Mike lay on his side, his fingers drawing circles lazily on Kate's stomach. The storm continued to rage outside, the ship pitching and rolling with the movement of the ocean. But inside Mike's cabin there was nothing or no one else except them.
"Boy or girl?" Kate asked, her eyes moving from watching his hand to his face. As his blue eyes met her green, she got lost for a moment before his answer brought her back.
"Boy," he replied, a small smile crossing his face at the thought of a mini Mike Flynn.
"I think we should call him Oliver," he continued.
"Oliver?" she asked, "Oliver Flynn." She screwed her face up, not liking the name.
Mike, who was just enjoying the banter, continued, "Yeah. Little Ollie Flynn."
He let out a laugh as Kate groaned. They continued to lay there in silence, Mike still drawing circles on her stomach.
"How about Samuel?" Kate said, breaking the silence. She raised her eyes to look back at Mike who was lost in thought. He looked back down at her, a smile on his face.
"Samuel… I like it."
Mike moved down to Kate's stomach, "Hey little Sam. It's your daddy."
Kate laughed, "Mike, we don't even know if it is a boy!"
He looked back up at her, resting his head on her stomach. "It is a boy Kate," he replied indignantly, "I just know it."
She shook her head in reply, "Well my instincts tell me it's a girl."
He screwed up his face. "It can't be a girl. Not that I don't want a daughter," he added at the look from Kate. "It's just the firstborn is supposed to be a son!"
She let a dreamy smile cross her face, resting her head back on the pillows, "I like the name Tahlia."
Mike moved up, leaning over Kate, "Tahlia?"
She nodded her head, "Yes. Tahlia."
Mike let out a sigh, "Well if we have a girl, we'll call her Tahlia." He leant in and kissed her, "It's weird to think we're going to be parents."
She nodded her head, "We're going to have to work something out though."
Mike was about to reply when a knock at his door interrupted.
"Come in," he called out, sitting up.
Nikki opened the door and looking at Mike sitting on the rack and Kate still lying there she quickly apologised for interrupting.
"Ah we need you guys in the Senior Sailor's Mess. There are some things we need to talk about with the frigates close to arriving."
Mike nodded his head, "Okay. We'll be there in five minutes."
Nikki nodded and turned and left.
Mike turned to Kate, "You right?"
She nodded her head before sitting up, "Yeah… shall we go then?"
They both got up as he nodded his head, leaving his cabin and heading to the mess. As they approached, they saw Spider's head stick out and then back in. Kate threw a look to Mike, wondering why he would be included in this meeting. As they got closer they could hear loud whispering and then silence. As they both stepped into the room, a shout scared them both.
"Congratulations!!!"
Most of the crew who weren't on watch were crammed in, a hastily written 'Congratulations Mike and Kate' was hung up on the opposite side of the room and there was some goodies organised on the table. They laughed as the crew surrounded them, congratulating them on their little surprise. Once the talking and the shouting had quietened, Charge stood up on a chair, almost falling off as the ship rolled, and gave a speech.
"Well… thanks to Swaino's big mouth, we found out about your little surprise and thought it deserved the congratulations that was due! After all that you two have been through what with being posted on the same boat; Kate having to work under Mike, which we all know didn't work; having to put up with moronic marine biologists, crazy fishing captains and stuck-up SAS captains and then getting caught in the storage cupboard by ET… you finally got together and married and now we're going to have the pitter-patter of little Flynn feet on the Hammersley. So if we could all raise our glasses in a toast to Mike and Kate and congratulate them on their newest addition."
There was a cheer as the crew congratulated them. Both laughed, slightly embarrassed at the time which the celebration was being held.
Mike got up, silencing the group, "Look thanks guys for this… even though the timing was a bit off but we really appreciate it. To know that you are all behind us and will be at our beck and call for babysitting…"
Cries of 'No' and 'Keep dreaming' were called out. Mike held out his hand and the group was silent once more.
"As I was saying, because I am your captain and you do as I say," he said with a smile, "You will all be available for babysitting and for that we really appreciate it. So thanks guys!"
There was a cheer and cries of 'let's party' before the room erupted into shouts.
Mike made his way back to Kate, wrapping an arm around her waist and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Wasn't expecting this," he whispered to her.
She shook her head and laughed, "No neither did I."
Nikki walked over and after a quick hug to congratulate Kate (hugging Mike would have been too awkward), she turned to her captain.
"Sir just thought you would like to know that we got a call from the frigates and they expect themselves to be here by tomorrow morning."
A smile crossed his face, "Tonight is just full of good news."
The party went on for a while before Kate was too tired to keep going. She found Mike in a discussion with Swain and Charge about fatherhood and couldn't help the smile that crossed her face at the thought of Mike being a dad. She walked up to him and wrapped her hand around his. He turned to look at her, smiling as he did so.
"What's up?"
She yawned in reply, "I'm tired. Think I may have to head off to bed."
He nodded his head, "I'll take you then."
She laughed, "Mike, I'm pregnant, not disabled."
He wrapped his arm around her waist before heading her towards the door, "I don't care. I'm taking you and that's that."
She laughed before resting her head against his shoulder as he pulled her closer.
"I came too close to losing you once Kate," he whispered to her, as they walked into his cabin, "I'm not going to let you get that close again."
