It always amazed Nathan Bridger just how quickly the perfect day could turn sour…

First seaQuest had been late in docking and then he'd been waylaid by Bill Noyce; making him four hours late for his reunion with Kristin. They'd arranged to meet in NCQ, have a leisurely lunch and then go shopping for some odds and ends to add to the new house. A simple arrangement… Then they were going back home to do some serious 'undercover' work before going out to dinner…  So how did he come to be sitting on the sofa, surrounded by unpacked shopping bags and going slowly insane?

Kristin hadn't been best pleased when he called to say he'd be late. In fact, she was downright annoyed… Not with him this time thankfully, but with the U.E.O in general and she'd made her feelings quite clear when they finally met up.

They'd had to forego lunch and had rushed around before the stores closed, coming away with only half the things they needed - most of which, he was carrying.

At the last moment Nathan had spotted something that he thought would be perfect for the study-come-office and Kristin had offered to pay for it to make up for her snappishness of earlier. Since his hands were full and he couldn't get to his wallet he'd agreed but, just as she took hers out to remove her credit card, two youths appeared from nowhere and snatched it from her hand. The next thing he knew she had taken off after them. He'd called out to her to stop but she ignored him and being laden down with shopping he couldn't follow.

A voice behind him asked, "Is there something wrong, Sir?"

Nathan turned to see a police officer standing a couple of feet away from him. "Yes Officer… Two kids just snatched my fiancée's wallet. They ran off in that direction…" He indicated with a nod of his head.

"Where is your fiancée now?"

"She took off after them."

"That wasn't a very sensible thing to do, I'm afraid. There have been some pretty violent muggings in this area lately."

"You don't think that…?" He couldn't finish the question.

"I hope not, Sir. But the gang is made up mainly of youths."

"Dammit! I should have stopped her."

The officer looked him up and down. "You seem to have your hands full at the moment but I need you to come with me to make a statement. Do you have somewhere to leave all your packages?"

"We came by car but unfortunately, it's hers not mine and she has the keys."

"Okay, well I'll take you in the squad car. I'm sure we can fit the baggage in somewhere." He smiled.

It was dark when he arrived home almost three hours later. As the cab turned into the parking area he hoped and prayed that she would be waiting for him but the place was in darkness. Nathan felt a shiver of panic run down his spine ~ God… please let her be okay, please ~

He plonked himself down heavily on the sofa and closed his eyes, hoping that when he looked again she would be there and the events of the past few hours would all be a nightmare… but they weren't.

~ Damn it, why the hell couldn't she have left well alone? Why did she always have to be so damned hot-headed? Why couldn't they have picked on someone else? Why did he have to have his hands full? Why didn't he just drop the packages and go after her? Why did he have to be late in the first place? If it hadn't been for that they wouldn't even have been there. They would have been in bed and making love until they couldn't move… Hell, this whole thing was his fault. Why didn't…? ~

He closed his eyes again trying to calm his overactive thought processes. ~ This wasn't helping. What had happened had happened. But if… ~ He opened them abruptly as a chime from the comm-unit indicated an incoming call. "Kristin…?"

When he hit the receive button he found himself looking at the police officer he'd spoken to earlier. "Is there any news?" He asked with some trepidation.

"No Sir, nothing. I was calling to see if Doctor Westphalen had returned home."

"No, she hasn't." He watched as Officer Harding's expression turned to one of resignation.

"I think you ought to know that we checked the surrounding area but there was no sign and no one we questioned had seen her. Sir, you should be prepared for the worst."

"No, dammit! She's all right. She has to be."

"I hope so, Captain Bridger. I'll call if we have any news and I'll trust that you'll do the same?"

"Of course." He shook his head sadly. "And, thank you for your help." Leaning over he broke the connection and put his head in his hands, "Please come home Kris. I need you, Baby."

Bridger spent the next couple of hours doing small things to keep himself occupied… Unpacking the shopping; making something to eat then finding that he wasn't hungry and the thought of eating making him feel sick… Throwing the contents of his plate into the trash… Making coffee and allowing it to grow cold… And all the while, going quietly crazy… ~ He couldn't lose Kristin. He'd never survive it… never… ~

The comm-unit buzzed for attention again and he rushed back and hit 'receive' – this time it was Lucas.

"Hi Cap'. Just thought I'd check to see if you survived the shopping trip." He joked knowing how much Bridger loved shopping.

"Yeah, I survived."

"Is there something wrong, Captain? Where's the Doc? You two didn't have another fight?"

Nathan didn't want to worry the boy and so he simply said, "Yep. Something like that."

"Don't tell me… You couldn't agree on the table linen."

Bridger forced a smile, "How'd ya guess?"

"Just lucky. Is the Doc there?"

"No. Not at the moment."

"Okay. Well make sure you sort it out, won't you? She's a terrific lady and you two are great together. Don't blow it, over a colour scheme."

~ God, if only it were just that ~ he thought. "I won't Lucas. I think I hear her so I'll have to go."

"Take care of each other."

Bridger bit back a sob that threatened to escape him. "We will…" He quickly severed the link and fought to control his emotions; losing his head wouldn't help either of them. Making his way over to the cabinet he poured himself a very large brandy and returned to his vigil on the sofa. Absently, he noticed that his hands were shaking and he gulped down the drink and fetched another.

He kept looking at the clock but the time seemed to be crawling and every time he heard a car he ran to the window in the vain hope that it would be Kristin but they always passed by. As hard as he tried to keep his thoughts optimistic, the police officer's words kept coming back to him. '… You should be prepared for the worst…'

Nathan sprang to his feet and started pacing the room again. The worry building up inside him was fast turning to panic. ~ God, he was going crazy… Kristin please come through the door now… Please, please… ~ He turned and ran into the hallway, opening the front door wide – half-believing that if he wished hard enough she would be there, but there was no one in sight. Finally in despair he went for a long walk on the beach.

He returned just as the dawn was breaking and stopped to watch it, thinking of the times they had sat together in this very spot. When he was with her it was one of the most joyous and spectacular sights on Earth but somehow, today, it had lost its enchantment and just added to the sadness in his heart.

Walking back indoors he checked for waiting messages but there were none. He picked up the photograph of Kristin, which stood on the desk, and traced the lines of her face tenderly. He loved her so much… so much. Wearily he made his way back to the sofa and lay down, closing his eyes to the pain and fear; falling into a troubled sleep.

He was dreaming of the last time they had been together… of making love on the beach and of the plans for the new house that they had discussed well into the night. She had been so excited at the prospect of their first home together and he'd been swept along with her.

Her features had been animated as she described her plans for this room and that, wanting to make everything perfect for them ~ God, she'd looked so beautiful. ~ He'd laughed involuntarily to himself and she'd been really put out until he explained that he'd be happy to live in a cave as long as she was there with him…

The sound of a key being turned in the lock woke him from his slumber. At first he thought that it was a part of his dream but then he heard the door open and then close again. "Nathan?"

He was on his feet in a millisecond and running into the hallway, his heart pounding in his chest. "Kristin? Oh God Kristin…" He pulled her into his arms clinging to her tightly.

"It's okay Nathan. I'm okay…"

"I was so scared, Baby."

"I'm sorry my love. It's all right. Everything's all right."

He felt a surge of anger welling up inside him and broke away, turning his back to her. "What the hell were you thinking, Kris? You could have been killed!"

"I know. I'm sorry I scared you. It was a lousy day and that was the last straw. Anyway there's no harm done. Well, not much…"

His anger was replaced by concern, "Did they hurt you, Baby?" He turned to face her again and noticed the bruising on her left cheek and around her eye. There was also a bandage visible where her sleeve ended. "Kris?"

"I'll live… and anyway it was worth it."

"How the hell could being beaten up be worth it?"

She smiled broadly and produced her wallet, complete with contents, from her back pocket.

Nathan just stared at her incredulously.

"If you think this is bad, you should see the other guy." She joked.

At that moment the comm-unit bleeped for attention once more and he went into the living room to answer it.

"Did Doctor Westphalen get home okay?" Officer Harding asked.

"Yes she did, thank you."

"Don't thank me… that's quite a woman you have there. One of the youths got away but the one who stole the wallet is safely locked up. He's got bruises on his bruises. Apparently when she finally caught up with him, the doctor body-slammed him into a wall. He's in the cells now, vowing to go straight." Harding laughed.

"Somehow I think he learned a valuable lesson yesterday. One I learned a long time ago."

"What was that?"

"Never piss off a certain redhead when she's having a really bad day."

The officer laughed again. "I'm glad that everything worked out for you. Take care of her." He broke the link.

"That's just what I intend to do." Bridger said aloud. "Every inch of her, starting right now."