She's awake. She's awake. That's all that repeated in Tom's mind as he walked through the Nathan James towards the medical bay. Once Rachel was stabilized, Tom had her transferred to the Nathan James. He knew this ship like the back of his hand and it was the only place he knew he could keep her safe. Two crew members stood watch at the door at all times and Doc Rios never left her side. As he walked the halls, it seemed like all the other noise drowned out around him. Tom got the call from Rios after he finished a meeting with the President.
"She's awake." Rios said on the other end of the phone. It took a second for that to register in Tom's brain. Then it clicked. He let out a deep sigh and headed towards the ship.
He turned the corner and the crew members moved out of the way as he opened the door. The medical bay was eerily empty except for her. Rachel looked up when she heard the door open. She let out a deep breath when she saw the look on his face. Tom is normally rather stoic, but she knows him and she can see through that. He wasn't hiding his concern when he walked in though. He gave a curt nod to Rios and Rios stepped out of the room.
Tom stood at the end of her bed, eyeing her. She was pale, but not nearly as pale as when he found her lying on the floor. And she was breathing. God, she was breathing. Tom felt more relief actually seeing her chest rise and fall with his own eyes. He stood there for a moment, not knowing what to say. He opened his mouth a couple times to say something, but nothing came out.
Finally, he looked in her eyes and said, "You okay?"
Rachel slightly smiled and boosted herself up into a sitting positon. "I'm fine," she said. Tom saw her wince when she sat up and noticed the tenseness in her posture as she sat there. He took a step closer and lightly put his hand on hers.
"You know you don't have to-" He started.
"I'm fine." Rachel said again. She looked him in the eyes and repeated it a third time, more confidently, "I'm fine."
Tom sighed again, "I know."
There was a knock on the door as Slattery peeked his head in. "Captain, we are needed in an emergency conference with the President." Tom nodded and Slattery closed the door.
Tom lightly squeezed Rachel's hand and nodded at her. As he walked out of the medical bay he thought, she's not fine, but by God she is alive. She is alive. And that gave Tom more relief than anything.
