Inspired by all the other stories about the Last Ship I have read especially the ones about Danny and Kara. I wanted to try and write something of my own. 🙂 Been several years since I have actually written anything. But reading all the stories here I found the spark to write something again. So I gave it a try. 🙂 Hope you enjoy this one.

1. The meet cute

It was an early summer day. Two days before the Nathan James would sett sails for a deployment. Kara had been doing some last minute shopping's when she went to get a take away coffee from Starbucks. It would be a while before she could enjoy these specially made coffees she was used to treating herself every once in a while. They hadn't been back from the previous deployment more than three weeks and were already called in for the next one.

Kara took the coffee she had ordered and went to the side table to add some sugar in her coffee. She was trying to close the lid while moving towards the door in the crowd all the while holding the shopping bags in her hand. The place was kinda full despite it being a warm day. She was about to reach the door when someone stood up from a table forcing her to take a step back which she did and she landed in the arms of a gentleman waiting in the line. Her coffee spilled over her black top and denim shorts. Luckily she didn't drink her coffee black so it wasn't as hot as it could be. "Are you okay?" She heard the man ask as she was still leaning into his arms and trying to get back on her feet. She turned a little and glanced at the man who was holding her steady. He had blond hair, green eyes and a beard. He was quite tall, handsome and in shape which she could notice through his t-shirt. Noticing that she was staring at him and hadn't answered his question she tried to come up with a reply but she found herself completely speechless, unsure of why. She wasn't usually this shy. She felt her cheeks turning red and she finally stabilized herself on her own feet holding her shopping bags in her hand and her half spilled coffee in the other. She felt his hands slipping away from her waist. "I.. I.. am fine." She finally got around to say after what she felt must have been awkwardly long wait for a simple answer to a simple question. "Thank you for your help." She added now that she had gathered her thoughts and wasn't feeling herself quite that embarrassed though her cheeks still were reddish. "Your welcome." She heard the man say and she began turning towards the side table to get some paper towels to dry her top and shorts when the man asked her "Can I buy you a new coffee?" She nodded and wasn't quite sure what she was thinking when she had agreed.

They sat down to a corner table after she had dried off the worst coffee stains on her top and shorts. He placed a cup of coffee in front of her. "Thank you, you didn't need to buy me a new one. It wasn't your fault that I was so clumsy." Kara explained looking at the man. She felt strangely attracted to him and she was remembering how the touch of his hands had felt so electric when he had hold her steady. It has been awhile since she has had any contact with a man and it hadn't been this exciting before so she was a little scared about what this was. "True, but I wanted to." said the man with a little chuckle. "Not every day I get to hold a beautiful woman in my arms." He continued which made Kara blush again not quite daring to meet his glazing eyes. "Being pretty direct, aren't you...?" Kara felt her voice being somewhat teasing and she met his green eyes looking at her. "Well might as well try to put on the charms.." He said which made Kara feel a little off that he might do this every day with every woman he meets. "You got a name beautiful?" He asked and took a sip of his coffee. "It's Kara, Kara Foster." Kara said with a shy smile as she was thinking how this would end. She sure felt herself a little excited that this man was complementing her looks but was also wondering where this would lead since she was leaving for a deployment in two days. "Nice to meet you Kara, I am Danny, Danny Green." He gave her a smile that literally was melting her knees.

"So what do you do for a living?" She found herself asking not sure how to continue the conversation. She saw a flicker of uneasiness in his face and started to wonder if he was unsure what to answer. "I am in the United States Navy. I am a Navy SEAL.." He said and looked straight at her as if studying her face what she would think of it. "Wow. That sounds exciting." were her words and she was already regretting what she had said. Because it wasn't just exciting and being in the Navy herself she didn't want to sound like a "bimbo" which she thought came out with the words she had said. "I get that a lot." He said and took another sip of his coffee and she was wondering whether she heard a little sadness in his voice. Was he hoping this would lead to something or was he just being friendly with her? She felt like she had to give the man a little hope. "Being part of the Navy isn't something to take lightly. You have taken an oath for your country and I understand that more than you think. I didn't mean to say what I did. I am in the Navy myself." She explained herself and she saw his eyes light up and he gave her a soft smile.

Kara wasn't sure what to do with the man. She had this warm feeling inside of her, like feeling a little tipsy after a couple of drinks. And she sure as hell hadn't been drinking anything else but coffee today. When he smiled at her she didn't notice anyone else in the room except him and she was flattered that he thought she looked beautiful. She wasn't used to getting this much attention from a man. She had dated in the past but being away for deployments that took several months at a time wasn't exactly in the minds of the guys she wanted to date. And dating a SEAL wouldn't exactly be that easy either if Danny would want to date her in the first place. For all she knew he was just being friendly with her and she was getting her hopes up for nothing.

"Who said anything about dating." She could hear her mother say in her thoughts. According to her mother she could just have fun every now and then. So she gave it a thought, she was attracted to him that was for sure. It could be a nice memory to have when she was at sea alone. But what if it wasn't good or what if it was too good. She remembered his touch on her waistline. Definitely too good, she thought. But then again she wasn't the kind of a woman who would throw herself at a man and have a one night stand. It was more her mother's game then hers.

"Something on your mind?" She heard him ask and she realized she had been sitting there with her coffee cup in her hands thinking for what had probably been a couple of minutes. She was beginning to wonder whether Danny thought she was completely hopeless. She thought that she should be straight with him. She had a need to know what he was expecting and she needed also to have some peace of mind herself. It didn't serve well to be second guessing and thinking what could have happened.

Suddenly aware that he was looking at her, waiting for an answer yet again to a question. She felt a little nervous. "To be totally honest.. I was wondering what this is and since I am leaving the day after tomorrow, I don't want to start something that might not last." She managed to say wondering what would he think about her now. She did assume that he might like her.

She was looking at him and saw his smile, bigger than before and she thought she saw his cheeks turning a little red as had hers a moment before. "Now who's the one being direct?" She heard him say with a laugh. "I gotta say.. I do think you are far more attractive and beautiful then you seem to think yourself. Perhaps I am hoping we could get to know each other better. But as you stated you are leaving town but then again so am I." She met his eyes as his words hit her. So he was into her and apparently they were both leaving come Monday. She felt excited and a little sad at the same time. First time in a long time she met someone who she thought might be worth her time.