Up in Smoke Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Um let's see...nope still don't own anything except my ideas and original characters.

AN: please don't forget to review

But high up above or down below
When you are too in love to let it show
Oh but if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
Tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
oh and tears come streaming down your face
And I
Tears streaming down your face
I promise you I will learn from all my mistakes
oh and the tears streaming down your face
And I

-Fix You by Coldplay

"I remember being shot. The pain. I remember thinking over and over I don't want to die. I also remember thinking I need to get to Tom, he'll fix this. Somehow in my mind...you could...just fix it. I remember you showing up and how relieved I was. You were there and you were holding me.

"I remember telling you I didn't want to die." Rachel continued, tears leaking from her eyes, "you told me I wouldn't and that you had me. I...I believed you."

Rachel wiped her face, "I woke up in the hospital. There were guards at the door. The nurse ran out of the room and told them something. It was then a flurry of activity...doctors in an out of the room checking on me. Then Jeffrey shows up.

"He came in with his half dozen secret service agents. I...I just knew...I was going to get bad news...and the first thing I thought that the gunman came back and shot and killed you. I started to hyperventilate."

"Rachel." Tom whispered soothingly, he reached over and took her hand.

She wiped her face again before continuing, "I was so scared. All I could think is those passing seconds was Tom's gone..Tom's dead..I never told him...he'll never know..what do I do? I must have managed to get out your name because Jeffrey immediately told me that you were okay."

Rachel smiled through her tears, "I was so relieved. I was like let me see him...I need to see him. I was so angry when he refused and I didn't understand why he was refusing to get you.

"That's when I saw the other man, who Jeffrey introduced as the director of the FBI. I asked why the FBI was in my room and that's when he told me that I was dead. Needless to say I was like, hmm having this conversation obviously not dead….

"He explained that there had been a breach in security...they had a feeling it was internal as my acquittal and subsequent lack of a security detail had just occurred that day. Plus, how does a man get into a highly secure building full of secret service and navy personnel with a gun."

"It was an internal breach of security Rachel."

Rachel cocked her head, "what?"

"One of Jeffrey's aides. She was an immune. She got the cure to sway attention from her...she didn't want anyone to know she was immune. Curtis, the gunman, and she had been communicating. We found the records. She got him in and gave him the gun."

"Why?"

"There's no good reason why Rachel...they just wanted you dead."

Rachel moved further up the bed and leaned back against the bulkhead.

"I begged Jeffrey not to make me go into protective custody. Begged him...screamed at him...argued with him. It didn't matter what I said...he and the FBI weren't moved by my...feelings...they just...decided that telling the world I was dead was the best way to protect me."

"What did you tell them Rachel?"

Rachel took a deep breath and bit her lip, "At first I told them my work wasn't done...that everybody still needed me. When I saw that wasn't working, I started bringing up my personal feelings...I told them how much I cared about the crew and that we were like a family and I couldn't let you guys believe I was dead. They were completely unswayed. That's when I told them that I was…" she trailed off.

"That you were what?"

Rachel looked over to Tom and made eye contact, "that I was...that I am...in love with you."

When he didn't respond to her declaration after a few moments, Rachel got up from the bed.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you that." She made to move past him when he abruptly stood and blocked her.

Tom placed his hands on her face "Don't ever apologize for telling someone how you feel."

"But you…"

"I love you too Rachel."

Tom leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips. They pulled apart when the need for air became to great. Tom pulled her into his arms, Rachel placed her head on his heart.

"What's going to happen now?" Rachel asked

"I'm not sure, but not matter what I'm not letting you go, ever."

Rachel smiled against his chest, "I'm not letting you go either."

Epilogue

2 years and 6 months later

Norfolk, Virginia

The Chandler household, more like backyard, had people everywhere for their Fourth of July BBQ. Tom, Mike and Danny were at the grills, Ashley and her friends were sitting at one of the picnic tables gabbing away while Sam and his friends were at one corner of the huge backyard playing football. The crew of the Nathan James were scattered throughout with their family.

Rachel stood on the deck and smiled at the chaos surrounding her.

Not two days after their talk and subsequent admission of love for one another, Tom proposed. His argument being they had already lost two years together and he refused to let them lose any more time. Rachel immediately said yes and they were married on the deck of the Nathan James the next day. Mike officiated after having gotten ordained online. Tom and Rachel swore to love, honor and protect each other until death (Mike made sure to add, real death and not fake, which caused the couple and the crew to laugh). Three days later, Tom reaffirmed his oath to the navy and Rachel became an officer's wife.

After finding the seeds and beating Vellek at his own game, the Nathan James picked up Ashley and Sam and returned to Norfolk. Tom was promoted to admiral, which he happily took as it meant he would be stateside.

Rachel was worried how Ashley and Sam would react to the news that not only was Rachel alive but she and their father had married. Ashley and Sam were troopers. While they still missed their mom, they wanted their father to be happy and Rachel made him happy.

Mike was also promoted to admiral. He and Sasha continued to date with her discovering she was pregnant in December 2017. The pregnancy was a surprise for both as it was unplanned. Mike, being the honorable man he is, immediately proposed marriage. Sasha, being the independent one, accepted but stated she didn't want to marry until after the baby was born as she didn't want her pregnancy to be the reason they married. Mike respected her wishes. Sasha gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Hank Thomas Slattery, in August 2018. The couple married two months later.

Kara had been promoted to commander and was given the Nathan James. Rachel couldn't have been more thrilled for her. As Frankie would be starting kindergarten in the fall, Danny decided he would retire from active duty and stay home. Danny loved spending time with Frankie. Kara and Danny spoke about having another child but decided they wanted to wait another year before trying to get pregnant.

Rachel was broken from her thoughts when she felt someone approach her.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

She turned to see Sasha standing next to her holding Hank. She smiled at her friend and leaned over and gave her godson a kiss on the cheek.

"Just thinking about the last two and a half years and everything that has happened."

The women headed to the yard and over to their husbands. "It's been a good two and a half years."

"I has been. I'm so thankful."

When the women made it to the grill, Mike tossed the spatula down and took his son from Sasha's arms. Rachel loved seeing this side of her friend. He adored Hank. Mike and Sasha went over to a picnic table and sat down to spend some quiet time as a family, amidst the chaos of the backyard.

Tom laid his spatula down as well, leaving poor Danny to fend the grills on his own. He encircled his arms around Rachel.

"Have I told you today how much I love you?"

She smiled, "you have, but you can tell me again."

He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss, "I love you."

"I love you too."

"How are you doing?" Tom asked.

Rachel shrugged her shoulders, "tired. But nothing I can't handle."

"You've been running around like a chicken with her head cut off trying to get the party together, you need to rest Rachel."

"I'm pregnant Tom, not an invalid."

"I'm not saying you are but you could have the baby any day now."

"But not today."

Tom smiled at his stubborn wife. He lead her over to the table with Mike and Sasha and forced her to sit down and relax. The foursome chatted for awhile before Danny, Kara and other crew pulled up chairs, leaving the teenagers and children free reign of the backyard until the fireworks started. Rachel sat back and listened to the conversations around her.

When she first realized she was pregnant, she was worried. She knew Tom would be thrilled, she was worried how Ashley and Sam would take the news. Over the year and a half, Rachel had developed a very strong relationship with the children. She knew she would never be able to replace Darien, but she wanted the children to know that she loved them and that she would always be there for them. She was worried the kids would feel the new baby would replace them in her heart. The kids were thrilled when she and Tom told them. They assured her that they knew she loved them and that the baby wouldn't replace either of them.

A few hours later, as the fireworks started, Rachel looked over to Tom and grabbed his hand.

"Tom"

"Yeah?"

"So...my saying I wasn't going to have the baby today…" she trailed off

Tom, Mike and Sasha turned to Rachel. Tom jumped up and called Ashley and Sam over. He asked Ashley to run into the house to get Rachel's hospital bag. Rachel insisted that everyone stay and enjoy the food and the fireworks. Mike, Sasha, Danny and Kara said they'd stay with everyone and clean up afterwards. Sam asked if he could stay behind, which was okay with Tom. Ashley also asked if she could remain behind, but to call as soon as the baby was born as she wanted to be the first person to meet her new brother or sister.

Tom and Rachel made it to the hospital in record time. She was taken to a room quickly and hooked up to the monitors. As her contractions were only ten minutes apart, the waiting game had now started. Tom tried to make her as comfortable as possible until the anesthesiologist came to give her the epidural.

Hours later, Tom brought up a topic that had been a point of contention for many months. Baby names. Names that Tom liked, Rachel hated in vice versa.

"Rach, we really need to agree on a name. We can't have our child leave the hospital as baby girl Chandler or baby boy Chandler."

"Okay" Rachel agreed in the midst of a contraction.

Tom pulled out a paper from his wallet. He waited until the contraction subsided before speaking.

"For a boy's name we have managed to narrow it down to Oliver, Noah, Elijah, Jack and Jasper. For girls we've narrowed it down to Emily, Charlotte, Grace and Freya."

"I'm still partial to..." Rachel started and then trailed off. She gave Tom a look and then spoke, "Tom...get the doctor...I feel like I need to push...get the doctor."

Tom jumped up and ran out of the room and grabbed the nearest nurse who alerted Rachel's obstetrician. After an hour of pushing, Rachel gave birth. Tom went out to the waiting room where he knew Mike, Sasha, Danny and Kara would be waiting. He was surprised to see the room filled with Nathan James crew members, Sam and Ashley. Ashley and Sam decided they wanted to wait with everyone else at the hospital instead of staying home by themselves. Tom was thrilled to see his kids and immediately pulled them into hugs.

"Well" Ashley said when she was released from the hug.

"It's a girl. Seven pounds, six ounces, twenty and a half inches long."

Cheer erupted in the room and hugs began.

"Congratulations Tom." Mike said giving him a hug.

"Thanks, Mike."

"Can we meet her dad?" Sam asked.

"Of course, Rachel has been looking forward to seeing you guys."

Tom escorted Ashley and Sam to Rachel's room, he gave a gentle knock on the door to let Rachel know he was back.

"Ashley, Sam, come meet your sister."

"Oh my god...she's so tiny." Ashley said, happy tears coming down her face. Rachel looked at Sam, who was trying to a typical thirteen year old boy and not cry, but she could tell he was about to lose the battle.

"What's her name?" Sam asked.

Rachel looked at Tom and nodded. He came over and sat down next to Rachel on the bed and took the baby.

"Ashley and Sam, meet your sister Freya Emily Chandler."

The End

AN: This just seemed the a perfect ending. We know that everyone is happy and healthy and now the name of the baby. Thanks for reading.