Title: Worth a Thousand Words.
Author: vashsunglasses
Fandom: seaQuest 2032
Rating: K
Summary: Lucas's relationship with his mother takes a turn for the better.
Disclaimer: I don't own seaQuest. If I did, I would have at least finished the 3rd Season.
Note: The picture in this story is one of those portraits that military people get. You know, the ones with them in dress uniforms with the American Flag in the background?
"And what, exactly, am I supposed to do with this, Sir?" Lucas asked dryly.
Captain Hudson rolled his eyes, "It's a picture in a frame, Ensign. Generally, a picture such as this is hung on a wall." He smirked.
"Oh, ha-ha, Sir, how very droll." Lucas sighed, "Seriously though, I have no idea who to give this to." He looked at his portrait with distaste.
"You're kidding me, right?" Captain Hudson said, bemused. "You look like a recruitment poster. Who wouldn't want your manly face on their wall?" He was grinning now.
Lucas shuddered. "With all due respect, Sir: I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."
"You do that, Mr. Wolenczak. Just do it outside my office."
Lucas stared.
"That means we're done here, so go away." Captain Hudson said, dismissing him.
As he left the office, it hit him. Surely she wouldn't turn down a free picture of her son?
Cynthia Holt felt like weeping as she watched the biggest prospective client her company had ever courted walk out the conference room door. 'How did everything go so wrong so fast?' she wondered as she gathered her papers and walked out of the room.
As she passed her secretary's desk she noticed a package sitting on it. She looked closer and gasped when she saw the return address.
"Lucas?" she mouthed to herself quizzically. "Since when does Lucas send me packages?"
She dropped her papers on the desk and took the box into her office. She rummaged around the room, looking for the scissors and watched her hands tremble. She felt almost giddy, as if she'd had too much too drink.
Finally, she found the scissors and sat down to open the mysterious box. She hesitated for a moment, afraid that whatever was in the box would be unpleasant. 'After all, I'm not exactly mother of the year.' She thought to herself sarcastically.
She took a deep breath and opened the box.
A tear ran down her cheek.
"I know just where to put this," she whispered, hugging the portrait to her breast, "I know just where to put this."
"What do you mean, 'She's too busy to see you'?" Lucas snapped, "I'm her son! She hasn't seen me in ten years!"
"I'm sorry Mr. Wolenczak, but Ms. Holt is unable to see you today," the secretary said, pity oozing from every pore.
Lucas turned away in disgust and began the long walk out of the building.
"Mr. Wolenczak, wait!" the secretary cried out suddenly.
Lucas turned and looked at her with a mixture of hope and mistrust on his face.
"If you walk down the hallway and go into the fifth door on your left, you will see something important." She gestured urgently, "Trust me."
He nodded and walked down the hall to the door labeled 'Employee Lounge'. He quickly blushed as he opened the door, feeling as if he was breaking a rule of some kind.
But just as quickly, the blood drained from his face as he saw his portrait hanging on the wall across from the door, surrounded by smaller pictures of other servicemen and women. In bold letters above all this was the phrase: PRAY FOR OUR LOVED ONES ON THE BATTLEFIELD, in his mother's distinctive handwriting.
Lucas felt love for his mother for the first time in a long time.