Author's note: I'm back! So, I had no time to write at all last week! Sorry about the long delay but sometimes life just takes precedence over writing for fun. But I'm back in the swing with this one and will have a chapter on Tom's Point of View as well. Also be on the lookout as I'm working on a new story for Tom and Rachel not connected to this one coming out soon! Happy reading! Dark rolling sea.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The next week was full of tasks and adventures. Rachel had talked to Michener the next day and accepted the position of head of the new agency. Tom had accepted the position of CNO, and the transition had been started to transfer command to Slattery of the Nathan James.

The first two days both her and Tom had been kept busy filling out the paperwork and getting acquainted with their new positions. Rachel had toured the Barnes-Jewish Hospital facility and made a list of the things that needed upgrades, repaired, replaced, and the few things that they would need to find and bring in. She was excited about the quality of the lab she was going to be heading up. She met three of her team members that would be working under her as well.

On the third evening she had returned to the hotel to find Tom waiting for her. She quirked an eyebrow at him wondering what he was up to. He smiled and gave her a quick kiss.

"Ready to find a house?" he asked as he pulled back. Rachel smiled and nodded. They left the hotel and met with someone Tom had set up an appointment with. Her name was Shelby Conners, and she was working with the president's office to secure housing for those who needed it.

"I've found a nice little house just down the street from the hospital for you, Dr. Scott," Shelby was saying. Tom spoke up.

"How big is it?" he asked. Rachel wondered how much Ms. Conners knew about what they needed.

"It's a two bedroom, one and a half bath," Shelby was saying.

"Not big enough for us," Tom replied quickly. Shelby looked from Tom to Rachel and back again. Rachel smiled.

"Oh. I was told that I'd be securing two houses, I just thought," Shelby stated, her words trailing off.

"First house will be for my family," Tom replied. "Rachel and I, and two kids. But would also like room to grow." Rachel felt Tom squeeze her hand when he said the word grow. "Second house will be for my dad."

"Oh, that changes things a bit. I have a few options available for you then. The house I'm talking about would probably be good for your dad, Captain Chandler."

"Admiral," he corrected her. "And yes, he wouldn't need much bigger. Although he did say he'd like more bedrooms if possible."

"Right," Shelby replied. Rachel watched the other woman thinking for a moment then she turned to them. "I have just the houses for you. They're on the same street, not direct neighbors but on the same street. Frist house has four bedrooms with a fifth bedroom option. Two full baths and a half bath. Second house has three bedrooms and one and a half bath."

"Let's take a look," Tom replied.

They went to the first house with the more bedrooms and Rachel looked around. It was spacious and had a good layout. Shelby had left them alone to look around and talk about it. She was standing in the kitchen looking out the window over the sink thinking when she felt Tom's arms wrap around her waist and his chin rest on her shoulder.

"What do you think," he whispered. She leaned back against him and sighed.

"I think it's perfect for us," she replied. Tom kissed her neck. "Are we ready for this step?" Tom pulled back a little.

"Do you think we aren't?" Tom asked slowly. She turned in his arms to face him, a little nervous.

"I'm worried about what the children will think," Rachel admitted. Tom looked down and sighed.

"I've been thinking about that too. But I think it's time to try. We'll tackle the issues as they come along."

"You think they'll be ready for us to just jump into a family role? They've barely had time to adjust to us…dating."

"I don't want to be away from you," Tom said softly his arms tightening around her waist. "The kids will come around."

"If you think so, then let's do this," Rachel said.

Later they went and looked at the house for Jed and Tom agreed it would be good for his dad. They then went back to Shelby Conners' office and filled out the proper paperwork to claim the houses.

Three days later they were allowed to move in. Not that they had a lot to move in right away, but Tom had phoned Norfolk and had his dad start packing that house up. Rachel retrieved all her belongings from the Nathan James and moved what she had acquired recently from the hotel.

A week had passed, and she was settling into a routine at the lab. Currently they were working on getting the lab functional. They had the lab working at ninety percent and were debugging the final ten percent. Rachel got to know the three people who would be working very closely with her.

One was a female doctor by the name of Piper Donahue. She was around Rachel's age and had worked in the labs fighting the Red Flu until she had to flee to save her life. She ended up in St. Louis in hiding until everything had cleared up. She came forward when the president asked for anyone with medical training to step forward to get the infrastructure back together.

The second one was a male doctor by the name of Daniel McAlister. He had been a general practitioner pre–Red Flu in St. Louis. He had also stepped up when the call went out for doctors and first responders with training. Although McAlister wasn't a virologist like Rachel and Donahue, he was a quick study. Once shown what he would need to do on a machine he picked it up rather quickly.

The third was Gavin Parsons. Gavin had just graduated from medical school when the Red Flu hit. He was young and green but didn't seem to have an attitude and was willing to listen and learn. Rachel was quite pleased with the three people who were already assigned to the lab.

Rachel was excited and had asked about more personnel to help run the fledgling agency and President Michener promised she would get a full staff of ten by the end of the month. Seven more bodies to help.

Each night she returned home to Tom in their new house. She was excited at the prospects and the fact that the children and Jed would be moving in soon. Tom had been working on getting the rooms ready for the children.

Rachel was sitting at her desk, going over requisition forms of the supplies they were going to need when she felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She sucked a deep breath in through her nose but there was some kind of odd scent in the air, and it disrupted her stomach even more. She felt the tell-tale sign that her stomach was about to empty its contents and she leaned over and reached for the garbage bin next to her desk. Her stomach heaved and she emptied her lunch into the bin.

She waited a moment then felt it again. Her stomach heaved until nothing more was coming out, then it heaved two more times dry. When she was finally able to stop it, she set the bin down and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She rose from her seat and walked to the bathroom and turned on the sink.

She cupped her hand and filled it with water and sipped from it, swirling the water around in her mouth for a moment before spitting it out. She repeated a few times, washing the taste out of her mouth. She then splashed water on her face, patting it dry with a paper towel.

She left shortly after that and went home. She prepared a simple dinner for her and Tom, and they ate in relative silence. Rachel was feeling queasy again and slowed down on eating trying to let her stomach settle. She looked up to see Tom watching her.

"What?"

"You feel, okay?" he asked softly. Rachel waited a beat thinking about how she wanted to answer him.

"I'm fine," she said as a small burp escaped. She smiled a tight-lipped smile and then tried to eat another bite. Her stomach revolted and she stood abruptly and moved to the sink where she emptied her stomach. Tom was out of his chair in a flash and standing behind her.

"You're not fine," he chastised, as his hands gently cupped her shoulders. She heaved again and Tom held her hair back. She was embarrassed as she heaved until she was empty. When she was done, Tom grabbed a washcloth and wiped her mouth for her. She took a drink of water and rinsed her mouth out.

"Just a stomach bug, nothing to worry about," Rachel said trying to assure him, and herself.

"How many times have you thrown up?" Tom asked curiously. Rachel thought about saying this was it but decided not to lie to him.

"I threw up at lunch too. It's not a big deal," she replied. She watched as he put the back of his hand against her forehead.

"Don't feel feverish. Why don't you go lie down for a bit in the living room," Tom said gently. Rachel nodded and looked at her dinner, but she was no longer hungry. Just the thought of more food made her stomach roll. She walked into the living room and stretched out on the couch, feeling fatigue wash over her. She was sure she was coming down with some kind of bug.

Tom came in shortly after she got herself situated. He walked over and squatted down next to the couch. Rachel reached out and touched his face.

"You, okay?" he asked gently. His hand laid loosely on top of her hip. She smiled at him and felt the concern he had for her wellbeing.

"Yes, just tired. I'm sure it's nothing," Rachel said as something occurred to her. He must have seen something in her eyes.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," she mumbled as she wasn't ready to talk to him about what she was thinking. But she was thinking about dates, and things that should have happened. She had been so consumed with her work, and moving, and everything else, she had lost track of things. She glanced at Tom's face to find him studying her intently.

"It's not nothing," Tom replied. Rachel was still calculating in her head and felt the first rush of fear crush her. "Babe," Tom said.

"I…nothing. I'm just not feeling well," she said hurriedly. She could tell he didn't believe her, but he wasn't pushing for more information right now. He just nodded and stood, grabbing a blanket, and draping it over her body.

"Get some rest then," Tom said as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. Rachel nodded and let herself settle into the couch, the warmth from the blanket making her drowsy.

Her brain was spinning out of control with what ifs and possibilities. If her math was right, she was four days late. Her symptoms would jive with that, and she started to work backwards to when she and Tom had had sex. It's not like they had used protection, so it was very likely that…her brain paused.

She needed to test as soon as possible, but there was no way she was going to get out of the house tonight without Tom noticing. Tomorrow she would have to stop somewhere and get a pregnancy test. She slowly felt sleep gripping her and she stopped fighting it as let the darkness sweep her off.

To Be Continued…