Chapter 13:
Kristin had been on the vid link with Lucas and Abbey for a little over an hour talking about various things from work to plans for a baby. The conversation had certainly put Kristin in a much better mood. This whole ordeal was starting to bring back very protective feeling towards Lucas. Feels she knew he would be quick to admonish her for. He really was much better now and certainly didn't need anyone to protect him anymore. He was grown now and would even be on his own as soon as the young couple's new home was complete. Abbey was in the middle of recounting Lucas convincing her to ride some mountain or other when Kristin looked up a Nathan. He stood there quietly staring at the bottom of the small screen. He had tears in his eyes and she couldn't help but notice how proud Nathan looked. As she followed his eyes to the very bottom of her vid screen she noticed what he was looking at. Apparently it had been a long day and Lucas was fast asleep on the bed next to Abbey. Kristin smiled as she looked back at Nathan remembering how important Lucas had been to him all those years ago. Maybe there was some kind of explanation.
"Well, it looks like you both had a long day," Kristin smiled as she gestured toward the sleeping form on her screen.
Abbey looked down and gently brushed the blonde bangs of her new husband to the side, "I guess so huh?"
"Well, I should let you both get to sleep. I need to get these papers put away so I can get home."
"Sure, good night Kris."
"Good night darling," Kristen said as she leaned forward and cut the link.
"Are they on vacation?" Nathan asked half expecting Kristin not to answer him.
"No, not exactly, they were married last night. Today was the first day of their honeymoon. I asked Lucas to call me and let me know they arrived okay. Abbey convinced him to go to Disney world. It wasn't something I'd expect him to like but, she convinces him to try a lot of things."
"Oh, when I saw the news clip of the wedding I didn't realize it was .. well I just didn't know."
Kristin felt a pang of guilt as she looked at the man's disappointed face. She knew everything aside, Lucas would have wanted him there for the occasion.
"I have a few photographs and videos from last night if you would like to see them. Katie recorded their first dance and the groomsmen dancing to some silly song. You can look them over while I explain our reaction to you a little better."
Nathan smiled grateful to see that spark in Kristin's eyes again, "I would love nothing more."
After showing Nathan the videos and pointing out the different members from the first tour of the Seaquest, Kristin sighed heavily as she turned to ask him something that was weighing heavily on her mind.
"Nathan, you really don't remember at all what happened to Lucas?"
"Kris, I swear to you, the last thing I remember was arguing with him on the bridge that he needed to evacuate. You can ask any of the crew, we were looking for him when the rescue party came barging in. Please Kristin you have to tell me what I could have done that you would hate me this way."
"I don't hate you Nathan. I don't think I ever could to be honest. When the Seaquest disappeared I was here working. Katie is the one who called and gave me the news. She said that the Clinton was going to be part of the search party and Ben was going absolutely stir crazy trying to find Lucas. She mentioned that some of the science staff had turned up. I assured her that Lucas would be in one of those life rafts. He wasn't. Two weeks went by and I couldn't understand why you would leave me alone. I was so angry with you."
"Kris, that wasn't my choice."
"No, leaving wasn't your choice but, I couldn't understand why you wouldn't have sent Lucas back to me. That way I would have had someone. Chief Crocker was the one who pointed out to me that Lucas wouldn't have left the Seaquest if he thought there was anything he could do to save her, to save you. I accepted it, as hard as it was. That night we went to dinner with some of the old crew memembers, most of the same men that served in the wedding actually and a Lieutenant came in and said they had found another life raft. Bill almost bit the young man's head off for interrupting us all. They had been finding debris for weeks it didn't seem very important. Until he mentioned there was someone on the raft. He couldn't pronounce Wolenzcak but, he really didn't have to by the time he said Lucas half of us were already ready to bolt out of the place. I was so happy to get him back. It was like a second chance I couldn't breathe."
"Two weeks?" Nathan looked puzzled and horrified at the same time, "He was out there for two weeks?"
"I wish I could say that was the worst part." Kristin said looking down, "I suppose there's no point in keeping anything from you….."
Dr. Kristin Westphalen sat in the hospital waiting room waiting for news on Lucas' condition. They had rushed to get to the hospital so fast they had actually beaten the ambulance carrying they boy. Standing in the door way when the ambulance arrived moments earlier she and Benjamin Krieg had only been able to catch a quick glimpse of the teen's blonde hair as they paramedics rushed past them. Since then Lt. Ben Krieg hadn't stopped pacing the room. Chief William Shan sat on the floor next to Dr. Joshua Levin trying to deter the Lieutenant's pacing telling him he was making every one nervous. Kristin looked to her left where Manilow Crock sat looking straight ahead. The man refused to leave her side as he had found himself having to steady the good doctor more often than she was willing to admit. Kristin watched as Katie returned to her seat from speaking with the woman at the desk.
"She says she can't tell us anything. We're not family," Katie said looking frustrated as she sat down, "Sec. General Noyce is trying to get in touch with Lucas' family. His mother's assistant said she went to Dr. Wolenzcak's last night to go to the services and she hasn't heard from her since. They're going to send an officer out there to bring them here so we can find something out."
Ben scoffed, "So you mean to tell me she actually came all the way out here and didn't bother to come to the damn funeral? That's just about right. They probably won't even come to the hospital you realize that right?"
"Ben, people grieve in different ways. You never know maybe they were too upset to attend the services, " Katie glared at her ex-husband willing him silently to not make a scene.
"Yeah right, they never should have put him on that damn submarine in the first place."
"That's enough Ben," Kristin interrupted firmly, "You're right, they shouldn't have abandoned their son in the middle of the daft ocean for the own convenience but you know what? They did and you can't change that now. Besides I suspect he's far better off having all of us in his live than he would be without us. You need to get your emotions in check now, Lucas is going to need you. He's going to need all of us."
Ben nodded quietly taking a seat next to Dr. Levin as Bill Noyce approached the group.
"Um, I don't know how to say this so, I'll just come out and do it," Bill Noyce spoke as he looked soberly around the room, "The Wolenzcaks are dead."
"What?" Kristin spoke above the collective gasps in the room, "What do you mean they're dead?"
"Murder-Suicide, apparently Dr. Wolenzcak had it all planned out. He left a note apologizing to his family. He lured his ex-wife there under the guise of attending the services together. It looks like he shot her as soon as she came in the door and then turned the gun on himself. The police are working through the evidence now but, it seems pretty cut and dry." The older man fought back the sick feeling in his stomach as he looked at the people around him, "What I said at the restaurant is truer now more than ever, we're his family .I've already spoken to his Doctor and let him know about the situation. He'll be coming out shortly to let us all know how Lucas is. We'll have to make arrangements before he leaves the hospital as to where he will stay and someone will have to go to his father's and pick up his belongings."
"He'll stay with me," Kristin spoke before anyone had the chance, "I just signed on as CMO at the Miami base. My condo is small but, I was going to go house shopping next week. If he's well enough, he can come along. We'll find a place together."
Noyce smiled he had expected as much, "That's fine. There's still a few months until he's 18 but, I don't expect we'll need to have any papers drawn up."
"I'll pick up his stuff and drop it off at the doc's condo as soon as the police will allow me. Maybe Katie can help me put some of his stuff out in the extra bedroom," Ben Krieg added.
"We'll help too," Shan said as Levin nodded in agreement.
Just then the Doctor entered the small waiting area. With an almost somber look that disturbed the group.
"Well how is he doc?" Ben was the first to speak, "Is he gonna be alright?"
"Physically, he should be fine in a few days. He has a nasty gash on his head that has healed enough that we won't need to stitch it. I am afraid it will leave a nasty looking scar though. His wrists however have an infection and haven't even begun to heal. We've already removed the plastic cuffs and, we'll start him on antibiotics right away to clear the infection. He's not as dehydrated as I expected so; he should at least be feeling better in a few days."
Kristin eyed the doctor not sure she heard the man correctly, "Excuse me, what do you mean by cuffs?"
