CHAPTER ONE:
SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW.

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ONLY RHETT KNEW.

Only Rhett knew what kind of reaction Lieutenant Jack Hobart would have when discovering that Sloane was missing.

It wasn't exactly a secret that Jack and Sloane had a fling for a few months, but only Rhett knew the reason it ended so suddenly. His co-workers knew perfectly well not to say anything, not to point out that Sloane was often shown favoritism by being given the best shifts, extra supplies, and the most obvious sign⎯⎯⎯her being allowed to have a dog.

The residents of the QZ had wondered when they first saw the dog trotting alongside the FEDRA soldier, some daring to question how and why she got to have a pet when no one else could. Jack immediately shut the questions down, claiming it was because of Sloane's work ethic. It didn't satisfy most, though Jack being known as a hothead kept any other festering questions from being asked out of fear of being arrested or even hung for questioning the man's decision-making. That kind of favoritism continued for a few more months, and then it abruptly stopped.

"Hey, look out. He's headed this way."

Rhett let out a soft grunt, turning his head to the side.

Lt. Hobart was walking down the hall with two soldiers behind him, weapons in hand. There was a dark look on his face, dark brows furrowed together in concentration and frustration. His age was beginning to show as lines were beginning to show on his forehead, gray taking over his hair as well as his stubble that covered the lower half of his face. He stood taller than the other men, appearing like a skyscraper compared to the others.

He was getting closer and Rhett saw the soldier beside him straighten his back, standing as tall as possible. Rhett just continued to casually lean against the wall, arms crossed over his chest as his eyes stayed focused on Jack.

"Anything yet?" Jack asked, glancing at the door⎯⎯⎯the door to the Torres' apartment. Two days had passed since anyone last seen or heard from Sloane, Leia, or Miguel, causing some rumors to begin to arise between the soldiers. A fine was slipped under their door after Sloane didn't show up to work the day before, but when she didn't show up again, Jack decided to bring some men with him to check on her. It wasn't like her to miss her shifts, only ever doing so if Leia was sick. Otherwise, she would give notice that she wasn't able to work her shift and find someone who could cover for her.

"No. Nothing so far, sir," the soldier near Rhett replied, firmly shaking his head.

Jack let out a sigh, glancing over at Rhett. "You really haven't seen her? Or any of them?" he asked.

Rhett nodded. "I'm sure. Leia's always loud comin' and goin'. Miguel's at my place more than his own, and Sloane. . .this just ain't like her. We both know that."

Jack breathed out a scoff, turning toward the door. "Alright," he said, glancing at Rhett and the other men. "I got a feeling we're not gonna find them, but be ready for anything."

Every soldier but Rhett gripped their weapons tight and raised them, safeties undone in case they needed to pull the triggers even once. Jack stared at Rhett, giving him a sharp look. Rhett clenched his jaw but grabbed his gun, doing the same as the others. Jack faced forward again and let out a sigh. He quickly raised his leg and kicked the door, busting it open.

He hurried inside the apartment, eyes narrowed and focus as sharp as ever. He glanced down when something scuffed under his feet, seeing the fine that was sent the day before. He looked at Rhett, nudging his head toward the hall. Rhett nodded, heading down the hall with another soldier behind him. Jack lowered his weapon slightly, noticing cabinet doors thrown open, spaces that were once full now completely empty. Luna's leash, her harness, and other supplies were gone⎯⎯⎯something that felt odd to Jack.

Who would take them and their dog? Plus the dog's belongings?

Someone who knew them well and cared about them.

"No one's here, sir," a soldier said, exiting the hall with Rhett. "The place is trashed, and it looks like most of their clothes are gone, too."

"They must've ran," another soldier added, shaking her head with a scoff. "Plenty of people have been trying lately."

"No, no," Jack denied. "Sloane's a soldier. She wouldn't just leave."

"We said that about Daniels, too," the soldier said. "Now, he's a damn Firefly."

"Now he's a dead fuckin' Firefly," Jack snapped. He glared at the woman, watching her shrink back and become silent. "Sloane didn't fucking turn on us⎯⎯⎯she wouldn't do that. But someone else in this apartment would." Jack continued, causing Rhett to turn his head towards him, brows furrowed together. "Miguel."

Rhett shook his head. "No, Miguel would never⎯⎯⎯"

"Shut the fuck up, Bernthal," Jack ordered, his eyes burned of an intensifying rage. "We all know he's up the Fireflies' asses. For fuck's sake, he's been trying to get Leia to believe in their bullshit, too. So, don't stand there and tell me he would never when we all fuckin' know he would."

Rhett clenched his jaw, letting out an angered huff. "You're just saying that because this falls on you⎯⎯⎯"

Jack stalked over to Rhett, standing directly in front of him. He glared down at Rhett, his fury growing when the man rivaled his stare. "Remember your goddamn place, soldier. I can ruin your life with just one fucking word. Now you better fuckin' do as I say and stop fucking questioning me."

"And what are you saying exactly?" Rhett asked.

"I'm saying I'm gonna find her and bring her back. She'll tell us the truth, and then the court can decide what to do."

Jack turned away, going to leave with the other soldiers. Rhett stood still in the living room, his voice causing Jack to pause. "And what if the truth ain't what you wanna hear?"

"Then she'll fuckin' pay for it."

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Meeting people outside of the QZ was rare after twenty years of Cordyceps ravaging the world, though there were a few that came along. Every once in a while FEDRA would bring in people they found and scan them to see if they were infected or not. If they weren't, they were allowed to stay in the QZ and given jobs in order to begin earning their place. It still wasn't much, but they would take it over being outside the walls any day. Sloane only had a couple run-ins with humans when on duty outside of the QZ. Sadly, each one of them had been infected, leaving another soldier to have to execute them while Sloane could only watch in horror as their lives were taken before they could realize what was happening. However, there were a few people on the outside that Sloane knew and trusted more than anyone else besides her family.

Sloane quickly walked up the two-story house with Skye right beside her, softly knocking a few times before she opened the door. She poked her head inside, smelling a sweet scent as she stepped into the house. She smiled to herself and closed the door, making sure it was loud so they knew she was there. "Honey," Sloane cheerfully called out, "we're home home!"

There was a string of curse words followed by some slight banging before the door that separated the dining room and the kitchen opened to reveal familiar faces. Sloane immediately grinned, holding her arms out when Bill and Frank walked out. Frank smiled as soon as his eyes fell on the young girl, happily walking over to her to hug her. Skye's tail began to wag, patiently waiting for the man to give her some much deserved attention. Sloane laughed as the older man wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "I've missed ya, kid," he said, pulling away and resting his hand on her shoulder. "It's been too long."

"Not long enough," Bill said.

Sloane rolled her eyes, shooting the man a look. "Oh, ha, ha. I know you missed me."

Bill scoffed, but a small smile did appear on his lips.

Sloane had known Bill growing up, having lived right next door to the reclusive man. Her parents warned her and Miguel to stay away from him, but Sloane liked him. She was interested in his conspiracy theories and how he was prepared for anything and everything to go wrong. Bill didn't appear to enjoy the girls' constant pestering, or her sneaking into his hidden bunker, but she was the only person smart enough to understand his theories and could comprehend his reasoning.

When Cordyceps took over, Sloane, her family, and her boyfriend (and Leia's soon-to-be father), Anakin, had been away on vacation a few states over and were taken to a QZ with a few other survivors. Her mother and father were both lost soon after, but her, Miguel, and Anakin all thankfully made it. Sloane soon joined FEDRA in hopes of really helping people and finding a steady lifestyle. Miguel picked up all and any work that came his way to survive within the confining walls. Anakin did the same when it came to work, considering he and Sloane found out they were pregnant soon after. It wasn't long before they began to hear about the Fireflies, and that Miguel was in favor of them. He'd only snuck out once before in an attempt to find one of their groups, and Sloane went after him so she could bring him back before anyone noticed he was missing.

She didn't realize it at the time, but her feet took her towards a place she was quite familiar with once upon a time.

Their old house.

Well, it was in that direction, but Miguel had apparently gone in another direction because he was not there when Sloane arrived.

Instead she found out that Bill was the last person there, and that he had fenced in the entire town to keep it all to himself. He didn't want to let anyone in, but he couldn't bring himself to ignore the girl⎯⎯⎯not when he actually liked said girl. He didn't approve of her working for FEDRA in the slightest, but he didn't hold that against her. If she was anyone else, he wouldn't have spared her another thought and ordered her to leave before he shot her where she stood. He never had trusted the government and there wasn't anything that was going to change that⎯⎯⎯it was Sloane, though. She was an exception.

The years came and went after that, Sloane secretly coming and going from Bill's, and occasionally bringing her daughter, Leia. She soon met Frank and she instantly liked him, which she often mentioned during her visits. As Leia got older and Sloane started to rise up in the ranks within FEDRA, the visits started to lessen to just a couple times every few months. Bill and Frank didn't take it personally, knowing how risky it was for Sloane each time she snuck away from her duties. It'd been almost eight months since the last time they saw her, the Firefly attacks making it even more difficult for her to get out. Part of her did feel bad she berated Miguel for always wanting to leave when she herself did it, yet the situations were completely different.

He wanted to join a group of terrorists.

Sloane just wanted to get out for a few hours.

There was quite a big difference.

Though, that still didn't stop the guilt that was festering inside her stomach even as she watched Frank give Skye some loving pets.

"Where's our niece?" Frank asked as he glanced up from Skye.

Sloane let out a sigh, frowning. Frank's smile faltered and he glanced over at Bill, a similar expression on his face. He stood up, standing a few inches taller than Sloane.

"What's wrong?" Bill asked, standing across from the woman at the table.

Sloane twisted her lips, shaking her head as she plopped down into a chair. Frank sat down beside her seconds later, his concern etched on his aging face. Bill pulled out a chair and sat down, his brows knitted together. "She, uh. . ."

"Oh, god, no⎯⎯⎯"

"No, no, not that," Sloane quickly denied, fear rattling in her heart at what Frank was thinking could've happened. Death was not a possibility. Not for Leia, and not for Miguel either. "That's not⎯⎯⎯no."

"Sloane, what is it?" Bill asked. "What happened?"

"She. . .Miguel took her. . .to find the Fireflies," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Frank's entire face fell, sinking back in his seat. His eyes flickered to his husband, seeing the man with his eyes shut as he shook his head. They had heard how Miguel wanted to be a part of the Fireflies. Sloane always mentioned it and vented about how she didn't want him to do it because it would ultimately result in his death. Bill didn't remember Miguel all that well, though he remembered that the boy was almost as stubborn as Sloane. It was a trait he and his sister shared, and was one of the main reasons they butted heads as often as they did.

"I'm trying to find them so I can bring them back home," Sloane said. "It's too dangerous for them out here. Miguel thinks he knows what he's doing. . .but he doesn't."

"We're not gonna let you go by yourself⎯⎯⎯"

"I'll be fine⎯⎯⎯"

"Sloane⎯⎯⎯"

"Frank, Bill," Sloane said, softly smiling at the older men, "I appreciate the concern, but it's okay. I'm a big girl, I can handle myself. And, I have Skye."

"I don't like this, Sloane," Frank said, still frowning as he spoke. Skye sat next to Sloane, resting her head on her owner's leg in an attempt to ease her nerves that she could sense. "There's dangerous people out there. Who knows what kind of trouble you'll run into. And being alone⎯⎯⎯"

"I don't care about me. I care about my daughter and my brother. I need to find them!"

Bill suddenly rose from the table, moving towards one of the windows as if he'd heard something. Skye perked up just a second after and ran around the table, plopping down next to the man. Sloane's lips smacked shut, noticing Bill's change of expression. "Bill?" she asked, cautiously standing up.

He stood in front of the window, his head slowly turning as if he was watching someone or something move outside. Frank got up and walked over to his husband, standing close to see out from behind the curtain.

"Just what we fuckin' need," Bill said, shaking his head as he turned to look at Sloane. "A FEDRA soldier and a smuggler in the same room. This outta be good."

"Smuggler?" Sloane shot up from the chair, hurrying to the window to see who Bill was talking about. She pushed some of the curtain out of the way, narrowing her eyes when she saw two figures nearing the house: one was a man with graying hair and the other was a girl maybe a year or two younger than Leia.

Sloane let out a gasp as soon as she saw the man's face, clenching her fists together.

Holy shit!

She instantly turned on her heel, immediately going for the door with a fire in her eyes and her finger itching for a trigger. Skye growled and rushed after Sloane, prepared to back the woman up if a threat showed itself. Frank grumbled under his breath as he watched the woman quickly move, chasing after her with Bill.

"Sloane, wait⎯⎯⎯"

"Just don't⎯⎯⎯"

She grabbed the door handle and yanked it open, coming face to face with none other than Joel fucking Miller.

He halted in surprise, eyes growing wide at the sight of the familiar woman standing directly in front of him. "Joel Miller," Sloane sneered, her other hand resting on her gun. Skye was in between her legs, in a slight crouch stance with her teeth bared. "You are just the person I wanted to see."

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Long time no see!! 😅

I am so sorry this took so long!! 😭 I just couldn't figure out how I wanted this chapter to go and wasn't liking what I had so I had to keep starting over, but I finally finished it so here it is!!!

I know it's kinda short, but I think as the story progresses and it begins to actually include episodes from the show + the game (some of which will had scenes add in/taken out/altered) hopefully the chapters will start getting longer!!

And, as I'm sure y'all noticed, Bill and Frank aren't dead in this fic, nor does Frank currently have the disease he ends up with. While I still love their episode + Bill and Frank's relationship, I just didn't have the heart to kill them off. I liked seeing Ellie interact with Bill in the game, and while she didn't get to with Frank in the game, she now gets the chance to interact with both of them now! I'm not sure if everyone will like that, but I hope some of you still will <3

Anyways, please don't forget to leave your feedback in the comments and I hope y'all enjoyed!