Nathan Hale Bridger relaxed against the passenger seat, gazing out the window, but he wasn't watching the passing scenery.  His mind was reliving the six months he'd lived over a year ago between the destruction of his beloved SeaQuest and the building of her successor.  He remembered the nights of passion and the long, romantic walks on the beach.  The fights, the laughter and the love he'd shared with Dr. Kristin Westphalen, former CMO and head scientist on board the SeaQuest.

When SeaQuest had been destroyed... by his hand, to divert a world crisis, Bridger had returned to the UEO as a consultant and teacher.  He had spent almost six months with the beautiful doctor, their relationship growing stronger each day.

But when the time had come to build and then take command of the new submarine, the lure had been too great and he'd accepted.  Kristin had then informed him that she wasn't going to assume her former position.  She was going to work on dolphin research with Bridger's old friend, Malcolm Lansdowne.

The blow had devastated Nathan and he'd left her, hiding on the SeaQuest, away from Kristin and himself until the end of the boat's first tour, when he'd forced himself to realize that he was woefully incomplete without her.

"Cap?"

Bridger's attention refocused to the young man sitting beside him in the driver's seat.

"I'm sorry Lucas, what did you say?"

"I asked if you were okay.  You looked kinda sad."

Bridger heaved a heavy sigh.  "Yeah, well, I'd gotten to the poorer neighborhood in my trip down memory lane."  he explained, sighing again.

"Thinkin' about the doc?"  the teenager asked, glancing over at his surrogate father.

Bridger nodded.  "I'd feel a lot better if I knew how she felt about me.  About everything that's happened."

"Welll...,"  Lucas said, as if it should have been obvious,  "She feels hurt and betrayed.  Like she took second place to SeaQuest."

Bridger turned to stare at him, lips parted slightly.  Lucas got the sneaking feeling that he'd just said too much. "Lucas..."  Nathan turned in his seat to face the young man.  "Have you talked to Dr. Westphalen recently?"

Lucas shrugged, eyes on the road, then nodded reluctantly.  "I talk to her about once a month."

"Once a month?"  Bridger exclaimed,  "And you didn't tell me?"

"She made me promise that I wouldn't."  the youth said in a desperate voice.  He executed a left turn and returned to the discussion.  "She's hurt and unhappy because of what happened."

"What happened?"  Bridger interrupted.

Lucas stopped for a light and turned to stare at him.

"It's green."  Nathan pointed and the boy moved forward.  "What is Kristin upset about.  Exactly?"

Lucas shook his head, somewhat incredulous, but plunged ahead.  "That you left her after becoming... so close... sort of like you didn't care as much about her as you did about SeaQuest."

Bridger frowned.

"I mean, I understand  how you love the Seaquest and want to be at sea, but don't let what happened to my dad happen to you, sir.  Don't turn your back on the doc because of duty."

Feeling like he'd just gotten an undeserved lecture, Bridger moved to defend himself.  "*She* transferred off the boat to take up research with Malcolm."

Lucas smiled at the jealousy in his mentor's voice.

"Why do you think she did that?"  he persisted, as if he were teaching a slow child.

Bridger narrowed his eyes at the teen, then turned to stare out the window with a pronounced 'humph!'.  "Are you sure you're only 18?"   he asked.

Lucas grinned as he pulled up in front of a small wood frame house.  "We're here."

"So I see."  Nathan opened the door and got out, Lucas following.  Bridger retrieved his bag from the trunk and turned to his young friend.

"You, um... want me to wait?"  the boy asked, squinting at the older man.  "You know, in case--"

"No."  Bridger said firmly.   "If she throws me out on my ass I'll call a cab."

Lucas grinned.  "Okay."

Nathan pulled him in to a hug, then let him go.  "Have a good last tour, Lucas."

"It won't be the same without you."  he said, a little sadly.

"You'll be fine."  Bridger glanced at the house, then back to Lucas.  "You're right, you know." He shook his head.  "I'm nothing without her."

"'Bout time you realized it."

Bridger ruffled his hair.  "Give the old man a break here, will you?"

"I'll stop by before I go aboard."

"Okay.  Have fun."

Bridger waved as Lucas drove off, then, taking a breath of courage, Nathan moved up the walk to the front door.  He hesitated for a moment, then rang the bell.

A pang of desire and remorse coursed through him at the sight of her.  Clad in jeans, a bulky knit sweater and bare feet, Kristin Westphalen was the most beautiful thing he'd seen in his life... including the SeaQuest.  Her red hair cascaded to her shoulders in gentle waves and her amber eyes widened when she saw him.

"Nathan!"

He gave a small smile at the shock plainly etched on her face.  "Hi."  he said softly, still unsure of his reception.

"Hi."  she came back weakly, eyes wide as she took in the sight of him.  She glanced at the bag in his hand, then back to his face.

They stood uncomfortably for a long moment, then Kristin threw herself into Bridger's arms, hugging him fiercely.  The man dropped his duffel and hugged her back, nearly crushing her, but Kristin didn't care.  God it felt good to be in his arms.  She drank in the warmth and comfort he offered.  Finally they stepped apart, still awkward, but happy to see the other.

"I've forgotten my manners,"  Westphalen told him,  "Please, come in and sit down."

Nathan followed her into the living room, but remained standing.  Kristin came to stand before him and waited.

Bridger decided to cut right to the chase and get it over with, so he voiced the question that had been bothering him for most of a week.

"You told me you transferred off SeaQuest to take a research job at Malcolm's.  More money, more freedom and less danger."  Bridger held her in an accusing gaze.  "That's what you said."

Kristin looked at the floor.  "I know."

"And when I went to Malcolm's institute last week he told me that not only were you not there now, you never had been..."

"How did you find me?"  She looked up at him, embarrassed to be caught in the lie, but curious as to why he was here.  Why he'd taken the trouble to find her.

"It wasn't easy." Bridger smiled slightly.  "I had to threaten him."

"Oh."

"So... "  He tilted her chin up, looking into her eyes,  "why did you lie to me?"

"Nathan... after that first tour, when seaQuest was destroyed and you came back to UEO in a more normal job... I thought we had a chance together.  I thought that you actually cared about me..."  Kristin caught her bottom lip between her teeth, worrying it lightly as her gaze wandered, then returned to his face.   "But when they offered to rebuild the bloody boat and offered you captaincy... I knew I would always be second to your duty... your boat."  Almost a whisper,  "I couldn't compete with that, Nathan.  It was tearing me apart and I had to go."  Kristin took a breath.  "And when you went ahead and left me anyway, after all we'd shared over the months, to go back to command SeaQuest II..."  She turned away from him, moving slightly as tears threatened..

"Kristin..."  Nathan grasped her shoulders, but didn't turn her around.  Now there was pain in his voice, too.  "Do you know why I'm here?"

"Between missions?"   she guessed.  "I know Lucas said he was taking a holiday before his final trip out."

"Yes, and about that..."  Bridger complained.  "Why is it that Lucas is in touch with you and I'm not?"

Kristin turned to face him, having regained her composure.  "Yes, why is that?  The vid-phone goes 2 ways, you know."

"*I* didn't know where to reach you,"  Bridger pointed out.

Westphalen glanced away, then met his eyes again.   "Did you try?"

It was Bridger's turn to look chagrined.

Kristin took a breath and plunged ahead.  "Anyway, I hesitated to bother you in the middle of what could have been a life-threatening mission or something."

He frowned at her.  "Uh-huh."

"I did!"  She insisted.  "Anyway, Lucas is like a son to me... to you!  He was very upset when I didn't come back.  I tried to tell him that it had nothing to do with him.  I tried to explain how I felt and why I couldn't be in such close proximity with you but.... I don't think he understood."  She said miserably.

"Oh, he understood all right."  Bridger said, remembering the young man's lecture on the ride over.  "And you're the home team, believe me."

She smiled.  "Nathan, as pleased as I am to see you, here... "  She touched her heart,  "My head tells me that I can't hurt like that again.  It killed me to leave you... not go back to SeaQuest and take what time you allowed me..."  Kristin bit her lip, tears threatening again.  "It was beginning to interfere with my work... with the job the UEO was paying me to do."  A tear slid down her cheek.  "That's just not like me.  Emotions have never interfered with my work... until you came along."

"Hey..."  Nathan hugged her to him, guilt and remorse washing through him.  "It's all right, sweetheart.  It was my fault... I didn't realize how you felt... or wouldn't let myself realize it.  I got so caught up with duty and the SeaQuest, I didn't realize how *I* felt ...."  He trailed off.  "But I did realize something during this last tour."

"What?"  Came the muffled reply from lips pressed against his chest.

"That none of it mattered if I didn't have you with me."

He felt her still, then slowly lift her head to look at him, eyes searching.

"Do you mean that?"  Her voice was rough with emotion, but he could hear the caution in it.

Bridger nodded.  "That's why I'm here, Kristin.  I resigned my commission on the SeaQuest II.  I decided that nothing was as important as being with you."  He gave a strangled laugh.  "I realized one day that I'd become a solemn, sad man again and I didn't like myself very much."

"Yes, Lucas is very worried about you."  Kristin agreed.  "He said you were withdrawing into yourself again.  Like you'd been in the beginning..."

Bridger sighed, reaching out to stroke her cheek with a finger. "When I went to Malcolm's and you weren't there, and he didn't want to tell me where you were, I thought my guts were going to twist into powder."  He tilted her head up until he could look into her amber eyes.  "I love you, Kristin Westphalen, and I want to spend my life with you.  If that means never commanding another submarine or going on another mission, then that's fine."

"Oh, Nathan..."

"Hey... you're supposed to be happy."  Bridger smiled as her eyes filled with tears.  "Of course, if you don't want me hanging around---"

The rest of his words were lost as Kristin pulled his head down for a kiss.

When they parted, both breathing heavily, Nathan pulled her tightly against him.  "God, I missed that."

A chuckle rumbled in her chest.  "You have kissed me exactly four times.  How the hell could you miss it?"

"You're very addictive."  Bridger told her, pulling back to meet her  gaze. "... and I have a very vivid imagination."

"Oh really?  Well, perhaps reality won't meet your expectations?"  she ventured.

"Don't you believe it,"  Bridger assured her.  "Besides, it'll make you try harder."

"Oh!"  Kristin smacked him as he grinned down at her.  "Nathan Hale Bridger!"

He laughed.

"Nathan."  Suddenly serious, Kristin took a step out of his embrace.  "We still have to talk about this.  I... I can't just go back to where we left off."

"I know."  Bridger told her.  "I didn't expect to just come and apologize and things would be fine again."  He reached out to touch her cheek.  "We just barely got to know each other before I left.  I realize we need to talk."

He took a step toward her, a grin curving his lips.  "However, for right now can I just fulfil my midnight fantasy and kiss you?"  He asked, trying to look trustworthy.

"And just what makes you think that I would be *willing* to make your fantasies come true?"  Westphalen demanded, trying hard to keep her scowl in place.  They did need to talk, but Kristin had had her share of late night fantasies as well, and she had to admit that what she wanted right this minute was Nathan Bridger in her bed.

Bridger grabbed her, tickling her side.  "Oh, I think maybe you'll cooperate--"

"Nathan!"  Kristin squealed, trying to wriggle away from him without much success.  "Nathan stop!"

"Oh?  You want me to stop?"  He leaned forward, nuzzling her neck, lips moving along the softness of her skin.

Kristin moaned, deep in her throat, arms going around Bridger's neck.

"Still want me to stop?"  He whispered, tongue flicking against her ear.

"Just shut up and kiss me!"  Kristin demanded, tightening her hold on him.

The next morning found them in the small town near Westphalen's home.  Hand in hand they strolled down a quiet street, each with a cup of coffee in the other hand.  Sleep hadn't come to either until nearly dawn and both felt lazy and sated.

"What do you say we go home and have breakfast instead?"  Nathan ventured, tossing his empty cup in a trash bin.  "Maybe we can start that discussion you keep telling me we need to have."

Kristin squinted up at him, suspicion in her eyes.  "Who's going to do the cooking?"

"I will, of course."  He assured her.

"Of course."  She muttered, her cup joining his.  "All right.  I could go for a nice quiet morning..."

"Followed by a nice, quiet afternoon?"  He leaned down to nuzzle her neck, silky hair tickling his nose.

"I thought we were going to talk things out."  Kristin scooted out of his grasp.

"How can I have a serious discussion when you look so ravishing?"  Bridger  demanded.

"Is that all you think about, Nathan?"  But she was laughing.

"Not always... just when I'm with you."  His arm slid around her slender waist.

"Did you think about me on SeaQuest?"  Kristin asked, leaning her head on his shoulder.  "Like that, I mean."

"Sure."  He peered down at her.  "Didn't you?"

"Continuously, but I didn't think you'd be interested."

He stopped to stare at her.  "You're kidding?"

Westphalen shrugged.  "Well, not in the beginning.  And then we got so involved in the mission..."

Bridger chuckled and she cocked her head, eyebrow raised.

"I was just thinking that when I got to Malcolm's institute, half of me was so disappointed not to find you and the other half was just damned glad he hadn't talked you into marrying him."

"Nathan...."  She shook her head.  "I enjoyed Malcolm's company and I am fascinated by some of the work he's done with his dolphins, but I'm not in love with him.  She met his gaze seriously.  "I'm glad you came back, Nathan.  Whatever happens, I love you very much.  I...."  She looked at the ground, then back to meet his gaze.  "I never let myself really admit how much I loved you, until last night."  Tears shimmered in her eyes and she looked away.

Bridger reached out to stroke her cheek.  "I think I've always loved you.  I'm going to do my damnedest to make things work this time around."

As Nathan bent to kiss her, someone grabbed him from behind, slamming him to the ground.  He hit his head hard and found to keep the darkness at bay.  Bridger heard Kristin's scream and then blackness swallowed him.

When she awoke, Kristin tried to access her last memory.

"Nathan!"

She sat bolt upright, on what turned out to be a twin bed, and was immediately sorry.  Pain laced through her skull, making her cry out as she lay down again.

"Dear God, what happened?"  She murmured, gingerly sitting up again, eyes opening cautiously to take in her surroundings.

She was in a normal, if sparely furnished bedroom with a twin bed and a rocking chair.  There were bars at the bare windows and an overhead light that wasn't helping her headache.  Gingerly the doctor got up and moved toward the door, only to find it locked.  As a wave of nausea swept over her, Kristin sank into the chair, head lowered into her lap.

"Oh, Nathan, where are you?"  She murmured.

Kristin looked up at the sound of a key in the lock.  The door swung open and a tall blonde woman stepped inside, closing the door behind her.  She was dressed in navy blue cotton slacks and a white turtleneck with boots on her feet.  Her shoulder length hair was the color of fresh straw and her blue eyes snapped as she contemplated the woman before her.  In her hand she held a black riding crop.

Kristin stood slowly, turning to face her captor.  "Who are you?  Why have you brought me here?"  She paused,  "What have you done to Capt. Bridger?"

"*Capt.* Bridger, is it?"  The blonde sneered, stepping closer.

Kristin waited, silently.  She'd seen the light of insanity before and it burned brightly in this woman's eyes.  Something niggled in the back of her brain... she should know who this was, but she couldn't quite place her.  As Kristin watched, the other woman began to beat her palm lightly, slowly with the crop.  Kristin watched the motion despite herself.

"You don't recognize me, do you?"  the blonde asked, amusement in her voice.

Kristin shook her head, eyes returning to the woman's face.  "No-"  She stopped as realization dawned.  "Wait--"

"Ah, I see you're beginning to remember."

Kristin tried to disguise the fear that shot through her.  "You're Marilyn Stark."

"That's right.  Captain of the SeaQuest."

Westphalen snorted.  "Nathan Bridger is the SeaQuest's true captain.  Whether he's aboard her or not."

"Such touching loyalty." Stark commented dryly, increasing the tempo of her crop.  "Nathan Bridger is a has-been.  He's not even Captain of SeaQuest any more."

"Because he *chose* to leave."  Kristin defended her lover, taking a step toward Stark.  "Unlike you, who was relieved of your command."  The anger that rose inside her at Bridger's defense helped to dissipate the thumping in her head.

"Shut up!"  Stark snapped at her, eyes glinting like steel.  "I've lost everything because of him!  And he's going to pay for it!"

"I don't understand,"  Kristin said quietly, trying to calm the woman's anger.  "If you are trying to get at Nathan, why use me?  Why not just go after him?"

Stark threw back her head and laughed.  The manic bark of someone truly over the edge of sanity.  "Oh now it's *Nathan* is it?"

Westphalen cursed herself for the slip.

"I'm using you to get to him because the one thing that hurts Bridger is losing the people he loves."  She spat the last word out.  "And I heard that the two of you were lovers."  This last was uttered almost conversationally.

"That's not true!  Never on SeaQuest!"  Kristin protested, truthfully.

"Oh really?  I don't believe you."

Thump.  Thump.

Kristin found her eyes irresistibly drawn back to the riding crop.

Thump. Thump.  Thump.

"The more I make you bleed... the more Nathan will bleed.  I'll teach him not to take up with every little tramp that falls under his command.  I'll show him what his pretty little scientist looks like after a few rounds with a real woman."

Hatred blazed from the blue eyes and Kristin's jaw dropped with sudden realization.

"You're in love with him!"  She accused.

"No!"  Stark denied, taking another step toward her captive.

"Yes you are!"  Kristin exclaimed, triumphantly.  "You're in love with him and he doesn't care about you."  She laughed, aware that she was pushing Stark, but unable to come up with a better plan.  Maybe she could push the woman over the edge and escape.  "You're jealous!"

In a lightning movement, Marilyn Stark closed the distance between them, riding crop raised to strike.  Westphalen barely had time to raise her arm in defense before the hard wooden rod struck her, leaving an angry red welt across her forearm.

"You shut up!"  Stark screamed, venom in her voice.

She raised her arm again, this time striking Kristin's back and shoulder as the doctor turned away from her, trying to shield her face from the stinging blows.

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

Then Stark forced calm back into her voice and gave Kristin a smug smile.  "You just shut up."  Turning, she left the room, locking the door and leaving a very frightened Kristin Westphalen to contemplate her fate.

Kristin slowly straightened, pain stinging the welts on her arm and shoulders.  "Jesus, the woman's insane."  She muttered.  "Oh, Nathan be careful!"

Marilyn Stark pushed open the door of what had become the control room of the small rented house.  A tall, burly man seated at the computer console turned to smile at her.  Stark suppressed a shiver; this man was truly insane, she told herself.  The look in his eyes was frightening and she was very glad not to be Dr. Kristin Westphalen.

"So, she remembered you,"  Rubin Zellar commented, rising from where he'd been monitoring their exchange via the videocamera hidden in Kristin's room.

"Of course she did."  Stark shrugged.  "She's not stupid."

"Oh no, that she is not."  the man agreed.  "However, soon she will be past using that intelligence.  Soon she will need only her beauty to survive."

Marilyn rolled her eyes.  "You just keep your hands off of her until I get Bridger here."  she warned.  "I don't want her dead or maimed when he shows up.  I need her for bait."

"I know, I know,"  Zellar soothed.  "Nothing permanent will happen to the doctor until you have Bridger."  Zellar's face changed to a dangerous mask.  "Then I will teach the lovely Dr. Westphalen that one does not humiliate Rubin Zellar.  And one does not win against him."

A smile curved Stark's lips.  "Good.  The more she suffers,"  she jerked her head toward the now-blank monitor screen,  "The more Nathan will suffer."

Bridger came to with a groan.  He held a hand up to shield his eyes from the room's light.

"Hey!  He's coming around."

"Lucas?"  Bridger squinted his eyes open to find the young man standing anxiously by his bed, Bill Noyce stepping up behind him.

"Nathan... how you feeling?"  The Admiral asked with a gentle smile.

"I've been better.  Where am I?"  He looked around, realizing he was in a hospital bed.

"You're in the hospital, Cap."  Lucas supplied, obviously relieved to have his friend conscious again.  "The cops found you unconscious in an alley."

"Kristin!"  Bridger sat up, eyes wide with panic.  "How's Kristin?"

The other two exchanged a glance, then Bill Noyce shook his head.  "You were alone, Nathan.  Dr. Westphalen wasn't with you."

"She was!"  Bridger slid off the bed, moving to the closet.  His vision darkened for an instant, then cleared, but he kept moving.  He had to find Kristin!

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"  Noyce trailed after him as his friend began to pull his clothes off hangers.  "You've got a concussion.  Nathan!"

"I'm going back to Kristin's.  Maybe there's some clue... or a message..."  Quickly he began to dress, despite the worried glances of his two friends.

"Nathan..."

"Shut up, Bill.  Kristin was with me and somebody jumped us.  I heard her scream and then I blacked out.

"If you're leaving, I'm going with you."

"Lucas--"  Bridger swung on the youth, then stopped at the look of desperation on his face.

"She's more of a mother to me than my own... I have to go with you."  he almost whispered.

Bridger nodded, gently squeezing the boy's arm.  "Okay, let's go.  Bill,"  He turned to Noyce,  "I want you to be ready to give us some back up if we need it."

"Just give the word, Nathan and I'll send a unit out.  But we have no idea where she is!"

"Yet."  Bridger told him with conviction.

"Be careful, both of you."  the Admiral cautioned.  "I'll handle things here with the authorities."

"Thanks.  Come on, Lucas."

"How are we gonna find her?"  the teen demanded, nevertheless trailing after the man.

"I've got an idea."

Together they left the hospital, leaving Noyce with the job of explaining Bridger's hasty departure.

She didn't know how long she'd sat in the chair, knees drawn up to her chin, waiting for Stark to return.  Kristin had explored every inch of her comfortable prison and found no escape.  There were also no sharp objects in the bathroom and nothing else that could be used for a weapon.  Frustrated, she'd sank, exhausted, into the chair and now contemplated her options.  Waiting seemed to be the only one she could come up with.

She blinked hard, trying to refocus her eyes.  "Oh, you have had too busy a day," she told herself drolly, running fingers through her tousled hair.  "Why is it that everything has been peaceful and calm for nearly a year and then Nathan Bridger shows up in your life again and Wham!"  She sighed.

Suddenly Kristin sat up straighter, sniffing the air.  She couldn't detect an odor, but something wasn't right.  Not only was she becoming more and more lightheaded, but she was becoming increasingly disoriented.  Kristin fought to remember where she was... had it been only last night that she'd seen Nathan?  No, this morning...  She shook her head, trying to clear away the fog.  Feeling suddenly agitated, she rose and began to pace the small bedroom, arms wrapped around herself.  She could feel her heart thumping in her chest and hear the blood racing in her ears, blocking out any other sound.  But then, there was no other sound, was there?

"Kristin-"

She whirled to see Nathan standing behind her.

"Nathan!"  She took two steps toward him but he held out a hand.

"No, Kristin.  You can't be with me here."

"Why?  You've come to get me-"

"No."  Sadly, Nathan shook his head.  "I've come to say goodbye."

"No..."  She whispered, shaking her head.

"I'm dead, Kristin.  We can't be together."  He smiled gently and raised a hand to his lips, brushing a kiss to her.  "Be well my love."

"No!  Nathan!"  Kristin screamed, running forward, reaching for the shimmering vision of her love.

Her body impacted hard with the wooden high-back chair and she cried out again, trying to catch her balance and failing as she hit the carpeted floor with a thud.  She rolled onto her back, gazing up at the ceiling, then rolled onto her feet and stood.  The room was empty.  Nathan was gone.  Tears rolled down her cheeks to mix with the blood that seeped from the corner of her mouth where the fall had split her lip open.

"Nathan..."

Sinking to the floor, Kristin curled into herself and sobbed until she fell into a drug-induced sleep.

In the control room, Zellar smiled, pleased with the first testing of his new mind hallucinogenic gas.  Manipulating levers, he pumped the foul air from the locked bedroom while replacing it with fresh.  He would wait twelve hours and then try the next level of drugs on the woman.

Bridger got out of bed for the third time since he'd gone to bed the night before.

He and Lucas had perfected, he hoped, his plan and then waited to be contacted by Kristin's captors.  The contact never came.

Giving up on sleep, Nathan pulled on a pair of trousers and a T-shirt then went out into the living room where Lucas was sleeping on the sofabed.  Except he wasn't sleeping.

"You too, huh?"  the captain smiled slightly, sinking down in an armchair.  "Why don't they contact us!"  he almost hissed.

Lucas shrugged.  There was nothing he could say to ease the older man's worry and he knew it.  Nothing but be there for him in case....  He refused to take that line of thought any further.

Both jumped to their feet as the doorbell rang.  Bridger glanced at his watch... 4:00 in the morning.  He hurried to the door and jerked it open.

On the front steps stood a tall, muscle-bound man in dark jeans and shirt.

"Yes?"

"Nathan Bridger."  It wasn't a question.

Bridger nodded.

"Come with me.  I'll take you to Dr. Westphalen."

"Is she okay?"  Lucas was beside him in a second, but Bridger held him back.

"You stay here, Lucas."  He turned to look at the boy.  "You understand?"

Reluctantly the youth nodded and took a step back.

Taking a deep breath, the captain of the SeaQuest stepped out the door and preceded his companion to the waiting car.

Westphalen didn't know how long she'd been asleep when she woke, but her body ached and when she tried to rise from the floor, she stumbled, catching herself on the footboard of the bed.

"What happened?"  She raked through her hair, wincing as her fingers caught the bruise that marred her left cheek.  "I don't remember anything..."

She looked vaguely around the room, wondering at the feeling of grief that filled her.  The fear was gone, replaced with a sense of intense loss and misery.  Had she sleepwalked and had a nightmare?  Kristin shook her head; she couldn't remember.  Slowly she moved up on the bed and fell asleep.

"Oh, doctor, you mustn't go back to sleep so soon..."  Zellar murmured from the control room where he began to pump a refined version of his chemical gas into her room.  Enough time had passed; he was ready to try a fresh combination of his mind bending drug.  "There are so many nightmares to live and so little time, I fear, before your gallant knight comes to rescue you."  With a smile he sat back to watch the proceedings.

He didn't have to wait long...

Kristin was walking down the corridors of SeaQuest, but they were warped and oddly tilted... perhaps there was trouble, she thought as she began to run from Medbay to the Bridge.  Nathan would know.  If she could just get to the bridge she'd be all right.  Nathan would tell her what had happened.  He'd know what to do.

As she ran through the clam doors, onto the bridge, the giant submarine quivered under an impact and lurched to the side, sending her flying across the deck to land in a heap beside Ortiz' station.

"Doctor, are you all right?"  The young man bent over, anxiously peering into her face.

"Yes, I'm fine."  She turned to see Bridger gesturing to Lucas from across the bridge.  The doctor turned to see the young man running toward Bridger, ignoring the older man's warnings.

"Lucas!  Get back to your room!  We're going down!"  Nathan shouted, real fear in his blue eyes.  Kristin didn't remember ever seeing him look quite so desperate and it send a chill of dread through her.

"No, maybe I can do something!"  Lucas shouted, moving to help O'Neil.

Kristin struggled to her feet and moved toward her lover.  Her feet felt like lead and it took all her energy to stumble forward.

She was almost with reach of Bridger when another explosion rocked the Seaquest, sending Westphalen spinning into the captain's chair, while Nathan slammed against the tracking console, cracking the back of his head.

"Nathan!"  Westphalen dragged herself to him, reaching for his wrist to check his vital signs.   There was no heartbeat.  Not a flutter of a pulse.  Panicking, Kristin checked his eyes, her other hand at his throat, but there was nothing.  "No!"  She cried out in anguish, fear seizing her again.  "Nathan!"

"Doc!"

She turned to see a giant wall of water crash through the side of the boat, engulfing Lucas and pulling him under.

"Help me!"

She turned from her dead lover and swam toward the boy, frantically trying to get a hold on him and failing. Everyone else was gone; she was alone with Lucas.  She couldn't lose them both - she just couldn't!  As she struggled, the boy disappeared from view, lost in the churning water.

As the submarine sank deeper, the hole in her hull broadened and the entire bridge was engulfed, cold ocean closing around Kristin and cutting off her breath.  She struggled for air, but there was none and she felt herself suffocating.  She felt the cold hardness of the deck beneath her as the water pushed her down, crushing her lungs as it had the two men she loved.  Her mouth opened and a silent scream was the last thing she remembered before plunging into inky blackness.

Down the hall in the control room, Rubin Zellar replaced the microphone he'd been using to plant suggestions in his subject's mind as his drug had driven her further and further into her nightmare.  His experiments were going very well indeed.  Westphalen was a very receptive subject and he was certain that before the tests were completed, she would have explored the depths of her fear and grief until her heart was hollow.

He looked up as Marilyn Stark entered the room.  "Well?"  He cocked his head to the side.

Her smile was smug as she stood before him, riding crop gently beating against her palm.  "Well, it's taken two days, but he's on his way."

"The only reason it's taken two days, my dear Capt. Stark, is that you've left Bridger to stew."

Marilyn's grin was smug.  "I know."

Zellar gestured to the monitor that showed Kristin sleeping fitfully on the bed.  "Then you're finished with her?"

Stark nodded, dismissing the woman with a wave of the crop.  "She's yours to do with as you wish.  I have what I want."  She grinned.  "Or will have shortly."

"Splendid."  Zellar rose and started for the door.  "I think I'll go and lend some comfort to the poor doctor.  She will be so devastated to learn of the death of her lover."

"You do that."   Marilyn agreed.  "I'd rather talk to Bridger alone anyway."

With a jaunty salute, Zellar left the room, bound for Kristin's prison.

The door opened and Nathan was led into a small room outfitted with monitors and video equipment.  His gaze finally rested on a familiar figure.

"Hello, Marilyn."

She smiled, taking a step forward.  "You don't seem surprised, Nathan."

"I'm not, really."  His features hardened.  "Where's Kristin?"

"Same old Bridger... straight to the point."

"Where is she Marilyn?"  His hands fisted as he pinned her with a glare of pure threat.  "You'd better not have harmed her."

Stark crossed to the video bank and flipped a switch.  "See for yourself."

Bridger turned as the monitor came to life, revealing Westphalen apparently asleep on a small, iron-frame bed.  His anger rose when he saw that her wrists were tied to the headboard above her, T-shirt torn and bloodstained.  An angry bruise covered one cheek and her lower lip was swollen, as if she'd been struck.

"What the hell have you been doing to her, Stark?"  Bridger demanded, moving closer to the screen.

The former captain held up a hand to the guards who had moved to restrain Bridger.  She wanted him to get a good view.  "I haven't touched her, Nathan."  She reconsidered, then added,  "At least, not much."

"Who's that?"  Bridger pointed to a man who sat on the edge of Kristin's bed, his back to them.

"A colleague of mine,"  Marilyn told him with a smile.

The blood drained from Bridger's face as the man turned to smile up at the camera.  The true horror of Kristin's plight hit him as he recognized the man.

"Zellar!"

As he watched, Zellar reached out to stroke Kristin's cheek, his cupped hand sliding slowly up her bare arm.  His fingers rested in the hollow of her throat, toying with the necklace she wore.  He necklace he, himself, had given her before she'd left SeaQuest.

Bridger lunged for the door, but the guards stopped him.  Stark leveled a gun at him and motioned her men to let him go.

"You two wait outside.  I want to talk to Capt. Bridger."  She ordered.  When they'd gone, she gave Bridger a pitying look.  "She's a pawn, Nathan.  And she's *his* pawn."

She could see his anger seething beneath the barely controlled exterior and she rejoiced at his torment.  "Until now she's just been a guinea pig for his newest gas... I told him once you were here, he could do what he wanted with her."  She motioned to the screen with a smirk.  "I guess that's what he wants to do."

"Damn you, Marilyn!"  Bridger's fury erupted as he glanced at the screen to see Zellar caress Kristin again.  Then he moved on the bed to lay across her unconscious body, cupping the side of her neck with his hand.  Despite his horror, Bridger couldn't help but watch as Kristin's eyes fluttered open and she recognized the man beside her.

Nathan's heart ached at the terrified expression in the hazel eyes as she screamed, struggling wildly against Zellar's weight, jerking at the ropes that bound her to the bed.

As they watched, Zellar caressed her intimately and Kristin screamed, kicking at him.  Laughing, Zellar rose to straddle her, bringing his hand across her face hard.  "Lie still!"  He commanded.

Stark flipped a switch and the screen went dark.

"Bring it back!"  Bridger roared.

"No, I think you can guess the outcome."  She eyed him with some humor.  "I never took you for a voyeur, Nathan."

"Dammit Marilyn, stop him!"

"I don't think so.  You won't be needing her anymore, Nathan."  Her voice took on a grim tone.  "And you can die with the knowledge that you're responsible for her life in hell... however long that lasts."  The contempt in her voice was almost palatable.

"Marilyn!"

Stark laughed, insanity edging the sound and pushing Bridger over the edge of rational thought into reckless action.  His only thought was of Kristin being molested by the vileness of Zellar while he stood helpless, playing games with Stark.

Bridger lunged at her, struggling for possession of the gun she held.  As they rolled across the floor, Nathan vaguely saw the door open and the two guards hurry toward them, but the haze of his fury blocked everything out but getting possession of the weapon.  Finally his fingers closed around it and he yanked, just as Stark's finger pulled the trigger.

White heat slammed into his shoulder and Nathan was throw back, still in possession of the gun as one of the men hauled him to his feet, the other going to help their boss.

Bridger slammed his body into the guard behind him, sending him careening into the bank of consoles, then lunged at the second man who was bending over an unconscious Marilyn Stark.

"Hold it!"

He pointed the gun at the guard and backed through the door, into the hallway.  As he gained the door, Bridger locked it and started down the hallway at a fast jog, wondering where in the building they were keeping Kristin... if she was indeed in the same building.

Kristin's terrified scream tore the air and he ran in that direction.

Nathan reached the door as she screamed again, this time, Bridger swore, in pain.

"Kristin!"  Nathan threw himself against the locked door, fear and frustration giving him strength, despite his injury.

Another scream, followed by the sickening sound of flesh hitting flesh, fueled Bridger's desperation and he slammed into the door with his good shoulder.  It burst open with a crack.  The scene that met him had Bridger across the room and lunging at Westphalen's assailant.

Zellar lay across her body, his mouth on hers, forcing a passionate kiss on his obviously unwilling victim.  As Nathan reached the bed, Kristin bit Zellar and he leapt off her with a shout, cursing as he hit her across the mouth, reopening her split lip.  The side of her face was already red from the previous blow.  Everything disappeared for an instant except for his hatred of Zellar and Nathan hauled the man off Kristen, swinging him around.

"Bastard!"  Enraged, Bridger pulled back and dropped the scientist with a single punch.  As Zellar fell limply to the floor, Nathan turned to Kristin who was near hysteria, her wrists rubbed raw as she struggled to free herself.

"Easy sweetheart,"  Bridger soothed, a knee on the bed as he reached out to touch her.

"No!"  Westphalen jerked away, as far as her bonds would allow.

"Kristin,"  Nathan pulled back, his voice calm and non-threatening.  "It's Nathan."

"No... "  She shook her head, forehead marred in a frown of confusion as she looked at him, but she stopped struggling.  "No, you can't be-"

"It's me, love," he assured her with a gentle smile.  "Stop struggling... you're hurting yourself."  He tried his most charming smile.  "You're just confused."

"It's another one of your tricks... your mind games..."  Kristin cowered against the pillows, eyes wide with distrust.

Nathan's heart twisted in his chest as he imagined what Zellar must have done to her to bring on this reaction.

"Nathan is dead."  The doctor stated flatly, some of her familiar assurance returning.

"No..."  He soothed, sinking to his knees beside the bed, careful to keep his hands out of sight.  "That was a trick, sweetheart.  I'm here to take you home."

Kristin swallowed hard, obviously wanting very much to believe him, but afraid.

Bridger slipped a hand in his pants pocket, coming out with a pocketknife.  "Let me cut you lose."  He told her, rising and slicing through the ropes that bound her to the bedstead.

Immediately Kristin scooted to the other side of the bed, pressing herself against the backboard, wide, terrified amber eyes fixed on the man before her.

"Come on, Kristin."  Bridger murmured.  "This is real."

"No... you're... you drowned.  You are dead."  Tears slipped down her cheeks and her breath came in pants as the reality before her clashed with what she'd seen... or thought she'd seen... with her own eyes.  "You died on SeaQuest... I was there... I saw it.  And then Lucas drowned!"

Nathan's heart ached for her but he was at a loss to help her.

"Kristin?"  He couldn't help but reach a hand out to her, sitting on the edge of the bed once more.  "It's me.  I promise."

Slowly recognition crept into her eyes and she focused on the man before her.

"You're really here?"  She whispered, afraid to believe.  Then the doctor in her took over as she registered the blood that soaked Bridger's shoulder.  "You're hurt..."

Nathan breathed a sigh of relief at the typical reaction.

"Come on, honey, I'm taking you out of here."

"I don't think so, Captain."

As he swung to turn and face his assailant, Bridger heard Kristin's shout of warning pierce the air and then blackness descended as he was hit on the back of the head.

Westphalen scrambled off the bed to kneel beside her fallen lover.

"How touching."  Zellar smirked, watching her.

"He's hurt!"  Kristen probed Bridger's shoulder, relieved to find it was a surface wound.  The bleeding had stopped, but she wanted to get it clean before infection set in.  "I need to tend his shoulder."

"No, I don't think that will be necessary."  Zellar shook his head.  He reached down to grasp her wrist, but Kristin pulled away, fear once more flashing in her dark eyes.

"Get away!"

"He can't help you, you know."  Zellar's expression hardened.  "And I'm not nearly through with you yet, Doctor."

Her strength severely depleted, Westphalen had little choice but to be dragged out of the room behind her captor.  Her last sight of Bridger was as he lay on the bedroom floor, unconscious, blood staining his shoulder and back.  Silently she prayed that he, at least, would make it out of the house alive, because she doubted that she would now.

When they reached the control room, the two guards that had been with Nathan previously hurried toward Zellar and his prisoner.

"How is she?"  the scientist asked.

"She'll be okay."  One man assured him.  "Bridger just knocked her out.

Kristin smiled at that.  At least Nathan had managed to do a bit of damage before they'd stopped him.

"I'm going to take this one to my base."  Zellar jerked his head at Westphalen.  "Tell Stark that when Bridger wakes up, I don't want him stopped.  I want him to come after her."

Kristin frowned.  "Why?"  Her voice was hoarse and scratchy.

Zellar's broad smile sent a chill down her spine.  "So that I may have the pleasure of a game of cat and mouse with the good captain, of course."

Kristin jerked away as he reached to caress her cheek.

"And then I'll make him watch while I kill you.  Slowly, luxuriously and very very painfully."

Westphalen bit back her terror and turned away from Zellar.  While she firmly believed in the adage of where there was life there was hope, she mentally wrote her own life off as forfeit.  She only hoped that Nathan would be able to survive.

As they made their way down the corridor, the doctor wondered for an instant if she was hallucinating again as Lucas rounded the corner at a dead run, followed by two armed UEO soldiers.

"Lucas!"

The teen stopped and dropped to the floor as Zellar's men opened fire, amid Kristin's scream and Zellar's outraged shouts.

While Lucas rolled to the relative safety of a doorway, the two UEO men flattened themselves against the wall and returned fire.

Yanking Kristin in front of him, Zellar darted into the office where an outraged Marilyn Stark waited.

"Are you crazy"  she demanded, then slammed her fist against the wall.  "Of course you're crazy!  I knew that!"

"Shut up!"  Zellar snarled, shoving Westphalen into a chair while he locked the door.  "We have to get out of here!"

"Open the door!"  A loud voice boomed at them.  "This is the UEO... we are here to arrest Dr. Zellar and Marilyn Stark and take Nathan Bridger and Dr. Westphalen into protective custody.

"Like hell.."  Zellar muttered, turning to Kristin with a murderous look.  "If I can't have my revenge the way I want it, I'll take it any way that I can."

"No..."  Kristin shook her head, teeth catching her lip as she scooted as far from him as the chair would allow.  "Please, just go-"

"No!"

Zellar reached down and jerked her feet, then slammed her hard against the door.

"All right.  If you shoot your way in, you will be killing Dr. Westphalen.  Is that clear?  She is standing in front of the door and will not survive an attack."

Silence greeted them and Stark wondered briefly where the hell her guards were.  Unconscious or dead, probably, she fumed.  Damned madman!  Damned Bridger!

Bridger came to with a pounding headache.  Slowly he sat up, looking around the empty room.  He'd been a fool not to secure Zellar and now Kristin was paying for it.

"Dammit!"  he swore, levering himself to his feet.

Stumbling out of the room, Bridger stopped at the sight of two dead security guards and two very much alive UEO men standing outside Stark's office. Inside he could hear Marilyn Stark pounding on the door, shouting. Raising a finger to his lips, he motioned for one of the men to follow him back inside the bedroom.

In the office, a waiting game was going on.

"I'm telling you, killing her was never part of the plan!"  Stark told Zellar.  "The deal was you would take her away and do whatever you wanted to her while I had Nathan.  That was the deal!"  She glared at him.

"But our situation has changed, somewhat."  Zellar pointed out quietly.  Despite his calm voice. Sweat beaded on his forehead and his eyes darted nervously from the two women in the room to the door which held his captors at bay.

Westphalen, who stood facing both of them with her back to the wall, frowned slightly as she saw a movement in the vent above Zellar's head.  Realizing what she was seeing, the doctor immediately refocused her attention to the two bickering before her.

Bridger breathed a sigh of relief that Kristin was all right and that she understood she had to keep Zellar and Stark from seeing them.

"I wonder why it's so quiet out there."  Marilyn said suddenly, taking a step toward the door.

"Listen,"  Kristin held her ground, determined to give Bridger and his companion time to access the room.  "Why don't you both listen to reason-"

"Why don't you shut the hell up."  Stark suggested menacingly, pushing her away from the door.

At that moment, the ventilator grill went flying and two men dropped out of the shaft.

Kristin winced for Bridger as Stark landed a blow on his injured shoulder, but quickly grinned when the naval captain drew back and landed a blow to her chin that knocked the woman unconscious.

Glancing over to see that Zellar was under control, Bridger unlocked the door, allowing Lucas and the other officer entry.

"Kristin-"  He held out his arms and she stepped into them.  Suddenly what little energy she'd had left was gone and she just wanted to stay in Nathan's arms forever.  No SeaQuest, no UEO, no made terrorists.  Just sweet nothingness in his arms.  With a smile she closed her eyes.  Nathan's grip on her tightened as she passed out.

"Lucas, is there a car outside we can use to get her to a hospital?"

"Yeah.  I drove."  Lucas stepped up to his mentor.  "I'll take her."

"Thanks."  Bridger smiled ruefully.  "I don't think my shoulder will take it.

"S'okay."  With little effort he lifted the unconscious woman into his arms and led the way out of the house, Bridger close behind him.

Bridger stepped out of the emergency exam room, his left arm firmly ensconced in a sling.  He walked down to the waiting room where Lucas sat, nervously thumbing through a well-worn magazine.

"Any word?"

The boy jumped to his feet and crossed to the older man.  "No, nothing.  How's your shoulder?"

"Fine."  Bridger smiled at him,  "The bullet went through and there was no bone or muscle damage."  He gestured to the sling,  "I'm stuck with this for a week or so."

"Good."  The teen nodded.  "Why do you think they haven't told us anything about the doc?"

"I don't know."  Bridger glanced at his watch, then at Lucas' worried face.  "I'll go and ask at the desk."

As he turned, Bridger caught sight of the young doctor who had taken Kristin when she'd been admitted.

"Dr. Martin?"  He strode across the small room.  "I'm Nathan Bridger... I brought Dr. Westphalen in..."

"Oh yes, Capt. Bridger."  He came into the room and held a hand out first to Bridger, then to Lucas.  "How do you do."

"Hi."  Lucas shook hands.  "How is she?"

The doctor frowned.  "I'd like to keep her at least overnight.  Do you have any idea what happened to her Captain?"

Nathan shook his head.  "Not exactly, no.  She was forcibly kidnapped and held hostage by someone trying to get at me.  What they did to her during the two days that they had her... I'm not sure."

"Well, she wasn't raped, that I can tell you for certain.  But from the marks on her wrists, she was forcibly restrained and the bruises and welts on her face, arms and back suggest that she was beaten.

Bridger's nostrils flared with an anger he forced down.  It wouldn't do Kristin any good if he lost his temper now.  "What else?"  He demanded softly.

There are traces of a chemical in her blood that none of us have ever seen before.  It has large properties of hallucinogenic drugs and other components."

"And that would cause her to have hallucinations?"  Bridger prompted, remembering Kristin's reaction to their presence.

"Yes, that and nightmares.  I think the drugs would have made her mind very pliable to anyone controlling her."

Lucas spoke up.  "If they told her she was seeing Capt. Bridger's death... would she believe them?"

"Is that what happened?"  The doctor turned back to Nathan.

"We think so."

"That would explain her mood swings, certainly.  One moment she's dead asleep and the next she's fighting and then sobbing that you had been killed... that she'd seen you killed."

Bridger nodded grimly.  "Yes, I'm sure that's what happened."   Snapping, Nathan slammed his good hand into the waiting room wall.  "Dammit!  Zellar is a madman!"

"If Dr. Westphalen was the victim of one of Rubin Zellar's experiments,"  Dr. Martin said slowly,  "I really would like to keep her here for a day or two.  Just to make sure nothing develops later."  He went on as Bridger opened his mouth to protest.  "You're welcome to stay with her, Captain.  I mean..."  He stopped.

"What?"

"From the bits and pieces I've gotten from her ramblings, I believe the two of your are... close.  It might make her rest easier if you were here with her."

Bridger nodded, looking to Lucas.  "Would that be all right with you?  Can you take the car and go back to Kristin's?"

Lucas nodded.  "You want me to stay?"

"No.  You can come back and get us in the morning."  He looked to Martin.  "All right?"

"I'd like to keep her longer, but I don't think she'll stand for it."  He smiled.  "I worked with Kristin once for about a year on a research grant and she has never been one to take orders well."

Nathan snorted.  "That's the truth!"

Martin laughed, then his face grew somber.  "And because I did know her, it made seeing what Zellar or whoever has done to her even more infuriating.  It's going to take some time for her to come back from this, Captain."

"Well, I've got all the time she needs, doctor."

"Then I'll leave it to you."

"Can... can we see her?"  Lucas spoke up.

"Of course.  We've transferred her to a private room... I'll take you there."

The two friends silently followed Martin to the elevators.

The doctor left them alone and Nathan stood by Kristin's bed, one small hand in his, watching her sleep.

"She okay?"  Lucas edged up beside him, cautiously watching his friend.

"Yeah, she's just sleeping I think."  Bridger assured him.  "We should go and let her get as much rest as she can."

The teen nodded.  "I'm glad she's okay.  I...."  He glanced at Bridger, then back to Westphalen.  "I was afraid she'd..."

"I know."  Bridger assured him.  "So was I."

Giving Kristin's hand a squeeze, Bridger left with Lucas, vowing to himself that he would be there for her recovery and hopefully, if she would allow it, for the rest of her life.

3:45 AM - Westphalen home
 

Lucas' shout woke him as the young man ran through the living room on his way to Kristin's bedroom.  After discussing it with Westphalen, Bridger had decided that Lucas would use the guest room at Kristin's home, while he himself slept on the sofa outside her room.

Groggy with sleep, Bridger levered himself to his feet and switched on the table lamp.

Now he could hear what had woken the teen; Kristin was crying out in her sleep.  It was a mark of his own exhaustion that he hadn't heard it himself.

When Nathan reached the bedroom he found Lucas standing helplessly by the bed.  The boy cast a desperate look at Bridger, who quickly moved to sit on the edge.

"Kristin--wake up!"  He took hold of her arms, but it only made her struggles increase, tossing helplessly in the tangle of covers.

"Kristin, it's Nathan!"

Brown eyes opened, revealing panic and fear.

"Oh, Nathan!"

She sat up, flinging herself into his arms.

"Shhhh... it's all right, sweetheart."

Bridger met Lucas' eyes over her shoulder and nodded.  With a look of intense relief, the youth slipped out, closing the door softly behind him.

Nathan rubbed her back, gently whispering comforting words until she stopped shaking, then he pulled back to look into her face.

"Okay now?"  He brushed the hair from her eyes and smiled softly.

Kristin nodded.  "I'm sorry I woke you.  It was... it was Zellar's nightmare all over again.  You dying... Lucas-"

"It's all right.  It's only a dream and it can't hurt you any more."

"I know."  Westphalen laid her head against his shoulder again.  "Please stay with me, Nathan.  I know Lucas is in the other room-"

"Lucas doesn't give a damn about whether I'm sleeping with you or not."  He paused,  "No, I take that back, he cares very much."

She sat back, sniffing as she wiped tears from her cheeks.  "He's still upset, isn't he?"

"On the contrary,"  Bridger grinned at her. "He'd like nothing better than to leave here knowing we were together."  Then, more soberly,  "I think he just needs one set of parents to be happy."

Kristin leaned her forehead against Bridger's chest, eyes closing as the last vestiges of her dream dissipated.  "I don't know what to do!"  It was a whisper that Bridger barely heard and it held a lost quality that tore at his heart.  "What if the dreams never go away!"

"It's gonna be all right."  He soothed, holding her tightly.  "The dreams will fade with time.  Zellar's in jail."  Nathan kissed the top of her head.  "It's all right."

Kristin melted against him, soaking up his strength, feeling some amount of security seep back into her being.  Finally she nodded and pulled back.

"I'm being silly.  Go back to bed, Nathan."

His brow furrowed,  "Kristin..."

"No, you were right.  We really shouldn't,... not with Lucas here."

Bridger smiled gently and lightly brushed her lips with his own.  "Goodnight, Kristin.  Go to sleep."

"All right.  We'll work this out, Kristin.  You're going to be okay."  He brushed is lips over hers.  "We're going to be okay."

"I know."

He barely heard the whisper as she lay back down and he pulled the covers over her.  Leaning down, Bridger kissed her forehead.  "'Night."

"Goodnight."

Softly he left the room, leaving the door partway open.

In the living room Lucas rose, concern written clearly on his young features.

"She okay?"

"Yeah..."  Bridger ruffled the young man's hair.  "She's going to be fine.  We just have to give her some time."

"You gonna stay with her?"

Bridger grinned.  "What do you think?"

Lucas flushed, looking at his shoes.

"You want to stay with us?"  Nathan asked quietly.

The sandy head shot up, mouth open in surprise.  "You mean it?"

"Absolutely.  I know Kristin would love having you around... and so would Darwin.  He should be showing up any day now."

"That... that would be great!"  Happiness sparkled in Lucas' eyes and he quickly hugged his surrogate father.  "Do you think my dad will be okay with it?"

"I know he will."  Bridger told him.  "I already asked."

"You did?"

Bridger nodded.  "Before I left the boat.  He just wants you to be happy, Lucas."

"Great."  He shook his head in awe, then met the older man's gaze.  "Thanks.

"No, thank you."  Bridger sat beside him on the sofa.  "You helped me save her and you've been a good friend to both of us."

Again the young man shrugged, ducking his head.

"Hey, we should get some sleep before morning."  Nathan told him, rising.  "Maybe we'll take Kristin for a sail tomorrow."

"Maybe we can meet Darwin."  Lucas suggested.

Bridger grinned and headed for the guest room.  "Yep.  That was my thought too.  'Night Lucas."

"Good night."

Laying down on the couch, Lucas contemplated the last few days and then cast his thoughts to the future.  Which looked a lot brighter than it had looked in a while.  He fell asleep smiling.