Thanks for all your lovely reviews, I'm not too sure how long this story is going to be but when I think it's done I'll make it obvious. Also sorry it's taken a long while to get this chapter up, I have had a loss in the family (2nd in 4 months) so I've not really been focused. Thanks again.

Kate had woken with a dry mouth which she assumed to be because of the sedative. Bomber must have come in during the night and put some water beside her bed. She winced a little in pain as she turned on her side and picked up the glass. There was a gentle knock on the door "Come in" she said trying to swing her legs round to sit in her rack.

"Good morning X" Swain entered. "I just thought I'd come and check on the patient.." He said with one of his cheesy grins.

"Still alive." She said jokingly. He asked if she would be feeling up to coming to the wardroom or if she wanted to be seen in here. "I'll be fine, I'll see you there in fifteen". She showered and got changed into some clean uniform.

"No nausea?, no dizziness?, spotting or tiredness.." she shook her head gently.

"No, I feel fine Swain, honestly" He nodded slightly

"Okay well I'm going to give you some more pain killers and advise light duties."

Kate went to protest but knew it was for the best."I'll let the boss know" . She smiled and left.

Entering the bridge with two flasks she steadily walked over to him. He turned a little surprised to see her up and walking around. He half turned his body and took the flask. "X, how are you feeling?.".

She nodded softly, her head was still a little tender. "fine, Swain has said I can come back to work.." Mike raised his eyebrows.."Light duties.." She then added, he nodded with a smile, even if she had one leg she would still want to be at the front of everything.

"You'll need to do a report for what happened on the boat. We'll be back into port in the next hour, Commander White would like to see us, apparently we have another little mission to do".

Kate stood over by the other chair just looking out to the water "How is knocker.." Kate couldn't help but smirk slightly.

Mike laughed "Don't let her hear you say that. She's fine, stern as always".

Kate had noticed Mike and Maxine were always very friendly, Maxine always had a look in her eye when it came to Mike. "Is it serious?." Kate looked over to him with a half smile on her face.

Mike looked around to see who was in the proximity but none of great interest. "Maxine and I?" He asked with confusion on his face. "We're good friends, we always have been, well for the last twenty or so years. Maybe at one point in time I would have liked more, we, we have a connection.." He said nodding at his own words. Kate didn't expect to have the sick feeling in her stomach but she did, she was slightly jealous.

Kate had printed off her report and put it into a case file, to be on the safe side she sent an email to Maxine also. She got changed in to her whites and waited for Mike on the deck. She watched him walk toward her, the sun beaming off his white uniform, he really did look good in that uniform. With a salute from them both they left the ship.

"Kate." Mike went to speak but she stopped him.

"I don't want to talk about it, at least not right now".. She tried to give him a reassuring smile, at the moment she was just trying to figure out in her own mind what she wanted to happen, how she was going to cope. She knew she couldn't be with Jim, not now, not ever.

Of course by the time they had reached Commander Whites office she had already read the report, filed her own paperwork and had their next assignment. "I trust you feel better?." Kate nodded, she was. "Good, I'm sorry to get you back out there so soon but you're needed to escort a few guests to here." She handed them an ariel photo of the island.

"Can we ask why we have to chauffeur these 'guests'" he always knew when they weren't told who it would be it was either the SAS or the feds. He hoped it was the latter.

"Because it's a direct order from the top Mike.." She gave a quirky tilt of the head and a slight smirk. "now that is all, safe journey and Kate, I'm glad you're okay." Kate nodded and thanked her.

Kate couldn't help but keep looking over her shoulder as they headed back to the Hammersley, Jim hadn't gotten in touch, no phone calls and he hadn't turned up at the dock which, to be quite honest, she was glad. She didn't know how she was going to end their relationship but to her it was already over.

The drive back to the boat was a peaceful one, she was finally starting to feel herself again. As she stared out of the window all she could think about was Jim, he was the man she loved, the one she was beginning to imagine her future with, she was not one to open her heart to anybody and that's what hurt her the most. She could feel the lump in the back of her throat and her eyes immediately closed. She wasn't going to cry, she was going to be strong, the Kate McGregor everybody knew.

Mike and Kate were mid way through a discussion when they walked up the stairs to the bridge, Kate stopped dead in her tracks, Mike paused and looked to where he eyes had wondered. Jim. "Lieutenant" Jim said with a smile, he knew they had obviously left things on a bad note but she was still HIS Kate and she was going to stay that way too. He gave her one of his oh-so-sweet smile. "Commander Flynn". Mike wanted to throttle him right then and there, he didn't want to let on to him that he knew.

"Captain Roth, I'm to assume you're our guest. Just a friendly visit?" He was refereeing to the island visit.

"Ah Mike, you know just some PR." Of course it wasn't.

Mike nodded slightly "Well I hope the crew have made you and your men comfortable and I will get someone to inform you when scran is ready."

Jim nodded "Thanks". He stared at Kate.

She gave him a small smile "I'll come see you soon, I have a few things I need to do". He gave a half nod and walked off. She could feel sweat move down her brow. Mike gave the orders to set sail

"At current speed we will be approaching the Island in just under four hours." Dutchy spoke.

Mike approached her, softly placing his hand on the lower part of her back, he knew she'd know it was him. She turned her head slowly to look at him. "Why don't you go to your cabin, have a lay down and I'll come get you if you're needed.". She didn't want to go, she didn't want to think about bumping into him, she didn't want to be on the same ship as him. She knew she would have to face him sooner or later.

Kate took herself to the galley before her cabin, making herself a brew and grabbing some fruit. She couldn't hear or see any of the SAS men or Jim, so feeling a little more relaxed she went to her cabin. Walking in and closing the door with her foot she looked up and pressed her back against the door. "Jim.." She managed to splutter out. She tried to relax herself. 'Come on Kate' she thought to herself. "I was just going to come and look for you.." She lied.

He was sat on her rack, nodding slightly. "you just left, you didn't say goodbye".

She searched her mind for an excuse. "It was a crash sail. Drug smugglers.."

"Don't stand on ceremony Kate, sit down.." He patted the spot beside him, she hesitated and then sat down. She was on her boat, well Mike's but this was the one place she truly belonged, she wasn't going to let him bully her.

"Jim, I've been doing some thinking, I think it's best that we call it a day. I love being with you but I think work's going to be a lot more hectic from now on and I just don't think we'll have any time for each other.." She stared at her hands in her lap, not daring to look at him.

"Sir, I have a possible FFV, if we keep trailing them at speed we'll be with them in half an hour.." Mike thought for a moment, he knew they had to drop off the men but he couldn't let this slip through his fingers, plus he liked to show off what his boat and his crew could do, especially when they had visitors.

"Okay RO, pipe the X". "

"Yes sir".

"The Executive officer to the bridge at a rush".

"Oh Kate, Kate, Kate, you know that isn't going to happen. We're meant to be together. Now I know you've been a little distracted lately, I can only assume it's that cowboy captain leading you astray." Kate went to protest, even the thought of somebody speaking ill of Mike made her blood boil.

"Jim, I, I don't love you anymore". She was blunt. "I can't be with somebody who could hurt me the way you have". She could feel her heart in her throat.

"Kate, you know I never meant to hurt you, you just had to open your mouth and make me angry."

She couldn't believe him, turning it round to make it her fault. The sound of RO's voice came into their ears she stood up. "I have to go Jim and I would appreciate it if you left me alone." She was stern, her skin pale and her eyes sunken.

He stood up towering slightly over her. "Kate, you want to be with me, you love me. Remember all of the times when we sat looking out at the sea together, the nights of passion we've had.." He was now stroking her cheek, her eyes closed for a moment before she shook her head and took a step backward.

"No. Jim I loved you but now, I can't even stand you." She turned to walk away, he grabbed her arm, pushed her against her cabin wall, his arm holding against her neck.

"It's him. I know it's him."

She shook her head, finding it difficult to move and pressure on her windpipe. "Jim, stop please.."

"It's him isn't it!. It's always been him!" His teeth were gritted, he could kill her, he wanted to.

It had been near on five minutes since RO had called for her, Mike paced along the bridge, it wasn't like her to disobey orders. "RO, call again" Mike said with a quick glance at him. "Charge where are the SAS guys?." Charge had to think for a moment before responding.

"Bomber said she would fix them up some food. I would guess..eating?" Mike nodded slowly, thinking. As RO was half way through the announcement he knew what was keeping her.

"Dutchy you have the ship" Mike called out as he ran down the stairs. His heart pounding, his mind racing. He reached her cabin and stopped as he heard voices. He could hear Jims voice, without knocking he swung open the door. He couldn't believe his eyes. He lunged forward, grabbing Jim by the shirt and pinning him against the bed bunks, now with his elbow pressing against his neck. "Keep your hands off her!. Jim, I mean it, if you lay another finger on Kate, I will destroy you." Sweat was balancing on his upper lip, his testosterone seeping from his pores. "If I had my way you would be off my boat and in jail!." He pushed into Jim again, then stepping back, his fists clenched.

"Loverboy to your rescue, how sweet Kate.".

"Mike, please.." She placed a hand on his upper arm. This didn't ease him at all, all he wanted to do was beat Jim to a pulp.

Jim got his posture back. "I will make sure you pay for this.." Mike spat as he gestured for Jim to leave. He gave him a laugh and looked to Kate "Remember Kate, you're mine..".

As soon as he had left Kate slumped against the wall. "Are you okay Kate?." Mike was standing in front of her, his hand on her upper arms. She nodded silently, leaning her head forward placing it on his upper shoulder. She began to sob.

Charge walked to her cabin, both the X and Boss had just disappeared, what were they supposed to do with the FFV. He got to her cabin door and was about to speak when Mike turned to him and nodded silently, informing him he was on his way.

"Listen to me Kate, I promise I won't let him near you again. I won't let him do this to you.." She looked at him, she was broken and she didn't know how to be fixed.

As Kate was on light duties she watched the boarding through the binoculars from the bridge deck. Everything seemed to be in order, Dutchy had all of the men in custody. After releasing the catch back into the ocean, the boat was sea worthy so all they could do was shadow them out of Australian waters and give them a warning. "They're just going to creep back into our waters when we've gone" RO complained as they walked onto the deck. She congratulated the team.

After a while of sailing "Sir we'll be coming to the island in twenty minutes." Mike nodded, Kate had been sat in the XO chair silently since the boarding, she kept going through her mind 'You're mine Kate', she wanted Jim gone, forever. "Good, can you let Captain Roth and his men know, we will need to get a RHIB and boarding party ready".

"Sir, I should go.." Kate responded.

"No.."

"But Sir"

"No X. You're on light duties I can't afford for you to have further injuries or endanger the crew.." This wasn't the reason and they both knew it.

"Yes sir." Kate bellowed 'hands to boarding stations' through the coms.

She watched from the deck as they climbed onboard the RHIB, Jim looking up at her the whole time. His cold eyes just looking right through her. "Away sea boat" Mike called as he stood next to her. She watched the RHIB bounce across the ocean, she felt a sigh of relief. "It's going to be okay Kate."

She knew what she was going to do, as soon as they got back to port, she was going to tell the truth.