It was later that day at six - at night-, with complaints from Locksmith, that they went to the hot springs taking along Debbie the Bloop, Penny, and Will leaving B-9 behind at the space van. The addition of the other three were unexpected but welcomed as a family outing and the trek became more amusing as time went on. The older man paused often during the trip so much so that Don shot a glare toward Judy mouthing back 'Really?' and she fought back the urge to laugh back turning away. Quickly, Don began to wish that he had packed a sleeping bag.
They stripped themselves of their shirts (and for Judy, she stripped down into her tank top) and long pants for their shorts. The sound of the crashing waves against the bluffs were deafening. Loud clashing that reminded the crew that they were somewhere natural and similar to Earth before pollution took it over and the sun became the enemy against them. The noise was respected and admirable for the way they performed time and time again. A vivid reminder of what Earth had once been to the mechanic. Debbie slid down into the hot spring and grinned, withdrawing her lips, her arms on the ledge of the hole to the hot springs. Then it was only then that Debbie grinned.
"That is a funny chimpanzee," Don said.
Judy laughed, her figure trembling, leaning her head back.
"Hey," Don said, motioning his head toward Locksmith, watching him walk past. "Where is he going?"
"To sit down," Will said. "He did walk on the last leg of the journey."
"I can't help but be concerned." Don said.
Instead of approaching the hot springs at first, Locksmith went to the bluffs, still clad in uniform, then looked over the jagged edges looking on watching the white portion of the waves hit the wall of rock and retreat into the body of water. The sound was powerful and mesmerizing to the ears of the visitors. Don looked over toward the older man's head lifted up facing the night sky decorated by bright stars. Will slipped out of the hot spring then joined the older man's side and felt the breeze of the cool air blowing against him. Some of the water from the content below landed on his face so he turned his attention up toward the taller man.
"Miss your family?" Will asked.
"Dearly." Locksmith said.
"They must be looking at different stars," Will said, turning his attention up. "You must be so sad and losing hope by each hour that passes."
"Not at all," Locksmith replied. "My hope burns. Just as the professor's. It is never ending. Time only breaks my heart."
Will raised his brow.
"That is really powerful hope," Will said.
"This makes my resolve of reaching them even stronger, my dear boy." Locksmith looked down with a small smile toward Will.
"They must be pretty special to you." Will said.
Locksmith turned his attention up toward the night sky.
"They are the only people I decided to call family." Locksmith searched the night sky in awe. "I never do that."
"Never open yourself up to other people?" Will said.
"The world is full of people capable of wronging you and making your world darker than it should be even your view of it."
"So you are a sample of those people." Will said.
"Yes. And no. I choose my allies wisely. They are the only people who have been kind to me in the last half a century. I didn't choose them." He lowered his gaze as his voice began to crack and he started to raise his trembling hands up halfway then clasped them into his lap. "They choose me. Despite that."
Will started to reach a hand out.
"That is special." Will said.
The older man closed his eyes and let go of a tear as the boy's hand came on to his back.
"I want to go home." His voice broke.
"You will. Just like we will." Will pat on the older man's back as his attention, quite slowly, shifted toward the five foot five boy. "We will get home and everything will be okay from there."
"My family would like you." Locksmith said with warmth.
"Come on," Will beckoned the older man. "That natural hot spring has been waiting for hours. Can't wait anymore."
Locksmith looked toward the night sky then Will watched him silently pray then turn his attention down upon him and nodded back toward him.
"No," Locksmith wrapped a arm around the boy's shoulder with a smile. "It can't."
They turned away from the stars then headed toward the natural hot springs.
"The other Doctor Smith has helped Judy." John started that night.
Maureen looked up.
"Hm. . . She was willing to get the ice cubes."
"A big improvement from the last few months,"
"Drastic." Maureen agreed. "Speaking of which. We should ask him to do the same for Will."
"He has been obsessing over Robot." John said. "I am concerned about that."
"So am I." Maureen said.
"I don't want to do it." John voiced.
"Neither do I." Maureen said.
They sat there across from one another between the fire pit then cooking over the fire pit two field mice.
"How about we make Don approach him and ask him to do that?" John offered.
"Clean hands, no glares from Will, or . . ." Maureen didn't finish her sentence.
"Resenting us for telling him about it." John said.
Maureen grew a bright smile at his conclusion.
"Let's ask Don to tell him about it in the next two weeks." Maureen said.
"It is a good cool off gap." John said. "He wouldn't suspect that we are getting as much free therapy time as we can from him."
The couple laughed until they fell out of their chairs hollering in laughter.
"We're the worst parents in the galaxy!" Maureen cackled.
"The best parents, you mean!" John replied, as he rolled to his side, smacking his fist on the ground.
And another bout of laughter erupted from Maureen.