'll check with Bill but I'm sure it won't be a problem. Whose going to contact Mandy?"
"Oh Nathan I'm going to be so busy with Lucas at the conference, plus his physical and I promised to visit with Joann some can you set it up and just let me know the arrangements. It would be great if you could meet us out here and then we could all fly home together."
Nathan smiled and turned his head to address a crewman entering the room. He nodded and turned his attention back to the doctor, "I gotta run baby but I'll handle it and contact you in a few days. I love you and give Lucas a hug and a kiss for me."
"I love you too Nathan and I will. We'll talk soon. Bye."
"Bye baby" and his image flicked off the screen. Kristin leaned back in the chair and began to let the soft music fill her soul when there was a knock at the door and she looked over to see a tired but smiling Joann Henderson looking back at her.
Rising Kristin said, "Joann it can't be that late all ready."
Joann nodded and moved toward Kristin as well, "It better be that late because if I feel this tired and haven't even went to work yet I'm not going to make it."
Kristin smiled and motioned toward the couch beside the door and Joann graciously headed for it. She collapsed and Kristin soon joined her, "So would you care to talk about it or would you rather go grab a shower and then bed first? Personally I think the latter would be better."
Joann nodded and said, "I think so too because truthfully I would fall asleep before I got through the first 5 minutes of the shift. I just wanted to check on you because James said you had some kind of accident."
Kristin smiled and said, "Oh it's nothing I can't tell you about in the morning. Come on let's get both of us to bed before one of us falls asleep on this couch and it doesn't look that comfortable."
Joann nodded and both women rose and headed out of the room and up to their beds.
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Lucas leaned down and gently began picking up the pieces of glass that had broken and fallen in the floor and was silently berating himself while doing it. 'I can't believe I did that, how could I have been so stupid. Not only breaking a glass becoming an emotional wreck with the doc. Boy Lucas you really are a dope, a first class moron.' He looked up and caught site of the doc entering the room as he bent down to pick up another piece of glass.
The doctor entered the room and caught site of Lucas on his knees picking up pieces of the glass that had fallen on the floor. She stepped back in the bathroom and wet a hand towel in the sink and re-entered the bedroom. Coming over she spoke to the teen. "Lucas don't pick that glass up with hands, you might get cut again. Here let me get the stand with this towel and we'll see if James can come up and sweep this up."
The teen nodded and got up and watched as the doc washed down the stand and then picked up the towel carefully and carried it back in the head. Lucas sat on the bed easily and somewhat cradled his bound hand against his body. It was definitely emitting a deep throb at the moment and with the adrenaline gone it was beginning to hurt.
Kristin came out of the head with her bag and saw Lucas sitting on the bed. She came over and sat down beside him and placed her hand on his knee and looked over at the teen, "How you doing Lucas?"
"I'm okay doc but the hand is a little sore."
"I'm not surprised; you really did do a nice job on it. Let me see it a second."
He gave her the bandaged hand and she inspected it before letting it loose. "It looks okay Lucas but what do you say we go call Nathan and then I'll give you a painkiller in addition to the other stuff."
Lucas nodded and stood up and then turned back to the doc, "What other stuff?"
The older woman rose and grabbed her bag and headed for her room why talking to the teen at the same time. "Why you were talking earlier I decided you needed some sleep. I'm going to give you something to help but since your hand incident it will be much easier to give you the painkiller and the sleep aid at the same time."
As they entered her room Lucas responded in his own teenage way, "Aw come on doc, I'm not tired. My hand just hurts a little."
"Sure it does Lucas, that's why you're cradling it like it was broken. Besides you're asleep on your feet, so do be a good boy dear and don't argue; just give in graciously."
The teen knew there was no point in trying to argue so he slowly nodded as they headed downstairs in search of James. Truth was the doc was probably right, he was really tired and his hand hurt like it might be broken. After they found James and he headed up to clean up and sweep the floor Kristin and Lucas headed for the den and the vid-phone to call Nathan.
Upon entering the den the pair were greeted with an enormous room. All the walls were lined with bookcases full of books and there were a couple recliners set in the middle of the room with a small wooden table in between them. A fire was going in the fireplace that was set under a huge mantle and a picture of a roadside country scene from around the turn of the 19th century or so. Kristin made her way to the huge mahogany desk that held the vid-phone while Lucas began making his way around the room and looking at some of the books. Soft music filled the room before Lt. O'Neil answered Kristin's call. "Hello doctor."
Kristin smiled and said, "Hello Lt. O'Neil may I speak with Nathan please?"
"Sure thing it will be just a moment. He's been waiting for you to call."
The doctor looked up and over at Lucas who was standing beside the fireplace with a book in his hands. "What are you reading Lucas?"
He came over and held the book out to her 'Moby Dick'. She nodded and said, "That's a good one Lucas. I like that one a lot."
Suddenly Nathan's grinning face was on the screen, "Hi baby. I'm glad you called. How are you and Lucas doing?"
Before Kristin could say anything Lucas launched into the tirade of the adventure on the plane and then their getting mobbed by reporters. Kristin just sat silent looking over at Nathan as he silently listened to the teen. Finally Lucas stopped short of telling the older man about his emotional scene and his hand. Kristin could tell by the way Nathan was watching the teen he wanted to know what had happened to his hand but to the older man's credit he didn't say anything. Finally Lucas stopped and the Captain only whistled and said, "Boy you two really do go and have fun together don't you. Are you both okay Kris?"
"Yes Nathan we're fine although a little tired." She felt Lucas shifting his weight beside her and she turned her attention to him, "Yes dear?"
"Doc I'm going back up to my room if you don't mind. I want to start reading this book, I've never read it before."
The doctor nodded and said, "Go ahead Lucas but as soon as I'm done talking with Nathan you're in for a rest young man."
The boy smiled grabbed his book and ran off. The woman shook her head and turned her attention back to Nathan. The Captain smiled and then broached the obvious question that he had wanted to ask the entire conversation, "Kris, what happened to Lucas' hand? Why is it bandaged?"
The doctor ran a hand through her hair and said, "Nathan you aren't going to believe it." She then spent the next half an hour telling Nathan the ordeal about Lucas and the beatings and smashing the glass and cutting his hand. When she was finished the older man had tears in his own eyes, "Is Lucas okay?"
Kristin nodded and said, "Yes Nathan, although he did manage to cut his hand up pretty good. I stitched one cut and the rest have butterfly bandages holding them together for a couple days until they heal."
Nathan nodded slowly and looked at Kris, "What's the but Kristin?"
"What are you talking about Nathan? Lucas and I are both fine."
The older man smiled over at his companion. "Kristin I know that look, you're thinking of something. What's on your mind?"
Now it was the doctor's turn to smile and said, "Well Nathan since you brought it up. I was wondering if you might be able to get away for a week or so."
"The training with the new recruits is going well and I know Commander Ford would love to be in charge for a while, why what are you thinking?"
"Nathan during Lucas' emotion breakdown this evening I came to a conclusion; I think Lucas needs to get away from things for a while. I mean I don't think this conference is enough. I'm sure he'll have a good time but I'm talking something more relaxing, more fun."
"Sounds like a good idea to me baby, where were you thinking of and when?"
"Well I was thinking of right after this conference is over at the end of the week and as for where I was hoping you would agree to join us as we visit Mandy. Her break is coming up next week and it would be a perfect time, plus I know Lucas would love to see her."
Nathan was quiet for several minutes and wasn't sure what he was thinking until the smile broke out across his face. "Kris it's perfect. The four of us could really use some time together. I'll check with Bill but I'm sure it won't be a problem. Whose going to contact Mandy?"
"Oh Nathan I'm going to be so busy with Lucas at the conference, plus his physical and I promised to visit with Joann some can you set it up and just let me know the arrangements. It would be great if you could meet us out here and then we could all fly home together."
Nathan smiled and turned his head to address a crewman entering the room. He nodded and turned his attention back to the doctor, "I gotta run baby but I'll handle it and contact you in a few days. I love you and give Lucas a hug and a kiss for me."
"I love you too Nathan and I will. We'll talk soon. Bye."
"Bye baby" and his image flicked off the screen. Kristin leaned back in the chair and began to let the soft music fill her soul when there was a knock at the door and she looked over to see a tired but smiling Joann Henderson looking back at her.
Rising Kristin said, "Joann it can't be that late all ready."
Joann nodded and moved toward Kristin as well, "It better be that late because if I feel this tired and haven't even went to work yet I'm not going to make it."
Kristin smiled and motioned toward the couch beside the door and Joann graciously headed for it. She collapsed and Kristin soon joined her, "So would you care to talk about it or would you rather go grab a shower and then bed first? Personally I think the latter would be better."
Joann nodded and said, "I think so too because truthfully I would fall asleep before I got through the first 5 minutes of the shift. I just wanted to check on you because James said you had some kind of accident."
Kristin smiled and said, "Oh it's nothing I can't tell you about in the morning. Come on let's get both of us to bed before one of us falls asleep on this couch and it doesn't look that comfortable."
Joann nodded and both women rose and headed out of the room and up to their beds.