Waiting and Watching
folder
S through Z › SeaQuest
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
4
Views:
1,735
Reviews:
1
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
S through Z › SeaQuest
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
4
Views:
1,735
Reviews:
1
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own SeaQuest, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Decisions
A/N I don't own anything related to seaQuest. Part of the Captain's speech is from the episode "Vapors" which I haven't actually seen, I just really liked how it worked in here. Enjoy. Oh, and watch for a follow-up.
Nathan was nervous and, in a way he had every right to be. He hadn’t been on a date or spoken to anyone about romance in almost 28 years. He didn’t know exactly what he was doing or why he was doing it, only that he’d felt more alive these past few weeks than he had since Carol died.
His room was a clean was it could be, the hologram projector was off and locked and he’d covered the window in his door. That had to be the one thing he absolutely hated about the boat, he doors to the personal quarters had windows in them.
He turned slightly from the book he was reading when someone knocked on his door. “Enter.”
Tim O’Neill walked in and shut the door behind him. “You wanted to see me, Captain?”
“Yes, sit down,” Nathan said. “Have you managed to hear anything on these pirates we’re supposed to be tracking?”
“No sir, it’s strange. No one is talking about it at all,” Tim replied. “Not even fixing the places that have been attacked. It’s almost as if the pirates didn’t exist.”
“Ghosts?”
“I don’t know,” Tim said. “Who knows what mysteries we have yet to uncover about the sea.”
Nathan put the book he’d been looking through down on the table. “Chief Crocker found this and has been shaking ever since,” he said. “Back in 2003 the Disney Corporation put out a movie about cursed pirates who couldn’t be killed and wouldn’t die. As much as I hate to say it, we may be dealing with something similar.”
“I’ll check the news reports and see if there’s anything there,” Tim said. “I’ve never seen this book before. Do you think the chief would mind me reading it?”
“You enjoy reading, don’t you Tim?”
“Yes sir, but the more I read the more questions I have. Every time I go past a library I get an anxiety attack.”
Nathan laughed and turned to grab another book. He felt the now familiar gaze fall on him and knew he’d been right. “You might enjoy reading this book, Tim,” he said. He pulled down a rather worn copy of 18 and 19th century sea stories. It was also where he’d hidden the letters.
Tim took it with a smile and started to flip through. His smile faded when he saw the letters. “You figured it out,” he said, not looking up. “What happens now, Captain? Should I request a transfer?”
“You’re going to look at me,” Nathan said gently. “Don’t ever be ashamed of your feelings. Tim, look at me, please.”
The young officer looked up slowly. “How’d you know?”
“You had Darwin’s help,” Nathan replied. “You, Lucas and I are the only ones on the boat he’d keep secrets for. Listen to me; I lost a son when he was 21-years-old. Then I lost my wife whom I love very much. She was my anchor. The mistake I made was in clinging to her memory as if that were the anchor. The refuge. I can’t do that any more. You gave me a gift. You opened me up to the simple fact that I’m alive, and having done that you can’t take a step back in your career just because things are a little awkward now. You’re punishing yourself for something you didn’t even do. We can work past this.”
“What about the rules?” Tim asked.
“Damn the rules!” Nathan exclaimed. “And damn anyone who wants to say anything. You’ve been discreet. I doubt anyone other than Darwin knows there’s something going on. As long as we remain professional I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t explore these feelings.”
“Do you feel something, Nathan?” Tim asked, blushing a little.
Nathan sat down and put his hand over Tim’s. “I was married a long time,” he said. “When you’re with someone that long you grow comfortable with them. But I have been feeling something these past weeks that I remember from when I first met Carol.”
“I only wish I could know what it’s like to be so in love,” Tim said.
“Do you worry that you’ll have to compete with her?”
“A little.”
“Tim, you are very, very different from Carol,” Nathan said, smiling gently. “And I don’t just mean you’re a different gender. She was my world for a long time but she told me, right after Robert died, that she just wanted me to be happy. I expected to feel guilty but I don’t. Somehow I think Carol knows and approves of my moving on with my life.”
“What if someone does find out?” Tim asked, staring at their hands. “What happens then?”
“I can’t say it will be easy,” Nathan replied. “I can’t promise miracles either, but I do have some friends left in high places and I should be able to call in a few favors. One thing we are not going to do is jump right into bed. That’s one of the best ways to ruin a relationship.”
Tim turned bright red and looked at the floor. Nathan bit his lip and tried not to laugh; the innocence was absolutely precious. He felt as if he was seeing Tim a whole new light. The man was unusual but handsome in his own unique way. “You’ve never talked about these things before, have you?” he asked.
“No sir,” Tim replied, slipping back into officer mode.
“Hey now, none of that.” Nathan reached out and gently lifted Tim’s chin so they were looking at each other again. “When we’re off-duty this has to be an equal relationship,” he said. “I don’t want to be your Captain all the time.”
“Okay,” Tim said, smiling. “I can’t believe how nervous I am.”
“I’m a little shaky myself,” Nathan said. “But that will go away with time. People will notice us spending time together but there is no regulation against the captain having friends.”
“Uh, actually I think there is,” Tim said. “UEO regulation 6903.”
“Oh for, is there any part of our lives they won’t regulate?” Nathan exclaimed. “Well that’s one rule that’s going out the hatch right now. Maybe a few more will follow but I am not going to let some book of rules dictate who my friends are, or who I chose to love!”
At those words Tim lit up. Nathan stood and drew Tim into a hug. “I may be more trouble than I’m worth,” he whispered. “Be very sure this is what you want.”
“I am,” Tim replied, resting his cheek on Nathan’s head. “I am.”
Nathan was nervous and, in a way he had every right to be. He hadn’t been on a date or spoken to anyone about romance in almost 28 years. He didn’t know exactly what he was doing or why he was doing it, only that he’d felt more alive these past few weeks than he had since Carol died.
His room was a clean was it could be, the hologram projector was off and locked and he’d covered the window in his door. That had to be the one thing he absolutely hated about the boat, he doors to the personal quarters had windows in them.
He turned slightly from the book he was reading when someone knocked on his door. “Enter.”
Tim O’Neill walked in and shut the door behind him. “You wanted to see me, Captain?”
“Yes, sit down,” Nathan said. “Have you managed to hear anything on these pirates we’re supposed to be tracking?”
“No sir, it’s strange. No one is talking about it at all,” Tim replied. “Not even fixing the places that have been attacked. It’s almost as if the pirates didn’t exist.”
“Ghosts?”
“I don’t know,” Tim said. “Who knows what mysteries we have yet to uncover about the sea.”
Nathan put the book he’d been looking through down on the table. “Chief Crocker found this and has been shaking ever since,” he said. “Back in 2003 the Disney Corporation put out a movie about cursed pirates who couldn’t be killed and wouldn’t die. As much as I hate to say it, we may be dealing with something similar.”
“I’ll check the news reports and see if there’s anything there,” Tim said. “I’ve never seen this book before. Do you think the chief would mind me reading it?”
“You enjoy reading, don’t you Tim?”
“Yes sir, but the more I read the more questions I have. Every time I go past a library I get an anxiety attack.”
Nathan laughed and turned to grab another book. He felt the now familiar gaze fall on him and knew he’d been right. “You might enjoy reading this book, Tim,” he said. He pulled down a rather worn copy of 18 and 19th century sea stories. It was also where he’d hidden the letters.
Tim took it with a smile and started to flip through. His smile faded when he saw the letters. “You figured it out,” he said, not looking up. “What happens now, Captain? Should I request a transfer?”
“You’re going to look at me,” Nathan said gently. “Don’t ever be ashamed of your feelings. Tim, look at me, please.”
The young officer looked up slowly. “How’d you know?”
“You had Darwin’s help,” Nathan replied. “You, Lucas and I are the only ones on the boat he’d keep secrets for. Listen to me; I lost a son when he was 21-years-old. Then I lost my wife whom I love very much. She was my anchor. The mistake I made was in clinging to her memory as if that were the anchor. The refuge. I can’t do that any more. You gave me a gift. You opened me up to the simple fact that I’m alive, and having done that you can’t take a step back in your career just because things are a little awkward now. You’re punishing yourself for something you didn’t even do. We can work past this.”
“What about the rules?” Tim asked.
“Damn the rules!” Nathan exclaimed. “And damn anyone who wants to say anything. You’ve been discreet. I doubt anyone other than Darwin knows there’s something going on. As long as we remain professional I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t explore these feelings.”
“Do you feel something, Nathan?” Tim asked, blushing a little.
Nathan sat down and put his hand over Tim’s. “I was married a long time,” he said. “When you’re with someone that long you grow comfortable with them. But I have been feeling something these past weeks that I remember from when I first met Carol.”
“I only wish I could know what it’s like to be so in love,” Tim said.
“Do you worry that you’ll have to compete with her?”
“A little.”
“Tim, you are very, very different from Carol,” Nathan said, smiling gently. “And I don’t just mean you’re a different gender. She was my world for a long time but she told me, right after Robert died, that she just wanted me to be happy. I expected to feel guilty but I don’t. Somehow I think Carol knows and approves of my moving on with my life.”
“What if someone does find out?” Tim asked, staring at their hands. “What happens then?”
“I can’t say it will be easy,” Nathan replied. “I can’t promise miracles either, but I do have some friends left in high places and I should be able to call in a few favors. One thing we are not going to do is jump right into bed. That’s one of the best ways to ruin a relationship.”
Tim turned bright red and looked at the floor. Nathan bit his lip and tried not to laugh; the innocence was absolutely precious. He felt as if he was seeing Tim a whole new light. The man was unusual but handsome in his own unique way. “You’ve never talked about these things before, have you?” he asked.
“No sir,” Tim replied, slipping back into officer mode.
“Hey now, none of that.” Nathan reached out and gently lifted Tim’s chin so they were looking at each other again. “When we’re off-duty this has to be an equal relationship,” he said. “I don’t want to be your Captain all the time.”
“Okay,” Tim said, smiling. “I can’t believe how nervous I am.”
“I’m a little shaky myself,” Nathan said. “But that will go away with time. People will notice us spending time together but there is no regulation against the captain having friends.”
“Uh, actually I think there is,” Tim said. “UEO regulation 6903.”
“Oh for, is there any part of our lives they won’t regulate?” Nathan exclaimed. “Well that’s one rule that’s going out the hatch right now. Maybe a few more will follow but I am not going to let some book of rules dictate who my friends are, or who I chose to love!”
At those words Tim lit up. Nathan stood and drew Tim into a hug. “I may be more trouble than I’m worth,” he whispered. “Be very sure this is what you want.”
“I am,” Tim replied, resting his cheek on Nathan’s head. “I am.”