Authors Notes: Thank you so much to everyone for reading this story. Below is the next...and last...chapter in the story. I hope you enjoy the ending and it isn't too cheesy :)

Massive thankyou to everyone who has left feedback, it's really great hearing what you think

Chapter 10

After considerable thought, Mike decided to follow Maxine's advice and go to the hospital stopping first at home to change and pick up some of Kate's things, then at the shops. He knew there was every chance Kate would send him away, but he also realised that Kate was too stubborn to ever ask him for help, so he had to be there as much as he could. Plus, if he had chocolate there was a possibility she wouldn't yell at him. As he walked through the hospital doors he spotted Swain was walking towards him.

"Swain, how is she?" Mike asked.

"She's recovering well. They have stitched up the gash in her head, and they say that her ribs and lungs will heal themselves. She will be in a fair bit of pain for a week or so, but all things considered she was pretty lucky. She's resting now, last room on the left down the end there." Swain informed Mike pointing to the corridor Kate's room was in.

"Thanks Swain, for everything." Mike said offering a hand to Swain.

"Anytime Sir," Swain said shaking Mike's hand. As he walked past Mike to leave, he stopped and turned, "You know, she's not as tough as everyone thinks. She'll be glad you're here." He said as Mike nodded.

"You should get home, enjoy your unexpected shore leave." Mike told Swain as he watched the other man leave the hospital. If only Mike shared Swain's confidence that Kate would be glad to see him.

As Mike entered Kate's room, his whole body tensed. He thought the bruises were bad before, they were much worse now. Lying in bed asleep she looked so vulnerable. He wanted to make everything ok, but had no idea what to do.

He walked over to Kate, putting her things and the chocolates on the table next to her bed before taking a seat in the chair by her bedside. He didn't want to wake her up, but he couldn't help it, he needed to touch her, as if by touching her he would get some sort of re-assurance that she would be ok. So reaching out he enclosed her hand in his, stroking it as he closed his eyes, relishing the simple act of being able to touch her.

Kate had figured out one thing about hospitals; if you pretend to be asleep, most people will leave you alone. She was lying in her bed with her eyes closed when she heard someone enter her room. When they didn't come straight for her or her charts, she assumed it was Swain coming back in. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate everything he had done for her, she just couldn't face anyone else today, so she continued pretending to sleep.

She heard him put something on the table and move to a chair next to the bed. It wasn't until she felt him take her had in his that she realised who it was. Mike. She would know that touch anywhere. She still didn't know what to say to him, so she stayed in her current state. Before she had a chance to think any further, he started talking.

"Kate, I don't know if you will hear this because I don't know if you are pretending to be asleep, or actually sleeping. I just want you to know I love you, and I'm here for you. You can push me away as many times as you like, but I am still going to be here," Mike said softly, as if speaking quietly would make sure that Kate was the only person in the world to hear him. "I'm going to leave you now to rest but I am going to be back first thing tomorrow, whether you need me or not."

As Mike finished speaking he lifted Kate's hands to his lips, resting for a couple of seconds before placing a light kiss on her fingers. As he stood from the chair, he lowered her hand back to the bed and was about to let go when he felt her fingers tighten around his. He looked to his hand, needing to see what he was feeling to believe it, before raising his eyes to Kate's face, his heart almost breaking at what he saw.

Kate was looking at Mike, tears streaming down her face, the look in her eyes pleading with him not to leave. She wanted to tell him that she loved him too, that she needed him, that if it helped she would beg him to stay, that she was sorry for what happened earlier, but she could only get one word out. "Stay?" It came out almost as a whisper while the tears continued to fall.

"Oh Kate," Mike said as he picked her hand and sat on the side of the bed. He took one hand away from hers and reached out using his thumb to wipe the tears away before leaning down to place a soft kiss on her forehead, "There is nowhere else I'd rather be tonight," He told her, before kissing her forehead again, closing his eyes trying to hold his own emotions in check. He took a deep breath and lowered his head further, placing his forehead on hers, their noses touching, "Kate, I promise...everything is going to be ok."

"That's complete crap, but I'm so full of drugs right now I almost believe you," Kate said, making both of then chuckle a little. Kate then winced and grabbed her ribs, causing Mike to jump back thinking he had hurt her. "It's ok, apparently it just hurts to laugh." She said reaching out to touch Mike, instantly missing his touch when he moved back.

Mike once again held Kate's hand as he took his seat next to the bed. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Mike wiping away the last of Kate's tears, Kate enjoying the feeling of Mike's hand on her face.

After a few minutes, Kate finally spoke. "Mike, how much do you know?" She asked looking at him, tears threatening to fall again as she lowered her eyes.

Mike thought about the question for a few moments before he responded. He knew he had to handle this carefully, "I don't have to know anything if you don't want me to,"

Kate wasn't sure what she was expecting to hear, but it wasn't this. As she raised her eyes to look at Mike, she saw his face full of concern and love for her. She had never wanted to tell anyone about her past, but right at that moment she felt like she could have told him anything. Every emotional wall that she had ever built just came tumbling down.

"You know he did this to me before?" Kate asked as Mike nodded, "And you know who he is?" She questioned as Mike nodded, his hand reaching up to her face again.

"Kate, I'm here for you, but that doesn't mean you have to tell me anything you don't want to, or aren't ready to," Mike said, worried that Kate had been through enough for the day.

Kate was exhausted and truth be told she didn't really feel like talking, but she knew that if she didn't get it all out now, she might never talk about it again. "He moved in with me and mum when I was about fourteen. The story isn't all that unique, drugs, alcohol, abuse. He used to tell me that I was no better than them, that I was going to turn out just like them..." Kate's voice was getting softer and softer as she spoke, to the point where Mike could barely hear her.

"Kate, you are nothing like them..." Mike started before Kate found her voice again, interrupting him.

"You haven't heard the worst part yet," she said. Mike didn't know if he would be up to hearing this, what he had heard was bad enough and he was about to hear worse. "I know this won't make any sense to you, it barely makes any sense to me, but I came up with my own way of coping. The one thing I wanted to make sure of was that I never turned out like them, so apart from working hard at school I used to just let him hit me. It was like if I fought back, if I hit him, even in defence, I would become like him." She explained looking to Mike.

Mike remembered what Dutchy had told him, and he started to understand what had happened on the boat. Seeing her step-father again, Kate must have felt like she was a teenager all over again and her old coping mechanisms just kicked in.

Kate continued her explanation "It also felt like he'd win if I wasn't strong enough to deal with it on my own, or showed him the pain he was causing." Kate then looked Mike in the eye, "Which is why I snapped at you earlier, I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologise for anything. All I care about is that you're ok." So much of Mike and Kate's relationship was complicated, but right there, in that moment, Kate knew he meant what he said. On that night, in that hospital room, the only thing Mike cared about was Kate.

"I'm ok," Kate said trying to smile, "or at least I will be." Kate said as they both smiled. "It sure has been one stormy day." Kate said trying to change the conversation and lighten the mood.

"Yeah, I'll agree with that. You know if you had told me this morning that this was how today would have turned out, there is no way in the world I would have believed you." Mike said with a bit of a laugh, taking Kate's lead and changing the conversation while his thumb rubbed Kate's forehead. He could see Kate was beginning to get tired, and hoped for her sake she would get a reasonable night's sleep.

"If memory serves me correct, you weren't exactly in the mood for talking this morning," Kate said with a smile.

"Can you blame me? I thought I wasn't going to see you for a couple of weeks." Mike said before leaning in even closer to Kate's face "Besides, I wasn't the only one not in the mood for talking," he said before placing a soft kiss on Kate's lips. "I'll stay here, you should get some rest." Mike whispered.

"Mmm. Need to use the bathroom first." Kate said as Mike sat up and Kate started pulling her sheet and blanket back.

"Do you want your pyjama's?" Mike asked, not taking his eyes off Kate, making sure she wasn't hurting herself getting up.

"Sounds good." Kate said trying to get up and hide the pain that she was obviously in.

"Here, let me help you, or should I call the nurse?" Mike asked getting worried as Kate's pain levels obviously were getting worse.

"No..I'm ok...I can manage," Kate said as she continued to move.

"Kate, just let me hel...Ok..." As much as Mike wanted to help Kate, he knew he had to let her work through this by herself. She had taken a huge step tonight in telling him about her past, and forcing her to accept help would not have eased the situation. He continued to watch as she made her way into the bathroom.

Mike waited in the room, having to resist the temptation to continually call out asking if she was ok. Kate was taking longer than she normally would, but she normally wasn't injured.

Eventually Kate opened the door as Mike heard a bang, followed by Kate, "Argh!" She called out instantly.

Still not sure what to do, Mike casually asked, "Everything ok?" Again, resisting the temptation to run over to her.

"No! I stubbed my bloody toe." Kate called out in pain.

Mike couldn't help it, he cracked up laughing. Stiches in her head, concussion, broken ribs, punctured lung, bruises all over, and the thing causing her pain was her stubbed toe. Kate was not pleased with his reaction.

"Are you going to stand there laughing all night or help me back to the bed?" she asked quite agitated. Mike still couldn't stop laughing, but was quick to be by her side and help her move back to bed.

"So let me get this straight, just for future reference," Mike started, "When you are beaten up I should be here to support you while you deal with everything on your own, but when you stub your toe, I should come running?" Mike asked still chuckling.

"Yes, is it really that hard to understand the difference?" Kate said extremely frustrated at how much pain she was in, and a little annoyed at Mike for laughing. She could see the humour in the situation as well, but there was no way she was going to show it.

"Well sort of. Just so you know, I may get it wrong from time to time." Mike said as he gently lifted Kate's feet up onto the bed.

"Well then, you're lucky that I'm a patient and forgiving person." Kate said leaning back into the pillows on her bed, grateful to be changed into her own clothes and be done moving for the night.

"That's exactly how I describe you to people. Patient and forgiving." Mike said resuming his chuckle. He didn't know anyone in the world who would describe Kate as patient and forgiving.

"You really want to go there now?" Kate asked looking up to Mike.

"No." Mike said smiling. As Kate looked at him he could see the tiredness taking over her, her eyes closing for longer and longer with each blink. "Get some sleep Kate," Mike said leaning down to give Kate a soft kiss goodnight.

"Will you stay?" Kate asked, her eye's now closed, and voice almost a whisper.

With that line, Mike fell in love with Kate just that little bit more. "I'm never leaving, not matter how many storms we face." Mike said as Kate drifted off to sleep. It wasn't long before the events of the day took its toll on Mike. Resting his head beside Kate's, Mike drifted off to sleep, content in the knowledge that there wasn't a problem in the world he and Kate couldn't overcome together.