Kristin slipped onto the edge of the moon-pool beside him. "Headache?"

"No thanks. I've already got one."

"Poor baby," she crooned and reached out to brush his hair. "Anything I can do? Pain killer? Massage?"

"Hmm both sound great… But I’ll take the pain killer... the other will have to wait."

"And why is that?"

"Because the ‘cause’ of my headache is arriving in just under 15 minutes. We have another inspection."

"Oh God, not Clayton again…"

"Nope, someone much worse."

Kristin wracked her brain but couldn't think of anyone worse, at least not from her point of view… "Okay, I give up... Who?"

"Admiral Lexington Smith?"

Kristin gave him a puzzled frown. "And this woman gives you a headache, because?"

"She’s a pain in the ass." he groused, at the look on Kristin’s face he added. "She went through the Academy with Bill and I. She was in the same class actually and she’s always...."

He stopped abruptly, not sure that he wanted to discuss his personal life with her. Not this aspect of his personal life, anyway. And he wasn't sure that she would understand.

"She’s always...." Kristin urged

Nathan sighed and forged on. "Had the ‘hots’ for me. I thought she was cute, and we dated a couple of times... but… There just wasn’t any... spark there. At least not for me, so I broke it off before it went any further... A few weeks later I met Carol. I moved on but Lexie never has."

"And hell hath no fury, huh?"

"Something like that." 

"It must be great to be pursued by so many women." She laughed.

"Hardly. Even when I was married she still pursued me. Carol took it all in stride but it annoyed the hell out of me. It only stopped when we moved to the island. It’s days like this that I wish I’d stayed there."

"Then we’d never have met."

"That’s true." Nathan smiled at her then at the pensive look on her face he asked "What?"

"Well… I just might have a way to help you with this."

"And what is that?"

"What if you were attached?"

Nathan swallowed hard. "Attached?" He croaked and then cleared his throat.

"Yeah… attached."

"You mean… I mean to… y…" Geez he hadn't stuttered this much since he was a teenager.

Kristin bit her lip and tried not to laugh. "I'm sure that Katie would help, or failing that, maybe Ben?"

He flashed her an "I don’t think so" look.

"All right then... who would you suggest? I mean, given how forceful you say this woman is, you have to make this charade look convincing. So it would have to be someone you would at least feel comfortable with. Someone with whom you could make her believe you were in love." Kristin was surprised to find herself stumbling over the last word, and was even more surprised that she wanted to be the one he chose.

"Well… there's that little number in Security. You know… the blonde with the… Ouch!"

"Why Captain, I never thought you noticed those things." She blushed at the look on Nathan's face and the realisation of what she'd just said.

Bridger pretended not to notice. "Or there's the brunette on the science staff? Tracy I think it is…"

"What? You have got to be joking!"

"What's wrong with Tracy?"

"She's… She's… taken." Kristin finished lamely.

"Ah... too bad. You know, there is someone else… Someone I have had my eye on for a while. Come to think of it she’s also on the science staff."

"Oh?"

"Yeah… Real knockout too… has legs that would make a grown man weep… And her eyes, they’re the most incredible shade… Almost like whiskey on a warm day..."

"I think I've heard enough…" Kristin stormed and started to rise. "I'll send someone with the aspirin. Or maybe, I'll just let you have the bottle."

"Why the bottle?"

"Because I think your headache is about to get much worse." She indicated the doorway with her head.

"Oh God." Nathan groaned and laid his head on his hands.

Admiral Lexington Smith, AKA "Sexy Lexie" strode through the doorway. "Nathan." she purred. "I was so disappointed when you weren’t there to meet me so I decided to come in search of you myself." She finished as she stopped in front of him.

"Hello Admiral Smith." he replied as he stood up.

"Tsk, tsk Nathan why so formal." she cooed and moved closer. Nathan took a step back and felt the edge of the moon-pool against the back of his knees.

"Protocol…" he hemmed. "You are, after all, my superior officer."

"Hmm, yes I am… And I order you to stop being so formal and let’s say hello properly."

Kristin watched the scene with growing interest and - jealousy.

~ God, could the woman have been more obvious? Unlike her, who was practically a part of the furniture, she thought. And who the hell was the other woman on the science staff? ~ Lexie's voice pierced the air again, reminding Kristin of fingernails on a blackboard.

"Andrea told me that they'd got you wearing shoes again." She looked him up and down. "Pity."

Hell, the woman was practically undressing him with her eyes and Nathan didn't seem to be doing much to discourage her. With a sigh Kristin left to find the aspirin. She'd send Tracy along with them, if there were any left after she'd cured her own headache.

She was halfway there when she stopped dead center in the middle of the corridor. "God, Kristin show a little backbone would you?" She
muttered to herself. "I want Nathan... there I’ve said it. I want him for myself." She took a deep breath… "And." She paused, thinking back over what he had said, then it hit her… ‘And her eyes, they’re the most incredible shade… Almost like whiskey on a warm day...’ ~ God could she have been anymore dense? ~ He had been giving her clues… Letting her know... without coming right out and saying it and she’d been too irate to catch on.

A secretive smile crossed her face. Well she wasn’t about to let that brazen hussy get her hands on Nathan... No way in hell… She would fight her, tooth and nail… Or perhaps a somewhat subtler message, but one that Admiral Smith was sure to understand and never forget. With her mind made up and her resolve set, Kristin did an about face

                                             

She slipped back in through the hatchway unnoticed and smiled to herself as she saw the situation from Nathan's point of view. The Admiral still had him backed up against the moon-pool and Nathan looked… Geez, he looked scared. Not nervous but downright scared. An Ensign entered Seadeck, took one look at the scene before him and bolted. This was gonna to be all over the boat in about ten minutes tops.

The couple still hadn't noticed her so she made her way to the other side of the pool and tapped to summon Darwin. He darted through the water and came up in front of her. Kristin made a motion with her hand and the dolphin nodded before swimming across and drowning both Bridger and Lexie in a shower of water.

Kristin tried to stifle her laughter at the look on Smith’s face and as he turned around to face the moon-pool she could see the gratitude on Nathan’s as he looked down at the dolphin.

"Darwin." He admonished trying to sound cross.

"Bridger... no… play lady… Play Darwin... play Kristin."

"What the hell is this?" Lexie questioned, clearly not happy.

"Oh...." Kristin said as she moved out from her hiding place. "That’s Darwin and he just loves to play. Spraying people with water is his way of getting your attention."

"It worked. And what did he mean by… ‘No play lady - Play Darwin, play Kristin.’" Lexie quoted.

"Well can I be frank?" When Smith nodded Kristin continued. "You see Darwin is very attached to Nathan and he obviously didn’t like what you were doing. Darwin can be very territorial." Kristin finished with a smirk.

"And you find this amusing."

"Yes, I do."

"And you are?"

"Oh I’m Kristin… Kristin Westphalen, medical doctor, biological oceanographer and head of the science team." she grinned.

"Oh yes. Bill has mentioned you…" She practically sneered. Kristin felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

"Really?"

"Yes. Said you were a pain in the butt and in desperate need of some military discipline." Lexie had never been one to mince her words.

"Lexie…" Nathan began but shut up again when he saw the look on her face.

"I'm still your superior, remember?"

"Yes, Admiral." Nathan felt his face flush with embarrassment at having to back down in front of Kristin.

"As I was saying, Doctor… Bill Noyce thinks…"

"That I should have been disciplined for taking over the UEO's pride and joy."

"Were you?"

Kristin looked at Nathan and then said. "Oh yes, well and truly disciplined. Day and night."

Nathan practically choked.

"He was on my… case for hours."

Lexie turned red with fury. Was that lust she saw in the doctor's eyes?

Kristin saw the fury in Smith’s eyes and smiled triumphantly as she sidled closer to Nathan. "Didn’t you, Sir." she purred in his ear as her hand moved down to caress his butt.

"Uhm..." he stammered as he turned his head to look at her, not sure if this was all an act, but what he saw reflected in Kristin’s eyes caused his heart to skip a beat. He couldn’t quite believe she felt the same way for him as he did for her. He held her gaze, their eyes communicating what they couldn’t say in front of others.

Smith’s clearing her throat brought him back to the situation at hand and he turned to look at the older woman. She was most definitely pissed.

"CAPTAIN, " she stressed through clenched teeth. "Need I remind you of the frat rule"

~ Oh that was rich, ~ he thought… Here she was breaking that very same rule and she was about to lecture him.

"Need I remind you Admiral, that rule only applies to military officers under my direct command. Kristin isn’t military."

"But she is under your command."

"Under being the operative word." Kristin quipped in a low whisper

Nathan grabbed her arm and squeezed hard. Kristin, immediately chagrined, bit back anything else she was about to say, remembering that this woman was an Admiral and Nathan a Captain.

Lexie was beyond angry. "We'll talk about this later… alone." She said pointedly. "After I've showered and changed."

"I'll have someone show you to your quarters."

"I can manage." With another scornful look at the doctor she stormed out.

"Well, that wasn't pretty." Kristin observed.

"No, it wasn't."

"She doesn't take prisoners, does she?"

"Neither do you." Nathan replied with an indecipherable look on his face.

She studied him for a moment and suddenly was unsure. "Uhmm… Look I’ve made an ass of myself and probably made things worse for you. I don’t blame you for being pissed at me. I’m sorry, I should go..." 

"Kristin." The tone in his voice made her turn back. "Come here."

She stepped back towards him nervously nibbling her bottom lip. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever for?"

"I really should have kept my mouth shut."

"So should she…" Nathan muttered. "It'll be okay. I'll go turn on the charm and smooth the situation over."

"And if you can't?"

"I'll accidentally have her fired out of a torpedo tube or something." 

Kristin chuckled. "Seriously."

"Seriously."

"You know she won’t let you off easily. She’ll want something in return. She’ll probably want me thrown off the ship."

"I won’t let that happen."

"You’d risk your career just to keep me here?"

"Yes."

Kristin smiled. "Then she’ll probably want some retribution."

"Yah my body."

"That’s not funny."

He held her at arm's length and studied her face intently for a moment. "You are."

"I'm what?"

"Doctor, I do believe you're jealous." Nathan replied, intentionally mimicking a conversation they'd had in practically the same spot not so long ago. But now the shoe was on the other foot.

She coloured. "I am not! I was just trying to help you out. Why would I be…?"

He placed a finger on her lips. "Methinks the lady doth protest too much."

"Nathan Bridger… if you think that I could give a damn about who you give your body too…" She blustered.

He smiled an infuriating smile. "We'll talk about this later, Doctor." He left Seadeck in search of Admiral Smith.

Kristin stood there, her mouth agape, watching him go. "For your information, I am not jealous. I am not jealous." She repeated. ‘Who are you trying to convince, Kris?’ she thought.

"Damn the man for being right!" she muttered "And as for Smith… Hmm maybe I should introduce her to Zellar, from what I’ve seen they’re an ideal match…" and strode from the room.

                                             

Nathan stopped in front of the VIP quarters and took a breath before knocking.

"Yes."

"It’s Captain Bridger."

"Are you alone?"

"Yes."

"Come in."

                                             

It had been a difficult hour or so but he finally seemed to have calmed her down. Nathan leaned against the outside of the door and sighed. Well that was one problem out of the way. Now onto the next…

Some of what Smith had said still lingered in his mind. Had he mistaken Kristin's reactions? Was she jealous or was it all part of the act? He hoped to God it wasn't. Well he wasn't going to find out standing here. With more than a little trepidation he approached Kristin's door…

Taking a breath to calm the restless fluttering in his stomach Nathan reached out and knocked softly. 

"Who is it?"

"Kristin… it’s Nathan… Can we talk?"

A moment later he heard the locking mechanism and the door swung open.

"Come in." Kristin said and stepped back to let him enter.

Nathan moved into her quarters and all the way to the middle of the room before turning to face her.

"So, uhm… What did you want to talk about?" She asked, nervously running a hand through her hair.

He fidgeted just as nervously. "Well, erm… er…" ~ For God's sake Bridger just spit it out! ~

"Nathan?"

"Kristin, do you love me?" He clenched his eyes tightly shut and cringed. Christ, that wasn't what he'd meant to say. 

As the silence stretched for what seemed like and eternity, he knew he’d screwed up big time and he felt disheartened. ~ She didn’t feel the same way… It had all been an act. ~ He hadn’t heard her approach but he started suddenly when he felt her hand on his cheek.

"Nathan, open your eyes."

For a moment he thought about turning and running but he'd faced down Stark, Tezlof, Scully and even Andrea Dre so he could face this, whatever the outcome. ~ Keep telling yourself that and you might even believe it, Bridger. ~ Slowly he opened his eyes and found himself drowning in hers.

"Do you want me to?" She asked.

At first he was surprised by her question, but when he saw the touch of uncertainty in her eyes he smiled softly. She was just as unsure about his feelings for her as he was about hers for him.

Reaching out he took her hand from his cheek and drew it to his mouth, pressing a soft kiss to the palm before meeting her gaze once again. "Yes... Oh God, yes." he told her in a whisper and saw the tears that entered her eyes.

"In that case…" She was interrupted mid-sentence by a tap on the door.

"Damn, damn and triple damn." Nathan cursed.

"Doc, are you in there? You're needed." Lucas' voice sounded from outside.

"I’ll be right there." she called out before turning back to Nathan.

"You know, I love that kid but I swear I’m gonna kill him. He has the worst timing." 

Kristin smiled then leaned forward and brushed a light kiss to his lips. "We’ll finish this later... tonight." She added with a purr as she turned and moved to the door. Opening it, she found Lucas shifting nervously from foot to foot. "All right Lucas this had better be important."

"It's Admiral Smith, Doc." The boy replied anxiously.

Kristin glanced back at Nathan. "What happened?"

"We don't really know. She was doing a tour of the boat and an Ensign found her by the moon-pool.

"And?" Kristin prompted.

"Well Darwin, isn't talking so I don't know how it happened, but apparently she slipped in a puddle of water and she's bruised her… her…"

"Pride?" Kristin supplied.

"Ego?" Nathan offered at exactly the same moment.

"Uhm... no her..." Lucas stammered and pointed. 

Kristin rolled her eyes and snorted. " Oh Good Lord, she’s calling me because she slipped on her ass."

"Doc!"

"Well that’s what happened, isn’t it?"

"Uhmm… Yah… But she says she can’t get up."

"Oh God… This means she’s never gonna leave, is she?" Kristin muttered under her breath.

"Doc?"

"Nothing. Let’s go then." She stated and motioned for Lucas to lead the way.

Kristin looked back at Nathan as he moved to follow her. "I don’t know if I should kiss Darwin or kill him." she told him in a whisper and he nodded in agreement.

                                             

When they entered Seadeck, Kristin stopped and tried to hold back her snigger of amusement at the scene before her. "Way to go Darwin." she whispered to Nathan as she gained her composure and stepped forward.

Slipping her 'concerned doctor' face on she knelt at Lexington Smith's side. "Where does it hurt exactly, Admiral?"

"Where the hell do you think it hurts?" Smith retorted. "That damn dolphin tried to kill me."

"Oh come on Lexie…" Nathan came to his friend's defence. "He's just a dumb animal, what would he know?" He winced as he felt a splash of water on his back and used a hand to wave Darwin away.

"There are caution signs everywhere, Admiral." Kristin added. "Can you wiggle your toes for me?"

"My bloody toes don’t hurt! What kind...." Smith began

Kristin sat back on her haunches and folded her arms, tossing Smith the infamous Westphalen glare. "Are you a doctor?" she asked coldly

"You know damned well that I’m not!"

"Then don’t try and tell me my job Admiral. Can you wiggle your toes?" She asked again

"Yes, dammit!"

"Good." she added and continued her examination.

"I want that dolphin punished." Smith grumbled.

"And what do you suggest I do? Shoot him... Good God." Nathan said angrily. "If you want to take it out on someone then take it out on me."

"I…" Kristin reached a particularly sore part and Smith yelped. "That's it. I want you off this damn boat now!"

"Lexie…" Nathan cajoled.

"That's enough Captain! This has got to be the worst run submarine I've ever been on. You've got an undisciplined pet and a doctor that could use a lesson in manners and I'm not going to stand for it."

"If you could stand…" Someone muttered in the background and Kristin laughed.

Lexie glared at her. "You are off this boat the minute I leave. I'll take you back with me and the UEO can send a replacement." She railed, already having someone in mind.

"Lexie!" Nathan began but she stopped him with another glare.

"Don’t even begin to think that you can talk me out of this because you can’t!" She shoved Kristin’s hands away from her, the action causing Kristin to lose her balance and she fell back, smacking her head on the grating.

"Kristin?" Nathan called out anxiously.

"I’m all right," She reassured him, climbing to her feet.

Lexie glared at them both, this time, as she struggled to get up. Once she was upright she turned to face them.

"My shuttle will be here in two hours. I’m going to pack. I suggest you do the same Doctor. You have that long to say your goodbyes to this place for if I have my way, and I always do, it will be the last time you ever lay eyes on this boat again!"

Nathan watched her leave, disbelief and something else on his face. He moved to where Kristin was standing and took her in his arms. She looked up at him stricken. "I guess I'd better go pack."

He held her close for a moment. "No… not yet."

"You heard what she said."

"Yeah I did. And now she's going to listen to what I have to say, but there's something I need to know first."

"What's that?" She asked swallowing hard.

"Do you love me?"

"More than I ever thought possible." she told him in a teary whisper.

Nathan smiled and took her face gently between his palms, drawing her lips to his and kissing her passionately, not caring about the others present. "And I love you too." he confessed as he broke their kiss. "Don’t give up hope yet." He told her, tenderly wiping the tears from her cheeks and when she nodded he pressed a light kiss to the tip of her nose. "Be right back."

Kristin watched him go then sighed.

"Doctor Kristin not leave!" she heard Darwin state defiantly… If a dolphin could be defiant…

She turned to the moon-pool and leaned over to caress the dolphin’s domed head. "Oh Darwin I may not have any choice."

"Bridger not let happen."

"He may not have any choice either."

"Bridger love Doctor Kristin… Bridger be sad… you gone."

"I know… I will too."

"Darwin love Doctor Kristin. Darwin be sad."

"I love you too and I’m going to miss you all so much." She said tearfully then got up and left quickly, heading for her own quarters to pack. She knew that Nathan would do everything in his power to keep her here but she didn’t trust Smith nor did she believe that anything he could do, or say, would change her mind. So she resigned herself to the fact that these were her last moments on seaQuest, and she would make the best of them. She may not be on the crew anymore but she would not lose those she cared about.

Deciding to take a last tour she walked into the head to wash her face. It wasn't until she looked in the mirror that she realised she had a cut on her forehead from the run-in on Seadeck. As she swabbed it clean she muttered ferociously. "Damn good job the bitch was already on her butt or I'd have put her there myself."

She spent most of her remaining time just wandering around aimlessly, ending up at Lucas' quarters. She hated the idea of saying goodbye to him but there was really no choice.

                                             

It had been as stressful as she'd expected and she returned to her own cabin, throwing herself onto her bunk and curling herself into a ball as the sobs she'd been fighting back finally escaped. That was where Nathan found her twenty minutes later.

He stepped down and closed the door before sitting beside her. Seeing her crying so heavily about broke his heart. "Kris…" he said softly and rested a hand against her back.

She looked up and moved instantly into his embrace. Wrapping his arms around her he pulled her close until she was sitting on his lap, her head against his chest.

"Shh…" he soothed. "It’s all right. Kris... You can stay." he murmured against her hair.

"Wh... What?"

"You can stay." he repeated "I talked to Admiral Smith and she agreed to let you stay."

Kristin pulled back to look him in the eyes. "And what was her price, I’m sure there was one?"

He just gave her a look, which she completely misinterpreted. "You didn't?"

He sighed.

"You did." She tried to struggle out of his lap a horrified expression on her face.

Nathan held on to her and found himself completely at a loss to know what she was thinking. Then he remembered what he'd said jokingly
earlier. "Oh God no! You think that I slept with her?"

"You were gone long enough." Kristin pouted.

"Oh please. You really think that I'd…?"

"Wouldn't you?"

"No." He stated categorically.

"Not even to keep me on the boat?" She almost sounded disappointed.

"You wanted me too?"

"Yes… No! I don't know." She buried her face in his uniform and then let out an "ouch" as she caught the sore place on her forehead.

Nathan slipped his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up. "She hurt you." He whispered angrily.

"It's okay, it was worth it. So… how did you get her to change her mind?"

"I... uhm… blackmailed her." he said sheepishly.

‘You what?"

"Blackmailed. I threatened to tell Bill about her ignoring the warning signs in Seadeck and falling on her ass and generally making an idiot of herself."

"And that would work?"

"Oh most definitely. Bill doesn’t like her either and would have had that little bit of gossip all through the UEO in a hot minute. To Lexie there is nothing more important than status and appearance, she would have been mortified. And she knew I’d do it so she backed down to save herself from the embarrassment. I also threatened to bring her up on charges."

"For what?"

"Conduct unbecoming an officer. For her behaviour here, as well as her actions towards me. I reminded her that I could also have her
court-martialled for her actions."

"I love you Nathan Hale Bridger."

"And I love you."

"So you've said."

"You don't believe me?" He asked astonished.

"Nope. You're gonna need to prove it."

"And how do I do that, Doctor?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something." She murmured against his lips.
 
 

**** The End ****