Author's note: Sorry about the delay another story (character really) took hold in my brain, and I ran with it. I'm trying to get back into this one so hopefully more chapters coming sooner than this! Happy reading. Dark rolling sea.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

The next day was packed for Tom. He felt like he was on the go and hadn't had a break all day. He'd been in and out of meetings as he coordinated with the other branches of military. They were in the process of setting up a home base here in St. Louis and it was a joint operation base, at least until they could bolster their numbers again.

Rebuilding the military was going to take a lot of time and patience, but they were already on their way to doing that. As Tom worked with the heads of the different branches, they worked out a plan for jump starting the base.

He was also still on the hunt for a chief of police and felt like there weren't any good candidates yet. Michener was on his back about it as the guy who was doing the job now was wanting to quit. Tom felt like he was juggling, and all the balls were about to hit the ground. He was taking a short break hiding in his office when his aide poked his head into the office.

"Admiral Chandler?" the young Petty Officer asked.

"Yes, Gorman?" Tom answered. He could hear the fatigue in his voice.

"There's a man here that would like to talk to you."

"Is he on my schedule?"

"Well, no, Sir, but he says you'll want to see him. I believe he said his name was Tex Nolan," Gorman said, and Tom smiled.

"Yes, send him in."

Tom waited and smiled when he saw Tex walk into his office and shut the door behind himself. He stood and reached his hand out over his desk and Tex took it and shook it.

"Good to see you, Tex," Tom said with a smile. Tex took the empty seat and grinned back.

"Good to be seen. I heard you were the big wig now, Admiral and everything."

"Yes. I'm an admiral now and I'm CNO."

"Miss the James?"

"The people, yes, the nonstop action? Sometimes," Tom said with a chuckle. "But life at home is good too."

"Still with the Doc?"

"Yes," Tom said with a smile. Tex simply nodded. "Did you find your family, Tex?"

"I found my daughter," Tex said with a smile. "She's here with me in St. Louis."

"And what brings you back to my town?"

"Well, I don't really know," Tex said with a chuckle. "I heard you were in town so decided to stop on by."

Tom got an idea then. Tex would make a perfect chief of police. Someone that would take a no-nonsense approach to the job. He'd be fair and wouldn't be swayed easily. Tex cocked his head to the side.

"What ya got up your sleeve, Admiral?" Tex asked and Tom chuckled.

"I was thinking. I have a job opening and I think you'd be a good fit."

"Now that's scary," Tex replied.

"It's a steady position, would mean living here in St. Louis."

"And what's the job, Commodore?"

"Chief of Police."

"Chief of Police. You're shitting me."

"No, Tex, I'm not actually. I'm getting pressure from Michener to find a permanent person, and no one is fitting the bill. Either the person isn't suited, or they just don't want it."

"What's the details?"

"Are you interested?"

"I might be."

They spent the next hour discussing the job. Tom felt like he was winning Tex over and kept pushing the perks of the job and telling Tex how much he felt Tex was a good fit. When Tex finally left, he promised to think it over and let Tom know in the next couple of days. Tom checked the clock and felt a little relief that he would be going home soon.

Just as he felt that General Kincaid of the Army poked his head into Tom's office. Tom stifled the groan he wanted to emit. He had a feeling his day was about to get longer.

"The President wants a meeting," Kincaid announced. Tom frowned.

"What now?" he asked trying not to sound like a whining child. Kincaid shrugged lightly.

"I'm not sure. He just said to get you and his advisors together for a meeting."

"Great," Tom said looking at his watch. "Okay, I'll be there in five minutes."

"Don't be late," Kincaid said with a forced smile and then disappeared. Tom blew out a breath and pulled his phone out sending Rachel a text telling her he would be a few hours later than normal. He hoped it wouldn't be too late. Despite not feeling well last night she had still gone to work this morning. He wanted to check on her to make sure she was okay.

After firing off the text he got up from his desk and walked out into the outer office. He glanced at Gorman and shook his head. Gorman gave him a sympathetic smile. Tom made his way down the hallway and into the main conference room where half the staff was already seated. He took a seat and stifled a yawn.

He wasn't sure why he was summoned to a meeting so late in the day, and to not be told the subject matter concerned him a little. He hoped it was actually important and not another one of Michener's pointless ramblings to feel important. It wasn't long before Kincaid came in and sat down and Michener came in behind him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Michener said in way of greeting then sat down. "We have a few things we need to discuss. First order is chief of police. Admiral Chandler, you were on this task."

"I have a candidate in mind and have made an offer to him. I'm waiting on him to make a decision."

"If he turns it down?" Michener asked.

"If he turns it down, we're back to square one. But I feel confident after meeting with him this afternoon that he will take the job. He's recently moved to the city, has a daughter, and is looking for work."

"And who is your candidate?" Michener asked.

"His name is Tex Nolan," Tom replied with a nod. Tom could see Michener rolling the name around, he recognized it but couldn't place it."

"Nolan. Was he a part of your crew on the Nathan James?"

"Sort of. We picked him up in Cuba after he helped us refuel and resupply at Gitmo. He then stayed on the ship and became a part of the crew helping us even though he was not in the Navy."

"So, you trust this man?" Michener asked. Tom smiled.

"With my life."

"Then make this happen, Admiral. We need this position filled. Terrence wants to step down and I don't know how much longer I can keep him in place."

"Understood, Sir," Tom replied. Michener moved on to the next order of business and then the next and the next. Tom was a bit annoyed as he had very little to do with most of the topics and felt he didn't really need to be there. He could be home. It was growing late, and he realized it was past the time he had told Rachel he would be home.

"One last order of business before I'll let you get going," Michener said. "There are rumors of a force in South America making a grab for power."

"Sir, does this really concern us? We are no longer the world's watch dog, we have enough to deal with right here at home," General Kincaid said. Tom nodded as he agreed.

"I understand that, and normally I wouldn't bother with any of these rumors. But I trust the source and the rumors are not a grab for power in South America."

"I don't understand, Sir. We haven't heard anything," Kincaid said. Tom was wondering where Michener was going with this.

"The rumors are this South American Force is going to make a grab at our southern border. They think that they can be the new world leader if they take over our territory."

"Do we really think this is a threat?" Tom asked hesitantly. "I haven't heard anything through our intelligence."

"Like I said I trust the source. Let's just keep our eyes and ears open towards South America."

"Understood, Sir," Kincaid said looking at Tom. Tom shrugged his shoulders and started to gather up his stuff. He was tired and wanted to get home to Rachel. He figured she was already asleep, so he didn't bother messaging her.

When he walked in the front door, he saw her curled up on the couch, half reading, half asleep. She looked up at him and smiled. He walked over and squatted down.

"You didn't have to wait up for me," he said softly. She smiled at him and sat up a little straighter, putting her book down.

"I did," she said. He could see she was nervous about something and there was something on her mind.

"What's wrong?" he asked quickly. He reached out and took her hand up in his. She smiled at him.

"Nothing, I don't think," she said, and Tom frowned.

He studied her face trying to get a bearing on her mood and was a little perplexed. He watched her take a deep breath as she pulled her hand from his and place it on his jaw.

"Tom, I have something I need to tell you," she said with a shaky voice. Tom could hear the nervousness and wondered what was bothering her.

"What?" he asked.

"I…took a test today. And it came back positive."

"Positive?" he asked. His brain started spinning. What could she possibly test for? His mind backtracked over the past couple of weeks and his thoughts from earlier returned. Positive. Was she? His face brightened and he dropped to his knees, leaning forward towards her on the couch. "You're pregnant?"

He was excited. He got up from his knees and sat down on the couch next to her. He reached out and grabbed her into a hug, pulling her into his chest.

"I know it's not ideal," Rachel began, but he had to cut her off. This was good news in his book.

"Stop," he whispered, as he leaned in and kissed the top of her head. "We're going to have a baby," he breathed out. He felt Rachel pull away and sit back, looking at his face. He couldn't hide the grin and he didn't want to. Her face was still concerned.

"This is going to be a big adjustment for your children," Rachel said cautiously. Her statement rolled over him and he knew she was right. Ashely was already having issues with them simply dating, throw this into the mix and she was going to be angry. As for Sammy, he didn't know how his son would react to this.

"Yes, it will be," he said blowing out a breath. "We'll need to tell them tomorrow."

"You don't want to wait a little bit and let them get settled?"

"I don't think so," Tom said but he was worried about their reactions. He wanted them to be happy, to see Rachel as he did, but he knew it was going to take time for them to adjust. They were still grieving their mother and missing her terribly.

"It's a lot to drop on them all at once."

"I know," he said. The thought hit him again, another child. "We're really having a baby?" he asked suddenly. He watched her smile and nod at him.

"Yes, we didn't use any protection and well…" Rachel said, her words trailing off. Tom felt himself blush with embarrassment. It had never even occurred to him that night to use protection.

"I guess we didn't. I didn't think about it, honestly," Tom said. He wondered if Rachel could read his embarrassment.

"No, you were only thinking about one thing," Rachel said with a laugh. Tom blushed again because she was completely right on that thought.

Tom felt happy. He leaned in and captured her lips with his own. Tom kissed her slow, enjoying the feel of her against him. Rachel was reactive, letting him lead. He pulled away from her and grinned like an idiot.

"We're having a baby," he said. He watched Rachel nod slowly. Tom felt like a kid at Christmas. It never occurred to him how much it would affect him to have another child.

They spent the next hour snuggled on the couch, quietly talking about the future and what it held for them. Tom was elated. When they talked about having children, he never imagined it would be so quickly. He was glad that they had had that talk though, not that it would have mattered to him. This was a happy accident, and he couldn't wait to meet the next Chandler. He was worried how Ashley and Sam would take it. Tomorrow would be a big day in the house, and Tom still wasn't sure of his decision to tell them right away. He decided he would talk to his dad first. His brain shifted gears and he thought about Tex being back in town.

"Tex is back in town," he said suddenly, as it popped into his head. He was really hoping Tex took the job and Michener would get off his back. Rachel looked up at him in shock.

"Did he find his daughter?"

"He did. Kat. He's going to settle here in St. Louis, I think. I offered him the job of head of police, he's thinking about it."

"You think he will take it?"

"He was very interested, or so it seemed. He's supposed to let me know in the next couple of days."

It was getting very late. Tom could feel Rachel dosing off against him. He nudged her shoulder and she looked at him sleepily. He leaned in slightly, rubbing his nose against hers.

"It's late, let's go to bed," he whispered. He watched Rachel nod slowly, but she made no move to get up as her eyes closed a few times. Tom chuckled softly then reached out and wrapped his arms around her lifting her off the couch and against his chest. He felt her lean into him, nuzzling her nose against his neck, inhaling his scent, and sighing contently.

Tom woke to an empty bed and the sound of the shower running. He sighed and stretched, before sitting up and propping himself against the headboard. Today was the day his family arrived, and he was filled with mixed emotions. He was elated that his children were finally going to be with him, permanently. No more long deployments, no more distance. He hoped they would be able to settle into a routine. He was nervous as he was used to being completely open with his relationship with Rachel and he wasn't sure how his kids were going to take her being such a figure in his life. And now, telling them they were going to be older siblings. So much change in a short period of time, for everyone.

He heard the shower shut off and Rachel moving around in the bathroom. He put his hands behind his head. She came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. He smiled at her then let his eyes roam over her body, imagining what she was going to look like when she started showing. He watched her walk up to him and sit on the edge of the bed. He reached up with his hand, touching her face gently, before he leaned in and kissed her softly.

"Are you ready for today?" she asked when he pulled back. He closed his eyes and felt the anxiety of everything wash over him.

"Not really," Tom said with a chuckle. "I'm glad they're finally going to be here, but we have a lot to discuss as a family, and I'm nervous how they'll react."

"How have they reacted to moving here?"

"Ashley isn't happy. She had to leave Ava behind and all her other friends she made at school. Sam seemed excited about being with me again, but I don't know. He's kind of a tough kid to read sometimes. I'm sure he left friends behind too."

"Well, they'll be in school here so they should make new friends soon."

"I hope so. It's just a lot for them to take in."

"It's a lot for us to take in," she said. Tom looked at her thinking about her words. She was right, it was going to be a big adjustment for him too. Rachel as well he figured. "They're not the only ones making a big adjustment, Tom."

"I…" he started but stopped. She was completely right, and he had not thought about it before now. He studied her face, seeing the nervousness and fear in her eyes. He knew a little bit about her life before the pandemic and knew she didn't have much experience in a family setting.

"We've never really discussed my role in the family. I don't…"

"I know," he said cutting her off. He sighed. "I think mostly because I don't really know what your role…that sounds bad," he cut himself off and cringed. That sounded horrible like he didn't even know where she fit in. But in reality, she fit in as his woman, his partner, and now the mother to his child. He knew his other children wouldn't want her in a mother role, at least not in the beginning, but he thought as time went by and they learned to trust her, they'd see her how he did.

"It's okay. I don't know either. I don't want to step in as a mother because I'm not their mother. Once their sibling arrives it'll be different too. I guess maybe we just play it by ear."

"It's going to be rough for a while," Tom said softly. He knew Ashely was going to be angry and act out. His dad had already told him she was in Norfolk. Things were going to take time to get used to. He just hoped it didn't make things unbearable in the house.

"I think I understand."

"What do you want the children to call you?" Tom asked. Shock came over her face and Tom knew she hadn't even thought about it. He waited her out as she processed his question.

"I think we can leave that up to them. If you are comfortable with them just calling me Rachel for now and then see where they want to take it from there."

"Okay," Tom agreed. He thought it was best to leave that up to Rachel and the children. He leaned in and pulled her tightly to his chest.

When he released her, he got up and headed into the bathroom to shower. He washed himself quickly then shaved. When he entered the bedroom, it was empty so he got dressed and headed downstairs where he could smell breakfast being made. When he got downstairs Rachel was talking to his dad on his cell phone. He listened to her conversation. When she hung up, she turned and noticed him in the doorway.

"Almost here?"

"Yes, and it sounds like it's been an…interesting drive," Rachel said with a tight-lipped smile. Tom frowned and stifled a groan. That meant Ashely would probably arrive in a sullen and unreceptive mood.

"It's going to be okay," he sighed trying to convince himself. Rachel simply nodded and took a sip of her tea. Tom sat down at the table and started to eat his breakfast.

To Be Continued…