Title: Two if by Land
Chapter 1 – A Desperate Search
Summary: Slattery uses his time off after Chandler leaves to try to find his family. But someone unexpected joins the search and a burgeoning friendship is strengthened as the search continues. Slattery/Garnett angst/friendship
Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Last Ship (sadly) only my hard working muse and the dream to work under Captain Chandler (pun intended) hehe and the love of all things #chandlery (b/c I love my bromance and this show rocks it!)
A/N: I love the hints of the Garnett/Slattery friendship from eppy one of this season and expanded upon it a bit in my 'Promises Made' ficlet and wanted to do an exclusive little piece for their friendship and the search for Slattery's family and hope it's not too out there and you enjoy this a little.
'I got through to home. My boy…he's gone. Christina's up at Deer Park. Some kind of safe zone. Girls are with her.'
As he stands on the deck of the Nathan James, his mind recalls what seems like almost a lifetime ago, telling Chandler that he had heard from his wife and…his son Lucas had been taken by the virus and their lives were forever altered.
'We're fine. The girls are okay. Scared and shaken but we're all trying to cope. Mike I love you so much and we all miss you. But it's safe here. We'll stay as long as we can and then we'll head back home when they tell us.'
After that he lets his mind drift back to when Granderson had been taken down and they were allowed their first real shore leave since the virus struck. Since he hadn't heard they went home, he hurried to Deer Park, hoping to be greeted by three happy and relieved faces. Instead what welcomed him with open arms was despair…destruction and desolation. The park had been ransacked. Tents torn, clothing and other material possessions strewn about without care, and no sign of human life – anywhere. It was quiet. Empty. Eerily so and he felt despair grip his soul.
'Why'd they leave? Why'd they all leave?' He asked in misery as he looked at the few bits of possessions inside his family's tent; a small picture album affixed in his grasp. Tex had made the comment that someone got exposed and everyone took off and that was plausible. But then why not go home?
The trip to his home was just as depressing as it was devoid of life but filled with stale air and a fine film of dust. He left his vest, radio, and three shots of the cure as well as a note. After that he would leave little messages via one of the physical patrols to tell his family he was now in St. Louis and for them to meet him there. If they could. That was months ago and still nothing.
But Tex's words…still give him some kind of hope.
'They could still be out there…'
And he knows he owes it to them to find out for sure, for his peace of mind and for final closure. Others, although they had lost their family members, had been given that. He still goes to bed each night with a hearty chorus of 'what if's' dancing around in his mind and heart.
I have to find them, Slattery's mind tells him as he exhales heavily and feels his shoulders slump. Find someone else who had been at Deer Park…find one and then track them…find them and ask…ask if they know where my family went. Someone would remember. Someone would know…someone will give you closure.
"Any plans for shore leave?"
Slattery turns to see Garnett slowly walking up to him with a small smile. He gives his XO a nod and then turns and looks back upon the St. Louis landscape with a furrowed brow.
"When you found out about Bill…was it…ah never mind," Slattery starts and then stops.
"It was hard, but at the same time…at least I knew," Garnett replies as she leans on the rails the same as him and looks out into the St. Louis landscape. "Not knowing…sorry."
"I keep wondering. Why…haven't they tried to call? They know guys who could get through to me. I tell myself they all went together but then…why haven't their names shown up on a list yet? So maybe there is still hope and it…it goes around in a damn circle," Slattery huffs as he shakes his head and follows it up with a soft curse.
"Are you going back to Baltimore with your time off?"
"Was thinking maybe I'd…go back to Deer Park. Talked to one of the patrols there and it's still…well as we left it. But maybe I could find some kind of ID or something that will help me find someone…find them and…ask if they saw Christine and the kids or…I don't know. Maybe I'm grasping at straws."
"Hope dies last right?"
"Right," he agrees with a small smile. "I just need to know for sure."
"The James engineering section is in good hands. If you want an extra set of eyes, friendly shoulder to vent on or just someone to stop you from doing something stupid," she quips as he slightly smirks. "I need to do something. Can't just sit and…contemplate…things that just happened. Not today."
"I keep telling myself it wasn't real," Slattery huffs, referring to Chandler's recent resignation from the Navy and departure from the Nathan James. "I guess…I guess I need to do something also."
"See you on the deck in an hour."
Slattery watches Garnett turn and head back into the belly of the large ship and then turns back to where Chandler's SUV had been. "Hope dies last."
XXXXXXXX
Walking off the plane in Baltimore, forces Slattery's anxiety to starts to gain a bit more bitter momentum but he tells himself no matter the outcome, and he's sure it won't be positive after this long with only silence from his beloved wife & daughter's end, that he needs to know for sure.
"Feels weird…coming back here," Garnett comments quietly, audibly voicing what she knows they both are feeling.
"St. Louis is home now for most of us," Slattery states with a somewhat sour note in his tone as they head for the rental area to get a car; opting to just cruise around as civilians without the whole military entourage to draw attention to themselves.
First stop is at his House and as soon as Slattery opens the door, he doesn't even have to go into the living room and see the items in the table to know that his family hasn't been there – since he left.
"Just had to see for myself," Slattery whispers as he enters the living room and then curses the film of dust that had collected. He picks up the note and blows off the dust, his mind inwardly growling at himself for even giving a moments pause that they'd be there.
"Do you want to take them with you or…leave them here?" Garnett sort of ponders audibly as she pulls away and starts to check the rest of the empty House.
Slattery checks the battery on the radio and then looks at the vials of the cure and feels his jaw tighten. But he knows he doesn't have time to dwell on melancholy and so calls out to Garnett and then locks up. Just as he's about to get into the Jeep he hears something, both of them hear something and then turn and hurry toward the back yard.
"Christi…" Slattery starts in hope as he pushes the gate open and then stops short as he looks up to see two teens rummaging through his back shed. "Hey!"
"Get lost buddy!" One of them sneers as Slattery takes a step in their direction.
"This is my home!"
"Says who!"
"Me!" Slattery growls as he pulls his gun and aims it at one of them. "Those patrols out there, work for me. Who wants the first shot!"
Garnett offers him a small headshake as the younger men trade worried looks and then quickly turn and dart over the fence and out of view. "Easy there Marshall Earp," she gently teases.
"Something stupid?" Slattery huffs as Garnett offers him a wry smile as they head back out and report to the street patrol and then resume their original course of getting in the jeep and heading to Deer Park.
"They would have made their way to St. Louis if they got my messages or heard…she knew who to ask. She woulda asked…woulda tried," Slattery mutters, almost trying to convince himself more so than the person sitting in the passenger seat next to him.
They reach Deer Park and both Slattery and Garnett get out of the Jeep. One patrol had been stationed for the neighborhood but since the virus wasn't their biggest threat, security forces were best used elsewhere.
"Didn't have the heart to take everything away," Slattery comments softly as he stares at what was left of his family's tattered tent; a few things missing that he assumes had been pilfered. He had taken the photo album as it was worth something to him, the rest…he left in case they came back. "Wasn't sure if they'd come back."
"I'll see if I can find something…personal for anyone that was here," Garnett comments as she starts to fan out to the right.
When she first asked if she could some, Slattery had doubts as he didn't want to project his personal misery on to any of his crew, least of all his right hand. But now, having her here was somewhat comforting. She knew what it was to lose everything that was dear…her friendship and support was invaluable right now.
Garnett looks around and then finally spies an ID card and heads back to Slattery who would call a local police contact and get them to run the name and see if the person as alive or a dead end – literally. While he makes the call, Garnett slowly meanders through the eerie quiet, her mind picturing laughing children, chattering adults and curious onlookers.
"Thanks for checking. Yeah you too," Slattery hangs up and then looks at Garnett with a distressed gaze before he shakes his head that it was a no go.
"We keep looking," she retorts as she presses on; knowing that finding him answers…closure, no matter the kind was the most important thing now.
Slattery finds another partial piece of ID and makes the call. This time they get an address but his detective friend reminds him that the person probably doesn't live there if they found it in the park. "Yeah…I know," Slattery grumbles as he asks him to text the info and then hangs up and keeps looking.
An hour later Garnett goes looking for Slattery and finds him sitting on a small bench looking at something in his grasp. "We were at some damn theme park," he starts in a low tone, his back still to his XO. "One of the girls wanted it. It was late but…but I couldn't say no. Christine laughed said I was a hard ass cop but when it came to my girls and stuffies I was…a damn pile of goo."
"Bring it. You need a few happy memories to hold on to."
"Yeah…" Slattery nods as he shoves the small stuffie into his pocket and the two of them head a bit deeper into the park.
"Most stuff, at least anything valuable has been pilfered….or burnt," Garnett huffs as she tosses aside a piece of ID that couldn't be used. "We have…three leads?"
"Come on…let's get going before it gets dark."
They hurry back to the rental car and then head toward their first destination. "Ah…empty," Slattery states in disappointment as he shakes his head. "No forwarding address or next of kin."
"Two to go," Garnett reminds him firmly, not wanting him to give in to mounting despair.
"I just need…someplace to lay flowers or…curse or…"
"Just go and ask why," she replies as her gaze stares absently out the window into the late afternoon skies. "When I found out about Bill I was…I was angry. I wish he could be there at least one more time so I could ask him why…why did he let it happen. And then…then I stopped and realized how that sounded. He was dead and I wanted to blame…anyone but myself for not being there," Garnett concludes her tormented confession with a small sigh. "I left him there in Baltimore. It was where his parents were buried. Felt wrong to find someplace else. You wanting to have that makes sense."
"Guess those of us who have lost…"
"They could still be alive," Garnett interjects in haste as Slattery's lips draw into a thin line.
They arrive at the second home on the outskirts of the city center and stop out front just as the sun starts to set. "A light's on…that's…something," Garnett nods as Slattery's gaze and affixes on the small light in the front window. They get out of the car and slowly head up the walk; a dog barking inside alerts the person inside and a shadow appears in front of the window.
"Hold on…" Slattery pauses as the outline of a rifle comes into view. He leaves his gun in it's place but takes another step upward toward the door; Garnett right behind him. "Sir?"
"Who's there!"
"We need…help," Slattery replies as they both look to their right to see the curtains pull back slightly and a wrinkled face look at them in wonder. "Were you in Deer Park? I'm trying to find my family," Slattery continues as he pulls out a picture and holds it up to the window.
"I got no money and hardly any food!"
Slattery then pulls his Navy ID and holds it up. "I just need to find my family. Don't need anything else. Please Sir…just some information."
The curtain closes and Slattery looks at Garnett with a small huff as he shakes his head and then gestures for her to head back to the rental car.
"Can't blame him for not trusting anyone," Garnett comments. "And it's getting late."
"Yeah," Slattery reluctantly agrees.
But just as he reaches the bottom step, Garnett a few ahead, they both stop in their tracks as they hear the door slowly opening and both turn to see the door open and an old man with a rifle and large dog standing in the entranceway looking at them in wonder.
"Sir…my name is Michael Slattery and this is Andrea Garnett. We just need some information on my family. They too were in Deer Park. Lost my son but am hoping that someone who was there…saw my wife and daughters and know where they might have gone?"
"Many died there."
"I know. I just need closure."
"She your sister?"
"I'm his XO. Michael is captain of the Nathan James."
"James huh…Oliver's a good man. About damn time we had someone with a brain back in the big chair. Come on in," the old man gestures as Slattery looks at Garnett in surprise.
"Reminded me of my father. Was a hard ass until you found common ground. Usually the Navy or politics," she slightly smiles.
Slattery gives her an appreciative nod and then slowly climbs the stairs and enters the small, warm home; Garnett behind him and closing the door to give them privacy. "We don't want to impose or stay long."
"Don't mind the company," the old man huffs as he tells his dog to stop barking and go lay down; something it does without much fuss. "Lost both my boys to that damn virus. One…a few days before the cure was administered. Was hell here a few days. Was out with my dog when the virus started to run rampant. When I got back home, my tenant….he was sicker than…well it was obvious he was infected. I turned around and Rufus and I got the hell out and went to the nearest safe zone we could find, Deer Park. I seen them. Seen your family. Your wife, very kind and smart woman," he pauses as he looks at the picture of Slattery's family in his grasp.
"Do you know…why did you all leave?"
"Two guys stumbled into the Park showing all the symptoms and we scattered like hell," the old man explains; Tex's words slamming into Slattery with full force.
"Do you know where they went?" Slattery dares to ask. "A direction…location…anything. I need to find my family."
"I…"
A/N: went back to eppies 1.1 and 3.2 for some of the dialogue to add a bit more backstory to Slattery's angst and the Slattery/Garnett friendship. So I had originally planned this as a one shot but when I started writing I wanted to add a bit more so it became a two shot and hope that's okay. Hope they are in character and this pairing isn't too out there (nervous you'll all hate this). Please do review before you go and let me know what you think of this piece/pairing and what the old man might say b/c am anxious for your thoughts and thanks so much.