Just a little bit of joy, love and heartache.. Enjoy!

Chapter 20

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"You're sure this is allowed?" Mike helped Andrea to his cabin and got a strange look out of his wife.

"Tonight I'm not the XO, and you're not the Cheng of this ship." Mike embraced his wife and stared at her light blue eyes as a man in love.

Andrea smiled as she glanced at the small couch table filled with a clear blue drink which did look just like plain water, and fruits from the island they had found just in time. She turned her gaze on him and just stared at him for a moment in silence. It had been a while since they had just been Mike and Andrea, a couple, a husband and a wife.

"So what are you suggesting?" Andrea leaned against Mike as she felt she could use the support. Still feeling weak after being on bed rest since Gitmo.

"Well, are you up for a dance?" Mike took a music player from his pocket and pushed the volume high enough for them to hear the music sound through the air.

"I was born by the river in a little tent.."

Then he twirled his beautiful wife around as they danced, enjoying a moment together. Forgetting the outside world for a second. Right now nothing else existed. It was just him and her.

"Oh and just like the river, I've been running ever since.."

The high spirited atmosphere on the beach in the thick crowd was a mood lifter as they all rejoiced a simple drink, water. It was a night of celebration, they had survived through the voyage over the last few days and there was still hope. Kara was talking with Danny when they heard Alisha's beautiful voice bring everyone together as she sang a song.

"It's been a long time, a long time coming"

"But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will.."

"What's this?" Ravit asked as she was sitting with Carlton by the beach on a blanket. Her shoulder was still stiff and sore, but it wasn't going to stand in her way of getting her date with Carlton.

"It's coconut with a hint of something-something." Carlton said with a secretive voice and Ravit smiled.

"Something-something you say?" She took a sip from her cup and Carlton chuckled, as if the secret ingredient was something on the heavier side.

"It's water."

"So.. if the James is stuck here all week, possibly longer and we have a date per day. Isn't it on the fifth date one usually gets to the fourth base?" Ravit asked casually as she took another sip of her coconut drink, and got a rather serious reaction from Carlton as he quickly turned his head around like an owl to see if someone was close enough to hear them. But everyone was luckily more interested in listening to Alisha.

"It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die"

"'Cause I don't know what's up there, beyond the sky.."

"Relax.." Ravit touched his hand and she could swear he was blushing at the thought of them being intimate.

"How about a dance?" Ravit gestured her head towards the sound of music and Carlton got up and offered his hand to her.

"It's been a long, a long time coming.."

"But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will.."

Carlton held Ravit in his arms, feeling his entire body tense at the thought of holding her this close. There were a few looks from some of the crew members, but they were on R and R right now. Exact words from their commanding officers. So he leaned closer to her, taking in her scent from her frizzy hair.

"There have been times that I thought I couldn't last for long.."

Kara glanced briefly at Ravit and Carlton who were dancing, smiling as she saw that Ravit got her date finally.

"But now I think I'm able to carry on"

"It's been a long, a long time coming.."

"But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will."

A moment went by and she felt Danny's hand reaching for hers, tugging her his way. She reluctantly left to follow him as she tried to maintain her professional manner in front of their fellow crewmen, but right now she found her mind racing through all sort of thoughts of indecency as she followed him to the jungle. Away from the people celebrating on the beach. After enough coverage of trees she felt him force her against one and reached to kiss him. Finally, she could kiss him. They kissed each other hurriedly as the fear of getting caught was still imminent.

"Is this the five minute quickie you talked about?" She asked against his lips with anticipation. She was already turned on by him so if this was all she would be getting tonight, she would make the most of it.

He stopped to glance at her with a grin on his face and his eyes glooming. There was more, she thought and for a brief moment hesitated if they should. But it was Commander Slattery's words about them earning some R and R finally, that won her mind over.

He took her by her hand and they continued further down the jungle. They stopped as they reached a small opening to a beach. The moon was shining and reflecting on the water. She saw a shape of a heart lighted up by red glowing sticks on the sand. And before she could say a word she saw him kneel down before her. On one knee.

She tried to stop him but felt him weighing her down, so she knelt down in front of him.

"Kara.." She was almost afraid to breath as she focused to stare at him still rather amazed about what was going to happen.

"I know this is crazy, but if Frankie's death has taught me something.. Everything can change in a heart beat."

"I love you more than anything and so I'm asking.." "Will you be my wife?" She felt his hands on her cheeks as she listened to his soft and loving voice. Pouring his heart out to her. Feeling the rush of emotions inside of her as she thought about what he was asking. He wanted to marry her. He wanted to love her for the rest of their days, how ever long that would be.

She let out a happy chuckle and felt all teary eyed as she placed her hands around his neck and kissed him. She noticed the warmth disappear from her other cheek as his hand went to search his pocket.

She pulled away slightly to see what he was doing and saw him open up a small jewelry box, recognizing the ring that was inside of it.

"Where did you..?" She asked and looked at him with asking eyes. He had her mothers ring.

"Rachel.." Danny cleared his throat a little, wondering how to explain everything to her.

"Rachel said your mom sent her this ring. She wanted you to have it." Danny watched her face when he mentioned her mother she had lost. There was a look of sadness in her eyes, that made her even more emotional than she already was.

"And how did you get it?" Kara asked in wonder, thinking if he really had done it.. Gone to ask her hand in marriage from her parents. Her parents she really hadn't got to know just yet.

"You're the one who wants to put a label on us." Danny smiled at her and saw her face light up with an equal smile.

"Is this what you want?" She asked, slightly unsure if things were going way too fast.

"I love you Kara.. Foster-Scott-Chandler.. Whatever your name is." He stared at her bright eyes.

"You know that song right? If you like it, then you should have put a ring on it." Kara said as she pressed her lips against his, all the while closing the jewelry box in his other hand.

She had him finally alone and the night was still young, all the waiting the past days and weeks had been enough of a foreplay, she was done waiting and the tent by the bushes hadn't gone unnoticed by her as she got up and took him with her. Too eager to touch him as she took off his shirt. Biting her lower lip with a tease as she felt his bare chest under her hands. Feeling the touch of his hand going up her thigh before she gave him a soft groan as she leaned against his body. The waiting was definitely over, she thought as she pulled him down on the blanket before the tent, knowing exactly what she wanted.

Rachel reached the doorway to the comms room and saw him. After the last few days of wondering whether they would survive, she felt her breath taken away as she had found him at last. She noticed him tapping a bracelet on the desk as he listened to the voices out in the world, deep in his thoughts. He saw her and took off the headset.

"Not in the mood for celebrating?" She stepped inside the room.

"Just tying up some loose ends." She noticed him tap the bracelet again, wondering if it was his family he was looking for. His wife and kids, she reminded herself again.

"Thank you." She let out as she thought why she had come to find him tonight.

"For what?"

"For believing in me."

"I didn't have much choice." He gave his honest answer.

"I think you've had quite a few choices. After all the lies, about the pandemic, about Kara.. You could've just docked at Norfolk and gone back to your family." Rachel said feeling the shame of her lies sting inside of her.

"I know.."

"But we'll get there." He said meeting her gaze. She nodded and was about to walk away when she heard his tender voice.

"Rachel.." She turned around and saw him standing in front of her. Looking down at her like he had all those years ago. It almost felt like the moment before when they would kiss.

1987..

"So when's your flight?" He asked even though it was the third time he had done it during their walk on the beach.

"Noon." He heard her reply yet again. Their time together was coming to an end.

"I can't have you both." He let out with a heavy heart and she felt tears pricking in her eyes as she realized the finality in his words. He was choosing his wife, not that she ever thought he would choose her, but still.. There had been a slight hope for it.

"Tom.. the whole summer has been wonderful.."

"I've been.. jealous over Tex, and that's wrong." He admitted sounding confused.

"But..?"

"You and I aren't together. And I need to let you go. Get over you." She heard his voice continue on and saw him look down at his wedding band. She reached to touch the ring with her thumb as she took his hands in hers. Perhaps she needed to remind herself that he was actually married by this gesture.

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Can't I just have your phone number back in England?" He had asked all hopeful to still have a possibility to talk with her, perhaps see her one day again.

"There's nothing between me and Tex." She said as she locked eyes with him, wanting to see him as she spoke. "You know my heart is taken by someone else."

"Here." She wrote it on his skin, wanting to give him something, even though this little hope was going to break his heart. She saw the affection the young man had for her and despite of her best efforts to fight back, she felt her heart aching as well.

"Do I? You've never said those words out loud." Tom's voice broke a little as he wondered her true feelings.

"Now kiss me and walk away, Tom Chandler." She placed her hand on his cheek and smiled at him, trying her best to keep the moment cheerful as he pressed his sweet lips against hers for one last time. Her knees were melting as she tried to hold herself up against his fit body.

"I love you Thomas Chandler."

"I always have and I always will." She let out as she felt the tears coming down on her cheeks. She loved him with all of her heart and this was their final goodbye.

She leaned to kiss him hesitantly as she wasn't sure if he would allow it, but to her surprise she felt his lips on hers. Tasting her as they kissed. Kissing slowly and then with more passion as the longing of all the past years was erupting in one last kiss.

When he finally slowly broke off from her, still holding her. He whispered "I love you Rachel." And she hugged him tight as they held each other in the stillness of the night.