Chapter 1

Dutchy had just returned from his last deployment and was looking forward to some R and R. He headed into his local bar for some lunch before he meets up with his brother. He heads up to the bar to grab a beer and next to him is his former executive officer Kate.

"X?" He asked, surprised

"Dutchy?" She smiled "Hi" she laughed as they hugged. "When did you get back from your deployment?"

"Just a couple of days ago actually, I'm glad to be back though 10 months at sea on a big ship, you know." "What about you, last I heard you we're still on "Hammersley."

"I was actually just promoted and took a desk job on base" she says taking a sip of her drink.

"Really, because "Melbourne" is back at base and most of us are on R and R for a while. How about you come around to mine and I cook dinner and we catch up." he says

"Alright, what time and where are you living now?" she asks

Dutchy gives her his number and addresses as he spots his brother enter the bar.

"That's my brother" Dutchy says as he raises his hand to acknowledge him. "I better get going; I'll see you tonight at 7"

Kate nods in response and exits the bar as Dutchy sat down next to his brother Alex.

"Glad to see you got back in 1 piece Dylan."

"Good to see you too Alex, how's mum and dad?"

"Better if you would come back and see them once in a while."

"I do what I can Alex, you know that"

"Yeah I do, but seriously Dylan, give them a call check in okay." "So what's new with you?" Alex asks

"Seriously? I've been away for 10 months Alex, on a warship in the Gulf"

"So what is going on with you and the blonde?" Dylan gives him a puzzled look. "The woman you were chatting to at the bar" he says

"Nothing, she was my XO when I posted to Hammersley". I hadn't seen her for a while, so we are going to catch up tonight."

"Really Dylan, because I saw you and that hug went on a little too long from your end. You invited her over to your place and you are going to cook. It kind of sounded like a date to me."

"Well it's not, we are just colleagues, friends just catching up is all. Alright, just drop it okay; tell me what's going on with you". Alex started to fill Dylan in about everything that had happened since they last saw each. Dylan's mind was elsewhere. "Was this a date? Did she think it was a date? Nah, of course she didn't she didn't think of him that way" he thought to himself.

As Kate drove back to the base to continue the rest of the day, he couldn't help but think about her catch up with Dutchy and her catch up with him tonight. She wasn't his XO anymore. I mean she had never thought of him in that way, but she'd always had a spark with him. "Just go with it Kate" she thought to herself. "See what happens"

Chapter 2 to come