Tomorrow, When We Get There
Tom never got seasick, yet he felt a sudden uneasiness about him as the Nathan James sailed across deep ocean waters. The ship had made a permanent course for land, for home.
The Captain was wide awake at zero one hundred, walking quietly through his home at sea. Except for the hum of the engines, the Nathan James was otherwise quiet. Every soul aboard the ship, including the Six, was peacefully asleep. Tom had always hoped the tests worked but to some level he had always doubted they would. He was relieved when his doubts had been to no avail and his comrades were alive and well. Tom, as well as the entire human race- or what was left of it- owed the Doctor their lives. She had found a vaccine for this plague, she had found the cure.
Tom went up to catch a glance of the nighttime sky, perhaps a long glance at the stars was what he needed to clear his mind for sleep. He took in a breath of the fresh air and stretched his arms. Then he saw her.
Doctor Scott stood with her back to the railing and her head bent, like she was in prayer. She had taken her hair down from the braid she'd worn during their embrace; her long, dark strands blew slightly in the nighttime breeze. She hadn't changed and neither had he; he liked the faint scent of vanilla she left on his t-shirt. Tom studied her slender frame, remembering how small she was wrapped in his massive arms only a few hours earlier. He missed how it felt to have someone in his arms… to kiss, even.
"Couldn't sleep, Captain?" Doctor Scott asked breaking his thoughts.
"I was going to ask you the same thing," Tom shook his head and stepped closer to her, coping her position at her right side. "How long have you been out here?"
"About an hour,"
They fell into silence for an amount of time that Tom had lost track of. He stole glances at her, but she never removed her eyes from those boots she wore. Tom started to speak at the same time Doctor Scott did.
"You go first," Tom said.
"Tomorrow," She said, turning to face him. "When we get there, when you guys get home, how can we be sure that there are people left to save? That the country isn't in complete chaos?"
"We don't know," Tom replied, watching her shift from foot to foot. "But we sure as hell can have faith… just like my entire crew and I kept our faith in you."
Doctor Scott tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it… now, if your cure just so happens to turn us all into flesh eating zombies, I'm going to have to take back my word." The Doctor laughed and a smile crept upon her pretty face. Tom smiled, he couldn't help but make a joke and he was glad he did.
"You should get some sleep, Doctor Scott," Tom said. "You've got a world to save tomorrow."
Doctor Scott nodded and gave Tom a pat on the shoulder. "Until tomorrow, Captain."
Tom watched her, before she reached the door she turned to him with a grin. "You should change your shirt, Captain. You smell like a woman."
A laugh escaped Tom's lips and he shook his head as he headed back to his room. He went straight to sleep without changing his shirt. Tom had a "date" with darling British doctor the next morning.