Author's note: Hi, I'm so sorry I didn't post before, had to deal with lot of stuff at work. It might be the last chapter of this OS series, but I was thinking of maybe a bonus one, back in time at the academy, when they first met. Let me know if you would be interested, and thanks again for all of your support, xx.

« So, what happened ? »

He was sitting on a comfy sofa, at his therapist office, trying to untangle all of his thoughts, dealing with PTSD damages. Few years had gone since the war in Colombia, since they had lost Nathan James. And even with all the support of his family and friends, sometimes Tom was in need of a professional help, when it was too much to bear. Lot of positives things happened in his life, and most of the time he had no troubles, no nightmares, but sometimes he was just out of breath, feeling oppressed from the inside.

"I saw them, all my lost sailors, the president, Burk, Tex, Rachel... They told me they had the watch. It felt so real, like if they really were standing in front of me, in the helo bay wearing their whites. And there was Sasha..." he paused, smoothing the bridge of his nose. "Sasha... she was looking at me, I wanted to..."

Tom interrupted and said no more, unable to continue. He didn't even know what to say, he was feeling guilty because for a moment he had thought about giving up and let him drown with the James, leaving behind his kids and his lover. And that wasn't him, he wasn't keen to abandon, he hated himself for that. The therapist stayed quiet, wanting him to take his time and then start talking again.

"... I wanted to reassure her, and tell her everything I didn't have the chance to tell her. I didn't want to leave her again." he said, referencing to the day he kissed her goodbye before walking away the Nathan James and the Navy. Something he needed back in time but a mistake he'd regretted after because it almost costed him to lose forever the love of his life.

"But you came back."

The words echoed strong to his ears. They were fitting well to both of the situations, when he'd decided to go back to the surface, and when he had found his way back home after sixteen month of exil.

"What if I didn't, they'd have th..."

"But you didn't." her voice ton was reassuring, firm and strong at the same time. She was right. "If nothing, you're here and look at everything that happened since you came back. Your kids are happy, so is Sasha and you're on a good way to recover. Mentally like physically, even if you'll always wear some scars."

He only nodded slightly, looking through the window.

When Tom came back to the Chandler house, it was late, and by the time he figured out the kids were already in bed. Seeing the lights in the living room, he hoped she wasn't working still. They had fixed only one rule, no extra working in the house unless it was very important, so they could actually have time together, rest and relax from their day.

Pushing the door, he hanged up his coat and made his way to the living room, finally seeing his wife of one year all wrapped in a blanket on the sofa, with her laptop. He bent down and kissed the top of her head, going down to her cheeks, jawline and finishing on her lips, sweet and lovingly. And while at it, he slowly closed the laptop to take it away from her.

"Hey..." he whispered against her lips, slowly separating from her, his forehead against her. "Remember Mrs Chandler ? No extra work in this house. Seems you still like breaking the rules huh." he chuckled.

"Hello handsome." she smiled, waiting for him to be by her side to wrap her arms around his neck, straddling him. "Rules are made to be broken, Admiral. And whatever is broken we can fix it..." He smiled at the sentence, remembering all the times they'd used it to cheer up the other, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. Sasha always had to have the last word. "And speaking about fixing. Did you find out ?"

She certainly didn't expect him to talk about it right now, bitting her lower lip. Tom was looking at her with so much intensity, because he was probably waiting for her to tell him that their expectation was true. Since they started their fresh start few years ago, Sasha had an implant but when they got married one year ago, they both decided to let the nature decide or whether or not they should have a child so she had it removed.

"Told you I have two weeks of lateness remember..."she confessed in a voice barely above the whisper. She knew they'd both agreed on it but she was almost 39 and Tom near his 50. She didn't think it could really happen, even if it would be a benediction for them. More than fifteen years after their first child, she was maybe expecting their second chance...

"Sweetheart look at me." he said, lifting her chin so she could look at him. "Whatever the result, I'll be happy, I have all I need underneath this roof, you and the kids are making me more than happy. I won't be disappointed. What did the doctor tell you?"

She shyly nodded, having no ideas why, but she suddenly felt tears coming up, and in a record time she was sobbing, unable to stop herself. "I'm...I'm pregnant." Her whole body couldn't stop shaking. She couldn't remember the last time she had cried that much but it felt like she was crying for all the things she had to hold and keep for herself all those years.

"Are you…. Is this real?" Tom's eyes were brighter than usual, his face looking shocked, but truly and deeply happy. He had to control himself not to pin her on that sofa to cuddle and kiss her, unable to describe how much he was happy. His happiness was complete, more complete than he would ever imagine. His beloved, sweet and beautiful wife was carrying his child, like a redemption for the one they'd never met, and never even had the chance to properly burry. "I mean, Sash, are you…happy about it ?"

"Yes, yes of course. I've never thought I could end up pregnant, you know, I got shot few times, I'm getting old, I didn't expect my body to be able to handle a pregnancy now. But I guess your little swimmers are definitely strong, so will be our baby." she smiled in between sobs, stroking his cheeks.

Tom chuckled, suddenly feeling relieved, like the happiest man on earth. He started to drop butterfly kisses all over her nose, cheeks and rose lips, twisting his fingers into her beautiful mahogany hair, smelling her nice cherry blossom scent. "Never doubts about my little swimmers." he said softly. Her laugh was the only answer he got, as he stood up.

"Dinner is in the microwave, and before you say it, Ashley made it, not me."

"Maybe we should start learning how to properly cook so this little one - pointing at Sasha's still flat stomach - won't mock us like these two monkeys likes to do." He said, laughing a little.

"Why us ? You're the one spending more time at home, as I said you would be a perfect housewife so maybe you could start cooking lessons ? And then teach me." She teased him with a devilish smile on her face.

"I can teach you other things you know." Tom said, shrugging his shoulders, perfectly knowing how the night would ends, and the morning starts.

"Tom!" she tried to sounds shocked. "Do you only think about one thing ?"

"When it's involving a sexy and hot brunette officer, who appears to be my wife yes, I'm afraid I might admit my weakness…." he said in a voice barely above a whisper, looking lovingly at her, his eyes getting darker, letting her know - as well - what he would be up to the minute their bedroom door would be closed and locked.

"Tom, you're insatiable." she stood up, joining him and wrapping her hands around his waist. "But I love you all the same, my old man."

His only answer was a soft laugh, not even offended of being called old, because at this moment, Tom Chandler was just happy. His kids being alive and healthy, his wedding with Sasha, their life all together as a family of four, soon five, his wife's pregnancy…they were all the reasons why he'd decided to swim back to the surface. Like Alex had told him, he had a destiny, and it wasn't over yet.

"I love you too." he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "More than anything..."