Chapter Four-

The younger Kosov-Meyer rolled over, coughing up seawater from her lungs.

"Just breathe ma'am," said Slinger gently, keeping Emily rolled over in the recovery position.

"She okay?" Asked Nikki. Charlie nodded.

"She'll be okay. Looks like a possible concussion, potentially a broken rib or two, but she should patch up okay. Spider is the concern; we need to get back to Hammersley so we can patch him up. How's 2Dads' team going?" Asked Slinger, checking on Spider again. Nikki sighed and grabbed her radio. She glanced up, and realised that the second RHIB team were speeding back to Hammersley.

"X-ray 82 to Delta 82, 2Dads, what's going on?" Asked Nikki.

"Delta 82 to X-ray 82. Mike's not breathing; we need to get him to Hammersley and get him on oxygen. Can you keep searching?" Asked 2Dads. The younger Kosov-Meyer shook her head.

"Tell Leo there's no-one else," she rasped.

"What do you mean?" Asked Nikki, dropping down near Emily.

"Everyone else was on shore leave. The CO, Spider and I were the only ones on the ship when the bomb hit us," she whispered. Nikki motioned for the RHIB to return to the ship.

"Are you sure about that?" Asked Slinger. Emily nodded.

"I'm positive; everyone was looking forward to going to shore to spend some time off Melbourne. Spider and I drew short straws, and the CO doesn't get along with his X, so he decided to stay back. It's only the three of us, and we haven't heard from the rest of the crew either," replied Emily quietly.

"Right. Halfy, take us back to Hammersley, and we can deal with things there. X-ray 82 to Charlie 82. CO, we're returning to Hammersley. Able Seaman Kosov-Meyer has told us that Commander Mike Flynn, Midshipman Billy Webb and herself were the only three on board. The rest of the crew are on shore leave, but they haven't seen them since the explosion yesterday," reported Nikki.

"Charlie 82 to X-ray 82. Affirmative, see you back on ship. Over." Nikki crouched down next to Spider, ruffling his hair a little. He smiled a little, despite the pain.

"You'll be okay Spide," said Nikki quietly.

"I know. I just had to make sure Able Seaman Kosov-Meyer was okay. If 2Dads ever found out that I'd let her die, I'm pretty sure he'd kill me," replied Spider.

"Well, I think he and Emily are going to have words when she's well enough," said Nikki quietly.

"Why is that?" Asked Spider, trying to sit up. Nikki pushed him back down.

"Stay down. You don't know what damage you've done. I think 2Dads and Emily haven't seen each other for quite a few years," said Nikki. They waited next to the Hammersley, and then the RHIB was pulled back up. Spider groaned as he was jolted around, his bruised body aching.

"Don't worry Spider, we'll have you back and terrorising the girls in no time," laughed Nikki.

"As long as they give me morphine, I don't care Nav," replied Spider, his face contorted in pain.

"Don't worry; you'll go to the wardroom for further assessment, and I'll give you a dose when we're there," said Slinger, smiling. Emily had drifted back into unconsciousness, but her face was still distorted with evident pain.

"I'll give Kosov-Meyer here a dose as well," said Slinger. Dutchy and Ryan came down from the bridge to help them take Spider to the wardroom.

"Haven't seen Spider this bad before X," commented Dutchy, lifting him carefully onto the awaiting stretcher. Spider moaned.

"Cut it out Spider. You'll have your morphine shortly," jested Dutchy. He and Ryan lifted the stretcher, moving Spider to the wardroom.

"I'll be there in a moment to give you your precious morphine," called Slinger. She and Nikki lifted out Emily carefully. 2Dads glanced over at his younger sibling, and shook his head. He didn't join Charlie and Nikki as they moved Emily to austere; Chefo could keep an eye on her.

"Who's this?" Toby asked as they brought Emily down.

"Able Seaman Emily Kosov-Meyer. Don't ask," said Nikki, anticipating the questions that would surely arise.

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Chefo. 2Dads came and joined them in austere.

"You guys should check on Spider and Flynn. She'll be okay," he said firmly. Slinger left quickly, heading to the wardroom to deal with Spider and his need for some pain relief. Nikki wasn't so sure.

"Are you sure Leo?"

"Yes Lieutenant. I'm positive. You'll be needed on the bridge shortly anyway; Hunt's been left in charge," he snapped. Nikki left, shaking her head at the sailor. He stood against the wall, watching as Chefo worked on his sister. She woke up, drowsy.

"Leo? What are you doing here?" She asked, confused.

"I could ask you the same question Emilia Sofia Kosov-Meyer," replied 2Dads, using her full name. She flinched, knowing she was in trouble with her older sibling.

"I joined the Navy three years ago. I had no idea you were in the Navy too, I swear. Mum passed away from drug abuse five years ago, and I've had no-one. She never remarried, and she didn't leave me any contacts. I had no way of finding you; I didn't even know what you looked like. It's been nearly fourteen years Leo," replied Emily.

"It's been twelve… Mum passed away?" Asked Leo, realising what Emily had said. Emily nodded.

"Five years ago. I didn't know until the police did a raid at some drug house, and they found her. I was seventeen; I had no immediate family, and no money. I finished school on a scholarship, and stayed with a friend and her parents. The day after I graduated, I applied to ADFA, was given a grant to study and train, and then transferred into the Navy. I'm sorry Leo, but you wouldn't have liked Mum the way she was. She was abusive and mean, and I was just one more hospital visit away from having FaCS intervening and removing me from her." 2Dads dropped down beside the bunk she was in as Chefo inserted an IV line into her arm.

"Emilia, I am so sorry I was never there for you. I should have stayed in contact with you, like we did when we were younger. I'm glad you're here, I just wish I hadn't found out this way," said 2Dads. Emily grimaced, her ribs aching badly, and her head pounding.

"Can I have some pain relief please?" She begged, exhaustion starting to take its toll. Toby nodded, and grabbed the syringe of morphine Bird had brought him earlier. He injected it into her thigh, and she winced as the needle punctured her skin.

"Leo, can I have a drink?" She requested. He nodded, and grabbed the nearby bottle of water that Chefo had brought down. He helped her take a sip, before allowing her to lie back down.

"It feels odd to swallow," she commented. Her breathing became raspy and irregular, and Chefo looked concerned.

"Go and get Bird," he ordered in a tone that brooked no argument. 2Dads sprinted from austere to the wardroom, where Slinger and Bird were working on their respective patients.

"What is it 2Dads?" Asked Bird as she resettled the oxygen mask on Mike's face.

"Chefo needs you to come to austere. Emilia's having trouble breathing," panted 2Dads.

"What did he give her?" Asked Bird, grabbing her bag and heading down the corridor.

"I don't know, just morphine I think. It was the syringe you gave him," said 2Dads, chasing after her.

"Do you know if your sister has any allergies?" Asked Bird as she burst into austere. 2Dads shook his head.

"I have no idea. I can't even remember," responded 2Dads. His younger sister was lying on the rack, face white, not breathing.

"Oh god, she's not breathing!" Exclaimed 2Dads.

"Chefo, get him out of here. Now!" Ordered Bird. She had a fair idea of what was going on, but if it didn't work, she needed to be able to think without 2Dads hovering. She grabbed an EpiPen from her kit, and hit Emily in the thigh with it.

"Come on, come on, come on!" She said under her breath. She pulled an oxygen mask over Emily's head, and waited.

"Come on Emily. Take a breath!" Mere metres away, Slinger was trying to keep Mike from bleeding out of a wound just next to his femoral artery. It had missed by millimetres, and Slinger wanted it to stay that way. She wound the bandage tight, to stop the bleeding, and watched as it turned blood red in seconds.

"Damn it!" She was annoyed. She left the bandage there, and pulled another over the top. It wasn't an arterial bleed, but it was definitely a bleed. He'd need surgery and a blood transfusion to get through this one. What was worse though, was when he stopped breathing altogether.

Then Slinger knew he was in real danger.

"Come on Commander. You've got to keep breathing!" She grabbed a stethoscope, and was glad for the rotation she had done in ER before transferring to the Navy and their communications system. She had knowledge that some Chief Medics didn't have.

"No breathing sounds to the left, trachea deviated. I'd go for tension pneumothorax," she said to herself. She pulled a needle out of the cabinet, and pulled the plunger out of the end. She ripped open Mike's already tattered and bloody shirt, and counted down ribs, until she came to the intercostal space. She drove the needle in hard, and heard the satisfying hiss of air to indicate that she was right. Spider had watched the whole event from the other side of the room.

"Thank god you only had to give me morphine."