Up in Smoke Chapter 1

Disclaimer: yeah I own nothing. If I did Rachel would have never been killed off.

AN: The show was never very specific on a timeline. We can get a general idea that the Nathan James left in the spring (based on the flashback of Tom getting the phone call), we can guess they left in around April. We know they were at emcom for 4 months, there was a 154 day separation between season 2 and 3 and 16-18 months between season 3 and 4 (some websites are saying 16 and some 18, for the purpose of this story I'm going with 18), therefore I'm taking some liberties on actual months. I'll put my "timeline" in the bottom AN just for clarification. Please don't forget to review.

It's just a drop in the ocean

A change in the weather

I was praying that you and me might end up together

Its like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert

But I'm holding you closer than most 'cause you are my heaven

-Drop in the Ocean by Ron Pope

January 2015

Rachel felt the bullet tear into her body. She heard the scream rip from her lips and collapsed on the floor.

Her brain was racing.

I don't want to die.

Could she move? Could she make it to Tom?

I don't want to die.

Was she still screaming?

I don't want to die.

She heard a commotion around her. She opened her eyes.

Tom.

Tom was there.

"Rachel…Jesus Christ…Rachel hold on."

"Tom" she whispered. "I don't want to die."

"Shh don't talk. I've got you."

"Please don't let me die."

"You're not going to die Rachel. I've got you. You hold on."

"Please don't let me die." she muttered before darkness consumed her.

July 2015

Captain Mike Slattery had a hell of a day. After Tom resigned his commission and walked away, he was promoted to Captain and given the Nathan James. The crew and ship were back in Norfolk in dry dock. There was a lot that needed to be done on the ship before she could head out again, and she would it was just a matter of when.

He was thrilled to be home, while he wished it was with Christine and his children, he wasn't going to dwell. He quickly changed into civilian clothes and grabbed a beer from the fridge. He was heading back to the living room to watch some TV when the doorbell rang. He was surprised as he didn't get many visitors.

He went over and opened the door and received the shock of his life.

"Hi Mike."

"Rachel?"

"Can I come in?"

Mike couldn't speak, all he could do is nod and open the door wider. Rachel walked in and paused in the entryway allowing Mike to turn and re-lock the door. He gestured towards the living room and Rachel followed him there.

He turned to face her, confusion and anger etched into his face.

"What the hell is going on Rachel? You're supposed to be dead!"

"I know Mike...I'm trying to find Tom. Do you know where he is?"

"Like hell Rachel. Tell me what is going on!" Mike replied angrily.

Rachel sighed, "I woke up in the hospital with armed security around me. They immediately notified Jeff, who came rushing to the hospital with the director of the FBI. They told me that I was dead and I would be relocated, given and new identify and be under the protection of the FBI until they deemed it was safe. You now me...I was absolutely livid...but I lost the argument and off into the protection of the FBI I went."

"That's it?"

"The abbreviated version, yes." Rachel responded. "Where's Tom, Mike."

Mike sighed and sat down on the couch.

"He left the navy Rachel, resigned his commission and walked away."

Rachel gasped and immediately sat down in a chair opposite of Mike.

"What? Why?" she whispered.

"It became too much for him." Mike paused before continuing, "I'm sure you heard about the virus mutating and Jeffrey's death." Rachel nodded and he continued, "Jeffrey's death wasn't suicide, it was murder. He was killed by Allison, someone he worked with and trusted. Allison, while obviously not behind the virus mutating, was the mastermind behind the hell the Nathan James, we, went through in Asia. Allison kidnapped Ashley and Sam and killed Jed. Tex ended up dying as well Rachel."

Rachel covered her mouth, "oh god."

"He killed Allison...afterwards he understood how you felt when you killed Sorenson. He blamed himself for Darien's death, for Tex's and his dad's and while he never admitted it to me, your's too."

"Jeffrey promised me that he would tell Tom." Rachel stated.

"Well, obviously that didn't happen." Mike retorted.

"What do you want from me Mike? What?" Rachel yelled, "Do you want me to say I'm sorry...I'm sorry...God, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that I didn't fight harder against the FBI and the bloody president!"

"I'm not mad at you Rachel...I'm mad at the situation." Mike yelled back, "I'm mad because I saw my friend fall apart after you died and he wouldn't talk to me! I saw my friend walk away because he has lost so much and he is terrified of losing even more!"

"What do I do Mike?" Rachel whispered.

Mike sighed and got up and moved closer to Rachel. He took one of her hands and squeezed it, "I don't know Rachel. I know you want to see him...but I honestly don't know where he is. He grabbed Ashley and Sam and took off."

"I...I.." Rachel began to cry, "I don't want him to go on thinking that I'm still dead...I…"

Mike felt horrible. He saw the relationship change between Tom and Rachel. They started off with icy indifference and then hostility when he discovered that she had been lying to them for four months. It then moved into a tentative friendship to Tom willing to do anything to protect her. He suspected the two had feelings for each other, but had been unwilling (on Tom's part) and scared (on Rachel's) to act upon them. His thoughts on the matter were further cemented when Tom admitted that Sasha had kissed him and he had felt nothing. He knew that they had had a previous relationship, so at one point he did have feelings for her.

"Rachel I wish I could tell you how to find him, I really do...as for what you should do...do what you do best, save the world because I'm sure it will continue to need being saved."

AN: This chapter was a bit hard to write. I wanted to convey Mike's conflicted emotions, but I also wanted to save some thoughts and feelings of Rachel and Tom for their eventual reunion.

Author's Notes

Timeline

April 2014- The Nathan James leaves Norfolk (based on the flashback when Tom is told they are leaving, it looks to be spring timeframe).

August 2014- After 4 months at Emcom, learning about the virus

October 2014- Based on the flashback in episode 7 which says "6 months ago". Logically makes sense due to how long it would take the ship to get from the Arctic to Cuba (12-24 days based on speed) and then to South America (1-3 days), also taking into account how that the ship would have been in Cuba and South America for a time period.

November 2014- It would take the ship between 7-15 days to get to Baltimore. Season 1 ends and season 2 picks up immediately at this point.

November 2014-January 2015-season 2, based on where the ship went and what they did and the definite delays and what not, it was probably a least 2 months doing all they did.

January 2015- Rachel shot

June 2015- season 3 begins, episode one states that it has been 154 days since the inauguration.

June 2015-July 2015- season 3, another guestimation based on where the Nathan James went (Asia) and that they were held captive and everything that happened in the season. From what I've read, I can't figure out if a new "cure" was developed for the mutation.

July 2015- Tom resigns his commission

January 2017- 16 months later (some sites say 16, some say 18, for purpose of this fiction, it will be 16 months). We know from episode 1 that Tom has had no contact with anyone for 16 (18) months.

January 2017-March 2017- season 4. Tom reaffirms his oath to the Navy. Again another guestimation on how long they were "doing their thing" to defeat Velleck and get the seeds back to the US.

March 2017- season 5 "starts". Tom is now an Admiral (along with Mike) and that there will be a cyber attack possibly facilitated by a group known as El Norte for some unknown reason.