Disclaimer: The Last Ship belongs to TNT.
AN: I love the bromance between Tom and Mike, and this whole season has had many moments, last night inspired me.
***
Mike Slattery thought he was prepared for anything, but the sight that greeted him when he entered Shaw's jet stopped him in his tracks and made his heart stop.
Tom was sitting on the floor, stunned shock and numbness on his face, the look of a man completely beaten down. Not physically but more emotionally than anything else.
Then he saw Tex's body and sorrow flooded him, but he could grieve later, Tom needed him.
Mike went to Tom's side and was relieved to see he had no physical injuries.
"Tom?" He said gently, "Tommy? It'll be okay, whatever it is we'll face it?"
Tom looked at him, his blue eyes held a vacant, devastated, look.
"He's dead," Tom's voice cracked, "They killed dad."
"Oh Tom," Mike felt like he'd been punched to the gut.
He'd met the older Chandler a few times over the decade he and Tom had served together. Jed Chandler had been a force of nature.
"Shaw did it in front of my kids, haven't they been through enough?"
Tom's voice broke and he leaned his head on Mike's shoulder, Mike felt the silent sobs that racked Tom but stayed silent, it was the only comfort he knew Tom would accept.
After a while Tom straightened up,
"Shaw surrendered but after Tex died I put a bullet in her head, I condemned Rachel for killing Sorenson, and I am such a hypocritical son of a bitch."
"Tom," But he didn't give Mike a chance to finish, he put his mask of command back in place and walked out of the plane.
To everyone else out there Tom Chandler looked solid as a rock.
***
Mike watched as Tom walked off the Nathan James, He was leaving and right now it looked to be the last time.
Tom just couldn't do it anymore.
They'd seen each other through so many things, raising children, deployments, and the red flu.
Mike had never felt more helpless.
He was captain, but as far as he was concerned the Nathan James would always belong to Tom Chandler.
"Don't look back," He had no idea where those words came from but a part him wished Tom would.
But Tom kept going and the future was now more uncertain than ever.