Massive thanks for the Reviews, it means the world to me to read those. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far, I'd hate to mess those characters up, I only try to do them justice. so a lot of thanks to tmtcltb, forestraider121 , Aleksa7100 and Scousedancer.
So here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it. Please do let me know what you think
"Captain Chandler I need to go there." Apparently this hadn't changed, no matter how much both of them realised that they were having feelings for each other, this didn't change.
Their arguments, Rachel's stubbornness and independence and Tom's sense of trying to protect her, and she always fought it. at least that seemed to him. He tried to protect her with everything he could a cause it was his mission to protect her and b cause
he cared for her a great deal. But she always fought him for it.
Like this morning, they were going back to the mainland to set up the lab and create some order in the chaos. Normally the scientists would be informed of the creating process by doc Rios, Rachel had explained to process to him after all, but Rachel had
come on the deck and demanded to go back to the mainland herself, to gather the new things she needed for her now almost destroyed lab.
"I'll make sure you have everything." Tom promised, trying to snatch the paper in her hand, on which he assumed was a list with things she'd needed, he doubted she'd gotten much sleep, both by the made paper and the bags underneath her eyes.
"it isn't about that." She whispered, not wanting to explain the reason why she needed to go back, she needed to go back to start processing what happened to her, she needed to go back to where it happened.
"then what is it about?" the captain demanded, running out of patience with her. "I need to go back." She whispered, hoping he'd get the hidden meaning. "why would you need to go back there; we'll bring you everything you need." He said, no longer with
a raised voice.
"captain, please I don't want to explain, but I need to go back there." Emphasizing the word 'there'. He nodded his head, Rachel didn't care that it was because he finally understood or gave in, she was just happy she could go there.
Tom finally understood why, and he was willing to give it to her. "one condition you don't leave my side." He warned, moving aside so she could go down the side of the ship and into the RHIBS.
"Fine by me." She agreed, getting down the ladder on the side. "joining us again." Tex chuckled moving aside so I could sit next to him, not wanting to be unfriendly, he'd become a great friend to me, but he'd never be more than that. Tex had realised
that after Baltimore and seeing her lying in the captain's arms. But that wouldn't stop him from teasing her and flirting with her like he had before, it was who he was after all, the way everyone knew him to be.
The RHIBS started going down the water, the captain standing by the wheel of the small boat as we arrived back on the docks. When they got out Rachel was about to follow Green into one of the cars when she felt a hand wrap around her upper arm. "remember
the agreement." Tom whispered, his hot breath sending a shiver down her spine as he directed them to a car.
Going back into Advocet was though on Rachel, being back in the place she had been tortured, the burn and wounds on her body still hurting with every movement she made. Soon scars would cover those places and she hoped that being here, would help her
process what had happened here.
But being there, standing in front of the entrance she wasn't so sure about it anymore. "You okay?" tom asked, having observed her from the moment she got in the car, knowing this would be tough on her, but it had been what she needed, but tom wasn't
so sure about it, definitely when she stayed in the car, staring at the entrance, the team joining them here had already gone inside. "You okay?" tom asked her, not being able to stand the panicking look on her face.
"I thought coming here would help me." She whispered in the softest tone above a whisper, he could see by the look on her face that she wasn't there really, staring out in front of her. "We could stay in the car." Tom suggested, reaching for her hand,
between them, she'd comforted him last night or at least been there for him in the P-way, he only wanted to be there for her now, the look on her face pained him.
"no, I need to do this." She said, sure of it as she turned to me, a look of certainty on her face, giving his hand a squeeze. "whenever you're ready." He said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. Her hand moved to the lever and opened the door.
Both of them got out of the car and went inside, the team making sure everything on Rachel's list was loaded into one of the Advocet van's as Rachel started the process of making the cure in the lab. Explaining the process to the scientists. Tom never
moving away from her side as he followed her, he'd once left her here, he still wasn't sure of what happened to them, yea, when they had entered the room Alisha was being raped, but had the same happened to Rachel, the thought alone, almost made him
run for the bin and puke his guts out.
Rios had told him the extent of her injuries, burns from being electrocuted with jumper cables at least that's what Tom assumed having seen it in that room. Whilst in Advocet he made sure to keep her away from that room as much as possible
back on board the Nathan James we left Baltimore, several scientists we hoped to spread at some point had joined us, giving Rachel actual time to rest. Not that she had gotten any. She had gone to her Cabin laid down, but after an hour or so, she'd woken
up from horrible nightmare. Soaked in sweat, shivering at the memory of it.
pulling on a sweater, still dressed in her sweat pants she got out and onto the deck in front of the bridge, I just needed to be alone, or not, Rachel didn't know what she wanted, Tom always managed to calm her down, whenever he was around her she felt
safe, like nothing bad could happen to her, she still remembered her lips on his in the Vyereni, it was to pass that note, but still they had kissed, their tongue's trying to pass the note in her mouth.
And then back after the successful trial, the hug, being enveloped in his arms was the safest she'd ever felt. The she'd ever feel that was for sure, her feelings had definitely grown over the last two weeks since their kiss.
But how would he ever return those feelings, his wife had just died, he had to worry about his kids and his father. She had to try and forget her feelings for him. It could never be, it wasn't meant to be. And right now she had to deal with her nightmares
of being tortured in Advocet.
"I thought you were resting," someone said behind Rachel, she'd nearly jumped out of her skin at it, nearly overboard. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you like that." Jed apologized, approaching her. "no need, I'm just a bit on edge;" she tried to make
him feel better, the guilty look on his face wasn't what she had wanted him to feel.
"I heard something about you being taken back in Baltimore." He asked, "yea, I was" Rachel admitted with a sad smile, staring out in front of her, looking down as the ship cut into the ocean below them.
"I'm sorry to hear that." He whispered. "I'm sorry about your daughter-in-law. I can imagine it can't be easy." Rachel noted, wanting to change the subject, taking her gaze from below and at Jed.
"It isn't, the kids are the hardest, they just lost their mom and I feel guilty for not being able to protect her, to save her for my son." He whispered, now he was the one looking ahead. "I'm sure the Captain doesn't hold anything against you." she tried
to assure him, by placing her hand on his arm, leaning on the railing.
"he doesn't, he blames himself." Jed told her what she already knew. "He needs time; the kids will need time." Rachel whispered, staring out in front of her knowing all too well how she had felt when her mother died.
"time is a rare thing these days." He muttered. "I know; the vaccine is something that will give it back to people." I replied. "you know I don't believe in any god or religion; I don't really have any religious beliefs. I'm a woman of science and facts."
Rachel started explaining, not knowing why she had decided to start explaining that, she hadn't told many people that, but somehow Tom's father had a similar effect on Rachel, not as much as Tom, but a little, Rachel blamed the Chandler genes.
"I believe everything happens for a reason, whatever that may be, it might not make sense while it happens, but after a little while, when some time has past, it'll make sense." Rachel explained in a soft tone, turning her head so she was looking at Jed.
"that's a nice way of living." He agreed with a small smile. "How are you and the kids?" Rachel asked, feeling stupid for not having asked before. "like you said we're still feeling some of the effects, but we're getting better, maybe you would like to
check the children for yourself." He suggested with a secret smile.
"You know what, I think I might." Rachel chuckled, turning around her back against the railing, looking over the ship, she could see some people or rather outlines of people walking through the window of the bridge.
Others were walking around on the deck. "Where are the kids?" Rachel asked, wanting to go and check them herself, feeling stupid she hadn't done it herself earlier.
"I think they were in the mesh hall." He replied with a nod of his head in the direction of the ship behind him.
"I'll see you around." She smiled, walking off, trying to find Tom's children, going to the place Jed had told her they might be, but as she walked towards the Mesh hall, the children ran into her. "hey Dr. Rachel." Both Ashley and sam greeted her. "hey
guys. You can call me Rachel." She chuckled, crouching down in front of them.
"How are you two feeling?" she asked, running both her hands down their arms. "we're feeling better." Ashley smiled, "you mind if I check on you two again?" Rachel asked, getting up from her crouching position, moving a bit aside, the kids in her arms
as she moved them to the side as well, as the several people moved through.
She ushered them down to the lab, her medical bag there. After checking them both out, making sure they were recovering as she had hoped they were they asked if they could stay with her for a bit.
"Sure, if you don't mind me working a bit, while you're here, maybe you could help me." She suggested, not wanting to make them feel completely useless. She started rearranging the lab, Beatrice soon joining them, apparently all the scientist we're somewhere
else in the ship, for which she was grateful.
The four of them rearranged the lab, putting the new things they had gotten from the mainland in their place. Now they were busy rearranging things she decided to arrange the lab a bit different.
Sam had fallen asleep on the small cot Rachel had been using during her time on the Nathan James. "Will you stay with me?" he asked, looking up at her as he laid down on the cot. "of course." Rachel smiled, sitting down next to the bed, keeping an eye
on Beatrice and Ashley from the corner of her eye.
She crossed her legs and rested her arm on the cot, holding sam's hand in hers. "I miss my mom." He admitted, tears in his eyes. "I know, little man." Rachel said, she could really say what it was to be in those shoes, her mom having died when she was
nine. Rachel always hated the sentence:" I know what you're going through.' Nobody knew what it was to go through something until you actually went through it.
"I'm sure you're mom is still watching over you from somewhere, making sure you're okay." She told him, hoping it would give him some comfort. "you think so?" he asked, a tear slipping out of his eye. "I do, you know my mom died, when I was your age;"
she started explaining, not that she liked talking about it, not at all, it was a painful subject. Her father having failed to see that science would help her.
Faith and believing in Gods wasn't healing or saving anyone, but he believed it did, he'd killed her mom, that's how Rachel saw it at least. "yea?" he asked, squeezing Rachel's hand.
"yea and I still miss her, but I think she's still here somewhere, watching over me, probably sitting next to your mom right now;" Rachel smiled, hoping that maybe it might be true, for all the science she believed, maybe it was a bit hypocritical to
believe in that stuff, but it was what helped her through her loss all those years ago and still does sometimes.
"You think so?" he asked, leaning on his elbows. "yea, I do." Rachel smiled, running her fingers through his hair, only now she saw how much of Tom there was in these kids, mostly the eyes, those clear blue sky eyes, those eyes that could make you feel
that they were literally staring into your soul.
Like those eyes staring back at her. "I think so to." He sighed, laying back down. "Will you stay with me?" he asked. "I'm not going anywhere" she assured him and she would keep her promise.
When dinner came around Beatrice asked if she should take Ashley with her to eat something, but Ashley had sat down beside Rachel and her brother, telling Beatrice she'd rather stay down here with her brother and Rachel. Beatrice left with the promise
of bringing back food, Rachel having promise that she wouldn't go anywhere wouldn't leave Sam's side either, she didn't want him to frightened waking up and seeing no one there and she could imagine he had some fear of abandonment now.
Ashley had apparently overheard her talking to Sam about her mom and tried to seek some reassurance from Rachel as well. "you tired?" Rachel asked, running her hand through Ashley's hair. "yea. Well, we still have a spare cot." Rachel said, getting up,
but Sam's hand had too big of a hold on hers. "Will you take his hand while I search for the cot?" Rachel asked Ashley.
She did as she was asked, whilst Rachel got one of the beds used during the trial and placed it across of Sam's, taking blanket as well Ashley laid down, Rachel tucked her in before settling down between the two cots. One of her hand in each of the children's
hands tightly gripped by them.
half an hour later, the kids were still asleep. The only sound in the room was the breathing of the two kids on each side of Rachel and Rachel's breathing herself, she hadn't slept much, having woken up from the nightmare and the breathing of the two
kids was able to lull her to sleep, her head was already resting on Sam's cot.
When the metal door to the lab flew open. "Rachel, I can't find my kids," Tom said, worry
Waving off from him. "shhh." Rachel shushed, lifting her head. "there here." Rachel said, assuring him that they were okay.
Walking around the desk he finally laid eyes on his kids, he'd been worried sick when his father had informed him that he couldn't find his kids, all thoughts had run through his mind, maybe they'd fallen over board, he couldn't let his mind wander there.
But his eyes finally resting on his kids, put his heart back it its normal pace.
Breathing a sigh of relief as he saw they were okay. He got a warm and fluttering feeling in his chest as he looked at Rachel sitting on the ground between his two kids, both her hands in his kids hands.
"I didn't mean to worry you." Rachel apologised looking up from her spot where she sat. "don't worry, I'm just glad they're in good hands." Tom smiled, crouching down between the two beds, giving Ashley and Sam a kiss on their head.
"thanks for taking care of them." Tom whispered, looking between his children. "Your welcome. They're great kids." Rachel smiled, first looking at Sam and Ashley, before ending with her eyes on Tom.
"that's all Darien, I wasn't around much, she did most of the raising." Tom explained, looking ahead. "have they been asleep for long?" he asked, "sam an hour maybe, Ashley a bit less. I'm sorry I didn't inform you they were here, it's just Sam asked
me not to leave him and I didn't have the heart to say no;" Rachel explained, feeling sorry that she had worried the Captain about his children's wellbeing, she hadn't thought about it until he came storming into the lab.
"I guess, this will be a place I'll be looking first from now on." He chuckled, petting the heads of his kids. "have they eaten?" he asked, "no, Beatrice was going to bring back some dinner." Rachel explained; looking at the door, to see if she was coming
back.
"Well, maybe you'd like to join us in the mesh hall?" Tom asked, looking up at her, the warm feeling he'd felt before by looking at Rachel and his kids hadn't left his chest as he saw how she looked at them, having heard she didn't have the heart to leave
them.
she cared for his children already, maybe it was crazy to think so but it made him feel special, knowing she cared for his kids already. To know that they had someone to turn to after having lost their mom and while he had to work.
Just then Beatrice entered the lab, carrying three plates of dinner, "sorry, I didn't come earlier, Captain sorry I hadn't seen you were here." Beatrice stopped rambling as she saw the captain sitting in front of Rachel. "Don't worry about it sweety.
Thanks for bringing dinner." Rachel thanked her. "Can I do something else?" Beatrice asked, looking at the scene in front of her and hoped that what everybody could see, except for the people there in front of her would become a reality.
Maybe it would be a nice ending to the story, to have the two saviours of the world become a couple, maybe she just wanted her mother figure to be happy, cause she did see Rachel as her mother figure, not that she had told Rachel that, but she would be
forever grateful to the scientist.
She'd taken her under her wing, like a mother would have, teaching her to be her assistant, caring for her outside of the lab and inside, being there when she had a tough time.
"No, thanks Beatrice, why don't you take the evening off." Rachel suggested with a motherly smile on her face.
"thank you." Beatrice whispered softly, before turning around.
"or we could have dinner here?" the Captain chuckled when Beatrice left the lab, I'll get a plate myself and some drinks." He said, getting up and walking out the door after kissing the head of his kids, ten minutes later after Rachel had woken the kids
up, the Captain returned in his one hand his plate with dinner, in his other several bottles.
"Daddy." Both kids jumped up, running in the direction of their father. "hey guys did you have a great time with Dr Scott?" Chandler asked, looking down at his kids, placing the stuff on the dr. desk and hugging his kids, a confirmation that they were
indeed still alive and well. Safely in his arms.
The kids started rambling about what they had done to help Rachel, it wasn't lost on him that they called her Rachel, neither was the enthusiasm with what they spoke lost on him, it seemed that Rachel had that effect on everyone.
They settled around the desk in ate dinner, the kids explaining in great and enthusiastic detail about what they had done during the day, Rachel and Tom laughing once in a while.
"so they were with Rachel, this entire time?" Jed asked a knowing smirk on his face as he looked at his son. He'd seen the way in which he looked at Rachel, the saviour and maker of the Vaccine, he was very fond of the woman, not that he'd spent a lot
of time with her, but the time he'd spent with her he had grown fond of her.
Of her spirit, the way she saw everything, her personality and then there was the small fact that he owed his life to her, as was his sons and his grandchildren. He would be in depth to her forever.
He had seen how his son looked at her, he knew he was still grieving about Darien, he understood that he'd be grieving for a long time, but that didn't take away that he saw how his son was looking at Rachel.
Rachel had the same look in her eye though, he'd heard the stories going around that everyone on the ship was either thinking they were together already although most were now rooting for them to get together after they'd learned what happened to his
wife, even his crew was seeing what the two idiots didn't see.
"yea, she had been taking care of them all afternoon." Tom replied, thinking back to how he'd found his kids on either side of Rachel as she watched over them, holding their hand softly.
The look wasn't lost on Jed as he looked at Tom. "You like her?" he asked, but it was more of a statement. "everyone likes her on this ship, she saved everyone." Tom shrugged the question off, knowing all to well what the second meaning behind the question
had been.
"yea, I have noticed she's loved around here." Jed snorted softly, he couldn't belief he'd raised his son to be so daft. "I'm talking about your son." Jed said, not beating around the bush.
"what's that supposed to mean?" Tom questioned, wanting to avoid the question at all. He knew what his father was getting at, but he didn't want to talk about it, he didn't want to face his feelings going through his body for Rachel, he still felt conflicted
about it, like he was cheating on his wife. She was only dead for less than a week. What he should just forget about her and move on, he couldn't do that.
He couldn't, he still loved his wife for nearly 17 years, he couldn't just put that aside, she'd been his life for 17 years. And now she was gone, he stil couldn't believe that Darien wasn't there anymore. What was he supposed to do without her, what
were his kids supposed to do without her.
Their mother had always been the one constant in their lives, when he was out doing his job with the navy. And now they had lost that, he'd tried to be there for them as much as possible so far, but he was still the Captain of the ship, needing to lead
these people, get them back after what had happened in Baltimore.
It had left their mark on the crew. Some more than others, he still hadn't found out what happened to Alisha and Rachel, Alisha hadn't spoken to anyone since coming aboard and Rachel pretended like nothing happened.
And he wanted to know what happened. He needed to know what happened in order to help his people, help Rachel, he'd seen it in her eyes, she wasn't the Rachel who'd left the ship in Baltimore, she'd changed during those short hours off the ship and he
hated it, to see her hurt and not being able to help. He wanted to help her.
But how could he help her when he was barely keeping his family together. When his family was still mourning the loss of a wife, a mother.
"You know what I mean tommy." His father said, "I can't dad." He said, getting up and leaving the room. He couldn't.
So that's the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, please do let me know what you think.