Once I got going this finally came together. Elena finally confesses what happened at NAVCOM …
Part 28 - Consequences
After the door slammed, Dutchy rubbed his hand over his face and followed her. Stopping in front of the door he raised his hand and knocked firmly and was surprised by how quickly she opened the door again. She looked up and her eyes locked on his, her sunglasses were gone, but it didn't help him, her eyes held no real clue to her mood.
"I'm sorry, I think I did something stupid," she almost whined and he realised that the look she gave him he had seen before, she was emotional, the tears weren't far away and he wondered what could be so bad that the meeting would leave her like this.
He stepped closer and cupped his hands around her face and grazed his thumbs across her cheeks, "hey, calm down, we can talk about it, whatever happened I'm sure it can't be that bad."
"Try worse," she broke the contact by stepping back, but her eyes never left his, "I just got so mad when Commander White refused me any extra leave and suggested I go back on the ship as your XO, I can't do all this anymore. Now I've just stuffed up everything."
He took another step closer and reduced the gap she had just made and resting his hands on her hips drew her towards him, "I doubt you could stuff anything up."
Elena rested her hands on his arms and looked up at him, "you weren't there."
"No, but I'm here now," he kept eye contact with her and could feel the stress in her muscles under his touch. "What happened?"
Elena stood silent for a moment, "I think I just resigned." She took a breath, "after telling her I thought I was pregnant."
Dutchy's eyes widened a little in surprise, "resigned?" She nodded, "so what happens now?"
"I get to stay here and someone else from NAVCOM is going to Hammersley when he's back from leave."
"That's good," he confirmed his eyes on her, it was like she was waiting for something, like she wasn't sure what was going to happen. "That must make it better for you, to be able to go home more."
"Yeah, I guess," she sighed, he lifted one hand and brushed his knuckles over her face before trailing his fingers across that spot on her neck that he knew made her melt.
"Listen, you're stressed, I've got a plan, if we're not sailing for a couple of days, let's get out of town, I'll take you anywhere you want to go," he suggested watching for her reaction.
"Are you sure?"
"You have to ask? I promised you the real me, now get used to it ma'am, coz you're not going to know what hit you."
He watched a small smile cross her lips and felt some of the tension fade as he caressed her neck. "I'm all yours," she whispered. "I don't care about NAVCOM or anything else, for the next 36 hours I want to hide from everything and who can argue if I get a good looking sailor to keep me company."
"How soon can you be ready?"
"My bags are packed ready to find a place to stay, I just need to change."
He trailed his fingers across her throat and ran them downwards towards the buttons on her shirt, making her shiver, so he shifted his other hand from her hip around her back to support her, then lowered his lips to her ear, "is that something I can help with?"
He smiled when she giggled and squirmed a little as his fingers deftly undid the first button, "Dylan, wait." The words were like ice despite the breathy nature of her voice and he shifted his head to look at her, "we still need to talk. You were right, what you said that first day on the ship, I've been dreaming about you like crazy and there's nothing I'd like more than for you to finish what you started last night, but there are consequences and I need to know a few things first."
"Then we'll get lunch in town and then-" he felt her warm fingers press against his lips, stopping him as he watched her shake her head.
"I need to get out of town, somewhere we won't be interrupted … you know what I'd like?"
He wrapped his hand around her fingers and drew them away from his lips as he leaned forwards and mumbled against her ear "I think I'm starting to get the picture."
Slowly he trailed kisses down her jaw until seizing her lips with his for several moments. There was nothing he would have liked more than to keep her in his arms, but somewhere in the recesses of his mind a plan was forming and he pulled away. "Change into something practical and sexy, I'm going to call a mate of mine he owes me a favour."
She slapped his arm playfully, "I hope you don't mean you're inviting him along? I'm not that sort of girl."
"I'm sure ma'am with the right encouragement you can do anything you want, but don't worry; I want you all to myself. Change. Now." He instructed firmly.
He watched her eyes flick across his, "yes, sir" she answered mockingly and she turned around and began to undo the rest of the buttons on her shirt; he let his eyes wander over her figure and smiled, he couldn't resist a playful smack to her bottom as he turned to leave.
…..
Mike was in the Hammersley galley helping himself to coffee while he waited for the first of the crew to arrive. He had already spoken to Kate, not that she could tell him much, not having been on board with Elena and Dutchy. He was thinking through his strategy for meeting the crew when footsteps down the hall drew his attention and another figure appeared in the doorway. Mike looked up as he stirred his coffee.
"Sir, you wanted to see me," greeted the sailor.
"Swain, yes I do, we'll use the ship's office," a moment later they were behind closed doors and were sitting either side of the table.
"Is there a problem sir?" Swain asked, as Mike remained silent for a few minutes.
"I don't know Swain, you tell me."
"I'm sorry I don't know what you're talking about."
"How were Dutchy and Lt-Cdr Larkin during the patrol when she was on the ship?" Mike asked eventually, watching the other sailor's reaction to the question.
"They worked well together, there were a few tense moments, but nothing out of the ordinary, we had some difficult situations to deal with," Swain answered.
"How was their personal relationship?"
"From what I saw they were professional, of course there were times when they would meet alone, but nothing different to what you and Lt-Cdr McGregor did or she does with the X."
"So no rumours circulated?"
"2-dads was particularly pushy about a woman Dutchy met the night before we sailed, but as far as I'm aware they spoke at a bar and that was it. He got a little touchy about it at times."
"Thinking back now, is it significant?" Mike pressed.
Swain thought carefully for a moment, "on the ship, no, but he did admit yesterday when they met at the beach that she was the woman at the bar, although I think he only said it to me. Maybe because we were all there having a good time I'm reading too much into the situation, but they seem to have a connection."
"So you didn't see any signs of a personal relationship while they were on patrol?"
"There were a few discussions after arriving in Lockhart river that seemed a little more intense, but I understand that it was to do with her family situation more than between them. It turned out that the police chief knew her brother and hadn't heard he'd been killed in action."
"And that's all?"
"I don't know what you want me to say sir, I can't tell you what I don't know."
"Alright Swain. Thank you, I'll be talking to the rest of the crew, but for now I'd rather you said nothing about this enquiry."
Swain stood up to leave. "Lt-Cdr Larkin was a good CO, I'd work with her again and so would the crew, she knows her job, but works with a relaxed style but treated the crew fairly and could discipline as needed, not unlike yourself or Lt-Cdr McGregor."
After Swain left, Mike sat with the two personnel files while he waited for his next crewmember which didn't last long. A brief rap to the door indicated his next target had arrived.
"Come in," he commanded and the door opened allowing 2-dads to stick his head around the door.
"Um, boss, I was told you wanted to see me."
"Come in and close the door." Mike instructed and waited until the door was shut before starting his questions, this time he didn't offer the sailor a seat, that was a privilege he kept for the senior men on board. "I need some information about the patrol you were on with Lt-Cdr Larkin. Any information you share with me will be given in confidence and who said what will not be fed back to the crew." Mikes opening remarks seemed to hit 2-dads squarely between the eyes, which seemed to bug out of his head while his jaw dropped into an astonished "O".
"I swear boss, it was just a bit of fun, I never intended anything by it, did Dutchy report me over the ribbing about the woman in the bar?" he asked astonished. "I know I probably went a bit overboard, but I thought galley duty and being the senior sailors gopher was my punishment."
Mike hid a bemused smirk. Catching 2-dads out was an unexpected turn of events. Forcing himself to suppress the laughter that was rising in him he schooled his features and forced himself to frown before answering. "I believe 2-dads that the punishment was deserved and that matter has been closed, but it has come to NAVCOM's attention that those rumours may have carried some truth after all, what do you know about the woman in the bar?"
Now the younger sailor was the one to look bemused and after a moment of thought he adopted a serious look as he stood squarely and answered the question, "nothing sir. … I mean, there was this woman at the bar, she was blonde and leggy, you know the type Dutchy usually goes for, Buffer and Spider were there, so I didn't really notice, I never saw them talk, or when she left, but Swain knows he spoke to her."
"And that's it? You built your rumour mongering against that?" Mike asked firmly.
2-dads looked a little contrite and stared at the floor for a few seconds before looking back at his former CO. "If he didn't react the way he did it would have been forgotten, but to see him get mad about being asked if they spent the night together seemed to indicate that the Dutch man's talents were fading and you couldn't let that go."
"So you thought it would be okay to taunt a member of the senior crew with a personal situation that was none of your business?"
"Yeah, it was just so not him, … I know it was a dumb move, but it was just too good to pass up."
Mike sighed, it appeared 2-dads still hadn't learnt his lesson. "2-dads, if you want to progress in the Navy you have to start watching what you say, the pranks, the poker games they have to stop if you want to be taken seriously," Mike warned.
2-dads smiled cheekily, "I'm sorry sir, but it's like fate, the opportunities just fall into my lap."
"How did Lt-Cdr Larkin get on aboard the ship?"
"I could say she was awful sir, because she gave me extra work, because she found out what I was saying about Ditchy but in truth sir, she was fair, maybe I did deserve punishment and she handled it professionally."
"Do you think she was fair with you?"
"Yes sir," Mike studied the younger sailor for a few minutes as he carefully worked out his next question, leaving 2-dads shuffling his feet in anticipation and probably a little fear.
"How did she get on with the senior sailors, particularly Dutchy when he stepped up to cover for the XO?"
"She got on with everyone, it was a bit dicey with Dutchy for a few days after the X was medevac'd but they stood on deck one night and talked. It seemed better after that."
"Do you know what they discussed?" Mike asked, knowing if 2-dads had seen them together he most likely would have found some vantage point to spy on them better.
"No, I only saw them on the CCTV, there was no sound, he'd been pretty pissed off for a couple of days, but I don't know why, I think she must have called him on it."
"Did you see any fraternisation between them?"
2-dads thought for a moment, "not exactly. When we were ashore at Lockhart River he seemed concerned about her when she went off alone a few times with the local police chief, I figured it was because he was being kept out of the loop… Once I suggested that she looked his type and he nearly bit my head off, but I figured it was because I'd been teasing him about the woman from the bar too. At the end of the patrol they'd kind of like worked out this secret code that you and the X seemed to have, words wouldn't be necessary, they'd just seem to read each other's minds."
Mike pondered 2-dads revelations and wondered if the reason for their synchronicity was more than just a close working relationship. He was never sure that his ability to have unspoken conversations with Kate was because they were in love rather than just having built a close professional working pattern, however he felt he knew what the women in his life would say. Love was their answer for most things.
"Have you seen them together since they were on the ship?"
"Yesterday, she was at the beach with her niece, she joined the crew for a few hours, Dutchy must have persuaded her to stay because she was leaving at one point, the boss can probably tell you more, she spoke to them more than I did."
"I know, I've already heard her views. … That will be all, this is a confidential enquiry and I'm sure you know it shouldn't be discussed except with me or Commander White."
"Yes sir."
…..
It had been about an hour since their return from NAVCOM and while Elena had run an errand of her own, Dutchy was in the supermarket opposite the Marina where they had agreed to meet. He wandered up and down the aisles collecting some essential supplies to sustain them for the next day or two, along with some bottles of wine and beer. With his basket now overflowing he made a beeline for the last aisle and the medical/hygiene section. As he approached the items he was looking for, something else caught his eye and her words from earlier struck him like a freight train. He stopped in his tracks and forced air into his lungs, his eyes riveted to the female products before him.
After telling her I thought I was pregnant. He'd been so focused on her saying she'd resigned that anything after it he had been oblivious to, now as he stared at the line of pregnancy tests the words seemed to send a jolt of electricity through him. Was she? Was it just a ploy to stop them posting her back on Hammersley? She must think he was a right idiot when he didn't say anything. Taking a deep breath he tried to get his thoughts in a coherent order, he looked around; no one seemed to have noticed he was rooted to the spot. The question now was what he should do about it and for the second time in two days he wondered if he could really settle down with a wife and children; a subject that he had never taken the time to think about before. He glanced in his basket and wondered if the alcohol was a good move, weren't pregnant women supposed to give up the stuff? But if he put it back and she wasn't she might be disappointed, he tried to think back to the night before and he realised that although he had served her wine she hadn't drunk more than a few mouthfuls, he should have realised something then.
The only answer was to get to the Marina and meet her and then ask her about it and apologise profusely for not picking up what she said earlier. But that left him with a dilemma, did he pick up the box of condoms that he had originally been in that aisle for; because if she was pregnant they wouldn't need them and it would be a waste. Erring on the side of caution he grabbed a pack anyway and hurried towards the checkout.
…..
Elena had made it to the Marina and was already on board when he appeared on the jetty. She had arrived a few minutes before and been swept aboard by a likeable young man who explained it was his boat and he was a friend of Dutchy's. She was glad she didn't have to wait outside in the hot sun, but standing in the cabin doorway she could see the two men exchange brief greetings before the sailor hurried aboard with two bags of shopping.
She anticipated a smile or some wisecrack from him, but instead he surprised her by almost dropping the bags on the bench next to her and sweeping her up in his arms; she wrapped hers around his neck for balance as his lips landed on hers with an intensity she had never expected. She could feel his muscles were taut as he held her tight, but at the same time there was a resistance like not wanting to crush her. She wondered what had prompted his actions. Pulling back he focused on her eyes, "I'm sorry, I didn't listen."
"Didn't listen to what?" she asked as he set her back on her feet and cupped her face in his hand, her arm shifting to allow him access and her hand settling against his thumping heart.
"You, what you said earlier, about NAVCOM, I was an idiot, you said you resigned and everything after that went over my head, it shouldn't have, but it did and I'm sorry." He finished by tracing light kisses across her lips.
She pressed her hand against him a little harder, separating them. "What are you talking about?"
She felt confused, she hadn't said anything else, well at least she was sure she hadn't, at least not out loud.
"after telling her I thought I was pregnant," he repeated her words verbatim; she could feel the thump of his heart as he spoke and as the words echoed in her head, "you said you thought you resigned, after telling her you thought you were pregnant."
"I said it out loud?" She tried to decipher the look in his eyes, but other than feeling them bore into her, she couldn't tell what he was thinking. When he nodded briefly she closed her eyes and collapsed against his chest, his arms wrapping around her protectively. "I'm sorry too, I never meant to say anything until I knew for sure."
"When will you know?" he asked tenderly, rubbing his hand in circles across her back.
"Soon, the results should be in today or tomorrow," she mumbled against his chest.
"Can't you just take one of those stick test things?" Elena pulled back and looked up at his face, she couldn't be sure in the light, but she thought there was a pink tinge to his skin and she smiled.
"I did, they were inconclusive. I had a proper test done by the doctor at home a couple of days ago, it will give more accurate readings."
"And what do you think it will say?"
"I don't know," she sighed. "As if my life wasn't complicated enough it wouldn't surprise me to find out that life has just thrown me more lemons."
He laughed and she felt the vibrations run through her hand and up her arm, almost missing the tingling that crossed her face from his caress, "it may not be so bad, I'm pretty good at making pancakes, they go quite well with lemon juice."
She couldn't help but smile. This was not the reaction she had expected from him. Maybe he was just hoping the test would come back negative and then he wouldn't have to deal with it, he could still walk away. She half hoped it would be negative too, but she couldn't help wondering what it would be like to have her own child.
She was brought back to the present when she felt his hand comb through her hair and his fingers graze her neck and she looked up at his face, "let's get out of here, I know this quiet little cove up the coast, we can drop anchor for a few hours and tonight we can moor up at the marina near that restaurant we went to before then tomorrow we'll just take our time in getting back. How does that sound?"
"Wonderful, but are you sure about this now you know?" she asked.
"I've had a little time to think, the last 2 weeks thinking you already had a baby, seeing you with her yesterday, you'd make a fantastic mother."
"And you? How do you feel?" she asked tapping her fingers on his chest, only to have him take her hand and curl his around it.
"Right now I want to get out of here then I get you all to myself."
Next chapter up soon.
