The Greatest Kindness

By: Chris B.

It was a sad and somber return to port for the men of the SSRN Seaview as the vessel slipped silently into the subpen at the Navy base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii during the wee hours of the morning. Other than the conversations required to dock and moor the boat the crew on deck remained silent as Admiral Nelson guided the great submarine into her slip. The rapidly applied patches on her hull gave silent testimony to the ferocious battle she had engaged in and from which she emerged triumphant. They had destroyed the two submarines sent by Dr. Gamma to ambush them on their trip back from the Philippines but not without paying a horrible price. Seaview bore the physical scars and the crew feared for those injured and mourned the three lives that had been lost following the frantic battle and subsequent race to save the boat once their enemy had been destroyed.

As the final line was secured and the gangplank moved into place the men quickly picked up the litters holding their injured comrades and moved them as gently and as rapidly as possible across the span to the waiting ambulances. They would transport the captain and three other ratings to the Navy hospital where they would receive additional treatment for their injuries. Nelson watched with great concern as his injured men were carried across and deposited in the vehicles, wanting desperately to accompany them but his duties lay with Seaview right now and the crewmen who had not returned alive.

The injured were quickly followed by the CMO Dr. Will Jamieson who would see that they received the necessary treatment required to heal their wounds. As Will prepared to disembark he turned back and stared somberly at the three other stretchers that remained on deck waiting for the living to depart before they started their final journey. He gave them a salute, wiped at the tears threatening to fall from his eyes then hurried across the gangplank and climbed aboard the remaining ambulance to aid those he could still help.

As the doors shut on the ambulance and they sped off Nelson shifted his attention to the three stretchers bearing the bag-enshrouded remains of those who had given their lives. An honor guard had assembled on deck to escort each man from the boat to the waiting vehicles that would deliver them to the morgue. The solemn procession moved with all the dignity and respect these men earned and deserved in service to their country and shipmates. When the last body was placed in the hearse and the door was shut the assembled crew was called to attention and saluted their final departure.

()()()()()

Harri sighed and closed his eyes saying a brief prayer for those they had lost. It had been one hell of year and this loss followed too closely on the heels of the murder of Seaview’s first captain John Phillips; it hit them all hard but especially his CMO.

Chief Thomas “Curly” Jones was a force of nature and was a critical key in ensuring things ran smoothly all across the boat. He had been well liked and more importantly well respected by all aboard, his death left a gaping hole in their ranks that would be as difficult to fill as John’s.

In all likelihood if Curly hadn’t been so quick to accept and support Lee Crane following his rather dramatic first entry to the boat, Harri would have been forced to find someone else to captain Seaview. Between him and Chip they had soothed the ruffled feathers and opened the crew’s eyes to the exceptional man and submarine commander that was Lee Crane, and for that alone Harri owed him everything.

When Harri began assembling a crew for his new submarine, Chief Curly Jones was his first choice for Chief of the Boat, that crucial linchpin between the command staff and crew. He dogged Curly relentlessly until he finally gave in and agreed to serve once again with Nelson. When Curly retired from the Navy Harri snapped him up before the ink had dried on his discharge papers and he could realize how nice it was not to have to go to work every morning.

The other two men lost were new to the boat and Harri hadn’t had much opportunity to get to know them on a personal basis but he felt their loss just the same. Velasquez and Chambers were young, talented and very enthusiastic about being part of Seaview’s crew, they’re lives were cruelly cut short far too soon. The thing that chapped him most was that they had survived the attack. Lee had pulled so many rabbits out of the hat evading then finally hunting down and destroying the rouge subs it was a cruel joke that they should lose men when they were finally safe.

The concussive waves from the barrage of torpedoes fired at them combined with the stress of Lee’s multiple deep dives, rapid rises and hard turns had stressed the hull nearly beyond its limits. Cracks had developed in a number of the frames and the damage control party Curly led to shore up a weakened section suddenly gave way slamming the COB brutally into the bulkhead behind him along with all the shoring materials. The head and internal injuries he sustained when the invading water flung everything in its path across the compartment were catastrophic; his mind was gone but his body was too stubborn to give up the fight.

He was rushed to sick bay as quickly as the corpsmen could move through the boat in a desperate hope that somehow Dr. Jamieson would pull off yet another of his medical miracles. It was immediately apparent by the look on Jamieson’s face, that the situation was most likely hopeless as he quickly conducted his assessment of his friend’s condition. Knowing there were other injured crewmen that needed assistance the corpsmen couldn’t wait to get the verdict and rushed back to the flooding compartment to gather up the next man.

()()()()()

Jamie looked down at Curly and closed his eyes in despair. “What have you gone and done now, my old friend?” he said quietly as he began to wipe the blood from his face. As he conducted a more thorough exam his initial assessment was confirmed. There was no spark of mischief left in those usually bright and lively eyes, his breathing was becoming labored, and there were multiple signs of significant internal injuries that just couldn’t be repaired.

Unknown to most on board Jamie and Curly had been close friends for a very long time starting from their early days in the Navy. While both were stationed at Subic Bay Naval Station, their wives, childhood friends since they were six years old, ran into each other in the commissary one day while shopping. Both being new to the world of the military spouse overseas, they were thrilled beyond belief to have a found an old friend in a faraway land and rapidly rekindled their friendship.

Fraternization between officers and enlisted was generally frowned on but since their wives were old friends and Petty Officer Jones was never under the command of Lt. Jamieson it was pretty much ignored. They limited their interactions on base to events that they all could attend and would sometimes schedule their leaves together and vacation at locations far from military eyes. It seemed an unlikely friendship between the gruff Jones and the mild mannered Jamieson but their personalities meshed perfectly and they formed a strong bond that had endured through the years and postings taking them in opposite directions. Curly couldn’t have been happier when he discovered who NIMR’s new CMO was and looked forward to finally serving with his old friend.

As Jamie completed bandaging Curly’s head wound he gently placed his hand on his forehead as the tears rolled down his cheeks. “I’m so sorry Curly, there’s absolutely nothing in my power I can do for you; I’m not that gifted. Even if I could save your life it would leave you little more than a vegetable and I know you and Nancy both would hate that. I’ll miss you my dear friend and don’t worry I’ll make sure Nancy is well taken care of until you meet again. You just rest now, you’ve earned it.” Curly and Nancy had been there for Jamie when his wife Jean passed away from cancer, it was now unfortunately his turn to return that great kindness.

()()()()()

Lee had just entered the compartment when everything cut loose and after regaining his feet and securing the main hatch he instantly came to the aid of the other men in the room. Fighting the rush of frigid water he managed to pull Curly to the nearest ladder and the waiting arms of another DCP. He also managed to snag a dazed rating struggling to remain above the water and passed him up the ladder as well. As he dropped back down into the water for the third time to try and recover another injured man Seaview suddenly listed to port as she lost trim due to the influx of water. That shift snapped the lines securing a number of large crates which then slid rapidly across the deck and plowed into the captain slamming him into the bulkhead and pinning him against the wall. His head made solid contact with the wall leaving him bleeding and unconscious.

Seeing his captain and best friend hurled across the compartment, the XO, Chip Morton jumped quickly into the water and rushed to his aid along with Kowalski. They managed to get the crate pushed back off Lee and caught him as he slid limply towards the floor. They both grabbed the rope that had been floated over to them by the DCP and were towed back to the hatch. By the time they got the skipper passed up to the waiting hands the water level had risen so much that if the hatch wasn’t secured immediately they would lose the whole boat. There were still two members of Curly’s team unaccounted for but there was nothing that could be done and the hatch was lowered and sealed.

A stretcher team was there waiting for the captain as he was hauled to safety. The corpsmen quickly conducted an initial assessment, secured him to the stretcher and headed down the passageway to sick bay in no time flat.

()()()()()

As they entered sick bay they saw Doc standing next to Curly’s bed holding his hand and talking quietly to him. He had bandaged his head but that was the extent of the treatment he had provided. When he had been brought into the room it was immediately obvious to all that there was nothing any of them could do to save him; the die had been cast once he collided with the bulkhead. All they could do now was to wait for the inevitable.

At the sound of the corpsmen returning Jamie looked up and was startled to see the captain being transferred to the gurney in the middle of the bay. “What happened to him?”

“He went back into the hold to try and rescue more men and when Seaview rolled some crates broke free and pinned him against the bulkhead. He’s got all the signs of a major concussion, damaged ribs and the onset of hypothermia,” Frank replied as he began stripping the wet uniform off the skipper.

Jamie moved quickly over to Lee and began his examination. He checked his heartbeat, respiration, pupil reactivity and ran his hands over his ribs which quickly confirmed Frank’s assessment. What concerned him most was the purple mottling on his skin and the apparent abdominal swelling, all symptoms of internal bleeding. He quickly retook Lee’s blood pressure and was shocked at the drastic drop.

“He’s bleeding internally, Frank prep him for immediate surgery. Mike get an IV in him, we need to replace some of those fluids before he goes into circulatory collapse. Also get some more help to transport any other injured men, I need both of you here to help me with the surgery,” Jamie ordered.

Sick bay became an immediate flurry of activity as each man turned to his assignment. Mike contacted the control room to get additional crewmen sent to down to take care of any injured that had yet to be seen and treated. Frank prepped the operating room and then prepped the skipper for surgery. Jamie walked to his desk and paged the admiral on the intercom.

“Sick bay to Nelson,”

“Nelson here, what is it Jamie?”

“Sir I need to speak to you privately on the phone.”

“Very well Jamie, I’m in my cabin,” Nelson replied as a cold wave of dread broke over him. The phone rang once and he snapped up the receiver, “Nelson.”

“Jamieson here, sir. Admiral I need to let you know that Chief Jones is not going to make it, the damage he sustained when the hull plate ruptured is too great. He’s currently alive but all I can offer is palliative care. You’ll be relieved to know that he’s in no pain, sir… uh ... Harri I have to take Captain Crane into surgery so I can’t remain by Curly’s side, I was wondering if you could sit with him until I’m able to take over.”

Harri closed his eyes and hung his head; that was the last news he expected. “I’ll gladly come down and stay with him Jamie. I know how close you and he are, I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you Harri; I just don’t want him to die alone.”

“I would never let that happen, Jamie; he’s my good friend too. What’s the situation with Lee?”

Jamie cleared his throat fighting back the rise of emotion. “He’s got a serious concussion, damaged ribs and the most pressing problem is that he’s bleeding internally. I need to get in there and get it stopped before he bleeds to death. We’re just about ready to start surgery now. Once I get the bleeding under control I’ll then be able to better determine how extensive the other damage is.”

“All right Jamie, I’ll let you get to it. I’m on my way down to sick bay now,” Harri replied then ended the call.

Jamie began scrubbing up for surgery sparing the occasional worried glance for Curly. As he finished up and waited for Mike to help him with the surgical gloves the admiral entered. He nodded somberly to Jamie and shot a quick worried look at his captain stretched out on the operating table. Harri moved over to Cruly’s side and regarded his old friend lying on the gurney so pale and still, so uncharacteristic of the vital and active man he knew. He then placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze. He moved over to Jamie’s desk grabbed the visitor’s chair placed next to Curly’s bed and sat down to begin his vigil as the door to the operating room slid shut.

()()()()()

Shortly after Nelson sat down Kowalski and Patterson entered with another crewman injured during Seaview’s violent shift. Luckily he’d only injured a knee and was quickly settled into a bunk to await treatment from Doc or the corpsmen. Ski walked over to Curly and looked down at his ashen face.

“How’s he doing sir?” Ski asked quietly.

Harri looked up at him and shook his head sadly. “He was gone the second he hit the bulkhead,” Nelson replied. “The doctor said there’s nothing he can do for him; the injuries are just too severe but his body hasn’t realized that yet. He said he’s in no pain, which is some small comfort.”

Ski swallowed hard at the admiral’s words. “He was the best chief I’ve ever worked for, I’m glad I got that honor.”

Patterson walked over to Curly’s bed as well. “That’s a fact, sir. I count myself extremely lucky to have been able to serve with him and learn so much from him. Does Doc know how long he’ll hang on?”

“I’m sure it could be any time now. Doc is in the operating room working to save the captain’s life otherwise he would be here at his side. They’ve been close friends for many years. He didn’t want Curly to die alone so he asked me to come down and keep watch,” Nelson answered.

“Would you mind if we stayed as well sir? We’re off duty unless there’s another breach in the hull that requires a DCP or someone else needs a ride to sick bay,” Ski said.

“That would be fine gentlemen; I welcome the company and I think Curly would as well.”

Both men pulled up chairs and joined the admiral in keeping vigil over their fallen shipmate. They exchanged amusing anecdotes about their friend and laughed quietly as they recalled their first crossing of the equator as a crew and Curly’s getup as Amphitrite, King Neptune’s wife*.

As they finished chuckling Curly began having difficulty breathing as his body fought to keep the inevitable at bay. Harri stood and grabbed his old friend’s hand as he started fail. Kowalski and Patterson stood as well and each placed a hand on his leg to try and let him know that he was not alone in his last minutes on this earth.

Curly gasped for breath a few more times then let out a deep sigh and became very still as he started his final journey. Harri slid his fingers over Curly’s wrist to check for a pulse and finding none he bowed his head and bid his friend farewell with a silent prayer. Ski and Patterson lowered their heads as well in silent mourning.

After a moment Harri looked down at his watch and noted the time for the official records. He was surprised to find that over 4 hours had passed since Jamieson had taken Lee into surgery and the longer they remained in there the more concerned Harri became. He finally reached down and pulled the sheet solemnly up over Curly’s head.

“Why don’t you men go on back to your quarters and try and get some rest,” Harri said.

“Are you sure sir,” Patterson replied. “We can stay and help with anything you or Doc might need.”

“No that’s fine. I need to talk to the exec and then inform the rest of the crew. Head on back and I would appreciate it if you would keep this to yourselves until I make the boat-wide announcement.”

“Yes sir.” Ski and Pat replied as they bid Curly a last farewell and exited the room.

Nelson moved back into Jamieson’s office and drew the folding door shut. He picked up the phone contacted Sparks in the control room and asked that he connect him with the XO.

“Morton here sir,” Chip answered.

“Chip, I have some very sad news, Curly passed away five minutes ago. The injuries he sustained were just too severe and there was nothing that could be done.”

Chip closed his eyes and dropped his head at the devastating news. As XO he and Curly had worked closely together from the time her keel was laid; he liked Curly very much and considered him a close friend. “I’m so sorry to hear that sir. He was a great COB and a great friend.”

“That he was lad, that he was. He will be greatly missed and damn near impossible to replace. Chip would you have Sparks patch me into the intercom, I need to let the crew know.”

“Of course sir. Uh…sir…what about Lee? How’s he doing?”

“I don’t know. Jamie took him into surgery over 4 hours ago because he was bleeding internally; no one has emerged from the operating room since they started so I haven’t any news to share,” Nelson replied.

“That can’t be good,” Chip replied quietly. “Please hold one moment sir and I’ll pass you back to Sparks so he can patch you in.”

“You’re patched in now sir,” Sparks said.

“Thanks Sparks,” Nelson replied. Harri rose and shut off the intercom in sick bay so that he wouldn’t disturb Doc and his corpsmen as they worked desperately to save Seaview’s captain. Harri made the announcement then called for a moment of silence. He knew this wouldn’t be the last time he did this on this voyage as the other crewmen in the flooded compartment had yet to be recovered.

As he finished and hung up the phone the door to the operating room slid open and a very tired Jamieson emerged. He shot a quick look over towards Curly and he sagged noticeably as he took in the shrouded body of his friend. Jamie looked up at Nelson, the pain of his loss immediately visible in his eyes. “When?”

“Ten minutes ago. It was very peaceful and Ski, Pat and I were here to see him on his way,” Harri replied.

Jamie nodded his head as he acknowledged Harri’s words and a few tears escaped his eyes and slid down his cheeks. “Thank you Harri for being here. God I wished there was something I could have done for him or been with him when he passed. Nancy is going to be devastated.”

Harri moved over to Jamie and placed his hand on his shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. “I know but we will all be there for her if she needs it. We take care of family.”

Jamie nodded again as he wiped his eyes and face as he reclaimed his composure. “I know she will find some comfort in that.” He moved over to Curly’s body and drew back the sheet and stared down at is friend. “Goodbye Curly, say hello to Jean for me.”

As he replaced the sheet, the corpsmen exited the operating room with the x-ray plates of the captain’s chest and skull.

Nelson immediately noticed that they made no move to place Lee in a bunk which sounded an alarm in his head. “How’s Lee?” he asked quietly.

“Not good but he’s holding his own right now. He had a ruptured spleen and lost a lot of blood but we’ve got that taken care of hopefully. He’s still in a coma from the concussion and Frank is developing the x-rays now so I can see what kind of damage has been done. If the x-rays show what I fear, that he’s bleeding into the brain, then I’ll have to go back in and drill a hole in his skull to drain the fluid. He’s also got injured ribs and a lot of deep bruising which could pose problems if any of the blood clots break free.”

Nelson paled at Jamie’s report. “What are his chances?”

“I’m always optimistic with Lee; he has a will to survive beyond any I’ve ever encountered. He’s young, strong and would never willingly entertain the notion of running out on his gray lady, we just need to monitor him closely in case complications develop,” Jamie replied tiredly.

“Can I see him?” Harri asked.

“Sure, go on in it will take a few minutes for Frank to develop the film. Talk to him, let him know you’re there and he’s not alone.”

Nelson moved quietly into the operating room and looked down on his injured captain and friend. He was deathly white, which only served to highlight the bruises on his face and torso. He picked up Lee’s hand and gripped it tightly trying to transfer some strength to the still form. “Come on lad you can’t leave us now, you’re gray lady needs you… as do I. We’re all here for you; fight your way back son.”

As he continued to talk to Lee he heard Jamie discussing something with his corpsmen. Moments later they entered the OR with additional surgical equipment which didn’t bode well for the captain.

“Admiral you’re going to have to leave, sir we need to prep the skipper for another surgery,” Mike said as he prepared to shave a portion of the captain’s head.

Nelson paled knowing that Lee must be bleeding into the brain and they were preparing to drill into his skull and insert a drain. He put down Lee’s hand and exited the room to find Jamie staring intently at the x-rays. He also noticed that Curly’s body had been removed from the sick bay and placed in one of the freezers on board.

“How bad is it, Jamie?”

“It’s not good Harri. He’s got a lot of swelling along with extensive bleeding; he really impacted that bulkhead with a lot of force. I’m going to put in a drain to relieve the pressure on his brain and hopefully prevent any additional damage.”

“We’re ready Doctor,” Mike called out.

“Thanks Mike, I’ll be right there,” Jamieson answered. “I’ll give you a call when we get finished, Harri. I need to get scrubbed up now.”

“Okay Jamie. Take good care of him,” Harri replied as he patted his CMO on the shoulder. Jamie gave Harri a small smile, a quick nod then made his way back to the sink to begin scrubbing up once again.

()()()()()

It took two days for Seaview to reach Honolulu given the damage she had incurred and their desire not to stress the repairs any more than necessary. In that time they had successfully pumped out the flooded compartments and recovered the rest of their dead.

Down in sick bay, Lee Crane was still in a coma following his run in with the bulkhead and crates. Thanks to Jamie’s actions, the fluids had been drained off Lee’s brain and the swelling had reduced significantly. The fact that he hadn’t regained consciousness yet concerned the doctor a great deal.

Jamie once again checked his patient’s vitals and took some solace in finding them almost back to normal. He sat down wearily in the chair recently vacated by the XO and made note of the most recent set of information.

“You know Captain you would do us all a favor if you woke up now. You’ve got everyone all up in arms with your goldbricking here in bed while they take care of getting your boat home. I don’t think the admiral or Chip have had a full night’s sleep since you were injured and I must admit I haven’t either. It’s time for you to come back to us now Lee, break’s over,” Jamie said quietly to his patient.

As he finished updating Lee’s chart the door to sick bay opened and the admiral entered. “Any change yet Jamie?” Nelson said as he moved next to Lee’s bunk.

“His vital signs are almost back to normal but there’s no sign he’s ready to wake up yet. The swelling is almost gone and his pupils are normalizing and are more reactive, he should be awake,” Jamie said with more than a hint of frustration. “I don’t think I missed anything. I don’t know what else I can do to bring him back around.”

“Well you’re the first one to say things resolve themselves at their own pace. I know you’ve done all you could here on Seaview, maybe when you get him to the hospital in Pearl you’ll find the reason he’s been out so long,” Nelson replied concerned with Jamie’s reaction.

“Yeah, maybe,” Jamie replied with a sigh.

“Jamie what’s wrong?”

“Nothing really Harri,” he said then caught Nelson’s look of disbelief. “I guess I’m still dealing with Curly’s death and my inability help him or to bring Lee around. I’m just…I guess tired of these setbacks and not being able to do anything about them,” he replied dejectedly.

“Curly’s death was beyond your control, you know that and Lee will come around when he’s ready. You know nothing involving him is ever easy or straightforward,” Harri answered trying to assuage his friend’s concerns and hide his own. “You just need to have a little patience. He’s probably just getting some much needed rest since I don’t think he slept at all during our run in with Gamma. Those were three very long and stressful days, you must admit.”

Jamie gave Harri a wry grin and a snort. “You know those are supposed to be my lines.”

“Hang in there Jamie; I really believe it will all turn out okay. Well I need to head up to the con and bring Seaview into port. I finally had to order Chip to bed he looked like he could barely stand upright. He’s been pulling double shifts with Lee down plus keeping watch over him when he should have been asleep.”

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” Jamie replied wincing inside at his parroting of Lee’s usual response regarding his health and well-being. “I need to get busy too preparing my patients for transport to the hospital. I’ll let you know how everyone is once we get them checked in and through the additional tests I’ve requested.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll take you out for a good stiff drink once we get everyone and everything put to bed,” Nelson said as he headed for the door.

()()()()()

After two days ashore, Lee finally regained consciousness to the relief of all. Subsequent testing revealed there was no permanent brain damage and he would fully recover in due course as would the other injured crewmen. That one bit of news lightened the hearts of the crew a shade.

Curly’s wife Nancy, their grown children and family members of the other two deceased crewmen were flown out to Hawaii to claim the bodies and make arrangements for their return. Being a career military family the Jones’ really didn’t have a specific place called home and Nancy and their children decided to have Curly cremated and then would scatter his ashes at sea from the deck of Seaview. The other two men would be returned to their home towns for internment there closer to their families.

In advance of that the Seaview crew held a memorial service and a good old fashioned wake to honor the men lost on the voyage. The first part was a solemn affair that paid homage to each man, his life and the ultimate sacrifice he made to save his boat and shipmates. The wake afterwards was a grand celebration of their lives held at a small private resort on the North Shore of Oahu that boasted a large private beach. Nelson had ensured that NIMR rented the entire facility for their needs so they could mourn and honor their friends in peace.

As the party wore on Nancy Jones noticed that Jamie was nowhere to be found. He had been strangely distant to her despite his efforts to help with any funeral planning that the family needed. She got the feeling he was suddenly uncomfortable in her presence and that bothered her.

Scanning the party area she noticed a solitary figure standing on the palm lined beach a good distance from the gathering; it wasn’t hard for her to guess who that person was. Excusing herself from the group of people she was talking with she headed out to the beach to confirm her suspicions.

()()()()()

Jamie stood alone still dressed in the long sleeved shirt and slacks he wore to the memorial service, watching the sun as it dipped closer to the ocean as it began to set. Everyone else had long since changed into more casual clothing and was enjoying the tales and remembrances of the men of honor. He looked so distraught that Nancy’s heart ached for him; she knew he would miss Curly nearly as much as her and the kids.

“What are you doing out here all alone, Will?” Nancy asked quietly as she moved next to him and threaded her arm through his.

“Oh I just needed a break,” he replied lamely.

“Will what’s wrong? I get the very distinct impression that you’re avoiding me and the kids,” she asked.

“Nothing’s wrong Nancy,” he said averting his eyes suddenly finding his shoe tops of great interest.

“I’m not buying that for one minute Will Jamieson. We’ve known each other far too many years for you to get off with that response. You act almost as if you’re ashamed of something and don’t want to face us.”

Damn but they had known each other for too long, she had nailed it in one guess. Jamie shook his head and gave her a slight smile. “Jean and you both could see right through me, are you sure you two weren’t witches?”

Nancy laughed and patted him on the arm. “Curly said something similar on any number of occasions. All right Will, spill it why won’t you really talk to me?”

“I’m just so sorry Nancy there was absolutely nothing I could do to save Curly. I couldn’t even be there with him when he passed. I just feel so helpless and useless.” Jamie replied miserably.

“Will you have nothing to be sorry about; I know for a fact that you did everything you could for Curly, you would never do less for any of your patients. I had a long talk with Harri about what happened from the battle, the rupture in the hull, Lee pulling him to safety and then you having to go into surgery to save Lee’s life. From what I’ve heard Curly was all but gone when he hit the bulkhead, the real tragedy would have been if you had somehow found a way to save his body even though his mind was gone. You know neither Curly nor I would ever want that.”

Will looked down at the ground still feeling as though he had failed his friend. He knew intellectually that there was no hope but he still should have been able to provide some comfort there at the end.

As though once again reading his thoughts Nancy continued. “Will you took care of Curly until the very end. When you had to rush in to surgery to save someone who still had a chance you made sure that he wasn’t alone, that someone was there to stand watch until he was ready to move on. That was the greatest kindness you could have done. Harri, Ski and Pat have all told me how honored they were to be there and spend those last few moments with him. They knew how much that cost you to not be there for him and admire you very much for making that sacrifice.”

Will looked up somewhat startled at Nancy’s words. She looked deep into his eyes and smiled warmly.

“Don’t be so surprised Will, you have to know how highly they all regard you. Curly told me that any number of times. Get rid of your guilt Will, if Curly were here right now he’d boot you in the six for feeling sorry for yourself. You need to realize that Curly died doing what he loved best, being part of the Seaview crew. He loved being on Seaview and working with all the new challenges that boat threw his way. He was scared to death of retirement Will and feared he’d just wither away once he left the Navy. I’m going to miss him terribly but I would rather lose him this way doing the thing he loved most than watch him diminish and fade away; that’s just not Curly.”

“How did you get so wise?” Will asked after a moment as he turned and pulled Nancy into a hug. She returned his embrace, the first real one she had received from him since she’d arrived.

“Just natural talent plus there’s a mandatory class they make all military spouses take so they can knock a little common sense and reason into hard heads in moments just like this,” Nancy replied with a laugh. “Come on, let’s head on back to the party and celebrate Curly, Eric and Steve. I think they deserve that at the very least from us.”

Will gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and one more hug before releasing her. He took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm as they walked back up the beach towards the party. “Thank you for everything Nancy, you’ve set my mind at ease.”

“It’s the least I could do Will after all you’ve done for us. And thank you for all you did for Curly.”

The End.

* Season One Episode: Doomsday