Chapter 10
Rachel followed Kara down the p-way, wondering what was so urgent that the young mother had dragged her out of her quarters, away from a comfy afternoon nap.
"Kara, what's going on? I'm exhausted luv, I really need some sleep," Rachel groused, at nearly 8 and a half months pregnant, she now resembled the barge in full sail she'd predicted. She couldn't move very quickly anymore, instead moving at what she described as a fast waddle, and even that was proving difficult; Navy destroyers just weren't designed with pregnant women in mind!
"I told you, it's a surprise – wouldn't be a surprise if I tell you what it is now would it?" Kara replied, as they stopped at the entrance to the commissary, which was suspiciously dark for this time of day. Normally, it was teeming with activity, as the various shifts grabbed a bite to eat before heading off to their duty stations. Even between shifts, it was a hive of activity with the galley being located at the far end of the room – there were always meals being prepared. Kara gently pushed Rachel ahead of her into the darkened room at which point the lights suddenly came on and what had appeared an empty room was in fact full of smiling crewmembers
"SURPRISE!" They shouted, startling both Rachel and her unborn twins, who twitched inside Rachel, causing her hand to drop unconsciously to her heavily pregnant tummy. Her eyes teared up, with all the hormones running riot within her body, it didn't take much to make her cry these days.
"Oh my goodness - thank you! I didn't expect this!" Rachel said to the assembled crew, smiling broadly. These people were just amazing, and had become like an extended family to her -but she'd never expected the whole crew to throw her a baby shower!
"Rachel, you're the Captain's wife, which practically makes you shipboard royalty, but you're having twins, pretty exceptional under any circumstances!" Kara told her "plus, with all the stresses and strains of the recent vaccine runs, people just want an excuse to celebrate, now have a seat here and just enjoy yourself, okay?"
Kara led Rachel to a sofa placed strategically in the middle of the room – most people knew Rachel found standing for long periods difficult due to her advanced pregnancy. When the idea of the baby shower had been mooted, Kara had suggested the room layout, remembering her own baby shower that Alicia had thrown for her. A sofa had been strategically placed in the room then too, she'd appreciated the thought and thus had readily supplied the suggestion for Rachel. Rachel gratefully accepted Burk's assistance in taking a seat on the oh so comfortable sofa, her centre of gravity, along with her feet, had disappeared somewhere about her 7th month, making sitting and standing equally difficult. Crewmembers drifted over in small groups, some bringing small gifts, others offers of babysitting services - it would seem her children wouldn't lack a ready supply of babysitters, she thought to herself.
"Kara, have you any idea where my husband has disappeared to? He was supposed to meet me at our quarters for lunch...but there's no sign of him," Rachel asked her young friend, whom she knew had been on the bridge, working the same shift as Tom.
"He was supposed to be here, at the party, but just as we were leaving the bridge, Tex radioed through to the bridge and asked to speak to the captain privately," Kara said with a puzzled tone, "He disappeared after that to meet Tex and the guests he said he was bringing, so right now Rachel, your guess is as good as mine."
Rachel nodded, but inwardly she was concerned – had there been a problem with the vaccine? She dearly wanted to be able to go on the recon parties Tom had set up a few months ago, with the help of Thorwald's contacts, Portsmouth's mayor, and the Navy crews of base and ship. Aside from the fact that Tom wouldn't even entertain the idea, neither would she if she were honest with herself. As much as Rachel wanted to carry out more research in the field, her priorities had shifted radically over the last year. She'd gone from being Rachel Scott, doctor, researcher, and scientist, to Rachel Chandler, wife, lover, and mother; she'd grown so much as a person, and she liked the person that'd she'd become. With the twins birth now barely a few weeks away, her priorities were most definitely focused on that – she could feel the tiny kicks inside her, and couldn't wait to meet them.
Elsewhere, Tom was stood on the deck of the ship awaiting the guests Tex had told him he had picked up via another of Thorwald's contacts. Since he'd rescued his father, Ashley, and Sam, he'd thought constantly about his sister Jenny and brother Jimmy – had they survived and what had become of them. When Tex had radioed to say he'd met with Thorwald's contact, who had brought two guests with him – guests who had been looking for the Nathan James, specifically Tom Chandler, He'd wondered if it could be his missing siblings. After the horrors of Baltimore and the enemies they'd undoubtedly made – Thorwald had been understandably cautious about betraying the location of his allies aboard the destroyer. It was why his contact had arranged to meet Tex at a remote location far from both the vaccination camp and Portsmouth itself. Tex had verified their identity during the radio call, by asking Tom for a specific incident only he, Jenny, and Jimmy would remember. Now they'd been blindfolded and airlifted to the ship - a measure that was felt to be necessary given their relationship to Chandler. The vaccination party wasn't due to return to the ship for another week, too long in Mike's opinion hence his support for using the helicopter despite their limited fuel resources. The sound of rota blades broke into Tom's musings, he prayed that it was Jenny and Jimmy – he just wanted his family to be safe. As the helicopter landed gracefully on the deck, Chandler held his breath as the door opened and two figures he'd know anywhere stepped out gingerly, helped by Tex who proceeded to remove the blindfolds from Jimmy and Jenny. Freed from the blindfolds, both Chandler siblings looked across the deck, spotting Tom immediately and rushed across to greet their brother, not forgetting to duck under the slowing rotor blades of the helo. Tom embraced them eagerly, not bothering to hide the tears of relief at the sight of the brother and sister he'd feared lost, along with so many others.
"God Tom, I can't believe it's really you – we heard rumours of a Navy destroyer that had maybe found the cure, I never dreamed it was you!" Jenny said, hugging her older brother again, as if to reassure herself he wasn't a figment of her imagination.
"Jimmy, Jenny – I... I can't believe you're here, you have no idea how happy I am!" Tom said, his voice breaking with the emotion, "and yes, Jenny, we do have the cure, Rachel discovered it several months ago, we've been trying to mass produce it ever since"
"Tom – did Dad make it? The kids? Darien?" Jimmy asked, almost afraid to hear the answer, praying at least some of them had made it. Jimmy's heart clenched with fear as he watched his older brother's eyes tear up again, wondering who they'd lost. Tom swallowed, with Rachel's support and the love of his family, he'd come to terms with Darien's loss – but trying to tell his siblings about it was like picking open an old wound, it hurt!
"Let's take this conversation into my office – there's a lot you don't know Jimmy," Tom replied, quietly. As they followed him into his office, Tom caught Alisha as she left the bridge to join the baby shower, asking her to let Rachel know he'd be delayed. The young lieutenant nodded, wondering who their guests were, but too polite to question her captain about it. Once they'd reached Tom's office, he closed the door and sat down opposite his brother and sister, who by now were beyond worried.
"Tommy... please... just tell us," Jimmy said, his face filled with worry.
"Sorry, Jimmy ... Dad, Ashley, and Sam made it, we were able to get the cure to them in time, Darien died before we could get the cure to her," Tom told them, "It was a rough time, for all of us, if it hadn't been for Rachel, I think we'd have fallen apart, I was so close to losing it"
"Tommy – who is this Rachel you keep referring to?" Jenny asked, she hadn't missed the soft, almost loving tone with which her brother spoke the woman's name with.
"Dr Rachel Scott – she was the scientist and doctor from the CDC whose search for the cure was the true reason for our deployment to the Arctic over a year ago," Tom told them, holding a photo he'd picked up, neither Jimmy or Jenny couldn't see who was in it. "When we discovered it, suffice it to say she wasn't the most popular person aboard, but she proved herself on several occasions – that's another story, but she discovered the cure, and is responsible for the mass production efforts"
"I get the feeling there's a lot more to her presence in your life though Tommy, or am I wrong?" Jenny asked softly, noting the smile that graced her brother's face, or the tender glance at the photo he held; Jimmy didn't miss it either, he too wondered about this Rachel Scott -who was she to Tom?
"Yeah, there is...like I said, when I lost Darien, I was a wreck, daytime I could hold it together for the kids, Dad, my crew...but it was a losing battle, nights were hell...Rachel and I had become good friends, nothing more at first, but she held us, me together, supported us all through our grief...if it hadn't been for her...I don't know what I'd have done," Tom told them, remembering those dark days was hard even now, "we became close, very close...I fell in love with her, hell the whole family did."
"And?" Jenny prompted her brother, she knew there was more to the story, Jimmy remained quiet, content to let Jenny interrogate their brother, she'd always been better at prying details out of their normally closed mouthed older brother! Tom just laughed, his sister hadn't changed, still had the tenacity of a pit bull!
"And...eventually I married her, we're expecting twins soon," He finished, noting the surprise on the faces of his brother and sister. "I know you think maybe I've rushed things, but it happened gradually, I was in no state to even think about anything romantic for months, but eventually it happened, and yes, I did consider Dad and the kids, they were involved every step of the way, it affected them too."
Tom filled them in on the events of the past year and a half, the highs and the awful lows. They in turn told him what had happened on land, making Tom even more certain that their actions in Portsmouth had been the right thing. There were tears and laughter as the Chandler siblings caught up on events in each other's lives.
"Jimmy – you've not said a word, what's on your mind little brother?" Tom asked, unsure of his brother's reaction to the news he'd just given him. Jimmy looked up at Tom, before smiling crookedly at him.
"Tommy, firstly, it's none of my business how you live your life, you've always done things your own way," Jimmy replied quietly "But for what it's worth, you never do anything, especially when it concerns your feelings or your family, unless you're 100% sure it's the right thing to do – that's good enough for me, always has been."
"I second that," Jenny chipped in. "Plus, I want to meet the woman who could get you to promise her a Bengal Tiger if she asked for one!"
Tom laughed at that comment – it was typical Jenny! He was touched by Jimmy's words though – it meant a lot that both his siblings seemed to approve of his actions, and he wanted them to love Rachel as he did. Looking up at the clock, Tom realised Rachel by now was either exhausted or fuming – he'd promised he'd make an appearance at the baby shower, might as well take Jimmy and Jenny with him.
"Jen, Jimmy – I need to make an appearance at this baby shower my crew have thrown for us, Rachel will either be dead on her feet or fuming, either way I need to show my face, care to come with me?" Tom asked the pair, who nodded eagerly. Jenny and Jimmy were very keen to meet the woman who as well as being their new sister-in-law, had apparently led their stubborn brother a merry dance!
"Just one thing Tom – what's in the picture you've been holding the last half an hour?" Jenny asked. Quietly Tom passed over the photo, it had been taken by his Dad at the wedding – he'd caught them in a quiet moment, when both he and Rachel had been happy to pose for a camera. The Chandler siblings looked down at a photo showing Tom in his dress white's holding a very pregnant woman they realised was the Rachel their brother had married. The woman in the photo wore a stunning wedding gown, with her beautiful mahogany brown hair pulled into a neat French pleat, but it was the expression on her face that got their attention. She was looking at Tom with love and pride – as if their brother was her whole world, and she couldn't think of anywhere else she wanted to be.
"Lead on brother mine, let's go - I want to meet this woman!" Jenny replied, placing the photo back on Tom's desk, Jimmy nodded his head in agreement; as usual his sister had hit the nail on the head.
On entering the commissary, the three Chandler siblings struggled to see Rachel amongst the crew. Each shift had taken turns to attend once they had finished, glad to have an excuse to just let their hair down, and to celebrate the approaching birth of the Captain's children. Moving through the crowds, Jenny eventually spotted the woman she recognised from the photo on Tom's desk and realised the photograph didn't do the woman justice. The picture had clearly captured her beauty, from her honey gold skin, the long mahogany brown hair, and sparkling tawny eyes, Rachel Scott Chandler was stunning! However, it was the lively, sparkling intelligence behind the tawny eyes, and the vivacious personality that the photograph hadn't captured. Sat on a sofa that someone had provided for her heavily pregnant form, Rachel resembled not so much the scientist who had potentially saved the world, but a petite fairy queen holding court, surrounded by her subjects. Tom smiled broadly, even eight and a half months pregnant, Rachel was still the most beautiful woman in the room, well to him at least.
"Rachel!" Tom called over the crowd's noise as he approached his wife's side. "Sorry I'm late, but we had some important guests arrive unexpectedly - may I introduce my brother, Sergeant Jimmy Chandler and my sister Dr. Jenny Chandler?"
Rachel grinned happily; she knew how much Tom loved his family and had mourned the brother and sister he'd feared lost. She tried to get to her feet, but Jenny stepped forward shaking her head and motioning for Rachel to sit again.
"Please don't get up for us, I can see it's difficult for you," Jenny said, extending her hand to Rachel, who shook it warmly. "I'm glad to meet you, Tom's told us all about you"
Rachel laughed, wondering just what her husband had told them, their courtship had been quite a journey! She turned to Jimmy, who'd sat down unobtrusively on Rachel's other side, fascinated by the petite doctor who'd won his older brother's heart.
"Hello Sergeant Chandler, I'm glad you found us – I know Tom's been worried sick over what had happened to you both," Rachel told him, shaking Jimmy's hand with equal warmth.
"Please, just call me Jimmy – and we're glad to find Tom and his family, it's a pleasure to meet you," Jimmy replied. "So, I'm going to be an uncle again?"
Rachel blushed, smiling joyfully, her hands dropping to her rounded stomach; nothing pleased her more than to talk about her babies.
"Yes, the twins are due in two weeks – and I can't wait, if only so I can move at something other than waddle factor 3!" Rachel joked "I'm more than ready to meet them."
"I bet you are!" Jenny said, joining the conversation "I bet Ashley and Sam can't wait to be big brother and sister!"
"Sam's first thought when we told him I was pregnant was that he wouldn't be the youngest anymore!" Rachel replied chuckling, trying unsuccessfully to smother a huge yawn.
She was exhausted, as Tom had surmised, and had been looking for an excuse to leave the party for the last 10 minutes. Tom noticed the yawn, and bent his head to Rachel's ear, asking her quietly if she wanted to leave. Rachel smiled in relief and nodded her head; she was all partied out at the moment. Tom squeezed her shoulder and stood up, clapping his hands to get the crew's attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my wife and I would like to thank you all for throwing this baby shower for us, such a gesture makes me incredibly proud to be your Captain" Tom told the assembled crew "but I'm afraid the guest of honour needs her rest, so I hope you'll excuse us if we say good evening."
The crew applauded Tom's impromptu speech, understanding smiles could be seen on the crew's faces. The impeding birth of these two babies was even more eagerly anticipated than that of little Frankie Green – the ship's betting pool was going berserk over Rachel's due date! Tom, Rachel, Jenny, and Jimmy quickly made their exit from the room – Rachel eager to put her head down for the rest that had been interrupted by Kara some hours ago. Arriving at the family's quarters, Tom took Rachel to their bedroom, helping her into bed, noticing the shadows under her eyes. He kissed her goodnight softly, stroking her face lovingly.
"Love you Rachel, sleep tight," He said tenderness colouring his voice.
"Love you back Tom, go take your brother and sister to see Jed and the kids, they'll be delighted to see them," Rachel replied closing her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Tom pulled the covers over her sleeping form, wondering once again how he'd gotten so lucky as to have won this woman's love.