I'm either a glutton for punishment or a glutton for fluff. Or both. All I know is that this is the lucky number seven fluff epic: Billy & Kimberly (complete at 60), RJ & Fran (to be 52), Nick & Madison (to be 36), Merrick & Shayla (to be 17), Kira & Trent (to be 26), and Ashley & Andros (just 9).

Disclaimer: Just the plot bunny. This one occurs after "A Matter of Trust". It's more of a set-up than fluff; whatever. LR isn't a season I know inside & out, so any errors can be blamed on ignorance. And also on the fact talkstoangels77 and I keep to work out technical difficulties with my email not showing her edits to me. Sorry, gak.

Claimer: I do have a novel out on Kindle (and soon Amazon as well) called The Great Forest. I won't shut up about it until some people start buying it. So there. Right now it's only available for Kindles, iPads, and the like but by the end of August at the latest a paperback version will be out. YAY! I just need to edit it a little bit more…

It was almost dinnertime at the Aquabase, so Kelsey Winslow was rounding up her teammates. The three guys had been alerted, so all that was left was Dana.

"Hey, it's dinnertime," Kelsey announced, knocking on Dana's shut door. "Dana? Come on, let's go eat."

"In a minute," came the other woman's voice. Kelsey rolled her eyes, saying, "No- come on, you can finish it later!"

In less than a minute Dana was at the door. "Sorry, Kelsey. I'm ready to go."

But Kelsey had seen the still open photo album on Dana's pink-sheeted bed. Curiously she asked, "Why were you looking at photos?"

"Oh, no reason. Just nostalgic, I guess," Dana responded, her eyes downcast. Arms akimbo Kelsey pressed, "Dana?"

"I was just wondering if my brother was still around, would my dad be any different," Dana confessed. Kelsey blinked. "You have a brother?"

"Had," Dana smiled wistfully. "He died in a car accident a few years back… the car crashed on a cliff, and somehow Ryan fell off the cliff. I had hit my head and was unconscious the whole time. Dad doesn't like to speak of it."

"Right, that makes sense…" Kelsey mumbled. "Sorry?"

"It's okay… but Kelsey? If, and it's a big if, this ever comes up, could you act like you never heard of Ryan? It's a sensitive subject."

Dana looked so forlorn Kelsey gave her a hug. "Of course. I'm sorry that I never got to meet your brother."

"Thanks. Well, the guys are probably waiting for us so let's go."

"Right- food!" Kelsey nodded. Then, unable to help it, she inquired, "Was he cute?"

Dana just laughed as they went down to the dining hall.