Kate is in the kitchen looking out the window towards Mike and Lizzie who are playing in the back yard. Mike is meant to be cleaning it up and getting it ready for the BBQ tonight but instead has been side track by his daughter.

Wow who would have thought that I would be here with Mike after all this time? We should have done this sooner. I should not have pushed him away like I did. It is so nice having him supporting me backing me up like he is. I would never have accepted the position of CO of Hammersley if it was not for Mike. I still wonted my career but I won't, no I need Mike more than I do my job. At least now we are talking far better and far more than we use too. Things are still hard but we are making a far better effect to do it than we have done in the past. Man I love this man with all my heart. No one is ever going to replace him. Why did I even try and move on with Jim. Why did I do that to Mike hurt him like that? I am such an idoit... Look at him with Lizzie. He is so good with her. I should have been watching these two play for nearly nine years. Not the odd weekend here and there over the last couple of years. Oh well at least now I get to watch and maybe soon Lizzie can come and live with us more. But that is total up to Mel and Tom there is no way I am stepping on their toes not when they have done such an amazing job raising Lizzie.

Who would have thought we would be seeing this again. It was only several weeks ago when we thought we would never have him back with us. God am I so pleased that you allowed him to come back to me, to Lizzie, to his Family all his family including the crew of Hammersley.

Look at him he is so happy playing with her. And Lizzie is just having a blast.

I know Mike tells me to stop blaming myself for what has happened but I can't not think it is my fault we would have been a family by now if it was not for me saying no to him all those years ago. You can't blame him really for being an emotional coward when the he had already years ago told me how he felt and what he wanted and I threw it back at him. I am lucky he is so forgiving and allowing us another go at this. This time I am not stuffing it up. I will have to tell Jim that there is no chance for us.

I do hope this BBQ goes Ok. And the crew is not too upset with us over not knowing about Lizzie till now.

Kate continues to look out at Mike and Lizzie as she washes of the greens she is going to use to make some salads with.

Mike is outside playing with Lizzie. He is pushing her on the swing that he has in his backyard.

Man this is fun. She is such a bright bubbly girl. Reminds me so much of her mother her giggle, her Smile, her eyes, her build. Par her hair she looks like her mother. The only thing that she got form me is my hair colour the rest is from her mother.

I am very lucky I came back to the world of the living. I would hate to think how these two would be if anything happened to me. Don't go back there Mike too many bad memoires to much hurt. Just look for the future. The future that Kate wants with you.

When Mike looks towards the house he sees Kate standing at the kitchen window looking at Lizzie and him. Look at Kate she has a smile on her face. So nice to see her smiling like that again. Wonder what she is thinking about. Maybe she is worried about tonight. She is a private person and we are letting the crew into knowing something about our past. I know Swain and Sally know more than the rest of them but still it is our past. Something we have kept hidden for so long in fear of the unknown I think. Well for me it has been the unknown. Not being able to have any control on what happened. Kate has always had the last say in everything re our relationship. How can that be? Don't worry about it Mike she is with you now that is all that matters remember. She choose you over Jim.

Jim bugga I total forgot about him. He is not going to let Kate go without a fight I know it. I just hope Kate can handle him if I am not around.

God this is so nice. Kate, Lizzie and I all in the same place at the same time enjoying time together as a family. Family we are a family aren't we. I am going to ask Mel and Tom if we can have Lizzie more often. It is so nice being a family. I should talk to Kate first make sure she is ok with that. Not should I will talk to Kate. Got to stay open with her got to remember to talk to her about things.

Thought I can't believe Maxine spoke to Kate about Ryan. I am not sure if I should hate her or like her. Not after what she said to Kate when I tried to leave Hammersley after Kate did not get her promotion and I got reassigned for another twelve months. I going to have to speak to Maxine about that at some stage. And how will it work with Kate as CO and Ryan is on board Kate will be like a step mother to Ryan will they allow it? Ryan loves working on Hammersley.

Don't worry about it Mike. You should be getting ready for this BBQ that you are having here for the crew and their families. Families I get to have mine here this time.

"Lizzie, Daddy is going to have to stop pushing you and finish cleaning up like mummy as asked me to do ok?" replies Mike ins a soft gentle voice.

"Ok Daddy" replies Lizzie. As the swing stops and she gets off, then she runs off inside the house.

Kate is in the kitchen cutting up some spring onions, tomatoes, red onion, and other items for the salad when Lizzie walks in.

"Need any help mummy?" replies Lizzie seeing her mother working on something in the kitchen. Lizzie loves helping out.

"Yes please can you dry the lettuce in this please?" Kate says handing Lizzie the lettuce spinner. Kate then gets a bar stool and brings around so Lizzie can sit on it.

"Sure thing." Replies Lizzie sitting on the seat Kate has brought for her she gets the lettuce and starts to put it in the lettuce spinner to dry it off she does this a few times.

"Were you having fun outside on the swing sweetie?" Kate asks knowing Lizzie was having fun.

"Yep daddy was pushing me high as." Replies Lizzie with the sound of total enjoyment in her voice.

"That was nice of daddy to do that for you sweetie?"

"Yep… (There is some silence while Lizzie thinks about something she wants to say) mummy?" asks Lizzie sounding unsure of herself. Kate stops what she is dong and turns to face Lizzie.

"Yes Lizzie"

"Is there going to be anyone here tonight that I can play with?"

"Yes there be Chloe do you remember her from when daddy was in hospital?" Lizzie nods her head. And a small smile comes on her face.

"Mummy?"

"Yes Lizzie?" Kate is starting to be worried Lizzie is not sounding happy. Something is bothering her little girl and it is pulling at her heart strings

"Why don't I live with you and daddy?"

"Lizzie sweetie we have explained this to you a number of months ago as to why you don't live with us and live with Mel and Tom."

"I know you did but you and daddy live together now and daddy is not on the boat so I won't to live here with you two." Lizzie replies. As Kate goes to reply to Lizzie's questions there is a knock at the door.

"Lizzie we will talk later about it I promise." Kate replies as she goes to leave the kitchen. Lizzie gets down off the chair.

Kate arrives at the door to find Swain, Sally and Chloe standing there.

"Hi guys" Kate replies

"Hi Kate hope you don't us being early. We thought you might like a hand with things. And Chloe was bugging us to see Lizzie again." Kate opens the door wider so they all can enter as soon as Chloe enters and sees Lizzie they run to each other hug then run off giggling. Kate and Sally both smile at their children. Swain watches on. Seeing a different side to his XO.

"Swain Mike is outside if you won't to go out there and help him he been side tracked by Lizzie so not much has been done" replies Kate

"Thanks Kate. Oh and in the chilly is some cold ones where would you like them?"

"Mike has put his beer fridge outside for all of those so go stick them in there." Replies Kate

Kate and Sally head to the kitchen to finish off the salads and other things Kate is doing. They both can hear the girls playing in Lizzie's room. Sally and Kate talk. They talk about all sorts of different things. Kate feels like she can talk to Sally about anything and not have to worry about being judge or pushed into it. They have both built a really good friendship up over the period when Mike was in hospital and even when Kate had to return to Hammersley Sally was always there via email to talk too.

A couple of hours later the crew start to arrive at Mikes place. Mike and Swain have already had a few cold ones. Kate and Sally are sticking to the Juice for now. But they have had a glass of wine already but unlike the boys they know how to pace themselves so they don't get drunk and feel it tomorrow.

"Kate how do you think the crew are going to feel when they find out you and Mike have a past?" asks Sally. While they are in the kitchen sorting cleaning the bench down from sorting out the raw meat for the BBQ that Mike has already taken out to start cooking. Having put Chefo/Toby on to the job of the BBQ. When Mike was in hospital he found out that Toby was working in the hospital kitchen now. Wonting to be on shore to be with his wife. Toby paid Mike a visit to surprise him while he was still on ward.