CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: NEW STARTS

One day a couple weeks later, Rachel was pulling on her shoes in her quarters when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in," she called. The hatch opened, revealing Tom in his dress whites. Danny and Kara's wedding was that morning and he would be officiating. Rachel froze, bent over with her shoelaces still in her hands. "Wow."

"What?" Tom wondered.

"You look... incredible."

He looked down at himself. "What, this?"

"Yeah," she replied as she stood. "Have you always been this handsome in your uniform?" A fresh haircut made him look even more impressive.

Tom grinned boyishly. "Yep."

Rachel laughed. "I feel horribly underdressed in comparison." She understandably hadn't packed formalwear for the Nathan James' original mission to the Arctic, so she didn't have anything fancy to wear on days like today. The best option in her wardrobe for special occasions was an off-white sweater and black pants. She'd never been one for primping and evening gowns, but just this once she would have liked to feel beautiful - since she had someone to be beautiful for.

"You're always gorgeous," Tom promised. "And I love what you've done with your hair."

Rachel reached up to finger one of the soft curls hanging over her shoulder. "Thank you. Kelly and I helped each other this morning."

"I'm glad to see you're actually coming. I was afraid that I'd have to drag you out of your lab, kicking and screaming."

"I'm not that bad," she protested. Tom just smiled. "Okay, fine, maybe I am. But I had no intentions of missing today."

"Well, then..." he chivalrously offered his arm in order to escort her. "Shall we?"

Rachel accepted it with a grin. "Thank you, Captain."

"Of course, Doctor."

Since the weather was beautiful, the ceremony was being held on the flight deck. As Tom stood with Danny at the end of the 'aisle', he couldn't help sneaking a few glances over at Rachel. She was standing with Kelly, Ava, Ashley, and Sam; both women were trying to keep the children occupied while they waited for things to start. None of them had any fancy clothes to wear, so they looked a bit out of place surrounded by people in dress uniforms. Ashley had complained when she saw Rachel's hair that she wanted hers curled, too, but had settled instead for Rachel french braiding it for her. Their closeness was always heartwarming. If only the same could be said for his youngest child...

"Thank you, Sir," Danny's voice interrupted Tom's thoughts.

"For what, Lieutenant?"

"Doing this." According to the rules of the pre-Red Flu world, Navy ship captains were not allowed to perform weddings and the marriage would have questionable legal standing if they did. But in this world, those rules didn't quite matter. They had no chaplain on board, nor had they found one on land. So, just like with everything else, they made due.

"It is honestly my pleasure," Tom replied.

Danny smiled. "I never thought we'd get all of… this." Nearly everyone who wasn't on duty was assembled on the flight deck in uniform. The young couple had originally planned on doing something simple, with just them and maybe a couple friends. But as more and more people found out about the nuptials, they wanted to be involved, and plans evolved.

Tom mirrored the lieutenant's grin as he watched his crew socialize. Smiles were rare these days; their second and third stops in Europe, both along the northern coast of Spain, had yielded less than 10 survivors total. A few lucky/unlucky souls who had escaped with their lives but lost everything worth living for. It wasn't what any of them had hoped for when they set out across the Atlantic. The wedding was an excuse to forget their troubles for a little while, a much-needed morale boost.

"Enjoy it," Tom told the younger man. "Enjoy every minute with your family. Because ten or fifteen years will pass in the blink of an eye, and you better make sure you've got some memories to look back on."

Green nodded. "Yes, Sir."

The door to the helo bay opened, and Kara came out, along with her roommate and best friend on the ship, Alicia Granderson. One of the more musically-inclined crewmen started playing the wedding march on his guitar. "I think that's our cue," Tom told Danny with a grin. "You ready?"

His eyes were fixed on his bride. At nearly six months pregnant, her dress uniform was a little too snug to wear. However, someone had found her a simple, empire-waisted, sleeveless, white cotton dress during one of their trips ashore and she looked beautiful in it. Kara appeared to be a little anxious at the situation and all the attention, but then her gaze met Danny's and she smiled.

"More ready than I've been for anything," he told the Captain with a grin.

The ceremony got off without a hitch, and everyone took the opportunity to celebrate afterward. A couple crewmembers played music while everybody danced and enjoyed the galley's best offerings. Tom and Rachel smiled as they swayed together and watched his kids play. Ashley and Sam were giggling like mad as they danced and twirled each other. The little boy had just gotten his cast of two days earlier and was thoroughly enjoying being able to play freely.

"Can I cut in?" a voice asked, and the happy couple turned to see Mike offering Rachel a hand. Tom gave her a look, trying to gage her reaction, but she just nodded. The Captain noticed Katie was standing alone nearby and went to keep her company.

"This is a surprise," Rachel told Mike as they walked over to the railing to chat. He'd been less hostile recently but they'd still barely talked.

He smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I know. It would probably be putting it mildly to say we've had a… rocky relationship all the way back to last summer."

"Mmm." He'd been absolutely furious with her after the truth about their mission had come out. Rachel earned some points after the rescue op to the Vyerni and holding herself together through Baltimore, but then their détente had fallen apart.

"I don't think it was entirely about you," Mike tried to explain. "I'm not proud of it, but... It seemed easier if I had a target for everything that's happened." She nodded slightly. "But that wasn't fair. And I know you really do make him happy." They both looked over in Tom's direction; he had Katie and his own kids around him, keeping them all amused as they danced. "A guy can't ask for much more for his friend, especially these days. So I'm sorry."

Rachel shook her head. "Don't worry about it."

"No, really. You didn't deserve it. Things will be different from here on out, if you can give me another chance."

"I can't," she replied. "Because there's no need. Truthfully. I understood. But thank you, Commander."

He nodded and stepped back as Tom rejoined them. "She's all yours," he told his friend before walking away.

"All mine, huh?" Tom repeated with a grin as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I must be the luckiest guy in the world." Rachel blushed. "What was that about?"

"Starting over," she replied, but didn't divulge anything else. "You really don't care if everyone knows about us?" Rachel had seen a few crewmembers staring and whispering throughout the day.

"I really don't," he promised. "We can make this work, don't you think?"

She nodded. "I do. I'm so happy I have you."

Tom grinned. "Not as happy as I am." As they turned back to look at his kids, another nearby figure caught his eye. "What's Bertrise doing?"

Rachel looked over to see her protégé and a sailor together. "I believe it's called dancing, Captain."

He scowled. "You're a riot. Is there something going on with them?"

She smiled. "They're quite adorable, aren't they?"

"She's 17," he shot back.

"Yes, and Reggie is only 19."

The fact that she used the sailor's first name - actually, his nickname - caught Tom by surprise. "Reggie? You knew about this?"

Rachel chuckled. "Yes, we've talked. He's very sweet and they're going slow." Tom didn't look the least bit mollified. "Your ship is becoming more than just a weapon of war, Captain. It's our home. It's like a floating town. You can't think that there aren't other relationships beginning between the crew, fraternization policies or not."

Tom frowned. "There aren't supposed to be."

"Honestly, you're lucky to only be expecting one new arrival onboard. Ourselves included," she added in a quieter voice.

Tom raised an eyebrow. "But we…"

Rachel fixed him with a Look. "Thomas Chandler," she admonished in a stern whisper. "If you honestly think the pull-out method is a 100% effective means of birth control, I'm amazed that you only have two children." His face reddened, right to the tips of his ears, and she struggled not to laugh.

"That wasn't something I had to worry about before," he whispered back. He felt like a jerk admitting it, but birth control hadn't been his responsibility during his marriage.

"Times have changed. You ought to put the real thing on the supply requisition list - condoms would be easiest - and then leave them available to everyone. No questions asked."

Tom scoffed. "Yeah, that's not happening. At least not the last part." The frat regs may very well have been relics from the past, but he certainly wasn't going to encourage their demise. This was still a Navy ship. "However… I'll think about making an addition to the supply list." The risks of straddling the line between a warship and a sea-based community worried him. Whether the crew was forming was actual relationships or just having comfort hook-ups, they couldn't afford any more surprise additions. Someday, maybe, but not now. "Could you really be pregnant?" he softly wondered.

Rachel shrugged. "I doubt it, but statistically, it's certainly possible. We need to be more careful." She loved children and had always wanted her own family, but this wasn't the time or the place for it.

"Yeah…" His eyes drifted over to Bertrise again, and Rachel knew he couldn't be thinking anything good.

"What is it?" she wondered.

"I'll be back."

She caught his arm. "Tom, don't. She's fine."

But he shrugged her off. "I'll be back."

Rachel stood off to the side and watched as Tom approached Bertrise and Reggie. She couldn't hear what they said, but could easily read the worried look on Bertrise's face as the teen walked away, leaving the two men alone. Rachel motioned for her to come join her.

"We were just dancing," Bertrise protested as she made her way over.

"I know. It looked like you were having a lovely time."

"We were." Bertrise glanced back over at the Captain. "I don't want Reggie to get in trouble. He didn't do anything wrong, did he?"

"No, luv, he didn't. Don't worry."

"But the captain looked upset."

Rachel shook her head and shot a brief glare in Tom's direction. Unfortunately, he wasn't facing her, so it had little effect. "I know. But if he does anything to scare him off, then the Captain is the one who will be in trouble - with me."

Bertrise's eyebrows furrowed. "But everyone has to follow his orders."

Rachel smiled. "Yes, well, I've never been very good at that part. Don't see why I should start now."

~ % ~

Tom was completely and willfully oblivious to Rachel's annoyance as he pulled Reggie aside for a little talk. "You're aware of how old - or rather, young - Bertrise is?"

"Y-yes, Sir," the nervous Seaman Apprentice stuttered out.

"She's been through more than anyone her age should. But somehow, she doesn't let it keep her down."

"I-I know, Sir. She's incredible." He couldn't help a small dreamy smile just at the thought. Tom resisted the urge to roll his eyes; the kid had it bad. At least he was starting to agree with Rachel's assessment, though; the Seaman really did seem like a nice, harmless, young man. But a little fear was healthy and it didn't hurt to get some practice at being an overprotective father.

"Bertrise needs good people in her life," Tom continued. "People who are going to be there for her, not take advantage of her. So I will warn you now: if I hear that you've done anything improper or hurt her - "

"I won't, Sir."

"You're going to have to worry about what Dr. Scott will do to you before you worry about me," he finished. Reggie audibly gulped. "Understood?"

"Y-yes, Sir."

TBC...