Dedicated to Sammie, my biggest fan! Really, thanks for your comments. I appreciate them.
Late in the afternoon of Day four of their cruise, Lucas and Nathan climbed out of the tender back onto the ship. They were wet and tired but exhilarated after their day of kayaking.
"I can't wait to get the pictures developed!" exclaimed Lucas happily. "That was one of the coolest things I've done in my whole life!"
Nathan chuckled at teen's exuberance as he stretched the muscles in his back. He was going to be sore and stiff tomorrow but it had been worth it. It had been a beautiful day, sunny with snow covered mountains in the distance. "I don't know about you but I could use a hot shower and some food."
"And show Kristin that we made it back in one piece,"joked the teen. "She'll be surprised that neither of us fell out of the kayak or got eaten by a moose."
"It's her job to worry about things. She is a Doctor after all. And tsunamis shouldn't be taken lightly, kiddo."
"She worries too much," muttered Lucas under his breath as he walked a few steps behind Bridger.
Stopping at their cabin door, Bridger fumbled for his key card and opened the door. "What was that Lucas?"
"Uh, nothing."
Cracking a small smile, Bridger said, "That's what I thought. I'm first for the shower." He disappeared in his bedroom to grab his things.
Lucas rapped lightly on the connecting door but received no answer. *Probably up on the bridge
helping the captain pilot the ship.* Pulling out a magazine, he went to relax on the veranda
until it was his turn in the bathroom. It had been a warm day while kayaking, though they had to wear wetsuits because of the chilly water but out on the verandah, a cold wind blew and the skies were clouding over. His sweatpants and short sleeve shirt were comfortable for now but if it got any colder, he would have to break out a sweatshirt. He hoped that the sun would come back out for their helicopter trip to the glacier the next day.
It felt good to sit and relax in the peaceful atmosphere. As much as he enjoyed it, the day had been physically exhausting. He had never been an outdoors sort of guy, preferring the finer art of computers. The whole trip, he had to admit, was emotionally exhausting for him, as well. Even in college, he had spent most of the time by himself. The whole family vacation thing was new to him and he wasn't used to having so much 'human interaction' around him. Even on the seaQuest, he had his own space and the crew knew when to leave him alone. Just rooming with the Captain was enough invasion of his personal space to bother him.
A small rap on the sliding door interrupted his thoughts, and Lucas turned to see the Captain wrapped in a towel, a strange look in his eye.
Sliding open the door, Lucas entered the cabin as Nathan stood to one side. "Everything ok, kiddo?" Nathan questioned casually. "You looked like you were a million miles away." He studied the boy's face for a minute. If there was one thing that he was sure about was his ability to 'read' the teenager. Lucas tended to be an open book and Nathan always knew when something was bothering him.
"I'm fine." The teenager answered just a shade too quickly. "I was just wondering...um, is it alright if I eat up on deck tonight. He bit his lip, his mind scrambling for a reason. "There's this girl..." he stumbled to get out.
A small smirk sat perched on the Captain's lips. "A girl, uh? Someone you met at the club yesterday? Yeah, sure, I think Kristin and I can get along without you."
"Well, you and the Doctor should have some private time," Lucas said teasingly, hoping to change the subject. "I'm going to shower."
As the teen disappeared in to the bathroom, Bridger said to his retreating back, "12 midnight curfew. We have to be up early tomorrow."
*****
It was later that night, after a quiet dinner for two, that Kristin and Nathan decided to take a walk in the moonlight on the top desk. The deck was nearly deserted as workers scurried around stacking chairs, cleaning trashcans, and mopping the deck. There were a few people in the hot tub but for the most part they had the deck to themselves.
Kristin tucked her arm under Nathan's as they strolled along, a light wind whipping through their hair. "Guess everyone is at the show or in the nightclubs."
That's when it started to rain. With a gasp of surprise, Kristin grabbed Nathan's hand. pulling him forward to find shelter as the hard rain began to pelt them.
They found a small bar area with an overhang. All the chairs were empty, except for one in the back amid the shadows. The chair was turned away from them so they could only see the back of a head.
Nathan laughed, shaking the water out of his hair, brushing off the shoulders of his suit jacket. "So much for the brochure claim of sun lit days and romantic moon lit nights."
Kristin returned his smile. "Guess we know where everyone is now."
At the sound of their voices, the head in the chair slipped lower as the owner held his breath that he would not be discovered. Lucas couldn't believe his luck. Try to hide on a huge ship and they STILL found him. He quickly wiped his eyes. Maybe if he was really quiet, they would simply go away. The last thing he wanted was the questions that were sure to follow if they noticed he was sitting there.
The Captain and the Doctor were making small talk in the background, but then there was a long period of silence until the whispers started again. Lucas closed his eyes and bit his lip, not daring to take a peek. He could only imagine what the couple was up to and he really DID NOT want to know.
There was the sound of chairs scraping on the deck as the rain continued to play a tap dance on the roof above. The whispers and laughter got closer and closer to where the teen was sitting.
"Nathan," Kristin's voice chided lightly. "We're not teenagers. We could go to the cabin."
"But this is more exciting. Like necking in the back seat of the car at the beach."
*Crap. Crap, crap,crap* Lucas thought to himself, wishing he could jump overboard instead of being a witness to the romantic interlude that was rapidly approaching him. Things couldn't get much worse.
"Lucas?" Two voices chimed together filled with a mix of confusion and surprise.
Damn. Things just got worse. He opened his eyes to see the Doctor and the Captain standing there. His first thought was to just stand up and run but he knew that would not help the situation. At some point he would have to face these two.
Sitting up in his chair, he went for the cheery response. "Hi!"
Raising an eyebrow, Nathan examined teen, his eyes then sweeping over the table that held one cup, one set of silverware and one plate containing a half eaten meal. Even in the low light, it was hard to miss the splotchy reddish skin on the teen's face and the slightly swollen red eyes. It was more than obvious that Lucas had been crying.
Bending close to Nathan, Kristin whispered in his ear. "I'll leave you to handle this. Knock on my door when you're finished." She drifted off quickly into the rain and the darkness.
Bridger settled into a chair across the table from Lucas. Experienced had taught him that Lucas needed space. "Lucas, I thought you were eating with someone. Is everything... did someone..." Nathan was at a loss for words, having no idea what this was about. In the past, he had at least some inkling what Lucas was upset about but in the ten months that he had known the young man, he had never seen him this upset. What could have driven the teen to tears? Especially now, when he should be having the best time of his life.
Lucas, for his part, was totally mortified to be caught blubbering in the dark like some two year old. After all this time he should be able to control his emotions. He hated being weak, especially in front of the Captain. The Captain, who was filled with wonderful thoughts about families, who had suffered so much because of the loss of his wife and son, would never understand. "It's nothing, Sir, really. I'm fine. It's the wind, blowing in my face and all the dust swirling around," he explained. "And there were some other kids here but they decided to go to the club." He rose out of his chair quickly. "C'mon, let's go get the Doctor and check out tonight's show. I think it's a musical." He looked hopefully at the Captain, pleading with him mentally to just let the whole thing drop.
Hesitating, Nathan knew he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he pushed, Lucas would shut himself up tight as a clam. But if he didn't address the problem now, Lucas would bury it. And he had a feeling that anything that reduced the teen to tears was not something to ignore. Besides, he was a little disheartened that even at this point in their relationship the boy still did not feel comfortable enough to talk to him. "Lucas, please, I want to help you." He rose from his chair to approach the boy but suddenly he felt his legs give way from under him as he went crashing to the deck.
The ship tipped wildly to the side as the deck chairs and tables started sliding. Lucas managed to stay on his feet and grabbed one of the chairs to stay balanced. "Captain!" He cried as the ship tipped the other way.
Relaxing his body, Nathan let himself roll with the movement of the ship as he tried to protect himself from the chairs that were flying around him.
Then as swiftly as it had started the ship leveled itself out and all was back to normal. Lucas hurried over to the Captain and helped him up. "What the hell was that! Are you hurt, Captain?"
Taking inventory of all his body parts, Bridger tried to smooth his rumple suit back into place. "I think I'm still in working order. We should go check on Kristin and then find someone who can tell us what's going on."
Everything else was forgotten as they hurried to their cabin. Knocking on the connecting door, they were surprised when Kristin launched herself at them, pulling them into a tight hug. "I was worried," she murmured as an explanation.
The cruise director came on the ship wide radio explaining that there had been a minor underwater earthquake, which had resulted in the sudden movement. She advised anyone who was injured to visit the medical facility or to contact a crew member.
"Are you sure you're all right, Captain," Lucas asked anxiously and he turned to Kristin to explain, "He was knocked down."
Kristin immediately sprung into Doctor mode as she seized Nathan's head to examine his eyes. "Knock down! Did you lose conciseness? Does your head hurt? Does anything hurt?"
Extracting himself from Kristin's grasp, Nathan said firmly, "I am fine." Letting out a loud yawn, he leaned towards the Doctor to give her a quick peck on the cheek. "But I am tired; too much excitement for me. We'll talk tomorrow. Coming, Lucas?" The last bit was more of an order than a question.
Lucas gave Kristin a small smile. "Night, Kristin."
Catching Lucas' arm as he turned to go, Kristin tilted her head, giving him a quizzical look. She wanted to know what had happened early but didn't want to pry. That was Nathan's territory.
Lucas knew what the Doctor was wondering about and didn't want to get into it. Thankfully, the earthquake has saved him from nosy Bridger. Sure, his parents sucked, as did his whole childhood, but he didn't need these adults to sit around and analyze his feelings. Besides, it would ruin everyone's vacation. It was better to bury his emotions deep inside once again.
"Good night, Doctor." The teen's voice was hard, his expression tight, leaving no doubt that Kristin should just leave it alone.
Kristin knew when to admit defeat, and gave the boy a quick peck on the cheek. "Sweet dreams, Lucas."
The teen escaped quickly into his own room, slipped out of his pants and shirt, and jumped into bed, pulling the covers up over his head. He heard Bridger moving around in the bathroom. Closing his eyes, he pretended he was asleep as Nathan sat on the edge of the bed. The teen knew what the Captain wanted but ignored him.
Nathan sat for a long minute. Sighing softly, knowing he had lost his golden opportunity for interrogation, he headed for his own bed. Maybe the kid would be more open tomorrow. And maybe pigs would fly too.
********
Late in the afternoon of Day four of their cruise, Lucas and Nathan climbed out of the tender back onto the ship. They were wet and tired but exhilarated after their day of kayaking.
"I can't wait to get the pictures developed!" exclaimed Lucas happily. "That was one of the coolest things I've done in my whole life!"
Nathan chuckled at teen's exuberance as he stretched the muscles in his back. He was going to be sore and stiff tomorrow but it had been worth it. It had been a beautiful day, sunny with snow covered mountains in the distance. "I don't know about you but I could use a hot shower and some food."
"And show Kristin that we made it back in one piece,"joked the teen. "She'll be surprised that neither of us fell out of the kayak or got eaten by a moose."
"It's her job to worry about things. She is a Doctor after all. And tsunamis shouldn't be taken lightly, kiddo."
"She worries too much," muttered Lucas under his breath as he walked a few steps behind Bridger.
Stopping at their cabin door, Bridger fumbled for his key card and opened the door. "What was that Lucas?"
"Uh, nothing."
Cracking a small smile, Bridger said, "That's what I thought. I'm first for the shower." He disappeared in his bedroom to grab his things.
Lucas rapped lightly on the connecting door but received no answer. *Probably up on the bridge
helping the captain pilot the ship.* Pulling out a magazine, he went to relax on the veranda
until it was his turn in the bathroom. It had been a warm day while kayaking, though they had to wear wetsuits because of the chilly water but out on the verandah, a cold wind blew and the skies were clouding over. His sweatpants and short sleeve shirt were comfortable for now but if it got any colder, he would have to break out a sweatshirt. He hoped that the sun would come back out for their helicopter trip to the glacier the next day.
It felt good to sit and relax in the peaceful atmosphere. As much as he enjoyed it, the day had been physically exhausting. He had never been an outdoors sort of guy, preferring the finer art of computers. The whole trip, he had to admit, was emotionally exhausting for him, as well. Even in college, he had spent most of the time by himself. The whole family vacation thing was new to him and he wasn't used to having so much 'human interaction' around him. Even on the seaQuest, he had his own space and the crew knew when to leave him alone. Just rooming with the Captain was enough invasion of his personal space to bother him.
A small rap on the sliding door interrupted his thoughts, and Lucas turned to see the Captain wrapped in a towel, a strange look in his eye.
Sliding open the door, Lucas entered the cabin as Nathan stood to one side. "Everything ok, kiddo?" Nathan questioned casually. "You looked like you were a million miles away." He studied the boy's face for a minute. If there was one thing that he was sure about was his ability to 'read' the teenager. Lucas tended to be an open book and Nathan always knew when something was bothering him.
"I'm fine." The teenager answered just a shade too quickly. "I was just wondering...um, is it alright if I eat up on deck tonight. He bit his lip, his mind scrambling for a reason. "There's this girl..." he stumbled to get out.
A small smirk sat perched on the Captain's lips. "A girl, uh? Someone you met at the club yesterday? Yeah, sure, I think Kristin and I can get along without you."
"Well, you and the Doctor should have some private time," Lucas said teasingly, hoping to change the subject. "I'm going to shower."
As the teen disappeared in to the bathroom, Bridger said to his retreating back, "12 midnight curfew. We have to be up early tomorrow."
*****
It was later that night, after a quiet dinner for two, that Kristin and Nathan decided to take a walk in the moonlight on the top desk. The deck was nearly deserted as workers scurried around stacking chairs, cleaning trashcans, and mopping the deck. There were a few people in the hot tub but for the most part they had the deck to themselves.
Kristin tucked her arm under Nathan's as they strolled along, a light wind whipping through their hair. "Guess everyone is at the show or in the nightclubs."
That's when it started to rain. With a gasp of surprise, Kristin grabbed Nathan's hand. pulling him forward to find shelter as the hard rain began to pelt them.
They found a small bar area with an overhang. All the chairs were empty, except for one in the back amid the shadows. The chair was turned away from them so they could only see the back of a head.
Nathan laughed, shaking the water out of his hair, brushing off the shoulders of his suit jacket. "So much for the brochure claim of sun lit days and romantic moon lit nights."
Kristin returned his smile. "Guess we know where everyone is now."
At the sound of their voices, the head in the chair slipped lower as the owner held his breath that he would not be discovered. Lucas couldn't believe his luck. Try to hide on a huge ship and they STILL found him. He quickly wiped his eyes. Maybe if he was really quiet, they would simply go away. The last thing he wanted was the questions that were sure to follow if they noticed he was sitting there.
The Captain and the Doctor were making small talk in the background, but then there was a long period of silence until the whispers started again. Lucas closed his eyes and bit his lip, not daring to take a peek. He could only imagine what the couple was up to and he really DID NOT want to know.
There was the sound of chairs scraping on the deck as the rain continued to play a tap dance on the roof above. The whispers and laughter got closer and closer to where the teen was sitting.
"Nathan," Kristin's voice chided lightly. "We're not teenagers. We could go to the cabin."
"But this is more exciting. Like necking in the back seat of the car at the beach."
*Crap. Crap, crap,crap* Lucas thought to himself, wishing he could jump overboard instead of being a witness to the romantic interlude that was rapidly approaching him. Things couldn't get much worse.
"Lucas?" Two voices chimed together filled with a mix of confusion and surprise.
Damn. Things just got worse. He opened his eyes to see the Doctor and the Captain standing there. His first thought was to just stand up and run but he knew that would not help the situation. At some point he would have to face these two.
Sitting up in his chair, he went for the cheery response. "Hi!"
Raising an eyebrow, Nathan examined teen, his eyes then sweeping over the table that held one cup, one set of silverware and one plate containing a half eaten meal. Even in the low light, it was hard to miss the splotchy reddish skin on the teen's face and the slightly swollen red eyes. It was more than obvious that Lucas had been crying.
Bending close to Nathan, Kristin whispered in his ear. "I'll leave you to handle this. Knock on my door when you're finished." She drifted off quickly into the rain and the darkness.
Bridger settled into a chair across the table from Lucas. Experienced had taught him that Lucas needed space. "Lucas, I thought you were eating with someone. Is everything... did someone..." Nathan was at a loss for words, having no idea what this was about. In the past, he had at least some inkling what Lucas was upset about but in the ten months that he had known the young man, he had never seen him this upset. What could have driven the teen to tears? Especially now, when he should be having the best time of his life.
Lucas, for his part, was totally mortified to be caught blubbering in the dark like some two year old. After all this time he should be able to control his emotions. He hated being weak, especially in front of the Captain. The Captain, who was filled with wonderful thoughts about families, who had suffered so much because of the loss of his wife and son, would never understand. "It's nothing, Sir, really. I'm fine. It's the wind, blowing in my face and all the dust swirling around," he explained. "And there were some other kids here but they decided to go to the club." He rose out of his chair quickly. "C'mon, let's go get the Doctor and check out tonight's show. I think it's a musical." He looked hopefully at the Captain, pleading with him mentally to just let the whole thing drop.
Hesitating, Nathan knew he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he pushed, Lucas would shut himself up tight as a clam. But if he didn't address the problem now, Lucas would bury it. And he had a feeling that anything that reduced the teen to tears was not something to ignore. Besides, he was a little disheartened that even at this point in their relationship the boy still did not feel comfortable enough to talk to him. "Lucas, please, I want to help you." He rose from his chair to approach the boy but suddenly he felt his legs give way from under him as he went crashing to the deck.
The ship tipped wildly to the side as the deck chairs and tables started sliding. Lucas managed to stay on his feet and grabbed one of the chairs to stay balanced. "Captain!" He cried as the ship tipped the other way.
Relaxing his body, Nathan let himself roll with the movement of the ship as he tried to protect himself from the chairs that were flying around him.
Then as swiftly as it had started the ship leveled itself out and all was back to normal. Lucas hurried over to the Captain and helped him up. "What the hell was that! Are you hurt, Captain?"
Taking inventory of all his body parts, Bridger tried to smooth his rumple suit back into place. "I think I'm still in working order. We should go check on Kristin and then find someone who can tell us what's going on."
Everything else was forgotten as they hurried to their cabin. Knocking on the connecting door, they were surprised when Kristin launched herself at them, pulling them into a tight hug. "I was worried," she murmured as an explanation.
The cruise director came on the ship wide radio explaining that there had been a minor underwater earthquake, which had resulted in the sudden movement. She advised anyone who was injured to visit the medical facility or to contact a crew member.
"Are you sure you're all right, Captain," Lucas asked anxiously and he turned to Kristin to explain, "He was knocked down."
Kristin immediately sprung into Doctor mode as she seized Nathan's head to examine his eyes. "Knock down! Did you lose conciseness? Does your head hurt? Does anything hurt?"
Extracting himself from Kristin's grasp, Nathan said firmly, "I am fine." Letting out a loud yawn, he leaned towards the Doctor to give her a quick peck on the cheek. "But I am tired; too much excitement for me. We'll talk tomorrow. Coming, Lucas?" The last bit was more of an order than a question.
Lucas gave Kristin a small smile. "Night, Kristin."
Catching Lucas' arm as he turned to go, Kristin tilted her head, giving him a quizzical look. She wanted to know what had happened early but didn't want to pry. That was Nathan's territory.
Lucas knew what the Doctor was wondering about and didn't want to get into it. Thankfully, the earthquake has saved him from nosy Bridger. Sure, his parents sucked, as did his whole childhood, but he didn't need these adults to sit around and analyze his feelings. Besides, it would ruin everyone's vacation. It was better to bury his emotions deep inside once again.
"Good night, Doctor." The teen's voice was hard, his expression tight, leaving no doubt that Kristin should just leave it alone.
Kristin knew when to admit defeat, and gave the boy a quick peck on the cheek. "Sweet dreams, Lucas."
The teen escaped quickly into his own room, slipped out of his pants and shirt, and jumped into bed, pulling the covers up over his head. He heard Bridger moving around in the bathroom. Closing his eyes, he pretended he was asleep as Nathan sat on the edge of the bed. The teen knew what the Captain wanted but ignored him.
Nathan sat for a long minute. Sighing softly, knowing he had lost his golden opportunity for interrogation, he headed for his own bed. Maybe the kid would be more open tomorrow. And maybe pigs would fly too.
********