The late morning found Jayde sitting at Lucas' bedside. Her bandaged arm was propped up on his bed, holding his hand. She was simply staring at him, willing him to wake up. She didn't notice when a large man with a badly scarred face walked in, until he was a few feet away from her. She jumped up in surprise at the sight of him. "Dad! I thought you couldn't get here until tonight!"
He wrapped her in a tight hug, "I was able to get a early flight. How are you honey?" His gaze lingered on her arm, then the fading bruises on her face.
"I'm ok, sore, but ok."
"Are you sure? Captain Bridger and Kristin explained what happened in the hotel... and some of what happened here, before that."
"You talked to them for that long?" She asked, looking for a clock. "I guess it's later than I thought. I've been kind of out of it, I think it's the pain killers Kristin gave me."
"Yes, I talked to both of them on the phone and after, I nearly flew the plane here myself. I hate that something like this could have happened to you, when I wasn't around to protect you." He guided her back to her chair and stood, looking down at her. "Are you sure you're alright?"
Jayde tucked a piece of blonde hair behind her ear. "Yeah, I mean, I was scared, and I'm in pain, but I think I'll be ok." She paused, "you can't always be around to protect me, I'm nearly an adult. And I think I managed ok on my own."
"I know, you did more than ok. I heard you took out several of them by yourself. I'm so proud of you honey." His voice grew horse, and he had to stop speaking for a while. They only looked at each other, taking in what could have been lost.
"Do you want to go home?" He finally broke the silence. "You'll be able to rest up before school starts."
She placed her arm back on the bed, and intertwined her fingers with Lucas' again automatically. "No, I... I've been thinking a lot. And I want to take a break. I only have the one semester left, so it shouldn't mess anything up. If... that's ok with you."
"Of course, you've been going nonstop since your mother died, you deserve to sit on a beach and relax all you want. School can wait, especially after something like this."
"Well, actually... I'd like to stay on SeaQuest for a while and get more hands on experience. I think it will be good for me."
He raised an eyebrow and looked down, "and what is this 'hands on experience,' exactly?"
She followed his gaze down to the bed. "Dad!" She blushed deeply.
"So is he part of it?" Her father was mostly successful at hiding his smile.
"Well, yeah... but not all of it..." She studied the floor for a while. "This is just a really amazing ship, and the crew... they don't even really know me, but they treat me like I'm one of them."
"Did you bring this up to Captain Bridger and Kristin?" He asked softly.
Jayde nodded, and then shrugged. "I told Kristin, she said she'd love to have me here. I haven't talked to the captain yet. I... don't know him as well."
"Do you want me to ask him?"
She scowled at her father, "remember that part of me nearly being an adult?"
"That doesn't mean I'll stop trying to make your life easier. That's what parents are for." He teased.
Jayde rolled her eyes, "I'll handle it. I just want to wait until Lucas wakes up." She turned to stare at the boy again.
"What happened to him? They wouldn't tell me much, they told me a lot of it was classified for some reason." He looked closely at Lucas for the first time. "Why is that thing on his head?"
"It's a neural interface, it kinda started this whole mess. It electrocuted him and was burned into his forehead." Jayde tried to explain. She pointed to the new patches, "these are the ones Nick installed to get him out of the computer. We aren't sure if it worked yet so Kristin left it on, and she wants a plastic surgeon to look at the burns after he's awake."
"Get him out of the computer? You better start that one at the beginning." Her father said with a shocked expression.
She sighed and leaned back in the chair, "I probably wasn't suppose to tell you that. Well, I guess it's too late now... you better get comfortable, it will take a while."
Jayde's father blinked several times before speaking, "wow... that's amazing. Insane, but amazing." He pushed off of her bed, which he had been leaning on while she spoke. "What will happened to this Julianna?"
"I'm not sure, I know she was taken to a secure mental facility this morning, Nick went with her to make sure she was alright." She glared at her arm for few seconds.
"How do you feel about that? That she won't be going to jail?"
Jayde chewed her lip before responding. "I'm not sure. I mean, I'm mad that she hurt us. Even if she was scared. But I also feel sorry for her. I'm glad she's getting help too. So... basically very conflicted." She smiled sardonically at her father. "Did that answer your question?"
"Perfectly." He smirked back at her. "I'm going to find the captain," He held up a hand when she opened her mouth. "I won't say anything about you wanting to work here, I'll leave that up to you. I just want find out kind of man he is before I say I'm ok with you staying here for longer."
"Thanks, Dad."
He watched her turn back to Lucas, and made a falsely suspicious expression. "I may just have to run a 'nex search on your new friend before I give my blessing, though. I know how you get about blonde boys."
Jayde laughed, "trust me, you won't find anything he doesn't want you to."
"Hey, I have skills, I can work the google."
"You do that, Dad." She told him with a dismissive wave, he left the room laughing.
Jayde was still smiling about her dad's so called skills, when she felt Lucas' fingers twitch. "Hey, can you hear me?" She paused and held her breath for several seconds, "Lucas?" He grimaced painfully and tried to reach up to his face. She pulled his hand down, "hey, no, you'll hurt yourself if you play with that."
Lucas slowly turned his head and blinked at her. He murmured softly, but she wasn't able to catch it. "Do you want me to get Kristin? Are you in pain?" He shook his head slowly and started to look around the room.
After swallowing, he finally spoke in a whisper. "Where am I?"
"The medbay, Nick was able to get you back."
"Nick?"
"Yes, Lucas." She fought tears of happiness. "I can't believe you're back, we've been so worried!"
Lucas turned his head and squinted at her. "Nick?"
"Y... yes, Nick... he brought you back, but he's with Julianna now." She stood, "I'm going to get Kristin."
"No, don't leave," he rasped, "I'm... I don't know where I am..." He reached for her with quick panicked movements.
"Lucas," she said very slowly, "you are back on SeaQuest, in the medbay. You're safe."
"SeaQuest? What are you talking about? Where is my father?"
Jayde blinked in confusion. "I... I don't know. Lucas... what do you remember?"
He shook his head, and winced when the interface rattled against his skull. "What is this thing?"
"Leave it," Jayde ordered, despite the fear she was feeling. "Kristin or another doctor needs to take it off so you aren't injured more."
"Kristin? Who... who's Kristin?"
"Lucas..." Jayde gasped.
"And who are you?"
