Chapter Twenty-Three
It seemed as if all the air had been sucked out of the room, leaving Lex gasping for breath, her vision swimming and heart hammering loudly. She'd spent years trying to prepare herself for this moment. But in her mind, she'd always been the one to approach him, on her own terms and in her own territory. She vaguely pondered the irony that life seemed to favour.
Frozen in shock, Lex stared at her father, her mind cataloging the changes time had brought about. His hair was thinner, the hairline having raced away, what little was left almost sheared away to a fine buzz cut. Lines now cris-crossed his face, clusters concentrated around his eyes, deep grooves bracketing his mouth.
His waistline had thickened, though he was still very fit and cut an imposing figure. Large square hands, which hung loosely at his sides, seemed rougher, the fine black hair dusting the blunt fingers now muted with grey. He had changed in the years since Lex had last seen him.
But there were three things that hadn't changed. The intensity of his dark eyes, the hard set to his mouth, and the feeling of panic and failure Lex experienced every time he looked at her.
"Lex?" Lucas said cautiously, alarmed by the way the little colour she'd had in her cheeks had fled upon seeing her father. He saw her fingers clenching the sheets convulsively, and the rapid beat of her pulse as it fluttered in her throat.
Lex blinked slowly as the room came into focus once again. Turning her head, which suddenly felt leaden, she looked into Lucas' crystal blue eyes, now filled with concern.
"You alright?" he asked carefully. Too numb with shock, Lex could only nod in response.
Still frozen in the doorway, Hudson ground his teeth, disturbed by his daughter's obvious distress at his sudden appearance. While he'd expected shock, he'd never imagined the fear he'd seen in her eyes.
"I'll have Henderson cover your shift, Ensign," he said brusquely as he turned and left the room. Both Lucas and Lex stared at the doorway long after he'd gone.
Finally, Lex sighed deeply and collapsed back against the pillows. Lucas settled himself more comfortably in the chair before he spoke. "What happened between you two?"
Lex fiddled with the edge of the sheet, folding and unfolding the seam. Lucas reached out and stilled their nervous activity. "What happened?"
Unable to look at him, Lex's head shake was barely perceptible. It still hurt too much, the memories dragging her back to a time in her life when she was afraid and vulnerable. To speak of it would only make it seem more real.
Lucas sighed deeply, running weary hands through his short hair. "You can't run from the past forever, Lex."
"Yeah, I know," she replied softly. "I've tried."
Compassion mingled with curiosity in his eyes. Maturity had taught him patience; the patience to wait and be there for her when she was ready to talk, to reveal the painful secrets of her past.
Lex sat propped up in the bed, grimacing at herself. Lucas had spent the better part of the afternoon with her, answering her questions about his duties aboard the ship, until she had finally convinced him to go to the Mess Hall for dinner. Now, after picking her way though the tray brought in by a nurse, and gratefully gulping the pain medication offered to her, she took stock of her appearance.
She needed a shower desperately. Her skin felt grimy and dirty, and her hair felt greasy in its disheveled braid. She would have given anything to remove the I.V. taped to her hand and hop into a hot shower.
"Seems like I'm not the only one who can read minds around here," said a voice from the doorway. Lex looked up to find a pair of startling blue eyes beaming at her. The woman smiled as she crossed the short distance between them.
"I'm Wendy Smith," she replied at Lex's quizzical look. "On ship doctor and SeaQuest's very own empath."
"Oh!" Lex returned the smile. She'd been fascinated with the paranormal for many years, always eager to meet those with unique abilities and share in their experiences. She was definitely interested in striking up an acquaintance with this woman.
"Lex Hudson," she replied, offering her hand in greeting.
"I know," Wendy grinned widely, shaking Lex's hand firmly.
Lex chuckled. "Right."
Wendy quickly and efficiently removed the needle from Lex's hand. "Now, about that shower," she said as she helped her patient from the bed. Alarmed by how weak her legs felt, Lex was grateful for the help.
Five minutes later, Lex sighed with obvious pleasure as hot water coursed down her back, washing away the tension as well as the dirt.
It seemed as if all the air had been sucked out of the room, leaving Lex gasping for breath, her vision swimming and heart hammering loudly. She'd spent years trying to prepare herself for this moment. But in her mind, she'd always been the one to approach him, on her own terms and in her own territory. She vaguely pondered the irony that life seemed to favour.
Frozen in shock, Lex stared at her father, her mind cataloging the changes time had brought about. His hair was thinner, the hairline having raced away, what little was left almost sheared away to a fine buzz cut. Lines now cris-crossed his face, clusters concentrated around his eyes, deep grooves bracketing his mouth.
His waistline had thickened, though he was still very fit and cut an imposing figure. Large square hands, which hung loosely at his sides, seemed rougher, the fine black hair dusting the blunt fingers now muted with grey. He had changed in the years since Lex had last seen him.
But there were three things that hadn't changed. The intensity of his dark eyes, the hard set to his mouth, and the feeling of panic and failure Lex experienced every time he looked at her.
"Lex?" Lucas said cautiously, alarmed by the way the little colour she'd had in her cheeks had fled upon seeing her father. He saw her fingers clenching the sheets convulsively, and the rapid beat of her pulse as it fluttered in her throat.
Lex blinked slowly as the room came into focus once again. Turning her head, which suddenly felt leaden, she looked into Lucas' crystal blue eyes, now filled with concern.
"You alright?" he asked carefully. Too numb with shock, Lex could only nod in response.
Still frozen in the doorway, Hudson ground his teeth, disturbed by his daughter's obvious distress at his sudden appearance. While he'd expected shock, he'd never imagined the fear he'd seen in her eyes.
"I'll have Henderson cover your shift, Ensign," he said brusquely as he turned and left the room. Both Lucas and Lex stared at the doorway long after he'd gone.
Finally, Lex sighed deeply and collapsed back against the pillows. Lucas settled himself more comfortably in the chair before he spoke. "What happened between you two?"
Lex fiddled with the edge of the sheet, folding and unfolding the seam. Lucas reached out and stilled their nervous activity. "What happened?"
Unable to look at him, Lex's head shake was barely perceptible. It still hurt too much, the memories dragging her back to a time in her life when she was afraid and vulnerable. To speak of it would only make it seem more real.
Lucas sighed deeply, running weary hands through his short hair. "You can't run from the past forever, Lex."
"Yeah, I know," she replied softly. "I've tried."
Compassion mingled with curiosity in his eyes. Maturity had taught him patience; the patience to wait and be there for her when she was ready to talk, to reveal the painful secrets of her past.
Lex sat propped up in the bed, grimacing at herself. Lucas had spent the better part of the afternoon with her, answering her questions about his duties aboard the ship, until she had finally convinced him to go to the Mess Hall for dinner. Now, after picking her way though the tray brought in by a nurse, and gratefully gulping the pain medication offered to her, she took stock of her appearance.
She needed a shower desperately. Her skin felt grimy and dirty, and her hair felt greasy in its disheveled braid. She would have given anything to remove the I.V. taped to her hand and hop into a hot shower.
"Seems like I'm not the only one who can read minds around here," said a voice from the doorway. Lex looked up to find a pair of startling blue eyes beaming at her. The woman smiled as she crossed the short distance between them.
"I'm Wendy Smith," she replied at Lex's quizzical look. "On ship doctor and SeaQuest's very own empath."
"Oh!" Lex returned the smile. She'd been fascinated with the paranormal for many years, always eager to meet those with unique abilities and share in their experiences. She was definitely interested in striking up an acquaintance with this woman.
"Lex Hudson," she replied, offering her hand in greeting.
"I know," Wendy grinned widely, shaking Lex's hand firmly.
Lex chuckled. "Right."
Wendy quickly and efficiently removed the needle from Lex's hand. "Now, about that shower," she said as she helped her patient from the bed. Alarmed by how weak her legs felt, Lex was grateful for the help.
Five minutes later, Lex sighed with obvious pleasure as hot water coursed down her back, washing away the tension as well as the dirt.