"...And we finally just got out of there last night," Nathan Bridger finished, lifting his feet up and resting them on his desk by the vid-link. This was the first chance he'd had in the past two weeks to relax like this.

"Sounds like a typical week for the seaQuest," Kristin Westphalen said with a laugh on the screen.

"Yeah, but for some reason it doesn't feel the same as last tour," he said almost wistfully. Every so often, at the strangest moments, he would be reminded of the previous tour and grow melancholy over the memories. "Anyway," he continued on, pushing his brooding thoughts into the back of his mind again, "how was your week?"

"Not quite as interesting as yours, I'm afraid," she laughingly replied.

"Nothing ever is," he agreed.

"Isn't that the truth. I am beginning to wonder why I ever agreed to teach this freshman Chemistry class, though."

Nathan grinned, remembering her comments less than a month earlier when the Florida State administration had asked her to teach a revamped freshman level chemistry class. Oh, Nathan, it will be so much fun. I can torture all those young kids while pushing all the actual work off onto the grad students. And it will give me the perfect opportunity to keep abreast of advances in the field without having to actually do any real work in it. "Oh, come on, it can't be that bad," he retorted doubtfully, pulling himself back to the present.

Kristin shrugged. "It only gets really bad when there's an exam. We get to spend twelve hours straight doing nothing but correcting the same problem on six hundred tests."

"What happened to passing off all the work to the grad students?" he teased.

She rolled her eyes. "That is with all the grad students working as well."

"Well I for one don't envy you, I could never stand paperwork." Both laughed. Nathan was notorious within the UEO for his steadfast avoidance of paperwork, even if much of it was now done on computers and paper was almost pass. "But seriously, the grades are up from last year, right?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"Than you're doing your job. The kids are learning the material and retaining it at least long enough for the test." He leaned forward in his chair, smiling mischievously, "Besides, how can they not like having you for a teacher. I know I would. In fact, if you had been teaching ..." he blanched as he realized how long it had been since he'd graduated from the Academy, "forty years
ago I'm sure I would have done much better in my Chemistry class."

"Sorry, Nathan, dating the professor won't get you out of work," she laughed, then her face grew serious again. "Why is it you can always cheer me up, even half a world away?" She got a wistful look, reaching over to place her hand on the screen as if by doing so she could reach out and touch him. "I really miss you, Nathan. It just isn't the same when you're not here."

"I miss you too," he agreed, placing his palm over the image of hers on the screen. "And it's only another six months. It'll be over before you know it."

"Only --" she paused, looking at something offscreen, "hold on a minute, Nathan, I've got another call coming in." Her face disappeared from the screen, leaving the standard UEO symbol in its place. A few minutes later she reappeared, looking pale and scared. "I ... I have to go, Nathan. Something's come up." With that, the screen went blank and Nathan was left to his thoughts, a curious frown on his face.

The rest of the morning was spent trying to reach Kristin, but there was no answer at either her house or office. Finally Nathan got through to a secretary in the Biochemistry department at the University. It had been like pulling teeth, but he had eventually gotten the girl to admit that Kristin had been unexpectedly called away on family business. Nathan thanked her and settled back at his desk, trying to decide on his next course of action.

It wasn't like Kristin to just pick up and leave like that, and especially not to tell anyone where she was going, least of all Nathan. It scared him, because it most likely meant something was wrong, and most likely that something was serious. Even though they had only been officially dating for a little over two years, Nathan had thought they were close enough that Kristin felt she could tell him anything. Apparently he was wrong.

Finally, with his mind made up, he reached over and pressed a button on the comlink next to him. "Yeah," came the disembodied voice of Lucas Wolenczak.

"Lucas, I need you to find me some background on someone," Nathan said slowly, yet deliberately.

"Who?"

"Doctor Kristin Westphalen."

Nathan could imagine the shocked look on the boy's face. He certainly couldn't blame the boy. Lucas was one of only a handful of people who knew the extent of Nathan's relationship with Kristin, and probably assumed that Nathan knew most everything about his lover. And up until a few hours ago, Nathan would have agreed with that assessment. "Why? What do you need to know?"

"I don't know exactly, just get the information. I'll be in my quarters."

"OK," Lucas said, doubt evident in his voice.

Commander Jonathan Ford looked up from his the navigation table as Bridger entered the bridge. They were presently stationed in the southern Caribbean, studying the local currents and trying to map them, hoping to explain the recent decrease in fishing in the area. "Captain," Ford nodded.

"Status, Commander?"

"Holding steady at eight knots, bearing one five five, twenty-five miles from the outskirts of the Lesser Antilles. Everything's been calm for the past twenty-four hours."

"Good," Bridger nodded, glancing around the spacious bridge. "Do you think you can keep it that way for a few more days?"

"I certainly intend to try." Ford frowned slightly, wondering where Bridger was going with this conversation. "May I inquire as to why?" he asked after a short pause.

"I'm thinking of taking some of my overdue vacation time and I don't feel like cutting it short because of a disaster," the older man replied, almost a bit too quickly, Ford thought.

But the young man just nodded. "Will do, sir. I can have a launch ready to take you to the surface within the hour."

"Thank you, Commander," Bridger nodded once, clasping his hands together behind his back. "I'll take that offer in the light it was intended." Smiling good-naturedly, he retreated toward the clam doors at the back of the bridge.

As he disappeared down the corridor, Ford turned around to see James Brody standing there. "What was that all about?" Brody asked.

"Apparently the Captain is taking some time off," Ford replied, a bit uncertainly. He wasn't used to such spontaneity from Bridger and it had him slightly worried.

"The Captain doesn't take vacations, let alone all of a sudden like this," Brody said, shaking his head. "What do you suppose is the matter?"

"I don't know, but I'll bet Lucas does," Ford said, making a mental note to search out the teen once he got off duty later.

Two days later, Bridger stood outside a large house in rural England with his hand on the knocker. It was a stately old mansion with at least three floors that Bridger could make out from the exterior, and large white columns running along the front porch. Even the front door was immense, at least a foot and a half taller than Bridger himself. Set far back on a large estate amid what could easily pass for a forest, it was painfully obvious that whoever lived here had money, and lots of it.

He closed his eyes briefly and lifted the knocker, letting it fall heavily back on the door. A long moment passed before the immense wooden door opened to reveal a woman in her mid to late sixties, with gray hair pulled back into a tight bun and a white apron tied around her waist. "Can I help you?" she asked politely in a British accent, using the apron to wipe something off her hands.

"I'm looking for Kristin Westphalen," Bridger said nervously. "I was told I could find her here."

The woman opened the door for him to enter. "One moment, I'll see if the Madam is in. Whom shall I say is calling, sir?"

He thought for a moment before finally deciding on simply replying, "A friend."

"Yes, sir," she smiled faintly. "If you could please just wait right here while I check on the Madam."

Bridger nodded and the woman disappeared up the staircase in front of him. He was left standing alone in a large hallway with a beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a black and white checked marble floor under his feet. To the right was what appeared to be a sitting room or parlor, decorated with heavy wood paneling and dark, rich colors; to the left was a closed door,
but before he could wonder about the room behind it, voices were heard at the top of the stairs.

" ... A friend?"

"That's all he said, ma'am. A friend."

The old woman came into view, followed by a slightly younger woman with shoulder length auburn hair. She was wearing a long plaid skirt and white blouse with the top few buttons opened. "Nathan!" Kristin Westphalen exclaimed seeing the visitor. She quickened her pace descending the stairs, her riding boots clicking on the marble floor as she crossed the hallway to him. He recognized the questions in her eyes as she gently wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on the seaQuest right now?"

Before Nathan could answer, Kristin turned back to the other woman. "Rose, would you go get us some tea, and have Geoffrey take Nathan's things up to the guest room next to mine."

"Yes, ma'am," Rose nodded with a small smile and disappeared down the long hallway.

"Come in," Kristin said claiming Nathan's hand in her own and leading him into the sitting room to the right. "Now, why have you suddenly appeared at my front door without so much as a call to let me know you were coming? And don't tell me you just happened to be in the area because I know for a fact the seaQuest is supposed to be in the Caribbean right now."

Nathan grinned sheepishly, gently positioning himself on the sofa running the length of the room. "You're right. I decided to take a few days off and make sure you're all right."

"Me?" Kristin asked as Rose appeared with a silver tray topped with a matching tea service.

Setting it down on the nearby table, the older woman raised one eyebrow in question. "Will there be anything else, ma'am?"

"No, thank you, Rose," Kristin said, returning the other woman's smile. Rose nodded and quietly left the room. When she was gone, Kristin reached over and poured some of the brown liquid into two of the teacups. "Milk or honey?" she asked, looking up at her companion.

He shook his head, taking one cup from her hand as she handed it to him. "I was worried about you after our conversation the other day," he continued, taking a sip of the warm tea.

Kristin looked puzzled for a moment, mirroring his actions, before his words seemed to register. Swallowing her sip, her lips formed a silent 'oh.'

"Yeah," Nathan said quietly, noting the faint trace of fear and pain that suddenly appeared in her eyes. "You looked scared after taking the other call and I wanted to make sure that you're OK."

Silently, she gently laid her teacup back down on the table. Rising from her seat, she crossed the room to stare out the window at the driveway, arms wrapped protectively around her midsection. Recognizing the tears welling up in her eyes, Nathan returned his cup to the table as well, getting up and crossing the room. Coming to a stop just behind her, he hesitated briefly before gently resting his hands on her shoulders. Silently, she leaned back against him and sighed, reaching up with one hand to wipe a tear from her cheek.

"The call was from Rose," she explained quietly, pausing briefly to sniffle. "The doctors discovered a tumor on my father's brain during a routine checkup. It's benign at the moment, but they're afraid it might have spread. I felt I should be here just in case ..." She turned around and, tears now falling freely, buried her face into Nathan's chest.

He just held her, whispering quietly into her ear and giving her the comfort she so desperately needed at the moment. "I'm sorry," she apologized, pulling away minutes later, wiping her eyes. "It's just that he's all I have left besides the girls. Mother died while I was in college and James," she gave a short, derisive laugh, "well, Zellar took him from me. And now Father ..."

"And now Father what?" a man said from behind them. Nathan turned to see a wiry man in his nineties standing in the doorway. He was on the short side and thin, with a shock of white hair on top of his head. Nathan stood there, letting wizened eyes sweep over him appraisingly.

"Dad, you shouldn't be out of bed," Kristin admonished, leaving Nathan's protective embrace to help her father into the nearest chair. Nathan fought to hide an amused smile at her mothering.

"Nonsense," the old man waved off her help. "I feel fine. And in case you hadn't noticed, I'm not an invalid yet, Kris."

"You won't stay fine if you don't stay in bed like I told you," Kristin shook her finger at him. "Please, would you listen to me just for once, Dad," she said, concern etched on her face as she reached over to cup his cheek.

He smiled wistfully. "You're just like your mother, God rest her soul, always concerned with the other guy. I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself, I have been for almost thirty years now."

Kristin opened her mouth to retort, but thought better of it and quickly closed it.

"Now," the old man said, settling back in his seat, eyes twinkling, "who is our visitor, or did you plan to keep his identity a secret?"

"Oh," Kristin's eyes lit up, remembering Nathan. "Dad, this is Nathan Bridger, captain of the seaQuest. Nathan, this is my father, Lionel Westphalen."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Nathan said stepping forward, one hand held out to the other man.

Lionel grasped the proffered hand, giving it a hearty shake that belied the man's otherwise frail appearance. "The seaQuest, eh," one eyebrow rose as he glanced over at his daughter. "Wasn't that the boat you were on a few years ago, Kris?"

"Mmmhmm," Kristin nodded. "That's where Nathan and I met."

"Interesting," Lionel said quietly. "Kris, go see how dinner is coming, and have Marie set another place for your friend."

"Dad--"

"Kris, I said go." Neither his eyes or his tone of voice brooked any argument. Nathan could tell from both the old man's actions and his daughter's response that the patriarch of the Westphalen family ruled the household with a loving, yet firm hand.

Kristin's gaze hovered back and forth between the two men, receiving a stern look from her father and a shrug from Nathan. "Fine," she said finally. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." With one last final glance at the two men, she turned and left the room.

Nathan resumed his previous seat on the sofa, picking up his discarded cup as the old man sized him up. God, I'm as nervous as a schoolboy , he chided himself, trying to keep from grimacing at the cold liquid that greeted him. He fought the urge to squirm as the minutes dragged on interminably, the old man's eyes never wavering from him.

"Are you sleeping with her?" Lionel finally said, breaking the silence.

"Come again," Nathan blinked, taken aback by the abrupt question that seemingly came out of somewhere in left field.

"You heard me," the old man repeated. "Are you sleeping with Kristin?"

Nathan paused for a moment wondering whether to tell the old man the truth. He returned his cup to the table, listening as it quietly rattled in the saucer. "And if I am?" he replied, looking up at the other man through the top of his eyes, face still downturned slightly. "I'd say it was none of your business, but somehow I think you might argue with me about that."

Lionel studied the younger man, lips pursed. "You're smart," he concluded finally. "Most people would either say what they think I want to hear or just plain lie."

"Well, from what I gather, you happened to have a less than celibate life before meeting your wife, so asking that is like the pot calling the kettle black," Nathan raised his head, meeting the other man's gaze directly, refusing to lose the impromptu power struggle the conversation had become.

"You've done your homework," Lionel looked away, allowing Nathan to win this round, but certainly not conceding the match just yet.

"I find it beneficial to know a little bit about the people I deal with."

"You'd have made one helluva businessman," Lionel predicted, bringing one hand up to rub his chin thoughtfully.

"Let's just say it comes from over thirty years in the navy," Nathan replied noncommittally.

"Why must he always do this to me?" Kristin blurted absently, pacing in the kitchen.

"Why must who do what to you?" Cynthia Beaumont asked, picking up an apple from the basket of fruit laying on the counter.

Kristin scowled at her daughter. "You shouldn't be eating that, dinner is in less than an hour."

Cynthia rolled her eyes, taking another bite just to spite her mother. "You're avoiding my question, Mom."

"The Earl is in the sitting room with Madam's gentleman friend," Marie Douglas, the household cook, said, tasting the stew bubbling in a large pot on the stove.

Cynthia screwed her face up in confusion. "Wh-what gentleman friend? Mom?" she looked imploringly over at her mother, who had quit pacing and was now sitting at the butcher block table in the middle of the kitchen.

"Nathan Bridger," Kristin finally muttered darkly.

"Bridger ... Bridger ... Bridger --" Cynthia gasped as she realized where she'd heard the name before. Her mouth dropped open in shock as she stared at her mother. "Not Captain Bridger? I thought you and he were finished months ago."

"Didn't look like it to me," Rose added, sitting next to Kristin with a bowl of potatoes in her lap that she was mashing.

Kristin held up her hand to forestall any more comments. "Nathan and I are friends. And last I checked, it's not a crime for a woman to have male friends, or for those friends to show concern for her."

The other three women shared doubtful looks. Cynthia ran her tongue over her teeth, trying to hold back the laugh that threatened to erupt. Sometimes her mother could be so transparent. "Sure, Mom. Whatever you say."

The withering look Kristin was about to give her daughter was interrupted by the doorbell. "Sit, all of you," Kristin commanded, already halfway down the hall. "Since I know you three want to gossip behind my back anyway."

Cynthia's eyes followed her mother's retreat before sending an amused smile at the other two women and following her down the hall into the front foyer. Taking another bite of her apple as she rounded the corner, Cynthia spied her little sister and brother-in-law just entering through the front door. "You made it," she said, swallowing and tossing the half-finished apple in a nearby trash can.

"We had hoped to be here two days ago," Kevin Phillips said, helping his wife out of her coat. At eight and a half months pregnant, Kristin's youngest daughter looked ready to burst and doing much of anything was difficult at best. "But I was in the middle of closing a major deal and couldn't get away until this morning."

"How is Gramps?" Felicia asked, reaching forward as best she could to give her mother a hug, followed by one for her sister as well.

"Holding his own for now," Kristin replied, giving her daughter a reproachful look. "You didn't have to come, Felicia. In fact, with your due date so close you shouldn't be traveling at all."

"I'll be fine, mother," the blonde woman smiled, rubbing one hand soothingly over her extended stomach as the other reached back to grab her husband's. "There are doctors in England as well as the States."

"Yes, but--"

"Mom," Cynthia stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Felicia can take care of herself. And she has just as much a right to be here as any of us." Cynthia's blue eyes dared Kristin to argue with her.

But any response Kristin was about to make was cut short as the doors to the sitting room opened behind them and Lionel emerged, Nathan following behind him. "And just what is this little soiree going on out here?" the old man asked, eyeing the group suspiciously.

"Gramps," Felicia smiled, crossing the foyer to greet her grandfather with a hug.

"How much longer do you have?" Lionel asked, pulling back to look her over.

"Just less than two weeks," she replied, reaching down to rub her stomach again.

"Ack! Where has chivalry disappeared to nowadays?" he looked over at Kevin in surprise. "How can you allow this young lady to be on her feet this close to her time?"

The young man smiled at the good-natured teasing. "Perhaps you'll have more luck trying to reason with her," he suggested.

Lionel wrapped one arm around each of them, leading them down the hall. "I'll tell you, when I was your age, a gentleman would have put his foot down and never let his wife out of the house when she was pregnant. Rose!"

"Dinner is ready, sir," Rose appeared in the hallway, stepping aside to let him pass.

Meanwhile, Cynthia watched as Nathan steered her mother down the hall behind the others with one hand on the small of her back. It was an inherently intimate gesture that didn't escape her attention. And neither did the glance from her mother that clearly said, Don't start with me young lady.

Over dinner and the drinks that followed, Nathan learned a bit of the history of the Westphalen family. Founded in the mid-sixteenth century by Sir Thomas Westphalen, First Earl of Welshingshire, the family had continued strong in British politics for the past five centuries with few skeletons in the closet -- at least acknowledged skeletons. Until recently, that is.

Lionel, the Fifteenth Earl, had decided early in life that politics held no lure for him. After a youth filled with one adventure and run-in after another, he finally settled down as a banker to raise his two children. Married to a nurse he met while wounded in Vietnam, they'd lived happily together, despite his father's protests, for many years until she died suddenly while Kristin was getting her
MD. Both James and Kristin had inherited their mother's love for science and medicine, pursuing careers in those fields. Along the way, Kristin had even added two daughters and soon a grandchild to her list of accomplishments.

The house in which they now found themselves had been built by Lionel's grandfather just before the twentieth century began. Since renovated, it still retained some of the charm lost when the original had burned down. And, according to Lionel, had added a few ghosts of its own to history.

Nathan rolled over and glanced at the bedside clock. The bright red numbers flashed back at him -- just after midnight. He sighed, tossing back the covers and reaching for his robe. He simply had too much on his mind for sleep to find him that night, and rather than toss and turn some more, he decided to wander the house a bit, futilely hoping to tire himself out enough to get even a few hours of sleep.

Rounding the corner into the kitchen, Nathan was both surprised and happy to see it already occupied. Kristin was leaning against the counter, spoon in one hand and a container of ice cream in the other.

"I didn't expect to find you down here this late at night," Nathan said coming over.

She shrugged, "I didn't feel much like sleeping. How 'bout you?"

"Couldn't sleep. What flavor is that?" he pointed at the ice cream.

"Vanilla, it's all Marie had in the freezer," she said apologetically.

"Good enough," he replied, searching for a spoon.

Kristin pulled open a drawer and handed him a spoon. "I certainly hope you aren't ignoring any pressing duties by checking up on me like this."

"Not hardly," he laughed, swallowing a bite of ice cream. "We're just mapping currents and following fish around. Not very exciting and nothing Ford can't handle on his own."

"How is Jonathan?"

He shrugged. "He's been having a bit of a hard time getting used to our new security chief, but I think he's getting over it."

"It must be difficult for everyone to get used to someone other than Chief Crocker," she said with a smile. "Especially you, I know you and he were good friends."

Nathan took another spoonful. "Not as difficult as it's been saying good-bye to some other people," he replied quietly, slowly bringing his eyes up to meet Kristin's in an intense gaze. Keeping his eyes locked with hers, he tried to determine what lay behind those deep pools of brown. Slowly, he brought his face closer to hers, lips brushing. The kiss was at first hesitant, but grew more and more intense as she responded. It was followed by another, and still another, until they were firmly wrapped in each others arms, ice cream forgotten on the counter.

Finally, Kristin pushed away from him. Seeing the puzzled, dejected look on his face, she whispered, "We shouldn't do this."

"Why not?" he demanded.

She sighed, letting the corners of her mouth tip up in a small smile. "Did you ever walk in on your mother making out with someone, even your father?"

"No, but I see your point."

She ducked down and out of his embrace. Grabbing him by the hand, she led him toward the door. "I have a better idea."

An hour later, Kristin and Nathan lay in her bed, face to face, talking. Both were on the verge of sleep when they heard a knock on the door. Kristin slowly got up and grabbed her robe from where it lay discarded on a nearby chair. She opened the door a crack to talk with someone outside.

"What? ... Slow down ... When? ... How far apart? ... OK, give me five minutes ..." Nathan only heard snatches of her side of the conversation, but what he heard put his senses into overdrive. Shaking the sleep from his eyes, he sat up as Kristin closed the door and crossed to the closet.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Felicia's going into labor," she replied, pulling on a pair of jeans. "The contractions are five minutes apart and the doctor from town has to deliver another baby tonight."

Nathan slipped out of bed and pulled on his robe. "Well than I guess you get called into service, Doctor," he rejoined with a grin.

"Yeah, but never without any sleep in the last twenty hours or so."

He wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace. "If you need anything, let me know."

"Thanks, but I think maybe you should get back to your room before someone gets suspicious about why you're in mine," she suggested. Though she had a feeling at least one of her daughters, not to mention her father, had an inkling of her relationship with Nathan, it was something different actually getting caught.

"I'll wait until the coast is clear and then I'll sneak back," he nodded

Kristin shook her head and pointed at a door about halfway along the side wall of the room. "Use that one, it goes directly to your room."

Nathan frowned, amused, "You weren't planning on this happening, were you?"

"You can never tell when something like that will come in handy," she replied innocently, leaving the room. A minute later she poked her head back in the room and blew him a kiss.

Shaking his head, Nathan smiled and returned to his room. But his training as a submarine captain had already kicked in, the adrenaline pumping through his system. Nathan knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep, so instead of trying he just pulled on some clothes and wandered out into the hall to see what he could do to help. There he found Kevin standing outside a room down the hall, looking lost.

"How's it going?" Nathan asked, joining the nervous young man.

"I didn't know you were up," Kevin said, surprised. He was too preoccupied to question exactly how Nathan knew that his wife was in labor.

"I couldn't sleep," Nathan said noncommittally.

Just then the door opened and Rose appeared, holding a pan of water. "How is she?" Kevin said immediately, pouncing on the woman.

"She's doing fine," Rose smiled encouragingly and then disappeared down the hall.

Nathan took a resisting Kevin by the arm and led him in the other direction, toward the stairs. "Where are we going?" the younger man asked, panic in his eyes.

"Downstairs."

"But shouldn't we be near, just in case something happens?"

"We'll still be close enough to help should we be needed," Nathan replied, remembering how nervous he'd been when Robert was born. He'd never felt so helpless in his life. But Kevin still looked doubtful. "Listen," Nathan tried again, "they're going to be in there for hours, the best thing for you to do is relax and let the women handle things up here."

Kevin threw an uncertain glance over his shoulder back at the room and sighed. "You're probably right."

Nathan again took him by the arm and led him down the stairs and into the sitting room. Sitting Kevin down in a chair, he went over to the bar in the corner and pulled out the first bottle he saw, not caring what it was. Pouring two glasses of it, he handed one to Kevin and sat down on the sofa with the other.

"I ... I shouldn't," Kevin objected, putting the glass down on the table as if it was filled with poison.

Nathan sighed, rolling his eyes behind the other man's back. "You need something to calm your nerves, it's likely to be a long night of waiting."

Kevin looked at him for a long minute before leaning over and slowly picking up the drink off the table. Taking a cautious sip, he leaned back in the chair, trying his best to stay calm. "You act like you've been through this before."

Nathan laughed, "I was ten times worse than you when Robert was born."

"So you were married before?" Prior to the previous day, Kevin had never met Nathan Bridger and knew nothing of the past. Asking about him seemed the easiest way to take his mind off of his wife for a bit. He felt so utterly helpless sitting there.

Nathan nodded, allowing the questions about a topic that was usually taboo. "For twenty-five years before Carol passed away." He could feel the tears beginning to form at the memory of Robert's birth. He was supposed to ship out that day, but when the news came, he got permission from his commanding officer to join the ship two days later. By the time he reached the hospital,
Carol was about to undergo a cesarean. Holding Robert later that day, he had felt like the luckiest man on the face of the Earth. It was a feeling he would never forget.

"I'm sorry," Kevin said quietly.

"Don't be," Nathan shook his head, tossing back the last of his drink with a flick of the wrist. "Be happy. That's all ancient history. What's important now is that young lady upstairs right now who is in the process of making your life and hers that much better."

Several uncounted hours later, Nathan opened his eyes to see Kristin leaning over him, shaking his shoulder, "Nathan."

"I think I died and went to heaven." he replied, running a tired hand over his face as he tried to erase the groggy feeling from his mind.

She smiled, "No, you just fell asleep."

Suddenly he remembered the night before, sitting around, waiting. He shot up into a sitting position, question on his lips. "The baby?"

Weary, Kristin sank heavily down next to him on the sofa, "A healthy baby boy, Mackenzie Alan Phillips. He's resting with his parents upstairs."

"Congratulations, Grandma," he said putting his arm around her and giving a light squeeze.

"Thank you, but all I did was catch him," Kristin replied, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"What time is it?" he asked, looking down to see that he'd forgotten to put on his watch earlier.

"Almost ten o'clock," she yawned as Nathan stood up. "Where are you going?"

He extended his hand to help her up, "I'm taking you to bed."

"My, you certainly have a one-track mind," she smiled, taking the proffered hand and letting him pull her to her feet.

"As much as I'd like to, you, my dear, need sleep."

"You're probably right," she yawned again as she locked her fingers with his and they headed for the stairs.

Kristin woke to an empty room with the drapes pulled shut. A glance at the clock told her she'd been out for almost ten hours. I guess I must have been more tired than I thought, she mused, heading for the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, after a hot shower and change of clothes, Kristin wandered into the kitchen.

"Good evening, ma'am," Marie smiled from by the sink where she was washing dishes. "Are you hungry? I saved some dinner for you."

"Wonderful," Kristin returned her smile. "I'm famished." She looked around as Marie began pulling food out of the refrigerator. "Where is everyone else?"

"The young ladies are upstairs with the little one, and the gentlemen went to the pub to celebrate," the cook replied, setting several dishes down on the counter.

"They went where?" Kristin almost dropped the plate in her hand.

"The pub, ma'am," Marie repeated calmly, "it was your father's idea."

"All three of them went?" Kristin's eyebrows were slowly climbing to new heights. Her father, and maybe even Nathan, she could imagine frequenting the local pub, but she thought her son-in-law at least had more sense than that.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Marie," came a voice from the hall, "Marie, do you have -- oh, Mom, you're awake," Cynthia stopped upon seeing her mother sitting at the table.

"Well I'm certainly not dead, if that's what you mean," Kristin replied.

"What are you looking for, Miss?" Marie asked, coming over.

"Oh, uh, Felicia wants to know if you have any old rags she can use for diapers until she can get some real ones."

"Certainly, Miss," Marie smiled. "I think I might be able to find some of your mother's from when she was born."

"Oh, tell me you don't still have those things," Kristin said, feeling her cheeks turning red.

"No, but I'm sure I can find something we can use," Marie said with a wink and left the room.

"So, Mom," Cynthia pulled out a chair and sat down, "how goes it with the captain?"

"Oh, so there is something between you and Captain Bridger," Kristin and Cynthia turned to see Felicia standing in the doorway, cradling Mackenzie in her arms.

"What is this, you're both ganging up on me now," Kristin sighed.

"It's only because we love you, Mom," Cynthia said.

"And we want to see you happy," Felicia finished, settling herself in the chair next to her sister. Seated next to each other, it was easy to see the resemblance between the two sisters, despite their different personalities.

"And if I said we're madly in love and plan on eloping tonight?" Kristin asked with one eyebrow raised speculatively.

Cynthia burst out laughing. "If I didn't think you'd do it just to spite me, I'd say that's uncharacteristic of you."

"I think it's kind of sweet," Felicia said, "and I'm really happy that you've found someone. I know you didn't really show it, but you took the divorce from Dad pretty hard."

"Nathan and I are friends," Kristin insisted.

"Listen, Mom, we're not trying to pry out anything here," Cynthia explained. "Personally, I couldn't care less if you're getting it on with him --"

"Cynthia Eileen Beaumont, watch your language," Kristin frowned at her daughter. She had certainly taught both of her daughters better than that. "No matter what my relationship with Nathan may be, we are not 'getting it on.'"

Felicia unsuccessfully tried to hide an amused smile behind her hand as her sister shifted uncomfortably at their mother's harsh tone. "Sorry," Cynthia muttered, before her eyes grew determined again. "But my point still stands. However intimate your relationship might be, that's none of our business, and I'm not saying it is. What I am saying is that we care for you, and that does make it at least partly our business."

"I appreciate your concern, however misplaced it may be," Kristin smiled at her daughters. "But really, I've been around the block a few times, and I've been through more broken hearts than both of you hopefully ever will. I can take care of myself."

"I never said that," Cynthia protested, looking over at her sister. "Did you?"

Felicia shook her head without replying, preferring to let her sister dig her own grave. Cynthia always had been the more outspoken of the two.

"I do have one question, though, Mom," Cynthia continued on. "I know you and Captain Bridger were dating for awhile after the seaQuest was destroyed, but I thought you guys broke if off months ago? What gives?"

"You were dating him before?" Her eyebrows scrunched together in question, Felicia stared at her mother.

Kristin sighed, wondering why she had ever thought it was a good idea to teach her daughters to talk. "Shortly after the first seaQuest was lost, Nathan and I began ... seeing each other. It pretty much lasted until last August when the new seaQuest was completed. Nathan and I both know how difficult it is to carry on a long distance relationship, and I wasn't sure I would be able to
handle worrying about him constantly, so we mutually agreed to end things between us."

"So then how did he know you were here?" Felicia asked.

"We're still friends, and we talk over vid-link occasionally. I was talking with Nathan when I got the call from Rose about father," Kristin explained.

"Well it's obvious he still cares for you," Cynthia said.

But Kristin didn't reply, thinking about Nathan and the night before.

Over the next several days, things slowly settled in. Most of them had dark circles form under their eyes as they all pitched in to help the first-time parents learn the ins and outs of having a baby in the house. For all his grumbling otherwise, Lionel was secretly pleased that the old house would once again be filled with the sounds of children. It was something he had missed.

Kristin, meanwhile, played up her role as doting grandmother, rarely letting Mackenzie out of her sight. And the few times that she did, she was undoubtedly to be found wherever Nathan was. It amazed her how easily they were able to fall back into their easy relationship, despite the long months apart. But she was slightly disturbed by the fact that Nathan seemed to be growing more and more distant as the days passed.

"Where are we going?" Nathan asked, following Kristin through the dense forest surrounding the estate. Cynthia had encouraged Nathan to have Kristin show him the grounds. Kristin had readily agreed, getting that mischievous little smile that immediately sent him into red alert.

"You'll see," Kristin threw him a smile over her shoulder. "I promise it will be worth the walk."

"OK," he replied, still unsure. Trailing behind her, Nathan thought back over the morning. They had wandered through the seemingly endless garden, talking, laughing, holding hands, stealing kisses here and there. Nathan couldn't remember the last time he had spent such a pleasant day.

Now they were headed for an unknown destination. Kristin had called it her favorite place on the grounds, and promised repeatedly that he would love it. Suddenly they emerged from the woods into a large clearing. In the center, surrounded by trees, was a large pond. On one side was an old wooden dock, and on the other stood a gazebo with white railings and green tiled roof.

"This was where I learned to swim," Kristin explained. "James and I would come out here in the summer and spend hours splashing around."

"I can see why you love it so much," Nathan said, still in awe of the view. It was truly breathtaking, and very easy to see a young Kristin disappearing out here to waste many an afternoon.

"I wonder ... " Kristin murmured and took off toward the dock, Nathan following again. Upon reaching it, Kristin walked out to the edge and bent down, a huge smile forming on her face. "I can't believe they're still here," she said in almost a reverential whisper.

"What?" Nathan asked kneeling down next to her.

Kristin laughed, "When I was ... twelve years old, James fell in love with one of my friends from school. I thought he was silly, she was at least three years younger than him, but he insisted it was true love. Well, one day we were all out here goofing around when he pulled out his pocket knife and carved her initials on the dock," she pointed at a large heart carved in the dock. Inside the heart was a rough version of the phrase 'JW + AH.'

"They broke up a few weeks later, and every time we came out here, I would tease James about it. Eventually it got so that every time one of us would start dating someone new, we would come out here and carve the initials into the dock. It started out as a joke, but as we grew older it eventually turned into a contest to see who would end up with more." She laughed again.

Nathan's eyes twinkled merrily at the image of a young Kristin. "My what a rebellious youth you were."

She shot him a dirty look, but then brightened and he could literally see the lightbulb going off above her head. "Have you got a pocket knife with you?"

"You don't intend to --"

"I have to," she protested. "James is still one up on me." She held her hand out, wiggling her fingers in the universal 'give me' sign. "Come on, fork it over, Nathan."

Seeing she was not about to give in, Nathan gave a small chuckle, reaching deep into his pocket to retrieve his trusty Swiss army knife. Settling back on his heels, he watched the youthful exuberance with which she set to work carving.

Kristin and Nathan entered the kitchen later that afternoon to find Marie fighting with a crying baby.

"What's the matter with him?" Kristin asked, her mothering instincts coming alive. She immediately reached for the baby, lifting him into his arms.

"I don't know, ma'am," Marie sighed in relief at finally being able to pass the child on to someone else. "I tried changing his diaper, but that didn't work so I was about to feed him."

"Poor thing," Kristin looked down, smoothing the soft hair on the baby's head. "You must be starving," she cooed, pacing back and forth across the room a bit to try and settle him. Taking his bottle from Marie's outstretched hand, Kristin gently inserted the tip into his greedy mouth, immediately quieting his screams..

Shaking her head disgustedly, Marie walked away muttering, "I don't want to know."

"You're good with him," Nathan observed.

Kristin smiled indulgently, watching her grandson hungrily devouring the warm milk. "I had plenty of experience with his mother, she was the same way when she was hungry," she explained.

"Oh, sir," Rose said, entering the room, "there was a call for you from a ... Lucas Wolenczak," she pronounced the name slowly to get it right.

"You told Lucas you were coming here?" Kristin said, her voice somewhere between angry, shocked, and amused.

"Only that I was coming, not why," he replied, placing a reassuring hand on her back as he slipped past her. "Where is there a vid-link I can use?"

Kristin looked over at Rose in askance. "Is Father still in his study?"

"No, ma'am," Rose shook her head.

Kristin looked back over to Nathan, "You can use the one in the study, that way you'll have a little privacy."

Nodding his thanks, Nathan left and headed for the study, where he put in the number of the seaQuest . After a moment's wait, Lieutenant O'Neill's face popped up on the screen, "Captain," the young communications officer greeted him, reaching up to adjust his glasses on his face. "How is your vacation going?" He could tell O'Neill was curious about the origin of the call, but would never dream of asking.

"Fine, Lieutenant," Nathan replied. "I'm returning a call from Lucas, could you find him for me?"

"Sure, hold on a minute, sir."

O'Neill's face disappeared and in a minute was replaced with Lucas's grinning features. "Hey, Cap."

"What's up, Lucas?" Nathan asked, getting right down to business.

"Well, we have a little problem down here that I think you should be aware of."

Nathan was immediately concerned by Lucas' tone of voice. Most of the time the boy was easy-going enough to let most everything just roll off his back. "Meaning what exactly?"

Lucas took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before answering. "Do you remember those fish we found just before you left?"

"Yes," Nathan said slowly. The day before he'd left for England, the seaQuest had found a school of fish that no one could identify. Some had been brought aboard in an effort to classify and study them. "What's wrong with them?"

"Well, some crew members accidentally ate a couple and have since become very sick," Lucas expelled the entire sentence in one breath.

"How many are sick?" Nathan asked. "And exactly how sick is sick?"

"A dozen or so had symptoms that were very similar to a mild case of food poisoning, but three others, including Doctor Smith, have slipped into coma," Lucas explained. " But on a brighter note, we have been able to ID the fish, though."

"And?"

"It's a rare form of puffer," the teen said. "It's known to the locals as pez venenoso. Apparently it's pretty nasty."

"Poisonous fish ..." Nathan sat back in his chair, running one hand over his chin as he ran Lucas' comments through his mind. Something in the back of his mind kept bothering him, almost as if he'd heard of the fish before. "Hold on a moment, Lucas," he said finally, his lips pursed together as he pushed himself out of the chair.

"Yeah, sure," Lucas nodded, wondering at the Captain's strange behavior.

Nathan disappeared from the screen, returning a minute later with Kristin, who had left the now sleeping baby with Marie. "Hello, Lucas," she smiled, sitting down in front of the small screen. "How have you been?"

"I'm fine, Doctor," he grinned back at her, Nathan's actions over the past week making a bit more sense. "You?"

"I'm good. So what is this urgent matter that Nathan mentioned?" Lucas repeated what he had told Nathan earlier. Pausing occasionally in his telling to answer her questions. As he finished, Kristin let out a low whistle. "Pez venenoso, now there's a name I haven't heard in a long while."

Lucas frowned, "You know this fish, Doc?"

She smiled and gave an embarrassed nod. "I did my senior thesis in college on poisonous fish. I don't remember too many specifics, but I do seem to remember that pez is a particularly nasty little guy."

"Yeah," Lucas replied with a short laugh. "We've seen that."

"What are the symptoms of those who are sick?" Kristin asked, her voice becoming businesslike.

"Fever, increased heart rate, nausea, dilated pupils, and a real bad case of diarrhea. The bathrooms have been real busy for the last two days." Nathan tried to hide his smile; only a teen would notice such a thing.

"Those aren't the typical symptoms of food poisoning," Kristin frowned, shaking her head in disgust. "Who diagnosed it as such?"

"Doctor Smith," Lucas said. "But in the early stages, the most prevalent symptoms did point to food poisoning. It's not until later that the others become apparent."

Kristin nodded, "Sounds about right. Are those in comas the first to come down with the symptoms?"

Lucas scrunched up his face in thought. "All except Doctor Smith, I think. Why?"

"I would keep track of those not in a coma," Kristin suggested. "They might not be too far behind." She turned around to look at Nathan, who'd remained quiet while she was conversing with Lucas, but she knew that simply meant he was taking in everything they were saying. "Nathan, this fish is not something you mess with. Everyone on that boat who ingested it needs to get help, and fast."

Nathan nodded, looking over her shoulder to meet Lucas' gaze. "Lucas, tell Ford I'm on my way and to have a launch meet me at the surface in twenty-four hours."

"Sure thing," the boy nodded. "Are you bringing the Doc with you?"

Nathan looked at Kristin, who nodded, They both knew she was the best, not to mention the fastest doctor they could find with knowledge of the fish. "Yeah, and let me know if things get worse." Lucas nodded and ended the connection. "Do you think you can find a copy of your thesis and pack in less than an hour?" Nathan asked, looking back over at Kristin.

"I'll be ready," she smiled, and with a quick kiss left Nathan to make travel arrangements.
 
 

To Be Continued ...