Here it is! My contribution to the #TLSHolidayFest2020! So sorry I didn't have it up for Christmas Eve, but hey it's still the Christmas Holidays, right? Hope you enjoy it!
Sailing Home for Christmas
Tom shivered as the wind gusted along the deck, pausing in his navigation to don the thick Aran sweater Sasha had insisted they buy when they'd docked in the Arran Isles 2 months ago. She'd insisted they'd need it as they navigated their way across the Atlantic, not to mention for the cold St Louis winter they were coming home to. Feeling the warmth from the thick wool sweater, he reflected how right she'd been – but then she usually was Tom thought to himself. Satisfied his navigation calculations were correct, Tom set the autopilot and activated it, allowing the boat to assume the course towards St Louis. Moving away from the tiller, he followed his nose belowdecks to where Sasha stood cooking the Prawn Rogan Josh they both loved. Slipping his arms round her waist Tom dropped a kiss on her neck, savouring the fact she was here with him and loved him still.
"Hey sailor, you hungry?" Sasha queried, turning her head slightly to nuzzle his cheek, enjoying the heart-warming smile that regularly lit his eyes these days.
"Starving" Tom growled "And not just for food"
"Down boy, later" Sasha laughed, stealing a quick kiss as she passed the dishes to Tom, gesturing for him to set the table. Grumbling he flashed her another smile as he followed her orders.
Gone was the empty, vacant expression she'd come to see during the last days & months of the war, hating the feeling she was losing the man she loved day by day. When they'd fished Tom out of the warm waters of the Carribean following that last battle, Sasha knew then Tom needed to get away now. Away from the Navy, from friends, family and the burden of expectation and guilt of being Admiral Tom Chandler, saviour of the world, failed father (his words, not hers). She knew if they didn't leave, there'd be nothing left to save. Surprisingly, it had taken little persuading to get Tom to agree, even more surprising that Mike Slattery had aided and abetted her especially when he'd promised to keep an eye on Ashley and Sam. It had taken slightly more persuading to get Ashley and Sam to agree, more so Ashley until Sasha had laid bare just how ill Tom was, telling her that her father had all but tried to commit suicide, before Ashley had backed Sasha's scheme wholeheartedly.
They'd hired an ocean-going sailboat, kitted it out with supplies, up to date navigation software, and left, before anyone could say no or order them back home. When she'd asked Tom where he wanted to go first, he'd answered simply
"Left at the first star, and straight on till morning" He'd replied, quoting Peter Pan with that crooked smile she loved.
They'd sailed the world for almost a year visiting various ports around the globe, communicating with home to allow Tom to access the mental health services he needed. It had been exactly the environment Tom had needed to begin to heal, and allowed them to rebuild their lives together as a couple. After a year though it had been time to go home, and rebuild other relationships, particularly with Ashley, Sam, and their Nathan James crew mates, and so they'd turned their boat, Calypso for home towards St Louis.
"I wonder if they'll be there to meet us?" Tom's voice broke through Sasha's revere, recalling her to the present.
"Ashley promised us when we called them from Newport that she and Sam would be there, so have faith O Doubting Thomas" Sasha chided him gently "You and the kids have really made strides in rebuilding things between you"
"I know and you're right, things have been better – but talking over a sat phone and being in the same house are 2 different things" Tom replied
Sasha reached over and clasped his hands in hers, squeezing gently
"Nobody said it was going to be easy, but this family won't rebuild itself, and you've never backed down from a challenge yet Tom Chandler" Sasha told him fiercely.
Tom smiled at her and squeezed back, wondering just what he'd done to be so lucky as to have earned a second chance with the beautiful woman sat across the table from him. He still had no idea, but he wasn't about to waste it
"Aye, aye Captain" Tom replied snapping off a smart salute, smiling as he did so.
Sasha was right as usual but then she so often was; when she spoke, it was because she'd thought about it first rather than fill the air with worthless words. It was what had endeared her to the Nathan James's crew, coupled with her willingness to listen along with a relentless work ethic.
By the following afternoon they could see the Gateway Arch and the dock, Tom couldn't help scanning the quayside for 2 familiar figures and felt his heart leap as he saw Ashley and Sam waving frantically as Calypso neared its berth. Tom had just finished tying the boat up at the quayside as Ashley leapt into his waiting arms, followed quickly by Sam, both openly crying with happiness
"Dad! Dad! You're home! We've missed you so much!" They said, hugging Tom fiercely as Sasha joined them "You too Sasha, so glad you made it in time for Christmas!"
"I promised you both I'd be here – glad I could keep this promise" Tom told them, returning their embrace just as fiercely. Ashley stepped back and looked Tom squarely in the eye and smiled.
"Dad you kept lots of promises and I'm sorry I said you didn't" She told her father "Lets make a promise to each other, no more accusations or finger pointing ok?"
Tom looked back at her, Sam, and Sasha – this was another promise he'd happily keep
"You got it Ash, that goes for all of you – not sure how successful we'll be, but damn I'm going to enjoy the effort" Tom told them "Now how about we get started in a warmer location like home?"
The December weather hadn't improved from memory and having made an early start to keep his promise, Tom was exhausted and he was pretty sure Sasha was flagging too.
"Sounds good Dad, but can we show you something first? I promise it won't take long and Ash brought the car- and the heating does work, even if it's a heap of junk!" Sam piped up, much to Ashley's indignation.
"Hey, don't insult Henrietta!" Ashley said, looking only mildly annoyed, the car wasn't much, but it was hers.
"Henrietta?" Sasha asked
"The car, sorry van" Sam replied with a rueful smile, pointing to a sorry looking VW van parked alongside the dock. Tom could see it wasn't much of a car, but he remembered his own first car and gestured towards it.
"Lead on then gang, let's see this surprise" Tom chuckled, whatever the surprise was, it was important to them and he'd happily go along with it.
"You ok with this Sasha?" Tom asked, looking over the kids heads at her
"No problem, it's all good" Sasha replied with a smile. Truth was she already knew what the surprise was, well part of it – Ashley had e-mailed her to run the idea past her. Not to mention Ashley had been unable to purchase said surprise on her own and had needed Sasha's help financially.
True to their word, the drive didn't take long before the van pulled up outside a farmhouse type house on the river front, just outside the St Louis suburbs. It was going to require more than a little fixing up, but it looked like someone's much loved home and Tom felt more than a little envious of whoever owned it. There was even a granny flat over the garage, which would make an ideal rental property as it appeared separate from the main house. That the house faced onto the river must make it a valuable property if it weren't for the repairs that appeared to be needed.
"What do you think Dad?" Ashley asked hopefully, keeping her fingers crossed "Want to have a look inside?"
"Think the owners might mind Ash" Tom replied, though he wouldn't mind looking around if he were honest.
"Actually Tom, we own it" Sasha replied, smiling at the stunned look on Tom's face
"We own this house? Since when?" Tom asked stunned, trying to remember when he'd sanctioned the purchase of a house.
"When we decided to come home, I knew we couldn't stay in that cramped apartment we were sharing downtown" Sasha told him "So I asked Mike to help Ashley and Sam to find somewhere suitable"
"Dad, we want to come home…. that is, we want to move back home Sam and I, the flat over the garage is ok for me" Ashley said glancing across at Sam
"There's a big room in the loft for me, so you and Sasha will have privacy but we can be a family again" Sam added, praying his father would agree. They'd worked on the relationship between them all but it had been a long, painful process compounded by the distances and sketchy satellite coverage.
"Wow…I don't know what to say" Tom said, overcome by the thought of having his family back together.
"Just say yes Dad, just say yes" Ashley said, hugging him tenderly.
"What else can I say but yes, this is the best Christmas present you guys could've given me, seriously" Tom smiled broadly, enveloping them all in an embrace. He knew they still had work to do, but this was a wonderful start. "Shall we go in then, as I assume you have the keys?"
Sam held up the keys and then bounded up the steps to the front door.
Unlocking the door, Sam gestured for Tom and Sasha to go inside; grasping Sasha's hand the couple walked through the door and stopped still, stunned by the sight before them. Assembled inside were the senior crew members of the Nathan James's senior crew – Jeter, Mike, Kara, Danny, & Alisha. Tom looked across at Sasha with a stunned smile as Kara stepped forward.
"Welcome home Captain" Kara said shaking his hand.
THE END – Happy Holidays one and all!