Nightmares End and Dreams Begin
By: Sarah Lubin

Okay, I know seaQuest DSV belongs to NBC and I shouldn't really do this, but the hell with it!

Enjoy!

CHAPTER ONE

It was the sound of dripping. Water dripping from a hose or sink. There was a beeping sound....a beeping sound? Why was a beeping sound in his ridicules thoughts? It couldn't be a beeping sound...how could it be that strange sound.

He opened his eyes a crack and looked at a black scenery. Everything was airless and dizzy-like. The beeping got louder.

"Dad!" screamed Lucas. He only remembered those words for some reason or another. Lucas couldn't move his body....he was too weak. "Someone help me! Daddy!"

A thundering sound came from the far side of the black scenery. Something Lucas Wolenczak couldn't see.

"Lucas....are you alright?" asked a distant voice. It thundered in his head and hit his temples like two bombs going off inside his head. A civil war in his brain. Lucas winced and tried the drive the thundering out of his mind. He forced himself to consciousness and opened his eyes more.

"Daddy, help me....please." echoed a voice in Lucas's thoughts. To his surprise it was his very own voice. "I can't get out..."

* * * * * * * * * *

A beaten body laid on the rocks. Water dripped from the stalactites and hit the underground lake. A group of people crowded into the dark cave and looked at the body. An old man hobbled up to it and poked at it with his cane.

"He's dead!" exclaimed the man and raised his cane in the air.

A soft, but pitiful moan escaped the body's lips. The crowd drew back with fright. A tall, dark man pushed through the crowd and kicked the body.

"He is alive." said the man. "I, Duran, will make sure he is put to death for the destruction of our home!" His voice echoed in the cave.

"Shouldn't we nurse him back to health and then kill him, Sir Duran?" asked a voice from the crowd.

The crowd agree.

Duran held his hands in the air to silence the crowd's protest. "Lady's....gentlemen, this boy will not survive." He looked at the body with discuss. "Who will keep him in their home until his death?"

"I will!" called a voice from to crowd. It was a voice of a girl.

"Who said they will take this boy in?" asked Duran.

A young woman with long brown hair and green eyes stepped forward. "I."

"Ryon?" exclaimed an elder.

Ryon smiled with pride and pushed Duran out of the way. She checked the pulse of the boy and looked at Duran. "I will need someone to carry him to my home....Duran."

"Drew! Andiron!" beckoned Duran. He saw his two guards walk past him and picked up the boy. He sneered as Ryon followed.

CHAPTER TWO

Captain Nathan Bridger paced the infirmary and looked at his watch. "God, I can't believe this is happening to my crew." mumbled Nathan to himself.

"Captain." It was Dr. Westphalen. She looked at the captain of the seaQuest with a frown.

"How's Hitchcock and Ford?" asked the captain. He was nervous and he couldn't hid it from Kristin.

"They are fine. Hitchcock has pretty awful injuries. Ford will survive." Kristin took off her coat. "Did they find Lucas....yet?"

Nathan shook his head with grief. "I have search crews out for him."

Kristin nodded. "I'm sorry this happened. I know how much he meant to you."

He looked at the floor and sighed. "I only wished he knew." Nathan said in a soft voice.

Kristin was puzzled.

"I only wished he knew...God...I wished he knew."

* * * * * * * * * *

Ryon shut the door and locked it. She closed the windows and lit the candles in the bedroom. She brushed a piece of hair out of her face. Ryon knelt next to the body and checked for a pulse again.

Still alive. thought Ryon as she covered the body with a blanket. She looked at the boy and noticed a strange on his uniform of some sort. "SeaQuest...." The word was new to her.

The boy moaned again and Ryon drew back. She stood up and went into the main room. Ryon pour some water into a large bowl and took a rag from a drawer. She walked back into the bedroom and sat on the bed. The boy moaned softly as she sat. Ryon bit her lip with worry.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Captain Bridger?" It was Lt. O' Neill. He stood in the doorway with Chief Ortiz behind him. "Sir....um...well..."

"Yes, Lt. O' Neill?" asked Nathan. He spun around in his chair.

"The search crew has found nothing...sir. We can't find Lucas until the morning." said Tim in a husky voice.

Nathan nodded slowly and slammed his fist on the desk. "Why not?" bellowed Nathan.

"It's too dark, sir. Also, the search crew doesn't have enough supplies." replied Miguel.

"I want you to find that boy as soon as possible! You hear! As soon as possible!" Nathan stormed out of the room.

Darwin swam up to Nathan and hit his tail against the water. Nathan looked at the dolphin and smiled.

"You miss Lucas?" asked Nathan.

Darwin let out a cry for yes. He swam around again and jumped.

"So do I." Nathan petted Darwin's head. His felt the water and laughed. "When we find Lucas, I promise you can spend all of the free time with him instead of me."

Darwin cried out and swam away.

CHAPTER THREE

Lucas woke up slowly and looked at a blurred figure above him. A cold object laid over his forehead. He closed his eyes again and opened them. The figure was clearer now. It was a girl his age with long brown hair and brown eyes looked down at him with a sigh of relief.

"Thank God you are alive," she whispered softly into his ear.

Lucas looked around the room and sat up in bed with a bit of fear. This wasn't the seaQuest....not at all. Lucas bolted out of bed and tried to open the door. He was too weak and Lucas fell into his knees. A dark shadow was cast upon him and Lucas looked up at the girl with fear.

"What....are....you....going....to....do....to....me?" sputtered Lucas. He backed up against the door.

"Nothing. I was trying to save your life." The girl outstretched her hand and helped Lucas to his feet.

"Who....are....you?" asked Lucas. He slipped his arm around her shoulder and realized his was definitely in trouble.

"I'm Ryon Gallahger." She helped Lucas back to the bed and proped him against the headboard. "You are?"

Lucas shook his head to clear it. "I'm....Lucas....Wolenczak....from the sea....Quest."

Ryon nodded as she covered him up with the blankets. "Is that a vessel?"

Lucas nodded and looked out the window. "Where....am....I?" He slid into the covers and looked at Ryon.

"You are in an underground city called Doyen. A group of people found you be some rocks. You were barely alive....actually, you have been here for at least a week or more. They were going to put you to death, but I took you in. They are going to carry out the sentence after you are healthy."

"Death?" whispered Lucas in a choked voice. He clutched the covers of the bed. "Me?"

Ryon nodded. "Look, please don't overreact. I can help you. You must listen to me....Lucas. You have to rest until they think you're going to stay in a coma forever."

Lucas nodded with pain and worry. He remembered something. "Darwin."

"Who?" asked Ryon.

"Darwin...dolphin....friend....of....mine." said Lucas. He took out a silver tube. "Go to the water....blow on it...Darwin will come....with help for me....and you." Lucas was slipping back into his dark world again. "Get....help....for....me....plea..." He went limp on the bed.

Ryon bit her lip until it bled and held the tube in her hand. "Darwin." She mumbled the word a couple of times. Ryon stood up and changed Lucas's rag. Ryon brushed a piece of hair out of Lucas's closed eyes. He's dying and I need to get Darwin. Ryon racked through her mind and closed her eyes for a moment.

"Ryon!" yelled a voice from outside. A banging followed. "Ryon, open the door!"

With a groan, Ryon hurried to the front door. She swung it open. "Hi Duran."

"How's the boy?" asked Duran. He stepped in the house and bolted into Ryon's bedroom.

"He's the same, Duran." Ryon grabbed Duran and led him out of the room. "He probably won't make it. Let's just let him die with his family."

"Absolutely not, Ryon!" roared Duran. "I won't allow it!" He charge out of the house and Ryon slammed the door shut.

Tonight, midnight, Darwin. Ryon thought. She heard a faint moan. Lucas. Ryon dashed into the bedroom and looked at him.

Help me...daddy...please help me! I can't get out! Lucas echoed in his brain. He was desperate and scared in his own unconscious world. He needed to get out.

* * * * * * * * * *

Nathan stood over Hitchcock with Dr. Westphalen. Hitchcock was now well enough to tell about what happened on board the waterprobe.

"There was a explosion and Ford was knocked unconscious. I dragged him into the escape pod. Lucas was still trying to figure out what happened. He told him to get out of there, but he didn't listen. I got into the pod and I heard the second explosion, then everything went black." Hitchcock relaxed in his bed.

Nathan looked at Dr. Westphalen. He tapped the intercom. "Bridge."

"Yes, captain?"

"Call off the search for Lucas Wolenczak ." Nathan felt a lump in his throat.

"Anything else, sir?" asked the person on the receiving end.

Nathan took a deep breath. "Take his record and mark him down as deceased."

"Yes, sir."

Nathan walked to Lucas's quarters and sat on the bed. He touched the covers with his hand and wiped a tear. "Only if you knew how much your father loved you, Lucas. Only if you knew, my dear, poor boy."

* * * * * * * * * *

Ryon sat on the rocked by the underground lake. She blew on the tube. Nothing happened. She blew again and again until her lips hurt. Ryon frowned and threw the tube into the water. It flew back up into her hands. Ryon peered over the rocked and looked into the water. A dolphin looked back at her.

"Darwin?" asked Ryon. She smiled at the dolphin.

The dolphin nodded.

Ryon smiled with pride. She took out a note and stuffed it into the tube. "Take this is Lucas's family. Please hurry. Something's wrong with Lucas. He's dying." Ryon placed the tube in Darwin's mouth. "Hurry please."

Darwin swam back into the water. Ryon stood up and sighed. She dusted her knees off and walked back to her home.

Lucas laid in the bed. His breathing was soft like a baby's song in the night air. Ryon knelt down next to him and smiled.

"Darwin is getting help," she said in a soft voice. "You'll be home soon."

* * * * * * * * * *

Dr. Wolenczak ran into the bridge. O'Neill was behind him. "Nathan!"

Nathan turned around and Dr. Wolenczak grabbed his collar.

"Where is my son?" asked Dr. Wolenczak through his teeth. He clutched Nathan tighter.

"He's dead." Nathan replied in a shaky voice. He shook Dr. Wolenczak off of him. "I'm sorry....he's dead."

Dr. Wolenczak looked at Nathan and went pale. "Are....are you sure?"

Nathan nodded with a concern look on his face. "The probe exploded and Lucas died in the explosion."

Dr. Wolenczak sat in one of the chairs. "He's too young. Can't you keep looking?"

"We are sure he's dead." Nathan replied in a harsh voice.

"Sir! Sir!" yelled a ensign. "I found this with Darwin. It's Lucas's whistle!" The breathless ensign gave the whistle to Nathan.

Nathan opened it. A piece of paper fell out of it. Dr. Wolenczak picked it up and unrolled it. He was silent for a moment. "It's from Lucas....no a person named Ryon."

"Well, read it!" exclaimed Nathan. He peered over Dr. Wolenczak's shoulder.

"It's says:

Dear Captain of the seaQuest,

Your crew member , Lucas Wolenczak, is in my home. I fret he is very ill and might die if someone from your vessel don't come to get him. My leader, Sir Duran, wants me to nurse him back to health to hang him for destroying our home and people. I know it wasn't Lucas. Darwin, your dolphin, knows where to go. Follow him and I'll meet you at the rocks.

Sincerely,

Ryon Gallahger

"I've heard of that name before." said Dr. Wolenczak. He gave the paper to the captain and waited for his answer. "So?"

Nathan looked at Dr. Wolenczak. "O'Neill, call a search crew with weapons and a doctor." Nathan walked down the steps.

"Yes sir."

"What about me?" shouted Dr. Wolenczak.

"You go to the infirmary and want for us." Nathan went to his quarters.

Dr. Wolenczak groaned and walked to the infirmary for the long wait for his son. This is why I left him here...to be a man, not a boy, a man.

CHAPTER FOUR

Lucas opened his eyes. He sat up in bed and looked around the dark room. He wasn't sure if he was home or not. Maybe Nathan brought him home while he was sleeping and this was his own room.

"Nathan?" yelled Lucas. He got out of bed and stood up. Lucas leaned against the nightstand next to him.

The door flew open. Lucas rubbed his head. "You again?"

"Well, I see you are feeling better." Ryon threw a black cape and a pair of boots at Lucas. She glared to see him in the dark. "Put them on. I found a way to get you out of here."

Lucas sat on the bed with a groan. He put the boots over his sock covered feet. He tied them and covered his uniform with the cape. "Did you find Darwin?"

"Your fellow crewmen are coming....I hope." Ryon grabbed Lucas's hand and dragged him out of the house.

The town was dark and silent. Lucas shivered. "Are you sure they are coming?"

Ryon nodded. She looked at Lucas. "Do you know how you got here?"

Lucas wasn't sure. "I don't remember at all. I was on a probe with some of the crewmen."

Ryon pulled Lucas behind a rock. "You were beaten when the townspeople found you. I think some of the injuries you had were mostly burns."

"Burns?" whispered Lucas in a hoarse voice. "You got...." Ryon placed her finger over Lucas's mouth.

"I don't care if the boy is dying. We'll hang him tomorrow." said familiar voice.

Lucas let out a soft cry. Ryon squeezed his hand for comfort. The men walked away. Ryon grabbed Lucas and ran down to the rocks.

"Who was that?" asked Lucas. He ducked next to Ryon behind some rocks.

"Sir Duran." answered Ryon. She hear some men talking.

"Nathan?" said Lucas. He poked his head up and saw his crewmen with Nathan. Lucas stood up. "Nathan!"

"Lucas, get down!" yelled Ryon. She tried to grab him, but Lucas ran towards the seaQuest crew. Ryon followed him.

A laser beam almost hit Lucas. He stopped short and looked to see where it came from. Sir Duran shot again and hit a stalactite. It fell and a large piece hit Lucas's head. Ryon jumped out of the way of the rocks. Lucas toppled into the icy water. Ryon jumped in after him. Nathan followed her. The seaQuest crew shot back at Sir Duran's men.

* * * * * * * * * *

Ryon came up for a breath. Nathan was next to her. Ryon went under again and saw Lucas sinking deeper into the water. She swam to him and grabbed the collar of his uniform. Ryon swam to the surface and went back under as stalactites hit the water.

"Over here!" yelled Nathan. He swam over to the probe and helped Ryon drag Lucas onboard. The other crew members came inside shortly after. Two of the men went to control the probe.

Ryon laid Lucas on the floor of the probe. She shivered from the coldness. A blanket was draped over her shoulders. Nathan stood behind her with a smile.

"You must be Lucas's father." Ryon said in a whisper.

Nathan knelt down next her and checked Lucas's pulse. "I wish, I'm Captain Nathan Hale Bridger."

Ryon shook his hand. "I'm Ryon Gallahger." She looked at Lucas and frowned. "Will he live?"

Nathan nodded as he lifted Lucas to one of the beds. "Just a little bump on the head."

Lucas shot up and coughed up water. He held his stomach and whizzed.

"Just like I say....a little bump on the head." Nathan joked.

* * * * * * * * * *

A medical crew ran into the infirmary with Lucas on a stretcher. Nathan and Ryon were by his side. Dr. Westphalen walked out of her office and ordered the crew to take Lucas to the emergency room.

"Where's his father?" asked Nathan to Kristen.

"He left....about an hour or so ago." Kristen rushed into the emergency room with a nurse.

"Damn him!" yelled Nathan. He looked at Ryon.

"What's wrong?" Ryon sat in a chair.

"Lucas's father...that's what's wrong. He left....at a time like this!" bellowed Nathan. He sat in the chair next to Ryon.

Ryon was silent. She looked around the room she was in and she knew she was finally going to be safe.......

"Captain Wolenczak." It was Anne Morgan, an ensign. She stood over Lucas.

"Yes, ensign?" Lucas yawned the sleepiness out of him.

"We are almost at sea station Mock 5. Ensign Gallahger will be waiting." said Anne.

"Ensign Gallahger?" Lucas was surprised.

"Yes, sir. You better get ready. We are docking in ten minutes." Anne walked away.

Lucas stood up and brushed his hair. He remembered the nightmare which haunting him for many years, but it was finally over.

* * * * * * * * * *

A young lady with long brown hair and hazel eyes stood in the docking area. She smiled at Lucas and shook his hand.

"Captain." said the ensign. "I'm Ensign Fiona Gallahger."

Lucas nodded. "Is your mother's name Ryon?"

Fiona looked at Lucas with a puzzled expression. "Yes...sir."

"Hello Captain Wolenczak." said a familiar voice. A lady with brown hair in a bun and green eyes looked at Lucas. "I guess we haven't seen each since you were about 15 or 16."

Lucas smiled. "Ryon Gallahger...I mean Captain Ryon Gallahger."

Ryon walked up to him and hugged him. "I missed you."

Lucas smiled and kissed her forehead. "I've been wondering were you went." He held her hand and smiled with happiness.

Ryon smiled. "Have you met my daughter, Lucas....."

Like they all say, nightmares end and dreams begin.

THE END

Comments can be sent to Sarah Lubin at dlubin@worldnet.att.net