Disclaimer: If I owned them, would I have to write this?

Authors note: Sorry it took so long. It's been sitting on the computer for quite some time. (I also work 60+ hrs a week, so that was part of the delay.)

Special thanks to TeacherTam for the push.

The day begin the same as most did on the island. Nathan and Kristen were up by 8, with Lucas not getting up until 11. It gave them time to talk out how to approach last nights call with Lucas. They knew it wouldn't be pleasant no matter what was said. Lucas was walking down the stairs just about the time Nathan saw the boat approach.

Nathan and Kristen exchanged looks of disbelief. Lawrence wouldn't be that stupid. Two men were in the boat. They tied the boat off, then came up to the house. They knew it wasn't going to be easy. They also knew what they'd get from that insane Wolenczak guy. They came on the deck, then spoke directly to Nathan.

"We're here to collect Lucas Wolenczak. He's supposed to be at a meeting. Mr. Wolenczak spoke to him about it earlier."

Nathan was about to tell the men to leave when a cold voice came from behind him.

"Yes, we talked about it. He also got my answer. No. He can try to convince the U.E.O., the company, whoever else by himself."

The men were slightly confused by the 'boys' comment. They were supposed to be here to pick up a sniveling, scared child, not a 5' 9" teenager. He didn't look at all like what they expected.

"Lucas Wolenczak?"

"That would be me. Tell that over confident son-a-bitch to do his own dirty work. I'm not going with you. Leave."

The men exchanged looks of confusion. This was not going at all the way it had been planned.

Miguel heard the boat come up and had rounded up the rest of the crew. They came around the south side of the house in time to hear Lucas' first comment. They were as confused as Nathan and Kristen to hear Lucas being so cold and mean.

The retrieval men looked over, noticing the group of people staring at them. They decided to chance the insane Wolenczak's anger instead of messing with these people. They turned around and walked back the way they came.

Nathan turned to Lucas.

"He called earlier yesterday?"

Lucas nodded the anger in his eyes evaporating slowly.

"Yeah. He wanted me to be at some meeting for the new power plant. I basically told him where to put his request."

Nathan nodded.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. The man never knows when to stop."

Kristen just shook her head, then walked over and hugged Lucas. He hugged her back.

The rest of the crew came up on the deck, giving Nathan a questioning look. Nathan nodded for them to take a seat. They sat down, as did Lucas and Kristen. Nathan cleared his throat.

"I don't know what just happened, or what will happen after this, but Lucas, you won't ever be going back to the Wolenczak's house."

Lucas nodded.

"He called yesterday, trying to be all chummy, then got mad when I refused to go with him."

Nathan decided to tell about the night call.

"He called back at about 0230. He was drunk and threatened to hurt you. The conversation is recorded, in case it is needed for evidence."

Lucas smiled a strangely.

"He gets brave when he's drunk. There's just one flaw in his logic. I'm 16. I'll be 17 in a month. The laws state that I'm bound by the residence of my current guardian. Nathan, you've been my official guardian since you took command of the SeaQuest. Your residence is in the Alpha quadrant. The legal age of consent is 16. He can try to say that he's still alive, so legally I'm his, but he lost me the day he signed me over to the U.E.O.."

Nathan looked slightly shocked.

"So he has no legal rights to you?

"None. The funniest thing is that he doesn't even realize it."

Nathan walked over and hugged Lucas, glad it was somewhat simplified. Lucas hugged him back, accepting the show of affection.

Katie looked over at Lucas.

"Why did he want to drag you to a meeting?"

Lucas smiled at her comment.

"PR. It looks really good to have your loving son there to back you."

She just shook her head. She really didn't understand the Wolenczaks. Lucas smiled at everyone, then walked inside to find breakfast. Nathan leaned against one of the deck rails, pondering the situation. If Lucas was right, then this should be easy; but if he was the least bit wrong this was going to get nasty. The Wolenczak's had every available lawyer and the resources to almost change laws. He didn't even notice that Lucas had come out onto the deck.

Lucas noticed the worried look hardening Nathan's face. He had been around the older man enough to read his expressions. Enemies swore he was the 'great unreadable Captain Bridger', but that was only due to the fact they weren't around him all the time. The main thing that gave him away was his eyes. They tended to change color with his moods, plus they focused differently with different thoughts. If his focus was on the immediate person, he was sizing the person up. He was deciding a course of action if he was looking at the person, but his focus was farther away.

Nathan's eyes were currently focused on a tree 20 yards away. Lucas walked over to him, then gently touched his arm. Nathan looked over, seeing a concerned pair of blue eyes.

"Nathan, please don't worry about it."

"Lucas, this could get very ugly. I don't want him to even have a chance of getting near you."

"He won't. There are certain things he doesn't even know about."

"Like what?"

"Stuff that had to be documented, but never appeared in any medical file."

Nathan just nodded, already knowing he wouldn't like what was about to be said. The rest of the crew shifted nervously, not knowing whether to stay or leave. Lucas was a son or brother to all of them. None of them wanted to even consider him being intentionally hurt. Jonathan cleared his throat.

"Do you want us to leave?"

Lucas turned and smiled at him.

"No, I'd rather you all hear it now. I know what I have to say will upset you guys. I also want you guys to know how much you mean to me. I love you guys. You've all went out of your way to help me with anything. I never had anyone do that for me. You have helped me cope with my past."

Lucas stepped back, then sat on the deck rail. He wanted to get this said and done. He still had nightmares about what Lawrence and Cynthia had done and said, but he was learning how to cope. He had friends that had become his family.

He stretched his back, then settled to tell the story.

"The first incidence that I can remember was when I was 2. I walked down the stairs in front of my dad. I obviously couldn't get out of his way. I ended up at the bottom of the stairs with a concussion and a badly twisted ankle. They had the doctor come to the house to make sure I would live."

Lucas' story continued, with an array of physical and mental abuse. No one said anything, just stared in disbelief. Lucas appeared to be looking at them, yet they knew he wasn't even aware of the world around him. His eyes were completely unfocused.

"Then there was the time I got a 99 on an biology test. I tried to explain that that was the highest possible grade, but they said I was lying. I ended up with getting punched in the side so hard that my bottom rib broke and punctured my left lung. That was the most painful thing I've ever gone through."

He laughed quietly.

"A pneumothorax is not fun. I actually got taken to the doctor for that. It wasn't the fact that I was in pain, just the fact I could die."

Lucas looked at the horror stricken faces around him. There wasn't a dry eye to be seen, plus most held dark rage.

"But a good ending to this is the fact that the last time I saw them was when I was 11. I was in college, so that made me non existent in their universe. At first I didn't want to go to the SeaQuest, but now, I'm glad I did. You guys have been the family I always wanted."

Ben looked up from Katie's stomach. He hadn't even noticed that he'd been using her as an anchor. She seemed not to care.

"Lucas, god, I"m sorry you had to go through that."

Lucas jumped down off the rail, then walked over to Ben. He leaned down and hugged the other man close to him.

"Don't worry about it, Ben. I still have nightmares and some situations will make me outright jumpy, but you guys have helped me get past most of it."

Katie touched Lucas, seeing for the first time a glimmer of the man who he would become.

"Are you sure he/they can't get near you?"

"Yes. The kicker will be that I still get my inheritance from my grandparents irregardless of what happens with them. They were banking on that money for certain retirement alternatives."

Lucas winked at Katie, then kissed her cheek. She laughed, even though she had tears streaming down her face.

"Pervert."

"Taught by the finest crew and friends possible to have. Shown personally by the best family ever seen."

The last part of the comment broke the paralysis that had group apart. Lucas ended up in the middle of a bizarre group hug. He didn't mind. He knew his family knew the worst part of his life, yet they didn't pity him, instead they had shown nothing but support and love. It was a weird feeling at first, yet it wasn't that bad of a feeling.