A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the long time between updates, life's been keeping me busy. But I wanted to get you a new chapter before I head off for the long weekend. There's not a lot of action in this chapter, but it's very important in moving the story along. Hope you like it. It'll be a few more days before I get to another chapter.

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The Captain received many strange looks while he took Lucas back to his quarters. He guessed he could forgive the crew; it wasn't every day you saw your Captain parading around the boat with a sobbing child. Indeed, despite the 10 minutes he had stayed on Seadeck – hoping Darwin would cheer up Lucas – by the time he had reached his quarters he could still feel Lucas trembling against him, and the tears still warm on his neck.

Nathan had to admit that he was at a loss. Nothing had prepared him for this; it had been a very long time since he had needed to comfort a crying child and the fear that he had forgotten how held him in it's grip. He hoped that parenting was instinctual.

"Do you want to talk about it, kiddo?" he asked quietly. Lucas had shaken his head vigorously before he had even finished asking. As Lucas began untangling himself, Nathan caught himself holding his breath. He could almost see the physical change instantly come over Lucas as he composed himself.

"I wasn't angry with you Lucas. Yes, I was loud, and yelled, but I was mostly trying to get your attention. And I would never, ever hurt you. "

Lucas said nothing, and went back to examining his fingers, occasionally flicking a glance the Captain's way.

"Like I said back on seadeck, you seemed frightened Lucas. I know it might be hard for you to understand, but no one has the right to hurt you. No one. And you can tell me anything, kiddo." Lucas still wasn't looking at him. He took a deep breath. "Has anyone hurt you before, Lucas?"

The silence was deafening. He wasn't sure what he was waiting to hear. A Yes answer meant his fears confirmed. But a No answer likely wouldn't erase those fears, it would just make him suspect that Lucas was lying. After 10 minutes of waiting, watching Lucas fidget and shift and avoid looking at him, the Captain had to accept that Lucas wasn't going to answer him one way or the other; at least not now.

"Why don't we go back to your quarters, get you changed, and I can sit with you for a bit before I head back to the bridge?"

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The Captain tried for more than 30 minutes to engage Lucas in activity or conversation of any sort, but Nathan knew he had to get back to the bridge. Turning to where Lucas was sitting on the bed, he said,

"Kiddo, I don't want to leave right now, but I have a job to do on the bridge and I have to get back to it. I'll take you down to the lab; you can work on some of your experiments, projects, whatever you want to call them. I promise to come see you when my shift is up, all right?"

He thought he saw tears in Lucas' eyes, but he couldn't be sure. After a few seconds, the boy nodded.

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After half an hour back on the bridge, Nathan got a panicked call from Dr. Smith.

"Captain?!"

"What is it Dr. Smith?"

"I can't find Lucas."

"What do you mean, you can't find Lucas?"

"Exactly what I said, sir. He's disappeared. I searched the lab, he's not here anywhere."

"Thank you Dr. I'll find him."

"Ford –"

"Yessir."

With that, Nathan headed for the clam doors. He rushed down the corridor, but quickly came to an abrupt halt. There, sitting cross-legged against the wall was Lucas. He was scribbling on paper, likely doing some mathematical equations or programming code, if Nathan had to guess.

"Lucas?"

The small blond head shot up from where Lucas was focused on his work. Bridger could see a momentary panic in those blue eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly as it arrived.

"What are you doing here?"

Silence.

"You're going to have to talk to me sometime you know..."

Silence.

Nathan sighed. "All right. Let's get you back to the lab."

After the 4th call from Dr. Smith, and the fourth time finding Lucas in the exact same spot outside the bridge, the Captain gave up.

"Come on then," he said, leading the boy onto the bridge. He was sure he had likely broken 1,235 UEP regulations all at once by allowing Lucas on to the bridge, but at least this way he could keep an eye on him.

He took Lucas over to an empty chair. "Sit there. No moving from that spot. Don't touch anything, got it buddy?" He was greeted by silent agreement by Lucas.

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Nathan barely got a minute alone that day, and every time he did, Lucas was waiting nearby somewhere. It was like the boy was determined to surgically attach himself to the Captain. By early in the evening it was starting to wear thin.

"Let's go Lucas, we're going to see Wendy."

Striding into the lab and lifting Lucas onto the examining table in one swift movement, the Captain called for the doctor.

"What is it, Captain?"

"I think we've got some separation anxiety, here. I need your help. Something's obviously troubling Lucas, but I can't get him to talk to me." Nathan's eyes never left Lucas'.

"Captain, I want to help, but my background in psychology is hardly strong..."

"Maybe not, but you do have other gifts." He said quietly.

"You're asking me to –"

"Yes, I am. I know you'd rather not, but I really need your help."

"All right, but I don't like it."

"Dissent noted, Dr."

And with that, Dr. Wendy Smith closed her eyes and concentrated on touching Lucas' mind.