BREATHE

Nathan felt helpless as he watched Lucas's struggle to do the most basic of tasks:  breathe.  Lucas was looking back

at Bridger with fear in his eyes.  

Once again Lucas said the words that almost broke Bridger's heart in two:  "Help me please".

Nathan was trying to massage the teenager's tight shoulders and talking over and over to him in a soft and soothing

voice, trying to get him to calm down to see if this would help alleviate some of the pain he was feeling in his chest.

"Try and breathe slowly Lucas" Nathan now instructed.

Lucas seemed to hear his words for a few seconds as he attempted to lay back against the arm rest of the couch and

try and wait out the pain while they both waited anxiously for Kristen to return.

The attempt was short lived though as he bent forward again, clutching at his chest again and bringing his knees up

as another wave of pain gripped his lungs.  He was trying to take another breath inwards but the drawing action only

seemed to make the burning sensation more extreme.  By the time the pain had begun to ease a little, Lucas collapsed

back against the arm rest of the chair, his breathing terribly short and raspy.

Kristen arrived back as quickly as she could and could see the tension in both Lucas and Nathan.  She told Nathan

to move behind the arm rest so he could still talking calmingly to the teenager but allow her to do what she had to do.

Kristen placed some plumped up pillows behind Lucas's back, trying to lift him a little high on the chair and prop him

up to help with the breathing.  He placed the heavy blanket over him to try and stop some of the tremors that were still

present. 

Lucas and Bridger watched intently as she now used a hypodermic syringe to inject some of the Ventolin syrup into

a small receptacle that was attached to the nebuliser machine.  Now Kristen added an oxygen mask to the top of the

tubing and then started to bring the clear oxygen mask down over Lucas's pale face.

At first Lucas didn't think he would have a problem with the mask, but as it got closer and closer over his face and Kristen

started to tighten the elastic strap at the back, something in the back of Lucas's mind started to make him feel a little

constricted.    His breathing was already short and raspy, but due to his little knowledge of how to use the mask properly,

he was trying to breathe too fast through the mask.

"It's okay Lucas," Kristen said as she explained while she worked.  "This is just to help with your breathing.   You don't

need to be afraid.   You need to slow your breaths down a little and make them longer and slower."

Lucas tried do what Kristen was telling him but the fear in him was a greater force at the moment and seemed to be

controlling what was going on in his body at that time.    He managed to slow the first one or two breaths down but as

soon as the fear began to mount again, the breathing became quicker and more forced.

"Come on Lucas, I know you can do it" Kristen said not trying to chastise the teenager.  She knew he was trying, she

just had to keep talking to him and keep encouraging him.

Lucas was trying, he really was but his body seemed to be fighting him at the moment.  If tried to breath slow, his lungs

did the exact opposite and closed up altogether.   He didn't know how much more energy he had to fight with.  His limbs

were beginning to feel impossibly heavy and he had a difficult time from stopping his eyes drifting closed.

"In, out.  Nice and slow Lucas.  In and now out" Kristen said as she kept the encouragement coming.  She could see the

beginning signs of fatigue in the teenager and she could see his struggles to get enough air into his lungs even with

the help of the Ventolin and the oxygen mask.

It took the best part of half an hour for Lucas's breathing to come back anywhere close to normal.    The mask was still

something that he found new.   He thought he almost had the routine worked out and then his breathing became more

raspy again and he lost the concentration and the rhythm.  He was becoming frustration with his efforts not to be able

to work out how to do it properly.   He knew little kids half his age managed to breathe through these things and not

complain as much as he felt like doing.  What was wrong with him that he couldn't do it?

The question was left unanswered though as his eyes started to drift closed again.  He forced them open again but the

pull of sleep was too powerful to ignore.  The fresh oxygen had allowed him to be alert for as long as was needed but

now even that couldn't ward off the tiredness that he was feeling.

Kristen and Bridger were still keeping their couch-side vigil over Lucas when they saw his eyes close for another time

in the last minute.  This time though the boy just didn't have the energy to open them again.   They remained closed

and his head lolled to one side, signalling to them that he had fallen asleep.

Both of the sighed a little in relief that Lucas was getting the rest he so desperately needed.  Kristen continued to monitor

his condition for quite a few minutes after he was asleep.  She listened to his chest with her stethoscope and although she

could still here a certain amount of restriction in the airways, his breathing certainly sounded a lot quieter than it had

only half an hour ago.  

"How long does he need to keep that mask on for?" Nathan now asked as he gently stroked Lucas's forehead as he slept.

"I want to keep it on a little while yet.  Not all night, but maybe another hour or two.  It will another half an hour or so

until all of the Ventolin is used up.  I will recheck his lungs again after that.   The only problem now is going to be how to

move him upstairs without waking him too much." Kristen said as she surveyed the stairs and the sleeping figure on the

couch.

"You hold onto the machine and keep the mask over his face as best you can while I lift him" Nathan suggested.

Kristen nodded her head in agreement and now gathered the small oxygen machine and the length of plastic tubing that

was connected to it and the mask over Lucas's face.  Bridger pulled back the blankets and was grateful to feel that the

boy's body had now gained some warmth from them.  He gently placed one hand under the boy's knees and around

his slim shoulders and lifted him off the couch.    Due to the level of fatigue, Lucas didn't even look like stirring at the

moment.  He mumbled something incoherently and the mask slipped to the side slightly on his face until Kristen adjusted

it, but other than that he didn't feel the dose of caring that was being dished out to him.

Bridger carried him up the stairs with Kristen following only a short distance behind him still holding on to the length

of tubing.   Once inside Lucas's bedroom, Kristen settled the machine on the bedside table and then left Bridger and

Lucas for a second to grab the pillows and blankets downstairs.

Kristen arranged the pillows on the bed so that Lucas would remain propped up as he slept, allowing his breathing to

improve even more.  Bridger now moved the teenager for a second time and laid him down on the mound of pillows.

The two of them lovingly placed the blankets and quilts back over the sleeping boy and then stood over him for a few

minutes, watching him but not saying very much.

Kristen made sure that the oxygen mask was in the right place and wouldn't be disturbed easily if Lucas moved around

during his slumber. 

"Is he going to be okay?" Nathan now said, finally breaking the silence.

Kristen put a comforting arm around Bridger's shoulders "He's going to be fine" she assured him.  "Although I have to

be honest and admit that I don't know of when I have been so scared for him.   Tomorrow when he has had more time

to come to terms with it we will have to get him to talk about it and let him know that what other things he can do if he

feels an attack coming on."

"Tomorrow I will make him take a few puffs on his inhaler just so he can get used to it and increase the dosage of Ventolin

syrup a little until the tightness in his chest becomes a little looser." Kristen now said.

"Let's go downstairs and order that pizza" Kristen now said light-heartily to him.

Both of them had just sat down and started to eat the pizza after it had been delivered when there was a second knock

at the door.   They looked at each other with questioning looks before Bridger got up to open the door.

They had been hoping for a rather quiet night after the major drama they had with Lucas earlier.  Kristen had already

checked on the sleeping teenager twice since taking him to his room and found him sleeping peacefully both times.  She

would remove the mask on the next occasion.

"Hi Captain, Doc" came the cheerful greeting of Ben Krieg as Bridger opened the door.

"Ben" Bridger answered, sounding a little surprised to see him.

"Where's Lucas?" the Lieutenant now asked as he glanced around the room and noted the teenager's absence.  He had

spotted the opened pizza box on the kitchen table as he looked around and thought it strange that Lucas wasn't sitting

at the table enjoying it too.

Bridger and Kristen looked at each other briefly and respected Lucas's wishes not to say anything to the crew about his

asthma until he was ready.

"I am afraid he's a little tired at the moment Ben.  He's upstairs sleeping at the moment" Bridger said, feeling incredibly

guilty that he couldn't tell one of Lucas's closest friend's the truth about this condition and the attack he had suffered

only a few hours earlier.

 "I thought he was getting better?" Ben said now with concern is his voice.  He knew about the chest infection Lucas had

developed whilst on the SeaQuest due to the cold but the reports from Kristen and Bridger himself over the last few days

had been that Lucas was almost back to himself and feeling much better.

"He was, I mean he is" Kristen said stumbling over her own words as she too weaved around the real reason for Lucas's

absence.  "What I mean is, yes he has been getting much better over the last few days but with all of this computer

programming he has been doing, he has been pushing himself much too hard as always.  He barely stops those machines

for two minutes unless he is forced to and he has been up all hours of the night trying to get the program finished.  He's

just tired and needs some extra rest" she added, holding her breath inwardly that Ben would at least buy part of what she

was saying.

Ben could feel like he was getting the run around but he couldn't exactly put a finger on why.  The explanation that the

Captain and the doctor gave sounded like Lucas alright.  The kid never left the computers alone on the boat either.  There

was just something in their over eagerness to explain that made him feel like he was getting the brush off.

"Well okay, but that is why I was here in the first place.  I thought the kid could use some time out in the real world away

from those machines for a while.  I was going to take him to the mainland tomorrow and just do some fun stuff.  Get him

away from the island for the day" Ben now said as he told them of his reason for turning up unannounced.

"That's very thoughtful of you Ben, it really is and normally I would agree with you about getting Lucas out for the day,

but I think he is going to be a little tired tomorrow as well" Kristen now said, trying to explain away why the teenager would

be spending the majority of tomorrow resting as well.  "He didn't get much sleep last night and even if he sleeps the whole

night through I don't think he would have made up the difference.   How about the day after tomorrow?" Kristen now

suggested, not wanting to put Ben's idea totally out of the picture.

"Yeah, okay sure if you think that's okay.   Are you sure you don't want me to ask him anyway?" Ben now asked.

"No that's okay Ben, just let him sleep tonight and he will be feeling much better by tomorrow night I think" Bridger replied.

"Can I at least see him? You know he's like a little brother to me.  I just want to make sure he's alright" Ben now said sheepishly

as he admitted how he felt about the kid.

"Of course you can" Kristen said, noting Ben's worried expression but she momentarily remember about the oxygen mask

on the boy' face.  She couldn't explain that one away very easily.  "But wait right here while I go check on him a minute"

she said and then scurried up the stairs to remove all remnants of Lucas's current illness.  She hid the nebuliser in the cupboard

and put the medicines on the bedside table in the bathroom cabinet.

She was just heading out of the bathroom when Bridger and Ben were on top of the stairs.  She gave Bridger a sly nod to

indicate to him that she had hidden everything that would be suspicious looking.

Ben walked into Lucas's room, but made sure he was quiet.  He walked over to the bed and looked down at his young

sleeping friend.  "Boy he really does looked tired, doesn't he?" he commented, not knowing that there was another reason

for the fatigue lines or the paleness of the teenager's skin.  

"Yeah, he does, so I hope you don't mind that's why we said he should wait a day or so before going out" Bridger said,

relieved that the little decent seemed to be working at the moment.  He made a mental note to himself to talk to Lucas about

not telling the crew tomorrow when the kid was feeling a little better.  Bridger hated having to tell half-truths like this to

Ben.  As one of Lucas's closest friends, he deserved to know the truth.

"I'll come by the day after tomorrow and see how he is doing." Ben now said as he headed back down the stairs towards

the front door.  "Maybe its not such a good idea to go to the mainland.  I might be able to persuade some of the other guys

to take some time off and spend it on the beach just relaxing for the afternoon.  How does that sound?"

"That sounds great Ben.  I am sure once Lucas has had a chance to rest some he will think it's a great idea too.  See you

then." Bridger said as he said good night to the young Lieutenant.

"I feel like a rat-fink" Kristen said once the door was closed and Ben could no longer dear.  "I wish we could have told him

a little more about Lucas being sick."

"I know, when he feels better tomorrow I am going to have a talk to Lucas about letting the crew know.  There may be a situation

aboard later on when he is in trouble and they will need to know what to do too." Bridger now said as he practiced the

speech he was going to give Lucas.  

"I'm beat" Kristen said as she rubbed at her eyes tiredly.  Bridger nodded his head in agreement and they both retired somewhat

earlier than usual.   Lucas was still sleeping peacefully and they hoped he would remain so for the remainder of the night.

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

The next morning, Bridger and Kristen had both slept late due to their vigil over Lucas.  They hadn't stayed in his room the

whole night but they had been up on several occasions to check on him.

It was well after 9.00am when they finally dragged themselves out of bed and downstairs to the kitchen for some much needed

caffeine.    Lucas was still sound asleep and both of them intended to make sure that he remained that way for as long as he

liked.   They spent the rest of the morning tiptoeing around the house just to keep from waking the teenager.

At about 10.30 they heard the distinct sound of a door opening upstairs to signal that someone was awake.   They both

fought the urge to get up and remained seated in the living room waiting impatiently for Lucas to appear so they could see

how he was fairing.  They reminded themselves that Lucas probably didn't want them fussing all over him first thing in the

morning. 

Lucas was never a good person when he woke in the mornings.  There had been many occasions aboard the

SeaQuest when crew members had come across the "Evil Morning Lucas" and swore that the teenager should never be

allowed out of his room before 12 noon.

Finally they looked up to see the teenager coming slowly down the stairs.  He was still trying to tame his unruly blond

hair and rub the sleep from his eyes.  He kept a tight hand on the banister just in case his legs lost their strength.

"Good morning Lucas." Kristen said a little too cheerfully for his liking.  He knew what line was to come next "How are

you feeling?"

Lucas reached the bottom of the stairs and took the time now to access this for himself.  He had basically just gotten

out of bed and headed for the stairs.  He hadn't stopped to judge how he had faired after the attack yesterday.

Lucas concentrated for a moment, as though he was taking stock of all the various aches and pains, or other symptoms

that he may have had.   He was relieved to note that he didn't feel anywhere near as bad as he suspected he might.

"How do I look?" he asked simply, hoping that his outer appearance wasn't giving away and of his hidden ailments.

"You still look a little pale, but not anywhere near as bad as last night" Kristen answered, deciding to the blatantly honest

with him.

            "My chest is a whole lot better this morning" he said as he rubbed at it, trying to note any traces of pain or tightness

                that he had felt on the jetty outside yesterday. 

"No headaches or dizziness?" Kristen now found herself asking.  It was hard not to go into doctor mode.

"No nothing.  Just feel a little heavy that's all." Lucas said as he wearily sat down in one of the recliners in the living room.

"That's very good.  But don't be fooled into thinking that you are completely over that attack last night" Kristen warned

him.  "I don't want to put a dampened on your spirits as soon as you have gotten up but you will have to be monitored

carefully today to make sure there is no chance of another attack."

"Kay" Lucas mumbled tiredly.  He hadn't really heard what Kristen had said about having another attack.  He just didn't

                feel in a mood to be arguing with her right now. 

            Bridger had occupied himself with getting Lucas something to eat while Kristen looked him over.  He came back with

            a plate of scrambled eggs and a glass of orange juice.

           "Your breakfast is served Sir" Bridger said in a butler like tone as he stood beside Lucas's chair with plate and glass in

             hand.  

"Oh thanks" Lucas replied in an uninterested tone.  He took the plate from Bridger and began forking small mouthfuls of

 the egg into his mouth.    He looked back up and saw the Captain looking back at him as though he was waiting for

something else to be said.

Bridger was a little surprised that he didn't get a better reaction from his performance from the teenager.  Any other day

and Lucas would have two or three jokes lined up ready to fire back at him.   Today he didn't even bat an eyelid.

"Ben came to see you last night Lucas" Bridger now said as he sat in the couch across from Lucas, totally changing

the subject.

"Oh?" Lucas said between mouthfuls of food and a swig of his orange juice.

"He wanted to take you over to the mainland today just to get a break for a while" Bridger said.

"You didn't tell him what happened did you?" Lucas now asked, thinking that Ben and possibly the entire crew knew

about his weakness.

"No, but Kristen and I felt rotten that we had to dance around him most of the time he was here and make up excuses

as to why you were in bed so early and why you wouldn't be able to go anywhere to day." Bridger now informed him.

"Sorry you had to do that.    I still need to get a handle on this whole thing myself.  Give me another day or so and I

will get them all together and tell them" Lucas now replied.

"You mean that Lucas?  Because I really think they deserve to know" Bridger now asked sounding a little dubious that

the kid would actually tell them anything at all.

"Yeah I'll tell them" Lucas promised as he put aside his half eaten plate.

"Now that you have finished your breakfast young man, I want to check you over thoroughly" Kristen said, now

interrupting the conversation between the two of them.

Lucas proceeded to roll his eyes at the thought of being poked and prodded again but didn't have any plausible excuse

for an argument to the contrary.  He sat back and let Kristen do her thing.  She checked his breathing and his pulse.

She asked him to breathe in and out.   Lucas sighed in relief when it was all over with.

"I guess now your going to tell me that I need to rest again just after I woke up" Lucas said dejectedly as he pondered

what his fate was going to be for the rest of the day.

"Only if you want to Lucas.  If you tell me you are still feeling okay for a while, I want to start showing you how to use

the inhaler.   It wouldn't have done you much good with the attack you had yesterday.  But if you start feeling the tightness

in your chest again, that's when you should start using it so you can prevent an attack from being as bad as it was last

night." Kristen now replied.

Bridger knew that Lucas was in good hands now.  He had wanted to go back earlier to the boat to see how repairs were

going but he stayed until he was sure that Lucas was okay first.  He now told them that he was going to take a look and

should be back in about an hour or two.

For the next half an hour, Kristen patiently and slowly showed Lucas the inhaler and pulled a spare one apart so he could

see how it worked inside.  Then she went onto explain about the chemical inside the inhaler and what it was supposed

to do when he sucked the fumes in.   

"Do you think you could use it on your own now?" she asked after her teaching lesson.

Lucas had done the right thing and tried to remain as focused as his brain would let him.  He had listened to what she

said and although he knew he wouldn't be able to quote word for word.  He was confident enough to think that he could

at least push the button on top of it when he started to feel his chest getting tight.  He convinced himself that it couldn't

be much easier than that.

"Yes, I think so" Lucas replied.   Kristen handed him the inhaler but promised herself that she would go over the routine

again in a few days time to see what he remembered.  She was certain that he had at least listened to part of what she had

said.

Kristen looked at her watch and noted that the Captain probably wasn't due home for a little while yet.  She could see

the dejected look on Lucas's face as he tried to put on a brave front about what had happened the day before.

"What do you say to doing something a little different today?" she now asked with a little sparkle of excitement in her

eyes.  She knew  that Lucas was tired and wouldn't be able to do anything excessive, but she was determined to lift

his dull mood, even just for a little while.

"Sure, what have you got in mind?" the teenager now asked, the curiosity evident in his face.  He had expected Kristen

to be stern and unbending about him resting and taking it easy.  I

"Go and get your swimmers on and a towel while I change into mine" she said and then headed upstairs to her bedroom

to change.

A few minutes later both of them were ready standing in the living room with swimming gear on and a towel.  The temperature

outside today was a whole lot warmer that it had been yesterday afternoon.

"Come on, let's go" Kristen now said as she grabbed a hold of the young man's hand and gently persuaded him to follow

her.

To Lucas's utter surprise they ended up walking the short distance along the sand to the beach.  "You really mean I can

go swimming" he asked with doubt in his mind.  He had put on his swimmers as suggested, but he never actually thought

Kristen would go through with it and allow him to play in the water after his attack yesterday.

"Yes I mean it.   But take it easy young man" she warned.  "Swimming is the one of the best known method of exercise for

people with Asthma.  The water takes all of the pressure away from your body unlike other exercises such as running and

playing harder sports.   You can just float in the water and relax.  The salt air should help your lungs open up more.

For the next hour or so Kristen and Lucas took to the water and relaxed just like she suggested.  The boy's mood changed

dramatically as she watched him splash about gently and play with Darwin.  She kept an eye on him the whole time and

was ready to pull him up if he started to get over active, but at the moment, with the smile on his face and the laughter in

his voice, this was a perfect afternoon.

Kristen found her patient much more relaxed and agreeable.  He didn't even put up a fuss when she told him it was time

to head back up to the house.   "And if you promise to behave, you can do that almost everyday" she said to Lucas as the

two of them walked back.  "Especially back on the boat with the Moon Pool.  The temperature of the water can be controlled

and after some time and a regular routine we should start to see an improvement in your breathing and lung capacity.

Just as they reached the front porch, Bridger pulled up outside and greeted the pair of them.  He was a little surprised to

see them both outside and was even a little concerned when he saw the towels and swimming gear.  One look from Kristen

told him that she knew what she was doing.  He looked over at the teenager and couldn't help but be relieved to see a grin

from him.

"Hi you two" he said out loud.

"I am going upstairs to get changed and maybe start on some of that program again Dad" Lucas now said as he walked

ahead of them into the house.

Bridger and Kristen followed him into the house and watched him go up the stairs and close his bedroom door.

"How is he after last night?" Bridger found himself asking out of habit.

"He is doing just fine.  We spent some time this morning going over the inhaler and how to use it.  It might be a little

tricky at first for him but given some more practice I think he will get the hang of it eventually.   After the lesson

I suggested a swim.  Being in the water really is the best exercise for him.  Like I told him just now, when we get back

to the boat, I am going to draw up a regular routine for him to swim in the Moon Pool.    He will be able to keep active

without over doing it and his lungs should start to sound a whole lot better with the swimming and his medication

combined."  Kristen explained.

"He looks okay, a little tired but that's probably from the swimming and last night" Bridger now replied. 

"How are the repairs coming?" Kristen queried as she asked about Bridger's afternoon.

"Slow" Bridger said as he worried ran his fingers through his grey hair.  "I think Lucas and Ben may have to postpone

their day outing tomorrow" he added.

"Why?" Kristen asked.

"Well, depending on how Lucas is feeling tomorrow, I may need him to start installing that computer program into the

boat itself.  The other crew members are trying, but they just can't seem to cut it and at the rate they are going they

are going to be there until doom's day.  I already spoke to Ben about working tomorrow as well as the rest of the senior

crew but I wanted to okay it firstly with you and then with him." Bridger commented.

"Well, I have no problem as long as the work he intends to carry out does not involve heavy lifting and he takes regular

breaks.  I could come too if you like.  I have the new staff rosters for the scientific crew to work out and I am sure you

will be there.  With both of us keeping an eye on him he shouldn't be able to over do it too much.

"I think he told me the other day when I turned up with the new laptop's that there is some rewiring to do but other

than that most of it involves sitting at the terminals on the bridge and elsewhere to load the program on.  He seemed to

be pleased with his progress when I spoke to him before yesterday." Bridger now told her.

"You can go and tell him the good news about missing out on his trip tomorrow then while I make a start on dinner"

Kristen now suggested, knowing she had gotten the easier end of the bargain.  

"Gee thanks, you all heart hon" Bridger shot back playfully and got up from the table to head up to Lucas's bedroom.

The door to Lucas's bedroom was three-quarters closed as Bridger approached it.  He could hear music coming from

inside but it was at a tolerable level which didn't seem right for Lucas.  Normally back on the boat you could be direct

down the many hallways to his quarters by the sound of banging drums and screaming guitars.  Lucas told him that's

how he got his concentration. 

Judging on the level of noise coming from his room at the moment, Bridger assumed that Lucas wasn't concentrating

too hard.  He knocked out of respect for the teenager's privacy but when he didn't hear any reply, quieting stole

inside to see what the kid was working at.

He chuckled to himself once he was inside and saw the teenager.   It was true, the kid wasn't concentrating very hard

at all unless you counted catching up on lost sleep concentration.  The kid was at his work station alright, but both

computers where switched off while.  Lucas's head was resting on his folded arms as he leant across the desk.   Not even

the sound of Bridger entering the room seemed to have jostled the kid awake.

The next course of action proved to be a little difficult as Bridger pondered how best to manoeuvre the kid enough to

get him into the bed.     He had just started to move the slumbering teenager when Lucas woke on his own.

"Um, Oh Hi Captain" Lucas said sheepishly as he tried to make himself a little more alert.   "Sorry, I must have drifted

off.  Boy that swimming really made me tired" he said.  He now got off the chair and moved on his own towards the

bed.  He sat down on it and then laid down, letting Bridger fuss over him just a little. 

He hated to admit it but it was one of the nicer things in his life.  There was a time when he didn't get any affection at

all no matter how hard he had tried to please his parents.  Sometimes he felt like he was suffocating under all of the

over-caring that he received from the Captain and the doctor not to mention the crew as well when they were out to sea.

Secretly though, especially when he wasn't feeling quite himself or he got a slap in the face with something like this

asthma condition, he didn't mind the fussing one bit.  This was his last thought as he contently allowed himself to

drift off to sleep once more with a drowsy smile on his face. 

Bridger left the room and headed back downstairs.

Kristen caught the smile on his face as he came down "You two must have had a fun time of it" she said as she placed

the plates around the table for the evening meal.

"Um, Kristen honey, I would scratch one plate if I were you." Bridger now said.  "I didn't get to say two words to him.

He was already asleep across the desk when I went up there.  I woke him trying to move him to the bed.  He didn't

even give me an argument and said that the swimming must have tired him out.    He's asleep already and I imagine

he won't be waking for a couple of hours again, not to eat anyway.  We can just keep it warm for him for later."

"I was hoping that the swimming might also improve his appetite" Kristen said with a touch of disappointment in her

voice.  She knew that Lucas needed rest and had to be thankful that he was at least doing that.  If there was a full

day ahead tomorrow he was probably going to need every ounce of it.

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

The next morning, everybody was up reasonably early including Lucas.  The early night had done him well and he

was feeling much better than when he had the attack.  Bridger of course had to reiterate the plans for the day. 

Lucas was in two minds about the work ahead on the boat.  On the one hand he was looking forward to spending some

time with Ben and the other crew members in a social atmosphere.  On the other, he was at least glad to be getting

off the island and putting his brain to work for a while.  Lord knows, apart from the time he had spent on the reprogramming

he hadn't used his thought processes for very much at all since coming off the SeaQuest and getting sick.

After a quick breakfast, which Kristen made sure he ate, they all headed to the car and then to the mainland to join the

rest of the senior crew aboard the boat.   Dress code went right out the window today and everybody was dressed very

casually so that the repairs could be done in the fastest time possible.

"Hey Lucas, great to see you" Ben said cheerfully as he greeted the trio as they came aboard.   For the next few minutes,

the greeting ritual was the same as they wandered around the various parts of the submarine, getting a hearty welcome

from the crew. 

When they finally made it to the Bridge, Commander Jonathan Ford seemed to be the most relieved to see Lucas up and

around this morning.  "Lucas, you don't know how glad I am to see you" he now voiced out aloud.  Lucas knew that

the Commander's welcome was mainly due to him looking for the kid's expertise when it came to main frame computers

but that was okay.

"I get started straight away Commander, on one condition" Lucas now said with a certain determination in his request.

"What's that Lucas?" Ford now said a little perplexed about what the teenager's condition might be.  Lucas was normally

known as a particularly demanding individual and he saw no reason to read anything more into this one now.

"Get rid of all the other turkey's you have working on the project right now.  If you want me to fix the problem that's fine,

the program is mostly finished.  But I work alone.   I can handle the program upload and any rewiring that needs to be

done." Lucas now said.

"Done Lucas" Ford said as he sighed inwardly in relief.  He knew the teenager was good at what he did.  If Lucas said he

could do it alone, he believed him. 

Bridger and Kristen had to smile at Lucas as he proudly smiled about getting his own way.  None of them doubted that

he wouldn't. 

"Commander I will go with you in a minute and you can show me these new ideas that you have for the propulsion system"

Bridger now said.

"I will be in the science labs if you need my assistance Commander" Kristen now added.

Commander Ford got the hint but felt like he was getting the brush off slightly.  "Fine I will see you in Engine room number

2 Captain, Sir" he said and left to attend to the many duties he had lined up for the day.

"Now Lucas, I know you know what I am going to say but I am going to say it anyway" Kristen now said, making sure that

she had the teenager's undivided attention. "Go easy today.  I know you have a lot planned but if your body starts telling

you to take a break, then do it.  The work will still be there after you take a break.   And call if you need anything."

"That goes double for me kiddo" Bridger now said as he and the doctor planned to leave the kid alone to get on with his

own work like he wanted to do.

"Oh Lucas, did you make sure you brought your thing with you?" Kristen now said, not wanting to blurt out loud about

the inhaler.  

Lucas tapped the pocket of his jeans to indicate he had.  Once they had walked away he started making plans to install

the new computer system.

About two hours into things, everybody seemed to be making various amounts of progress on their various tasks.  Bridger

and Commander Ford were still wandering about the ship talking about upgrading certain parts that needed attention.

Kristen had been in the science labs all morning as promised and had been studying the staff rosters for the last hour.

The science contingent seemed to be taking on more and more crew members all the time and she didn't have any information

about half of them or their qualifications.   She was beginning to feel frustration and told herself to put things down and

take a walk for a few minutes herself.

Lucas wasn't fairing as well as he might have liked.  He had begun installing the program on some of the less important

terminals first to see how it worked.  If it didn't work quite right when he fired it up, hopefully it would mean that the main

sections of the computer system would be unaffected. 

About half way through the first installation he discovered upon closer inspection that some of the wiring did need

replacing in places.  He had cursed and swore silently as he found himself crawling into spaces not much bigger than

a mouse hole to fix some of the frayed wires.   Now with the lower wiring done, he had to turn his attention to the higher

stuff above his head.  He went and retrieved a ladder from one of the equipment store rooms.

At the time Bridger and Kristen walked into the Moon Pool area, Lucas was perched upon top of the ladder on one of the

corridors, reaching up with wire cutters.  There was a length of red and yellow wire caught between his teeth.  He was

muttering with frustration as he worked.

"Lucas Wolenczak" Kristen now cried out in alarm, not realising what reaction she was about to get.  

Lucas was so tied up in his work that he hadn't heard anybody approach the Moon Pool area.  He just about jumped

clean out of his skin when Kristen barked at him, loosing grip on the wire cutters.   The cutters fell to the floor and the

wire popped out of his mouth as he gasped at the prospect of falling.  Lucas main problem had been to keep his own

balance and stop himself from falling after them. 

Kristen immediately regretted not letting the teenager know about her presence before talking to him and gasped out

loud as the ladder wobbled back and forth for a few seconds.

Bridger had run forward as had Ford and the two of them stabilized the ladder to stop it from toppling over.

When they looked up to where Lucas was perched, they could see a slightly shaken and pale faced teenager looking

back at them.

"That was close" Lucas managed to get out as he fought to regain his composure.  His heart was still racing in his chest

at one hundred miles and hour.  

"Close?" Bridger now said, letting his own emotions escape.  "Lucas are you alright" he said as he was about to put

his foot on the bottom rung of the ladder and coax the frightened teenager down if necessary.

"Yeah"  Lucas said with hesitation.  "Just didn't hear anybody come up behind me that's all" he said now with a

sheepish look on his face.  He looked towards Kristen with an apologetic look on his face.

"Lucas, I am sorry I scared you.  I should have made sure you knew I was here first, but what the hell are you doing

on top of that ladder?" she now demanded, letting her fear for his safety hide behind her harsh words.

"I told you before that some of this stuff needed rewiring.  I already climbed through so many rabbit burrows down

underneath the terminals today you wouldn't believe.  Now that I have down them, I need to get these few higher

ones finished so I can keep going with the installation process" he explained.

"It's just,  it doesn't look terribly safe up there for you Lucas" Kristen said knowing that she was coming across as

too much of a mother figure at the moment.  "Are you sure nobody else could be doing that for you?"

"No there's nobody else and besides I want to do it anyway.  There's too much work needed all around the boat to

be dragging someone else away from their duties" he said, there was a little frustration creeping in his voice that sounded

like it was directed at Kristen but most of it was due to this having to rewire just about everything.

"How much longer do you think you will be Lucas?" Bridger now said as he interrupted the conversation with Kristen

and the teenager.  He could see the boy was starting to get frustrated but he could also see the concern written over

the doctor's face.   He had to be the mediator and come between them before something was said that they would both

regret.

"Oh, only about half an hour at the most.  I have been up here for almost that now and I am nearly done.  Can you hand

me back my wire cutters please and the wire?"

Kristen wasn't totally happy about Lucas still being on the ladder.  But she didn't want to start an unnecessary argument

by voicing her concerns.  She looked back at Lucas who now had the wire cutters back in his hand and the wire in his

mouth and commenced the task he was half-way through.  Kristen now headed back to her own office with a final glance

back towards him.

Bridger had been almost as scared as Kristen when he saw the ladder about to fall.  He stayed a few extra minutes while

Lucas worked, making sure that he was okay.  He knew he couldn't stay for the next half an hour and Lucas wouldn't

want him waiting underneath him like an old mother hen anyway.  He also left to rejoin Commander Ford and their tour

inspection of the boat.

For the next fifteen minutes, everything seemed to be going as it had for the majority of the morning.  Everybody was

busy with their related tasks.     Ben Krieg didn't know that Lucas was working near the Moon Pool.   After he had

greeted the teenager along with the Captain and Kristen this morning, he had been busy in his room working out a stores

list.   He had to make sure that there was enough food on board for the next tour.   He had to make sure there was enough

clothes, medical equipment not to mention every other supply item that they stocked whilst on duty.  He had pages and

pages of items to go through first to see how much he needed of each and then get onto Murray, his contact and try

wheeling and dealing the best deal out of him for the U.E.O.

Ben decided that he too needed to give himself a break.  He came out of his quarters and headed towards the Moon

Pool and the Bridge were he expected to run into somebody else.

As Ben closed the door of his room,  Lucas had moved the ladder so that he was right up against the wall heading of

the corridor his friend was walking down.   Lucas had just climbed up again and was unscrewing one of the ceiling

panels ready to see what rewiring was needed underneath.

Ben went to turn the corner into the Moon Pool area but had no idea that there was a ladder in his way.   Without

knowing it he knocked into the aluminium frame with quite a bit of force.  He was cursing under his breath about

who would put a stupid ladder in the way when he heard a strangled cry from above him.

Lucas had been concentrating on getting the panelling off when he felt his balance upset again.  Unlike with Kristen

though he didn't have time to be startled.  The ladder was just falling and he could feel himself fall with it.   In the

background he could hear what sounded like his own brief scream as he felt himself falling.

"BBBBBBBEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNN………………………"

The next thing Ben saw was a flash of white as the ladder toppled over on it's side.  Once he was over the shock of

watching the ladder, he could now see that the white flash was wearing a Marlin's shirt and huddled in a ball on

the floor, whimpering in pain.

He had tried in desperation to grab a hold of something, anything to prevent him hitting the floor but his hands only

grabbed at air.   He fell on his stomach and chest, the air in his lungs rushing out of him all at once.   Lucas's eyes

were squeezed tightly together trying to deal with the pain in his chest.  The air in his lungs was now all gone and

try as he might, he just couldn't seem to draw anymore into them. 

Lucas tried to look around for someone to help him.   His span of vision was restricted to directly in front of him as

he felt the lungs in his chest begin to constrict.  He could feel them getting tighter and tighter.  He tried once more

to draw some oxygen into them.  He could feel a sense of fear overwhelm him as he realised what the restriction in

his chest was telling him.  He was on the verge of having another attack.    He started groping blindly for the pocket

of his jeans, but his hands were trembling both from fear and the pain in his chest.  He couldn't seem to find the

pocket.  This made the panic in his rise even more.

"Help, please…….." he whispered, his voice barely carrying to anybody.  He didn't realise that his friend Ben was

already kneeling beside him with concern and worry written all over his face.

"CAPTAIN, KRISTEN, ANYBODY" Ben shouted at the top of his voice.   He could see the pain written on the

young man's face and the fear in his eyes.   He didn't think he should leave the injured teenager alone long enough

to go and get help.

TO BE CONTINUED……………………………….

YEAH I KNOW – YOU ALL HATE ME ALREADY – SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE – I HAD SOME

WRITTEN AND THEN WROTE SOME MORE – I WAS INTENDING TO WRITE EVEN MORE BUT DECIDED

TO LEAVE YOU HANGING YET AGAIN……………

JULES