Title: "The Bachelors of seaQuest" – Aftermath (Jonathan/Katie)

Author: AngelBabs81 (Barbara)

Rating: PG

Copyright: February 2006

Disclaimer: I own none of it. Amblin owns the show and characters and Deidre owns the challenge.

Jonathan Ford sat between Katie and Kristin. Dinner was brought to everyone and the table was bustling with conversation. He watched Katie, joking around with her ex ship mates and egging her ex husband. He let his mind wonder a bit on how gorgeous Katie looked out of uniform and in that evening gown. Being on a super tanker hasn't changed her physique. If anything, it improved it. Her tone back side, which the dress bared for all eyes to see, seemed more defined with muscle and tanner. He had never seen her backside so bare, but he'd seen her in a tank top when she exercised. Her arms were toned with slight bulging muscles when she flexed. He had no doubt to how strong she was. And the dress showed every curve of her body.

He'd always liked Hitchcock. From the first day they met, they had gotten along. Because of military policy, fraternization was not allowed and now Katie was the same rank as him. They would always be friends, he knew.

He didn't know how long he was in another world, so to speak, when he heard Katie calling his name and then a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, sorry," Jonathan quickly responded, seeing that Katie was the only one paying attention.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concern etched in her voice. "You've been awfully quiet."

"Yes, I'm fine," Jonathan assured, smiling. He looked at his plate and realized he hadn't eaten much and now it was cold.

"It looks like you need some air," Katie began and stood up, waiting for him to join her.

Jonathan nodded and stood up, following her out the main doors and out the building and walked along the path the edged along the beach near the Officer's Club.

"How have you been?" Katie began the conversation. The night air was warm and Katie looked out to the sea.

"I've been good," Jonathan informed. "I'm waiting for seaQuest to be built again, so I could go back to sea."

"You don't have to wait for seaQuest to be built," Katie informed, now looking at him. "You've been offered a few positions I've heard."

"There's been no offers good enough," he informed, sitting on a bench, facing the sea.

"You mean, there is no offer that can compare to the seaQuest. You are being picky." She sat down next to him and laughed. "Jonathan, it'll take a good year to get seaQuest built again. You could go on at least one tour on a submarine or on a super tanker."

Jonathan nodded. "Yeah, I can, but I don't want a super tanker. And being on a submarine would feel too cramped compare to seaQuest."

Jonathan felt the bench move slightly as Katie stood up, her strappy blue dress shoes in her hand and was walking on the sand. He stood up and followed.

"You're getting your dress all sandy," Katie heard Jonathan tell her as he walked next to her.

"It'll survive," she responded, not looking at him. "I want to ask you something. My second in command has decided to leave. His wife got severely ill on the last tour and he hated worrying about her." Turning to Jonathan, she smiled. "I've talked to the brass and asked for you."

Jonathan was surprised, more like shocked, when Katie told him what she had done. "I turned down a commanding position of my own boat and now you want me on a super tanker as second. Katie, we are the same rank. Who would have superiority?"

"I would, of course," Katie told him. "But I'd like to think we'd work as a team, like on seaQuest. Ranks never came involved when we worked together. You always treated me equally and I would show you the same and expect the same on the Clinton."

Jonathan shook his head. "I can't. Thanks for the offer, but I can't."

"You are being stubborn. What are you going to do until seaQuest is rebuilt? What are you going to do if they decide to have new senior officers and you are not chosen?"

Jonathan hadn't thought about that. He'd just assumed he would be part of seaQuest again. He'd been spending his time at UEO headquarters, helping with anything that was needed. "I don't know," he finally answered. "I assumed…"

Katie interrupted him, "Jonathan, stop assuming. Promise me you'll think about my offer. Our next tour is going to be 8 months."

Jonathan nodded after a few minutes. "I'll think about it, but no guarantees."

"That's all I ask." Katie smiled satisfied. "Let's walk down the beach for a little, and then we can return to the gala."

Jonathan nodded and asked her as they walked, "tell me more about the Clinton."

Katie told him about life on the super tanker and compared to seaQuest as they walked the shore line. It sounded like she missed being under water as well. During their conversation, Katie slipped her hand into his. Jonathan had stiffened and then accepted it, wrapping his fingers around hers.

They walked in silence for a bit and sat down on a bench.

"Why don't we ditch the rest of the party?" Jonathan questioned as Katie sat down, wiped the sand off her feet, and put her shoes back on.

"And do what?" Katie asked, looking up as she finished strapping her shoes on.

"I don't know," Jonathan responded. "Let's just drive."

Katie nodded. "Okay. But you'll have to drive. I took a taxi here."

Jonathan laughed. "That's fine. So… how long is your shore leave?" Jonathan asked as he led the way to his sports car.

"I have a week."

"Maybe we can meet for lunch tomorrow and go sailing or something," Jonathan suggested.

"Sure. I'll give you my hotel room and number where you can contact me."

Jonathan opened the passenger side door and once Katie was in, he closed it, going to the driver side and starting the engine. Once both of them were buckled, Jonathan reversed out of the parking lot and began to drive.

"I know this nice little café where we can just sit and listen to live music," Jonathan suggested.

"That sounds great," Katie agreed and Jonathan turned and a few miles later, pulled into a crowded parking lot.

Escorting Katie in, the manager recognized him and smiled.

"Mr. Ford," he spoke with a heavy Italian accent. "Who is this pretty lady you have with you tonight?"

"Tony, this is Katie Hitchcock, we served together on seaQuest," Jonathan introduced as Katie offered him her hand.

Tony took her hand and brought it to his lips, lightly kissing the soft skin. "Welcome, Ms. Katie."

"Thanks," Katie responded, a smile on her lips.

Tony led Jonathan and Katie to a table on the patio. "Half-off cocktails tonight," Tony informed, giving them their menus and departing.

"I am not hungry," Katie informed, "but I think I'll have one of those half-off cocktails.

A waitress brought a complimentary breadsticks with sauce to the table and from somewhere inside, a live band began to play some nice Italian style music.

The waitress returned and Jonathan ordered a beer and Katie ordered a cocktail. They sat there for an hour, drinking and talking about their lives now and the times they had on seaQuest.

Jonathan took Katie's hand and led her back to his car so he could take her to her hotel. As he neared the hotel, Katie suggested, "why don't you park and come up for a movie?"

Jonathan agreed, parking the car and following Katie to her beachside hotel room. It was a single room, with one double bed, nightstands on either side of the bed with lamps, a small couch, a 27" TV, and a bathroom.

Katie unstrapped her shoes and tossed them aside, sighing as she walked barefooted to the bed to sit down on the side. She reached for the phone to order a movie from the selection they provided.

"The movie will begin in 5 minutes on channel 2," Katie informed as Jonathan removed his shoes and took a seat on the couch. He reached for the remote and turned the tube on to channel two.

"Can I ask what movie we are going to watch?" Jonathan asked, looking at her and the smile on her lips.

"I figured we can watch a romance, 'Just Like Heaven'," Katie mentioned. "But then I thought about it and decided on 'Doom'."

Jonathan laughed. "I haven't seen 'Doom' in quite a few years now," he said as Katie joined him on the couch. "I didn't know you liked that movie."

"Oh, but I do," Katie informed. "I thought it was very well done."

The movie began and as the movie went on, Katie and Jonathan had closed the distance between them. Katie rested her head on his chest and Jonathan had an arm around her shoulder.

At the end of the movie, Katie realized Jonathan had fallen asleep.

She smiled as she stood up slowly and laid him down, stretching him the length of the sofa. She turned off the TV, grabbed an extra blanket from the bed and put it over him. After that, she grabbed her shorts and tank top and got dressed for bed in the bathroom. She returned to the main room, noticed Jonathan still asleep, and slipped under the covers on the bed and fell asleep herself.

The End

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