seaQuest
"Playing in the sun"


Key West,
Florida Keys

	Stepping off the small commuter plane Katie Hitchcock felt the tension melt away.Not that she had a lot of tension in her life but the last few weeks had started to take their toll.
	She felt the warm tropical breeze wash over her as she made her way through the crowd at the baggage claim.Quickly finding her single suitcase Katie went outside to get a cab.
"Hold up!"A familiar voice hollered as she settled herself in the cab,"Hold the cab!"
	Their eyes meet as soon as he ducked his six foot frame inside the door.
"Katie?"
"Jonathan?"Katie Hitchcock asked equally surprised.
"What are you doing here?"They asked in unison.
	The driver,who was a short balding man in his early forties rolled his eyes,"Look,I don't mean to be rude.But if one of you two could tell me where to go.This is my last fare and I'd like to get home before the sun rises."
Jonathan and Katie exchanged a smile before she said,"Hyatt Regancy."
The driver glanced at Ford in the rearview mirror.
Jonathan nodded,"Same."
	As the cab pulled away from the curb a comfortable silence filled the car.
He jumped slightly when he felt her open palm against his forehead.
"What?"Ford asked with a laugh.
Katie pulled her hand away,"Just checking to see if you had a fever."
Jonathan laughed.A sound Katie wished she heard more often.
"What?I have to have a fever to take a vacation?"
Katie laughed,"Yes."
"Well,some people might say the same about you."
Katie playfully punched him in the arm,"Are you saying I'm a workaholic?"
Ford dodged another swing,"If the shoe fits."
Katie giggled,"Well,Commander Ford.You're more straight laced than I am."
Jonathan raised an eyebrow,"Is that so?"
Katie turned sideways to face him,"When was the last time you took a vacation?Not UEO planned....a real vacation?"
"Ummmmmmm........."
"See?You can't think of one."Katie said her blue eyes dancing with laughter.
"No,I can."
"When?"Katie prompted.
"I think I was tweleve."
	Katie laughed,"I rest my case.I should call Nathan. Thank him for destroying the seaQuest.He finally got Jonathan Ford to take a vacation."
Ford's smile vanished,the sparkle faded from his eyes.
Katie touched his face,"I'm sorry,Jonathan.I shouldn't have made light of it.I know how much seaQuest ment to you."
Jonathan caught her hand,"Its done."
Katie was about to reply when she felt the cab stop in front of their hotel.
	Jonathan set his suitcase on the sidewalk.He handed the driver some money before turning back to Katie.
"Do you have any set plans?"
Katie smiled,shaking her head,"No,for once in my life I decided to go without a net."
Jonathan moved closer to her,"So,would a dinner invatation be too much of a plan?"
Kate smiled,"We both have to eat."
Jonathan returned her smile,picking up his suitcase,"Good.I'll meet you in the resturant say about seven?"
Katie nodded starting to walk toward the revoling doors,"I'll look forward to it."
	The hotel resturant was very casual.The hotel prided itself by making sure their guests had no pressure. Jonathan Ford felt like he had stepped into a hut somewhere in a jungle safari.
	Palm trees were everywhere,bamboo covered the walls. Various bird calls blasted from hiden speakers. Colorful stuffed parrots perched on swings suspended from the ceiling. Jonathan ducked as a swinging stuffed monkey sailed past his right shoulder,paw clutched to a vine.
He was about to sit down when he saw Katie enter the room.
	Katie felt over dressed in a simple,one piece pale blue dress.She quickly spotted Jonathan's tall frame peaking out from behind a palm tree.She crossed the space between them.
"Hi,hiding from me already?"
Jonathan laughed,shaking his head,"No,you missed the flying monkey show."
Katie raised an eyebrow,"What?"
Jonathan shook his head,"Never mind.Let's find a table."
	The waiter dressed in kaki shorts and avacode green shirt seated them at a wicker table next to a small water fall.
Jonathan excepted a menu from the waiter while saying,"When was the last time we talked that wasn't on board a ship somewhere?"
Katie laughed,"Does the training run at the Academy count."
Jonathan smiled,"No."
Katie looked over her menu,"Then I'd have to say it was inbetween clases at the Academy."
	The waiter returned and took their orders and placed their drinks on the table.Little umbrellas in each glass.
Katie picked up the pink paper umbrella and met Ford's gaze,"This place is cute.I may not want to leave."
Jonathan took a sip from his lemonade,"Out of curiousity why are you here?I thought you were shipping out on the Clinton right after the seaQuest was destroyed."
Katie nodded,"That was the orginal plan.Then Noyce called saying the Clinton had to go in for a complete computer overhaul."
Jonathan blinked,"Complete overhaul?On a ship that old? That'd take weeks."
	Katie nodded,"A month actually.And with the crew not expected to report for a week after that I decided what the hell and took a vacation. I figured after we lost the seaQuest I deserved it."
Jonathan touched her hand,"Have you heard from anyone?"
Katie shrugged,"Some.Last I heard Lucas was with Nathan on his island starting designs on the new seaQuest.Shan was heading back to the Academy to brush up on a few classes before his next tour.Crocker I think mentioned something about opening a resturant on a boat,in the gulf.How about you?"
	Jonathan looked past her,his attention caught by the swinging monkey,"There he goes."
Katie turned in her chair,"Who?"
Jonathan grinned,"The monkey.Just swung past the purple parrot,see him?"
Katie laughed,"Yeah,I see him.He's fast."She turned back around,"This is fun.I'm glad we ran into each other."
Jonathan smiled,"So am I."
	Their entrees arrived and Jonathan and Katie spent the next several minutes in contented silence.Enjoying each other's company.
	A spotlight illuminated a small stage that Katie hadn't noticed before.It was behind Jonathan and kiddy-korner. A blond man in his late twenties stepped up on stage clutching a microphone.
"Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen I trust you're all enjoying your meals."
Murmurs of Yes's came from the surrounding tables.
The man smiled,"Good.My name is Matt Carlson and I'm sure none of you noticed the numbers on your place mats."
Jonathan and Katie glanced at each other as they both lifted their plates up.
	"I got a bad feeling about this."Katie whispered.
"Well,folks tonight is Karoke night and don't worry the door is now being bolted so no one can miss particapating in this."
Groans came from the audience.
Matt Carlson laughed,"Ah,come on guys?What's a little humiliation among friends?"
"Easy for him to say."Jonathan muttered.
Katie laughed.
	A red haired waitress stepped on stage,carrying a small tan wicker basket.
"Thankyou Susan."Matt said taking the basket and dipping his hand in,"Let's get this underway."
Jonathan glanced at Katie,"Think there's a back way out of here?"
Katie smiled,"Probably.But I'll bet you breakfast they have guards on it."
Ford glanced behind the waterfall to a curtained doorway. And sure enough flanked on ethier side were two waiters,"You win."
	Katie laughed,"Jonathan,relax.We're here to have fun, remember?"
Jonathan glanced at the stage as a ten year old boy with black hair took the microphone,"This is not my idea of fun."
Katie stared at him,"Don't tell me, you can releve Marylin Stark of command but you can't sing in front of a group of,"She paused turning around in her chair,"Thirty?"
Jonathan grimaced,"I can't sing,period."
Katie laughed,"So fake it.He's doing pretty well."
Ford winced as the very off key verison of "Good ship Lolly Pop" filled the resturant,"Where's Stark when I really need her?"
Katie hit his arm,"You don't mean that."
	Matt Carlson stepped back on stage,patting the boy on the head,"Thankyou Duncan.That was very good."He faced the audience,"See folks,its not that difficult."He turned back to the redhead,"Susan,who's our next victim...er...I mean contestant?"
Susan laughed,"Number seventeen."
	The spotlight washed over the room.No one moved.
Katie hit him,"Jonathan,that's you."
Ford shook his head,hiding the number,"No its not."
Katie laughed,"Yes it is.Don't be a baby.Get up there."
Jonathan smiled,"Slave driver."He stood and blinked as the spotlight found him.
Matt's smile widened,"There he is.Don't be shy, come on down.Its not as painful as it looks."
Jonathan gingerly took the microphone from him,"If you say so."
	Ten minutes later Katie thought her sides would split from laughing so hard.She didn't know if he was doing it on purpose but Jonathan had launched into the absolute worst verison of "Day-O" she had ever heard in her life.
Wiping tears from her eyes Katie hugged him as he slumped into his chair.
"That was very brave of you."Katie said,laughter in her voice.
Jonathan glared at her,"You owe me big time."
Katie laughed,"Anything you say,Commander."	
	It was well past midnight when Katie leaned against the door to her room,exhausted from laughing so hard.She couldn't remember the last time she had spent an eveing like this.
Jonathan leaned against the wall,folding his arms across his chest,dark eyes sparkling,"So who was your favorite?"
Katie laughed,"I don't know if I've ever seen so many bad singers in one room in my life."
Jonathan grinned,"But if you had to choose......"
"I'd say the guy who sang the Prince song,1999."Katie said putting the card key in her lock.
Jonathan nodded,"And what was scarier is that he actually looked like Prince."
Katie led him into the dark room,flipping on the light,"You mean the artist formerly known as Prince."
Ford laughed,"Whatever happened to him anyway?"
Katie sat down on the bed,"The guy?I think he went back to his dinner."
Jonathan rolled his eyes,"I mean the singer."
Katie shook her head,"Not sure.He kinda disappeared before the turn of the century.Hasn't had a hit since."