Thanks to Margaret for her help.

*******

The next morning, the sky was clear as dawn broke over the mountains. Nathan woke up with a start, confused for a minute by the unfamiliar house. As he made his way into the bathroom, he was relieved to see Lucas was still asleep. Seeing that the rain had stopped, he went outside to see if he could find some means of transportation. The only other structure besides the house was a small wooden garage. It was filled with a jumble of old tools, and large plastic buckets, but there wasn't even a bicycle. There was a large flat cart. Perhaps he could lay Lucas on that and pull him to find help. He couldn't afford to wait much longer for Annie to come back. Lucas was going to need some serious medical attention before too much longer.

Returning to the cabin, Nathan walked lightly over to the bed. Lucas was rolled over on his side, facing the wall. Nathan thought he was still asleep until a small shudder rippled down his back. Peering closer, he noticed the track of tears rolling down the boy's face.

Taken by surprise, Bridger stepped back quickly, knowing that Lucas would be embarrassed by the emotional display. Something had been troubling the teen for several days now. Maybe this was the breaking point.

Lucas had woken up a few minutes earlier. The cabin had been eerily silent, with a stillness that he found unnatural. He thought the Captain had gone, had left him to fend for himself. Though he knew this was totally ridiculous logic, he couldn't help it as depression swept over him. And then, as the door opened, and he felt the presence of another person in the room, he froze. But with all that had happened, the earthquake, the bear and now a fever, he found it difficult to keep control over his betraying emotions. He opened his mouth to tell the Captain to leave him alone Instead, all the anger and bitterness towards his parents that had welled up inside him came pouring out, directed at the man standing beside him. "Sometimes, you make me so …angry. I didn't know any better, before I met you. I didn't know what it was like to have a family, to have people you could trust and depend on." Moving gingerly, he twisted over and turned a hard stare aon Bridger, pain and fury making his body tremble. Seeing the Captain's hurt expression, he tried to stem the flow of ugly words but he was unable to make his body obey him. It was if he had become two people, and he watched helplessly as a madman screamed at his Captain. "I thought my life was normal, that I was fairly normal. And then you take me on vacation, and show me how it's supposed to be… it's not fair. I was doing fine on my own until you came along." The last part came out as a whisper, his pent up emotions unleashed with nothing, not even tears, left. Flopping back down onto the bed, he rolled over to face the wall again, pulling up the sheet up over his head.

Stunned, Bridger didn't know how to react. At first, his temper started to rise but he worked quickly to control it. Getting angry would not be a good solution. He had no idea that the kid felt this way. Then again, it was hard to get Lucas to talk about how he felt about anything. "Lucas," he started, struggling with words, trying to decide what to do next and then he heard noises outside and ran for the door.

There was a large pickup truck outside with several men jumping out. "Hey there, I'm Annie's brother Greg," a large dark haired man greeted him. "Sorry it took us so long to get here, but Annie had a bit of a run in with a tree. Luckily, it fell in front of her truck and not on it," he chuckled. "I hear your youngun's hurt".

Bridger smiled in relief and gave him a hearty handshake. "I thought I was going to have to start hiking. I'm glad you're here." Starting for the house, he said, "Lucas is in the house. Do you have a doctor with you?"

Greg and another man quickly caught up to him and they entered the house together. "This is Sam. He's an emergency medical technician."

Shaking hands with Sam, Nathan thanked him for coming. "A bear got him," he explained. "Tore his back and his arm open. Annie washed the cuts last night, and I had to stop some bleeding but haven't checked it today. He started running a fever last night too."

Hearing the voices, Lucas emerged from under the sheet, trying to compose his face as he slowly got up to sit on the side of the bed, pulling the sheet up around him. Avoiding a glance at Bridger, he gave a shy, "Hi to the man who sat down beside him .

"Hi. My name is Sam and that's Annie's brother, Greg. I'm an emergency medical technician. I heard that you took on a bear and the bear lost. Could I check your arm and your back?" At Lucas' nod, he slipped the sheet down and carefully loosened the bandages. "Hmmmm. Your back looks pretty good but I think you may need some stitches in your arm. What do you say we give you a ride in our pickup to the hospital and we'll let a doc check it out?"

"Well, that would be great, but maybe I could get some clothes before I go out?" Lucas suggested.

A quick check of a closet produced a pair of jeans, a warm pair of socks and an extremely large sweatshirt. "I'm sure Annie won't mind if we use these," Sam said, helping Lucas into the clothes.

Staying in the background, Bridger let Sam do the work. He could tell that Lucas was ignoring him and would not appreciate any help from him. There would be time later, to talk about what the teen had said, to try and set things right between them. Now, they had to get Lucas to the hospital, where he could get some medical attention.

Greg grabbed a blanket from the rocking chair and wrapped it around Lucas. "It's warmed out then yesterday, and the sun's out, so you should be ok with this." Going to the closet, he pulled out a thick quilt. "We'll put on the bottom of the truck bed and you can lay on it."

Sam helped Lucas stand up and they made their way to the truck. Greg followed closely behind while Bridger gathered up their backpacks and his coat. Waiting silently, he watched as Sam jumped in the back of the truck, helped Lucas in and then made him lie on the quilt. Climbing in to the passenger seat next to Greg, he had one thought. What had started as a really great vacation had turned into a nightmare?

At the hospital, Lucas was loaded onto the stretcher and taken to the Emergency room. A nurse showed Nathan to the waiting room, assuring him that he could see the teen once they got him settled. Nathan wasn't sure if the teen would want to see him. He kept thinking about the things that Lucas had said. Knowing that the boy had been in pain and that most of the emotions had probably been directed at his parents did not sooth the ache.

"Nathan!"

Kristin's voice made him look up and he rose as Westphalen through herself into his arms. "Oh, Nathan, are you all right!" She hugged him tight. "It was awful, I was so worried about you and then the boat had to pull out of the dock." She started to cry tears of relief.

Caressing her hair, Nathan pulled her tight. "Shhh, everything's going to be fine."

"Lucas!" Pulling back, Kristin looked at Nathan in horror. "Where is he?"

Telling her about the helicopter explosion, he describe their hike and attack by the bear that lead to Annie rescuing them. "So the Doctor's in looking at him." And, oh, I found out that he hates me, but he kept that thought to himself. "Here, let's sit down and you can tell me your exciting vacation story."

The Doctor told him about the effects of the earthquake on the ship, about the passengers injuries and how the Captain, worried about iceburgs breaking off the glaciers, had ordered the boat out to sea. "So finally we received word that you were coming to the hospital and Captain Shea found me a transport. I'm afraid we'll have to find another ride home though."

Reaching over to give her squeeze, he said, "I'm just happy you're safe."

Regaining her composure, Kristin stood up and extended her hand to him. "Let's go see how Lucas is doing. As his Doctor, they should allow me to at least assist in his medical care."

Reluctantly, Nathan joined hands with her. He wasn't sure how the teen would react and he didn't want to tell Kristin the whole truth when he knew she'd be upset by it.

Stopping by the nurses desk, Kristin explained who she was and they directed her to the curtained off area where Lucas was laying. There was no one else in the room, and Lucas opened his eyes when he felt Kristin's hand on his arm.

"Kristin," he sighed in relief. He was hooked up to an IV and the old bandages had been cut from his arm and back. His back had been rebandaged with clean wrap but his arm only had a temporary dressing on it. His eyes darted quickly towards the Captain, but then just as quickly darted away. Ashamed at his earlier hateful words, he was surprised that the Captain had stayed at the hospital.

Bridger saw the coldness in the teen's face and assumed that the look was a response for his presence. But like it or not, he was still responsible for the boy until they got back to seaQuest and got everything sorted out. Sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, he decided it would be best if he stayed out of the way.

Fussing over Lucas, Kristin checked his temperature and then insisted he lean forward to check his back. "A bear!" was all she could say, thankful that things were not worse.

Looking sheepish, Lucas nodded. "Sorry." Then he added, "They're going to stitch my arm in a few minutes."

Glancing over to where Bridger was sitting, Kristin thought it strange that he was in the corner. Usually when Lucas was injured, you couldn't pry the Captain away from his bedside. But now…there was a tension in the air, an awkwardness she couldn't put her finger on. Lucas hadn't even acknowledged Nathan's presence.

A nurse and a doctor came into the room and Kristin went into a huddle with them about Lucas' condition. Then she turned to Nathan. "C'mon, I think you could probably use a shower, clean clothes and a cup of coffee," she suggested cheerily. "They're going fix his arm and transfer him to a room on another floor for a few nights."

Groaning at the thought of having to stay in the hospital, Lucas averted his gaze as the nurse prepared an injection while the Doctor and the Captain left the room. As they sewed the wounds on his arm, Lucas was left to stew in his own thoughts. How was he going to fix things with the Captain? Were they even on speaking terms and would the Captain forgive him? He knew that he was going to have to explain everything to the Captain but he wasn't sure that he could find all the words he needed to say.

*******

Kristin felt that she showed admirable restraint as she waited for Nathan to shower, change into a pair of hospital scrubs, and settle down at the cafeteria table with a plate of food and some coffee.

"Would you please tell me what is going on between you and Lucas?" she hissed.

Taking a long sip of his coffee, Nathan tried stalling. "What do you mean?" he asked innocently.

"Don't play games with me, Nathan Bridger. That room was colder than a meat locker. Usually, I have to threaten you to get him away from his bedside when he's sick and you're sitting in the waiting room when I get here. And then, the two of you exchange not a single word. Something is going on," she stated firmly.

Going over the teen's words in his mind once again, Nathan tried to look behind the anger to examine the real meaning of the words. "Think back to that one night, at dinner, when we were talking about other vacations we had taken with our families. Lucas never mentioned any vacation he took with his parents, did he?"

Kristin thought about it for a minute and then shook her head.

"We'll call it a delayed teenage rebellion then," he muttered as he hurried away leaving Kristin speechless. Now was the time, he decided. He wasn't going to wait to clear up this tension that existed between them. This time, Lucas was going to have to talk, now, not later. It was too important to their relationship to let the wound fester.

Checking in at the ER station, he discovered that the teen had been moved to the third floor. As the elevator slowly crept upward, he tapped his foot impatiently, and tried to decide how delicately he wanted to approach the subject.

Barging through the door to room 1301, Bridger was relieved to see that Lucas was awake and watching television. The remains of a meal were scattered on the table in front of him.

Lucas instantly became apprehensive when he saw the Captain's expression, determination mixed with displeasure. This is when he throws me off the boat was the conclusion he jumped to immediately. He knew that he wanted to apologize for the things he said earlier but had no idea where to start. One of the perks of growing up alone was never having to say I'm sorry.

"Lucas." The Captain called to the teen, who seemed to be focused on the television. "Lucas," he repeated, "We need to talk."

Oh, god, he's really mad at me, Lucas thought to himself, panicking as he continued to stare at the tv.

Images from old movies sprang from Nathan's imagination. He could picture the steel gates smashing down to protect Lucas as the teen automatically retreated behind his emotional barriers. Grabbing the remote control from the table, he turned the tv off. "Lucas. Please. We have to discuss what happened." Pulling a chair closer to the bed, he sat in it. "Look at me please," he commanded.

Twisting his face to the Captain, Lucas would not meet his eyes, but instead concentrated on a spot over his right shoulder. "Have you called my parents yet? Which one will take me in this time?" His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion.

That left Bridger speechless. Cautiously, he proceeded. "Why do you think I would send you home."

"Because that's the way it always happens. I screw up, lose my temper, people get angry and I get sent away," Lucas replied dully.

Letting out a long sigh, Bridger told him gently, "I'm not sending you home. I'm not angry with you. I know something is bothering you and I wish you would let me help you with it. Whatever happened in the past is over. I thought you'd know me better than that by now," he chided lightly.

Surprised by the warmth in the Captain's voice, Lucas shifted his gaze onto Bridger's face, seeing the concern and sympathy there. "You're not angry?" he asked. "But my parents…."

"You've known me long enough to know that your parents views on child raising are totally different then mine," he suggested dryly. "Now, about your little outburst earlier this morning. I suppose that was about your parents too."

Sheepishly, Lucas shifted in his bed to find a more comfortable position. Playing with the corner of the sheet, he started to explain. "My parents never took me on vacation. My father would take me on business trips occasionally, especially when they discovered that I was good with computers, but it was always work, never for fun. I went on school trips and every once in awhile, a friend would invite me along with his family. In the summer, they send me to day camp to get me out of the house and to keep me out of trouble. When I went to college, there were a lot of places I wanted to go but when you're fourteen, it's hard to travel on your own.' Sighing, he bit his lip, as he felt tears forming. Knowing that it was the medicine that was making him feel exposed and out of sorts didn't help much. He really didn't want to bawl like a baby in front of the Captain. "I saw all those kids with their parents and I couldn't help but think, what's wrong with me?" Blinking rapidly, he turned from the Captain, trying to regain control again.

Nathan sat silently for a few minutes, and then went into the bathroom. He came back with a box of tissues and a damp washcloth, which he gave to the teen. Then he sat on the edge of the bed while Lucas blew his nose and washed his face. After the teen had calmed down, Bridger reached out to nudge the boy's chin upward. "Now I need you to listen to me and that is an order," he commanded firmly. "First, there is nothing wrong with you. Unfortunately, when you're a child, your parents make the decisions for you. And on occasion, parents make bad decisions. No, you didn't have a normal childhood, but I can't do anything about that now. You can't do anything about your childhood; accept it as part of your past and move on. Second, you know that Kristin and I care a lot about you. Most of the crew sees you as their little brother. Think of it as making up for lost time. I wanted to share this vacation with you, that's why I brought you. Third, I've told you time and time again it's not healthy to keep all those thoughts and feelings inside. You know I'm always available to listen to you. I want you to come and talk to me. That's what friends do for each other." Tilting his head to one side, he studied the teenager's face. "Did you get all that?"

Lucas managed a weak smile. "Aye, aye, Captain."

Nathan leaned over so he could hug Lucas to him. Lucas practically fell into the embrace, happy that everything had been resolved.

There was a soft rap on the door and Kristin stuck her head in. "I trust that everything is going well in here?" She smiled, relieved to see that things were back to normal.

Nathan moved off the bed and back into the chair. "Come on in, Kristin, we had to clear up a few issues left over from our exciting Alaskan adventure."

"Uh, Captain, next time you go on vacation, maybe you could leave me home?" Lucas suggested.

"Is that the type of gratitude I get? I was thinking of an African safari next year."

Thinking back to the bear, Lucas shuddered. "No animals, ok? Maybe someplace that has no wild animals?"

Kristin looked at both of them in disbelief, "Next time, I am going on vacation by myself. Maybe Commander Ford would like to visit the Caribbean with me."

Nathan became very serious and shook his head at the suggestion. "No, not the Caribbean."

"Why not?" exclaimed Kristin.

"Hurricanes, they have hurricanes in the islands. Don't you think an earthquake is enough?" he explained mischievously.

Lucas let out a laugh at that and Kristin and Nathan smiled at each other.

"Now that you two are back on speaking turns, the patient over there needs to settle back for a rest. Since all our bags are still on the ship, I'm going to go out and get some clothes for you two. When I get back, Nathan, you're going to have to figure out how to get us home," Kristin announced in a no nonsense voice.

"Who's the Captain here?" Lucas muttered under his breath.

Shooting the teen an evil look, Nathan replied, "I think I can get the UEO to send us some transportation back to Washington."

" I won't get on a ship," protested Kristin, shuddering at the memory of the earthquake.

"I won't get on a helicopter," protested Lucas, shuddering at the memory of the earthquake.

Nathan sighed, and flicked on the tv. "Goodbye Kristin."

Kristin bent down to give Lucas a little peck on the cheek. "Try to get some sleep, sweetie". At Nathan's expectant look, she bent down and gave him a kiss on the cheek too, and then left.

Lucas started to doze. "Captain?" he asked, just to make sure.

"I'm right here, Lucas. Go to sleep."

***************2002