Author's Notes: Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.

Enjoy.

It wasn't the same but in many ways it was.

Ben Krieg smiled as he stood beside the pool watching Darwin swim, petting him whenever he came close. They were heading back to New Cape Quest where he was going to go back to his life. He still couldn't believe Lucas hadn't changed in ten years though wasn't surprised that Ford hadn't.

"Hi."

Ben turned and smiled to see the final familiar face on the boat, "Hey Tim."

Tim smiled back, "It's good to see you, Ben."

They clasped hands before Ben hugged him quickly, "You too.

Standing side by side watching Darwin Ben studied the younger man and could see the sadness, the exhaustion in Tim's eyes.

"So, how're you doing?" Ben asked after a few minutes, "With…" he waved his hand, "All of this."

Tim let out a long sigh, "I'm coping."

"I heard about your family," Ben said softly, "I'm really sorry. I met them at the memorial service and your brother told some great stories about you."

Tim smiled slightly at the thought.

"You know," Ben continued, "I keep turning around and expecting to see Miguel."

Tim dropped his head and Ben winced wishing he could take it back. He knew how good friends the two men had been

"Me too," Tim finally admitted, "It's so strange looking at his station and he's not there. But the whole ship just seems odd these days."

"Like?"

"Lucas in a uniform," Tim noted with a grimace, "Hudson instead of Bridger, no Wendy and no…"

"No Kate," Ben finished for him when he trailed off.

Tim sighed again and turned to sit against the tank, "No Kate." He waited until Ben had joined him before asking, "I take it you know who she really is?"

"Yeah," Ben nodded, "Have to admit we were surprised. When that nutcase Kincaid announced she was his daughter I was stunned. I was even more amazed when Westphalen went on TV and announced that his proclamation that they were reconciling was absolute bull. She pulled out a medical file from about two years before Kate came to the Seaquest with Bridger. Westphalen showed it to us afterwards…"

"What did it say?" Tim asked when Ben trailed off.

Ben shuddered slightly, "That she was lucky to be alive. And of course the whole thief thing was pretty stunning news too."

Tim dropped his head again, the anger at her lies still burned within him, an anger he just couldn't stop.

"And I shouldn't have brought that up," Ben winced.

Tim shrugged, "Its big news. Lucas found out everything he could and told me, he was pretty excited about the whole thing."

"Kate was always odd," Ben told him, "It isn't surprising Lucas is happy he's finally worked out why."

Tim chuckled darkly, "I suppose."

"But you're not happy to have worked out the weirdness," Ben guessed, "You're mad at her for lying to you."

Tim pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "She used to always tell me to be honest with myself but she was never honest with me."

"That's rubbish," Ben chuckled.

"What?"

Ben patted his friend's arm, "Kate adored you. And I know how you feel about her," he stopped Tim from saying anything, "Please it was pretty obvious from day one." Ben chuckled at Tim's embarrassment, "Look you were the one person she was probably the most honest with other than Bridger. Be mad at her but when you see her again just don't shut her out."

Tim smiled again, "Thanks Ben."

Ben stood and clapped Tim's shoulder, "I should get my stuff together."

"What are you going to do now?" Tim asked him.

"I have some ideas, some options to explore," Ben told him, "But I think I'll visit Katie first. We didn't part on good terms and I need to apologise to her."

Tim pulled himself off the floor, "Tell her hi from me."

Ben hugged his friend again, "If you need to talk, Tim. Give me a call."

Ben looked down at the gravestone, kneeling he gently ran his fingers across the name.

"I'm sorry, Katie," he whispered to her, "I should have taken your job offer but I was too proud."

He sighed again, "I probably should have told the guys what happened to you but they're dealing with so much loss already. I couldn't give them anymore."

He continued to gently trace Katie's name lost in thought jumping when a voice came from behind him.

"What happened to her?"

Ben spun stunned to find Kate standing there, "Her boat was attacked by Macronesians about three years ago. Bourne said they were trying to smuggle weapons."

Kate stepped forward and placed flowers on the grave before she turned to him, "Hello Ben."

x

"What are you doing here?" Ben asked as they walked back to where he had parked.

Kate shrugged, "I heard you were in town and thought I'd say hi."

"And find out how the others are?" Ben shrewdly guessed.

She gave another slight shrug, "Amongst other things."

Ben studied her for a few moments; her dark brown hair was pulled back tightly from her face in a ponytail while the black clothing showed off her athletic figure more than the outfits she used to wear on the boat.

"I'm guessing this," he motioned her clothes, "This is the real you."

Kate gave a slight twisted smile, "The real me is buried beneath layers of lies and deception. I'm not even sure about it myself some days."

"I always wondered why you were so calm and proficient with weapons when Schraeder took over the boat," Ben told her as they walked slowly.

Kate shrugged slightly, "He tried to take my new home and I didn't take kindly to it."

They reached the car and Ben leaned against it thoughtfully, "So, are you going to ask me?"

Kate stared at him for a minute before asking, "How are they?"

"Ford is pretty much the same as he was, I don't think he's changed in all the years I've known him," Ben replied with a smile, "Lucas…Lucas is wearing a uniform and I can hardly believe how much it seems to be working out for him."

Kate waited but Ben simply stared at her waiting for to ask him specifically.

"Fine," she broke first, "How's Tim?"

Ben sighed softly, "He's coping. You do know about his family, right?"

"I did some checks when I left the boat," Kate nodded answering him before he could ask, "I don't think I'm the person he wants to hear from right now."

"He's mad," Ben told her, "But he would like to hear from you. You do know…"

"Yes," Kate cut him off, "He told me."

Ben stared at her, "And?"

"And I'm a thief, Ben I'm a liar," Kate listed, "As much as I would like to say I reciprocate his feelings I don't even know if I am capable of them."

"I don't believe that," Ben told her, "I think you're just scared."

Kate stared at him coldly, "I have at least three weapons on me right now, Ben. Do you really want to argue this point?"

He shrugged slightly smiling at her.

"So are you still with Bridger?" he asked.

Kate stared at him for a moment before replying, "Nathan Bridger is dead."

"What?"

"He died on Hyperion," Kate explained, "Right now, Tobias LaConte is pretending to be Nathan so we can go back and fix it."

Ben shook his head in disbelief before he managed to ask, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I need to tell someone," Kate replied coolly, "And people think you're nuts anyway so I don't think anyone will believe you if you say anything."

Ben grimaced not sure what to say to that.

"Besides I know you won't betray me, Ben because I'm sure you know what I'd do to you if you did," Kate said sweetly before she tilted her head thoughtfully, "If we do manage this is there any message for yourself?"

He climbed into the car, "Tell me to take Katie's job offer."

"I will," Kate told him, "Goodbye Ben."

"Goodbye Kate."