New Fic - The Captain's Niece
Here is the next chapter.
Kate sat in the mess reading some of her course work.
Everyone was busy at the moment with Dr Young’s project so it was quiet enough for her to get some work done. They’d been at sea for three weeks now and it had been smooth sailing so far.
Although she liked it here Kate had spent very little time amongst the crew. She knew Nathan was a little worried about that fact since one thing Kate had always done well was become friendly with people.
The problem was Kate had never had to actually remain friends with people so she was a little worried about trying to create friendships, especially due to the fact she would always have to lie to them about who she actually was.
“Hey,” Nathan appeared beside her, “Do you want to come and see this?”
Kate shrugged, “Sure why not. I can read this later.”
He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they started walking.
“I’ve been thinking,” Nathan said, “We should ask Dr Westphalen to see if she can identify the poison.”
“Nathan, I don’t why you bother,” Kate told him, “You and Bill have had every doctor from here, there and everywhere trying to find a way to remove this stuff from me. None of them have managed it. Besides, do you want to tell her how I ended up with it?”
He rolled his eyes at her, “We don’t have to tell her it’s you. Not unless she actually manages to find a cure.”
“Fine, do whatever you want,” Kate replied, “If it makes you feel like you’re doing something about it.”
Nathan shook his head, they headed to the maglev shuttle and as they sat he looked at her worry in his eyes.
“You’re not socialising.”
Kate sighed, “I’m working on it.”
“You usually make friends easily,” Nathan reminded her.
“I’m usually trying to con them,” Kate retorted, “It is not so easy doing it for real.”
He smiled affectionately at her, “Pick one person and start there.”
Kate found a perch on the bridge beside the stairs that led up to the communications station. She’d found it was a good spot to sit as it was out of the way but it allowed her to get to either Nathan if she needed to or off the bridge quickly.
She’d enjoyed the show the visiting scientist was giving but as silence fell she pulled one leg up curling her arms around it and resting her chin on her knee. She was mulling over Nathan’s suggestion to find one person and try the making friends’ thing.
“Captain,” O’Neill’s startled voice cut through the silence.
Kate looked up to see Nathan and the communications officer dive over to the pool. Kate bounced up and ran over horrified as she realised that something was wrong with Darwin.
As Nathan and O’Neill climbed in to the water Kate gently stroked Darwin hoping to soothe him, she caught Nathan’s gaze as he moved to help his friend. She nodded and followed Westphalen off the bridge.
Once they were down at the moon pool she stood to one side, out of the way of the doctors but close enough she would be able to get the information first hand- if they ever made it down here.
Kate looked up as Westphalen touched her shoulder.
“We’ll help him,” the doctor assured her, “Okay?”
At the reassurance Kate nodded, she liked Westphalen. The woman exuded calm professionalism but she also had a motherly quality to her that Kate had never truly experienced. If she was ill Kate knew she would trust this woman to help her…as long as Nathan was there.
*********************************************
As they were all dismissed by Nathan’s friend Kate found a step to sit on, staring out at the ocean as they waited on information regarding Darwin.
“Are you okay, Miss Foster?”
Looking up she O’Neill standing there, he’d been extremely shaken by whatever had happened to him on the bridge but he hadn’t left Darwin.
“Yeah,” she nodded.
He didn’t move or speak and Kate sighed.
“Grab a seat,” she told him, “We should be the first to hear anything.”
He gave her a slightly nervous smile before he sat beside her, his eyes scanning the horizon for a few minutes before he turned to her.
“I’m sure Darwin will be okay,” he tried to assure her.
Kate looked at him and smiled slightly, “I’m afraid I don’t do false hope. I do reality and the reality of it is he’s sick and we don’t know enough to save him.”
“It’s not hope,” he argued, “Its faith.”
“I don’t do that either,” Kate told him, “You pray to a deity who, if he does exist, doesn’t give a damn about us at all.”
O’Neill grimaced, “Personally I was talking about faith in Dr Westphalen and the Captain’s friend. But if you want we can argue theology.”
Kate chuckled before sighing, “You heard him, didn’t you?”
“What?” he asked, a little perturbed by her sudden change in topic.
“Darwin,” she clarified, “You heard him call to you, didn’t you?”
O’Neill looked uncomfortable before he nodded, “It was like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”
Kate tilted her head but remained silent so he would continue.
“It’s so hard to describe,” he said, “Darwin’s mind…it was just….”
Kate smiled as he trailed off, “Well, Darwin has always been extraordinary. He saved my life once and after that any time I was in the water he would always appear, no matter where he’d been to look out for me.”
Noise coming from behind them made them turn as they realised something was happening; Tim stood and offered his hand to pull her off the step.
“Thank you, Lt,” Kate smiled at him, “Let’s go find out what’s happening.”
Kate stood at the empty pool on sea deck tears trickling down her cheeks. Darwin was dying and now he was gone. He’d left them to die with his family.
Nathan was depressed about losing Darwin who had been part of his family for even longer and she didn’t want to force her abandonment issues on him right now so had come here to grieve.
“Miss Foster?”
Kate wiped her eyes, turning to find O’Neill standing just behind her.
“Yes, Lt?” she asked trying to pretend he hadn’t caught her crying.
He moved to her side, “I wanted to make sure you were okay. You disappeared quickly after Darwin left the boat.”
Kate shrugged, “It’s stupid.”
“We’re all upset,” O’Neill reminded her, “Darwin was a part of the crew. No matter how short a time he was here for.”
Kate pressed her hand to her eyes, “It sounds really dumb but Darwin was the one I would talk to when I needed to vent. Nathan is too busy these days to put up with my random insanity so I would talk to Darwin,” she could see the question in his eyes he wasn’t asking and she shrugged, “I’m not sure if you noticed or not but I don’t exactly have anyone else to talk to around here.”
Silence fell between them before he shrugged, “If you need you can talk to me.”
“What?”
He looked uncomfortable but continued, “I’m not exactly the Captain or Darwin but you can rant at me or argue theology if you need to.”
Kate stared at him before smiling, “Its Tim, right?”
He nodded.
“Thank you, Tim,” she smiled at him, “Call me Kate.”
Nathan beamed as he stroked Darwin who was obviously enjoying the attention he was receiving.
“Good boy,” the Captain murmured, “I thought we’d lost you for a minute there.”
Darwin splashed him making Nathan laugh.
“Kate,” Darwin called, “Come play.”
Nathan turned and saw his ‘niece’ walking over, “You okay?”
Kate gave him a smile, “Yeah, now Darwin’s back.”
“You know you should have come and talked to me,” he scolded, “Not avoided me.”
Kate shrugged, “You had your own issues. You didn’t need mine as well.”
“Kate…” he started.
“Besides,” she cut him off, “I may have made a friend.”
Nathan stared at her surprised, “Really? Who?”
“Tim O’Neill.”
She laughed at his surprised look.
“I was stunned too but he came and spoke to me,” she told him, “And offered me an ear when I needed it.”
Nathan chuckled, “Just don’t break my communications officer.”
“I make absolutely no promises,” Kate smirked, laughing as he splashed her.
Darwin joined in and for a short time they were the small family from the island once more.
Interlude 1
Treasure Of The Mind
Kate sat in the mess reading some of her course work.
Everyone was busy at the moment with Dr Young’s project so it was quiet enough for her to get some work done. They’d been at sea for three weeks now and it had been smooth sailing so far.
Although she liked it here Kate had spent very little time amongst the crew. She knew Nathan was a little worried about that fact since one thing Kate had always done well was become friendly with people.
The problem was Kate had never had to actually remain friends with people so she was a little worried about trying to create friendships, especially due to the fact she would always have to lie to them about who she actually was.
“Hey,” Nathan appeared beside her, “Do you want to come and see this?”
Kate shrugged, “Sure why not. I can read this later.”
He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they started walking.
“I’ve been thinking,” Nathan said, “We should ask Dr Westphalen to see if she can identify the poison.”
“Nathan, I don’t why you bother,” Kate told him, “You and Bill have had every doctor from here, there and everywhere trying to find a way to remove this stuff from me. None of them have managed it. Besides, do you want to tell her how I ended up with it?”
He rolled his eyes at her, “We don’t have to tell her it’s you. Not unless she actually manages to find a cure.”
“Fine, do whatever you want,” Kate replied, “If it makes you feel like you’re doing something about it.”
Nathan shook his head, they headed to the maglev shuttle and as they sat he looked at her worry in his eyes.
“You’re not socialising.”
Kate sighed, “I’m working on it.”
“You usually make friends easily,” Nathan reminded her.
“I’m usually trying to con them,” Kate retorted, “It is not so easy doing it for real.”
He smiled affectionately at her, “Pick one person and start there.”
Kate found a perch on the bridge beside the stairs that led up to the communications station. She’d found it was a good spot to sit as it was out of the way but it allowed her to get to either Nathan if she needed to or off the bridge quickly.
She’d enjoyed the show the visiting scientist was giving but as silence fell she pulled one leg up curling her arms around it and resting her chin on her knee. She was mulling over Nathan’s suggestion to find one person and try the making friends’ thing.
“Captain,” O’Neill’s startled voice cut through the silence.
Kate looked up to see Nathan and the communications officer dive over to the pool. Kate bounced up and ran over horrified as she realised that something was wrong with Darwin.
As Nathan and O’Neill climbed in to the water Kate gently stroked Darwin hoping to soothe him, she caught Nathan’s gaze as he moved to help his friend. She nodded and followed Westphalen off the bridge.
Once they were down at the moon pool she stood to one side, out of the way of the doctors but close enough she would be able to get the information first hand- if they ever made it down here.
Kate looked up as Westphalen touched her shoulder.
“We’ll help him,” the doctor assured her, “Okay?”
At the reassurance Kate nodded, she liked Westphalen. The woman exuded calm professionalism but she also had a motherly quality to her that Kate had never truly experienced. If she was ill Kate knew she would trust this woman to help her…as long as Nathan was there.
*********************************************
As they were all dismissed by Nathan’s friend Kate found a step to sit on, staring out at the ocean as they waited on information regarding Darwin.
“Are you okay, Miss Foster?”
Looking up she O’Neill standing there, he’d been extremely shaken by whatever had happened to him on the bridge but he hadn’t left Darwin.
“Yeah,” she nodded.
He didn’t move or speak and Kate sighed.
“Grab a seat,” she told him, “We should be the first to hear anything.”
He gave her a slightly nervous smile before he sat beside her, his eyes scanning the horizon for a few minutes before he turned to her.
“I’m sure Darwin will be okay,” he tried to assure her.
Kate looked at him and smiled slightly, “I’m afraid I don’t do false hope. I do reality and the reality of it is he’s sick and we don’t know enough to save him.”
“It’s not hope,” he argued, “Its faith.”
“I don’t do that either,” Kate told him, “You pray to a deity who, if he does exist, doesn’t give a damn about us at all.”
O’Neill grimaced, “Personally I was talking about faith in Dr Westphalen and the Captain’s friend. But if you want we can argue theology.”
Kate chuckled before sighing, “You heard him, didn’t you?”
“What?” he asked, a little perturbed by her sudden change in topic.
“Darwin,” she clarified, “You heard him call to you, didn’t you?”
O’Neill looked uncomfortable before he nodded, “It was like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”
Kate tilted her head but remained silent so he would continue.
“It’s so hard to describe,” he said, “Darwin’s mind…it was just….”
Kate smiled as he trailed off, “Well, Darwin has always been extraordinary. He saved my life once and after that any time I was in the water he would always appear, no matter where he’d been to look out for me.”
Noise coming from behind them made them turn as they realised something was happening; Tim stood and offered his hand to pull her off the step.
“Thank you, Lt,” Kate smiled at him, “Let’s go find out what’s happening.”
Kate stood at the empty pool on sea deck tears trickling down her cheeks. Darwin was dying and now he was gone. He’d left them to die with his family.
Nathan was depressed about losing Darwin who had been part of his family for even longer and she didn’t want to force her abandonment issues on him right now so had come here to grieve.
“Miss Foster?”
Kate wiped her eyes, turning to find O’Neill standing just behind her.
“Yes, Lt?” she asked trying to pretend he hadn’t caught her crying.
He moved to her side, “I wanted to make sure you were okay. You disappeared quickly after Darwin left the boat.”
Kate shrugged, “It’s stupid.”
“We’re all upset,” O’Neill reminded her, “Darwin was a part of the crew. No matter how short a time he was here for.”
Kate pressed her hand to her eyes, “It sounds really dumb but Darwin was the one I would talk to when I needed to vent. Nathan is too busy these days to put up with my random insanity so I would talk to Darwin,” she could see the question in his eyes he wasn’t asking and she shrugged, “I’m not sure if you noticed or not but I don’t exactly have anyone else to talk to around here.”
Silence fell between them before he shrugged, “If you need you can talk to me.”
“What?”
He looked uncomfortable but continued, “I’m not exactly the Captain or Darwin but you can rant at me or argue theology if you need to.”
Kate stared at him before smiling, “Its Tim, right?”
He nodded.
“Thank you, Tim,” she smiled at him, “Call me Kate.”
Nathan beamed as he stroked Darwin who was obviously enjoying the attention he was receiving.
“Good boy,” the Captain murmured, “I thought we’d lost you for a minute there.”
Darwin splashed him making Nathan laugh.
“Kate,” Darwin called, “Come play.”
Nathan turned and saw his ‘niece’ walking over, “You okay?”
Kate gave him a smile, “Yeah, now Darwin’s back.”
“You know you should have come and talked to me,” he scolded, “Not avoided me.”
Kate shrugged, “You had your own issues. You didn’t need mine as well.”
“Kate…” he started.
“Besides,” she cut him off, “I may have made a friend.”
Nathan stared at her surprised, “Really? Who?”
“Tim O’Neill.”
She laughed at his surprised look.
“I was stunned too but he came and spoke to me,” she told him, “And offered me an ear when I needed it.”
Nathan chuckled, “Just don’t break my communications officer.”
“I make absolutely no promises,” Kate smirked, laughing as he splashed her.
Darwin joined in and for a short time they were the small family from the island once more.
Interlude 1
Treasure Of The Mind