Zero and Counting
Chip Morton (l), Lee Crane (r) with Admiral Nelson
"Voyage" was filmed in the 60s with a timeline that took place in the 70s. I've updated it to today. If you're a purist, it will drive you crazy. If you're not, enjoy the story.
Chip Morton made a last note on the log. "If you have any questions, I'll be with the Captain. You have the con," he said to Bobby O'Brien, already turning toward the circular stairway. He was tired, they all were. Four hours before, they had finally completed Operation Counterforce, their first mission without John Phillips as captain. Chip had almost sagged with relief when the Admiral had ordered Seaview to return to Santa Barbara. Now, his watch over, he finally had time to relax and sleep.
At this time of day, officers' country was usually active and busy. The watch was changing, and dinner was about to be served in the wardroom. Tonight, though, everything was quiet. He suspected more than a few men were catching up on the sleep they had lost during the submarine's hectic trip to the Artic. Coming around a corner, Chip almost crashed into Kowalski who was carrying a dinner tray.
"Sorry, Mr. Morton!"
Chip waved off the apology. "What have you got there?"
"The doc wanted the Captain to eat something, and I got volunteered to bring him his dinner." He looked down at the untouched tray and shook his head. "Didn't even look at it. Said he wasn't hungry and told me to take it back. I do not want to bring this back to Cookie."
Chip controlled the urge to roll his eyes. "Give it here." Slipping his clipboard under one arm, he took the tray. "Do me a favor. Ask Cookie to send another tray to the Captain's cabin, would you?"
"Yes, sir. I'll bring it up myself."
Walking forward, Chip went to the door just beyond his cabin. Balancing the tray carefully against the doorjamb, he knocked once before letting himself in.
"Dinner," he announced, placing the tray on the desk.
"I'm not hungry," Lee Crane returned, continuing to pace the cabin. Glancing at the bunk, Chip saw he had at least made an attempt to sleep.
"Doctor's orders from what Kowalski told me," Chip said calmly.
Lee turned at that, running a hand through his hair. "He didn't make it an order. He suggested I have something to eat."
"Then I'm making it an order. Sit down and eat, Lee. You've been running on fumes since you came back aboard."
Lee backed away. "I'm not hungry, Chip, really."
Refusing to argue the point, Chip reached out and grabbed Lee's arm, pulling him into his arms. For a long moment, he simply enjoyed the luxury of holding his lover. He rubbed Lee's back, feeling the fine tremors under his hand. "You still cold?"
"Adrenalin," Lee confessed in a tight whisper. "I tried lying down, but I couldn't sleep. I can't relax."
Chip held him tighter, nudging Lee's head down on his shoulder and dropping a kiss on the dark hair. "I'm not surprised. Ribs okay?"
"They're better. Not as sore." Lee leaned into him, a long, tired sigh warming Chip's neck. "Missed you…"
"Missed you too." He closed his eyes and breathed in, filling his lungs with the remnants of soap, after-shave, starch and something that was indefinably Lee. Chip smiled. He would recognize this smell anywhere on earth.
A polite knock announced the arrival of Chip's dinner. Lee reluctantly pulled away from Chip and opened the door.
"Here you go, Mr. Morton," Kowalski said, setting a tray down on the desk across from the captain's. "I brought some hot coffee, too."
"Thank you," Chip replied as the crewman put the thermal carafe on the credenza and removed the one that sat there.
Kowalski looked at both officers. "Is there anything else I can get for you, sirs?"
"No, thanks," Lee answered. "Go have your dinner." Before the door closed, he headed for the carafe, but stopped in his tracks when Chip looked pointedly at him. "But I want a cup of coffee!"
"Eat, then we'll talk about it."
"Chip —"
"Sit!"
He waited until Lee dropped heavily into the desk chair before taking the covers off the plates. Cookie had taken his suggestion for dinner. The food was simple: stuffed pork chops, green beans and generous helpings of macaroni and cheese. A little plebian compared with the meals Seaview's officers usually enjoyed, but exactly what fit the bill for an exhausted captain.
Lee slumped back and tried one more time. "I'm really not —"
"Not another word," Chip warned. "Pick up your fork and get started."
With bad grace, Lee dug into the macaroni and cheese. Holding the fork out, he stared at it. Darting a quick look at Chip, he put it in his mouth and chewed.
"Needs pepper."
Chip raised one eyebrow, and Lee subsided and continued eating.
"Is that enough?" he tried a few minutes later, ready to push the plate away.
Chip shook his head. "Not even close."
Sighing, Lee returned his attention to his food, and Chip was reminded of other nights they had gone this same routine. The first time had been at the Annapolis, when Lee had collapsed in a classroom after finishing a midterm. Chip still felt a flood of cold terror when he pictured Lee's eyes rolling back as he slumped to the floor, missing the cast-iron radiator by a hair. After he had managed to talk his way out of the infirmary, Chip had escorted him back to their room. Once there, Lee had finally admitted that he had not eaten since breakfast the previous day.
"I was nervous, Chip! I couldn't eat, all I could think about was that exam."
After a blistering lecture (one of my best, Chip reflected), he had ordered Lee to bed then gone to the dining hall and charmed food out of one of the cooks. Bringing his haul back to the dorm, he had stood over Lee until he had managed to eat enough to satisfy his roommate.
After that, he had kept a weathered eye on the younger midshipman, drawing definite lines in the sand where Lee was concerned. In the beginning it had been a struggle, but finally Lee had started recognizing boundaries. When their friendship had grown into love, it became easier. First in Groton attending sub school together, and then when Chip had been posted to the Pentagon and Lee had been stationed in Norfolk, Chip had worked on keeping Lee steady and did his best to control Lee's headstrong impulses. Now, he worried constantly about his impetuous lover half a world away. Lee had a terrible habit of putting his own health and well-being low on his list of priorities.
By the time Chip finished his dinner, Lee had eaten more than half of his. It was not stellar, but Chip appreciated the effort. Pouring coffee for each of them, he sat down and stretched his legs out in front of him. Lee gripped his cup in both hands, savoring every swallow.
"Feel better?" Chip asked, taking a sip.
"Yeah," Lee admitted. His eyes traveled over Chip's shoulder to the carafe.
"Don't even think about it." He frowned at a light knock on the door. "Expecting someone?" he asked.
Harriman Nelson poked his head in. "Am I interrupting your meal?"
As the younger officers rose to their feet, Lee shook his head. "No, sir. We just finished."
"My visit is twofold," Nelson began, taking the seat Chip offered him. Lee sat down in his chair while Chip leaned against the credenza. The Admiral held up the bottle he carried. "First, I thought we'd all benefit from some scotch this evening."
Chip grabbed three glasses off the tray by the untouched carafe of water, and the Admiral poured them each a generous dram. Chip handed a glass to Lee and took one for himself as Nelson lifted his own.
"Gentlemen, to Seaview and her crew."
Chip and Lee both raised their glasses. "Seaview!"
Chip took a swallow and felt a satisfying warmth melt the last of the chill that remained from standing in the sail during an Artic blizzard. Worse yet had been enduring those forty-nine minutes when he had been terrified Seaview would be forced to submerge, condemning four men, Lee chief among them, to death when the nuclear weapon exploded.
"Admiral, you mentioned two reasons, not that I'm not enjoying the first," Lee said.
"With all honesty, I'm … avoiding Dr. Wilson. The man has been at my heels for the last two weeks, and it's worn a bit thin."
Chip hid a smirk as Lee nodded. "We understand, sir."
Nelson took a sip before asking, "May I ask you something, Lee?"
"Yes sir, of course."
"Dr. Wilson said you'd met before."
Lee's answer was careful. "Yes, Admiral."
"And your opinion of him?" When Lee hesitated, Nelson nodded. "I see."
"We met under rather difficult circumstances. A Navy boat and crew serving at the beck and call of a civilian whose only interest was performing test after test in a North Atlantic ice field."
"Tests that failed repeatedly," Chip mumbled under his breath. He remembered how angry Lee had been when the boat had finally docked, a full month behind schedule. They had missed most of the time they had left before Chip's departure for Santa Barbara.
Nelson's glance told him that he heard the comment. "And the reason he thought you were unimaginative?" he pressed.
Lee's color rose, but he kept his voice even. "He has that opinion about everyone in the military, Admiral, but especially career officers. When he found out that I had attended Annapolis, apparently it served to cement it."
"And you did nothing to change it."
"There was no opportunity, sir," Lee hedged.
The look Nelson gave him was both amused and knowing. "Oh, I'm sure there wasn't."
Lee smiled, the easy smile Chip had not seen for the duration of this cruise, but did not try to defend himself.
"I suppose I should return to my duties as host," Nelson said, tossing back the last of his scotch. "I appreciate you allowing me to interrupt." He waved them down when they started to stand. "I'll see you both in the morning."
"Good night, sir."
When the door closed behind him, Chip grinned openly at his partner. "He has your number."
Lee smiled as well. "I'm afraid so. Maybe I should be grateful I'm leaving."
"When?" Chip asked softly.
"I don't know. I hope we'll have a few days before I have to report."
Chip sighed. "I hope so, too." He glanced at his watch, amazed how quickly the time had passed. "You should take a shower and then get some sleep."
"At this hour? I'm not even tired!"
"You're beyond tired, Lee, you're exhausted. Go on."
Lee looked as though he would argue, but then shrugged. Opening one of the drawers under the bunk, he pulled out pajamas and disappeared into the small head.
Picking up the phone over the bunk, Chip requested a steward pick up their dinner trays, then walked to the bunk and straightened the covers. Opening the wardrobe, he pulled an extra blanket from the shelf and spread it over the bunk.
At the knock on the door, he let in Donaldson, one of the newest crewmembers. The young steward quickly stacked the one tray on top of the other and disappeared out the door with barely a word. Chip wondered if the quiet efficiency was simply the man's way, or if he had been listening to some of the stories he knew floated around the crew's mess about the Exec.
Chip sat down on the edge and yawned. He was ready to crawl into bed and catch up on his sleep. He was not sure how Lee was even functioning at this point. Almost two weeks before, the USS Armitage, under Lee's command, had rendezvoused with a destroyer off the coast of Greenland, and Lee had transferred aboard. From there, a helicopter had taken him to the air field at Sondrestrom, and then a series of Navy jets had flown him to Santa Barbara, where he had immediately assumed command of Seaview.
When the surprise of seeing his lover drop into the control room and punch Kowalski had faded, Chip had recognized all the signs of a stressed-out Lee Crane. In the two months since they had seen each other, Lee had lost weight he could ill afford. His eyes, always an indicator of how he felt, were dark; his cheekbones sharp lines in a drawn face.
He had tried to question him as they stood on the dock waiting for Admiral Nelson to arrive, but Lee had brushed aside his questions. He had been wary, worried they would be overheard.
Once Lee had received his orders, the mission had taken precedence over everything else, including the young captain's welfare. He had strategized with Nelson and Dr. Wilson until all hours, taken his watches in the control room, and wandered the boat meeting the men temporarily under his command. There had hardly been time to say more than hello to each other.
Chip smiled, thinking of the moment a week into the mission, when Curly Jones had "casually" remarked that he had looked up Lee's service record.
"Looked like he was at Annapolis same time you were, Mr. Morton."
Chip glanced up from the plot table. "He was in my class, Chief."
"Didya know him?"
"Little bit." Remembering the Chief's vast avenues of information, especially one Harriman Nelson, Chip grinned, admitting, "We were roommates."
"You're kidding! Well, they always say the Navy's a mighty small world."
"Mighty small indeed."
Hearing the shower turn off, Chip looked around the cabin. Captain Phillips' personal effects had been removed before they had left port, but Lee had brought nothing with him. The cabin was empty, devoid of any sign of the only two men who had commanded Seaview since her launching.
Opening the drawer Lee had taken the pajamas from, Chip grabbed a pair of heavy cotton socks. As he pulled them out, he caught sight of a small bottle. He picked it up and heard the rattle of pills. A bottle of Tylenol, unopened. Chip frowned as he weighed it in his hand. Lee's encounter with an oversized squid had left him with bruised ribs; and for the last three days, he had rubbed his temple when he thought no one was watching, the sure indicator of a headache.
When Lee stepped out of the head, Chip tossed the bottle toward him in a low arch. Lee caught it automatically, registered what it was and looked anywhere but at his stern-faced lover.
"I… ah…"
"What? Forgot where you put them?" Chip supplied. "We've had this conversation before — several times, in fact. Apparently we need to have it again."
The dark head shook as Lee studied the deck at his feet. When he spoke, the New England drawl was stronger, as it always was when he was tired or stressed. "I didn't … forget I had them. I was afraid they'd make me fuzzy. It wasn't a bad headache, Chip."
Chip frowned. He had let too much slide since he had last seen Lee. "When you refused the meds the doctor offered you for the ribs, what did you say?"
"What did I say?" Lee repeated, an ill-advised stall for time that rarely worked. When Chip raised an eyebrow, he hurried on. "I said that I, uh, had something in my cabin."
"Which led the doctor to believe what?" Chip demanded.
"I don't know!"
"Oh yes, you do. What did you want him to believe, Lee?"
"That I … was … going to take it?"
"And did you?"
"No?"
"So, in effect, you lied."
"No!"
Chip crossed the cabin and lifted Lee's chin, forcing him to look at him. He kept his voice even, but each word was distinct. "Did you plan to take the pills?"
"I couldn't!"
"Yes, you could have. You've never had a problem with Tylenol!"
"But suppose —"
"There's no 'suppose'. Answer my question. Did you plan to take the pills?"
Lee shook his head, his face miserable. "No, I wanted him to believe it so he wouldn't give me anything."
"What am I going to do with you?" Chip asked, wrapping his arms around his partner and hugging him tight.
Lee buried his face in the side of Chip's neck, his hands taking hold of the front of his shirt. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"I know you are, but I'm not the one you should apologize to."
"Do I have —"
"Yes, you do. After breakfast tomorrow, I want you to stop by Sickbay and talk to Doc." He felt the protest start before the words reached Lee's mouth. "In person, first thing."
It took a moment for the tension to leave the slim body, and then Lee nodded. "Aye, sir."
"Now put on the socks, and get into bed." Going to the head, Chip filled the glass and opened the bottle. He shook two pills into his hand but knowing Lee, put one back. "Take it." Lee opened his mouth, but Chip put his hands on his hips and loomed over him. "Without further discussion."
When the glass was empty, he took it back. Sitting on the edge of the bunk, he leaned in for a goodnight kiss. Lee hesitated before touching his lips to Chip's.
"You'll stay?" he asked as he lay down.
Chip nodded, understanding the request behind the question. "For a little while."
Lee burrowed into the blankets until only his dark hair was visible. Pulling the guest chair closer, Chip sat down, resting his feet on the end of the bunk. Within minutes, he heard the young captain's breathing even out. When he was certain Lee was deeply asleep, he stood up, swallowing a groan as he stretched and felt his back crack. Snapping off the light, he dropped a gentle kiss on the soft curls and whispered, "Sleep well, love" before leaving the darkened cabin for his own warm bunk.
Ninety minutes before Seaview docked in Santa Barbara, Curley Jones found Chip as he left the Missile Room after a last-minute inspection. He had not found anything out of order, had not expected to, but doing it now would save time once they docked.
"Mr. Morton sir, the Admiral wants you to lay up to the Nose!"
Chip looked up, distracted and a little annoyed. He had two more stops on his list and wanted to finish up as soon as he could. "Now, Chief?"
"As soon as possible was what he said, sir. Seemed kinda important." He nodded toward the clipboard. "I'll handle the rest of it if you want."
Chip handed over the list. "Just the Machine Room and Circuitry to go. Everything else is done."
"Aye, sir. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes."
Chip nodded, already headed for the nearest ladder. He was not unduly worried. Nelson had spent most of the day in the Nose, relaxing as they drew closer to home. It had been a trying month for all of them, but especially for him. On the heels of losing his captain and good friend, he had had to convince a committee of military and civilian advisors to the President that, if they did not act and act quickly, much of the United States and Europe would be underwater in eleven days. With their agreement had come Seaview's hurried preparation and departure for the Artic.
Coming through the control room, Chip automatically checked the readings at each station as he passed. Everything was back to normal — every instrument panel green, the crew alert but calm as they went about their assigned tasks.
As he came down the spiral stairs, one thing struck Chip immediately. Fred Wilson was nowhere in sight. For the first time in days, Nelson sat alone at the conference table as Lee leaned against the console.
"Chip, there you are. Curley found you, I see."
"Aye, sir. Outside the Missile Room." Chip looked at Lee who spared him the briefest of glances from under his lashes. Unbidden, the thought sprang to Chip's mind. What's happened now?
Nelson motioned him into chair across from his. "I have some good news. I've secured a new captain."
Chip looked from the Admiral to Lee who seemed intent on discovering the mysteries hidden within the cookie he held. A new captain meant one thing for certain, Lee would return to the Armitage sooner rather than later. He tried to keep the dismay out of his voice. "Already, sir?"
Nelson grinned. "Already." He nodded toward Lee. "What do you think?"
Chip was enormously grateful that he was sitting down as a rush of relief swept over him. He had hoped Lee could stay for a week; long enough to coax him back on an even keel. Long enough that the two of them could endure a few more months of separation until their next planned leave. To have him here on a permanent basis was staggering.
Realizing he was grinning like an idiot, he tried to assume something vaguely resembling his usual demeanor. "That's fantastic, sir. Congratulations, Lee!" Standing, he offered his hand. "I look forward to serving under your command, Skipper!"
Lee smiled then, relief in his dark eyes. "Thank you, Chip."
"Given your history together, I wanted you to know before I told the rest of the officers and the crew," Nelson said. "I'll make the announcement once we dock. "
"Admiral, it might be good to wait," Lee suggested. "Perhaps after the memorial for Captain Phillips —"
"No, I've given this careful consideration. The officers, the crew — they need to know, to be reassured that the chain of command is intact. We'll have something at the Institute in a few weeks, make it formal."
Chip saw Lee's quick frown. His partner was not one who enjoyed the spotlight.
Lee sighed, realized he had and blushed slightly. "Yes, sir."
Nelson stood up, and Lee and Chip immediately rose as well. Clapping Lee on the shoulder, he smiled. "It'll be fine. You'll see."
When he had gone, Lee looked at Chip and said with absolute certainty, "They're going to mutiny."
"Don't be ridiculous!"
Lee ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't exactly make myself popular when I came on board."
Chip sighed. "It wasn't the best start you could have had."
"It got the crew focused on the mission —"
"Lee, you always get the best of your crew! What were you thinking?"
Lee shrugged. "The Admiral asked me the same thing. I knew I had to get their attention, and that's what I came up with."
"Well, if it's any consolation, fewer crewmen have referred to the Armitage as the Arrogance within earshot since we started home."
"I'm sure they can't wait to see the back of me."
"I feel that way myself," Chip offered.
Lee had turned away and taken two steps toward the spiral staircase that led to the control room. Chip knew the instant comprehension dawned. His head snapped around, and he made a sound that, had he not been a commissioned officer in the United States Navy, might have been mistaken for a shocked gasp. "Chip! Someone might hear!"
"Sorry, sir!" Chip closed the distance between them and lowered his voice. "Never said that to my CO before."
"You damned well better not have!"
Ducking around Lee, Chip ran lightly up the stairs. By the time his feet touched the deck, he had his features under control. Every man was at his station, everyone's attention firmly fixed on bringing Seaview safely home. They had gone too far in the past two weeks to risk anything happening now. Chip heard Lee behind him and stepped out of his way. It felt right — Lee here and in command. There would be adjustments in the weeks ahead, no doubt, but Chip knew they would weather them. They had dreamed of serving on the same boat, but that had seemed impossible when Chip had left the Navy for the Reserves. Now the dream had become the reality.
"Everything under control, Mr. Morton?" Lee asked, his eyes watching the activity around them.
"Aye, sir. Another hour should see us docked."
"Very well, carry on."
Lee walked slowly aft, nodding to a few crewmen as he passed. Chip joined O'Brien at the plot table, finding the clipboard Chief Jones had left for him. Jotting down a few notes, he fought to remain focused on his duty.
He's staying, he thought. He's honest-to-god staying!
The announcement was met with more enthusiasm than Chip had hoped. Bobby O'Brien's face had split into a wide grin, and he immediately offered his hand to Lee. Some of the control-room crew exchanged what Chip hoped were pleased nods. As the officers reported in person before leaving the boat, they also offered their congratulations to the new skipper. Not an overwhelming display, but hardly the mutiny Lee had predicted.
As soon as the watch come aboard, Lee and Chip both grabbed their things and left the boat, Lee with a look back over his shoulder at her. The dock was quiet in the fading light of late afternoon. The Admiral had taken the logs and mission reports with him, planning to review them on his way to Washington. The President had requested a personal debriefing early the next morning.
"Morton!" a woman called as they reached Chip's SUV.
Chip unlocked the doors and threw his bag in the back seat. "Lee, this is someone I really want you to meet."
The woman who crossed the parking lot was ten years older than Chip with brown hair and a fair complexion. "Are you all right?" she asked, giving Chip a hard hug. "I've been worried about you."
"We're fine. Nancy, I want you to meet Lee Crane."
She smiled, the gap between her front teeth showing as she offered her hand. "Nice to meet you."
Lee relaxed a bit, some of the tension leaving his shoulders as they shook hands. "Hello."
"Nancy's the director of Human Resources for the Institute. She handles the details of hiring the crew."
"After Chip vets them," Nancy finished. She stared at Lee for a second then shook her head. "Wait a minute! You're Chip's Lee, aren't you?" She saw his flash of panic and grabbed his arm. "No, please don't be upset! I just put it together! I've been hearing your name for the last three days from the Admiral, and somehow I never connected Lee Crane with Chip's Lee." She winked at him. "Don't know why I didn't. Chip talks about you all the time."
Lee's hazel eyes moved to Chip with a silent plea for help in them. Chip laughed. "It's all right, Lee. Nancy and her husband, Dan —"
"Dave," Nancy corrected him.
"Whatever," Chip allowed. "They're good friends. We have dinner a couple of times a month, and I may have mentioned you once or twice."
"'Once or twice'?" Nancy echoed. "More like —"
"All right, a few times more than that," Chip interrupted. "Is Dan —"
"Dave."
"Whatever. Is he in town this week?"
She shook her head. "Woods Hole until Friday."
"How about dinner on Saturday then?"
"If you make that pasta dish I like, we'll bring wine and dessert."
Chip nodded. "Seven o'clock on Saturday then."
"Great! Will you be in tomorrow? We have some things ready to go over with Lee, and I want to get as much done as we can before the Admiral gets back. If he gives you the tour of the Institute personally," she said to Lee, "we may not see you for days. And in your case, he'll want to show off every nook and cranny."
"What time would be good?" Lee asked.
"Why don't we say ten o'clock? It will give you a chance at a lazy start to the day."
"Sounds fine."
"Good, see you tomorrow. Chip will make sure you find your way." She looked at Chip. "Right?"
"Yes, ma'am! "
"I do like having a man do my bidding!" With a laugh and a wave, she headed for her own car.
Chip was still grinning when he put the SUV into reverse. "She's great, isn't she?"
"You've mentioned her, haven't you?"
"Probably. We attended the same orientation meeting when we started. The Admiral stood up to give his standard 'Welcome to the Institute' talk, and I swear everybody in the room started taking notes — like there was going to be a quiz! Nancy and I were sitting across the table from each other, and I realized that she was the only other person who hadn't picked up a pen. We banded together after that to protect ourselves."
"And her husband?"
"Dan? He's the head of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry. Combines his work with recruiting for the scientific side so he travels a lot."
"I thought his name was Dave."
"Nope, it's Dan." Seeing Lee's quizzical look, he explained, "A couple of months ago, one of his old professors came in to lead a research project. There was a reception for him, and the guy bent the Admiral's ear about how great Dan was and how lucky the Institute was to have him. Unfortunately, he called him 'Dave' the entire time."
"And you and Nancy found that hilarious?"
"Absolutely. So did Dan. The Admiral seemed a little perplexed, though." He glanced over at Lee. "As a matter of fact, he looked pretty much the way you do right now."
Lee gave him a diffident smile. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who was confused."
Chip laughed and returned his eyes to the road. "All right, one stop and then we head for home."
They pulled into the parking lot of a small grocery store. Chip checked his watch as they crossed the parking lot. Ten minutes until closing time. Grabbing a basket, he strode purposefully through the store with his partner half a step behind him. Turning, he watched Lee with amusement. He was invariably lost and bemused in grocery stores.
"Why don't you get a gallon of milk and a dozen eggs?" Chip suggested, knowing he could grab everything else before Lee made it across the store to the dairy case. "They're over in that corner."
As soon as he disappeared around the corner, Chip chose some fruit and found a rotisserie chicken and snagged the last of the garlic mashed-potatoes. Stopping to grind a pound of coffee, he met Lee, as he knew he would, in the bakery at the front of the store.
"What do you want for dessert?" he asked. "They make their own pies."
Lee reached for an apple pie, pausing over some brownies. Chip took those as well.
"Both?" Lee asked as they headed for the register.
"Why not? We saved the world this week. I think we deserve double desserts, don't you?"
Lee shrugged more than answered as they walked to the cash registers and checked out. Within minutes, they were headed for home. Lee grew quieter as they drove, casting quick glances at Chip when he was not looking out at the passing scenery.
Chip put his hand on his lover's thigh and gave a light squeeze. "Everything's going to be fine."
Lee covered Chip's hand with his own. "I know." But his voice was no louder than a whisper.
Chip turned his hand over and laced his fingers through Lee's. "I love you."
Lee nodded. "I love you, too."
They drove the rest of the way in silence. Grabbing the groceries and their bags, they cut across the lawn to Chip's building. Chip let them into the darkened apartment and turned to Lee.
"Hang up your uniform, then I want you in the corner of the guestroom."
Lee made an attempt to delay the inevitable, as Chip knew he would. "But I apologized to Kowalski!"
"That's good. I'm glad you did it," Chip allowed. "But that's not what this is about."
"It's not?"
"You discussed what happened with the Admiral, didn't you?"
Lee nodded.
"Then that's done and over with."
"But what else is there?"
"I want to you to do some thinking. Throughout the mission, I saw things that I didn't like. Things we've talked about." He put the groceries down on the counter and took Lee's sea bag from his hand. "Go ahead."
He waited, watching his partner cross the living room and disappear into the bedroom. Putting the groceries away, he opened the sliding door to the small deck and then followed Lee.
Standing just inside the guestroom door, he ran experienced, knowing eyes over Lee. In skivvies, he looked too thin; the uniform had disguised the weight he had lost.
"How many men on Seaview are qualified divers?" Chip asked quietly.
Lee looked over his shoulder at him, puzzled by the question. "How many?"
"I know you haven't had enough time to read the personnel files, but take a guess."
"I — I don't know."
"Every one of them. One hundred and twenty-five, including me, including the Admiral. I want you to think about that."
"But —"
"No, no discussion, sweetheart. Face the wall, and think about it."
Lee obeyed, turning away to face forward. His shoulders were braced back, his hands at his sides. The heels of his bare feet were together, the toes turned out at a forty-five degree angle. Chip waited for a moment, then slipped out of the room.
He busied himself opening windows and unpacking their bags. He made enough noise that Lee would not feel abandoned, but he did not speak to him as he went about the tasks of coming home from a mission. Each time he passed the guestroom, he glanced in; well aware he would know the moment Lee realized what he should have understood from the first.
Half an hour later, he heard a deep inhale of air and the soft thud of a head hitting the wall. In two steps, he was through the door and reaching for his partner. Lee had an awful habit of sliding rapidly from comprehension to self-castigation. When that happened, it was hours before he calmed down enough to talk things through.
"Come here," Chip said, pulling him down onto the foot of the bed. For a moment, Lee clung to him and accepted the comfort Chip offered, then he withdrew, ready to face his punishment. "Do you know why I'm upset with you?"
"Because I didn't think things through. I decided I had to do everything myself."
"And what should you have done?"
Lee twisted the ring on his left hand — Chip's Academy ring. "I asked for volunteers," he pointed out.
"You did, after you decided you'd lead the dive."
"If we didn't find that antenna, though —"
"And you were the only one who could?" Chip asked pointedly.
Lee blushed. "No…"
"If the men hadn't fought off that squid, or they had a minute slower getting to you, we would have had to scrap the mission — whether or not we found the antenna. Seaview needed a captain, Lee, not another diver!" Putting both hands on Lee's shoulders, he forced Lee to meet his gaze. "You were very lucky you were only bruised. That thing could have killed you! My heart was in my throat until you were back on board."
"I'm sorry." The words were only a whisper.
"You've got to think these things through!" With the skill of long habit, Chip drew him over his knees.
"No, Chip, please!"
Steadying Lee until he found his balance, Chip delivered a series of blistering spanks. He captured the wayward hand that rose to protect a now deep-pink bottom. "Stop, you're only making it worse." He kept spanking until he felt the fight go out of Lee, and then let him slide off his lap and onto his knees. Tears shone in Lee's eyes as he leaned into the comfort of Chip's arms. Chip had been always amazed spankings had this effect on his lover who, as an ONI agent, was trained to withstand punishment of all sorts. One day, though, it had come to him. These spankings were personal, something only shared between the two of them.
"I want you to promise me that, in the future, you'll think a little more. I don't want you rushing off to do something that someone else should handle. If you're unsure who the best person for the job is, ask me. I'm your Exec. It's my job to know things like that." He waited until he got a shaky nod. "All right. I think some lines are in order after supper, don't you?"
Lee looked incredulous for an instant before he schooled his features into agreement, and Chip tried not to smile. On duty, it was almost impossible to read anything in Lee's face, but after discipline, he had trouble hiding anything.
"Go wash your face while I get supper on the table," Chip said, pulling Lee to his feet and hugging him.
When Lee appeared three minutes later, he wore his own sweatpants with one of Chip's old sweatshirts. He eased himself into a chair at the table and watched as Chip finished filling their plates. Dinner was quiet as was the rest of the evening. Chip had planned to return his parents' phone call and let them that he — they were all right, but he was simply too tired. As he cleaned up the kitchen, Lee sat at the table writing his lines. He had swallowed a groan when he saw the sheer length of the lines Chip had written at the top of the first sheet: Effective leaders understand their job is making the team function. This is what creates trust, what enables the team to get the task done.
By the time Lee finished, his head was propped up on one hand as he fought to keep his handwriting legible. He brought the pages to Chip and then dropped on to the sofa beside him.
"Do you want a piece of pie?" Chip inquired, rubbing his back as Lee stretched and laid his head on Chip's shoulder. Chip wrapped his arms around him.
"No, I'm full. I really just want to sit here for a minute."
And they sat together in the quiet, listening to the faint sounds of life coming from the apartments around them. Chip thought his partner had dozed off, but was surprised to see his eyes were open when he glanced down at him.
"It was close, wasn't it?" Lee asked.
"Too close. I wonder why the President didn't act sooner, and why he insisted the Admiral present his findings to that committee."
"Because Captain Phillips might be alive if he hadn't?"
Chip shook his head. "No, what I meant was that we would have had more time. More time to think, plan and especially react. It was insane getting ready to sail. I was terrified we'd leave behind something important."
"But you didn't."
"That didn't stop me from waking up three nights in a row thinking we had."
Lee leaned up for a kiss. "Best run boat I've been on, Mr. Morton."
Chip returned it. "I was proud of the crew. Despite everything or because of it, they pulled it off."
"Even tolerating an upstart captain," Lee murmured.
"Give them time, Lee. It will all work out."
Lee made a sound that was somewhat short of agreement and snuggled into Chip's side. Chip smiled and, resting his cheek against the soft dark hair, let his eyes drift closed.
At eight o'clock the following morning, Chip filled a mug with hot coffee and headed for the bathroom, leaving the mug on the counter. Walking across the hall into the bedroom, he leaned against the doorjamb.
"Lee, coffee's made."
From the tumbled chaos of sheets and blankets rose one hand, obviously searching. Chip grinned. A cross between the Lady of the Lake and a periscope.
"Uh-uh, it's in the bathroom. I know you too well for that."
With a grumbled protest, Lee extricated himself from his cozy nest and stumbled toward the door, eyes closed. He started to pass Chip, then stopped and kissed him before continuing his quest for coffee without opening his eyes.
Chip began straightening the bedclothes, his smile wide. As much as he loved morning, Lee did not. Chip enjoyed the early hours when the sun was just rising and the dew was still on the lawns. He always had. Lee, on the other hand, preferred darkness until the last possible minute. He never turned on the lights before showering and, more than once, Chip had seen him shave in the dark. It was only as he started dressing and could no longer delay the inevitable, that his eyes opened to more than slits.
Makes him perfect for subs, though, Chip reflected as he punched the pillows into shape. It's always night when you run submerged. He gave the bedroom a once over and nodded.
Breakfast was ready when Lee appeared, dressed in khakis and clutching his empty mug. He refilled it before sitting down.
Chip looked over from the stove. "Orange juice, first" and watched him drain the glass in two long swallows. Shaking his head, he slid fried eggs onto each of their plates and added bacon. "Sleep well?" he asked as he carried them to the table.
Lee nodded. "Like a log. I never heard you come to bed."
"I was two minutes behind you, but you were dead to the world."
"I must've been," Lee admitted, helping himself to toast.
Chip took a bite of eggs and watched Lee spread jam with exaggerated care. "Sweetheart?" he asked, waving his fork toward the toast.
"Last clean shirt," Lee told him. "Can't go in with strawberry preserves on it."
"We'll drop off your uniforms at the laundry. "
Lee nodded his thanks as he turned his attention to the food on his plate. "I was afraid to give anything to Seaview's laundry."
"They wouldn't have done anything to your uniforms!"
"No, not that! I didn't want to ship out and have to leave them here."
"I would have held onto them. Given you a reason to come back."
"Uniforms wouldn't be my first reason," Lee told him, glancing at him from under his lashes.
Chip half-stood, leaning over the table to capture his lover's mouth. "Something more like that?" he asked.
Lee's hand rested on the back of his neck, gently preventing him from moving. "A lot more like that." He rose to his feet and met Chip's eager kisses with his own.
When they finally broke apart, Chip drew him toward the bedroom. Lee followed eagerly, and moments later, they fell onto the bed, taking only enough time to hang their uniforms — and most importantly, Lee's shirt — over the back of a chair.
Thankful for a reserved parking space near the administration building's main door, Chip pulled in, braked and threw the SUV into park. As he turned off the engine, he glared as the unforgiving clock on the dashboard added another minute: 9:56. Lee unbuckled his seat belt and snagged two hats and Chip's briefcase from the back seat.
"We'll make it, we'll make it," he mumbled as they crossed the parking lot, both of them lengthening their strides. They had learned at the Academy that officers do not run, they walk with great purpose.
Chip nodded, glancing at his watch as they strode up the two steps and into the lobby. The three-story atrium was quiet, few people evident this time of the morning.
"I thought they'd meet us with a brass band at least," he remarked as they cut across the space to an automatic door that hissed open as they approached. Chip nodded to the woman behind the reception desk. "Good morning. Is Nancy in?"
"Yes, Commander. I'll call her."
"Don't bother," Nancy said coming through the door from the adjoining suite of offices. She glanced at her watch and raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, you said 10:00!" Chip protested. "It's 9:59 right now, so we're early."
Nancy grinned. "Yeah, you are. Not as early as you usually are, but early."
Slipping on his XO face, Chip frowned. "We ran late." He glanced at Lee who was staring hard at the painting of Seaview on the far wall, refusing to look at anyone.
"I'm sure you had a lot to catch up on." She turned to the receptionist who was openly watching the scene in front of her. "These two were roommates at Annapolis, Kathy. Commander Crane is Seaview's new captain."
Kathy smiled and shook hands with Lee. "Nice to meet you. Would you like a cup of coffee? I just brewed a new pot."
He returned her smile. "That would be great, thank you."
"Kathy, would you take the Captain to the conference room after you get him the coffee? It's all set up. Lee, I thought it would be easier to have you in one spot and bring in the people who are ready for you."
From the way Lee agreed, Chip knew his lover had slipped into what he privately called 'captain mode'. His posture was straighter, his gaze more direct.
"I'll see you later?" he asked Chip.
"I thought I'd give you a tour of the area after you're finished here."
"Sounds good. I'll find you when we're done."
Kathy led him out of the reception room. The murmur of their voices carried back down the hall as they disappeared.
Nancy waited until they were out of earshot. "I thought we should hide him from attentions of the administrative staff — for this morning at least."
Chip grinned. "There's going to be a feeding frenzy when they see him."
"Absolutely, but we'll try to protect him. "
"Just let me know when you're through, all right? I want to get out of here early today."
"I'll give you a call." With a wave, she hurried off.
Chip started for his own office and then changed direction. With any luck, the cafeteria was still serving breakfast. He could do with a meal and some hot coffee.
When the phone rang, he was elbow deep in the crew schedules for the next mission. He had been thinking of shifting some of them around. Most of the men were cross-trained, and he wanted to keep up their skills in both areas. He was looking forward to running his ideas by Lee and getting his feedback. He had no doubt that Lee would have opinions of his own. When the phone rang, he picked it up with a crisp "Morton."
"Chip, Nancy."
Her tone of voice got his full attention. "What's wrong?"
"It's Lee." She sighed. "I think we have us a runner."
"What happened?"
"I'm not sure. We discussed a couple of things, and then Herb went in to discuss the benefits package —"
"Herb on his first day?"
"It has to be done, Chip, and he had everything ready. They finished, and I was about to send Tara in when I saw Lee crossing the lobby like the hounds of hell were after him."
Chip was already on his feet. "Where did he go?"
"Toward the point."
"All right, I'll go after him. Is there anything more you need from him?"
'Nothing that can't wait until the end of the week."
Chip hung up, and realized as he reached the door that he had not said good-bye. He would call later and apologize. Right now the most important thing was finding Lee.
The sun was warm as he crossed the lawn at a jog (Annapolis be damned). The wind blew the flags straight out from their poles. The Admiral had told them that it would take a week before the weather returned to normal. Until then, apparently, the forecast would remain changeable.
Cutting across the staff parking lot, he caught sight of a lone figure on the bluff at the far end of the Institute grounds. Lee sat with his knees bent and his forearms resting on them, his hands clasped. Chip closed the distance between them, scanning the area. Not even a landscaper to be seen. Dropping to sit beside his lover, he copied Lee's position so their bodies touched from shoulder to thigh.
"Hey, Kit."
Lee leaned into him. "You haven't called me that in a long time."
"Thought you didn't like it," Chip confessed.
"It was kind of overwhelming at the time."
"Your first experience with the Morton clan on a mission. You had every right to be terrified. Thank god there wasn't an internet at the time."
"Hadn't thought of that. The dictionaries and encyclopedias were bad enough."
Chip grinned. "It was the call to the Chicago Zoo that should have warned you what you were getting yourself into."
Lee shook his head and returned his gaze to the choppy water. Chip leaned back on his elbows, resigned to wait however long it took for Lee to collect his thoughts. He smirked thinking of that first trip home from Annapolis with Lee in tow. At dinner, his youngest sister had announced that Lee's eyes reminded her of a baby fox she had seen in a library book. With a zeal that had stunned Lee, the entire family had launched into a debate about which was the correct term — cub, kit or pup. The revelation that all three were right did not slow the discussion a bit. In the end, the Mortons had finally decided they preferred kit, and Chip had teased Lee with it for months.
"Chip, am I doing the right thing?"
Chip sat forward as Lee turned to face him. "Taking on Seaview?"
"Yes. Am I doing the right thing?" Lee ran an agitated hand through his hair. "The only thing I've ever wanted to do was be in the Navy. I've been working towards it since I was twelve. Now I'll be walking away from that."
"We're still in the Reserves," Chip pointed out. "I know it's not the same thing, but we do a lot of work for the Navy."
"But —" Lee frowned. "I'm not even articulating this well. When you decided to accept the Admiral's offer, you didn't hesitate."
"My situation was different. I hadn't been on a boat for over a year." He bumped Lee with a shoulder. "You, on the other hand, are one of Navy's bright and shining stars. The Secretary of the Navy told Nelson he was sending him the best sub commander they have. That's you, Lee!"
Lee looked down, shaking his head. "I'm just another sub driver, Chip. You know that."
"What I know is that we never would have succeeded without you in command."
"Suppose I can't do this?"
"Lee, there's no one more qualified to captain Seaview than you are."
"I think you're a little prejudice, Mr. Morton."
"Granted I am, but the Admiral isn't. If he didn't want you for the job, he wouldn't have taken on the brass so he could offer it to you. Hell, I should have figured out what all those calls to Washington meant."
"If I'm so good, why's the Navy letting me go?
"It's simple. The Admiral is the man of the hour, and he decided to call in all his markers."
"I doubt he'd do that for me. Hell, he could get anybody he wanted."
"And he did, Lee, he got you."
Lee's answer was a snort.
"We have a saying around here: What Nelson wants, Nelson gets."
Lee turned to him, his eyes dark with concern. "But what do you want?"
Chip smiled. "I want you, and I want you on Seaview. With me."
"What about us? How will we handle this?"
Chip answered that as simply as he could. "When we're on duty, you'll be the captain, Lee. I'll obey your orders as I do the Admiral's, as I did John's. When we're not, our relationship will be the same as it is right now. I'm not saying it will easy — for either of us — but we'll make it work."
"I'm not sure I can do this!"
"It's a huge change for you, sweetheart, but there's no one better for the job than you! You're one of the best natural officers I've ever known. Hell, I wish I had half your ability to handle both the boat and the men."
"But.. It's Seaview, Chip." The tone of awe in his voice told Chip more than words could.
"And Nelson wants you in command of her."
Lee nodded slowly, his gaze returning to the sea. Chip had been through this moment before. He had said all Lee needed to hear. Now his job was to sit back and wait while Lee settled things in his own mind. He had no doubt that Lee would stay. Seaview had captured his heart before they had cleared the channel the first night.
Finally Lee's shoulders relaxed, and he let out a deep breath. "I can do this," he said aloud as if trying out the words.
"We can do this. We're a good team, Lee."
"Always have been," Lee agreed. "I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else as my Exec, Chip."
"That is not an option."
Lee bumped his shoulder against Chip's and grinned. "No, it's not."
"You ready for some lunch?"
"That sounds good."
They rose to their feet and strolled back across the lawn. Chip noticed a good part of the administrative staff had decided to eat lunch outside. Heads turned as they passed, and he nodded to a few of the AAs he knew. Lee seemed oblivious to the attention he was getting.
"I should apologize to Nancy."
"She was worried about you. I think she'd appreciate knowing you're okay."
"And that all their work hasn't been in vain?" Lee asked as they walked into the building.
"That too. I've got to get my stuff. I'll meet you here in five minutes, all right?"
"Five minutes," Lee repeated, already heading toward Human Resources.
Chip watched him go before turning toward his office. He was confident their talk had done some good. No doubt there would be more discussion. Lee tended to internalize his worries, and Chip often had to read his silences and evasions to get to the root of the problem. Now Lee would not have the chance to hide things as easily as he did on the phone. Chip nodded sharply, scarcely noticing the people scattering in front of him as he hurried down the hall. Lee had a new command, and Seaview had a new captain. He was the lucky one, though. He had them both. The culmination of a long-held wish. It would take some acclimating, but everything, as he had promised Lee, would work out in the end. Life was good. And if he knew Lee Crane, it was about to get very exciting.
Home
Chip Morton made a last note on the log. "If you have any questions, I'll be with the Captain. You have the con," he said to Bobby O'Brien, already turning toward the circular stairway. He was tired, they all were. Four hours before, they had finally completed Operation Counterforce, their first mission without John Phillips as captain. Chip had almost sagged with relief when the Admiral had ordered Seaview to return to Santa Barbara. Now, his watch over, he finally had time to relax and sleep.
At this time of day, officers' country was usually active and busy. The watch was changing, and dinner was about to be served in the wardroom. Tonight, though, everything was quiet. He suspected more than a few men were catching up on the sleep they had lost during the submarine's hectic trip to the Artic. Coming around a corner, Chip almost crashed into Kowalski who was carrying a dinner tray.
"Sorry, Mr. Morton!"
Chip waved off the apology. "What have you got there?"
"The doc wanted the Captain to eat something, and I got volunteered to bring him his dinner." He looked down at the untouched tray and shook his head. "Didn't even look at it. Said he wasn't hungry and told me to take it back. I do not want to bring this back to Cookie."
Chip controlled the urge to roll his eyes. "Give it here." Slipping his clipboard under one arm, he took the tray. "Do me a favor. Ask Cookie to send another tray to the Captain's cabin, would you?"
"Yes, sir. I'll bring it up myself."
Walking forward, Chip went to the door just beyond his cabin. Balancing the tray carefully against the doorjamb, he knocked once before letting himself in.
"Dinner," he announced, placing the tray on the desk.
"I'm not hungry," Lee Crane returned, continuing to pace the cabin. Glancing at the bunk, Chip saw he had at least made an attempt to sleep.
"Doctor's orders from what Kowalski told me," Chip said calmly.
Lee turned at that, running a hand through his hair. "He didn't make it an order. He suggested I have something to eat."
"Then I'm making it an order. Sit down and eat, Lee. You've been running on fumes since you came back aboard."
Lee backed away. "I'm not hungry, Chip, really."
Refusing to argue the point, Chip reached out and grabbed Lee's arm, pulling him into his arms. For a long moment, he simply enjoyed the luxury of holding his lover. He rubbed Lee's back, feeling the fine tremors under his hand. "You still cold?"
"Adrenalin," Lee confessed in a tight whisper. "I tried lying down, but I couldn't sleep. I can't relax."
Chip held him tighter, nudging Lee's head down on his shoulder and dropping a kiss on the dark hair. "I'm not surprised. Ribs okay?"
"They're better. Not as sore." Lee leaned into him, a long, tired sigh warming Chip's neck. "Missed you…"
"Missed you too." He closed his eyes and breathed in, filling his lungs with the remnants of soap, after-shave, starch and something that was indefinably Lee. Chip smiled. He would recognize this smell anywhere on earth.
A polite knock announced the arrival of Chip's dinner. Lee reluctantly pulled away from Chip and opened the door.
"Here you go, Mr. Morton," Kowalski said, setting a tray down on the desk across from the captain's. "I brought some hot coffee, too."
"Thank you," Chip replied as the crewman put the thermal carafe on the credenza and removed the one that sat there.
Kowalski looked at both officers. "Is there anything else I can get for you, sirs?"
"No, thanks," Lee answered. "Go have your dinner." Before the door closed, he headed for the carafe, but stopped in his tracks when Chip looked pointedly at him. "But I want a cup of coffee!"
"Eat, then we'll talk about it."
"Chip —"
"Sit!"
He waited until Lee dropped heavily into the desk chair before taking the covers off the plates. Cookie had taken his suggestion for dinner. The food was simple: stuffed pork chops, green beans and generous helpings of macaroni and cheese. A little plebian compared with the meals Seaview's officers usually enjoyed, but exactly what fit the bill for an exhausted captain.
Lee slumped back and tried one more time. "I'm really not —"
"Not another word," Chip warned. "Pick up your fork and get started."
With bad grace, Lee dug into the macaroni and cheese. Holding the fork out, he stared at it. Darting a quick look at Chip, he put it in his mouth and chewed.
"Needs pepper."
Chip raised one eyebrow, and Lee subsided and continued eating.
"Is that enough?" he tried a few minutes later, ready to push the plate away.
Chip shook his head. "Not even close."
Sighing, Lee returned his attention to his food, and Chip was reminded of other nights they had gone this same routine. The first time had been at the Annapolis, when Lee had collapsed in a classroom after finishing a midterm. Chip still felt a flood of cold terror when he pictured Lee's eyes rolling back as he slumped to the floor, missing the cast-iron radiator by a hair. After he had managed to talk his way out of the infirmary, Chip had escorted him back to their room. Once there, Lee had finally admitted that he had not eaten since breakfast the previous day.
"I was nervous, Chip! I couldn't eat, all I could think about was that exam."
After a blistering lecture (one of my best, Chip reflected), he had ordered Lee to bed then gone to the dining hall and charmed food out of one of the cooks. Bringing his haul back to the dorm, he had stood over Lee until he had managed to eat enough to satisfy his roommate.
After that, he had kept a weathered eye on the younger midshipman, drawing definite lines in the sand where Lee was concerned. In the beginning it had been a struggle, but finally Lee had started recognizing boundaries. When their friendship had grown into love, it became easier. First in Groton attending sub school together, and then when Chip had been posted to the Pentagon and Lee had been stationed in Norfolk, Chip had worked on keeping Lee steady and did his best to control Lee's headstrong impulses. Now, he worried constantly about his impetuous lover half a world away. Lee had a terrible habit of putting his own health and well-being low on his list of priorities.
By the time Chip finished his dinner, Lee had eaten more than half of his. It was not stellar, but Chip appreciated the effort. Pouring coffee for each of them, he sat down and stretched his legs out in front of him. Lee gripped his cup in both hands, savoring every swallow.
"Feel better?" Chip asked, taking a sip.
"Yeah," Lee admitted. His eyes traveled over Chip's shoulder to the carafe.
"Don't even think about it." He frowned at a light knock on the door. "Expecting someone?" he asked.
Harriman Nelson poked his head in. "Am I interrupting your meal?"
As the younger officers rose to their feet, Lee shook his head. "No, sir. We just finished."
"My visit is twofold," Nelson began, taking the seat Chip offered him. Lee sat down in his chair while Chip leaned against the credenza. The Admiral held up the bottle he carried. "First, I thought we'd all benefit from some scotch this evening."
Chip grabbed three glasses off the tray by the untouched carafe of water, and the Admiral poured them each a generous dram. Chip handed a glass to Lee and took one for himself as Nelson lifted his own.
"Gentlemen, to Seaview and her crew."
Chip and Lee both raised their glasses. "Seaview!"
Chip took a swallow and felt a satisfying warmth melt the last of the chill that remained from standing in the sail during an Artic blizzard. Worse yet had been enduring those forty-nine minutes when he had been terrified Seaview would be forced to submerge, condemning four men, Lee chief among them, to death when the nuclear weapon exploded.
"Admiral, you mentioned two reasons, not that I'm not enjoying the first," Lee said.
"With all honesty, I'm … avoiding Dr. Wilson. The man has been at my heels for the last two weeks, and it's worn a bit thin."
Chip hid a smirk as Lee nodded. "We understand, sir."
Nelson took a sip before asking, "May I ask you something, Lee?"
"Yes sir, of course."
"Dr. Wilson said you'd met before."
Lee's answer was careful. "Yes, Admiral."
"And your opinion of him?" When Lee hesitated, Nelson nodded. "I see."
"We met under rather difficult circumstances. A Navy boat and crew serving at the beck and call of a civilian whose only interest was performing test after test in a North Atlantic ice field."
"Tests that failed repeatedly," Chip mumbled under his breath. He remembered how angry Lee had been when the boat had finally docked, a full month behind schedule. They had missed most of the time they had left before Chip's departure for Santa Barbara.
Nelson's glance told him that he heard the comment. "And the reason he thought you were unimaginative?" he pressed.
Lee's color rose, but he kept his voice even. "He has that opinion about everyone in the military, Admiral, but especially career officers. When he found out that I had attended Annapolis, apparently it served to cement it."
"And you did nothing to change it."
"There was no opportunity, sir," Lee hedged.
The look Nelson gave him was both amused and knowing. "Oh, I'm sure there wasn't."
Lee smiled, the easy smile Chip had not seen for the duration of this cruise, but did not try to defend himself.
"I suppose I should return to my duties as host," Nelson said, tossing back the last of his scotch. "I appreciate you allowing me to interrupt." He waved them down when they started to stand. "I'll see you both in the morning."
"Good night, sir."
When the door closed behind him, Chip grinned openly at his partner. "He has your number."
Lee smiled as well. "I'm afraid so. Maybe I should be grateful I'm leaving."
"When?" Chip asked softly.
"I don't know. I hope we'll have a few days before I have to report."
Chip sighed. "I hope so, too." He glanced at his watch, amazed how quickly the time had passed. "You should take a shower and then get some sleep."
"At this hour? I'm not even tired!"
"You're beyond tired, Lee, you're exhausted. Go on."
Lee looked as though he would argue, but then shrugged. Opening one of the drawers under the bunk, he pulled out pajamas and disappeared into the small head.
Picking up the phone over the bunk, Chip requested a steward pick up their dinner trays, then walked to the bunk and straightened the covers. Opening the wardrobe, he pulled an extra blanket from the shelf and spread it over the bunk.
At the knock on the door, he let in Donaldson, one of the newest crewmembers. The young steward quickly stacked the one tray on top of the other and disappeared out the door with barely a word. Chip wondered if the quiet efficiency was simply the man's way, or if he had been listening to some of the stories he knew floated around the crew's mess about the Exec.
Chip sat down on the edge and yawned. He was ready to crawl into bed and catch up on his sleep. He was not sure how Lee was even functioning at this point. Almost two weeks before, the USS Armitage, under Lee's command, had rendezvoused with a destroyer off the coast of Greenland, and Lee had transferred aboard. From there, a helicopter had taken him to the air field at Sondrestrom, and then a series of Navy jets had flown him to Santa Barbara, where he had immediately assumed command of Seaview.
When the surprise of seeing his lover drop into the control room and punch Kowalski had faded, Chip had recognized all the signs of a stressed-out Lee Crane. In the two months since they had seen each other, Lee had lost weight he could ill afford. His eyes, always an indicator of how he felt, were dark; his cheekbones sharp lines in a drawn face.
He had tried to question him as they stood on the dock waiting for Admiral Nelson to arrive, but Lee had brushed aside his questions. He had been wary, worried they would be overheard.
Once Lee had received his orders, the mission had taken precedence over everything else, including the young captain's welfare. He had strategized with Nelson and Dr. Wilson until all hours, taken his watches in the control room, and wandered the boat meeting the men temporarily under his command. There had hardly been time to say more than hello to each other.
Chip smiled, thinking of the moment a week into the mission, when Curly Jones had "casually" remarked that he had looked up Lee's service record.
"Looked like he was at Annapolis same time you were, Mr. Morton."
Chip glanced up from the plot table. "He was in my class, Chief."
"Didya know him?"
"Little bit." Remembering the Chief's vast avenues of information, especially one Harriman Nelson, Chip grinned, admitting, "We were roommates."
"You're kidding! Well, they always say the Navy's a mighty small world."
"Mighty small indeed."
Hearing the shower turn off, Chip looked around the cabin. Captain Phillips' personal effects had been removed before they had left port, but Lee had brought nothing with him. The cabin was empty, devoid of any sign of the only two men who had commanded Seaview since her launching.
Opening the drawer Lee had taken the pajamas from, Chip grabbed a pair of heavy cotton socks. As he pulled them out, he caught sight of a small bottle. He picked it up and heard the rattle of pills. A bottle of Tylenol, unopened. Chip frowned as he weighed it in his hand. Lee's encounter with an oversized squid had left him with bruised ribs; and for the last three days, he had rubbed his temple when he thought no one was watching, the sure indicator of a headache.
When Lee stepped out of the head, Chip tossed the bottle toward him in a low arch. Lee caught it automatically, registered what it was and looked anywhere but at his stern-faced lover.
"I… ah…"
"What? Forgot where you put them?" Chip supplied. "We've had this conversation before — several times, in fact. Apparently we need to have it again."
The dark head shook as Lee studied the deck at his feet. When he spoke, the New England drawl was stronger, as it always was when he was tired or stressed. "I didn't … forget I had them. I was afraid they'd make me fuzzy. It wasn't a bad headache, Chip."
Chip frowned. He had let too much slide since he had last seen Lee. "When you refused the meds the doctor offered you for the ribs, what did you say?"
"What did I say?" Lee repeated, an ill-advised stall for time that rarely worked. When Chip raised an eyebrow, he hurried on. "I said that I, uh, had something in my cabin."
"Which led the doctor to believe what?" Chip demanded.
"I don't know!"
"Oh yes, you do. What did you want him to believe, Lee?"
"That I … was … going to take it?"
"And did you?"
"No?"
"So, in effect, you lied."
"No!"
Chip crossed the cabin and lifted Lee's chin, forcing him to look at him. He kept his voice even, but each word was distinct. "Did you plan to take the pills?"
"I couldn't!"
"Yes, you could have. You've never had a problem with Tylenol!"
"But suppose —"
"There's no 'suppose'. Answer my question. Did you plan to take the pills?"
Lee shook his head, his face miserable. "No, I wanted him to believe it so he wouldn't give me anything."
"What am I going to do with you?" Chip asked, wrapping his arms around his partner and hugging him tight.
Lee buried his face in the side of Chip's neck, his hands taking hold of the front of his shirt. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"I know you are, but I'm not the one you should apologize to."
"Do I have —"
"Yes, you do. After breakfast tomorrow, I want you to stop by Sickbay and talk to Doc." He felt the protest start before the words reached Lee's mouth. "In person, first thing."
It took a moment for the tension to leave the slim body, and then Lee nodded. "Aye, sir."
"Now put on the socks, and get into bed." Going to the head, Chip filled the glass and opened the bottle. He shook two pills into his hand but knowing Lee, put one back. "Take it." Lee opened his mouth, but Chip put his hands on his hips and loomed over him. "Without further discussion."
When the glass was empty, he took it back. Sitting on the edge of the bunk, he leaned in for a goodnight kiss. Lee hesitated before touching his lips to Chip's.
"You'll stay?" he asked as he lay down.
Chip nodded, understanding the request behind the question. "For a little while."
Lee burrowed into the blankets until only his dark hair was visible. Pulling the guest chair closer, Chip sat down, resting his feet on the end of the bunk. Within minutes, he heard the young captain's breathing even out. When he was certain Lee was deeply asleep, he stood up, swallowing a groan as he stretched and felt his back crack. Snapping off the light, he dropped a gentle kiss on the soft curls and whispered, "Sleep well, love" before leaving the darkened cabin for his own warm bunk.
Ninety minutes before Seaview docked in Santa Barbara, Curley Jones found Chip as he left the Missile Room after a last-minute inspection. He had not found anything out of order, had not expected to, but doing it now would save time once they docked.
"Mr. Morton sir, the Admiral wants you to lay up to the Nose!"
Chip looked up, distracted and a little annoyed. He had two more stops on his list and wanted to finish up as soon as he could. "Now, Chief?"
"As soon as possible was what he said, sir. Seemed kinda important." He nodded toward the clipboard. "I'll handle the rest of it if you want."
Chip handed over the list. "Just the Machine Room and Circuitry to go. Everything else is done."
"Aye, sir. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes."
Chip nodded, already headed for the nearest ladder. He was not unduly worried. Nelson had spent most of the day in the Nose, relaxing as they drew closer to home. It had been a trying month for all of them, but especially for him. On the heels of losing his captain and good friend, he had had to convince a committee of military and civilian advisors to the President that, if they did not act and act quickly, much of the United States and Europe would be underwater in eleven days. With their agreement had come Seaview's hurried preparation and departure for the Artic.
Coming through the control room, Chip automatically checked the readings at each station as he passed. Everything was back to normal — every instrument panel green, the crew alert but calm as they went about their assigned tasks.
As he came down the spiral stairs, one thing struck Chip immediately. Fred Wilson was nowhere in sight. For the first time in days, Nelson sat alone at the conference table as Lee leaned against the console.
"Chip, there you are. Curley found you, I see."
"Aye, sir. Outside the Missile Room." Chip looked at Lee who spared him the briefest of glances from under his lashes. Unbidden, the thought sprang to Chip's mind. What's happened now?
Nelson motioned him into chair across from his. "I have some good news. I've secured a new captain."
Chip looked from the Admiral to Lee who seemed intent on discovering the mysteries hidden within the cookie he held. A new captain meant one thing for certain, Lee would return to the Armitage sooner rather than later. He tried to keep the dismay out of his voice. "Already, sir?"
Nelson grinned. "Already." He nodded toward Lee. "What do you think?"
Chip was enormously grateful that he was sitting down as a rush of relief swept over him. He had hoped Lee could stay for a week; long enough to coax him back on an even keel. Long enough that the two of them could endure a few more months of separation until their next planned leave. To have him here on a permanent basis was staggering.
Realizing he was grinning like an idiot, he tried to assume something vaguely resembling his usual demeanor. "That's fantastic, sir. Congratulations, Lee!" Standing, he offered his hand. "I look forward to serving under your command, Skipper!"
Lee smiled then, relief in his dark eyes. "Thank you, Chip."
"Given your history together, I wanted you to know before I told the rest of the officers and the crew," Nelson said. "I'll make the announcement once we dock. "
"Admiral, it might be good to wait," Lee suggested. "Perhaps after the memorial for Captain Phillips —"
"No, I've given this careful consideration. The officers, the crew — they need to know, to be reassured that the chain of command is intact. We'll have something at the Institute in a few weeks, make it formal."
Chip saw Lee's quick frown. His partner was not one who enjoyed the spotlight.
Lee sighed, realized he had and blushed slightly. "Yes, sir."
Nelson stood up, and Lee and Chip immediately rose as well. Clapping Lee on the shoulder, he smiled. "It'll be fine. You'll see."
When he had gone, Lee looked at Chip and said with absolute certainty, "They're going to mutiny."
"Don't be ridiculous!"
Lee ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't exactly make myself popular when I came on board."
Chip sighed. "It wasn't the best start you could have had."
"It got the crew focused on the mission —"
"Lee, you always get the best of your crew! What were you thinking?"
Lee shrugged. "The Admiral asked me the same thing. I knew I had to get their attention, and that's what I came up with."
"Well, if it's any consolation, fewer crewmen have referred to the Armitage as the Arrogance within earshot since we started home."
"I'm sure they can't wait to see the back of me."
"I feel that way myself," Chip offered.
Lee had turned away and taken two steps toward the spiral staircase that led to the control room. Chip knew the instant comprehension dawned. His head snapped around, and he made a sound that, had he not been a commissioned officer in the United States Navy, might have been mistaken for a shocked gasp. "Chip! Someone might hear!"
"Sorry, sir!" Chip closed the distance between them and lowered his voice. "Never said that to my CO before."
"You damned well better not have!"
Ducking around Lee, Chip ran lightly up the stairs. By the time his feet touched the deck, he had his features under control. Every man was at his station, everyone's attention firmly fixed on bringing Seaview safely home. They had gone too far in the past two weeks to risk anything happening now. Chip heard Lee behind him and stepped out of his way. It felt right — Lee here and in command. There would be adjustments in the weeks ahead, no doubt, but Chip knew they would weather them. They had dreamed of serving on the same boat, but that had seemed impossible when Chip had left the Navy for the Reserves. Now the dream had become the reality.
"Everything under control, Mr. Morton?" Lee asked, his eyes watching the activity around them.
"Aye, sir. Another hour should see us docked."
"Very well, carry on."
Lee walked slowly aft, nodding to a few crewmen as he passed. Chip joined O'Brien at the plot table, finding the clipboard Chief Jones had left for him. Jotting down a few notes, he fought to remain focused on his duty.
He's staying, he thought. He's honest-to-god staying!
The announcement was met with more enthusiasm than Chip had hoped. Bobby O'Brien's face had split into a wide grin, and he immediately offered his hand to Lee. Some of the control-room crew exchanged what Chip hoped were pleased nods. As the officers reported in person before leaving the boat, they also offered their congratulations to the new skipper. Not an overwhelming display, but hardly the mutiny Lee had predicted.
As soon as the watch come aboard, Lee and Chip both grabbed their things and left the boat, Lee with a look back over his shoulder at her. The dock was quiet in the fading light of late afternoon. The Admiral had taken the logs and mission reports with him, planning to review them on his way to Washington. The President had requested a personal debriefing early the next morning.
"Morton!" a woman called as they reached Chip's SUV.
Chip unlocked the doors and threw his bag in the back seat. "Lee, this is someone I really want you to meet."
The woman who crossed the parking lot was ten years older than Chip with brown hair and a fair complexion. "Are you all right?" she asked, giving Chip a hard hug. "I've been worried about you."
"We're fine. Nancy, I want you to meet Lee Crane."
She smiled, the gap between her front teeth showing as she offered her hand. "Nice to meet you."
Lee relaxed a bit, some of the tension leaving his shoulders as they shook hands. "Hello."
"Nancy's the director of Human Resources for the Institute. She handles the details of hiring the crew."
"After Chip vets them," Nancy finished. She stared at Lee for a second then shook her head. "Wait a minute! You're Chip's Lee, aren't you?" She saw his flash of panic and grabbed his arm. "No, please don't be upset! I just put it together! I've been hearing your name for the last three days from the Admiral, and somehow I never connected Lee Crane with Chip's Lee." She winked at him. "Don't know why I didn't. Chip talks about you all the time."
Lee's hazel eyes moved to Chip with a silent plea for help in them. Chip laughed. "It's all right, Lee. Nancy and her husband, Dan —"
"Dave," Nancy corrected him.
"Whatever," Chip allowed. "They're good friends. We have dinner a couple of times a month, and I may have mentioned you once or twice."
"'Once or twice'?" Nancy echoed. "More like —"
"All right, a few times more than that," Chip interrupted. "Is Dan —"
"Dave."
"Whatever. Is he in town this week?"
She shook her head. "Woods Hole until Friday."
"How about dinner on Saturday then?"
"If you make that pasta dish I like, we'll bring wine and dessert."
Chip nodded. "Seven o'clock on Saturday then."
"Great! Will you be in tomorrow? We have some things ready to go over with Lee, and I want to get as much done as we can before the Admiral gets back. If he gives you the tour of the Institute personally," she said to Lee, "we may not see you for days. And in your case, he'll want to show off every nook and cranny."
"What time would be good?" Lee asked.
"Why don't we say ten o'clock? It will give you a chance at a lazy start to the day."
"Sounds fine."
"Good, see you tomorrow. Chip will make sure you find your way." She looked at Chip. "Right?"
"Yes, ma'am! "
"I do like having a man do my bidding!" With a laugh and a wave, she headed for her own car.
Chip was still grinning when he put the SUV into reverse. "She's great, isn't she?"
"You've mentioned her, haven't you?"
"Probably. We attended the same orientation meeting when we started. The Admiral stood up to give his standard 'Welcome to the Institute' talk, and I swear everybody in the room started taking notes — like there was going to be a quiz! Nancy and I were sitting across the table from each other, and I realized that she was the only other person who hadn't picked up a pen. We banded together after that to protect ourselves."
"And her husband?"
"Dan? He's the head of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry. Combines his work with recruiting for the scientific side so he travels a lot."
"I thought his name was Dave."
"Nope, it's Dan." Seeing Lee's quizzical look, he explained, "A couple of months ago, one of his old professors came in to lead a research project. There was a reception for him, and the guy bent the Admiral's ear about how great Dan was and how lucky the Institute was to have him. Unfortunately, he called him 'Dave' the entire time."
"And you and Nancy found that hilarious?"
"Absolutely. So did Dan. The Admiral seemed a little perplexed, though." He glanced over at Lee. "As a matter of fact, he looked pretty much the way you do right now."
Lee gave him a diffident smile. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who was confused."
Chip laughed and returned his eyes to the road. "All right, one stop and then we head for home."
They pulled into the parking lot of a small grocery store. Chip checked his watch as they crossed the parking lot. Ten minutes until closing time. Grabbing a basket, he strode purposefully through the store with his partner half a step behind him. Turning, he watched Lee with amusement. He was invariably lost and bemused in grocery stores.
"Why don't you get a gallon of milk and a dozen eggs?" Chip suggested, knowing he could grab everything else before Lee made it across the store to the dairy case. "They're over in that corner."
As soon as he disappeared around the corner, Chip chose some fruit and found a rotisserie chicken and snagged the last of the garlic mashed-potatoes. Stopping to grind a pound of coffee, he met Lee, as he knew he would, in the bakery at the front of the store.
"What do you want for dessert?" he asked. "They make their own pies."
Lee reached for an apple pie, pausing over some brownies. Chip took those as well.
"Both?" Lee asked as they headed for the register.
"Why not? We saved the world this week. I think we deserve double desserts, don't you?"
Lee shrugged more than answered as they walked to the cash registers and checked out. Within minutes, they were headed for home. Lee grew quieter as they drove, casting quick glances at Chip when he was not looking out at the passing scenery.
Chip put his hand on his lover's thigh and gave a light squeeze. "Everything's going to be fine."
Lee covered Chip's hand with his own. "I know." But his voice was no louder than a whisper.
Chip turned his hand over and laced his fingers through Lee's. "I love you."
Lee nodded. "I love you, too."
They drove the rest of the way in silence. Grabbing the groceries and their bags, they cut across the lawn to Chip's building. Chip let them into the darkened apartment and turned to Lee.
"Hang up your uniform, then I want you in the corner of the guestroom."
Lee made an attempt to delay the inevitable, as Chip knew he would. "But I apologized to Kowalski!"
"That's good. I'm glad you did it," Chip allowed. "But that's not what this is about."
"It's not?"
"You discussed what happened with the Admiral, didn't you?"
Lee nodded.
"Then that's done and over with."
"But what else is there?"
"I want to you to do some thinking. Throughout the mission, I saw things that I didn't like. Things we've talked about." He put the groceries down on the counter and took Lee's sea bag from his hand. "Go ahead."
He waited, watching his partner cross the living room and disappear into the bedroom. Putting the groceries away, he opened the sliding door to the small deck and then followed Lee.
Standing just inside the guestroom door, he ran experienced, knowing eyes over Lee. In skivvies, he looked too thin; the uniform had disguised the weight he had lost.
"How many men on Seaview are qualified divers?" Chip asked quietly.
Lee looked over his shoulder at him, puzzled by the question. "How many?"
"I know you haven't had enough time to read the personnel files, but take a guess."
"I — I don't know."
"Every one of them. One hundred and twenty-five, including me, including the Admiral. I want you to think about that."
"But —"
"No, no discussion, sweetheart. Face the wall, and think about it."
Lee obeyed, turning away to face forward. His shoulders were braced back, his hands at his sides. The heels of his bare feet were together, the toes turned out at a forty-five degree angle. Chip waited for a moment, then slipped out of the room.
He busied himself opening windows and unpacking their bags. He made enough noise that Lee would not feel abandoned, but he did not speak to him as he went about the tasks of coming home from a mission. Each time he passed the guestroom, he glanced in; well aware he would know the moment Lee realized what he should have understood from the first.
Half an hour later, he heard a deep inhale of air and the soft thud of a head hitting the wall. In two steps, he was through the door and reaching for his partner. Lee had an awful habit of sliding rapidly from comprehension to self-castigation. When that happened, it was hours before he calmed down enough to talk things through.
"Come here," Chip said, pulling him down onto the foot of the bed. For a moment, Lee clung to him and accepted the comfort Chip offered, then he withdrew, ready to face his punishment. "Do you know why I'm upset with you?"
"Because I didn't think things through. I decided I had to do everything myself."
"And what should you have done?"
Lee twisted the ring on his left hand — Chip's Academy ring. "I asked for volunteers," he pointed out.
"You did, after you decided you'd lead the dive."
"If we didn't find that antenna, though —"
"And you were the only one who could?" Chip asked pointedly.
Lee blushed. "No…"
"If the men hadn't fought off that squid, or they had a minute slower getting to you, we would have had to scrap the mission — whether or not we found the antenna. Seaview needed a captain, Lee, not another diver!" Putting both hands on Lee's shoulders, he forced Lee to meet his gaze. "You were very lucky you were only bruised. That thing could have killed you! My heart was in my throat until you were back on board."
"I'm sorry." The words were only a whisper.
"You've got to think these things through!" With the skill of long habit, Chip drew him over his knees.
"No, Chip, please!"
Steadying Lee until he found his balance, Chip delivered a series of blistering spanks. He captured the wayward hand that rose to protect a now deep-pink bottom. "Stop, you're only making it worse." He kept spanking until he felt the fight go out of Lee, and then let him slide off his lap and onto his knees. Tears shone in Lee's eyes as he leaned into the comfort of Chip's arms. Chip had been always amazed spankings had this effect on his lover who, as an ONI agent, was trained to withstand punishment of all sorts. One day, though, it had come to him. These spankings were personal, something only shared between the two of them.
"I want you to promise me that, in the future, you'll think a little more. I don't want you rushing off to do something that someone else should handle. If you're unsure who the best person for the job is, ask me. I'm your Exec. It's my job to know things like that." He waited until he got a shaky nod. "All right. I think some lines are in order after supper, don't you?"
Lee looked incredulous for an instant before he schooled his features into agreement, and Chip tried not to smile. On duty, it was almost impossible to read anything in Lee's face, but after discipline, he had trouble hiding anything.
"Go wash your face while I get supper on the table," Chip said, pulling Lee to his feet and hugging him.
When Lee appeared three minutes later, he wore his own sweatpants with one of Chip's old sweatshirts. He eased himself into a chair at the table and watched as Chip finished filling their plates. Dinner was quiet as was the rest of the evening. Chip had planned to return his parents' phone call and let them that he — they were all right, but he was simply too tired. As he cleaned up the kitchen, Lee sat at the table writing his lines. He had swallowed a groan when he saw the sheer length of the lines Chip had written at the top of the first sheet: Effective leaders understand their job is making the team function. This is what creates trust, what enables the team to get the task done.
By the time Lee finished, his head was propped up on one hand as he fought to keep his handwriting legible. He brought the pages to Chip and then dropped on to the sofa beside him.
"Do you want a piece of pie?" Chip inquired, rubbing his back as Lee stretched and laid his head on Chip's shoulder. Chip wrapped his arms around him.
"No, I'm full. I really just want to sit here for a minute."
And they sat together in the quiet, listening to the faint sounds of life coming from the apartments around them. Chip thought his partner had dozed off, but was surprised to see his eyes were open when he glanced down at him.
"It was close, wasn't it?" Lee asked.
"Too close. I wonder why the President didn't act sooner, and why he insisted the Admiral present his findings to that committee."
"Because Captain Phillips might be alive if he hadn't?"
Chip shook his head. "No, what I meant was that we would have had more time. More time to think, plan and especially react. It was insane getting ready to sail. I was terrified we'd leave behind something important."
"But you didn't."
"That didn't stop me from waking up three nights in a row thinking we had."
Lee leaned up for a kiss. "Best run boat I've been on, Mr. Morton."
Chip returned it. "I was proud of the crew. Despite everything or because of it, they pulled it off."
"Even tolerating an upstart captain," Lee murmured.
"Give them time, Lee. It will all work out."
Lee made a sound that was somewhat short of agreement and snuggled into Chip's side. Chip smiled and, resting his cheek against the soft dark hair, let his eyes drift closed.
At eight o'clock the following morning, Chip filled a mug with hot coffee and headed for the bathroom, leaving the mug on the counter. Walking across the hall into the bedroom, he leaned against the doorjamb.
"Lee, coffee's made."
From the tumbled chaos of sheets and blankets rose one hand, obviously searching. Chip grinned. A cross between the Lady of the Lake and a periscope.
"Uh-uh, it's in the bathroom. I know you too well for that."
With a grumbled protest, Lee extricated himself from his cozy nest and stumbled toward the door, eyes closed. He started to pass Chip, then stopped and kissed him before continuing his quest for coffee without opening his eyes.
Chip began straightening the bedclothes, his smile wide. As much as he loved morning, Lee did not. Chip enjoyed the early hours when the sun was just rising and the dew was still on the lawns. He always had. Lee, on the other hand, preferred darkness until the last possible minute. He never turned on the lights before showering and, more than once, Chip had seen him shave in the dark. It was only as he started dressing and could no longer delay the inevitable, that his eyes opened to more than slits.
Makes him perfect for subs, though, Chip reflected as he punched the pillows into shape. It's always night when you run submerged. He gave the bedroom a once over and nodded.
Breakfast was ready when Lee appeared, dressed in khakis and clutching his empty mug. He refilled it before sitting down.
Chip looked over from the stove. "Orange juice, first" and watched him drain the glass in two long swallows. Shaking his head, he slid fried eggs onto each of their plates and added bacon. "Sleep well?" he asked as he carried them to the table.
Lee nodded. "Like a log. I never heard you come to bed."
"I was two minutes behind you, but you were dead to the world."
"I must've been," Lee admitted, helping himself to toast.
Chip took a bite of eggs and watched Lee spread jam with exaggerated care. "Sweetheart?" he asked, waving his fork toward the toast.
"Last clean shirt," Lee told him. "Can't go in with strawberry preserves on it."
"We'll drop off your uniforms at the laundry. "
Lee nodded his thanks as he turned his attention to the food on his plate. "I was afraid to give anything to Seaview's laundry."
"They wouldn't have done anything to your uniforms!"
"No, not that! I didn't want to ship out and have to leave them here."
"I would have held onto them. Given you a reason to come back."
"Uniforms wouldn't be my first reason," Lee told him, glancing at him from under his lashes.
Chip half-stood, leaning over the table to capture his lover's mouth. "Something more like that?" he asked.
Lee's hand rested on the back of his neck, gently preventing him from moving. "A lot more like that." He rose to his feet and met Chip's eager kisses with his own.
When they finally broke apart, Chip drew him toward the bedroom. Lee followed eagerly, and moments later, they fell onto the bed, taking only enough time to hang their uniforms — and most importantly, Lee's shirt — over the back of a chair.
Thankful for a reserved parking space near the administration building's main door, Chip pulled in, braked and threw the SUV into park. As he turned off the engine, he glared as the unforgiving clock on the dashboard added another minute: 9:56. Lee unbuckled his seat belt and snagged two hats and Chip's briefcase from the back seat.
"We'll make it, we'll make it," he mumbled as they crossed the parking lot, both of them lengthening their strides. They had learned at the Academy that officers do not run, they walk with great purpose.
Chip nodded, glancing at his watch as they strode up the two steps and into the lobby. The three-story atrium was quiet, few people evident this time of the morning.
"I thought they'd meet us with a brass band at least," he remarked as they cut across the space to an automatic door that hissed open as they approached. Chip nodded to the woman behind the reception desk. "Good morning. Is Nancy in?"
"Yes, Commander. I'll call her."
"Don't bother," Nancy said coming through the door from the adjoining suite of offices. She glanced at her watch and raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, you said 10:00!" Chip protested. "It's 9:59 right now, so we're early."
Nancy grinned. "Yeah, you are. Not as early as you usually are, but early."
Slipping on his XO face, Chip frowned. "We ran late." He glanced at Lee who was staring hard at the painting of Seaview on the far wall, refusing to look at anyone.
"I'm sure you had a lot to catch up on." She turned to the receptionist who was openly watching the scene in front of her. "These two were roommates at Annapolis, Kathy. Commander Crane is Seaview's new captain."
Kathy smiled and shook hands with Lee. "Nice to meet you. Would you like a cup of coffee? I just brewed a new pot."
He returned her smile. "That would be great, thank you."
"Kathy, would you take the Captain to the conference room after you get him the coffee? It's all set up. Lee, I thought it would be easier to have you in one spot and bring in the people who are ready for you."
From the way Lee agreed, Chip knew his lover had slipped into what he privately called 'captain mode'. His posture was straighter, his gaze more direct.
"I'll see you later?" he asked Chip.
"I thought I'd give you a tour of the area after you're finished here."
"Sounds good. I'll find you when we're done."
Kathy led him out of the reception room. The murmur of their voices carried back down the hall as they disappeared.
Nancy waited until they were out of earshot. "I thought we should hide him from attentions of the administrative staff — for this morning at least."
Chip grinned. "There's going to be a feeding frenzy when they see him."
"Absolutely, but we'll try to protect him. "
"Just let me know when you're through, all right? I want to get out of here early today."
"I'll give you a call." With a wave, she hurried off.
Chip started for his own office and then changed direction. With any luck, the cafeteria was still serving breakfast. He could do with a meal and some hot coffee.
When the phone rang, he was elbow deep in the crew schedules for the next mission. He had been thinking of shifting some of them around. Most of the men were cross-trained, and he wanted to keep up their skills in both areas. He was looking forward to running his ideas by Lee and getting his feedback. He had no doubt that Lee would have opinions of his own. When the phone rang, he picked it up with a crisp "Morton."
"Chip, Nancy."
Her tone of voice got his full attention. "What's wrong?"
"It's Lee." She sighed. "I think we have us a runner."
"What happened?"
"I'm not sure. We discussed a couple of things, and then Herb went in to discuss the benefits package —"
"Herb on his first day?"
"It has to be done, Chip, and he had everything ready. They finished, and I was about to send Tara in when I saw Lee crossing the lobby like the hounds of hell were after him."
Chip was already on his feet. "Where did he go?"
"Toward the point."
"All right, I'll go after him. Is there anything more you need from him?"
'Nothing that can't wait until the end of the week."
Chip hung up, and realized as he reached the door that he had not said good-bye. He would call later and apologize. Right now the most important thing was finding Lee.
The sun was warm as he crossed the lawn at a jog (Annapolis be damned). The wind blew the flags straight out from their poles. The Admiral had told them that it would take a week before the weather returned to normal. Until then, apparently, the forecast would remain changeable.
Cutting across the staff parking lot, he caught sight of a lone figure on the bluff at the far end of the Institute grounds. Lee sat with his knees bent and his forearms resting on them, his hands clasped. Chip closed the distance between them, scanning the area. Not even a landscaper to be seen. Dropping to sit beside his lover, he copied Lee's position so their bodies touched from shoulder to thigh.
"Hey, Kit."
Lee leaned into him. "You haven't called me that in a long time."
"Thought you didn't like it," Chip confessed.
"It was kind of overwhelming at the time."
"Your first experience with the Morton clan on a mission. You had every right to be terrified. Thank god there wasn't an internet at the time."
"Hadn't thought of that. The dictionaries and encyclopedias were bad enough."
Chip grinned. "It was the call to the Chicago Zoo that should have warned you what you were getting yourself into."
Lee shook his head and returned his gaze to the choppy water. Chip leaned back on his elbows, resigned to wait however long it took for Lee to collect his thoughts. He smirked thinking of that first trip home from Annapolis with Lee in tow. At dinner, his youngest sister had announced that Lee's eyes reminded her of a baby fox she had seen in a library book. With a zeal that had stunned Lee, the entire family had launched into a debate about which was the correct term — cub, kit or pup. The revelation that all three were right did not slow the discussion a bit. In the end, the Mortons had finally decided they preferred kit, and Chip had teased Lee with it for months.
"Chip, am I doing the right thing?"
Chip sat forward as Lee turned to face him. "Taking on Seaview?"
"Yes. Am I doing the right thing?" Lee ran an agitated hand through his hair. "The only thing I've ever wanted to do was be in the Navy. I've been working towards it since I was twelve. Now I'll be walking away from that."
"We're still in the Reserves," Chip pointed out. "I know it's not the same thing, but we do a lot of work for the Navy."
"But —" Lee frowned. "I'm not even articulating this well. When you decided to accept the Admiral's offer, you didn't hesitate."
"My situation was different. I hadn't been on a boat for over a year." He bumped Lee with a shoulder. "You, on the other hand, are one of Navy's bright and shining stars. The Secretary of the Navy told Nelson he was sending him the best sub commander they have. That's you, Lee!"
Lee looked down, shaking his head. "I'm just another sub driver, Chip. You know that."
"What I know is that we never would have succeeded without you in command."
"Suppose I can't do this?"
"Lee, there's no one more qualified to captain Seaview than you are."
"I think you're a little prejudice, Mr. Morton."
"Granted I am, but the Admiral isn't. If he didn't want you for the job, he wouldn't have taken on the brass so he could offer it to you. Hell, I should have figured out what all those calls to Washington meant."
"If I'm so good, why's the Navy letting me go?
"It's simple. The Admiral is the man of the hour, and he decided to call in all his markers."
"I doubt he'd do that for me. Hell, he could get anybody he wanted."
"And he did, Lee, he got you."
Lee's answer was a snort.
"We have a saying around here: What Nelson wants, Nelson gets."
Lee turned to him, his eyes dark with concern. "But what do you want?"
Chip smiled. "I want you, and I want you on Seaview. With me."
"What about us? How will we handle this?"
Chip answered that as simply as he could. "When we're on duty, you'll be the captain, Lee. I'll obey your orders as I do the Admiral's, as I did John's. When we're not, our relationship will be the same as it is right now. I'm not saying it will easy — for either of us — but we'll make it work."
"I'm not sure I can do this!"
"It's a huge change for you, sweetheart, but there's no one better for the job than you! You're one of the best natural officers I've ever known. Hell, I wish I had half your ability to handle both the boat and the men."
"But.. It's Seaview, Chip." The tone of awe in his voice told Chip more than words could.
"And Nelson wants you in command of her."
Lee nodded slowly, his gaze returning to the sea. Chip had been through this moment before. He had said all Lee needed to hear. Now his job was to sit back and wait while Lee settled things in his own mind. He had no doubt that Lee would stay. Seaview had captured his heart before they had cleared the channel the first night.
Finally Lee's shoulders relaxed, and he let out a deep breath. "I can do this," he said aloud as if trying out the words.
"We can do this. We're a good team, Lee."
"Always have been," Lee agreed. "I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else as my Exec, Chip."
"That is not an option."
Lee bumped his shoulder against Chip's and grinned. "No, it's not."
"You ready for some lunch?"
"That sounds good."
They rose to their feet and strolled back across the lawn. Chip noticed a good part of the administrative staff had decided to eat lunch outside. Heads turned as they passed, and he nodded to a few of the AAs he knew. Lee seemed oblivious to the attention he was getting.
"I should apologize to Nancy."
"She was worried about you. I think she'd appreciate knowing you're okay."
"And that all their work hasn't been in vain?" Lee asked as they walked into the building.
"That too. I've got to get my stuff. I'll meet you here in five minutes, all right?"
"Five minutes," Lee repeated, already heading toward Human Resources.
Chip watched him go before turning toward his office. He was confident their talk had done some good. No doubt there would be more discussion. Lee tended to internalize his worries, and Chip often had to read his silences and evasions to get to the root of the problem. Now Lee would not have the chance to hide things as easily as he did on the phone. Chip nodded sharply, scarcely noticing the people scattering in front of him as he hurried down the hall. Lee had a new command, and Seaview had a new captain. He was the lucky one, though. He had them both. The culmination of a long-held wish. It would take some acclimating, but everything, as he had promised Lee, would work out in the end. Life was good. And if he knew Lee Crane, it was about to get very exciting.
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