Another Life

"XO to the bridge, XO to the bridge." Came booming over the intercom.

Kate was in her cabin when she heard the call for her to go to the bridge. She quickly put the picture she was holding under her pillow and made her way to the bridge. When she arrived on the bridge everybody glanced towards her.

"You wanted to see me sir." Kate said announcing her arrival on the bridge.

"Yes, X, Commander White would like to speak to you." The Captain said, turning around in his chair and pointing towards RO holding the phone.

"Lieutenant McGregor." She said as she placed the phone to her. She faced in towards the centre of the bridge smiling at the crew present on the bridge as they looked towards her. All wondering what the phone call was about as the Commander usually didn't want to talk anyone other than the Captain.

"Yes Lieutenant, I have some news about your brother"

Kate suddenly turned away from the crew to look out the window. The bridge crew looked slightly worried as they had never seen Kate shy away from them before.

"What sort of news, ma'am" the X continued in a slightly shaky voice.

The crew grew even more worried hearing Kate's voice shake for everyone on the crew. All of them was wandering what on earth had made their XO, their strong, independent, hard core XO so upset.

"He has been wounded. Shot in the arm but he is alive."

A sigh of relief escaped Kate's lips, knowing that her brother was not seriously injured.

"Thank You, ma'am!"

"He is back on home soil Kate, he is going to be fine" Commander White reassured her again.

"Thank You ma'am" Kate said again.

"Now will you let me speak to Captain Flynn"

"Yes ma'am" the X said in a more sure voice and handed the phone to the captain. At that she turned and left the bridge before anyone could say or do anything.

Later in Kate's cabin

There was a knock at her door.

"Come in" Kate said trying to hide the shake in her voice.

Bomber entered, she had been on the bridge when Kate had got the phone call on the bridge, Kate turned her head towards the door and Bomber could immediately see that the X had been crying.

"Are you okay X" Bomber said in a soft voice.

"Yeah I'm okay Bomb" Kate said in a not very convincing voice.

"I just need to be alone right now" she added.

"Okay ma'am I'll see you later." At that Bomber left, knowing it would do no good to push the XO for details

Kate stayed in her cabin for the rest of the day as they headed for home port it was mid-afternoon the next day when they finally docked at their home port. The crew all had two weeks shore leave.

The crew were in their civvies as they left Hammersley, all looking forward to their shore leave. Kate was at the tail end of the crowd as they gathered on the docks.

"You guys coming for a drink" Dutchy said over the top of everyone else's chatter.

They all agreed except Kate who had kept on walking along the docks but did not make it far from the group when Dutchy called out.

"What about you X."

Kate spun round "not today Dutchy, maybe another time."

Then from behind her a little voice called out "Auntie Katie!"

Kate turned round and just as she did a little blonde boy jumped into her arms, taking a step back to balance herself, she then exclaimed "Oh, hey little man!"

The rest of the crew were stunned into silence seeing this 5 year old boy, with his shaggy blonde hair who held a strong resemblance to Kate just jump into her arms. Kate spun the little boy round before putting him down, then asking him "Now, where is your daddy."

"He is just behind; he said that I should surprise you first"

At that Kate looked up and saw another blonde man with dull green eyes, who was in an Army uniform coming towards her, he had his left arm in a sling and was limping slightly. At that Kate put the little boy down and started towards the army sergeant. When they came to be feet from each other he saluted her and Kate saluted back.

While all of this was happening the crew was staring stunned as they saw a side to Kate they had never seen before.

After they saluted, tears began running down her face at that the guy took her into an embrace saying "Come her you softy".

This was said just loud enough for the crew to hear. They were shocked, someone even let out a gasp, nobody got away with calling Kate soft, nobody!

Kate and the man split apart and the little boy run up and wrapped his arms around his dad's and Kate's legs pulling them even closer together. Kate and the man let out a laugh. Once the 5 year old boy had let go, Kate scooped the boy up in her arms positioning him on her right hip. She then picked up her bag that she had dropped and swung that over her left shoulder

The crew then softly came forward to just behind Kate; there was an awkward silence which Bomber broke with, "So who is this X"

At this Kate turned round putting the little boy down and wiping the tears away from her face.

"Ah, well this is a bit awkward." She said with the hint of a smile.

"This is my brother Sergeant Artie McGregor and my nephew Michael" Kate said smiling pointing to the man on her left and then the little boy on her right.

Then two women came up behind Kate and Artie, one kissed Artie on the cheek, the other went straight for Michael and grabbed him around his waist and through him over her shoulder, tickling him.

The little boy cried out "Auntie Jessie put me down" squirming around in the women's grip.

"Okay! Okay!" the lady said smiling. She put the boy down on the ground, she then gave Kate a hug.

"And this is my sister Jessica and my sister-in-law Lucy" Kate then said pointing to the woman hugging her brother has she introduced the latter.

Charge then spoke up "Have you been deployed" directing the question towards Artie.

"Yes, I have just back from a 6 month tour of duty but I haven't been back home for about a year, as I was on assignment in Victoria" came the reply.

"We will leave you to catch up then" Charge said and ushered everyone away as they said there various goodbyes to Kate.

Michael then asked his aunt whether he could have a piggy-back and of course Kate agreed, she would do anything for her nephew. So while Jessica grabbed Kate's bag Michael jumped onto her back and it was quite a scene as an army sergeant walked away holding his wife's hand and two other woman one with a little boy on her back walked either side of the couple.