A Fight to Remember

Sailboats and Ferryboats

A/N: Thanks for all your support readers! Now for a few chapters on Derek.

Moving on...

Derek

December 2029 Nanaimo BC

The rain just stopped a few hours ago, and the break in the clouds revealed the red-orange sky behind the gloomy clouds. On the deck of my newly purchased houseboat, I lifted the hot mug of coffee to my lips, grimacing as the liquid burned and chafed the inside of my mouth. A low rumble caught my attention from the view, and I walked to the other side of the boat.

"Guess you found me," I called out.

The lights dimmed from the small pickup truck as the engine cut. Mark hopped out and waved.

"Guess I did." He smirked. "Gonna give me a tour?"

A tilt of my head invited him in. Mark clambered up the stairs and followed me inside.

"It's simple enough," I said, offering him a beer from the fridge. He cracked it open and gave the place a once over. Simple. Bed in the back, with a guest room, laundry and bathroom on the left side, and an open kitchen livingroom concept. A whole paycheck from fishing, but it was worth it.

"You're gonna live here?" Mark asked, running his fingers along the smooth countertop of the kitchen island.

"Better than Darcy's boat."

"Hey, don't dis the North Star, Darcy ran a good ship."

"Yeah, if you weren't flying off her," I smirked.

In the last few months Mark and I had become pretty good friends, although I still hadn't told him anything. I couldn't trust anyone. I couldn't trust myself. Since coming here, I'd often thought of looking up Sarah... but it was like a mental block. I had questions for her... suspicions... but I was afraid of the answers. What if it revealed something bad? What if I hurt her in the past? What if she hurt me? Could I handle it? For now I was content to avoid. Mark called me after his last fishing run and needed a place, and I needed company, so here we were.

Mark sighed and sipped his beer. "Well, thanks for letting me crash here."

"No problem, it'll be nice having someone around."

"Think your friend Bob will hire me?"

"Don't see why not," I smiled slightly. "C'mon let's go."

xxx

The Dinghy Dock pub was fairly quiet this Monday night, except for a small group of bikers and a group of women having a bachlorette party. Mark and I settled in a booth, and we ordered our drinks and a meal.

"So... Nanaimo's pretty close to Qualicum, you gonna go see Sarah? Talk to her?"

"Mark..." I glowered.

He raised a hand in surrender, "Fine, fine. How about those Canucks? Think they'll make the playoffs?"

"Chris!" A familar voice called from across the room.

"Bob!" I answered.

Bob swaggered over to our booth and sidled beside me, his stocky frame almost crushing me against the wall. "You're still in one piece!" He grinned.

"Yeah... I can't do another trip... It's too hard on me."

"What ya gonna do then?"

I was at a loss then, "I-I don't know." Then I remembered my manners. "Bob, this is Mark. Mark... Bob."

They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. We joked around, and Bob agreed to meet with Mark later to start work.

Bob pulled an envelope from his jacket and slid it across the table. "Here ya go. Take good care of it eh?"