Author's Notes: Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.

Enjoy.

Tim stood looking down at the box packed with all that was left of his friend, sadness filling him. The final item sitting on the top was Miguel's goodbye message to his family.

They'd all made one while on Hyperion.

When Hudson had spoken to them about packing up the belongings of the crew who hadn't returned Tim had volunteered to clear out Miguel's room, unable to let anyone else do it.

It was the last thing he could do for his friend, to make sure that his family got the closure Tim's own never would.

In the hours after Bridger and Kate left the boat Hudson had spoken to them all personally, letting them know about their families. Tim gripped the box for a moment the grief welling up, in the space of a few days he'd lost his two best friends and his entire family.

His mom, dad, older brother and sisters along with all their kids had been killed the year before when they were together marking the anniversary of his disappearance.

Taking a deep breath Tim lifted the box and left the room knowing that soon someone new would be here.

x

Tim, Tony, Lucas and Jonathan stood together on the dock watching as people swarmed in and out of Seaquest. They were upgrading the ship so that they were no longer ten years out of date.

"Where's Henderson?" Lucas asked.

"Helping with the engine upgrades," Jonathan replied frowning as Tony and Tim both winced, "What?"

Tim grimaced relieved that it was Tony who replied, "Because when Kate comes back she won't be happy Henderson touched her engines."

Jonathan rolled his eyes, "Henderson is now a Lieutenant and the most qualified since Kate is gone and Barclay…" he hesitated before finishing, "Didn't return."

Silence fell between the four men again for several minutes before Tim let out a long sigh.

"I have to go," he told them, "I'm meeting Miguel's brother and cousin to…to…"

The other three nodded as he trailed off.

"Do you want one of us to come?" Lucas offered.

Tim shook his head, "No. It's okay. I'll see you tonight."

The lapping of the waves was the only sound as Kate sat in the room staring at the picture of her friends she'd brought with her.

"Are you alright?"

Kate looked up at Nathan's voice frowning, "Do you have to?"

The man before her shimmered and Tobias stood there instead of Nathan, "Sorry. But it's important that I keep up the pretence to ensure no one realises that Nathan Bridger is dead."

Kate nodded in understanding before frowning slightly, "Why not stay on the Seaquest then, especially since we're going to need it for your plan?"

"Because I can't command it. I may be able to look like him and sound like him but I'm not Nathan Bridger," he took the seat across from her, "Besides to get everything we need we'll both have to move around freely." He tilted his head looking at her concerned, "Kate, are you sure you want to do this?"

"I don't have a choice since Hudson blew my cover onboard…" she trailed off at the guilty look that crossed his face and grimaced, "You son of a…you told him to tell everyone about my past, didn't you?"

Tobias winced guiltily, "He mentioned when we first talked that your history was well known these days. Nathan told me that I would need your help. He also told me that you would want to stay on the Seaquest but we assumed Ford would be given command. I needed to get you off the boat without revealing my real identity just in case…"

"In case I didn't take the news too well and didn't keep the secret," she finished for him, "So you needed me to have to leave, or in this case want to get off the boat because Hudson backed me into a corner," Kate groaned, "And you had no idea he knew my real identity."

"Nathan didn't tell me that probably because he didn't think anyone would have known," Tobias shrugged.

They sat for several minutes listening to the sound of the waves before Kate turned to him again.

"I want my life back," she told him, "So I better reacquaint myself with some old contacts and get Kitten back out there."

x

The café hadn't changed in the ten years that had passed with one exception. Dionne was nowhere to be found. Kate scanned the crowd making sure there was no danger before she stepped inside.

"Hi," a woman appeared at her side, "I have one tabl…Kate?"

Kate frowned slightly, her mind trying to remove the ten years from the face gasping slightly in surprise, "Rain, sorry, Emma. It's good to see you."

"Oh, it's amazing to see you," Emma hugged her quickly, "You haven't changed."

Kate patted the other woman's shoulder a little awkwardly, "I know. Where's Dee?"

Emma let her go, "You have to understand how hard your disappearance hit her."

"Where is she?" Kate asked again softly.

Emma sighed, "Upstairs."

Kate squeezed her arm, "Thank you," she said before heading to the stairs.

Reaching the door to the small apartment she knocked smartly.

"Go away," the voice from inside came sounding old and tired.

Kate grimaced before she opened the door and walked in, "But I came to see you."

Dionne bounced up from the chair she had been in, looking older and more dishevelled that Kate had ever seen her.

"I wasn't sure," Dionne whispered achingly, "I saw the news about the Seaquest being found but I didn't know if you were with it."

Kate smiled at her, "Considering everything they're not advertising."

"You haven't aged," Dionne caught her face and studied her, "Kate, where were you for ten years?"

"It's hard to explain," she said before quickly moving to her real reason for being here, "Dee, I need to find Mac. I went by the house and it's been empty for a long time."

Dionne sighed, "Mac searched for you for years, Kate. He only gave up about a year and a half ago. I haven't heard from him since."

"But you know where he is," Kate stated challenging, "Don't you?"

"It's odd," Lucas said taking a seat beside Tim in the mess, "Not seeing them or listening to them debating the movie we watched last night."

Tim nodded, "Almost as odd as seeing you in a uniform."

Lucas chuckled softly before looking at Tim concerned, "Are you…"

"Yes," Tim answered the unfinished question sharply.

They sat in silence for several minutes, eating their lunch watching as the room filled up with mostly new people. It was depressing and Tim couldn't take it anymore, he bounced up and deposited his tray before heading down to the moon pool to see Darwin.

The dolphin was missing Bridger, it was easy to see. Tim could relate.

"Was I that bad a breakfast companion?" Lucas asked as he leaned beside Tim smiling when Darwin came over to him.

Tim shrugged, "Trying to adjust to the differences in this place is hard. You know."

Lucas petted Darwin once more before he sat down against the pool, "I spoke to Tony a little more."

Tim sat beside him and looked at his young friend, "About what?"

"Kate the Criminal."

Tim sighed at the gleeful look in the new ensign's eyes, "Do I want to know?"

"You tell me."

Tim mused on this for a few moments before finally sighing, "Fine. What did Tony tell you?"

Tim listened, thinking over all Lucas was telling him that he had learned both from Tony and the UEO files on Kate.

"You know it actually finally makes sense," Lucas chuckled, "The way Kate was, how protective Bridger was of her, how she suddenly appeared above the ceiling when I was trapped with the UEO delegates."

Tim smiled slightly, "And how she was able to climb up from beneath the labs when the Kra-tak came onboard."

Lucas clapped his friend's arm, "I better get to the bridge, are you coming?"

Tim sighed, "Why not."

x

"Lieutenant," Hudson called him over the moment he walked onto the bridge, "Is my communications upgrade completed?"

Tim grimaced slightly, "Not yet, sir. We're still having some trouble as the original plan was to integrate the two systems but they're not compatible. We're removing the old system today so should have it up and running by tomorrow night."

"Good," Hudson nodded, he was about to leave before he looked at Tim again, "Have you heard from Miss Foster?"

Tim grimaced, shaking his head, "No, sir. Kate and I didn't exactly part on good terms. I don't think I'll hear from her anytime soon."

Hudson nodded again and this time left Tim alone.

Sliding under the console to start work Tim grimaced thinking about the final conversation he'd had with Kate. Lucas wasn't the only one who had researched her past. Although he would deny it Tim had studied the career of the criminal known as Kitten as well as the other aliases Kate had.

The past few years suddenly made so much more sense to him.

And he wished they didn't.

The thug guarding the door towered at least a foot over her even with the high-heeled boots she was wearing.

Kate looked up at him for a moment before folding her arms across her chest, "I am going in there and you can either let me or end up with a broken arm," she smiled up at him, "It's your choice."

He laughed at her.

"Before you make up your mind," Kate continued, "I suggest you call your boss and tell him that Kitten is here to see him."

She saw the recognition in his eyes at the name before he made the call, Kate grimaced in annoyance when he turned back and frowned at her.

"Kitten is dead," he told her, "So why don't you go back to wherever you came from and think up a new way to try to meet the boss."

Kate let out a sigh, "Okay. The hard way."

x

The main room was cold and impersonal with a few people scattered around. Kate could still hear the whimpers from the man outside with the now broken arm.

"Seriously," Kate stated as she stood above the man she was here to see, "That was your guard? I took him down in less than three minutes."

Mac stared at her, "Kate?"

She stood with her arms crossed watching him stand, taking in the sallow skin and bloodshot eyes.

"Oh my girl," he breathed reaching out to touch her cheek.

Kate took a step back and held up her hand, "Oh no. You do not get any personal feelings until you tell me what the hell you are doing."

"What…"

"This," Kate cut him off as she motioned the room, "What is this? What the hell are you doing back in this business?"

Mac shook his head, "My husband was murdered and my daughter disappeared into thin air. What was I supposed to do?"

"You think either of us wanted you to do this?" Kate snapped at him, "You were the one who never wanted that life, you did it for Harkens," she shook her head before whispering, "You never wanted this."

Mac caught her shoulder, "How else was I supposed to stay close to the two people I love the most?"

Kate gave in and allowed him to hug her tightly. Finally she let out a long sigh.

"Okay," Kate moved him to sit down once more, "Then I need your help."

"Everyone who isn't coming with us," Hudson called as he stepped onto the bridge, "Go now."

Tim watched as the technicians scrambled to get their gear in order to get off the Seaquest before it left New Cape Quest. This was it, they were now officially back in service after ten years.

"Mr O'Neill," Hudson arrived at his side, "What is the status of my communications system?"

"We are up and running, sir," Tim replied, "We upgraded as per the UEO instructions along with the modifications Lucas…Ensign Wolenczak," he quickly corrected himself, "Was working on prior to Hyperion."

"Excellent," Hudson told him, "Alright. Ladies and gentlemen, I know it has been a hard few weeks for everyone. Ten years is a long time to bridge for both those of you who were with Seaquest before and those who were not. I will not tolerate anyone from either party acting as though we are not one crew. Am I understood?"

"Yes sir," the answer was snapped back without hesitation.

Hudson smiled very slightly, "Commander Ford, get us under way."

Tim focussed on his console as the Seaquest made its way back into the ocean and its mission to protect the world.

This was it.

This was the world now.

No Bridger, no Kate and no Miguel.

He hated it.