Author's Note: Okay, so next update did not take so long.I had chapter 7
and 8 written, and had time today to beta read chapter 8 so.
Unfortunately, again, not beta read by someone else, so mistakes will be
found. Also, again, I'm not sure how happy I am with Chapter 7 and 8. I
could really use your thoughts on them. Too much something? Too little
something? Constructive feedback appreciated. Also, I haven't decided
where this is headed, though there is probably only one or two more
chapters coming before it's finished. Always the possibility of a sequel,
but I think I'll have the whole thing written before ever posting it, if I
do. Anyway, on with the story.
Chapter 8
By: Jaimi
The walk from the orphanage to the park was quiet. Bridger tried getting Lucas to talk, but silence was all he received. The older man's heart ached as they approached the crew and there was still no sign of acknowledgement from the boy. What had that orphanage done to him?
"LUCAS!" Ben cried with a smile upon seeing his friend. However, he frowned when he got no response. The teen wasn't looking at any of them. The crew noticed a bruise on the child's cheek.
They all looked at the captain, concerned.
Their leader sighed. "Let's get something to eat shall we? Somewhere in particular you want to go, kiddo?"
Still Lucas said nothing, staring off at a distant flock of birds.
Bridger screamed inside with frustration, but he refused to let it show. He had to think of Lucas first.
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They all sat around a large table in a Denny's, munching on fries, talking about the weather and so on. No one wanted to bring up the appeal. Lucas was silent the entire time. They each tried to get him to talk, but he just sat there staring at his plate. At one point, he got up without a word, and headed for the washroom. When he was gone, everyone spoke at once, questioning the captain.
"Quiet people!" They quieted down and he continued. "First of all, the bruise. Apparently Lucas got into a fight, though he didn't fight back. However, the nun I spoke to didn't seem to believe it was just some teenage quarrel..."
"That explains the bruise, sir...but what about Lucas? He's like a walking Zombie."
Bridger sighed at Tim's comment. "I know, Tim. I know. Sister Mary seemed to hint that that started after the "fight". She said he was being extremely difficult when he first came, that there was still a determined light in his eyes, and then suddenly...he's like this. It's like he's not there anymore.or he's hiding.but from what?"
It was Ben who spoke up next. "Something must have happened, sir. Something that....that's broken him. It's like he just doesn't care anymore. When he looked at me, it was like he wasn't even seeing me. And when I looked in his eyes it was like looking into an empty glass. It's as if he's just a body, and his spirit is gone...it's left him... Like he's given up, but on what? And why? What could have done that to him, sir? Lucas is a tough kid. Something really bad must have happened."
"Or something bad has always happened, and whatever happened at that orphanage was the final blow.it was all he could take," Jonathan said, his tone even, but laced with worry and sadness.
They all looked at him, confused and wary. He sighed, lowering his voice.
"None of us have forgotten Katie's, or rather Ben's accusation from last week. If his parents, his *father*, really has been abusing him his whole life, maybe the so called fight, was something more significant. Maybe it was the last straw for Lucas. He's a tough kid, but the human spirit can only take so much physical and emotional pain before it's overwhelmed..."
The others were quiet, absorbing what the commander had said. Before anyone could comment, the teen returned, sat back down, and continued to stare at his plate. They all exchanged looks. Without words, they all knew for sure that they weren't giving up on him. They were going to find out *exactly* what caused this child to mistrust so much, and then to lose the fiery spirit that had made him who he was, and had kept him alive for all these years.
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For the next few days, the crew came by each afternoon and took Lucas out. They went for dinner, to the park, the shopping center, they even went to the local county fair. It was on this day that there was a slight change in Lucas.
The blue eyed teen sat on a bench, watching Commander Ford win a teddy bear, which he gave to Commander Hitchcock. The teen smiled inwardly for the first time in over a week. Since they had showed up a few days before, he had not spoken once. He had felt nothing upon seeing the captain, and he had blocked out their voices, their gentle words. Lucas figured they'd give up and leave, and then he could continue on with his inner self destruction...
However, his plans didn't work out as they continued to come back, and he found himself smiling at the two in front of him. A thought came from nowhere into his mind. *They make a cute couple.* His thoughts recently had been nothing but his whole shitty life replaying over and over through his head since that night at the orphanage. Today, however, with this very thought, he found himself snapping out of it slightly. He still refused to speak, or make eye contact, but his thoughts strayed from the horrible images of his past to the present.
He looked to his left to see the doctor and the captain, who were seated beside him, sharing fries. Ben and Miguel were flirting up a storm with the hotdog stand girls, while Tim and Crocker were arguing over the logistics of Fair Ground games, and how they were rigged.
He wanted to speak out, to join in on Tim and Crocker's conversation, to go flirt with the pretty hotdog girls, to conspire with Darwin on setting up the two commanders...to share fries with the doc and the captain...but he remembered the guard's words. He remembered his life...his worthless life. With an inward sigh, he sat back and watched life go on around him...without him.
As they walked back to the orphanage, Lucas listened to Ben and Jonathan's petty banter, to Katie's frustrated plea for them to quit, to Kristin's quiet humming as she walked beside him. Everyone was making some sort of chatter or noise except him and the captain. The captain had his arm over the boy's shoulder, and for once, Lucas didn't shrug it off. He accepted it, like he accepted the fact that his life meant nothing...*he* meant nothing, to anyone. But then why did these people come back every day? Why did the captain have a gentle arm around his shoulder that was anything but threatening?
They reached the steps. Lucas found that his chest hurt...they were going away again. Would they be back here tomorrow? Or was today's silence the final straw?
They all hugged him, saying they'd be back tomorrow. Would they really?
The commander approached.he was a man of his word. He offered Lucas a gentle hug, saying quietly, "We'll be back tomorrow, Lucas. I promise." He stepped away and turned to go as the captain approached. Ford was beside Ben, when Ben turned back and looked Lucas in the eye.
"Lucas..." They were all silent as Ben took a breath, and then spoke firmly. "I don't know what you've been through in your life, buddy. Whatever it was was something I'm sure I could never imagine...but you're a tough kid, you're a survivor. Whatever happened recently must have been all you could take...and none of us blame you. Even the strongest can only take so much, but please Lucas, don't let it completely break you. It seems like it already has, but I'm not willing to give up on you.none of us are. Come back to us kid, we miss the old you....we love the old you.hell we just love you. Don't give up, alright buddy?" With that he turned away.
Lucas was stunned. They suspected something of his past and they still kept coming, they still cared...they-
"He's right kiddo," the captain spoke softly, standing before Lucas. He tilted the boy's face to look into the azure colored eyes, his own dark ones pleading. "We need you...I need you. You've filled a part of my life I never thought could be filled again. Don't leave me, pal. I don't think I could take another loss...I love you, kiddo." With that he hugged Lucas, and then turned to join the others.
Lucas felt himself resurface. They wanted him? They loved him? Lucas heart filled with fear as he tried to call them back, but the words stuck in his throat. Sister Mary was approaching from behind him; they were several meters away now. *No! Don't leave,* his mind cried.
Finally a whimper escaped his throat, causing Jonathan to turn around. For the first time in eleven years, Lucas cried.
"Captain..." Jonathan said, taking a step back toward Lucas. A few tears slipped down Lucas' cheeks and he finally whispered out as the captain and the rest of the crew turned around.
"Please...don't leave."
Bridger rushed forward as Lucas collapsed in tears. "Don't leave me, please," he sobbed, as the captain gathered him in his arms.
"Shhh, I'm not going anywhere kiddo. I'm right here." He rubbed a soothing hand over the teen's back, as the boy shook with sobs. It seemed to him as though the teen hadn't cried in years. The distraught youngster continued to cry, but tried in vain to wipe the tears away. "It's okay to cry, pal. It's fine," the captain assured, gently.
"No, it's not," Lucas replied, voice hoarse with emotion.
Bridger frowned into the boy's soft, golden colored hair. "Of course it is. Who ever told you it wasn't okay to cry?"
There was a pause, and Lucas took a leap of faith in the people surrounding him. "My father..."
The crew stiffened, but the captain remained cool.
"Well he was wrong, kiddo. When was the last time you cried, pal?"
Lucas sighed as the tears eased. He may not have cried in years, and he still had plenty to let out, but his father's words still affected him strongly.
"Eleven years."
The captain eyes widened. "You haven't cried since you were four years old? Lucas..."
The Captain didn't know what to say. That just wasn't right. Was that even possible? Of course, he had never thought it possible anyone could abuse their own child, let alone a child as gentle natured as Lucas. He sighed, allowing a tear to slip down his own cheek. He supposed all things were possible, unfortunately both good *and* bad. Good won out this time. Lucas had come back to them, to him. Good was going to win out again, because he'd be damned if he was leaving the boy here for another second.
He looked over the boy's shoulder, meeting Jonathan's eyes, which were suspiciously bright. Jonathan nodded, understanding his captain and friend's thoughts. He looked beyond the two figures still crouched before him and the others.
"Sister Mary, I presume?"
*TBC*
Jaimi Copyright@2003
Chapter 8
By: Jaimi
The walk from the orphanage to the park was quiet. Bridger tried getting Lucas to talk, but silence was all he received. The older man's heart ached as they approached the crew and there was still no sign of acknowledgement from the boy. What had that orphanage done to him?
"LUCAS!" Ben cried with a smile upon seeing his friend. However, he frowned when he got no response. The teen wasn't looking at any of them. The crew noticed a bruise on the child's cheek.
They all looked at the captain, concerned.
Their leader sighed. "Let's get something to eat shall we? Somewhere in particular you want to go, kiddo?"
Still Lucas said nothing, staring off at a distant flock of birds.
Bridger screamed inside with frustration, but he refused to let it show. He had to think of Lucas first.
************************************************************************
They all sat around a large table in a Denny's, munching on fries, talking about the weather and so on. No one wanted to bring up the appeal. Lucas was silent the entire time. They each tried to get him to talk, but he just sat there staring at his plate. At one point, he got up without a word, and headed for the washroom. When he was gone, everyone spoke at once, questioning the captain.
"Quiet people!" They quieted down and he continued. "First of all, the bruise. Apparently Lucas got into a fight, though he didn't fight back. However, the nun I spoke to didn't seem to believe it was just some teenage quarrel..."
"That explains the bruise, sir...but what about Lucas? He's like a walking Zombie."
Bridger sighed at Tim's comment. "I know, Tim. I know. Sister Mary seemed to hint that that started after the "fight". She said he was being extremely difficult when he first came, that there was still a determined light in his eyes, and then suddenly...he's like this. It's like he's not there anymore.or he's hiding.but from what?"
It was Ben who spoke up next. "Something must have happened, sir. Something that....that's broken him. It's like he just doesn't care anymore. When he looked at me, it was like he wasn't even seeing me. And when I looked in his eyes it was like looking into an empty glass. It's as if he's just a body, and his spirit is gone...it's left him... Like he's given up, but on what? And why? What could have done that to him, sir? Lucas is a tough kid. Something really bad must have happened."
"Or something bad has always happened, and whatever happened at that orphanage was the final blow.it was all he could take," Jonathan said, his tone even, but laced with worry and sadness.
They all looked at him, confused and wary. He sighed, lowering his voice.
"None of us have forgotten Katie's, or rather Ben's accusation from last week. If his parents, his *father*, really has been abusing him his whole life, maybe the so called fight, was something more significant. Maybe it was the last straw for Lucas. He's a tough kid, but the human spirit can only take so much physical and emotional pain before it's overwhelmed..."
The others were quiet, absorbing what the commander had said. Before anyone could comment, the teen returned, sat back down, and continued to stare at his plate. They all exchanged looks. Without words, they all knew for sure that they weren't giving up on him. They were going to find out *exactly* what caused this child to mistrust so much, and then to lose the fiery spirit that had made him who he was, and had kept him alive for all these years.
************************************************************************
For the next few days, the crew came by each afternoon and took Lucas out. They went for dinner, to the park, the shopping center, they even went to the local county fair. It was on this day that there was a slight change in Lucas.
The blue eyed teen sat on a bench, watching Commander Ford win a teddy bear, which he gave to Commander Hitchcock. The teen smiled inwardly for the first time in over a week. Since they had showed up a few days before, he had not spoken once. He had felt nothing upon seeing the captain, and he had blocked out their voices, their gentle words. Lucas figured they'd give up and leave, and then he could continue on with his inner self destruction...
However, his plans didn't work out as they continued to come back, and he found himself smiling at the two in front of him. A thought came from nowhere into his mind. *They make a cute couple.* His thoughts recently had been nothing but his whole shitty life replaying over and over through his head since that night at the orphanage. Today, however, with this very thought, he found himself snapping out of it slightly. He still refused to speak, or make eye contact, but his thoughts strayed from the horrible images of his past to the present.
He looked to his left to see the doctor and the captain, who were seated beside him, sharing fries. Ben and Miguel were flirting up a storm with the hotdog stand girls, while Tim and Crocker were arguing over the logistics of Fair Ground games, and how they were rigged.
He wanted to speak out, to join in on Tim and Crocker's conversation, to go flirt with the pretty hotdog girls, to conspire with Darwin on setting up the two commanders...to share fries with the doc and the captain...but he remembered the guard's words. He remembered his life...his worthless life. With an inward sigh, he sat back and watched life go on around him...without him.
As they walked back to the orphanage, Lucas listened to Ben and Jonathan's petty banter, to Katie's frustrated plea for them to quit, to Kristin's quiet humming as she walked beside him. Everyone was making some sort of chatter or noise except him and the captain. The captain had his arm over the boy's shoulder, and for once, Lucas didn't shrug it off. He accepted it, like he accepted the fact that his life meant nothing...*he* meant nothing, to anyone. But then why did these people come back every day? Why did the captain have a gentle arm around his shoulder that was anything but threatening?
They reached the steps. Lucas found that his chest hurt...they were going away again. Would they be back here tomorrow? Or was today's silence the final straw?
They all hugged him, saying they'd be back tomorrow. Would they really?
The commander approached.he was a man of his word. He offered Lucas a gentle hug, saying quietly, "We'll be back tomorrow, Lucas. I promise." He stepped away and turned to go as the captain approached. Ford was beside Ben, when Ben turned back and looked Lucas in the eye.
"Lucas..." They were all silent as Ben took a breath, and then spoke firmly. "I don't know what you've been through in your life, buddy. Whatever it was was something I'm sure I could never imagine...but you're a tough kid, you're a survivor. Whatever happened recently must have been all you could take...and none of us blame you. Even the strongest can only take so much, but please Lucas, don't let it completely break you. It seems like it already has, but I'm not willing to give up on you.none of us are. Come back to us kid, we miss the old you....we love the old you.hell we just love you. Don't give up, alright buddy?" With that he turned away.
Lucas was stunned. They suspected something of his past and they still kept coming, they still cared...they-
"He's right kiddo," the captain spoke softly, standing before Lucas. He tilted the boy's face to look into the azure colored eyes, his own dark ones pleading. "We need you...I need you. You've filled a part of my life I never thought could be filled again. Don't leave me, pal. I don't think I could take another loss...I love you, kiddo." With that he hugged Lucas, and then turned to join the others.
Lucas felt himself resurface. They wanted him? They loved him? Lucas heart filled with fear as he tried to call them back, but the words stuck in his throat. Sister Mary was approaching from behind him; they were several meters away now. *No! Don't leave,* his mind cried.
Finally a whimper escaped his throat, causing Jonathan to turn around. For the first time in eleven years, Lucas cried.
"Captain..." Jonathan said, taking a step back toward Lucas. A few tears slipped down Lucas' cheeks and he finally whispered out as the captain and the rest of the crew turned around.
"Please...don't leave."
Bridger rushed forward as Lucas collapsed in tears. "Don't leave me, please," he sobbed, as the captain gathered him in his arms.
"Shhh, I'm not going anywhere kiddo. I'm right here." He rubbed a soothing hand over the teen's back, as the boy shook with sobs. It seemed to him as though the teen hadn't cried in years. The distraught youngster continued to cry, but tried in vain to wipe the tears away. "It's okay to cry, pal. It's fine," the captain assured, gently.
"No, it's not," Lucas replied, voice hoarse with emotion.
Bridger frowned into the boy's soft, golden colored hair. "Of course it is. Who ever told you it wasn't okay to cry?"
There was a pause, and Lucas took a leap of faith in the people surrounding him. "My father..."
The crew stiffened, but the captain remained cool.
"Well he was wrong, kiddo. When was the last time you cried, pal?"
Lucas sighed as the tears eased. He may not have cried in years, and he still had plenty to let out, but his father's words still affected him strongly.
"Eleven years."
The captain eyes widened. "You haven't cried since you were four years old? Lucas..."
The Captain didn't know what to say. That just wasn't right. Was that even possible? Of course, he had never thought it possible anyone could abuse their own child, let alone a child as gentle natured as Lucas. He sighed, allowing a tear to slip down his own cheek. He supposed all things were possible, unfortunately both good *and* bad. Good won out this time. Lucas had come back to them, to him. Good was going to win out again, because he'd be damned if he was leaving the boy here for another second.
He looked over the boy's shoulder, meeting Jonathan's eyes, which were suspiciously bright. Jonathan nodded, understanding his captain and friend's thoughts. He looked beyond the two figures still crouched before him and the others.
"Sister Mary, I presume?"
*TBC*
Jaimi Copyright@2003