Chapter Two
"Blood… the crimson red was almost mesmerizing as he watched it collect and drain out, offering him a strange peace… perhaps the end would come soon."
A sudden flash of light instantly moved him from the crimson red blood to the next scene as Lee drifted along in a light sleep. Though he knew something was wrong with Lauren, he couldn't rouse himself past the sedative's influence. His pain-ridden body however, didn't allow him to rest past a light slumber, where he continued to dream.
"Hello?" Lee greeted, picking up the telephone while turning to view Lauren standing on their deck; her sundress was gently fluttering in the wind, producing a delightful sight. She looked up and caught his gaze and tilted her head back in a laugh, while motioning for him to join her for a glass of wine on the deck. He smiled back, indicating he would be right there as soon as he dealt with the phone call.
"Lee, it's Chip."
Chip's voice broke the spell of the mesmerizing moment as his countenance instantly fell.
"Hello Chip," he offered with little emotion, certainly not the friendly voice he would have greeted his best friend in the past.
"I know you said you didn't want to talk to me, but I wanted to say I'm sorry and I hope you and Lauren will be happy," he offered graciously.
Lee turned his back on Lauren and the deck to deal with the phone call, their encounter at NIMR hadn't been a good one as Chip and Admiral Nelson had piled on thickly their disapproval of both his whirlwind romance and his hasty marriage, with both trying fervently to convince him that his "condition" had surely affected his good senses.
"Well, that's just fine Chip," he replied, his displeasure clearly heard in his voice, "but the damage has already been done."
"Lee, this doesn't sound like you," Chip countered.
"Are you going to tell me about my 'condition' again? Because if you are, you can stop right there; you don't have to like the fact that I got married without your permission or consent, but you damn well better keep it to yourself from now on."
There was a moment of silence before Chip answered. "I didn't mean it that way, Lee. I just got taken by surprise is all. You've kept to yourself… we haven't talked; you're distancing yourself from both me and the Admiral. I was just worried about you, and I'd really like to talk to you in person."
"I'm not ready for that, Chip. Maybe later, I don't know, but I was really counting on you to be in my corner. Then again, if my 'condition'," he said the last word with heavy accented disdain and then continued, "doesn't improve, that leaves you with the captaincy doesn't it? Maybe, that's what you've wanted all along."
"Lee, you know that's not true," Chip started.
"Goodbye, Chip," Lee interrupted, slamming the phone down and staring at the wall, contemplating the phone call.
"Lee?"
He turned toward the sound of Lauren's voice.
"Are you all right, Darling? Was that Chip?" She had never met Chip, but she understood that they were once very close, their friendship going all the way back the Academy.
Lee nodded. He intended to brush off the conversation, but suddenly realized that his hands were trembling. He balled his fist to try and hide it and tried to breathe in deeply to stave off the signs of another flashback trying to work its way out.
Lauren reached for his hands and held tightly.
"Look at me, Lee," she said calmly. "Look in my eyes and concentrate on me," she urged.
His mouth pursed tightly and his brow tightened, but he obeyed her words, she had helped him before and he desperately didn't want to breakdown again.
"Shhh," she said, "That's exactly the reason why we've kept to ourselves this last month," she said as he nodded. "Someday your friends will accept me," she added with a small smile, "until then, we'll just be satisfied here in our own little world."
Lee blew a breath out and drew her near. "I don't need anyone else, but you," he whispered in her ear as he soaked in the calming affect she had on him.
"Then let's enjoy our evening, Darling," she said, tugging his hand gently toward the deck and the two tall wine glasses waiting for them.
"I have a better idea," he said, stopping their forward movement, and tugging her back his way, before pulling her into a passionate kiss.
"Oh Lee," she whispered, as he picked her up and carried her up the stairs towards their bedroom.
VTTBOTS
"Good morning, Darling," Lauren greeted with a kiss. She was already dressed and the smell of coffee and biscuits was wafting up the stairs.
"You've been busy this morning," he said with a smile, as he pulled the blanket off and swung his legs to the side of the bed.
"I've got to get downstairs and pull the biscuits out of the oven, I left you a cup of coffee on the vanity," she said, blowing him a kiss before disappearing out the door.
Lee made his way to the bathroom, stopping in his tracks to stare in a near panic at the solitary swim flipper and face mask sitting on the vanity counter, the sight producing an instant lump in his throat. He stepped back, sweeping his hand along the tile counter top and inadvertently bumping into his promised coffee cup. It splattered on the counter as Lee instinctively turned to find not spilt coffee, but crimson red blood on the tile. His eyes widened when he saw a shark's tooth floating in the blood and gasped, stepping back wobbly. His legs faltered as he tried to run out of the bedroom, falling instead, against the dresser and pulling a vase down with him as he landed on the floor in a thud.
"Lee!"
Lauren had heard the thud of his fall and the vase breaking from downstairs, and ran up to find Lee on the floor, shaking violently.
"Lee! What is it, Darling?"
"His blood… in the bathroom," he worked out with a quivering voice.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she noticed he hadn't shaven yet and it didn't appear that he had cut himself.
"Patterson's flipper…" he started before swallowing hard.
"It's all right, Lee," she soothed, but his eyes fixated as she recognized the lost look he had when he was lost in a flashback.
He woke later back on the bed. He could hear Lauren downstairs, and looked toward the bathroom. He stood and moved uneasily, needing to see for himself if Patterson's flipper and face mask were still there. He rested his hand on the door knob and opened it slowly, taking a deep breath and finding nothing but the usual decorations on the vanity. The coffee mug was still there, sitting in a small puddle from his earlier spill; there was of course, nothing but coffee inside the mug.
"Lee?" he heard softly behind him.
"I saw it, Lauren," he said with a swallow.
"No Dearest, when I came in everything was as you see it now. I didn't touch anything; I even left the coffee cup for you to see."
"Am I going crazy?" he whispered.
"No Darling, you're just ill. Just don't push it, you'll get better soon, I know it," she assured, holding onto his hand and then gentling him downstairs.
VTTBOTS
The flash of light returned, instantly shifting the dream from the harrowing hallucination to the now familiar scene as Chip's blue eyes flared with passion.
"You've got to be kidding, Lee! Of all the stupid, idiotic…"
Like a movie's special effects, another flash of light shifted scenes once again as he saw his blood again collecting. The crimson red contrasted against another flash of brilliantly bright lights as his eyes opened quickly, startled by the sound of a car door slamming shut.
He looked to his left, Lauren was gone and the car was parked under a light, bathing his face and encouraging him to waken. His right hand faltered for the door handle while he tried to lift himself from his reclining position. He knew something was wrong inside; his whole body ached terribly as he clumsily succeeded in both sitting up and opening the door. He managed to stand, using the open door to steady himself and noted that they were parked at a gas station. The fact that their car wasn't at the pumps awaiting a fill-up suggested that Lauren had stopped to find a bathroom.
A quick survey of the surrounding area confirmed that they weren't in Santa Barbara any longer, but instead, surrounded by tall pine trees. Lee spotted what he was looking for across the dark parking lot as the illuminated telephone booth called to him like a lighthouse. He tested his legs with a few steps; though he was weak he was sure he could still make it.
He reached into a pocket and deposited the first coin he pulled out, a quarter, but found he couldn't see straight to press the key pad in front of him. Concentrating intently, he found one button and pushed it.
"Operator," the voice replied in identification.
"Operator, I need your help…"
But his call was interrupted as Lauren reached in behind him and hung-up the phone.
"I trusted you, Lee," she scolded, placing an arm under his and sliding her hand about his waist.
"I need a doctor, Lauren," he said, but she ignored him as she guided him back to the car. "Where are we?" he questioned, but receiving no answer from his wife.
Lee searched the gas station, but she had parked far from the pumps and at present, only one other car was there, the owner currently inside the snack shop.
"Lauren, why didn't you take me to Med Bay?" he questioned, his strength all-but drained away.
"But Darling, I did. Don't you remember?" she sighed. "Oh dear, you must have had another episode… it's getting worse isn't it?" she noted sadly while reaching for the car door as Lee struggled with her last statement.
"Another flashback?" he questioned confused. "I don't remember…"
"You were completely lost in it, Dearest. You kept talking about the blood, the shark's tooth in Patterson's side and his dismembered foot…"
"No don't," he begged her, settling into the car seat. He still had one leg outside the door, when she suddenly closed the door, catching his leg between the door and the car frame. He yelled at the sudden pain as she opened the door and quickly lifted his leg into the car.
"Oh Darling, I'm so sorry. It was an accident," she explained as he gasped in exquisite pain.
Quickly, she hurried to the driver's side and put the car into gear.
"Lauren…" he breathed out, before a spike of pain in his newly broken leg sent him over the edge to unconsciousness.
Lauren watched as his head fell sharply to the side and smiled serenely.
"Soon my Darling, we'll be there soon," she encouraged surreally, taking the windy back roads leading to the remote cabin.
VTTBOTS
Lauren stood on their bedroom balcony watching the sun set in the distance, as their foothill home had an ocean view. The last two months with Lee had been everything she'd wanted. He was loving, tender, and very attentive; especially since he was on medical leave, which afforded them more time together. But she knew that this wouldn't last forever; she had married a sailor and knew it wouldn't be long before Lee returned to the sea.
He was getting better every day; his confidence was returning and the flashbacks were diminishing, his episodes not as severe. Before long, he would be returning to his captaincy aboard Seaview, and though his friendships with Nelson and Morton were still strained, she could tell he was excited about returning to the boat.
"What are you thinking about?" Lee interrupted, from behind as he slid his arms around her waist.
"Just how happy I've been with you, Lee," she said, turning to face him while sliding her arms around his neck.
"Me too," he replied with a smile. "You've been my rock, Lauren, I never would have made it without you," he complimented.
"What do you mean, Darling?"
"I think I'm ready to return to work," he announced happily. "I know I won't be cleared for the boat yet, but I want to go back to the Institute and resume my office duties."
Lauren's countenance dipped slightly, biting her bottom lip before recovering with a smile of obvious mix-emotions.
"I'm glad for you, Lee, but you know I'll miss having you here with me, you've helped me move past Rod's death."
"I'm glad it went both ways," he said with a smile.
"Are you sure you're ready?" she questioned, pulling away and stepping back.
His smile faded, not expecting her to question his decision. "I know I'm still dealing with things," he stated, to her knowing nod.
She was fully aware that while the flashbacks were fading, the nightmares were still prevalent. He often woke screaming about the blood and Patterson's dismembered foot still in the fin.
"But my first step in getting back Seaview is to return to the Institute. Jamie thinks I'm ready," he added.
Lauren bit her lip, Lee had just returned from his weekly session with Dr. Jamieson and she had noticed his good mood this afternoon.
"Darling," she said evenly, "I just don't want you to be disappointed. I mean, you said yourself that the crew still blames you for Patterson's death." Lee flinched at her words, but she continued anyway. "Didn't Kowalski accuse you of freezing? He said that all the while Patterson was screaming and blood filled the water, that you delayed firing your spear gun…"
"Lauren don't…"
"He told the rest of the crew that your hands were shaking so hard that you couldn't aim straight, and that Patterson screamed, begging you to help him."
"No Lauren…" Lee begged, taking a step back and balling his hands into a fist, trying to hide the fact that his hands were shaking profusely.
"They said that's when the shark bit his foot, and then his face…"
Lee took a step back, holding a hand up in mid-air to stop her next words. He bumped against the wall behind him and slid down as the scene played before his mind once again.
"No," he whimpered, before losing himself back in the depths of the sea with a shark eating one of his most trusted crewman before his eyes.
He woke sometime later on the sofa, with his head lying on Lauren's lap as she ran her fingers through his hair soothingly.
"How long?" he asked, recognizing the signs of a severe flashback.
"At least an hour. Lee, I'm sorry Darling. I'm sorry that I had to do that, but can you imagine what would have happened if you returned too soon and broke down like this in front of your crew?"
Lee nodded, surrendering with a large swallow. It was bad enough that she had to see him like this, but he would lose the confidence of his crew if he had an episode aboard the boat. He had to wonder if Jamie had planned it all along, perhaps Jamieson wanted him to fail.
"Please Darling, give it more time," she urged to his mournful agreeing nod.
He closed his eyes, the hope of recovery having been cleanly snatched from his grasp, and returned to sleep, accepting Lauren's comfort as his inner turmoil reignited.
The flash of light returned, ushering in the recurring scene of his blood draining away, offering hope that the nightmare that had become his life would end soon…
VTTBOTS
"We're here, Lee," Lauren said, shaking him awake while pulling the blanket from him.
She helped to him move to a sitting position, igniting a fire in his leg as he groaned.
"Let's get you inside, you can stretch out on the bed," she instructed. "That's it," she encouraged wrapping his hand around her shoulder and helping him to stand, though he couldn't put his weight down on his right leg.
Lee was barely lucid as he limped toward the cabin, leaning heavily on her shoulder as she guided him in. His earlier illness had taken a backseat to his newly broken fibula, but had returned in full force at his movements. Pain clouded both his vision and his ability to think, as his only goal at present was to lie down.
"There you go, Darling," she said, guiding him to the bed where he gratefully collapsed, his weakness even more pronounced than before. "Now you just rest, Dearest, while I unload the car. Don't worry about a thing," she said caressing his face as his eyes closed to a pained sleep. "I'm going to take good care of you," she finished with a smile.