"I do."
"You may now kiss the bride!" announced the priest.
Chefo leaned in and kissed Jen softly, loud cheers coming from the witnessing guests. "Yeah, go Chefo!"
Chefo pulled back and grinned, taking his new wife's hand and leading her back down the aisle. When he reached the entrance to the church, he and Jen were met with more cheers and handfuls of rice being thrown at them.
"Whoa! Guys, I'm married, you don't have to kill me – not yet at least," said Chefo, winking at Jen.
"Toby!" cried Jen.
"Aw, honey, I could never mean that, don't worry. Anyway, we have a reception to go to. Meet you all there!" Chefo quickly lead Jen towards the awaiting black stretch limo.
There waves and shouts as Chefo and Jen disappeared inside the vehicle, the loudest and most enthusiastic comments coming from the Hammersley crew.
Mike smiled as he watched the limo drive off toward the reception area. He knew that they wouldn't be there until much later but he was happy for them; new names, new lives, and happiness the only thing on both husband and wife's minds. Mike sighed. He looked over at Kate, her dazzling green dress matching the emerald colour of her eyes. He wished that it was them who had said 'I do'. He wished that it was them who had announced to the world and put down in writing that he was Kate's and Kate was his. But most of all, he wished that it was them driving away into the sunset, about to the start the new lives that they would lead as husband and wife.
He sighed again. His fantasy could never be a reality, he knew that. Kate was with Jim, and him...well...he had allowed her to keep his heart locked up in hers forever. He knew that he could never withdraw the power that she still had over him, even after all these years.
"Something wrong sir?"
The cloud fogging Mike's mind lifted as the woman of his dreams appeared in his reality. He frowned slightly and shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking about how happy it would be to marry the person you love." He looked at Kate, a small smile on his face.
Kate looked up at him, her eyes fluttering slightly as she did so. She could see the shine in his eyes, the thoughts that she knew were about her, and the wedding that she knew he had dreamed of since they had first met. His gaze was strong and the intensity in his eyes bewildered her. She felt her breath shorten and her legs become weak. Damn him for having so much control over me! Mike was the one to finally break the gaze. Kate looked away reluctantly and sighed.
"Are you okay?" asked Mike, worry, very subtly wound into his voice.
Kate nodded. "Yes, I'm fine, perhaps a little cold, that's all."
Mike removed his suit jacket and handed it out for Kate to take. Very reluctantly, Kate took it from him. "Wow, it's not even seven o'clock and you're already offering me your jacket."
Mike smiled. "I'm just being an obliging gentleman."
"Yes, I know..." disappointment evident in her voice.
Mike opened his mouth to say something, but the moment passed and soon Buffer was clapping him on the back, and dragging him to another limo waiting to take the boys to the reception hall.
Kate watched on as Mike was dragged away from her. His expression, she admitted was amusing, but the overall feeling of emptiness and loss took over her and she could soon feel the tears starting to swell. The tears however were never given a chance to cascade, as Nikki had now called for her to hurry so they could go to the reception in yet another different limo.
"Uh, Kate, why are you wearing Mike's jacket?" asked Nikki, her eyebrow rising at the garment that was clearly not Kate's.
"What?" She looked down at the large jacket she was still wearing. "Oh, I let slip that I was cold and being the gentleman that he is, he offered me his jacket and I forgot to give it back. I'll just give to him when we get the reception hall..." she added.
"Oh ok...anyway, since Jim couldn't make it and Mike doesn't have a partner, you're stuck with the captain. Don't worry, I feel for you," said Nikki, placing a sympathetic hand on Kate's should. "But then again, Mike's not that bad...still, I would rather be dancing with ET."
Kate pretended she didn't hear Nikki's comment and allowed Nikki to push her into the limo, closing the door shut as she got in too. Kate turned to Nikki, a horrified look on her face. "Why do I have to dance with Mike?!" she cried, surprising Nikki, Bomber and Sally.
"You have to dance with Mike?" asked Bomber.
"Why?" added Sally, a smile appearing briefly.
Kate rolled her eyes and nodded toward Nikki. "Nikki here said that I have to dance with Mike, because Jim is working and Mike turned up at the wedding alone."
Bomber laughed. "That's funny. I heard that Mike was a really bad dancer. But then again, what do I know? I haven't seen or danced with him and nor do I want to. Still, what a funny sight it would be!"
"He's not a bad dancer," defended Kate. "I myself have seen and danced with him...he's really graceful on his feet, he can keep his balance very well as he proves when on ship."
Bomber and Nikki's mouths fell open. Sally only smiled and said, "It sounds as if you know him very well."
Kate frowned, noticing the emphasis used on the word 'very'. "I don't know him well at all!" she stuttered. "I only know that he's a good captain and a good man...who happens to dance like he's been doing it all his life."
"You sound as if you're in love," said Bomber, laughing.
Kate glared at her. "I'm not in love with Mike...I'm in love with Jim," she said, hesitating slightly. "And besides, if I were in love with the CO, I would be fired from the navy."
Nikki shrugged. "True. But, would you be willing to give up your career for love?"
Kate frowned. "How would I know how to answer that? Jim is in the SAS so I could marry him and keep my job. But if I were to marry Mike, I would give up my job. But I'm not in love with Mike; therefore we're not getting married."
Sally shook her head. "Kate, you're rambling on. Wait – did you say if you were to marry Mike you would give up your job?"
Kate froze. "I-I-I-I..."
"Oh my God, you do like him!" cried Nikki.
"No! I don't like Mike!" cried Kate, and then pointing at Nikki, she said, "What about you Nik and, yes, you too Bec? I haven't had a chance to interrogate you guys about the men in your lives. Not that I don't already know who you both like..."
And before Nikki or Bomber could say anything, the limo had stopped and the door had opened, a hand waiting to hand the first bridesmaid out.
Nikki was the first to be handed out. ET was her escort and she couldn't hide the smile when she looked up to see whose body the hand belonged to. Bomber was next in line and she was handed out by RO, a very jealous Spider looking on from behind them. Next was Sally and she was received by an enthusiastic kiss from Swain.
Last of all was Kate. She hated going last, even when it came to boarding parties and even more being handed out of cars. No surprise though which man the hand waiting for her belonged to, at least that wasn't surprising, after all...Nikki's comments...
"Sir."
"Kate, honestly, enough with all this formality, it's getting...difficult. We're off duty and we're at a wedding, we have to enjoy ourselves...loosen up!"
Kate raised her eyebrows. "Loosen up? You're telling me to loosen up?" she asked in a hushed voice so that nobody else could hear their little lovers tiff.
"Kate...just enjoy yourself," was the only reply she got.
They walked toward the reception hall in silence, every ticking second a reminder of how much time they could spend talking about other things, things that made them happy, things they had common, and things...things of the heart.
"Mike?"
"Yeah, Kate?"
"Did you know that Nikki set us up as partners for the night?"
Mike laughed, before replying, "I don't think it was the Nav, I think you should be blaming the new Mrs Chefo, she set us up as partners."
Kate frowned. "Are you sure?"
Mike nodded. "Chefo let it slip last night. Uh, he was very, very drunk," Mike added, seeing the stony face that Kate bore.
She sighed. "It seems that we just can't get rid of each other. Every time I'm on shore leave, I see or hear from you. Every formal function, you're there. I work with you for God's sake!" She stopped and Mike did too. She turned towards him. "You know what? I'm really starting to get annoyed at how much time we spend together."
"Kate, neither of us can help it; it's our job!" replied Mike, continuing to walk.
Kate fell into step beside him. "I just don't think that spending so much time together is the best thing for us...after all, our history isn't exactly clean."
Mike laughed. "Clean?"
Kate glared at him. "You know what I mean."
"Yes, Kate, I know," Mike replied, opening the door to the reception hall and allowing Kate to walk in first.
"Ma'am."
Kate nodded, a small smile on her face. "Sir."
