This chapter is about the physical and psychological effects on Lucas. In reality, a victim of strangulation does not simply walk away from the occurrence unscathed. Of course, with Lucas the situation is even more complicated. He is already dealing with feelings of abandonment. The attack only served to amplify the deep buried emotions within Lucas. Captain Bridger has one messed up teenager on his hands.

Kristen sat in her office writing her report. She felt a tension headache building in the back of her eyes. Removing her glasses, she rubbed her temples lost in thought. Most of her professional life had been spent caring for people's wellbeing and doing scientific research to improve health. She had usually been able to keep herself somewhat distant from her patients, but every time she dealt with injuries in children, her heart ached. The normal cuts, bumps, bruises and illnesses of childhood never troubled her much, but child abuse cut her to the core. The cruel, reckless behaviour of adults which brought innocent little children to her never failed to fill her with anger and resentment. She thought she could escape such things on SeaQuest but apparently not. Kristen replaced her glasses and glanced at her computer screen again. Lucas Wolenczak. Age 15. Attempted Strangulation. That poor child, thought Kristen. He was traumatized yet had managed to hide it for several days. It was no wonder his behaviour had been so odd and out of character for him.

When Nathan had finally convinced Lucas to come out of hiding, his injuries were evident to her right away. The ridiculous sunglasses and makeup had done an impeccable job hiding the injuries. The pronounced subconjunctival hemorrhages in the whites of his eyes and the petechiae on his cheeks and face was immediately apparent to her. Both were signs of strangulation. Kristen had never seen it in a child before but only in cases of domestic abuse. With Nathans help, she had managed to sedate Lucas allowing the boy to get some much needed rest. She suspected he hadn't slept much since the incident. Once he was asleep, it had been easier to access his external injuries. Bruises and actual thumb and fingerprints were visible around the boy's throat and neck as well as scratches and claw marks; the latter likely resulting from his attempts to defend himself while being attacked.

Kristen reflected on Lucas' behaviour since returning to SeaQuest from Node three, and it was all beginning to make sense to her considering the trauma he likely sustained. The teen hadn't shared the events in his own words, but his injuries and the fact that he had said Clements was angry spoke volumes. Restlessness, agitation and combativeness all described Lucas' behaviour since his return. She would need to do some further testing to see if his windpipe had been damaged. Victims of strangulation had been known to die days after being attacked without proper diagnosis and treatment. Delayed death could be caused by airway obstruction leading to breathing difficulties and/or respiratory arrest, upper airways swelling and vocal cord immobility as well as fractures to the hyoid bone and possible scarring of the tissue in the neck and tracheal stenosis. Any of the above could have been sustained in the incident.

A soft knock on her door caught Kristen's attention, and she rose from her chair to answer it. She hadn't realized that she had locked her door in her distress. Nathan stood in the doorway with his face etched with fatigue.

"Nathan, I thought you were going to get some rest," scolded Kristen inviting him in and clearing off a chair so he could sit down. Normally she wasn't a disorderly person but with her hectic morning, she had left things in disarray. Nathan came in shutting the door and sitting down. His brows were furrowed and he looked irritated.

"I couldn't rest, Kristen. I contacted Bill and talked with him about what we know about Lucas so far. Bill tried to reach Lucas' parents, but both of them are out of the country leaving us no way to contact them. He left messages with Lawrence's' secretary, and she promised to relay the message as soon as he called. She didn't think it would be for at least a month," replied Nathan in disgust. Kristen shook her head in disappointment. Lucas' parents didn't deserve a child. They couldn't have been less interested in the boy's well being. Each month, they wrote a detailed report on the boy and sent it to them. The only time Lawrence had ever replied was when Nathan once reported an incident of disobedience. The man had told Nathan to feel free to discipline the teen anyway he saw fit. The man had even had the sheer gall to suggest Nathan physically discipline the boy. Kristen still felt her temper rise when she remembered the event.

"A month? Oh, for heaven's sake. That poor child," shuddered Kristen her heart aching for Lucas. She sighed and took a sip of her now cold tea.

"His parents are idiots," retorted Nathan hunching in his chair in frustration. Kristen nodded in agreement.

"Well, Lucas has us, Nathan and the rest of the crew. We all care about him, and he's going to need all of our support if he's going to get through this unscathed," replied Kristen gravely. "I need to run more tests to see if he sustained any serious injuries. Victims of strangulation have been known to die days later from swelling and respiratory distress if left untreated. Internal injuries are invisible to us, but a colposcope can look for bruising or swelling in the throat. His external injuries will heal in time but the psychological impact may linger. I imagine he has been having night terrors as well as incidents of PTSD. Strangulation is a horrifying experience that can incapacitate an adult. I can't even imagine the impact on a teenager as young as Lucas. When someone puts their hands around your neck and squeezes, it changes how you feel about everything." Nathan nodded thoughtfully listening to Kristen's words closely.

"So what can I do to help?" inquired Nathan softly. He was willing to do anything he could to help Lucas recover from the trauma.

"I'm concerned about the other kids at Node three. Juliana and Nick in particular. What did they see? Did Clements attack any of them?"

"I will send Chief Crocker and Ortiz to Node three immediately to oversee things there," answered Nathan. Kristen nodded in approval.

"Other than that, we wait until he wakes up and I run some tests. Then the hard work starts. Nathan, he's going to need to talk and share what happened. That is where I'm going to need the most help from you. He respects you and trusts you. I'm going to need you to keep your resolve whenever possible when I'm not able. This feels too personal to me."

"Yah, I know what you mean," acknowledged Nathan with a sigh.

"He may not be himself at first, Nathan. Expect him to be angry, aggressive and full of rage. He may have felt like he was going to die and is carrying that terror deep inside. He may lash out at all of us in his attempt to feel safe again. It's all completely normal. It's not going to be a bed of roses." Nathan nodded gravely understanding the enormity of the situation. Kristen smiled encouragingly. "Lucas is a fighter. I have complete faith in him to recover from this," finished Kristen passionately. Nathan nodded again. Lucas was an amazing kid indeed, albeit a stubborn one. Nathan would make a point to do everything possible to help bring him through this.

Dream sequence

Med-bay on C-deck

Lucas' eyes were wide in terror as the man tightened his grip around his throat. He could see Jonathan, Captain Bridger, Ben, Katie, Tim, Miguel and Chief Crocker from the corner of his eye watching. They didn't appear even a little concerned by the situation.

"Help me, Captain," pleaded Lucas clawing at his neck desperately. The captain turned away and appeared to be busy speaking with Jonathan. Mycroft's hands squeezed tighter, and Lucas felt himself growing weaker as he fought for air.

"Shut up, kid! They won't help you. Do you think they care if you die? They wish you never set foot on SeaQuest," hissed the tall black man intensifying his grip. Lucas looked at his friends forlornly and felt tears roll down his cheeks. Why didn't they help? Why were they just standing there watching with no care in the world?

"Ben, help me, please!" begged Lucas pleading with his friend to do something to stop Mycroft. Ben shrugged his shoulders as he looked away and continued his conversation with Katie.. Katie didn't look at him at all. Mycroft laughed and shook the frightened teenager. Lucas felt his windpipe crack, and he gasped for air horror filling his very soul. He was going to die, and no one cared!

"CAPTAIN!" screamed Lucas one last time before darkness enfolded him. The captain looked up and smirked. "NOOOO!" sobbed Lucas. "Nooo!"

Nathan sat up in his chair waking up with a start. He had been sitting beside Lucas' bed in Med-bay for the last few hours waiting for him to awaken. Nathan hadn't realized how exhausted he was until he sat down. Kristen had run as many tests as she could while the boy slept. Now they were waiting for Lucas to awaken to complete the rest. Nathan heard the boy scream out in terror and gently shook him.

"Lucas! Hey, kiddo, wake up!" said Nathan shaking the teen lightly. "You're dreaming." Nathan watched as the boys' eyes fluttered and opened. Lucas looked at him and then around the room apparently confused. "You're in med-bay, Lucas. You're safe," he soothed kindly. Lucas attempted to sit up, but Nathan held him down firmly. "No, no, lay still and wake up a little. You've been asleep for nearly 24 hours." Lucas relaxed for a minute and starred at the Captain blurry eyed. His dream was still fresh in his mind, and he felt himself feeling angry. The dream felt very real, and he couldn't shake off the rage building inside of him.

"Don't tell me what to do!" shouted Lucas angrily sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Nathan reeled back in surprise. He hadn't expected Lucas to wake up angry. The teen had been clingy and morose earlier before being sedated. Nathan had thought Lucas might have been more comforted to see him and want his support.

"Hey, now, I wasn't. I just don't want you to injure yourself," explained Nathan his tone even.

"I'm fine, sir," retorted Lucas irritably standing up. Lucas felt his knees buckle when he stood up. His head began to swim and he felt wobbly and light headed. Nathan quickly caught him before he fell to the floor. He helped him back onto the bed gently and sat down starring at him with concern.

"You ok, kiddo?" Lucas glared at him still feeling irritated. Nathan sighed resolutely. And here we go, he thought to himself. One angry kid.

"I said I'm fine! I want my clothes. I'm going to my room, alright!" snapped Lucas attempting to stand again. This time he felt less dizzy and began walking away from the bed searching for his clothing.

"Get back into bed, Lucas. Kristen needs to run some more tests first," replied Nathan patiently. Lucas ignored him and started rummaging through the lockers in the room. He found his clothes and started pulling on his pants in haste. Nathan stood up and grabbed his arm firmly. "Lucas, you cannot leave yet. Are you listening to me?" replied Nathan sternly. Lucas pulled away and glared at him.

"For Pete's sake, I'm fine!" he snapped. Nathan narrowed his eyes sternly and shook his head. It wasn't often Lucas spoke back to him, but it usually occurred when the teen was angry. It always caught Nathan off guard because it was out of character for the boy.

"No, you're not, Mr. Wolenczak. You were almost strangled to death, and Kristen needs to make sure you are not hurt more than we can see outwardly. Now get your butt back into that bed right now," commanded Nathan in his most firm captain voice. Nathan watched him jerk to attention and inwardly decide if he was going to obey. Nathan was glad to see the boy drop his shoulders and walk back to the bed. Leaving his jeans on, Lucas climbed back into the bed mumbling irritably. "Thank you, Lucas," replied Nathan resuming his place in the chair as well. The Captain took a deep breath and looked at the adolescent in front of him. Dark circles rimmed his eyes. A defiant look etched his face. A high brick wall being built to keep people at arm's length. Lucas turned his head away from Nathan and crossed his arms defiantly. Nathan sighed and leaned back in his chair. His mind wondered back to the past week. Something was going on with Lucas, and it wasn't just what happened at the Node. It had begun well before he left. Nathan still remembered the outburst on the bridge the day Lucas had gone to Node three. The boy had been flippant and genuinely furious with him. It still puzzled Nathan as to what was eating the boy, and why his anger was aimed at him.

The Bridge

The day before Lucas left for Node Three

Nathan waited impatiently for Lucas to come to the bridge. He had asked the teenager to remain on the bridge and observe the others as part of his training. It troubled Nathan that the youngster had left his post without permission. Nathan heard footsteps, and he looked up to see Lucas approach him sullenly.

"Why did you leave?" he inquired.

"Captain, nobody wanted me here."

"I did. Did you mention that to anyone?" replied Nathan looking into the boy's clear blue eyes sternly. The boy shook his head and looked away from his gaze.

"No," came the teen's soft reply.

"Maybe you should have. This message just came in. It's got top secret UEO security clearance. SeaQuest is being ordered to Node Three Communications Installation. Lt. O'Neill?" replied Captain Bridger looking at the message on screen and then at the Lieutenant across the bridge.

"Um, ok, Node Three is the central nervous system for all the major fibre optics highways across the Pacific. Everything from telephone calls to encrypted military information gets routed through there. Even the entire Internex," explained Tim O'Neill bringing everyone on the bridge up to speed on the Installation. Nathan nodded and cleared his throat thoughtfully.

"It appears like they also made a priority request for some OLA modules," continued the captain eying Lucas. Lucas shrugged and shifted his weight to his other foot.

"Optical Logic Arrays, we've got plenty of them," replied Lucas leaning in to read the rest of the message. His face froze when he saw his name on the memo. He felt his pulse race and his temper flare.

"There's also been a request for a visit from Mr. Lucas Wolenczak," relayed the captain with interest. Lucas groaned audibly.

"Oh, I see, so as soon as there is a computer problem I'm back in favor. Well, forget it, I'm not going, and you can't make me! There are such things as child labour laws you know!" retorted Lucas. Ben stepped forward, placed his hand on Lucas' shoulder kindly and cleared his throat hoping to distract the irate teen. Nathan raised his eyebrows in surprise at the outburst.

"Where is this coming from?" he asked in confusion eying Lucas sternly.

"I wanna get paid! Everyone else gets paid. Why shouldn't I? What's wrong with that? And I don't want an allowance, I want a salary," blurted the enraged teen backing away and shrugging Ben's hand off his shoulder. Bridger scratched his head carefully thinking it was wise to diffuse the situation as best as possible.

"Ok," he replied softly, staring at Lucas in astonishment. Lucas' irritation was still evident in his posture.

"I'm the one that keeps everything running," Lucas retorted angrily. Nathans eyes widened, and he furrowed his brows slightly at the reply.

"Oh, really? Everything?" he cautioned firmly. Lucas rolled his eyes belligerently and stormed off the bridge. The crew on the bridge seemed to be holding their breath as they silently watched the teenager make a hasty retreat in a huff.

SeaQuest Med-bay—present time

"Are you just going to sit there and not say anything?" mumbled Lucas drawing in a deep breath looking at the older man beside him. Nathan was startled back to the present when he heard the soft voice. He smiled lightly and cleared his throat thoughtfully.

"I was waiting for you to say something," he replied carefully. "I didn't want to say anything to get my head snapped off again." Nathan winked at him playfully. Lucas frowned and lowered his eyes again. He couldn't explain why he felt so angry at the captain. In his head he knew it was just a silly dream and not reality, but the emotions pent up inside of him still lingered. As absurd as it sounded, a part of Lucas blamed the captain for not rescuing him from Mycroft. "Do you feel like talking about it, Lucas?"

"No," came the terse reply. Nathan nodded in understanding. Lucas would have to come to him on his own terms. The teen always had to be the one to initiate things. Nathan had come to respect that from the boy.

"Well, kid, I'm here and ready to listen anytime. I'm sure things were pretty intense, and you were scared. I'm impressed how well you are holding together considering…"

"Don't be," interrupted Lucas crossly. Lucas sat up again and dangled his legs over the side of the bed. He rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his messy blond hair. Nathan patted his knee kindly.

"I'm proud of you, Lucas, even if you won't accept it. You stopped Clements and prevented him from having access to the World Bank. Sure, you didn't tell the entire story, but it's not too late to hold him accountable for his behaviour. The UEO can…"

"NO! Captain, you can't!" insisted the boy in desperation. His eyes widened in terror and looked visibly shaken and haunted at Nathans words. Nathan ran his hand through his hair in frustration and pulled his chair to face Lucas more directly. Fear had replaced anger in Lucas. It was like a switch had been thrown.

"Lucas, c'mon talk to me! Tell me what happened. Trust me, you will feel better," insisted the captain gently tapping his knee. Lucas looked at him and shook his head stubbornly. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks. The boys face looked haunted. Nathan reached out and touched the boys hand compassionately. Lucas' hands were ice cold and trembling. Good grief, what exactly happened to the kid? "Talk to me, kiddo," he encouraged patting the boys hand. "He can't hurt you anymore, Lucas. I won't let him, I promise." Nathan stood up and embraced him tightly. He felt the boy stiffen, but he didn't pull away. It was obvious that Lucas was fighting between his need for comfort and his anger.

Lucas' heart ached as the captain held him close. It felt so nice to be held by someone. It made him feel safe, and it was a good feeling. He wanted to just blurt out everything that happened. The captain had promised that he wouldn't send him away, plus he already knew the worst. He didn't seem upset at him but only concerned. Why couldn't he shake the feeling of anger? His stupid father made him unable to trust anyone, and he hated it. Lucas always felt like he was burden to everyone. He hated feeling like he needed to keep everyone at arm's length. Captain Bridger seemed to care, and that made him dangerous. He had grown to love the older man and deep down he wanted to make the man proud of him. Lucas squirmed against the captain's embrace, and the man stepped back. Tears shimmered on Lucas' face as he looked at the captain.

"Oh, kiddo," whispered Nathan looking at the boy so visibly drowning in anguish. Just then his commlink rang out loudly causing Lucas to jump in alarm. Nathan smiled and patted his leg. "It's just my PAL, son. Bridger," he stated tapping the link.

"Captain, Admiral Noyce wishes to speak with you immediately, sir," informed the voice of O'Neill from the bridge.

"Thanks, Lieutenant. I'll take it in the Ward room. Tell him I'll be there in ten," replied Nathan.

"Aye, sir."

Nathan sat down and looked at Lucas again. He hated to leave the boy when he appeared so distraught. He felt sure that Admiral Noyce wanted to discuss more about Clemens. He just hoped the Admiral wouldn't order him to push Lucas into talking. Nathan knew the kid had a stubborn streak and whenever he pushed him, Lucas pushed back obstinately. He rarely put his foot down with Lucas because he knew he'd have a huge battle on his hands.

"I need to take this call, Lucas. I will be back as soon as I'm can, but in the meantime, I want you to stay put. No wandering off! Kristen said you could have some serious injuries, and she needs to do some more tests to be sure. I want you to cooperate with her. I mean it! Don't give her a hard time, got it?" warned Nathan firmly. Lucas said nothing and looked at the floor. Nathan reached out and lifted the teens chin until their eyes met.

"Am I clear?" The boy groaned and pushed Nathans' hand away in irritation. Instead of answering the boy lay back in the bed and looked at the wall obstinately. Nathan sighed and reconciled himself to the fact that he wasn't going to get an audible response from the kid. He patted the teens shoulder compassionately and left Med-bay. Lucas turned and watched him leave. He rolled over, curled up into a ball and stared into space emotionally exhausted.

tbc What does Admiral Noyce want?