Chapter 15:

Manilow Crocker walked out of the UEO Base he was looking for someone. It was raining lightly and it was unseasonably cool for the area. Glancing down the peer he saw who he was looking for sitting on the edge of the dock. He pulled up his collar and headed towards the young man.

"You know, if you sit there long enough in the rain you're liable to fall in." Crocker said sitting down next to Robert Bridger, "What to tell me what's on your mind? 'Cause I know there's nothing out there interesting enough to make anybody sit here in the rain, son."

"Nothing, Manny, I just, well… I don't know." Bobby looked down unsure what to tell the older man.

"You think he's gonna be mad? 'Cause well, I don't see that he'd care. I think he'd just be happy to see you again."

"You don't understand Chief. I did something a long time ago and I thought, well I know it's not excusable to him."

"Well, going AWOL wasn't your brightest move, Bobby but, you came back and that took guts."

Crocker patted the younger man on the back as he stared at him in shock.

"You.. you knew?" Bobby stammered tears in his eyes.

"Yep, a few of us knew. Your old man didn't though. I never had the heart to tell him. I should of though."

"Why to finish off his opinion of his failure of a son, " Bobby scoffed, " Come on I hardly made it through the academy. I wasn't cut out for this back then. Hell I'm still not."

"No, I shoulda told him so he woulda at least known you were alive. He dropped off the face of the earth when he lost you. You think that was because he didn't care? He blamed himself for your death and I'm not tellin' you that so you feel bad. I'm tellin' you so you get your head outta your ass and go see your father. You get a second chance Bobby nobody gets that. Don't waste it." Crocker's words came out a little harsher than he meant for them to but he needed to make Bobby realize the opportunity he had.

"You don't understand, Manny he hates me. I didn't turn out the way he wanted. You want proof of that look at what happened when I was gone. He replaced me." Bobby retorted angrily.

Crocker laughed slightly, "You still harping on that one Bobby? Your dad didn't replace you with Lucas. Hell that kid was more of a hand full than you ever were. "

"Well, considering my dad asked to see him before anyone else I would say it's safe to say I've been replaced." Bobby rolled his eyes turning away from Crocker.

"You two never really did squash that jealously thing did you? You're dad still thought it was 10 years ago and 10 years ago Lucas was a minor in his care of course he's going to try and find out if the kids alright. " Cocker sighed as he motioned for Bobby to take a seat next to him. " You remember Tommy and Jake don't you?"

"Sure, Manny. I played with Jake when I was a kid."

"That's right so you did. Well Tommy was my first born and Jake well, Jakey was a surprise. He and Tommy were about as far apart as you and Lucas in age. Tommy was my pride and joy. The kid couldn't do any wrong in my eyes well, until he got to be about 17. Then just about everything he did made my skin crawl." Crocker laughed lightly.

"I don't mean to be rude Manny but, you have a point? "

"Yes and if you'd shut up you'd hear it." Crocker scolded, "Tommy enlisted and all but got himself court martialed at least 4 times before Jake followed him in to service. By the time Jakey started moving up in the ranks, Tommy had straightened himself out. Everything Tommy did, Jake did younger faster and better. It wasn't a matter of trying or not trying the boys just had two different skill sets. Jake was little more suited to the navy life. Tommy never did like rules. Jake died last year. Some skirmish nobody will ever remember. He went down a hero and got a medal posthumously. Tommy went AWOL a few weeks later. I think Jake's death rattled him. Anyway he got caught, and Ol' Noyce pulled some strings for me and got him sent to section 7 just like you."

"I had no idea Manny, " Bobby interrupted.

"I spoke to him about a month later. He was bitter hardly said two words to me. I finally got it out of him what was wrong and you want to guess what he told me?.. He told me he knew I didn't love him as much as I loved Jake. I didn't know what to say. I tried to argue the point and he just sat there a rebutted with all the things Jake could do better than him and all the stupid fights we had over the years. I got so mad at him I hung up on him. Told myself I'd call him the next day and set him straight. I'd tell him that just because Jake was better at something's and just because we seemed to get along better it didn't mean I loved Tommy any less. I wanted him to know it didn't work that way. The love you give one son doesn't diminish the lover you have for another. I didn't get a second chance. Tommy was killed a week later in another skirmish just like his brother. Bobby don't make the same mistakes I did just because you think you dad liked Lucas better than you. Give your old man the chance I didn't get."

Bobby looked the old man in the eyes tears welling up in his own, "Thanks Manny. You don't know what this mean to me."

Crocker fought back his tears as he looked up at the sky before regaining his composure and turning back to Bobby, "Don't thank me Kid, show me. Go talk to your old man."

Nathan Bridger sat in his room looking at the file Kristin had given him. There were pictures inside of Lucas' injuries, several medical reports , and at least 12 different physic evaluations. Nathan sat the file down and ran his hand through his silver hair. He couldn't believe the bight generally happy teenager he knew so well had gone through this. He was about to pack it in for the night when he noticed the black album Kristin had gave him with the file. After retrieving the album he sat back in his chair looking at the album's cover wondering what was inside. He decided there was only one way to find out. He sighed and opened the album. Nathan smiled as he felt tears once again prick his eyes as he looked at a photograph of a smiling Lucas, not much older than he remembered him, completing the UEO Naval academy. As, he flipped through the album he realized it was Kristin's personal photo album. There were photos of holidays and birthdays, several photos from a vacation in Paris. Nathan smiled remembered how much Kristin talked about loving Paris. There were a few photos towards the back of the album of Lucas and a girl he recognized as the young man's wife. One of the last photographs was of Lucas down on one knee proposing to the young woman. Nathan let a single tear fall as he turned the last page of the album. There on the last page was a picture he knew well. Staring back at him was the blonde teenager's bright smile as he last remembered it flanked on either side by himself and Kristin. Darwin could be seen swimming in the tank behind Lucas. Nathan sighed as he shut the album realizing these times were long gone and may never return. As he laid down for the night he was about to fall asleep when there was a sudden knock on his door. Wondering who would be knocking at this time, the elder Bridger answered the door expecting to see one of his crewmembers or maybe Ben Krieg. He froze as he recognized the brown eyes before him.

"Bobby?"

"Dad, we need to talk."