Author's Notes:- Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.
"I just don't understand what's going on with him," Nathan sighed as he tapped a pen on the table of the conference room.
"He's a kid, Nathan," Kate reminded him, "And he's stuck in a world with adults who basically expect a huge amount from him with little reward."
He stared at her, "Struck a nerve have we?"
"I can understand how he feels," Kate shrugged leaning back in her chair, "But this isn't about me. Look, think about this from his point of view."
"I am."
"No, you're not," she argued, "I was on the bridge. He was trying to do what you asked but he was kind of in everyone's way without meaning to be. Lucas is brilliant but I'm pretty sure every so often he feels like he's just a burden."
"Kate, you know how…"
"I know," she cut him off, "But he doesn't. Half the time you treat him like he is a teenager, the other half like he's one of the military drones."
"Military drones?"
Kate shrugged, "Maybe not the best choice of words but it's what you're doing."
"So you think I should happily leave him on Node Three?" Nathan grimaced at the thought.
Kate chewed her lip for a moment, "I think you should let him make his own decisions for a while."
"He's just a kid," Nathan reminded her.
"Do you remember what I was doing when I was about his age?"
He winced as he remembered the first time he'd found her beaten and bloody, "Is that supposed to encourage me to let him loose?"
"It's supposed to encourage you to be thankful he's a smart kid," Kate told him.
Nathan stared at her disapprovingly, "You were a smart kid."
Kate chuckled, "Nathan, trust him. And try to get him paid."
x
"Miss Foster?" Ford called her as she left the conference room.
"Commander, we've been on this boat together for months," Kate told him with a chuckle, "You can use my name."
"Not for this conversation," Ford told her.
Kate grimaced, "That sounds ominous."
She followed him to the small room off the gym the security teams used for training sessions.
"What can I do for you?" she asked worriedly.
Ford smiled slightly, "Broken Ridge, Cobb was at least a foot taller with a couple of stone on you."
"And?"
"When you slid out his grip and twisted his arm, he was actually afraid of you. Especially when you pulled the knife."
Kate smirked slightly, "Of course he was."
Ford frowned at her glib reply, "Do you want to share why?"
"One," she held up her finger, "I have a very interesting reputation. Two, its well deserved."
"You would have stabbed him?"
Kate wavered slightly her head tilting in indecision, "Not stabbed, sliced maybe. I'm not a killer, Commander but I will protect myself."
"You said you were trained…"
"By Mac," Kate nodded, "I don't think it was any one specific discipline but it served me well."
Ford raised an eyebrow, "I saw the file. Not as well as it should."
Kate's lips firmed in anger but she kept her voice light, "It was seven against one. And I got in some pretty good shots."
"Good," he replied, "Then those skills shouldn't go to waste. You need to start training again."
Kate rolled her eyes, "How? It sort of blows my cover if I can kick your security teams' asses."
Ford chuckled, "Which is why I'm giving you self-defence training."
"Seriously?"
x
A day later Jonathan stood across from the young woman dressed in grey sweats and a white tank top looking sweet and innocent, just like the animal she was known as in certain circles.
"What now?" she asked.
"Come at me," Jonathan ordered.
Kate chuckled, "If you're sure."
He frowned at her and motioned her to begin. Kate spun, her foot catching the back of his leg. Jonathan grunted as he dropped to his knees before slamming into the ground as she kicked his back before he could get his breath.
"You okay?" Kate asked sweetly.
Jonathan nodded as he pulled himself off the ground, "Good."
"Me or you?"
Jonathan chuckled, "You always kick, don't you?"
"So?"
"You might not always have that option," he reminded her.
Kate shrugged, "To be honest my right arm isn't as strong as it used to be after it was broken. I had physiotherapy but I've never really been able to get the power I used to have."
"Then that's the first thing we'll work on," Jonathan told her happy she'd told him, "Let's get started."
Lucas looked up from the circuit board he was playing with at the knock, "Kate?"
"Can I come in?" she asked with a smile.
Lucas nodded; "Sure," he dropped the board down and waited as she jumped onto the bunk across from him folding her legs beneath her.
"Happy to be back?" Kate asked watching him carefully.
"I am," he replied smiling thoughtfully, "But it was nice to be around people my own age for a while."
"It's understandable," Kate told him, "You're still just a kid."
He opened his mouth to refute.
"You're a teenager," she waved away his protest, "Whatever. My point is when you feel overwhelmed then tell someone. Don't bottle it up because that's when explosions happen. And with you that might not be metaphorical."
Lucas stared at her, "What do you know about it."
"I was sixteen not all that long ago," Kate reminded him.
He rolled his eyes, "Everyone told me that."
Kate took a deep breath before leaning slightly forward, "Lucas, we're both the odd men out in many ways. We should be sticking together."
"Bridger's kids?" Lucas sneered slightly using the moniker that was sometimes used for them.
"Don't knock it," Kate scolded him, "Nathan is your biggest supporter."
Lucas looked at her sceptically before asking, "Your point?" Lucas asked sarcasm filling his voice.
Kate rolled her eyes, "My point is don't be such a smart-ass. And that he isn't going to abandon you, like your parents did."
Lucas dropped his eyes.
Kate patted his arm, "I'll see you later. I have to get to the bridge."
Sliding off the bunk she left him alone to ponder all she'd told him.