Title: A Misunderstanding

Author: Carol

Pairing: Lee/Harri

Rating: slash; PG

Status: complete

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters; no infringement intended.

Notes: This is a short ficlet about events after the episode, The Death Clock.

A Misunderstanding
by Carol

Captain Lee Crane stood at the herculite windows in the observation nose of the Seaview. His mind was consumed with the recent events which had transpired. After receiving a strong dose of radiation, an alien named Mallory used a supposed-anti-radiation machine to transport Crane to the fourth dimension. In that dimension Lee Crane had shot and killed his best friend, Harrriman Nelson.

Now that the alien was dead and the machine was destroyed, Crane knew that he should be able to overcome his feelings of depression and despair, and yet he was unable to do so. Doc had said that he was fit for another tour of duty, but as the gray lady rushed towards home, Crane's thoughts turned more and more towards the events of the last mission. The feeling that he carried inside after shooting his friend continued to weigh upon the slender body of the Commander.

Crane did not realize that he had been standing isolated and alone, for well over a half hour. Finally, his friend Chip Morton approached. Morton understood that Crane was having a tough time dealing with the events. After the machine's destruction, Crane had explained what had occurred to Nelson and Morton, but both men had failed, at that time, to see how deeply the shooting of Nelson had disturbed the young captain.

"Lee, are you okay?"

For a moment or so, Crane did not respond, but finally he slowly turned and faced his friend. Morton could immediately see the exhaustion and fear that still plagued his friend. "Sure Chip, I just need to get some rest."

"Well, why don't you go to your cabin right now. In fact, I will escort you there since I just got off watch."

"That's not necessary. You look tired yourself. In fact, I prescribe a visit to sickbay for some sleeping pills." Giving his friend a slight grin, Crane started to turn around to look out the herculite windows one last time when he started to sway. Immediately, Morton took two steps forward and put his arm around the slim shoulders to brace his friend from falling.

After a moment, Crane seemed to regain his balance and straightened his posture. Whispering softly in Morton's ear so he wouldn't draw the notice of the rest of the Control Room, Crane said, "I'm all right, thanks."

Equally softly, Morton whispered back, "Okay, but I'm taking you to your cabin, NOW."

Neither man noticed the stocky figure of Admiral Harriman Nelson descending the spiral staircase. Seeing his two favorite officers, Nelson hesitated to interrupt their conversation. He was stunned, therefore, when he saw the blond Exec embrace the taller brunet and then seem to whisper intimately to him. Swiftly, Nelson retreated back up the staircase, his mind extremely disturbed by what he had just seen. ** I . . . I didn't realize Chip and Lee were so close. When did this happen? This new knowledge was especially disturbing to the four-star admiral since he had fallen in love with his beautiful Captain many years before and had hoped that he could approach the Captain about his feelings. Now, it seemed that he was too late.

Both Crane and Morton retired. to their respective cabins for the evening, but Harriman Nelson spent long hours in his cabin replaying the scene that he had just seen in his mind. Thanks to exhaustion and jealousy, Nelson made a decision which would soon wreak havoc on his relationship with his command staff.

The next morning Crane was standing his usual watch and feeling much better. His depression had lifted somewhat, but the image of the dead Admiral still lingered in his mind. The thought that Mallory could have been right that the Lee Crane of the fourth dimension could be a reflection of his dark side, disturbed him greatly. ** Could I really be like that in some other time and space?**

Suddenly, Chip Morton came into the Control Room. His demeanor spoke volumes about his mental attitude of the time. Crane could read his friend very well. "Chip, what's the matter?"

The blue eyes were frosty and stared into the hazel eyes of his friend. "Nothing, absolutely nothing. I prefer not to talk about it."

"Chip, it has been exactly 6 hours since I saw you. You went to your cabin to sleep so what could have happened in that time?"

'Lee, please, it's personal business."

"Oh, did you and . . . ?"

"No, we did not. Now if you don't mind, I will finish the inventory that I began before the Mallory fiasco occurred."

Near the end of his watch, Crane was summoned to the Admiral's cabin. As soon as O?Brien relieved him, Crane went immediately to see Nelson.

After entering, Crane waited for the Admiral to speak, but it was clear that the Admiral was having a great difficulty deciding what to say.

Finally, Crane decided to speak up. "Sir, did you want to see me about something?"

"Yes, Captain. I wanted you to know that I have placed Mr. Morton on restricted duty,and that I am planning to replace him as Executive Officer when we reach Santa Barbara."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I believe that Mr. Morton's moral behavior is in question. He has not denied my questions about his behavior and agrees that this will be best for the boat."

"I don't understand, Sir. What are you accusing him of?"

"Well, to put it bluntly, I believe he is having a sexual liaison with another member of the crew."

Crane remained silent. He looked directly into the blue eyes and said, "If Chip has not denied this, then I will not comment on the accuracy of the report, but what possible difference can it make to his position as Exec? He is an excellent Executive Officer and has carried out all of his orders to the best of his ability. He has done nothing in this relationship to harm the Seaview and has certainly remained discreet about all his activities. Why would you wish to
lose a valuable man like Chip Morton over something like this?"

Nelson knew the reason that he was blowing this incident way out of proportion was because Lee Crane was involved. Nelson readily admitted to himself that he had hoped that he and Crane could get together, but when he saw Crane and Morton together, he realized that this might never be. "Captain, this is a civilian vessel, but we are
sometimes seconded to the Navy. You know the Navy's policy about same sex relationships. I cannot stand by and risk . . . " But, here Nelson had to stop because he could hear the hypocrisy of his words. The truth was that he didn't care the least if his men entered into relationships, as long as they were discreet. BUT NOT LEE CRANE!

"Captain, I know Mr. Morton is your friend, but I feel that it would be better if this relationship ended. If Mr. Morton is willing to do so then I see no reason why he can't remain Exec, but that will be his decision to make."

"I'll talk to him, Sir. I cannot speak for Mr. Morton, but I am sure whatever actions he has taken, he has thought them over most carefully. I must be blunt with you, Admiral. I truly never thought you would be this intolerant." With those words, Crane left the cabin.

**Oh, Lee. I wish I could tell you the truth. I love you so much. The idea of you and Chip together tears my heart out. I know I should be happy for the two of you, but I am so afraid that I might lose you in my life that I am behaving like a 16 year old teenager. What am I going to do?**

Lee Crane went immediately to see his friend who was just coming out of sickbay. "Chip, why didn't you tell me about your meeting with the Admiral?"

"And, what did you want me to say? Oh, Lee, I've been fired for lack of moral turpitude."

"I just can't understand it. The Admiral's not like that. He's usually very open-minded."

"Well, he sure isn't about certain things, I guess. Besides, how did he find out about us?"

"Well, what did he say?"

"Oh, something about behaving badly in front of the men in the Control Room or something?"

"What are you talking about - when were you in the Control Room with . .. ?"

"That's just it - I wasn''t. The only time I'm in the Control Room is when I'm on watch or like last evening when I was talking to you in the Observation Nose." Suddenly, Morton stopped, "That's got to be it. I should have known."

"Chip, what are you talking about? The Admiral saw you in the Observation Nose last night. So what? We were just talking."

"Yeah, Lee. You and I know that, but think about it. When you almost passed out, I put my arm around you. Maybe the Admiral saw that. After all, you aren't number one son for nothing."

"Chip, what are you talking about? The Admiral's not old enough to be my father?"

"Yeah, but everybody knows who his best friend is and who is his favorite person in the entire world. All you have to do his watch his blue eyes when you are around and you know the truth."

"Oh, Chip - that's ridiculous. We are good friends, I guess he is my best friend, but he wouldn't fire you just because you put your arm around me."

"Well, he might, if he thought we were having an affair."

"What?"

"Well, think about it, Lee. Everybody knows he's crazy about you and then he sees us together. There's no way that he knows about me and .. . "

"Oh, so you're saying that since you didn't deny a relationship with someone on board that he thought it was me and got jealous. I just can't believe it."

"Well, if you ever looked in those big blue eyes when he's studying your profile, you'd know."

"Chip, I think you're wrong, but I'm not going to lose you just because of this. I'm going to go talk to the Admiral right now and straighten out a few things."

"Lee, maybe you better not. You know there's another person involved in this and he might not want our relationship exposed."

"I guess you're right. If he is jealous about me then maybe he'll settle for knowing that you and I are not an item, but he already is suspicious of you so if he really is so intolerant I wouldn't want to get anyone else in trouble. I guess I'll just have to play it by ear."

Lightly knocking on the door of the Admiral's cabin, Crane heard a muffled, "Come."

"Ahh, Lee. Just the person I wanted to see. I have to apologize to you. I have just been informed about the true nature of Commander Morton's relationship. I'm sorry that I thought . . . " At that moment Nelson stopped in obvious embarrassment for what he was saying.

Lee Crane continued to stare at the Admiral. "I assume that you will apologize to Commander Morton and re-instate him immediately, unless, of course, you truly meant that crap you were spouting about immoral behavior."

Nelson felt a deep amount of sadness in his heart. He could see the anger that the beautiful man was hiding just below the surface. "Lee, you are totally justified in being angry with me. Of course, Chip will be re-instated, and I will apologize to him. There is nothing to justify how I treated him. The only thing that I can say is that I am
terribly sorry, and it will never happen again."

"Admiral, why? I thought I knew you better than that. When I had that experience with the fourth dimension and I thought I killed you, it was like my world ended. You mean everything to me and I just can't conceive of you acting that way. What possible thing could make you act so unlike yourself?"

Nelson took a big breath and exhaled. "I guess it's the time for the truth between you and me. There is only one thing that could make me behave that way and actually, it's a who - not a what. It's you, Lee."

"I don't understand. Chip said something about me being your favorite, but that still wouldn't make you fire Chip."

"Lee, I saw you and Chip standing together in what looked like an embrace. From that moment on, my jealousy took over. I became convinced that I was going to lose you, and so I decided to get rid of Chip Morton so that you would stay with me."

"It wasn't an embrace. I almost passed out. I have been pretty upset over this fourth dimension thing and so Chip tried to help me. I still don't understand. Why would you be jealous over that? Chip's gesture didn't threaten my command of this ship."

Nelson got up and walked over to the beautiful man and caressed his cheek. "No Lee, but I thought I had lost all possibility of you ever loving me and that's what made me jealous."

For several seconds, Lee Crane stared into the beloved blue eyes. For years, Crane had loved this man and had blessed every second that he had spent in the red-haired man's presence. Now it seemed that his friend shared his feelings and that was what had almost brought them all to grief.

Finally, Crane reacted. "Oh, Admiral." With those words he swept the shorter man into his arms and held him tightly. The two men began to hungrily kiss and nuzzle each other. Tongues dueled and groins pressed intimately against each other. Only when breath was needed did the embrace break apart slightly.

"I can't believe it. All this time I have loved you so and I thought I didn't have a chance."

"Admiral, you couldn't really believe that. The first time I saw you standing up in the front of the class at Annapolis, I was lost. Then when I got on the Nautilus, it was all I could do to not jump your bones, right then."

Both men laughed and the kissing began again. Time passed with very little conversation, but finally the two men realized where they were. "Lee, I love you very much and I want to be with you all the time, but we are going to have to be careful on board the Seaview."

"Of course, but we can be together during our official duties. In fact, how about a sort of private supper for just the two of us this evening on the Front Porch?"

"Good idea. And then my very dear Captain Crane, just wait for shore leave. I have lots of plans for us then. Do you think that you will be able to keep up with me?"


"Admiral, you just wait and see. After all, I've been dreaming of this for over ten years so I've got a lot of stamina built up. In fact, you better be prepared for a lot of activity over the next two weeks."

"Sounds great, my love. I can hardly wait to get started."

________
THE END