"He's expecting you, Nathan," Kristen said, patting him encouragingly on the shoulder as Nathan stood outside Lucas's door. "It's going to be all right."
Nathan took a deep breath and gave her a bleak smile. He stepped into the room feeling a mixture of anticipation at seeing with his own eyes that Lucas was all right and guilt at what he had done.
Lucas was asleep. Nathan took in the sight of his bandaged shoulder and hands, the healing scratches and fading bruises. Tears sprang to his eyes. He had done this. He had hurt this boy.
Crossing the room, Nathan reached out to gently touch Lucas's hair. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."
Lucas stirred at the touch and his eyes opened. When he saw Bridger, he gasped and flinched back against the bed. As Nathan stepped back, he felt his heart breaking. He turned to leave.
"Captain Bridger! Please – don't go! I'm so sorry!" Lucas called after him.
Nathan stopped and turned slowly back toward the bed. "You're sorry?" he asked in disbelief. "Lucas, I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to see me again. I did this to you," he said, letting his eyes drift over the battered figure in the bed.
"Captain, " Lucas said softly. "I know it wasn't really you. I always knew it wasn't really you. I know you would never deliberately hurt me."
"I don't even remember it," Nathan confessed, still standing across the room. "I almost killed you, and I don't even remember it!"
"Please, Captain Bridger. It's all right. I'm fine. You didn't mean it," Lucas insisted. "Please, don't go."
Nathan walked slowly across the room and gently reached out a hand to Lucas. Lucas grasped it in his own and said, "It's over now. You're back to yourself. Everything's fine."
Nathan shook his head in disbelief at the boy's generosity of spirit. "You are amazing, Lucas. Thank you. I don't know how, but I'm going to make this up to you. Can you really ever trust me again?"
Lucas studied the man before him, then smiled. "You're the only person in my life that I've ever trusted, Captain," he said quietly. "And nothing will ever change that."
Nathan breathed a shaky sigh of relief as he realized that what could have driven them apart had only made the bond between them stronger.
"Kristen says she had Jonathan arrange for Darwin to be flown in and he's in a tank at the aquarium that they use for expectant mother dolphins. As soon as you're feeling better, what do you say we pay him a visit? I understand we both owe him quite a lot."
Lucas's face brightened. "Absolutely! He's the best. And then maybe we can get back to work on the seaQuest redesign, but what do you think about renting a cottage here in Florida? Not that I don't love your island, but I think we need a break."
Bridger laughed, amazed as he felt Lucas's complete forgiveness. "Lucas, you pick the place and it's ours for the duration."
THE END