Disclaimer: This is as much mine as Kate is Mike's. Pity on both accounts.

Spoilers: None if you've seen the series at all. If my story ends up coming true on the show, well that was just coincidence. If that happens, is my story fanfiction or is the show?

Special thanks to devoted2clois for her background information on Australia, just in case I never finish the other story I'm writing for "Sea Patrol."

Her Words

She'd been asleep when she'd mumbled it. Curled up in the sheets with her blond hair streaming behind her, she'd seemed to glow in the stream of moonlight coming in through the window.

So perfect.

So wrong.

He'd requested the transfer the next day.

The following morning she woke up to a goodbye letter on her pillow.

Eventually he stopped thinking of her. He was a busy man; he had more important things to worry about than where she was or what she was doing.

Occasionally though, alone in his bunk with the sound of the waves rocking him gently, his thoughts would drift to her anyway. The way her hair glinted in the sunlight. Her ringing little laugh. The slight turn-up at the end of her nose. He wondered whether she had another boyfriend or if she'd gotten that promotion she'd wanted.

And then inevitably he'd remember her words and all those thoughts would vanish and once again he'd be alone in his bunk.

He'd left her. That was all that mattered.

Then one day he got the transfer orders. His heart skipped a beat at the name. It was her.

She was different from how he remembered. Gone was the eager young lady determined to prove herself. In her place was a full-grown woman, confident and proud. Her delicate features and gentle grace belied the strength he knew she had. If anything she was more beautiful than before.

Their eyes met. There was no warmth in her gaze. Whatever they'd had was gone.

Slowly he grew used to her presence on board. His heart stopped thudding when they passed each other in the narrow passages. His eyes no longer sought hers out across the room. His fingers ceased to twitch in anticipation of tucking a wayward strand of golden hair behind her ear. She was just another member of his crew. Just another sailor under his command.

Still, sometimes he couldn't help himself. He would look up suddenly from his desk and see her standing on the bridge and his chest would tighten. Or he'd catch sight of her on deck during the night watch, the moon lending her that same, otherworldly glow. She looked like an angel and he'd catch himself moving toward her.

And then her words would come back to him and he would turn away.

He told himself he was over her and he could almost believe it. He told himself he wasn't jealous of her boyfriends, but deep down he knew it was a lie. He told himself the relief he felt when the boarding party returned safe was for his whole crew, but somehow the feeling was stronger when she'd led the expedition.

In the end there was no denying it, but it was too late anyway. What was done was done. He'd left her; that was all that mattered. All he could do was close his eyes and picture her glowing skin.

And then her words would come back to him, whispered on the wind:

"I love you."