The Storm
Disclaimer: I don't own the series nor its characters. This is just for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended.
Characters:
Commander Mike "CO" Flynn, Lieutenant Kate "XO" McGregor, Lieutenant Nikki "Nav" Caetano, Bosun Dylan "Dutchy" Mulholland, Chief Petty Officer Andy "Charge" Thorpe, Petty Officer Coxswain Bud "Buddy" Anderson, Leading Seaman Robert "RO" Dixon, Leading Seaman Leo "2Dads" Kosov-Meyer, Able Seaman Billy "Spider" Webb, Seaman Jessica "Bird" Bird, Midshipman Ryan White and Commander Maxine "Knocker" White as well as Captain Steve Marshall.
Summary: This story takes place right after the end of season 5. The crew of Hammersley, now with a new coxswain, just called "Buddy", is out again on patrol. And once again onboard are navigational officer Lt. Nikki Caetano and Able Seaman Billy Webb. After two weeks out at sea, the routine patrol turns into a real adventure. A big storm hits the northern part of Queensland and the Hammersley helps out in the aftermath. While the crew is out helping trapped boaters, CO Mike Flynn coordinates a combined search from the Navy and the local fire department. It ends badly.
Chapter One
HMAS Hammersley, morning watch, 08:30 hrs. Location: Timor Sea.
Down in the ComCen, RO has just received an urgent call over the sat phone for his CO. He asks the caller Commander White, to wait a moment while he searches for his boss. Up on the bridge he only finds Charge, Swain, 2Dads, Bird and Nav, but no CO. He asks "Has anyone seen the CO?" All shake their heads, but Swain pipes up "Maybe he is in the galley for his coffee." Thanking Swain for this information, RO exits the bridge and heads down to the galley, the sat phone still in his hand.
Reaching the galley he sees that it's empty. As he looks into the officer's mess, he sees Buddy their new medic sipping from his cup of coffee, while checking his medical supplies. Getting impatient, he makes a turn and crashes into the solid form of Dutchy. "Whoa! Where's the fire RO?" RO looks up to Dutchy and holds up the sat phone "I need to find the CO. I have an urgent phone call for him." Thinking quickly, Dutchy offers "I'll go and check his cabin. Maybe he is still asleep, after being on watch for more than ten hours straight."
With those words being said Dutchy leaves RO standing in the corridor and makes his way to his captain's cabin. Reaching it he knocks softly on the door. He knocks again, louder this time. Still getting no answer, he slowly opens the door and moves in, closing it behind him softly. The cabin is mostly dark, except for the small light at his desk that illuminates the room in a warm, soft light. Dutchy moves closer to the bunk and makes out the rise and fall of his boss' chest while he sleeps soundly, having not bothered to cover himself.
Not really wishing to wake his CO from his much needed rest, Dutchy puts his hand on his captain's shoulder and gives it a slight shake. No reaction comes forward, so Dutchy shakes harder this time and calls out "Boss? – Boss, you need to wake up." All he gets as an answer is a mumble, then all is still again. All that can be heard is the breathing of his slumbering boss. Remembering the call for his boss, Dutchy has an idea how to wake him up. He exits the cabin and takes the sat phone off a very surprised RO.
Not knowing who is on the other end of the line, Dutchy introduces himself and after learning it's Commander White, he explains what is going on and tells her his plan of waking the CO. Maxine agrees. Returning to his boss' cabin with the sat phone, he says to Maxine that she can go ahead now. With a smile he puts the sat phone right beside his captain's left ear and just waits for what happens next. Maxine's voice can be heard clearly, as she shouts in her best command tone "Michael Flynn! Move your sorry arse out of your bunk now!"
Instantly Mike is startled out of his sleep. The loud voice has shaken him so much that he literally falls out of his bunk and lands with a hard thud on the floor. Only a soft "Oomph" is heard from him as he makes contact with the ground. Having heard the thud over the phone, Maxine is concerned and asks, more quietly this time "Mike? Are you alright?"
Still trying to recover from his unexpected fall, Mike says nothing. He just concentrates on his breathing and tries to overcome the pain that's consuming him. Dutchy on the other hand, who didn't have time to react to catch his falling captain, decides to answer in his stead "Ma'am. Your shouting startled him and before I could react, he fell to the floor. I'm sorry I couldn't prevent it." Maxine is more worried about Mike then Dutchy's inability to prevent his captain from injuring himself in his fall from his bunk. She asks "How is he, Petty Officer Mulholland?"
Dutchy kneels down to be at eye level with his boss who still hasn't moved, still lying where he had fallen. Seeing his boss' face scrunched up in pain, he puts a hand on his shoulder and wants to know "Shall I get Buddy, or Bird to check you out, boss?" Not trusting his vocal cords to work, Mike only nods, instantly regretting the movement as a searing pain goes through his head, making him wince. Dutchy feels guilty about this. It was his idea to wake his boss like that, but he hadn't foreseen such an outcome.
Remembering that Commander White is still on the phone, he says to her "Ma'am. It seems he has hit his head in the fall. I'll get one of our medics to check him out. As soon as I know anything, I'll let our RO call you and let you know." Satisfied with this answer, Maxine ends the call. Dutchy closes the sat phone and lays it on the desk, before he once again kneels beside his fallen captain. By now he is lying face down on the ground. With an uneasy feeling, Dutchy grabs him and turns him around. Seeing that his boss is unconscious, he gets up and uses the PA system to make the call for help.
A few moments later Buddy reaches the CO's cabin and knocks on the door. Dutchy opens it to let him in. Behind him he sees the X approaching. "What happened here, Dutchy?" Feeling a bit sheepish, Dutchy explains to the X what had taken place until now. Kate is not impressed with her Bosun after hearing it all. Dismissing him, she enters Mike's cabin, closing the door behind her. Inside she sees Buddy hovering over the still form of her CO, the man she loves so deeply.
After his first initial check, Buddy looks up to the X "We should take him to the wardroom, Ma'am. From what I can tell, he has a bump at the back of his head. It is possible that he has a concussion too. But to determine that for sure, I need him where I can keep an eye on him at all times." Still not taking her eyes off of Mike, Kate moves over to take the radio and calls for Charge and 2Dads and asks them to bring a stretcher. Two minutes later Charge and 2Dads arrive. Without waiting they unfold the stretcher and go into the CO's cabin.
Even though they are shocked to see their boss lying unmoving on the floor, they act professional. After putting the stretcher down, they sink to their knees and lift their boss gently up. With utmost care they lay him down on the stretcher and lift it up, making their way to the wardroom, followed by Buddy and a very concerned Kate. In the wardroom they move him from the stretcher on the comfortable bed and cover him with the light blanket up to his waist. With a last look to their boss, Charge and 2Dads return to their posts on the bridge.
Buddy uses his stethoscope to check his boss' breathing and heartbeat. Satisfied that the fall just knocked him out, he turns to the X "His vitals are all strong. So no need to worry, Ma'am. We just have to wait till he wakes up. You could stay with him for now." Thanking Buddy and dismissing him, Kate walks over to the bed and takes Mike's larger hand in her smaller ones, squeezing it. Not wanting to interrupt such a private moment between his two senior officers, Buddy follows her order and goes out to the galley to grab a brew.
Realizing that she is alone now, Kate drags the chair up to the bed and sits down, not letting go of Mike's hand. Watching the slow, but even rise and fall of his tanned chest, Kate smiles slightly. She still can't believe what happened, because of Dutchy's stupid idea of waking the poor man. Knowing it will be a while till he comes to, Kate studies his features more closely. There are more grey streaks in his tuff of brown hair and he sports a two-day-stubble on his chin and cheeks. In Kate's eyes this only makes him even more handsome, ruggedly handsome. And she likes it.
So absorbed in admiring the man she loves, she doesn't register that another person has entered the wardroom. It's Bird with two cups of coffee. She holds one out to the X "Sorry to disturb you Ma'am, I have coffee for you." Smiling at Bird, she takes the offered cup and sips cautiously. A bit nervous, Bird asks "How is he Ma'am?" Not wishing to lie to the young sailor, Kate answers honestly "I don't know. I just wish he would wake up. I hate to see him like that. So vulnerable."
Trying to assure her, Bird says "He is strong Ma'am. I don't think a bump on his head will take him out for too long. And the positive side to all this is that he is now getting the rest he so desperately needed after his long hours on watch." Looking from Bird to Mike, she replies "I guess you are right", she pauses and turning back to Bird, goes on "Thanks for the coffee Bird. You can return to your duties." With a last look to her captain, Bird exits the wardroom and closes the door behind her.