To be good, and to do good, is all we have to do.

– John Adams

Nathan leaned back against the bulkhead of sickbay, the steady beep of the medical monitors a dull rhythm beneath his thoughts. His body ached, not just from the concussion but from the weight of everything that had happened. The past few days had settled into his bones, exhaustion tugging at the edges of his consciousness. He rubbed his temples, trying to ease the relentless pounding in his head, but there was no relief. His mind kept replaying the beach—Casero's voice, the feel of the mud beneath his boots, the way Kristin's face had looked when she emerged from the sub.

The door slid open with a soft hiss, breaking his spiral of thoughts.

"Kristin," he murmured, his voice rough from the strain, the fatigue.

Without a word, she moved to his side. He felt her arms wrap around him tightly, and for a moment, the tension in his muscles eased, the stress that had coiled itself tightly around him beginning to unravel. Nathan buried his face in her hair, grounding himself in her familiar scent—something clean, something constant.

"I thought I might lose you," she whispered, her voice trembling. When she pulled back to look at him, her eyes—normally calm and steady—shimmered with unshed tears.

Nathan reached up, brushing a thumb against her cheek. "You almost did," he admitted quietly. The words tasted bitter on his tongue. He swallowed, the memory of those harrowing hours flashing vividly in his mind—the blood, the panic, the uncertainty. His voice thickened with emotion as he spoke. "You kept me going. Even when things got dark, you were in my head, pushing me to fight. To survive." He paused, his eyes flickering down to the fresh bruise on her arm—the evidence of Casero's grip still visible. His chest tightened. "But this... you shouldn't have been there, Kristin."

She blinked, surprised by the sudden shift in his tone. "I had to be there. I couldn't just stand by and watch you—"

Nathan cut her off, shaking his head. "No. You put yourself in danger. He could've killed you, Kristin." His voice broke slightly, the fear and anger rising to the surface. "Do you have any idea what that would've done to me? Watching him hurt you, knowing I couldn't do anything to stop it?"

Kristin's gaze softened, her hand resting gently on his. "I knew the risks. I've always known them. But Nathan, I couldn't just stay behind. I made that choice." Her fingers curled into his. "I'd make it again."

Nathan's chest heaved with a deep breath, his fingers tightening around hers. He didn't respond immediately, didn't trust himself to. He knew the kind of person she was—brave, stubborn, compassionate. It was one of the reasons he loved her, but this time... this time it had almost cost her everything.

Kristin's expression softened as she leaned in, her forehead pressing gently against his. "I'm okay, Nathan. We're okay. That's what matters."

Nathan exhaled, closing his eyes briefly, letting her words sink in. Slowly, he pulled her closer again, wrapping his arms around her in a fierce embrace, as if holding her tighter could somehow erase the danger that had come so close to taking her from him. They stood in silence, forehead to forehead, sharing the weight of unspoken fears, unspoken love. For once, words weren't necessary.

"Just hold me," Kristin murmured, and Nathan complied, his arms tightening around her. He let the world outside fade—no ship, no mission, no danger. Just the quiet hum of the seaQuest beneath them and the steady beat of Kristin's heart against his.

Several Days Later...

Nathan stood on the bridge, watching the dark expanse of ocean stretch out before him. The hum of the engines was a constant, steadying presence, but his mind wandered back to the beach, back to the confrontation that had almost torn everything apart.

Commander Ford's voice broke through his thoughts. "Casero's in custody. He won't be causing us any more trouble."

Nathan nodded absently. "Good." He paused, his gaze still distant. "It doesn't feel like enough, does it?"

Ford looked at him, his eyes searching. "No. But we did what we had to. The rest… we live with."

Nathan sighed, rubbing his temples. He hadn't yet reconciled the sense of failure that still gnawed at him. The choices, the risks, the near-miss with Kristin—it all weighed heavily, a burden that wasn't so easily shrugged off.

"Captain," came a soft voice from behind. Nathan turned to see Kristin entering the bridge. She crossed the room and stood beside him, her presence steady and reassuring.

As the seaQuest set a course for its next destination, Nathan felt the familiar pulse of the ship beneath his feet.