WORTH IT
“He’ll come out in a minute, just leave him be.” Nathan looked sadly back to Lucas, like hell he would just leave him there. “Lucas, it’s okay. No one here is going to hurt you, you’re safe.” Lucas still didn’t respond. He was curled up in a tight ball in a cubby hole where no one could get to him. He was younger than everyone else on the submarine; thus, he was also smaller. But he was also small for his age; therefore, he had an even greater advantage. However, Nathan, Lucas’s adoptive dad didn’t see it this way.
This last week had been hard on Lucas and everything was finally catching up with him, including his memories of his abusive father. Lucas had been busy in the lab for most of the day but when Kristin had looked at him and seen that he didn’t look so good, she had ordered him to go get some food and get some rest. After that Lucas had disappeared. It took them over two hours to find him. When they had, they had found him curled up in a ball in the cubby hole in the engine room. Nathan had come immediately and that was where they were now. Now it was just Nathan, Kristin, and Lucas in the engine room. Nathan was trying to coax Lucas out of his safe place, trying to get him to come to him. Kristin, on the other hand, was trying to get Nathan to give Lucas a little time. She knew what Lucas’s past held, but she also knew that what they were doing wasn’t working. Nathan continued to talk to Lucas. He was so good with him; Kristin decided to leave them alone and hope that Nathan could get Lucas out.
Nathan didn’t even notice Kristin leave; his full attention was on Lucas. “Lucas, please come out. We can talk or anything else you want, but right now can you just come out of there?” Lucas looked up at Nathan for the first time since he had come down here. There were tears streaming down Lucas’s face. “Please don’t be mad! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to… I mean… I just…” Lucas trailed off and broke down sobbing.
Nathan finally understood why Lucas didn’t want to come out and his heart broke. He was afraid that if he did, Nathan would punish him. He thought Nathan was going to hit him. “Lucas, I’m not mad at you. I never was. I will admit, you’re scaring me but I’m not mad. I’m not going to hurt you.” Lucas looked at him with disbelieving eyes. “I promise.” Lucas thought for a moment. Nathan had never broken a promise before. He had been the first one not to. He had promised he wouldn’t kick Lucas off the ship and he hadn’t. He had promised to get him away from his dad and he had. Nathan was the only one Lucas could trust. Now he just had to make himself believe that. He knew it in his heart, but his head was going in a completely different direction. ‘No, this is Nathan. He won’t hurt me. He doesn’t hit me. He never has and never will.’ Lucas inched his way forward, out of his cubby hole. Slowly Lucas made his way to his dad, and finally Nathan could reach Lucas. He helped Lucas the rest of the way out; the moment Lucas was out Nathan surrounded him in a huge bear hug. Lucas couldn’t handle it anymore. He broke down sobbing.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so much trouble. I swear I’ll never do it again. I swear. Please don’t be mad.” Words continued to tumble out of Lucas’s mouth as Nathan gently rocked his new son back and forth in his arms. “Shh, it’s ok now. It’s alright. No one is going to hurt you. You’re safe.” And Lucas knew his dad was right. He was safe. Lucas’s sobbing started to calm down as Lucas wore down. He buried himself deep in Nathan’s arms. “Why don’t we go back to our rooms and you can rest there?” Nathan asked. Lucas just snuggled closer, “Can we stay here for a little while longer?” Nathan smiled, “Of course, we can stay here as long as you want.” Lucas smiled and he drifted off to sleep in Nathan’s loving arms.
Nathan waited about half an hour before carrying Lucas back to their rooms and setting him on the couch in their living room. Lucas didn’t wake once. ‘He must have been tired.’ Nathan thought. ‘Well one thing is for sure; when he wakes up we are going to have a long talk.’ But for now Nathan just sat in his chair and watched Lucas sleep. Fatherhood might be tiring but he had a feeling that this was going to be worth it.