CHAPTER ONE

Saturday, June 2nd, 1984

The day dawned bright and crisp, but he hardly cared to greet it on a Saturday. Sleeping in was hardly a luxery he got, and when the chance came to do it he typically took it. The young man lay there, half annoyed with the hot sun in his face and over his body, and half revelling in being able to just lay there and enjoy it.

His friends would have described him as wiry, which he was. His frame was one suited to speed and flexibilty, one of the reasons he never tried to be a Marine. His former room-mate would have argued with him saying that he ate enough to feed a platoon of Marines... Sitting up and obscenely gesturing to the sun with one hand, he quickly dressed in his jeans and a t-shirt. He was so glad that he no longer had to live on academy grounds where waking up usually preceded by one's instructor screaming at him, then the rush to be presentable at inspection.

Here, in the rented apartment, which although still on base, the rush was far away. Granted, every so often there was an inspection, but they were few and far between as now the officers paid for their living arrangements and were given a measure of privacy. He now at least had a recognizable bedroom and living room, with a small, cramped, kitchen and bathroom. That brought a smile to his face as he put his shoes on. At sea, he would have termed everything different but on land...

Standing up and walking into the ensuite bathroom, Ensign Nathan Hale Bridger looked at his reflection in the mirror, then walked out of his apartment.

Deciding to go off base for breakfast, he caught the bus to head to the mall.

The sight nearly was enough to make him collapse into helpless hysterics. There was a girl on the bus with leggings that looked like black fishnet, a hoop in one nostril, a bright pink leather jacket that gave him a headache just looking at it, and a cut off shirt that, well, if she reached up it would show the entirety of the red lace bra she was wearing underneath. Her formerally blonde hair was similiarly dyed to a equally noxious flourescent blue.

When he saw that she had caught him staring, she said, "See something you like, yuppie?"

"Ah, other than that really nice bra..." he caught himself, and the vaguely mischievious look she was throwing him. "Um, nice hair."

"You too," she said, pointing out his short cropped dark brown hair.

"Yeah, well, dark hair doesn't take dye real well," he sagely lamented and she laughed.

Once he got past the brashness of her outfit she wasn't that bad to look at. Hey, your high school years were just as wild, don't bitch... assuming she was in high school, and if she was she was too young for him. She asked, "So, where are you headed?"

"The mall, hopefully for something to eat," he answered. "You?"

"The University to pick up some books I need that I thought I didn't."

College, well, that was better. "I couldn't possibly ask you to skip... but maybe after your classes are done for the day?"

"Now I can't just take a man's word that he might meet somewhere... I hardly know you," she smiled.

"Nathan," he introduced. "Nathan Bridger."

"Janet Benning," she said. "And I'm not skipping... it's Saturday." As if she picked up on what he meant, she then asked, "What college do you go to that has classes on a Saturday?"

"Annapolis," he answered. "Navy. I just finished getting my officers bars."

Her eyes widened slightly, and her voice held a bit of bite to it, "Military?"

"'fraid so. Why?" he asked.

"Well, I don't really want to cause an argument..."

"Then don't. Ignore I said it and just enjoy my company for the day while I enjoy yours," he grinned and then she smiled back and nodded.

Another ensign, one that had thought he would surprise his friend by waking him up, soon realised that Nathan was not at home. It's still early, wondered William Noyce. Where'd he go?

Bill walked around some more, then shrugged and jogged back to where yet another ensign, also of the same group, sat under a tree. Both of them were in jeans and a plain t-shirt. Spending a few years in an academy had not prepared them for the change from the seventies to the eighties and both would have stuck out like sore thumbs in the new 'fashion' that was out there.

"Do you see that guy," Scott Keller pointed out a young man about their age as he walked by the gate of the base.

Bill turned and stared, "Are you sure it's a guy?"

"Yeah, the girls have their underwear on top like the guys, so you can see their bras."

That was enough to make Bill sit and wait until a girl walked past. Scott wasn't joking, they were wearing their underwear on top of their clothes. "What the Hell happened to the world?" he wondered.

"They call it 'punk'," answered Scott, ever the sociable one, who likely did ask why they were wearing what they were. "Hey, at least its not grunge."

"What were we thinking," wondered Bill aloud, running his fingers through his hair. "I think I like grunge better. Have you heard what these kids are listening to?"

"I like it."

"You would."

Just then the bus stopped outside of the base and Nathan walked off the bus with a punk-dressed woman. They were laughing and chatting, and Bill and Scott stared in disbelief. "I don't believe it," said Scott. "Bridger strikes again... why does he have all the luck with women?"

The two walked up to Nathan and the young woman and Nathan said, "Hey, this is Janet. She takes sociology at the University. Janet, this is Bill and Scott."

She held out her hand and Bill shook her hand first. "Hi," he said, instantly unable to form a coherant thought.

Scott shook her hand and asked, "Is that a pink jacket?"

"It's actually fuschia," she answered. "It's the hottest color right now. Everyone is wearing it somewhere in their wardrobe."

The look on Scott's face was a priceless mix between incredible dismay and being completely stunned. It might have been Janet who laughed first, but soon they all were. Deciding that Nathan's apartment was the best sized to visit, they headed there first. Once reaching it, and when Nathan managed to unlock it, they headed in and milled in the living room. "Hey, it might not be much, but its an improvement over the bunks at the academy," Nathan sounded a bit put off.

"It's not that," pointed out Janet. "And while its clean... there is nothing of you in here."

Nothing of me? wondered Nathan looking around his spartan apartment. Well, it was rather devoid of pictures or anything. Actually it was downright boring, so he turned to her, "What would you suggest?"

The older gentlemen walked around to the podium, trying not to look too scared. It was one of his first times up there since being voted in as a Senator, and it was a position he never expected to have. He had been so surprised, but yet honoured, to be even asked to run for the vaulted position.

A few short moments later he stepped down from the podium, the speech made, his position clear. He turned to his assistant, "How do you think I did?"

"Very well, sir," she answered. "The one about the military having too much power was extremely well presented. But don't you think that will gain enemies?"

"Undoubtably, my dear, but it must be done."

Monday, June 4th, 1984

Nathan walked briskly into the offices on base. He was receiving word of what his next placing would be, and then getting leave for at least a few weeks. As he had managed to finish a bit early, the next tour would not be until August at the earliest.

He hoped, anyway, he was really getting to know Janet, and while he seriously doubted that he would ever be permenantly attached to her, and she to him, he still enjoyed her company. Since her semester was over, and she had no co-op this year, he was thinking of inviting her home for a week. She had never been any further West than the state border and his father was working in Chicago at the moment...

Nathan stood outside the Commander's door, and knocked twice briskly as he was expected. The door opened to reveal a petite blonde woman that was about his age, and also in uniform. Walking into the room and sharply saluting, Nathan stood at attention. "At ease, Ensign," said Commander Martinson. "Have you met Ensign Lexington Fisher?"

"No sir, I haven't," answered Nathan, looking at the blond woman closer, and she smiled back.

The smile was... a bit unnerving. He had never seen such an overtly meaning smile on a woman's face, and certainly not in uniform. "Then I see introductions are in order. "Ensign Fisher, this is Ensign Nathan Bridger," said Martinson. "Ensign Bridger is due to go on a very long leave once he recieves his posting."

"A pleasure, Ensign," Fisher's voice had somewhat of a purr in it, but it was so subtle he was almost convinced that he hadn't heard it.

"Likewise," he kept his voice neutral, but not too dismissing, he might want to look her up if Janet and he did not last....

"Well, then, I won't keep you, Nathan," said Martinson. "You are assigned to the USS Aegis. Unfortunatelly, or fortunately, the Aegis is also in dry dock until early August, so you have leave officially until July 25th. I hope you enjoy your leave."

"Thank you sir, I fully intend to," answered Nathan, keeping his glee secretly under the surface.

A month and a half of leave had its uses...

"Six weeks?" Bill hit the roof. "Why the Hell do you get six weeks and I only get two weeks?"

"Your ship isn't in for repairs," answered Nathan later. "You think Janet might want to come with me to visit my Dad for a week? She's never seen Chicago before..."

Bill was still fuming, "You aren't from Chicago!"

"No, but his Dad is there on a contract for a year," pointed out Scott, in between mouthfuls of burger.

The three sat in the one place that their budgets would always allow, and where, quite frankly, that the staff were so used to seeing them that their order usually was waiting before they actually ordered it - McDonalds.

Nathan picked at what was left of his fries. "Seriously though, you think she would go for it?"

"Why, you like her that much?" asked Bill, a bit defensively.

"Yeah..." Nathan admitted. "I don't know if I like her enough to marry, actually, I don't see us married at all... But as even her friend, I'd like her to at least see Chicago. I don't even have to sleep with her. Just to see her face when she steps off the plane will be worth it."

Picking up on his friend's discomfiture, he said, "Bill, is there something you would like to say?"

"Yeah, she is the sweetest woman, the greatest sense of humour, and you don't like her enough to... to..."

"Do the horizontal mambo with," finished the ever blunt Scott.

Bill gestured wordlessly, but the meaning was clear as what Scott said was what Bill meant. Nathan blinked in surprise, then his eyes narrowed, "Bill, do you like Janet?"

"Dammit, I thought you'd never ask!" exclaimed Bill. "Yes, I like her. I find her incredibly hot. I want to pick her up, take her to my apartment and..."

"And you really don't need to finish that," Scott cut in. "In fact, please don't, unlike you two who inhale their food I am still eating."

The other two laughed at their friend who was an incrediblely slow eater compared to the two of them. It was nice to actually be able to sit down and relax in just their civilian clothes. To not have to be on their best behaviour in order to not embarass the uniform.

Not the fastest paced chapter in the world, but I think it was okay. Please review and let me know what you think of this!

Yes, I went with the idea that Wendy is Nathan's neice (though obviously she hasn't been born yet, heck, Nathan has't even met Carol yet! So would you like him to at least meet his future wife in this fic? Review and let me know.)