Warning: descriptions of torture and threatened self harm.

This story is an AU of the third season, beginning with 'Brave New World'. For the purposes of this story, James Brody died on Hyperion - too many characters to include and he dies in episode 6 anyway. Also, I've taken some liberties with the timeline, so for the purposes of this story, Lucas was 15 during the first tour and 18 in 2032.

Many, many thanks to the people who have reviewed, favourited and followed my previous stories. I hope you all know how fabulous you are! Had a few issues with this one, and there are some parts that I'm not entirely happy with, but I've read it and re-read it so many times that I may just be over analysing it (you know how you find yourself changing a word or phrase four or five times and then just going back to what you had originally? Or is that just me?). Anyway, here goes...

Beginning Again

By the year 2032, Captain Oliver Hudson had spent a lot of years searching for the missing seaQuest. He knew his moment had finally arrived when the missing crewmembers started to reappear, albeit minus their recent memories.

Finally, in a cornfield in Iowa, the missing boat appeared.

Oliver Hudson had made his plans long ago and was ready to act. It took him only two days to put her back in the water and to gather the crew together again.

But not everyone had returned with the boat.

Several crewmembers did not come back with the rest, and from the senior staff Wendy Smith, Miguel Ortiz and James Brody were missing. Of the non-military personnel, Lucas Wolenczak never reappeared.

Captain Nathan Bridger was found but refused to return. He peered at them from the video link and gave them the only explanation they would get for a very long time.

"Your memories were erased, and you were returned to the last peaceful thought you had in your minds. Some of us didn't make it, and I lost someone very dear to me. Now that I've returned, I find I have a grandson, and that means my son must be out there somewhere. It's going to be my mission to find him and raise Michael. I will not be returning to seaQuest."

He closed the link and they were unable to re-establish it.

The old crew looked at each other. When they heard 'some of us didn't make it and I lost someone very dear to me', they knew that he must be referring to Lucas.

They left the bridge and made their way to the mess hall in silence. Jonathon Ford stopped by his room on they way there and pulled out a bottle of rum that he'd been saving for a special occasion. In the mess, he poured out a shot of rum for each of them and four extra glasses.

They raised their glasses. "To Wendy Smith, Miguel Ortiz, James Brody and Lucas Wolenczak." His voice broke a little. "It was an honor to serve with them."

They each drank their shot, and placed the upturned glass on the table besides the four untouched glasses before going their separate ways.

Tony Piccolo sat staring at the walls of his room. Even though the posters that covered them were his, it seemed as though every item in the room reminded him of Lucas. He heard a knock at the door, and opened it to find Lonnie Henderson holding a cardboard box.

"I thought you might want a hand tidying up in here," she said tactfully.

"Thanks." He looked a little lost as he stared around the room.

Tim O'Neill appeared behind her, holding a stack of boxes. "Looks like I wasn't the only one to think of this."

Tony sat on his bunk. "I've never done this before, not sure what to do."

Tim picked up a photo that had been taped to the side of a computer. It showed Captain Bridger with his arm around Lucas Wolenczak, laughing happily. He felt a lump in his throat.

"Pretty sure his parents won't be interested in most of this stuff. They weren't even interested in him, I don't think his photos and clothes will even appear on their radar."

"Have they been in touch?" Lonnie asked.

Tony found himself clutching one of his roommate's oversize shirts that had been lying on the bunk. "Do they even know we're back?"

"We were on the news." Tim sighed. "I don't know what's more disconcerting. Coming back and finding that everything in the world has changed and everyone else is ten years older, or coming back to the seaQuest and finding that nothing here has changed at all. It's like we left five minutes ago." He picked up one of Lucas' half empty soda cans, and Tony and Lonnie nodded.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." He rolled the shirt up in his hands and held it close to himself like a cushion. "I spoke to my folks, they look so old now. My little cousin is married with kids. And then I come back here...and the only thing that's changed is that Lucas isn't coming back."

He was shocked to feel tears running down his cheeks, and he started to sob. Lonnie let go of her tears as well, and Tim put his head into his hands as his shoulders heaved. The three of them sat sharing their grief together.

Eventually, Tim stood up and started to take down Lucas' pictures and books. Lonnie dried her eyes and started to fold clothes while Tony took a box and started to gather computer parts and tools. When they'd finished, the room looked odd, familiar and strange at the same time.

It seemed as though that was something that they would have to get used to.