My response to my own challenge of Harper Claustrophobia/Trapped posted on Ex Isle, the best site ever.

Title: Escape Pod

Author: SparkyCola

Summary: See challenge

Rating: PG-13 for themes

Archiving: Free to Harperchondriacs and Bekaneers anyone else please ask thanks!

Author's note- written in Word Pad and not proof-read so i apologise for grammar and spelling errors.

"Abandon ship abandon ship! Harper that includes you now GO!"

"Uh...I'll just stay and wait for you boss"

"I gave you an order! Rhade, Beka, Go!"

Rhade left and Beka dragged Harper behind her.

"Beka wait! wait..."

"Harper move it or we're dead!"

They found an escape pod, and Beka actually had to get Rhade to force Harper into it. She climbed in next to him and shut the door quickly, ejecting the pod.

Harper looked terrified. He gripped the edge of the seat so hard his knuckles turned white.

"Harper...you don't look too good...you ok?"

"Oh now you care, you didn't when you shoved me in here"

Harper said through gritted teeth. Beka glared.

"I was saving your life Harper! What's the matter with you?"

"...I'm claustrophobic ok?"

"What?!"

"Ya know? Fear of being in ...tight ..spaces...."

Harper tried to control his breathing. Beka stared at him incredulously.

"You were on the Eureka Maru for years and never complained - and what about conduits - how come you never told me about this anyway?"

"The Eureka Maru is hardly that small you can always get out of...and i never told you because- you never needed to know before now. You don't tell me your deepest fears!"

Beka sighed.

"Oh Harper...are you going to be ok in here?"

"Funnily enough...NO I'M FREAKIN WELL NOT!"

Harper spat in angry fear. He sighed.

"Sorry Beka...it's just...when can we get out of here?!"

Beka looked on her friend in concern.

"Soon Harper...just hang in there. Do you know why you're claustrophobic?"

"Oh i don't know..probably some childhood trauma or something.."

Harper said, with bitterness dripping from his words to imply he knew exactly where this fear came from.

"Harper, it's just us. Talk to me."

Harper took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"It wasn't just one time. Every time i hid from magog or Niets i'd be cramped in this little space wondering how many of my friends and family were being killed...but when they came for my parents. I was in this little box hidden away under the floor boards...i could see through the cracks what was happening, when they killed my mom her body landed on top of the floor boards i was underneath...i could smell her perfume, and her blood...and then i saw them kill my dad...they checked under the floorboards, but like i say- i was in a hidden box. It would have seemed empty to them..."

Beka put a hand on Harper's arm, noting how tense he was.

"I'm so sorry Harper. That must have been horrific. I'm not sure what to say..."

"Just say something and take my mind off this...I can't stand being trapped like this, there's no way out...It's so dark i can't breathe when will you let me out!! How much longer?!"

"Harper calm down i'm here, just take a deep breath, you're ok..."

Harper tried to breathe slowly, sweat running down his face as he forced memories aside.

"Now are you going to tell me the rest?"

"The rest?!"

"I know you Harper. There's more. It might make it easier if you tell me."

Harper whimpered slightly and Beka grabbed hold of his hand reassuringly. She hated to see him like this. He deserved better. Harper laughed humourlessly and looked at the ceiling. The musty smell of the commonwealth pod felt suffocating as he tried to get the words out to Beka. She looked so worried...

"Harper it's ok. Please calm down i'm right here, there's plenty of air."

"How long?!"

"I don't know Harper, not long now, it'll be over soon. It won't be long. Just tell me."

Harper took a deep breath and began shakily recounting his memories.

"When i was 17 the Niets caught me stealing their trash for machine parts...they weren't too happy about it...while they were...uh...disciplining me for it...they'd put me in this small black box where i could hardly breathe for hours at a time without food or water...it was almost worse than...than what they did when they took me out of the box..."

Harper winced at the vivid memories. Beka squeezed his hand. She watched his anguish with compassion and sympathy, trying to find the right words. Her heart pounded in passion and anger at Harper's words, and the lines in between he had implied.

"Nobody shold have to go through that ...especially not you...Harper i know it's too little too late but i promise you i won't let that happen again."

"It already happened to me four times."

Beka choked and Harper glanced up at her, and saw her distress.

"Sorry Beka..."

"No Harper, don't be sorry, please don't be sorry."

"You got stuck in here with me..."

"Harper it won't be long, it's nearly over. Hang in there."

Harper nodded and took another deep breath. Beka closed her eyes.

"Captain, i'm detecting elevated heart rates in one of the pods. Beka and especially Harper."

Holo-Rommie said. She remembered back to how hard it had been getting Harper to go in the pod in the first place. Dylan quirked an eyebrow.

"Really?"

He said with amusement.

"From what i can gather Harper is claustrophobic."

Dylan frowned.

"What about Beka? You think i should bring them in?"

"Beka may be trying to restrain him, and it might be a good idea."

Dylan nodded.

"Bring them all in Andromeda. Attention all shuttle pods- this drill is now over."

When the door of the shuttle pod opened back onto Andromeda, Beka allowed Harper to squeeze past her and shoot out the door. When she got out, she found Harper leant against a wall looking as though he'd just ran a marathon.

"Did i mention that i don't believe in 'facing your fears to cure them' ?!"

"See? It wasn't that long. We're ok now."

"Beka...you won't..."

"I won't tell anyone Harper."

"Thanks."

She helped him to his feet shakily as Dylan arrived.

"Are you ok Mr Harper..?"

Beka glared at Dylan as Harper made his sarcastic response.

"Oh yeah, me? I'm just peachy. The drill was a piece a cake for Beka and me, right Boss?"

He turned to Beka, who didn't respond to Dylan, but put an arm around Harper and led him to his quarters. Dylan sighed and ran a hand over his face. Rhade wandered up beside him.

"We were twenty seconds out Captain. Perhaps we should try it again next week?"

"Actually..I don't think so..." Dylan said sheepishly.

The End.