The following morning, Kate woke before Mike, and Jessica and she quietly and gently got out of bed and headed to the lounge.

She went back to reading what had been sent to Jessica from her parents.

God if they had bothered to ask her these questions they would know, or visited even then they would see she has everything she needs here, support, job, and career, a place to live and the baby's father is fully involved and so is his family.

As Kate reads into this more she starts to wonder a few things about Jessica's parents.

Maybe they're worried that this might end her dreams?

Maybe they're worried that Ryan will walk out and leave her to raise the child alone?

Maybe they're worried she'll regret the choice she has made?

There is so many maybe's. I have to get our lawyer to talk to them and then get them to talk to use or visit at least so they can see that everything is going to be ok for Jess, that we have all bases covered including an agreement drawn up and signed regarding what will happen if anything happens between the two.

I honestly think that once they see what set up she has, the support she has from us, the Navy they may change their mind.

Kate was so wrapped up in the things she was reading as reasons for why they are applying for custody of the child, that she doesn't hear Mike approach till she feels his arms sliding down her shoulders as he leans over the back of the couch and gives her a kiss on the side of her face.

"Morning beautiful."

"Morning." she replies back to him still focused on what she is reading. He moves and sits beside her.

"Mike you know some of these things that her parents say she doesn't have she does. They have a house a bloody nice house to bring up the child in, they may not have a car but they're not far from everything they need, plus they have us and Maxine a phone call away. She still has her career and if we are honest her getting pregnant got her in to her medic's course a lot quicker. Ryan is fully involved. We got those papers done up if they decide to split what will happen to the child. They have use, the crew of Hammersley. She may only be 20 and young and yes she will miss out on some things that people her age do but she loves what she is doing and she has thought very hard about this. Plus we're both not going to be out at Sea for ever so we can always help look after the child along with our one." Kate rattles off to Mike. "I think our lawyer needs to get her parents lawyers to tell her parents that they need to come up here and see exactly what Jess and Ryan have here and then tell her she isn't going to be a good mother, that she has no way of providing for a child when she has the complete opposite of what most people her age have."

"Honey calm down." Mike finally mangers to get across to her.

"But what about these claims?" She says to him pointing to some information on the documents.

"I have no idea and Jessica is going to be the only one who is going to be to tell us about that claim they have down." He says back to her, he pulls Kate to his chest before leaning back on the couch.

"I'm going to ring in and let Maxine know that Jessica won't be going in today to work, and I will tell her why too, she has a right to know what her parents are doing to our grandchild." Mike feels Kate tense when he says this. "Hey honey that child she is carrying is just as much your grandchild as it is mine and Max's. And I know for a fact there is no way Max is going to stop you from being involved and classed as a grandparent to that child, not after all the help you have given those two."

"But Ryan isn't my child." She says quietly.

"He may not be yours honey but he is the half-brother to Louise and to our little sailor that you are carrying. Also I know for a fact that Maxine thinks highly of you even more so now than before for what you have done for them, allowing them your place to live in. Being there for them both, helping them make an informed choice over all this with no pressure to do one thing or another, I don't know if I could have been so unbiased like you were for them both."

The two sit there listening to the sounds coming in from outside, the sounds of birds singing, cars driving past.

"Mike you know that night when the condom broke what was your first thought."

"You damn well know what my first thought was I expressed it as soon as we noticed." He says to her, his tone not so nice.

"Sorry, I know."

"Then why ask?"

"I didn't express myself very well with that question, what I was meaning was the fact that I could possible get pregnant since I wasn't taking anything and that the chance of you becoming a father was a possibility." She says sounding so confused, he sits there thinking about what she has said.

"Honey everything I said to you that night was the truth."

"Really?"

"Yes really, I left the choice up to you because I didn't want you to feel pressured in keeping it because that was what I wanted. That is why I told you I would accept whatever decision you chose. I didn't want to be the one that made you choose. I told you how I felt and even now I still feel the same. But when you told me about Jessica and Ryan I was a tad upset, they are younger than what we were, they only known each other a couple of years max, we had known each other for five years, they've not had a chance to do things kids their age do, and we had. There were so many things I would have loved for them to be able to do without worrying about a baby, a child to care and look after, but with the way things are today compared to ten years ago, I kept my mouth shut it was and is their choice just like it was your choice back then and now. I can always babysit for them so they can still go out and be young adults who get drunk and do stupid things." He says he voice and tone changing as he speaks to her.

"You're worried about them aren't you?" she says while lying on his chest. Jess slowly walks down the hall way stopping just short of the lounge, not sure if she should head in or return to the room.

"Yes I am, and that is why I'm prepared to do anything and everything for them. I don't want them to at any stage feel like they had no choice or feel trapped by their decision to keep the child."

"Do you think they can make it work?"

"To be honest I have no idea. Relationships with navy sailors aren't easy, most of them fall apart due to the amount of time we spend out at sea, and since most tend to date and be with others who aren't in the navy they don't fully understand what it is like. I hope for them that it lasts, but if not then we will cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Do you think if Louise hadn't of died would we still be together?" she asks her voice sounding unsure.

"Yes I do think we would still have been together." He reply's back pulling her closer to his body.

"What makes you think that?"

"Because I love you always have, and look at what we have come through to be where we are now. If she was still with us I reckon we'd still be happily married. But we still would have had our arguments and times where we hated each other but come the job we both know what it is like and be able to understand where the other one is coming from regarding the long hours out at sea, the crash sailings that we do when stationed on patrol boats. The months away if on a frigate and we have understanding parents who were and are prepared to help us by being there to help look after the little one while we worked if it had us both away at the same time." There is a slight pause by him. "And I think Jess and Ryan need to know that, need to understand it's not going to be smooth sailing for them but if work requires them both out on the water at the same time they have someone here to look after their child, someone they can trust to do the job for them. I may not be happy that they are becoming parents at such a young age but what makes me feel better is that they made a very informed choice about this thanks to you, you provide Jess with all and everything she needed to make a fully informed choice and that helps me. When I have doubts over it I think back at how long it took for her to make a choice, the time you spent with her taking her to different places, meeting and talking to different people and at times making sure Ryan knew as well. That helps me." He pauses again wonting to say something but not sure how to say it without hurting Kate's feelings.

"This might come out wrong so don't get cross with me but I think I can understand a little bit where her parents are coming from with some of the things they have on those documents. Having had some time to think about it all, let the information sink in overnight. They're properly scared for their daughter, like I was a tad for Ryan. They've had no input over all of this; they properly think she's been trapped into keeping it or something. Think about it though how did Steve react to it when you told him that you were pregnant."

"He flipped out big time didn't talk to me for a couple of weeks."

"Just like her parents have, maybe they think they doing the right thing, maybe they're trying to give her an out of some form that has no influence from us. Just like your mum said to you before it was all confirmed, that if you wanted to keep it and still work then she would help look after it, where your dad thought it would be the end of your dreams. And to be honest you weren't much older than Jess is now."

Jess decides that she needs a drink and moves the rest of the way into the lounge to get to the kitchen. Mike and Kate hear and then see her enter and go to the kitchen. They say good morning to each other.

"Jess can you come over here please I want to talk to you." Mike says his voice firm but soft sounding at the same time. She does as he asks and moves over to the lounge and sits in one of the chairs across from the two, who are still curled up on the couch in each other's arms.

"Ok Jess I have a few things that we need to talk about." he says as he goes to move and sit up, Kate giving him the 'I'm not impressed you've moved' look.

"First thing I need to know what truth is behind the claim your parents have written down here as there is nothing in your personal file that I have that as anything like this noted down." Jess swallows a limp in her throat as she quickly reads the part that Mike is referring too.

"Ok that. As Kate already knows I had a boyfriend who use to use drugs. At first I had no idea, they were older than me and I enjoyed hanging out with them I made friends with some of them over time I noticed they started to use in front of me. I tried to break up form him and leave but I was unable to. Mum and Dad thought I was using too because I would come home smelling like I had smoked the dope, which I hadn't, they never believed me. It was coming towards the end of year eleven, and things where getting worse so I did the only other option I had I went to the police with the information I had about them all, I told them I was struggling to get out from the group and away from the guy I didn't want to date. As I was talking to them one of the officers mentioned about the Navy and their gap year that they do she said her son was doing it and she thought it be a great way of getting out of the area and the scene and also provide me with some hand son work experience if the navy was something I wanted to do. I told them I wasn't too sure that I was planning on becoming a teacher. This officer after some more talking had convinced me that joining the gap year even if I wasn't prepared to sign up to the navy it got me away from Perth, away from the group I was hooked up with. She made all the arrangements and within a few days I was whisked away. My parents weren't happy at the time but after spending time on Hammersley with you guys and the crew I started to enjoy it and I wanted to join up. When I told my parents how much fun I was having and how much I was learning, including what Bomber was teaching me they started to be ok about it all. I told them what the crew on Hammersley was like, and how Dutchy treated me like his little sister always looking out for me. What I was saying to them dad said was different to what he thought it would be like. But I don't think they ever believed me when I said I never used any drugs or smoked any dope, and with they have down there I would say maybe they still don't believe me. I know when the police did the raid on the house where my ex was supposed to be living he was not there and nowhere to be found." Mike and Kate listen to what Jess is saying to them. Kate had already told Mike about the Ex-boyfriend at Kurumba that had caused some troubles and RO's broken nose.

About five minutes later Mike speaks again.

"Jess as a parent I can semi understand how they might be feeling with all this. How long ago did you tell them about the pregnancy?"

"Only a couple of weeks ago. I didn't say anything till I knew for sure what I was going to do and then they were away on holiday overseas."

"Well what we are going to do is talk to a lawyer today and get this all sorted. I am hoping that we can get your parents to come up here and see with their own eyes what you have here and also I want to talk to them myself to find out why they are doing this. They might just be worried for you and we won't know will we start talking to them either via the lawyers of person to person." Mike says to her, she just nods her head in agreement to what he is saying to her. "I will be ringing Maxine and letting her know you won't be into work today and why." He sees her pale. "Jess don't be worried Maxine is not going to be mad at you over this, I will have to be the one that stops her from killing your parents for this because I can tell by the way she has been over the last week since I have been on my shore posting that she is looking forward to becoming a grandmother and if anyone is going to mess with that she will kill them." This causes Jess to let out a small laugh "Which means I will have to tie her down with some anchor chain to make sure she doesn't do something to your parents. Look Jess we will get this sort and we will find out why they are doing this don't you worry."

The house phone rings and Kate goes and answers it.

"Mike it's for you."

"Who is it?"

"Greg Valance, something you're not telling me?" she says to him as she passes him the phone and he smiles in return.

"Mike Flynn speaking." Jess decides to get up and go have a shower while Mike is on the phone.

"Mike, Greg valance from Valance Holden your new car has just arrived and will be ready for you to pick up in a couple of hours."

"Wow it's arrived early."

"Yes it has, also when headquarters found out the car was for you and your wife they have put in a few extras for you, and also dropped the price some more for you."

"Well that is very nice of them but they didn't have to do that."

"They felt it was the least they can do for you."

"Yea but they didn't have to do that they've been giving me such great deals on my lease cars for the last ten years, that there was no need to add in any extras to the new car." He couldn't help himself could he? He had to go buy a new car. Though I thought he owned the car in the garage not leased it.

"Maybe sir, but this is the first car in ten years that you have owned. The boss at headquarters felt he owed you this for your loyal service to us."

"Well where else would I go Greg, your team's service has been over and above the call of duty as far as I'm concerned."

"Well that is what we aim for. So I would expect to see you down here about eleven to pick it up?"

"Yes we you will see us both around then. Thanks Greg."

"No problem Mike, see you then." They both hang up the phone.

"So when where you going to tell me about the new car?" Kate asks her voice full of cheek.

"When it arrived which means today." He says back.

"So you buy a new car without my input how do you know I will like it?"

"Oh I didn't buy it without your input my dear. You remember when we were in town and we passed the car yard and there was this car you really liked and wished you had seen it before you had brought the one you have now."

"That car, you brought that." She asks shocked

"Yep I did. It wasn't meant to arrive till next week but it came in this morning. We can go pick it up about eleven."

"Is it in red?"

"Yes dear it is in red." He says and a huge smile breaks out on her face. She wraps her arms around his neck and gives him a kiss on the lips. Jess then walks out to find them embraced and kissing.

"Well I think it is breakfast time for us all now." Mike says once him and Kate break apart.