"I don't think we're gonna make it, Doc."

Kristin could barely hear the soft-spoken words over the roar of the wind, but as she turned to face the wide-eyed youth, she could see his lips were trembling, and she suspected his voice was doing the same.  His blonde hair was plastered against his forehead and he was shivering beneath his water-soaked clothing.  Without hesitation, Kristin sidled closer and put her arms around Lucas, pulling him into an embrace.

"We're going to be fine Lucas.  Once Darwin gets back to—"

"Darwin's dead!  He couldn't have survived that surge of electricity."  He lamented, nearly in tears as he jerked away from her.

"Now you listen to me, you have got to believe that we are going to be rescued.  Nathan wouldn't let us perish out here."

"She's right Lucas."  A deep timbre spoke from behind them.  Lucas and Kristin turned around to find Jonathan Ford moving closer to them in the raft until he half-kneeled half-sat in between the pair.  "Captain Bridger is going to find us, you have to trust him."

The teenager snorted and rolled his eyes.  "The Captain has forgotten about us.  We're on our own."

"Hey hey… were is all this coming from Lucas?  You know that as soon as he gets a chance—"

"What, you think just because you share his bed that you mean anything to him?"  Lucas asked sarcastically.  "If he cared so much, he would've come for us a long time ago.  You're just convenient for him. "

Kristin visibly paled at his remark and her hand went to her throat in shock.  She had seen Lucas angry before, but that anger had never been directed at her or Nathan, and she was speechless.  Before she could say anything however, Ford pulled Lucas by the shirt until their faces were mere inches apart.

"I know you're upset Lucas… we all are.  But you're behavior is unacceptable.  Now I think you owe the doctor an apology."  Ford ground out between clenched teeth, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Lucas had the good grace to look ashamed, but it was too late and the damage had been done.  Kristin cleared her throat and flashed a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.  "It's quite all right Commander… he's just a little frightened.  Um… if you'll excuse me."

Lucas and Jonathan watched Kristin move to the other end of the raft, her back straight and proud as she clutched the side.  Lucas' comment may have hurt, but she certainly wasn't going allow it to show. "I didn't mean it."  Lucas admitted as Jonathan finally released him.

"I know you didn't… and I think she knows it too.  But Lucas, you have to understand that words can do a lot of damage… even if you don't mean them."

Lucas nodded his head in understanding and flashed a weak smile.  "I'll make it up to her… if we get out of here, I mean."  At the warning look Jonathan shot his way, Lucas lifted his hands and chuckled.  "I'm joking, I'm joking."

"So what genius thing did the kid say now?"

Kristin looked into the sparkling blue eyes of Ben Krieg and sighed.  She turned her attention back to the turbulent water and for a moment, the lieutenant didn't think she was going to respond.

"Nothing."  She finally mumbled, not meeting his gaze.

"Nothing hmm?  Must be a pretty big nothing to have you sitting here all by yourself."

Kristin ignored him and kept her gaze glued to the horizon as if waiting for something.  Ben wasn't quite sure what to do, but he knew that leaving her alone wasn't the answer.   Kristin Westphalen tolerated him at best and she wouldn't appreciate him intruding on her personal  business, but she looked so small and vulnerable against the harsh landscape.

"You know Lucas… he doesn't mean half of what he says."  Krieg tried again.

"I know."

Ben could tell from the set of her jaw that she wasn't going to talk about whatever Lucas had said to hurt her so.  Instead of wasting his breath, and probably getting a good tongue lashing in the process, he moved beside her and placed his arm around her shoulder.  She stiffened under his touch, but she didn't pull away or rip his arm out of the socket, which was a good sign.  They sat in companionable silence for a few moments bracing themselves against the storm before there was a low rumble somewhere beneath them.

"Did you hear that?"  Kristin asked.

"Yeah… what in the world—"

"It's SeaQuest!"

"I tell you I am fine, Joshua.  All I need is a long hot shower, and I'll be right as rain."  Kristin grumbled as she tried to shake his hand off her elbow.

"So, am I to take it that you are ordering these three," he said jerking his thumb to indicate Lucas, Jonathan and Ben, "to med-bay, but you yourself are heading back to your quarters as if you haven't just gone through a very traumatic experience?"

"In a nut shell."  Kristin returned as she once again tried to move through the hatch.  Her efforts were halted however by a brick wall.  Or what she thought was a brick wall, but in actuality turned out to be the broad chest of Captain Nathan Bridger.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Oh not you too.  I'm a doctor for Pete's sake and I ought to know whether I need medical attention or not."  She said angrily as she tried to brush past him.

"Whoa… not so fast, Kristin."  Nathan said as he placed firm hands on either side of her shoulders.  "Doctor Levin thinks you need to be examined, and I believe his judgment is a little less… biased than yours."

"Let's get one thing straight Captain, I am not one of your military drones, and you won't order me around like one.  I am perfectly capable of—"  She stopped mid-sentence as she felt a slight pinch in her neck and subsequently the tell-tale signs of a sedative.  A very strong sedative if she judged by the way her world seemed to be moving in slow motion.  She felt herself falling but couldn't seem to open her mouth to ask for help.  In the end it didn't matter because she felt strong arms envelop her, and then nothing.

"Was that really necessary, Josh?"  Nathan asked as he cradled Kristin to his chest.

"I suspect you understand, perhaps better than anyone else, just how stubborn Kristin is, Captain.  If we'd let her have her way, she would have argued until she was blue in the face.  I'll let you in on a secret; doctors make the worse patients.  Trust me, this was the easiest way.  If I know Kristin, and believe me I do, she'll try to come back to duty in a few hours.  At least the sedative will force her to get some rest."

"All right… if you think it's best.  But I'm glad I won't be in your shoes when she wakes up."

Nathan gazed at Kristin from the doorway of her private room and allowed an affectionate smile to touch his lips.  She was openly glaring at Joshua as he took her blood pressure, but the young doctor seemed immune to her anger.  He stared back at her pointedly and unflinchingly as he removed the Velcro band from around her upper arm; something which caused Nathan's smile to widen further.

"Well?"  Kristin prompted, still unaware of Nathan's presence.

"You can come back to duty on Thursday."  Levin said simply as he arose to his feet.

"Thursday?  You're joking, right?"

Joshua sighed loudly and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm not getting into this with you Kristin.  I'm the doctor here, now. You can go back to your quarters as soon as you're dressed, but if I see you so much as looking in the direction of sea-deck, I'll assign another week of recuperation time."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, wouldn't I?"  Levin challenged as he threw her his most stern expression.  He waited a few moments for a response, and when none was forthcoming, he turned on his heel and almost ran into Bridger.

"Good day, Captain."  He muttered as he brushed past him.

"Do you have that affect on everyone?"  Nathan asked good-naturedly as he walked to the bed and sat carefully on the edge.

Kristin eyed him warily before taking a deep breath.  "Is there something you wanted?"

"Excuse me?"  Nathan asked in an incredulous tone while Kristin continued to stare back unapologetically.  "What's the matter, Kris?"  He asked more gently as he lay his hand atop hers.

Kristin sighed and he could see the tears swimming in her eyes. "I'm sorry."  She whispered.  "I don't know why I'm so snappish."

Nathan smiled in quiet understanding and reached out a hand to tenderly push a strand of errant hair behind her ear.  "Oh I have a pretty good idea.  Kristin, you've just been through a very stressful forty-eight hours… you're allowed to be a little on edge."

"That's no excuse."  She murmured as she lowered her gaze.

Before she knew what was happening, Nathan pulled her into his arms and squeezed as tightly as he dared.  "Oh God Kris, I was so scared."  Nathan whispered into her hair.  "I wanted to come after you, but—"

"Shhh… there's no need for that kind of talk, Nathan.  You had a duty to perform, and we understood that.  Don't you dare apologize for saving those children.  Besides, everything turned out fine in the end, didn't it?"

Nathan silently nodded as he pulled back to gaze into her hypnotizing eyes.  "I love you."  He spoke quietly with emotion.  She merely smiled in response as he lowered his lips to hers, and then answered his gesture with one of her own.

Lucas paced nervously outside of Kristin's quarters, wondering how he was going to get himself out of the hole he had so unceremoniously dug.  Doctor Westphalen's temper was legendary upon the large  submarine, and for one moment he thought seriously about chickening out.  However, he knew he couldn't avoid her forever.  He rapped quietly against the door, mentally preparing himself for her reaction to his presence.

"It's open."

Here goes nothing, He thought as he opened the hatch and walked into the cluttered room.  Kristin sat on her bunk Indian-style, various pieces of paper strewn about her as she leafed through a thick notebook.  Lucas waited for her to look up, but she kept her gaze trained on the printout in front of her.

"Um, hi."  Lucas finally spoke as he stuffed his hands deeply into his pockets.

Kristin finally looked up and smiled gently.  "Hello Lucas."

Well this wasn't what he had been expecting at all.  He narrowed his eyes as he wondered idly whether she was toying with him.  However, that thought was dispelled as she stood up to cross over to him, brushing his hair back from his forehead.  "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine… look Doc, about what I said on the raft—"

"Forget about it Lucas.  I have."  Kristin answered quietly as she stared into his bright blue eyes.

"Well, I can't… you—" He paused in embarrassment as he smiled slightly.  "You mean a lot to me and I want you to know that I didn't mean anything I said.  I was just upset, you know?"

"Yes, I know."

"And well, when I'm upset, I tend to be a jerk.  Big surprise, right?  Well anyway, for what it's worth… the Cap loves you alot."

"Oh, and how do you know that?"  Kristin asked in amusement.

"It's kind of hard to explain… but, well, whenever you come into the room, it's like his whole face just lights up.  I know it's sounds corny, but it's true."

"I see."  Kristin smiled.

"And plus, he told me so."

"He did?"  Kristin asked, all amusement gone from her voice to be replaced with something akin to hope.

"He said …he said that he never thought he'd find love again after, well, you know.  But he said that you've changed his world.  He doesn't feel alone anymore."

"Oh, Lucas."  Kristin half-laughed half-sobbed as she threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek lightly.  "I really needed to hear that… thank you."

"It's the truth."  Lucas said simply as he returned her embrace.

"Thank you all the same."

They stood holding each other for a few more moments before Kristin finally pushed back and asked,  "Are you hungry?"

"I'm always hungry!"

"Well then, what do you say we head down to the mess hall to grab some dinner?"

"Only if we pick the Cap up on the way."

"Absolutely."  Kristin returned as she placed her arm loosely around his waist and steered him out of the door.