Nathan could see the concentration on the Doctor's face; her gift would certainly give him more insight into Lucas than he currently had. Something was better than nothing.

When she finally stopped, Wendy's face was stricken. "Can we talk in the other room, Captain?" Bridger stole a glance at Lucas. "He'll stay here, don't worry," the doctor assured him.

"Well?" he asked, as soon as they were out of earshot.

"He certainly didn't resist, in fact, I'd say he was trying to help me see into him. Like he was trying to show me." She sat down on the top of her desk. "He's scared Captain."

"Well I knew that already Wendy."

"Now wait. He's scared that he's going to lose you, that you'll abandon him. I'd guess that's why he's practically sewn to your hip today. It seems like something happened today and now he's afraid you don't care about him any more." The Captain just sat there, digesting this information, his lips forming a tight, thin line. "To me, when I see that fear, it's the fear of the Lucas we know, the teenager, not the 6 year old." The Captain's eyes met hers, and he was sure that he was betraying his emotions.

"I should go talk to him." Nathan said quietly, standing up. To be truthful, he had no idea what to say to Lucas. How much of the teenager was part of the child crying on his shoulder that morning? Not that it mattered. If Lucas at 16 had come to him sobbing, well, he would have comforted him.

"Captain, there's one more thing." Nathan felt himself pale a little. "There were feelings, quick flips of images, and things that suggested some serious pain captain. Be careful with him. I think he might be dealing with more than we expect."

"Thank you for helping Doctor. I'm very grateful."

------------------

He walked slowly out to where Lucas was still seated on the examining table, only now he had pulled his legs up and was sitting cross legged, staring at some papers in his hand. Bridger couldn't help but stop and watch the determination and pure passion that swept over the boy's face as he examined his work. He face bore the look of a genius, while his posture was very child-like. It was enough to rip Nathan's mind back to the moment and the issue at hand.

"Hi kiddo." He could tell that Lucas was nervous, wondering how he would react to what the boy had revealed to them. He was guarded, but he was still hopeful.

"I think we need to talk huh? I'm not sure to talk to you as you are, a 6 year old, or as you were, a 16 year old. I know both parts of you are still in there, though they might be all muddled and mixed." He leaned over and brushed the hair off of Lucas' forehead, and then rested his hands on the boys knees.

"I'm not going to leave you, Lucas. I mean, there may be times where I have to go away for a while, but I'll always be back. They'd have to drag me away from you with horses." This won a small smile from Lucas' clearly amused at the thought. "And I know that right now you need to work some stuff out. But I want you to know something. You don't have to be a little boy to need someone, to get comforted, to need. That's human nature, kiddo. I think you've grown up too fast, and never got to be a little kid. Maybe that's why you embraced this change so easily?"

Lucas said nothing, but the tinge of red that crept over his cheeks gave him away. Nathan leant over and tipped Lucas' face up so he could once again meet his eyes. "I also know that a lot of this is way out of your control. No one's judging you Lucas, especially not me."

"You promise?" Lucas asked with a smile.

"Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye." Bridger made the crossing motions over his heart.