A/N: This is my response to a
Fanfic Challenge on
This story is dedicated to
HollyDixon from who made this challenge.
Hope you
enjoy, and please review.
LS Robert "RO" Dixon had just
returned to his office from the bridge when the sat phone rang. As he
picked it up, he pulled out a bunch of paperwork the CO required him
to sign.
"Leading Seaman Dixon." He said into the sat phone,
picking up a pen to start attacking the large pile of paperwork.
"Robert?" A small voice said on the other end of the sat
phone. RO frowned. It sounded too much like his sister, Kelly, for
his liking.
"Yes? Speaking?" He replied, putting the pen
down.
"It's Kelly." RO struggled not to moan as he leant
back in his chair.
"Kelly, I thought I told you to only call me
if there's an emergency." He scolded her.
"But this is. My
class is going on a camp and Holly won't let me go. I need the note
returned by Wednesday." RO rolled his eyes at the mention of his
older sister's name before looking at his calendar. It was Monday
today, meaning there was only two day's left until the note's
return.
"You'll just end up having another argument." He
heard Kelly say to someone in the background.
"How long does
the camp go for?" RO asked hesitantly, not wanting to get involved
in his sisters' fights.
"Three days." He moaned. "But
there's going to be four teachers there! I'll be fine."
"You're
only nine, Kelly. I'm sure Holly has her reasons."
"Yeah.
She's just holding a grudge because she wasn't allowed to go on
camp until she was 12!"
"She must have other reasons Kelly.
Did you think to ask her?" RO asked.
"No, she was straight on
the phone to you." RO sighed. It was his older sister on the phone
now, Holly.
"Holly it's not my fault. I told her not to call
me at work." He said.
"Well no matter what you told her,
she's still not going." Holly said.
"I know Holly, I told
her to talk to you." RO replied, not really wanting to get into an
argument with Holly.
"Well we wouldn't have this problem if
you spent more time with her." Holly said, and RO could just
picture her crossing her arms.
"Holly I'm not having this
argument with you now." He groaned.
"I told you so." RO
heard Kelly say in the background.
"You never want to have this
argument. Not when Mother died, not when Kelly moved in with me. Not
even when Gerald died." RO blood boiled at the mention of his late
father.
"I'm at work Holly. We'll talk when I get home."
He said, trying to keep calm.
"You said we'd sit down and
talk when Mother died. The next day you go and join the bloody Navy."
Holly said, her voice rising.
"Don't make this about my
career. That's got nothing to do with this." He snapped.
"It
has everything to do with this! You just joined the Navy so I'd
have to look after Kelly!"
"Me joining the Navy had nothing to
do with Mother's death." He said, just as AB Rebecca "Bomber"
Brown walked into his office.
"Whatever Robert." Holly said.
"I have to go. We'll talk when I get home." He said,
glancing at Bomber who was trying not to look at him.
"Whatever
you say." Holly said. RO put the Sat phone down as Bomber finally
looked at him.
"You ok?" She asked. RO grabbed a bunch of his
paperwork.
"Mind your own business." He snapped, pushing past
her on his way out.
Knowing Bomber was on the Bridge
now, RO decided to take the opportunity to make a coffee. Not wanting
to go back to his office just yet, he went to the Junior Mess and sat
down. RO took a sip of his coffee, before pulling a pen out of his
pocket and starting on his paperwork.
RO had had that argument
with Holly many times before. Every time her and Kelly had a fight,
or even every time he and Holly had a fight she'd bring it up. She
seemed determined to make him feel guilty for joining the Navy after
his and Holly's mother died. He knew the real reason she was still
mad. Because she was stuck with looking after Kelly, Holly was forced
to give up her job in the RAAF as a pilot and take up an
administrative job. But that was going well for her, now that she'd
be promoted to Lieutenant.
RO was taking another sip of his
coffee when the door swung open and Bomber walked in, coffee cup in
hand.
"Sorry." She said when she saw RO, before turning to
leave.
"Wait, Bomber." He called after her. She turned and
looked at him. "Come in, sit down." He said, moving some of his
paperwork out of the way.
"Sorry for earlier Bomber. Had a lot
on my mind." He said. She nodded, before taking a sip of her
coffee. RO did the same.
"When I was 15 I had a fight with my
mother. I can't even remember what it was about. But I know I
thought I hated her then, and I went to live with my Aunt. I stayed
there for a month. I remember my mother coming around one night,
crying, begging me to come home. And I did. I remembered I needed
her." She laughed. "And now we're not speaking again." She
added.
RO took a few mouthfuls of his coffee.
"That was my
sisters on the phone. My older sister Holly and my younger
half-sister Kelly." He said. Bomber nodded.
"Kelly's class
is going on a three day camp and Holly won't let her go. So Kelly
called me and Holly immediately starts blaming me. She always blames
this on me." Bomber nodded, still silent. But before she could say
anything, or he could do anything, RO started crying. Quiet, soft
tears. So quiet that Bomber nearly didn't notice until she looked
at him.
"Oh, RO." She said, getting up, walking around to him
and sitting next to him. She hesitated for a second, before gingerly
putting her arm around him.
"It's ok RO." She said, gently.
"When my mother died I joined the Navy. Holly got so upset.
Shortly after that Kelly's mother got taken away and our father
died. Kelly went to leave Holly. Holly's still upset that she had
to give up her career to look after Kelly." He said, rubbing his
eyes. "I'm sorry." He said, standing up.
"It's ok."
Bomber watched as RO gathered up his paperwork. "Anytime you want
to talk, I'm here." Bomber said, as RO reached the door. He
stopped, turned and looked at her.
"Thanks." He said, before
leaving.
RO was back in his office when there
was a knock on the door. Thinking- hoping- it was Bomber he opened
the door. Standing in the doorway was Buffer and Spider. RO sighed
and sat down again. He turned back to his paperwork.
"Hey RO."
Spider said, walking in while Buffer stayed in the doorway. "We
were wondering if you could do something for us." RO raised his
eyebrows.
"Like what?" RO asked, seeing where this
conversation was heading.
"We wanted to print out that picture
Charge took the other day. Would you be able to do that for us?"
Spider replied.
"You'd have to pay for the ink." RO said.
Spider looked disappointed. He glanced back at Buffer.
"Oh.
Yeah. Thanks anyway." Spider said, twirling the USB in his hand.
He walked back to Buffer.
"Told you so." Buffer muttered to
Spider under his breath. RO thought for a second.
"Wait!" He
said, as Spider and Buffer turned and starting walking away. "I'll
see what I can do." He said, holding his hand out for the USB.
Spider grinned and handed it to him.
"Thanks RO." Spider
said. RO nodded, and watched as they left. He turned to his computer
and inserted the USB.
He opened the picture. Charge had taken the
picture while the others weren't looking. It was a picture of the
crew on the beach. They were playing volleyball. RO, Bomber, the X on
one team. Nav, 2Dads, Buffer on the other, Swain as referee.
As
he hit the PRINT button, RO cracked a rare smile.
Hope you liked it. Now, all you have to do is review.
