A Question of Trust

Chapter 13

By Kiddo

In Loving Memory Of Jonathan Brandis

Disclaimer:

I don't have any rights to the TV show "seaQuest." I also don't own the different characters like Bridger, Lucas, or Darwin. I'm not making any money with this story; I'm just writing for my own pleasure.

A spezial „Thank You" goes to Jackie for beta-reading and to wolenczak2004, Swasti, KatKnits00, Nerene, dolphinology and TeacherTam for their reviews.

wolenczak2004: Thanks! (Hands you a hankerchief.)

Swasti: Thanks! Yes, poor Bridger!

KatKnits00:Thanks! Let's see if your guess is right…

Nerene: Thanks for all your thoughts! I think it's importend to have good memories in bad times.

dolphinology: Thanks! (Hands you also a hankerchief.)

TeacherTam: Thanks! I can understand your fellings for Jonathan Brandis very good. He will always have a spezial place in my heart too.

Dr. Westphalen was just getting ready to shock Lucas' heart again when the line on the heart monitor resumed its steady rhythm. "Thank god, Lucas!" The red-haired woman turned around to the captain. "Nathan, he's made it. His heart is beating again, and he's breathing on his own."

Those who weren't needed any longer left. Only Dr. Westphalen and Bridger stayed behind with the unconscious teenager. Nathan moved over next to Lucas' bed and sat down on the chair. Kristin stayed for a moment with the two, and after that, she went into her office.

Ten minutes later, Lucas' eyelids began to flutter. As they opened, his eyes met the captain's still-wet ones.

Bridger smiled at Lucas. "You gave me quite a scare, Kiddo."

The teenager nodded weakly. "I know... I'm sorry," he whispered.

Nathan shook his head. "There's nothing to be sorry about. It's not your fault."

Lucas smiled at the captain's comment. "I've been fighting."

Captain Bridger looked confused. Did the teenager even know what he was saying? "What do you mean you've been fighting?" Nathan saw that the boy was straining to stay awake.

"I wish I was your son..." Lucas just couldn't keep his eyes open any longer and drifted back to sleep.

"Lucas?" Bridger realized that it was a futile effort; the teen needed his sleep. Later, when he woke up, then he could ask about what the young man meant. Lucas had said that he wished he was his son. It seemed that the teenager had really heard him when he had been sitting at the boy's bedside, speaking to him.

Nathan just had to smile. Lucas felt the same about him.

Only 8 hours later, Lucas woke up again. While he'd been sleeping, the seaQuest had already docked at a UEO headquarters, and the terrorists had been removed from the boat.

But the whole time, Bridger hadn't left Lucas's side. The teenager was rubbing his eyes, and Captain Bridger smiled at the gesture. "Are you really awake now?"

The genius grinned. "No, but I'm as close to it as I can be at the moment."

"How are you feeling?" asked Nathan.

The computer genius thought for a moment about the question. What was the best way to answer that? "First of all I was beaten up, then I was shot, and then I was dead for a minute. But aside from that, I feel great!"

Nathan Bridger was speechless. He hadn't expected the teen to know that his heart had stopped beating. "You know that your heart stopped beating and that Dr. Westphalen had to start it again?"

Lucas nodded. "Yes, I was aware of everything."

Bridger looked questioningly at his youngest crew member. "What do you mean exactly that you were aware of everything?"

The computer genius knew that he could trust the captain, and he wanted to tell the older man what he had experienced. "Do you want to know what happened to me when my heart had stopped beating?"

The captain of the seaQuest nodded. Lucas piqued his interest. "I would like to hear about it, but only if you really want to tell me."

The teenager smiled. "I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't want to tell you. I know that you'll believe me and not think I'm crazy. Or at last I hope so."

Bridger was stunned. Lucas trusted him, even though Nathan had made a mistake with Oliver and hadn't been friendly to the boy in the last few days. The blond teenager had been disappointed by his parents so often but was nevertheless able to trust other people. That wasn't natural.

Captain Bridger had expected that his relationship with Lucas would have been shattered because of everything that happened with Oliver. They had made their apologies to each other when they had been in the cell, but he still hadn't expected their relationship to be healed, that the young genius would give him so much trust. It gave him a warm feeling. "I will believe you!"

Lucas nodded again and smiled. "Okay. I think the moment my heart stopped beating, I saw a white, warm light. The light held so much comfort, peace, and love. It's difficult to describe... Suddenly, I saw the silhouettes of my grandparents in the light, and the nearer I got to them, the clearer I could see them. But they weren't happy to see me. That got me really confused. After all, I hadn't seen them for a long time and was very happy to see them."

Bridger nodded. A few weeks ago, Lucas had told him about his grandparents and how much he had loved them and missed them. His grandparents had been there for the boy when his parents hadn't. "They weren't happy to see you because that meant you were dead."

Lucas nodded. "Yeah, kind of. They said it was too early for me, that I still had my whole life ahead of me and that I would do so many things." The teenager thought back on the conversation. "I didn't want to believe them. After all, I was already dead. But they explained to me that the decision was in my hands, that I could still choose life and fight for it. But I wanted to stay with them."

Nathan was listening attentively to the teen. What the boy had just said made him sad. Lucas wanted to die more than to live. There was nothing that was really holding him to his life. But then, Lucas was here; that meant that he had changed his mind for some reason.

"They wanted me to think about my life. And I thought about a lot. I thought about things that were important to me but also things that I never want to go through again. In my opinion, the bad things outweighed the good ones. I wanted to die."

Captain Bridger looked Lucas in the eyes. "And what made you change your mind? Why did you decide on life?"

The young man smiled. "My grandparents made me realize that my parents aren't the only thing in life, that there are other people I'm important to. Then they said that they would give me one more thing to think about, and after that, I had to make my final decision. Suddenly, I was back in Medbay. I saw myself lying in this bed, and I saw how Dr. Westphalen, Ben, and the others were fighting for my life. That showed me that they wouldn't let me go so easily, that I meant something to them." The teen took a short pause. "And then I saw you, Captain. But the unbelievable thing was that I could hear your thoughts in my head. It was as clear as if you were saying it to me. I think that was the moment were I truly understood deep down in my heart that my parents weren't the most important thing, that I really mean something to others, even when my parents don't care about me. And so I decided to fight for my life. To fight for me, to fight for my friends, and mostly for you..." Both Lucas and the captain had tears running down their faces.

Bridger gave the teenager a gentle hug. "You can't imagine how happy I am because of your decision."

Lucas smiled through his tears. "Oh, believe me I can. Don't forget that I heard your thoughts in my head."

Nathan wiped away his tears. "I don't think I'll ever forget this, and I'll always be thankful to your grandparents for what they did!"

The teenager thought for a moment. "I was serious about what I said the last time I woke up. I didn't just say that to make you happy. I really wish that I was your son."

The captain's smile was huge. "Thanks, Kiddo. You know that I feel the same way. And I have thought a lot about this since you said it that first time. If you really want it, I would like to speak with your parents and ask them if I could have custody of you. They would still be your parents, but I would have legal responsibility of you. What do you say?"

For a moment, the computer genius was speechless. Then, he started to smile. "I would like that. But I don't know what my parents will say to that. I think it would be best if you asked my father because I have no idea where my mother lives at the moment with her boyfriend. I've been trying her old number for weeks, but it isn't working. Maybe my father knows where she is."

Bridger nodded. "I'll take care of it right away!" Nathan stood up. "See you later, Kiddo!"

"Yeah, see you later." Lucas tried to find a more comfortable position to lie in. He was exhausted, but he didn't believe that he would be able to get any sleep at the moment. He was just too nervous about his parents. Who could tell how they would react?

To Be Continued …

Written Spring 2003 / Translated Winter 2005