Battlefield chapter 8
Disclaimer: still own nothing
Author's Notes: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed or favorited. I can't express how much it means to me. I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. It's been written for awhile, I just needed to review and do some minor changes.
It's not a very long chapter, but I hope you guys enjoy.
Immediately after vulture team was safely back aboard the James, Kara ordered the ship to head back to Norfolk. Knowing protocol, after the attack at Mayport, Kara knew that all high ranking officers, General's Kincaid and DuFine along with Admiral Meylan would make their way back to Norfolk. She also knew, given the situation, that President Reiss would make his way from Saint Louis to Norfolk for advice on how handle the growing tensions with Gustavo and Panama.
From their position, even at thirty knots, it would take three days to get back to Norfolk. The crew was resilient. The crew that previously worked with Rachel on the James voyage to the Arctic and working to develop and distribute the cure, were eager to embrace the woman they had mourned and thought was dead for the last five years.
Rachel, for her part, welcomed the distraction. She accepted the tearful hugs and handshakes from the crew. If Tom wasn't with her, Mike, Kara or Danny took up "guard" duty. They all knew that Rachel was safe, as she did as well, but subconsciously they all felt the need to "protect" her. For someone who hated the constant security when she was punished by Tom after killing Niels, she was grateful to have them by her side.
February 28, 2020 8:30 AM
Sasha, still feeling incredibly conflicted about Rachel and confused regarding Tom, kept herself busy. She attempted to avoid Tom but he cornered her the day prior and insisted they talk.
"Sasha, I'd really like to speak to you."
"Tom, I'm…"
"Avoiding me."
Sasha sighed, "Fine." she gestured towards two chairs at the far end of the Wardroom. The two sat and she waited for Tom to begin.
"After we spoke the other day...after seeing Rachel and losing Wolf and speaking to you, I ended up on the deck, just staring out into the ocean...wondering what in the hell I was going to do.
"Mike came...that's the one thing...after twenty years of friendship...you know when your friend is troubled. He was honest, as Mike generally is." Tom said trailing off.
"What did Mike tell you?"
"He told me that I needed to accept that I care about two women." Tom said "Actually, care isn't the word he used...love...he told me that I needed to accept that I'm in love with two women and that I needed to figure out the type of love I feel for each of you. When I admitted that I am afraid of hurting one of you, he told me it was inevitable. But even with that, he offered me a piece of advice."
"Which was?" Sasha asked, her voice slightly betraying her feelings.
"That not only do I need to spend time with Rachel, get to know her again as we haven't spent a significant time with each other in five years, but to continue to spend time with you. To continue to cultivate my relationship with you."
Sasha sat up straight. She inhaled and exhaled slowly, taking in what Tom had told her.
Tom reached over and took her hand, "Mike is right. I'm in love with two women, but I need to figure out how I love each of you. I know part of it is spending time with each of you. I know in the end I may hurt you or I may hurt Rachel and knowing that...well it breaks my hurt...but I am asking if you will allow me to do this. Allow me to continue spending time with you, developing our relationship...but understanding that I do need to spend time with Rachel."
Sasha leaned back in her chair. Her mind rushing. A part of her wanted to hate Rachel...hate her for coming back to life and ruining her relationship with Tom. A part of her wanted to hate Tom..for making her feel this way, for putting her in this position. Then there was the part of her who wanted to fight. Fight for her relationship with Tom. Fight for the three years they had been together. For the love they shared with one another.
She wouldn't be like one of those villainesses from the soap operas, who would deliberately undermine their competition. Who would deliberately drug their object of affection to get him to sleep with them or deliberately get pregnant to keep the man.
She knows Tom is struggling just as much as she is, hell more than she is. At least he was man enough to admit his confusion. Admit that he has feelings for two women, instead of lying about it. What kind of person is she if she can't accept his honesty?
"Okay" Sasha whispered.
Tom smiled, "Okay"
She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she wasn't paying attention to who else was in the Wardroom when she entered that morning. She turned and saw the Rachel was sitting in silence at the table. Sasha turned to make a hasty exit when a voice stopped her.
"Sasha…"
She turned to face Rachel.
"Rachel"
"Can we…" Rachel said gesturing towards an empty seat across from her.
Sasha nodded, grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down. She waited for Rachel to begin.
"I spoke to Tom. I wanted to let you know I agreed to his proposal...He said he had already spoken to you."
Sasha nodded in confirmation.
"I agreed to it for him. He is the one struggling right now. For you and I it's simple. We both love him. For him...well it's complicated.
"All I want is for Tom to be happy. If that means...in the end… he chooses you, I will support it because I love him unconditionally...and to me that means being able to say I love him enough to let him go, to walk away, to support him. I want you to know that." Rachel finished.
Sasha wasn't sure how to respond to Rachel's statement. Their quiet was interrupted with the arrival of Mike. Sasha used the interruption to make a quick exit, leaving Mike and Rachel. Mike filled a large cup with coffee and sat down next to Rachel.
"Everything okay Rachel?"
"Honestly, no. But there isn't a whole bloody hell of a lot I can do about it."
"That's the spirit." Mike retorted which caused Rachel to chuckle.
"When are we supposed to get to Norfolk?" Rachel asked.
Mike looked at his watch, "Within the next couple of hours. I'm guessing we should be there no later than eleven thirty."
Rachel stood and walked over to the porthole and starred out. Mike got up and joined her.
"Rachel, we aren't going to let anything happen to you."
"I know...it's just."
"What?"
"The unknown." she replied after a few moments of silence. "What's going to happen? How are people going to react? People have thought I've been dead for five years. They don't know that I'm not.
"There's the media. They are going to be all over the place because the James is coming back and here I come walking off the ship. They are going to have a field day with my "sudden reappearance into the world." They were always around the first time. I could handle it then...but I'm not the same person I was five years ago Mike. I don't know…" Rachel trailed off.
"First off, none of what happened to you is your fault. No one is going to blame you. No one is going to be mad at you. People, like Master Chief and Granderson, well they are going to be thrilled to see you again.
"As for the media, I'd love to see them try to get to you. First off they would have to get through Tom, which you know will never happen, but they will have to get through me, Kara and Danny as well as every other crew member of the James to get to you." Mike finished.
"Rachel, you are family. We will protect you."
Four hours later Rachel was standing with Tom in the helo bay. They watched as the crew disembarked. True to her prediction, the media was everywhere. They had been waiting when the James made port an hour prior.
Tom saw the worry on her face, reached down and squeezed her hand. Their quiet moment was interrupted when Mike, Kara and Danny joined them.
"From what I've been able to gather, the media has no idea that Rachel is alive, let alone on the Nathan James." Kara reported. "I received word from Naval Command, a car was sent and in fact it should be waiting for us right now."
"We can't avoid the media from seeing Rachel. We just need to get off the ship as quickly as possible and to the waiting car." Mike said.
"Agreed" the others responded.
"Ma'am" a voice said. They turned to see Gator. Kara nodded and he approached.
"We would like to be of assistance." Gator stated.
"We?" Kara asked.
Gator nodded and pointed to approximately two dozen enlisted who were now standing on the deck.
"We saw the media. We also saw the waiting car. We know we can't stop them from seeing Doctor Scott or hounding her, or you all for the matter, for a statement. But we can make it so that you guys can get to the vehicle without pushing through them. We'd like to disembark right before you guys and make a pathway to the vehicle."
"You don't need to do that." Rachel said
Gator turned to her, "Yes we do Doctor Scott. You saved us. You are our family. We protect our family. We couldn't protect you last time. Let us do it now."
Kara exchanged quick glances with Tom and Mike, who nodded. She turned to Gator and the other enlisted, "Proceed" she told them and saluted. They all saluted back to her and began walking towards the gangplank. Gator following behind the group.
Danny, Kara, Mike, Tom and Rachel followed behind Gator. Rachel standing close to Tom. Danny went over to the gangplank, while the rest remained back about ten feet. He observed as a pathway to the waiting car was made with the crew of the James through the reporters, who were none too happy to be shoved aside.
"They are in place" Danny shouted back to the foursome.
"You ready for this?" Tom quietly asked Rachel.
"No, but I really don't have a choice in the matter do I."
They approached the gangplank. Danny ended up in front. Tom put his arm around Rachel's shoulder and pulled her closer to him. Mike and Kara ending up flanking them until they were off the gangplank.
The media, didn't notice Rachel right off. They began shouting their questions to Tom and even Mike.
The moment though that they saw Rachel, the silence was deafening. It only lasted seconds before they recovered and started shouting.
"What is going on?"
"Is that Doctor Scott?"
"I thought she was dead!"
"Why were we lied too?"
"Where have you been Doctor Scott?"
"Admiral Chandler were you part of the conspiracy?"
"Admiral Chandler did you know about Doctor Scott?"
As they moved quickly to the waiting vehicle, Tom and Mike responded to the probing questions by shouting back "no comment."
Danny opened the door and Rachel was pushed into the car first, with Tom quickly following. The rest getting in after.
"Let's go!" Kara ordered the driver.
Ten minutes later the group was entering Naval Command. They were greeted by Admiral Meylan, General's Kincaid and DuFine and an irate President Joshua Reiss.
"What the hell is going on?"
