A few weeks turned into a month and while they stayed professional there was an underlying tension that they both ignored. They had to they couldn't fraternize.
Mike savoured the opportunity to be back at sea. He knew it would be his last duty and saw it as a final voyage, each one could be his last.
For Kate it was a frustrating wait. She'd tasted the forbidden fruit and wanted it badly. She was just worried that Mike would leave again he had once with little explanation.
They fell into the easy banter they had shared before, both longing for more.
It was the first proper leave that Kate noticed something was wrong with her relationship. Mike barely had time to set foot on dock before he was whisked away with Knocker to teach a course in Canberra.
The first shore leave after Kate tried to get a moment alone with Mike. Arriving at apparently secluded bar the whole crew was there, Kate didn't know if it was really an accident or whether it was another cop out. To Mike 'talk' seemed to be a dirty word and his smile hinted at guilt. So the next day when he offered a coffee Kate groaned. She had been thinking more and more. She had 2 choices a shore posting, with kids and a family or becoming a CO. If Mike even gave her a second look on the ship she'd ask for reassignment but to him it seemed like it was over. He spoke about the relationship but whenever it got remotely near serious he ran to another woman. How could she resign her whole career on a maybe?
As the cruise docked, her suspicions were concerned Mike wanted the Hamersley he didn't want her so when Dutchy offered her a drink she accepted. After all she wasn't seeing Mike until he let her know he could date her seriously.
She was with Mike giving information to NAVCOM, when she heard it. Maxine reminding Mike about their dinner date, a date with another woman, a date, without her, her boyfriend was going on a date with another woman. Was there a bigger hint their relationship was over? Silently she backed away as he didn't deny it. Kate knew he'd been spending more time with Maxine to help Ryan who was struggling after his abduction but it was clear it wasn't just concern for his Godson that was keeping him going back. She made it to her cabin before the tears began streaming down her face. She would do what he wanted stay professional no personal ties.
It took a few hours before she realised she was going to fight for him inviting him out for drinks. He refused it was Ryan's 18th and instead of inviting her along or rain checking he walked off. Leaving Kate hanging again, Fighting for him had just got harder. She had tried, offering to take a shore posting, or work on her career, she had tried setting up dates to have him cancel or invite the whole crew. She was getting so frustrated was there 2 people in this relationship. It was times like this she missed having Nicki on the ship for girl talk.
The FFV staying crew was the perfect excuse to get off the boat. Get some space from Mike and NAVCOM, they'd only been sailing for 12 hours but the smile on Mikes face when he thought nobody was watching made her feel sick with jealously, supervising Bomber was good for Bombers career and good for her own mental health even if it did mean putting up with 2dads.
The water sprayed in her face the pain instant, she couldn't breathe, the world started to spin and she couldn't help but wonder how Mike would feel at her death.
The next thing she was aware of was lying on a bed a man touching her. For a moment she smiled Mike! Before they roughly grabbed her breast before going for her belt, she frowned trying to hit him, it wasn't Mike he was always gentle. Fighting didn't work even if it was more of a weak bat, she was powerless until Bomber stormed it.
The relief as the Captain carried her back to their prison was immense. The adrenaline spurred her round. She had to take charge they had to get the Hamersley, they had to escape. Bomber soothed her telling her to sleep, the word seemed muddled but sleep sounded good.
Gunfire woke her up, she had to get air, she stumbled around the deck, finally getting up she took deep breaths. There was shouting but none of it made sense.
Only waking up on the Hamersley did things feel better. A shower, a conversation with Swain and things began making sense, finishing with Bomber she felt great. If Mike didn't want her someone else would after all there were plenty of fish in the sea. After all how hard could it be to move on from Mike Flynn? She had faced death again and won, facing heartbreak couldn't be as bad.
Shore leave involved lots of chick flick and chocolate after being checked out by the local doctor and having some blood work done.
They sailed quickly after, never having much downtime. Kate couldn't believe only 9 weeks ago she was in bed with Mike Flynn thinking all her dreams had come true. Now they were back at square one.
The storm was a welcome distraction from her thought as she focused on getting the ship through it. Pulling the woman out of the sea Kate could see she was frantic with worry for her husband. Kate sympathised if it had been Mike she'd have been the same and they weren't even in a relationship.
"You can't help who you fall in love with" Kate remarked musing if she could she would have picked someone other than Mike someone non complicated and non-Navy.
"Yes you can," Dutchy replied, taking the Navy hard line. Kate disagreed although knew what he meant, in the Navy even those in love couldn't act on it.
On a whim she gave the woman her number, after all after an event like this the woman might need a friend. When it rang she had to admit she was surprised still she had given her the number for a reason.
The attack was a surprise luckily Dutchy was there and stopped them beating Kate up although Kate was worried why he was following her, what had set him off, she assumed he didn't normally follow her around on shore leave. Even if he did for the last 9 weeks she had nothing to hide not unless living the life of a nun was a crime.
The reason Dutchy had followed her became evident later on as the pethadine took effect. Kate left quickly blushing, maybe you couldn't help who you loved and as much as she admired Dutchy she didn't see him in a romantic sense, he wasn't Mike Flynn that was his only crime.
Less than 5 minutes later Swain had come to her and Mike reporting fraternisation on board. Initially they had both looked at one another panicked before had explained it was Bomber and 2dads.
They gathered them together to council them. Bomber automatically gave in; she would forfeit her promotion and quit the Navy all for a relationship that by their own words had been going on 48hours.
After they both stood slightly stunned, aware one day it could be them in those shoes.
Kate made her excuses sitting on the front of the boat. Only RO's interruption made her aware of Mike watching her. He offered to show her something Kate shook her head, she didn't care anymore, her career wasn't worth this. Bomber had showed sometimes taking a risk was worth it. Smiling she looked over the peacefulness of the ocean, the Hamersley wasn't worth her happiness.
This time they sailed to Orland Island, Bombers last sail as soon as they reached Cains she'd be off. Dutchy had been released from the ward room and to apologise for all the things he had said under the pethadine aka professing his undying love for her, he took Kate to breakfast.
Back on the boat Kate hid her jealousy as Mike took Maxine's call in the privacy of his room, quickly she found a reason to go and eavesdrop.
Meeting in the corridor Mike confirmed there was still no new CO. All the replacements weren't suitable, Kate wondered if Maxine was deliberately sending bad names or if Mike was being deliberately stubborn. Finding the list of the names, knowing Mike had so little faith in her spurred her decision on. It was do or die time. Whether once off the ship she was with Mike or not it was time to settle this.
Kate dropped his calls, she didn't want to talk to him, not until the transfer came through and she hadn't even requested it yet. But she wasn't going to serve on a ship with someone with so little faith. Certainly not while under his command, the conversation would be unprofessional for sure. Why did he have so little faith in her? Hadn't she commanded the Hamersley previously with good results?
It was only the next morning that Kate realised he was missing and suddenly she was CO of a boat whose real CO thought she was incapable. Her confidence was shaken further as Charge had to quietly remind her she couldn't go on boarding's anymore.
Suddenly everything happened, they rescued the mum of the child they had previously rescued from drowning in his pushchair, and they had to find Mike time was an issue. Kate began leading everything happening naturally the crew supporting her every step of the way.
They'd found it the submarine, the team where there. It exploded Kate felt her heart explode with it as it felt as if she had physically punched in the chest.
The RHIB team surveyed the water as Kate fought tears. She had to stay together, stay strong for the sake of the crew.
Maxine White rang, Kate steeled herself for the conversation.
The news was surprising, even to Kate, she was pregnant, about 11 weeks it was Mike's baby and he was dead. Added to that she had been added to the list he had never doubted her. Feeling weaker and stronger than she ever had she took a deep breath. She was going to bring his killers to justice if it was the last thing she did.
She gave a pep talk to the team, as the boat showed up on radar. Knowing this could be her last boarding Kate screwed protocol; she was going for Mike for their baby.
There was a gunfight but this was no time for regrets as she boarded the boat searching for the man who had killed her love.
He took her by surprised throwing her on the bed a gun at her head. For a moment she didn't care if he fired she'd be with Mike but that wouldn't be fair on their child, she overpowered him pointing her gun at him. This man was the reason her child wouldn't have a father, the reason her heart felt ripped in 2, the reason the whole crew was sad. Every instinct told her to fire Swain the only reason he didn't. She lowered her sitting exhausted on the bed, she had thought once she'd apprehended the man the pain would ease but it only seemed to grow.
A noise startled her out of her depression as she investigated. To her amazement and joy a beaten up but very much alive Mike Flynn lay there. He untied him kissing his hair and hugging him tightly the pain in her chest lifting. There private moment brief as the team came in all cheering, their CO was alive.
Back on the Hamersley Kate was about to tell him when Swain interrupted. Instead Kate went to the bridge it would be her last time commanding a ship at least for a while she was going to enjoy every moment of it. She'd tell Mike once they had reached port.
Arriving at port Maxine was there Mike flying into her arms, barely waving goodbye to the crew he was in her car driving away. Kate watched from the deck her arms around her belly protectively. She knew the Australian Navy was the strictest branch and that she'd be expected to continue her service until she took her maternity leave. What she didn't know was whether her transfer would be approved before then. Before she got chance they were sailing again Kate just hoped it was her last cruise.
Going out for drinks seemed like fun, although she couldn't drink Kate wanted to savour the time with the crew, they were a good bunch and in less than 4 month time she wouldn't be seeing them so much. The blast came from nowhere knocking her off her feet her stomach cramping. Her initial thought of herself quickly faded as the horror of the situation sunk in. She could hear her phone ringing but ignored it, for one they didn't even know where 2dads was!
Finding 2dads and having done all they could she sat with the team all processing the horror. She was relieved to get back on the boat to find no bleeding and no more cramping. When they got back to port she'd make an appointment to see a doctor until then there wasn't a lot she could do.
Picking up the SAS guys and seeing James Roth, Kate internally groaned her life had just got a lot more complex. Mike was bound to get jealous and then avoid her. She needed to tell him about the baby but for that conversation she needed to be out of his chain of command. Maxine was aware of everything, even who the father was, Kate trusted she'd find an option after all no regulations had been broken.
