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SUMMARY: A filler of sorts for "Whale Song." After learning that Bridger is leaving the seaQuest, Lucas seeks out help in convincing him to stay. CODES: SQ, B/W, L RATING: PG13 DISCLAIMER: Characters and the original storyline are Amblin's. I'm just taking them out for a test drive. Some dialogue is from "Whale Song," written by Patrick Hasburgh. NOTES: none
"Not Without a Fight" There’s been a submarine in the North Seas sinking whaling ships. They want me to hunt it down and destroy it, but I can’t do it. I can’t take sides on this issue....Lucas, I don’t know what I’m going to do about this, but for now I’m going to do nothing. Bridger's words echoed through Lucas' mind the entire way back to his cabin. He slammed the hatch behind him in frustration. He couldn't believe the Captain would just give up that easily rather than fight for what he believed in. That was hardly the man Lucas had come to admire and respect over the last five months. Something had to be done, he decided as he pulled a t-shirt over his head. If Bridger wouldn't listen to him, than Lucas would find someone who could talk some sense into him. An adult. * * * He decided to try the bridge first. Even in the middle of the night, there would be at least someone there he could turn to for help. When he arrived a few minutes later, he found Commander Ford and Chief Crocker still staring at Bridger's letter of resignation, faint looks of shock on their faces. "You're just going to stand there and do nothing?!" Lucas couldn't believe their callousness. "Doesn't Captain Bridger mean anything to you people? You can't just let him turn his back on all this and walk out on everything he's tried to accomplish with the seaQuest?" "What do you expect me to do, Lucas?" Ford sighed in exasperation. "Obviously more than you're willing to do." "There's nothing I can do, Lucas. He's already made up his mind." "Talk to him! Make him see that what he's doing is the coward's way out." "Lucas," Chief Crocker tried, "Captain Bridger is a superior officer. It's not like any of us could order him to stay." "Not any more he isn't," Lucas replied, turning to go -- he could tell he wasn't going to get any help from anyone here. "Not once he signed that letter, at least." Lucas missed the look that passed between the two men as he took off down the halls of the ship. * * * Fortunately, there was one more person on board that could make Bridger see the error in his ways. And if anyone could convince him to stay, Kristin Westphalen would be that person. Being a more or less typical male teenager, Lucas was only beginning to see the opposite sex as more that just bearers of cooties. And even if they were, Doctor Westphalen was different. She was kind of cool, even if she tended to act like a second mother to him sometimes. But for whatever else Lucas might be, he was not blind. Like most of the crew, he hadn't missed the close friendship that had formed between the doctor and Captain Bridger, and even approved of it. He knew Bridger had been lonely and sad after his wife had died; but now, whenever he was with Doctor Westphalen, he seemed a lot happier. Lucas guessed that neither of them had noticed this yet, but then adults could be dense about some things. It hadn't occurred to Lucas that it was the middle of the night and Doctor Westphalen would probably be asleep until she opened the hatch to her cabin and he caught sight of her dressed in a robe. "Lucas?" she squinted in the relatively bright light of the hallway. "Oh, Doc, I didn't even think," Lucas fumbled with an apology. "I'm sorry, I'll go and--" "Lucas," she shook off his apology. "Forget about it, I'm used to getting calls in the middle of the night. What's the matter?" The boy sighed shakily. "Can I come in? This isn't something that should be discussed in the middle of the hall. Even if it'll be all over the boat by mid-morning." "Of course," she stepped back to allow him entrance to her cabin. On sleepy hand reached up to run though her tousled auburn hair, pulling it back and out of her face. She retreated to sit on her bunk. "Now, what has you up at ... one thirty in the morning?" she glanced at the clock. While Kristin's quarters were far more spacious that Lucas', they were still cramped and Lucas found himself having to lift some papers off of a chair in order to sit down. Kristin could tell by his long silence that whatever was bothering him, it was serious. "Captain Bridger's leaving seaQuest," Lucas said suddenly. His patience only lasted a few seconds and he was back up on his feet, pacing the room as best as he could. His thoughts were running at about a million knots a second and his mouth wasn't too far behind. "There's some rogue sub or something that's shooting down whaling ships and rather than take sides, the Captain's just quitting." "Woah, woah, woah," Kristin held up a hand to stop the boy's tirade. She was still stuck on his first sentence. "Lucas, forgive me, but my mind isn't fully awake yet so you'll have to slow down a little. You said Nathan is leaving seaQuest?" Lucas nodded. "He already turned in his letter of resignation to Commander Ford and is going ashore in a couple hours." "And this is all because of some sub?" "A bunch of whaling ships have been sunk lately and the military ..." Lucas quickly caught himself, knowing that the Doctor wouldn't like it very much if he were to start swearing, and amended his thought, "jerks ... at the Pentagon want the Captain to take seaQuest and stop the sub responsible. But the Captain won't do it, so instead of trying to find a compromise or fighting the decision or ... doing anything, he's quitting." "Lucas," Kristin stood up and stopped the boy's pacing by taking hold of his shoulders. "Choosing not to take sides isn't necessarily quitting." "Then why resign?" "Lucas, Captain Bridger has seen more and done more in one lifetime than most people could in three. We have to believe that in this instance, he knows what he's doing and that this is what is best for him." "He's being a coward! He's running away from his problems, just like he did last time." "Sometimes," she shrugged, "doing nothing takes more courage than being willing to fight." "I can't believe this," Lucas cried, pulling away from her with a jerk. "Don't any of you care that the Captain is leaving? He's your friend, and you're just going to let him walk out on everything he's spent the last months trying to get back?" "Yes," Kristin snapped back. "Because that's what friends do -- they let you follow your own heart and make your own decisions in life." She sighed, shaking her head and wrapping her arms tightly around her midsection. "Listen, Lucas, if it makes you feel any better, yes, I am sad to see Nathan leaving like this. I don't want to see him go any more than you do, but he's made up his mind, and that's all there is to it." "But you could at least try talking to him; he'll listen to you. Make him see that he can't leave, not now and certainly not over something like this." "I know it's difficult, but when you love someone, Lucas, you have to be willing to let them go." "But not without a fight," he insisted. Kristin sighed, seeing the resolve in the boy's eyes. Finally, she nodded. "All right, I'll try talking to him. But I promise you nothing, Lucas." * * * "Time to go, pal," Nathan Bridger leaned over the moonpool on sea deck, running a hand over his most faithful companion. "Go, where?" came the tinny response from the vochorder. "Time to go home." "Bridger sad?" Darwin noticed the change in his human friend and couldn't comprehend the reason why. But Bridger's response didn't help any in clearing up the dolphin's confusion. "Yes, I am," he acknowledged, splashing some water over the dolphin's head with a pat and then let him go. "Go on, go." All of this was finally starting to be real for Bridger. The first time he'd written a letter of resignation, he'd been so high on emotions that the entire week was still a blur in his memory. But this time, this time he was leaving behind a ship full of people who'd become good friends -- and several of those were more that just good friends. Speak of the devil, he thought wryly as he straightened up to discover Kristin looking down at him from the nearby doorway. She'd changed into slacks and a sweater and was leaning against the doorjamb, just watching him. He felt a strange sensation in his chest, but chose to ignore it. "You heard," he said simply, instead. Realizing he'd finally noticed her, Kristin gave up her perch in the doorway and crossed the deck over to where he was standing next to the moonpool. "It’s a small boat," was the only explanation she would allow. Nathan sighed, knowing that this good-bye would be more difficult than any of the others. If only he knew what to say to this smart, beautiful, caring ... enigma of a woman. Finally he settled on, "What do you think?" as she lowered herself onto one of the steps next to him. Despite her promise to Lucas, all of the arguments Kristin had practiced on her way down to sea deck, all of her reasons why what he was doing was wrong, everything just flew out of her head the moment she'd seen him standing there talking with Darwin. He'd looked so lost, so alone and torn by his decision that she just couldn't bring herself to say anything for a long moment. But deep down, she knew what he needed to hear. And her heart wouldn't let he say anything else. "Well, I’m not sure it’s what I would do, but ... I think that for you ... you’re doing the right thing." It had been one of the most difficult things she'd ever had to say, and Nathan knew that from the way her voice had quivered. "Thanks for that," he replied quietly, "and for everything else." His eyes drifted down to meet hers, both of them thinking about all the possibilities that now would never be. "I am going to miss you," she said quietly, the sincerity clearly evident in her voice. As the moment seemed to stretch on between them, Nathan couldn't resist the temptation and reached an arm around her shoulders. Kristin knew with a strange sense of clarity what was coming next, and just turned her face up to meet his kiss. It was short and gentle, and quite possibly the sweetest kiss she'd ever had in her life. Not demanding or wrought with passion, just simply ... perfect. She knew in that moment that she would forever regret letting Nathan Bridger walk out of her life like this, but in the end, she'd had no choice. Perhaps there was a chance for the future, however. Kristin could only hope. And now back to our story...
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