Internex Love 

by JoeyRZ 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thanks to the lovely JaimeBlue, who's my inspiration for her
patience, understanding and support, and for the wonderful beta job she
did.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tim O'Neill chuckled as Lucas Wolenczak threw himself onto his back, groaning as he hit the floor. The younger man waved his arms around a bit, apparently trying to get up, but gave up after a few tries.

"No more... no more," Lucas said, laughing. "I hurt everywhere, Tim. We've been at this for two hours at *least*!" 

"Wuss... There! I think that was the last of it." 

Lucas crawled around the Communications terminal and turned it on. He gave a victorious 'whoop' as it came to life. He immediately entered the required information and connected the terminal to the main computer. "We have lift-off!"

Tim's happy face popped-up from behind the monitor. "Finally!" he said as he squeezed from behind the terminal and got up, dusting off his jeans. "All that's left to do is to push this thing back into place."

"Noooo," Lucas whined. "You're a slave driver, Tim." 

"If I recall correctly, you're the one who insisted we finish this *today* so we could 'par-tay' this weekend."

Lucas got up, and together, they pushed the terminal back in place, being careful not to scratch the floor and making sure that nothing tumbled off. Once the terminal was in place, Tim and Lucas started gathering all their tools they'd scattered around them. 

"So what bar is Miguel dragging you to tonight?"

Tim gave a long suffering sigh. "If all went well with Rita last night, which I'm sure it did because he hasn't called, he'll take *her* out, not me."

"Disappointed?"

"Relieved! There's only so much 'par-taying' I can take. I'm looking forward to a relaxing evening tonight."

Lucas laughed. He bent down to get one last screwdriver, then tucked it into his bag. "Are you going back to your apartment now? I could use a free ride."

"No need," Bridger said as he entered the room. "I was just coming to get you, Lucas. I'm off for tonight. Tim, there's a crew working for about three more hours in Engineering, if you were going to stay longer."

"Thank you, Captain. I'll see you on Monday. And Lucas," he waited for the young man to turn back to him. "Not before 8am!"

Lucas managed to look sheepish for about 3 seconds as he shouldered his pack and headed backwards out of the Bridge. "Aye-aye, Lieutenant. 0500 hours sharp, Monday morning.

Tim glared at him, then laughed as the Captain took hold of Lucas' shirt and dragged him out. "Good night, O'Neill. Say goodnight, Lucas." 

"Goodnight, Lucas.... ow!"

Tim shook his head at the youth's antics and called out his farewells. He sat down at the newly installed terminal, the one he'd be using as soon as SeaQuest set out again and connected to the Internex. It had been a while since he'd last checked his mail and wanted to see if there were any news from his family.

Tim sighed, and leaned back as he saw he had over 50 messages waiting in his Inbox. As he glanced at the list, he deleted the ones he knew were advertisement. Lately, the only opportunity he had to check his mail was on the weekend, when he was off-duty. Last Wednesday was the only night he'd actually felt up to sitting down at the computer, but Miguel had gotten to it first, and by the time his best friend had logged off, Tim had been fast asleep.

Reading his mother's account of a friend's birthday bash became increasingly boring and Tim got distracted by one of the ads his mother's email service embedded into the message.

Curiosity got the better of him and, saving his mother's message to answer at another time, he clicked the link for "Cyber Friends and Lovers" into a new window. 

Reading the homepage, he got dedided to give it a try. There was no need for compromise and no need to give real names. He registered under a nickname using a free email account he kept.

He sighed in relief when he saw that one of the search engine's options was the type of relationship he was looking for. While he yearned for someone to be romantically involved with, he didn't want to jump directly into a relationship. Yes, Tim was lonely, but he didn't want someone who was only interested in sex. His decision was easy enough: he chose "Friend: With Romantic Potential." 

Not wanting to delve too deep into its implications, his choice for gender was: 'any'.

Tim was not impressed by the quantity of people with the same search options fitting their profiles. Only 12 men and women in this site were apparently searching for a friend before a lover. 

He quickly scanned the profiles, looking for one whose likes and dislikes where at least compatible to his own. One caught his eye.

"Navy hot-shot with a love for classic trucks and poker games. Looking for a friend to help me temporarily forget my current assignment. I'm a bit of a jock, but still love the company of a good book and intelligent conversation. I'm interested in friendship first. Navy life doesn't always lend itself well to romance."

The profile didn't include a picture, but it didn't surprise him. For all the progress in the world, the U.S. Navy was still a 'don't ask, don't tell' institution. The email given was, just like his, anonymous. 

Tim wavered for a minute, wondering if he should send the guy an email or not. He took a deep breath and chided himself for being such a coward at times. Worst case scenario, the guy was a psycho serial killer mad man, finding his victims through the Internex. Best case scenario, he's his soul mate and they live happily ever after.

More realistically, they'll become 'closet' buddies. 

Tim took a deep breath, and started writing.

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Tim sighed in relief. His roommate finally left for his shift, leaving Tim alone to check his email. He closed the site he was surfing through and opened his email account. 

There, just like every Tuesday for the last 4 months, was Navyguy's email. Every week he looked forwards to reading the man's emails. If it wasn't for the ridiculous self imposed notion that falling in love with a guy he'd never even met was imposible, he'd admit that he was falling head over heels for Navyguy. 

He opened the email and read: 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To: t_man@icemail.com 
From: navyguy@yahee.com 
Subject: RE: Very Funny 

Ha. Ha. That's one of the lamest jokes I've ever read, Tman. You have *got* to subscribe to a better jokes list. 

Anyway... I think I'm in love! There's this guys where I work. Really cute... and I mean drop-dead-gorgeous! He's driving me nuts! The eyes! The hair! Those cute glasses! And he's soooooo intelligent! (Big turn-on). 

And it may just be wishful thinking, but every time I'm near him, my gaydar blips! 

But he's shy. Don't get me wrong, it's not like he doesn't talk and joke around, but he's the shy type. 

Anyway, I'm not sure if he's taken or not. His best friend is always with him, and thought the guy's friend's known for his many conquests, I'm not sure if it's for show only. 

I just wish we lived in a place where being gay was ok, not a taboo or something that could get you kicked out of the navy.... or just get you kicked! Where I could just go up to him and tell him I really liked him. 

Any advice? 

Later, 
Navyguy 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tim tried to swallow around the lump in his throat. His guy... HIS guy was in love with someone else. Someone from his workplace. Someone he probably saw everyday. Someone who could be also gay. 

And he was supposed to give him ADVICE?!?!?! 

Tim deleted the message and shut down his computer. He pulled of his glasses, turned off the light and flung himself onto his bed. 

He wanted to cry. Wanted to scream and hit something. Yeah, he was in love with Navyguy. And *he* was in love with someone else. 

Tim sniffled into his pillow, closed his eyes and dozed off. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

It had been 5 days since Tim had last opened his email. He was avoiding it like the plague. However his mother had called today, worried because he hadn't answered the email she'd sent three days ago. 

Tim sat in front of his computer, thinking while it connected to the Internex. He'd told Miguel all about his 'e-situation' yesterday, but not until his friend had chewed him out for moping about all "depressed-like" for the last week. 

Miguel was the only person on SeaQuest that knew that Tim was gay. The conversation, which had taken place inside his locked room and in Spanish in case someone overheard, had ended with Mig's fervent promise that if he ever met the guy, he'd kick his ass all the way to the moon. 

Tim took a deep breath and opened his email account. He closed it and opened it three more times, before he got the nerve to let it load all the way. He was surprised to see five messages from Navyguy, one for every day since the last message, and only one from his mother. 

He read his mother's email and replied to it, and it took him another 10 minutes before he got the nerve to read Navyguy's. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To: t_man@icemail.com 
From: navyguy@yahee.com 
Subject: Hey! 

Hey Tman! 

Did you get my last email? The one I sent last night? Let me know if you didn't. I didn't save it, but I can probably re-write it. 

Later, 
Navyguy 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yeah," Tim said to himself. "You probably remember every word." He sighed and kept reading the rest of them. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To: t_man@icemail.com 
From: navyguy@yahee.com 
Subject: Are you alive there? 

Hey Tman! 

Are you okay? You haven't answered my emails. You always let me know if you're gonna be away for a while and I didn't hear anything about a Navy ship being in distress or anything. I hope you're not sick. 

lmk, 
Navyguy 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To: t_man@icemail.com 
From: navyguy@yahee.com 
Subject: I'm officially worried. 

Tman: 

It's been four days. 3 emails. You haven't answered one. We're in a dangerous job. You could be dead, injured and I'd have no way of knowing. 

Please answer, 
Navyguy 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To: t_man@icemail.com 
From: navyguy@yahee.com 
Subject: Answer the fuck already! 

Answer me, damnit! Please, please, please, please, please be okay! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To: t_man@icemail.com 
From: navyguy@yahee.com 
Subject: Not funny anymore. 

Tman, this is not funny. I'm freaking out here. It's been 6 days... no... 13 days since I last heard from you. Nothing on the grapevine about an officer on another ship dying on the line of duty. I can't know if you're sick in bed, or in the Medical Ward or in a hospital! 

Please! Please, if you're reading this, reply! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tim sighed again. <At least he cares about me,> he thought. It should be enough. "We entered this email penpal-ly thing with only friendship in mind. I can't hurt him like this." he said to himself. 

He hit reply to the last message. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To: navyguy@yahee.com 
From: t_man@icemail.com 
Subject: RE: Not funny anymore. 

<Please! Please, if you're reading this, reply!> 

Hi Navyguy. 

I'm sorry I didn't reply earlier. I guess I got a bit jealous (from your 1st email) and I was avoiding the computer. I'm sorry that I caused you to worry. 

Bye 
Tman 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tim sent the email, and sat, lost in thought for a few minutes. He was startled when his instant messenger popped up. It was from Navyguy. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

<Navyguy> You better never, ever, EVER, do that to me again! I was scared out of my wits! Even Darwin knew something was wrong.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tim's eyes opened up comically wide as he read the post. Darwin?! Tim pulled the keyboard out so hard and fast the desk moved. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

<Tman> Darwin?! You work in SeaQuest?

<Navyguy> Yes. How do you know?.... Do you work here too? 

<Tman> Uhh... 

<Navyguy> Tman... what's your name? Your real name?

<Tman> Timothy

<Navyguy> Tim?!?!

<Tman> Yeah.

<Navyguy> Are you in your room?

<Tman> Yeah... why???

<Navyguy> DON'T MOVE! 

<Tman> Navyguy... hello?

<Tman> Hellooooo??? Please don't tell me you're coming here!

<Tman> Helloooooo!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Aw shit!" Tim got up and turned around a few times, lost as to what to do. 

Suddenly someone knocked at the door. 

Tim went to the door, stepped back a few paces, then hurried back when the knock sounded again. He opened the door and found the last person he'd thought would be there.

Jim Brody.

"Jim!"

"Tim!" Jim responded with a smile. "You're gonna let me in?"

"You're Navyguy?"

"Not very original, I know. But it serves its function."

Tim stepped aside and the Lieutenant came into his room.

"I can't believe we've been on the same ship for three months and not know we've been talking to each other," Jim shook his head in amazement.

"We talked about being careful not to let clues about our identities slip. It wasn't safe," Tim reminded him.

"I know! But this could have been so much easier!"

"Or so much more difficult," Tim rebutted.

"You're right."

Tim turned, and sat on his bunk. Looking down to his hands, which he clasped tightly in his lap, he asked, "So... who's the cute, drop-dead-gorgeous guy you're madly in love with?"

He felt the bed dip as Brody sat next to him.

"You," was the softly whispered reply. He felt Jim brush his lips lightly across his cheek. He tilted his head up, and got an oh so soft kiss to his lips.

Tim murmured 'good' against the lips that were currently very busy exploring his.

"Shut up and kiss me, Tman."

Tim decided that was the best command he'd received in his entire career, and like a good lieutenant, did as he was told.