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Chapter 7

x

Tom and Mike were in the wardroom discussing over coffee. 4th of July was approaching and Tom had an suggestion Mike wasn't entirely sure of.

Frosty July Dance. He read the leaflet in his hand.

"A dance?" He raised his eyebrow and looked at the Captain.

"The boat is filled with young sailors.." Tom began telling but he cut him off in mid-sentence.

"Exactly! Young sailors." He stated. Hoping the Captain knew what he was doing.

"The older ones aren't that smart either." Tom gave a knowing look at him and he wondered what he was talking about. He hadn't broken the fraternization rules, well at least not in the open. A few stolen kisses, but that was all.

"Master Chief told me that he has heard the crew talking." Tom took a sip of his coffee and Mike listened.

"Talking about..?" Mike wondered.

"Talking about a certain Chief Engineer and an XO, gazing at each other like they are undressing the other one with their eyes." Tom stared him down and he felt like he was blushing. Somewhat having a flashback back to his youth when his mom had actually found him making out with a girl on the living room couch.

"Do you want another soap bomb incident in the head?" Tom then asked him with a serious tone. He thought back to their last long trip. He could still remember the sight in front of him. The foamy and bubbly flood in the head. And they hadn't even been at EMCON that time around. This time it might be even worse.

"Fine." He reluctantly agreed to this proposal.

"Good. It'll be your wedding reception at the same time. Since there are rumors about my XO and the Cheng of this ship, I need to make an announcement." Tom added.

Mike nodded.

Tom stepped in his dress whites to the mess. The spirit was high as there was laughter and chatter around. It seemed like his idea to arrange this little dance was a success. He just hoped it served its purpose to keep the crew in line.

There was music as the young Ensign Mason had gathered music players from the crew and put together a playlist of various songs. But one song particularly caught his mind in a time loop.

Hey, did you happen to see, the most beautiful girl in the world?

His mind found his way back to the evening of the day she had left. He was sitting by the pier, staring down at the waves that were hitting the wooden frame of the pier below him. He took a long sip of his beer. There was a hole inside of him.

And if you did, was she crying, crying?

He heard footsteps along the pier but didn't bother to see who it was. He wanted to drink his mind numb. Anything was better than to feel this pain aching inside of him.

Hey, if you happen to see, the most beautiful girl that walked out on me..

It was Matthew. Debbie's boyfriend. He wondered if Debbie had send Matthew to come look for him. "Want one?" He gestured towards the bag with the beer bottles he had gotten a friend to buy him.

Tell her I'm sorry, tell her I need my baby, Oh, won't you tell her that I love her..

Matthew was a year older than him. He was only eighteen and yet somehow he felt like there was no future for him anymore. What had happened to the carefree lad over the summer? He thought.

I woke up this morning, realized what I had done,

I stood alone in the cold gray dawn, I knew I'd lost my morning sun..

He and Matthew continued on talking about everything possible. But what he didn't expect was to see Matthew show him an engagement ring. "I know we're young, but she's The One, you know?" Matthew said with eyes as bright as the moon. He was in love with Debbie.

I lost my head and I said some things,

now comes the heartaches that morning brings..

He thought about Matthew's words. The One. Did everyone have that special someone who they were meant to be for the rest of their life?

I know I'm wrong, and I couldn't see, I let my world slip away from me..

"How do you know?"

"Know what?"

"That she's The One?"

So, hey, did you happen to see, the most beautiful girl in the world?

He listened to Matthew as he told him the answer "Every time she walks into the room, my heart skips a beat." He thought about his words and the line 'The One that got away'. Was Rachel The One that got away?

And if you did, was she crying, crying?

Even though the lyrics of the song weren't exactly true in their breakup, he had been listening to that song over and over again. And every time he had heard the song on the radio over the past years, his thoughts went to her briefly, before changing the radio channel.

He was brought to the present by Mike. "You're serving punch? Non-alcoholic I assume?" Mike took a sip from the glass, wondering what was in it. It was blue and he was puzzled by why on earth did a warship have food dye in their supplies. Tom nodded and gave him a smile.

"Well it ain't punch for kids anymore. There's alcohol in it. Someone's spiked the drink." Mike was glancing around. Everyone seemed to be in decent shape. He just hoped Tom's little love dance night wouldn't cause them additional problems.

"Relax Mike. I know." Tom said casually, he had tasted the punch a moment before and noted that someone had been generous with their bottle of something stronger than juice.

"Why don't you go dance with your bride? I gather you guys didn't get to that part after the wedding?" Tom looked at him and nodded towards Andrea who was in the middle of a discussion with the Master Chief.

Mike shared an embarrassing look with Tom as he thought about the hours after the wedding. They had pretty much found the closest hotel, checked in and put the 'Do not Disturb' -sign on the door knob.

Tom followed Mike as he walked to his dashing bride and twirled her towards the dancing area. His eyes wandered in the room and then he saw her. Rachel walked in wearing a white summer dress. She had probably loaned the dress from someone, he thought. Hoping to fit in with all the white dress uniforms.

He looked at her and noticed something. There it was.

His heart skipped a beat.

He sighed heavily as he thought about the meaning of it and Matthew's words.

Ravit, Kara and Alisha were sitting by a table and talking when Frankie, Carlton and Danny came around. Ravit shared a look with Carlton which told Kara that there was something going on.

"So how about it girls? Some dancing perhaps?" Kara felt the bump from Ravit's body to her side as they sat tightly beside each other. She glanced at her friend and shook her head. She didn't have dance legs.

"Oh come on Kara, for once we get to have fun on a deployment." She then heard Alisha say. Alisha Granderson was the OOD on the ship and they had gotten to know her pretty well during the past few weeks.

Ravit leaned to whisper something to Kara's ear and she gave her a look. But then she got up from the chair and stepped in front of Danny.

"Shall we?" She offered her hand to him and Danny looked rather surprised.

"Come on Frankie!" Alisha got up and took him with her. Ravit and Carlton were the last ones on the dance floor.

Kara felt like she was being the laughing stock as she tried to move her hips to the sound of the music, and as she thought she was doing okay, the music changed.

Took my hand, touched my heart, held me close..

She heard the slow melody of the song and glanced around. Everyone was getting closer to one another and they were dancing to the slow rhythm of the song. Ravit gave her a look and she turned to look at Danny. He was offering his hand and she took it, after a moment of hesitation. She had to prove Ravit wrong, she thought in her mind.

You were always there, by my side,

night and day through it all, maybe come what may..

She felt his other arm behind her back as he pulled her closer to him. She felt like the temperature in the room had gotten up to 108 Fahrenheit. He probably noticed the tension in her body as he was so close to her.

Swept away on a wave of emotion, overcaught in the eye of the storm,

and whenever you smile..

"So what was it that Ravit said?" She heard his low voice.

I can hardly believe that you're mine, believe that you're mine..

She cleared her throat a little, feeling like her mouth was dry all of a sudden. She met his eyes and said without further thinking "She said that if I don't dance with you, it would mean I like you."

This love is unbreakable, it's unmistakable,

and each time I look in your eyes, I know why..

"Oh, so you don't like me? Or are you trying to prove a point?" He asked as he studied her reaction. Her body language hadn't gone unnoticed by him. The small redness on her cheeks, her sweaty hand in his. She was nervous. Puzzled by why? According to her logic, she didn't like him.

This love is untouchable, a feeling my heart just can't deny,

each time I look in your eyes..

Kara felt her cheeks hot and red, and stopped dancing as she needed to get away from him. It was all too overwhelming suddenly. Why did she feel like this? She got to the P-Way and heard that he was probably following after her. But she felt she couldn't turn around so she walked all the way back to the corridor with the cabins.

"Kara!" She heard his voice and finally dared to face him. He came to stand inches away from her and she held eye contact with him. Sensing the familiar connection between them, drawing her to him like a magnet. She was breathing slower but her heart was fluttering as she stared at him. Glancing at his lips. Thinking how it would be to press hers into his? And before she knew, she had done it. She had reached to kiss him and felt the hot sensation burning on her skin as they kissed. Hurrying in the moment as their hands were quickly embracing each other.

He guided her towards his and Frankie's cabin all the while kissing passionately with her. Almost not having time to catch a breath.

"Are you still trying to prove a point?" He got around to ask as they entered his cabin. He closed the door with his foot and they were quickly getting rid of the extra clothing they had on them.

"Just shut up and kiss me." She said with a rushed voice and he replied "Yes, ma'am" as he lifted her up to his waist and carried her to the lower bunk.

Oh baby, I know why this love is unbreakable..

Tom had locked his eyes on Rachel and found himself walking towards her in the crowd. He saw her uneasy expression as he stood in front of her. Their last encounter had stirred up some long forgotten feelings.

"How about it Claire? For old times' sake?" He offered his hand to her and gestured his head towards the dance floor.

He was surprised that she accepted his offer. So they were dancing to the slow love song as he looked at her. She did still look beautiful as ever.

Shared the laughter, shared the tears, we both know, we'll go on from here..

It felt so familiar to be dancing with him. Against her better reasoning she had come to the dance event tonight. Wanting to live a little, forget her mission for a moment, there was no progress in locating the primordial strain of the virus and she felt completely hopeless. People were dying back home. So she needed the distraction for the time being, even if it would only be for a split second.

Cause together we are strong, in my arms, that's where you belong..

She looked at his eyes as he was looking down at her. Recognizing the soft and caring look he had. She smiled a little. She felt like she was seventeen again.

I've been touched by the hands of an angel, I've been blessed by the power of love..

Then she felt how his hand behind her back guided her against his body. She was totally taken, all she could think was how it felt to be in his arms again, feel his body embracing hers.

And whenever you smile I can hardly believe that you're mine..

She swallowed hard as she tried to think of something else. Her simple plan to 'live a little' had backfired as she felt her entire body come alive in a way that she hadn't felt for a long time.

This love is unbreakable, it's unmistakable,

and each time I look in your eyes I know why..

She stopped and excused herself. She had to get away from him. She reached the doorway to the deck.

"It's rather cold to go out dressed in that." She heard his voice behind her.

"I need to cool down." She said hurriedly as she opened the door and stepped outside. Feeling the freezing air go through her for a brief moment, before stepping back inside and closing the door. When she turned around she was face to face with him.

She held her breath as she looked at him.

"I never told you.. or anyone.." Tom started to say and met her gaze.

"I.. I loved you." He let the words out as if it had been a secret. But he had never said it out loud. He had never given his emotions the power.

"Tom.." Rachel tried to say something but he placed his hand under her chin and caressed her jawline with his thumb.

"I'm still in love with you." He whispered softly and leaned in to kiss her.

As she felt his touch on her skin, she knew she was craving for him. To feel his touch again on her body and when she felt his lips on hers, her knees got weak. She gave in as she answered to his kiss by allowing their tongues move in harmony.