Here and Now.
New Mike and Andrea story! Thank you so much to 'novemberjuliet' for this amazing idea, this one is a little a/u. So, I will outline the key facts. We are talking about the human trials, but they come about a little differently in this story and Mike was never a cop, instead, he joined the military aged seventeen, and he and Andrea met while in the academy.
So, this story is set in season one, with tiny hints of Danny and Kara, too.
(Very Tom and Sasha, I know, but I promise, I not stealing that storyline – or at least I hope I'm not!)
Twenty years ago, Mike and Andrea were inseparable, but in the end, Mike chose the Navy over her. Twenty years later, they're back together, serving on the same ship, under the same Captain, fighting against the same threat. But sometimes, in the middle of all the chaos and panic, one thing is utterly clear.
Mike and Andrea pairing, coming together after twenty years apart.
Reviews are welcome, loved and appreciated! Enjoy! Disclaimer – I own nothing.
"So, you mean putting six of my crew at risk, almost certainly putting them to death, is the only way you can cure this virus?" Tom had gone past shock, now he was in disbelief, and Mike couldn't blame him.
What Dr Scott was suggesting seemed mad, unsafe, and something Tom Chandler would never agree to, but a part of Mike had to believe it would work, after all, she was the scientist.
"What, if we were to do it, would it involve?" Slattery asked from his chair at the table. The three of them had been talking for well over an hour, but the conversation didn't show any signs of ending. Both men, and possibly Dr Scott needed an answer before leaving the room, a yes or no.
"We're not doing it," Tom said before Rachel could speak. Mike raised his hand a little.
"Okay, hypothetically, if we were to do these tests, what are we looking at? Tom, we have to consider this, I don't want it any more than you do, but we're fighting blind here, we need some kind of cure or at least some progress as we get closer to the mainland." Mike made his point, and not that he always thought he was right, but he could see Dr Scott nodding.
Whether it was a human trial or a test on a monkey or even a sign from God himself, they needed to make progress, they needed something to work with, something Rachel could get information from, something they could use to get a head start on stopping the virus that was bringing the world to its knees.
"We would inject them, with the strain of the virus, and then, inject them with the prototype of the cure. From then on, we would check symptoms, and try to work out what needs changing and what doesn't, who reacts well and who doesn't. It would include tests every three hours, and potentially the injection of multiple cure samples we have in the lab," Rachel was interrupted by Tom who still looked to be in disbelief.
"This could kill them, and I hate to say it, but if you could be a hundred percent certain that from their deaths you could get a cure, you could save everyone else, then maybe, I would be a little more open to this, but you can't promise us that. They are my crew, they are my responsibility, and while on this ship, they are my family, so, if you think I am going to risk losing another six members of my family, Dr Scott, you need to come up with something a little more convincing than tests, potential cures and monkeys." Dr Scott nodded in understanding.
"Okay, what if I told you I already have six crew members willing to put their lives at risk?" Both men looked up at the doctor in shock.
"You went over my head?" Mike watched as the chair Tom was sitting in hit the wall as he pushed it back to stand.
"Captain,"
"How dare you!" Mike remained quiet, wondering which six of the Nathan James' crew would sign up for this, but then again, he knew all of them would have signed up for this is needed. Fear wouldn't have come into it, it was the same will they all shared to serve their country.
"Which six?" Mike asked, interrupting the staring constant between Tom and Rachel.
"Which six put their names down for the human trials, Dr Scott?" Mike asked again after getting their full attention.
Rachel handed Mike a sheet of paper with six names written down, with their rank, age, and gender. As he scanned through the list of six names, he thought up at least five reasons as to why each one shouldn't do it, but on the other hand, they were some of the most dedicated sailors onboard, so he could see why they would.
"I'm going to go and talk to them. You two can have this out as long as you want. Maybe something will come to you, Dr Scott, another way around this?" Mike suggested almost in a cool tone as he left the room.
Moving through the ship he walked onto the bridge, his eyes landing on the Master Chief quickly. He moved over to the older man, motioning to the hatch behind him, sending a clear message that they needed to have a conversation, in private, now.
"XO,"
"Master Chief, I heard about what you signed up for." Mike heard Russ sigh and could only imagine what was going through his mind.
"I thought Dr Scott had cleared it with the Captain," Mike shook his head.
"No, she used the six names to try and convince him, I assume they're still staring each other down in the CO stateroom. We're trying to find another way, or Dr Scott is at least, but I wanted to see how all six of you were holding up. This isn't something to be taken lightly." Russ nodded in understanding.
"I want to, Sir. I took an oath to serve and protect the homeland, and if I need to die to ensure everyone else lives, then so be it. I believe that God put me on this earth for a reason, I believe he took away my wife and daughter for a reason, so I believe that he has put me on this ship in the middle of a pandemic for a reason. Your faith may not be as strong as mine, but maybe God sent me here to do this."
"Russ, I won't argue with you, but this trial, it will be a living hell. All of the stuff going into your body, the side effects, you could die in these trials."
"But if I die, then, Dr Scott will have something to work with, and I hope that if it comes to me dying that it will be to save everyone else aboard this ship." Russ put a hand on Mike's shoulder.
"XO, I understand your concern, but if this could potentially save thousands of lives, I have to go through with it." Mike couldn't argue with the man, so instead, he gave him a short nod, before dismissing him.
He took a moment before pulling the sheet of paper out of his pocket, looking down the list of names.
Tex he didn't know well enough, but the guy seemed up for anything, so Mike didn't think it was right to question his motives, but he would go and talk to the man, give him some support.
He was sure by now they all knew that if they walked into that tent in sickbay, they may never walk out.
The other names, they were people he could talk to.
Kara Foster, Eric Miller, Maya Andrews, and Ryan Wilson.
"Miller, Andrews, a word?" Mike said from the door of the crew lounge.
The pair got up, both of them looking at each other as if they'd been called into the principles office for throwing water balloons off the roof.
"Sir," They said in unison.
Mike gave them a nod, before motioning for them to follow him down the passageway to the wardroom which was empty.
"I heard about you signing up for the human trials Dr Scott is performing." Mike began, knowing both of them would give the same answer, just like the Master Chief had done in the beginning. It was all about serving their country.
"Dr Scott said that testing on humans could potentially help speed up finding a cure. We already know how bad this virus is, and we could have a shot at stopping it, Sir." Miller explained, looking to Maya quickly, who nodded as well.
"You both understand how dangerous these trials are? You could potentially die,"
"Sir, if I may, we knew that when we joined the Navy," Mike held up his hands, interrupting her.
He sighed, nodding in understanding, they both had a point, potential death was in the job description.
"I understand, but I just wanted to make sure you knew the risks and exactly what you were signing up for. The Captain and Dr Scott are talking it over to see if there is any other way we can do this, and while I hope there is, if not, I wanted to make sure you are both one hundred percent certain you want to take part in these trials."
Both sailors nodded, showing how willing they were to go through what even Dr Scott describe as hell.
"Dismissed." Mike had nothing more to say to them.
They both nodded to the Executive Officer, before leaving the wardroom.
Mike stood alone for a moment, thoughts running through his mind. He wasn't sure if any of the six would openly admit that they didn't want to do it, or at least if they would admit it to him. As much as he wanted to find the cure and go home, and have his family and everyone else in the world safe, he didn't know if he could watch six innocent and dedicated people risk their lives, and suffer what he could only imagine would be an extremely uncomfortable and painful death.
Maybe it was because deep down, he wanted to find another way around this, he didn't want any of the six to think this was expected of them. Even though he knew everyone on the ship would throw themselves in front of a bullet to save another life, he wanted to believe that Dr Scott could find another way. Or at least reassure everyone that they stood a chance at survival and a chance at finding a definite cure.
Lieutenant Foster walked in sync with the XO, as he spoke to her about the human trials.
"I can think of other things I would rather sign up for sir, but these trials may give Dr Scott a shot at finding a cure, and right now, that's what the world needs."
"It's not a military obligation, nor is it an order from the Captain." Kara stopped mid-step, turning to Mike.
"It's not, but I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't do it. People are dying, and we have a shot at saving them, Sir, this isn't about serving with the military, this is about human beings and innocent people."
"Thank you, Lieutenant,"
"Sir."
As Mike walked down the passageway, heading to find the final name on the list he saw Tom stood outside his stateroom.
"What's this? Timeout?" Mike asked as he got closer, looking at his friend then at the door.
"You could say that. Things got a little nasty. Believe me, Mike, I want to find a cure as much as everyone else, but those six names are six of our people, six of my people, I can't put them in harm's way, not without her word that we will find a cure that works." Mike nodded in agreement, Tom putting into words all he'd been thinking.
"I spoke to Russ, Foster, Miller and Andrews, they all seem willing. Apparently, to them, it's more a personal obligation than a professional one and I can see it from that point of view. We do have an opportunity to save the world, I just wish we had more of a guarantee that it's going to work." Tom gave a tight smile, nodding
"How much are you wishing you were in Miami now?" Tom asked, leaning up against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Just about as much as you wish you'd taken that desk job in D.C." Mike shot back.
"Who are the other two on the list?" Mike pulled it out of his uniform pocket and handed it over to Tom.
"They're all good people, even Tex. Don't know him yet, but he saved our skin at Gitmo, so I have to give him credit." Tom paused.
"Wilson, wasn't he out sick yesterday? Food poisoning or something?" Tom asked.
Mike shrugged taking back the piece of paper.
"I'll go and find out, and see if anyone has offered to take his place. I think maybe you should go and start round two." Mike said, a playful look on his face.
Tom only glared at him slightly.
"If they're all willing, and this is what the good doctor wants to do, I think I need to start asking about the process, what's going to happen. If this does happen, whichever six it is, they are not walking into that tent blind and I want to give them every opportunity to back out."
"I'm going to try and stay professional, but, they need to know what they're getting into."
"Doc, how's Wilson doing?" The sailor was laid, asleep on one of the bed in sickbay.
"Better. Food poisoning and dehydration, not a good combination, but he should be back to work once he sleeps it off. Bacon is checking all the food we have left, a few other sailors reported feeling unwell, right now, just looks like a bad batch of food."
"Okay, good to know. Can I talk to him?" Mike asked, taking a step closer to the bed the young man was laid on.
"Be my guest, Sir,"
After a few shakes of the shoulder, the young man was up and standing to attention, not that Mike wanted him too. He looked as though any sudden movement would make him throw up.
"Steady there, Sailor, I just cleaned my boots."
"Sorry, Sir." Mike gave a nod, crossing his arms, wanting to make this quick.
"You signed up for the trials that Dr Scott is wanting to conduct?" Mike asked.
"Not anymore, Sir. Due to being unwell I cannot take part, as far as I know, someone else is taking my place." It was understandable, with Wilson already being unwell, it would be hell on earth for him to go through it again, only a thousand times worse.
"Who?"
"Chief Engineer Andrea Garnett, Sir."
Mike walked down to the engine room, hoping to find the final name on the list, willing himself to remain professional, just like he had told the Captain.
"Garnett, a word?" Mike asked when he found her.
"Sir," She nodded, pulling off the safety glasses and passing her clipboard to her second in command to finish up what looked like maintenance checks.
"Wilson told me you're taking his place in the human trials?" Mike asked once they reached the passageway, the only place they would have a quiet conversation without walking to an upper deck.
"Yes, Sir. He was out sick and someone else needed to take his place, so I said I would. I spoke to Dr Scott this morning, she said if Wilson got cleared today then I wouldn't be needed, but I heard Doc Rios still has him in sickbay." Mike nodded, confirming what she'd heard.
"You're not doing it."
"Sir?"
"You could die in these trials, Andrea. What about Lily? What are we supposed to tell her?" Andrea gave him a look before interrupting him.
"Mike, stop. Be professional for a moment, I signed up to do this, I know what the risks are, but right now, this is the only shot Dr Scott has at finding a cure, I have to do this."
Mike sighed, running a hand over his face.
"Andrea,"
"No, this isn't twenty years ago, Mike. This is the here and now, and here and now is the world falling apart because of a virus, a virus that we have a chance at stopping. Of course, I thought of my daughter when I signed up, but at least if I die, she has a chance at living." Andrea explained herself as if Mike didn't already know. Her daughter was the first thing that went through her mind when she put her name down for the human trials.
"This isn't twenty years ago, but this is a situation where you and five other people could die. Andrea, I have asked everyone else on the list and they are up for it, and I know you are too, and all for the same reason, but I can't let you,"
Andrea shook her head.
"Mike, you don't get a choice in the matter, so, either get onboard with this or get out of the way. The rest of the world needs us, they need Dr Scott and her brain, and she thinks a human trial will help find a cure, so if that's what she says needs to happen, then it will."
Mike watched as she walked back towards her engineers.
He didn't know how to feel, other than he felt as though he had messed up again. He had no issue staying professional, just like he had no issue serving on the same ship as her, but the thought of her losing her life, the thought of him, even after twenty years, losing her, it was enough to make him throw protocols and professionalism out of the window.
"So, you spoke to the six?" Tom asked him, later that evening after Rachel had gone back to her lab.
"Andrea is taking Wilson's place," Mike told him.
Tom looked up from his desk.
"Is that an issue?" Tom asked, curious as to why Mike seemed to upset about the fact.
"I've known Andrea a long time, that's all."
"Well, we've known each other for just over ten years, Mike,"
"Twenty-five years, we met in the academy. I mean, it's not a big deal, I doubt anyone can talk her out of it, but, when you've known someone for that long,"
Tom nodded in understanding.
"So, these six?"
"Those six."
"Pray to god they make it out the other side,"
A/N: Is this worth continuing? Let me know! Thank you for reading.