Disclaimer: The Last Ship belongs to TNT.
AN: Got to say the finale had my jaw on the ground a few times, it got me inspired to write.
****
Tom Chandler watched Ashley and Sam as they slept, Doctor Rios had given him some mild sedatives before he left the Nathan James.
It was the last time too, if he never saw that ship again it would be just fine with him.
How many losses did the universe expect them to take?
First their mother had died of the red flu right in front of them and now they had watched their grandfather shot dead right in front of them.
Right now he had no idea of they'd stay in St Louis or go back to Norfolk, all he knew he was done trying to save the world.
They'd start making head way and then everything and everyone ended up even worse.
The darkness had taken him over, He had given in to it, and He needed to stop or who knew what would happen.
He looked out the window, it was dark and the night was filled with twinkling stars.
The peacefulness and their brightness a sharp contrast to the war raging within him, so many feelings were tumbling around, at war within him, it was like the raging winds of a hurricane.
So much death, so many that meant so personally to him.
His father, they'd had their differences as he had grown up and even after he was grown, but they'd always had love and respect.
In the end Jed Chandler had died to protect those in his care, his grandchildren, Debbie Foster, and baby Frankie.
At least he and his father had made peace with each other before then.
Of course he'd always feel regret that he wasn't there, something that had been happening too much.
Darien, it killed him that he hadn't gotten to her in time to give her the cure, or at least hold her and tell her he loved her one last time.
Rachel, Tom's eyes closed as fresh agony assailed him, god he was on hypocritical son of a bitch.
He had turned against her, condemned her for killing Niels, putting her into that position to begin with, threatening to imprison her after she had given into the darkness, the guilt for being attracted to her while Darien was still alive.
He had surrendered to the darkness himself, Shaw and her forces had been defeated, all he had to do was arrest her and let justice take its course.
But the sight of Tex and his body had thrown him over the edge, first seeing his children with guns pointed at them, his father's blood on Ashley's clothing.
It has been too much.
Tex had tried to pull him back, telling him what a good man he was, before the extent of his wounds were revealed and he'd breathed his last.
Tex may not have been navy but he had been a valuable ally in battle and Tom would definitely miss him.
Mason, Ravit, Chung, the list of crew who had died since all of this began was endless.
Tom was tired of the fight, of losing so much, gaining and then being pushed steps back.
For the first time he had no true idea of what to do next, he needed to regain control but didn't know how.
He was tired of always having to mourn.
His kids needed him more than ever.
And the darkness was ready to pounce and consume him, this time for good.
****
AN2: Wishing my muse would come back for New Edition, but this season without Rachel not to mention the constant fighting between fans on Twitter has pretty much killed it, for the first time in a long time, I am not in eager anticipation of a new season.
