Live and Learn.

Chapter 10.

Dutchy knocked on Kate's bedroom door, he entered without an invitation knowing she would probably ignore him. He sighed seeing her blotchy, tear stained face, and perched himself on the edge of the bed. Kate wiped the tears from her cheeks and punched the pillow next to her, letting out an aggravated growl.

"Why does he always have this effect me?"

Because he's not good for you! Is what he wanted to scream. He knew Mike wasn't technically a bad person, but if you couldn't express your feelings to the woman who loves you, you're pretty stupid. It drove him mad that he had this hold over her, he would watch the most sensible person he knew turn into an irrational person that sacrificed her wants and needs for his. He felt like a hypocrite for not telling her what he really thought, but he was afraid the Mike-defending-Kate would win over the sensible-Kate, and she would shut out him out.

He pushed his opinions down, this wasn't about him, she needed his support. He wiggled himself further on to the bed and wrapped his arm round her.

"Are you okay?"

She sunk into his embrace and covered her face with her hands, feeling embarrassed.

"Oh, god, Maddie and Liv heard everything, are they okay?"

"They're at mine, they're fine, more concerned about you. So, ah, what happened?"

She hesitated for a moment, remembering the real reason for his visit, she scoffed.

"He came over to ask me out…"

Dutchy's face wrinkled, wondering if he heard her correctly.

"Seriously? So, how did it turn into this?"

Kate re-positioned herself on the bed, propping herself up on the headboard, she grabbed a pillow and fiddled with the zip.

"He told Nate about our past. Something about trying to get him to open up, be honest. So, in his wisdom, he thought he should be honest too?"

Dutchy didn't want to take sides, especially his, but it sounded like a genuine enough reason.

"Well, I guess that kind of makes sense."

Kate's frustration returned, she gripped the pillow and slammed it into the bed.

"Oh yeah, tell your angry teenage son about the most scandalous thing you've ever done, brilliant idea!"

Dutchy flinched as she let out a growl and threw the pillow to the other side of the room.

"Is that all?"

"I called him on his behaviour when I got back together with Jim, and his defence was, and I quote, 'Did it ever occur to you that you were the love of my life and I wasn't letting you go without a fight?'

Dutchy was mildly impressed, he finally said the L word, even if it wasn't a direct proclamation.

"Oh… well, love does funny things to people, you know that."

Her head whipped round to face him, her expression darkened by the second.

"What? You're saying that I'm still in love with him?"

He wasn't, she was the one who said it, but maybe she did have some unresolved feelings. He was the only one that knew about them, and after witnessing their kiss on the sub, she told him the whole story. But he still didn't understand the connection, it seemed pretty black and white to him, again he didn't want to cause trouble, he sighed and told her what she wanted to hear.

"Maybe more the other way round? I mean, I've seen you guys together, at your best and at your worst. There's always been something."

She groaned, if Dutchy thought she was being irrational then she definitely was, she sunk back in the pillows.

"So, you're saying I should just forgive him?"

He hesitated, his mind screamed, definitely not! He needed to think of a more diplomatic explanation.

"Well, not necessarily, but I think you need to talk to him about it and figure some stuff out. If not for your sake, then for Maddie's, remember, she's the one that has to see him every day…"

Kate dropped her head into her hands.

"Shit…"

Dutchy pulled her close, wrapping both arms around her.

"For the record, he's not my favourite person, but if there is something still there…"

Kate raised an eyebrow in his direction, questioning his comment, he laughed and squeezed her tighter.

"Okay, I'm just saying, I'm always going to be on team Kate, but, just be happy, okay? You deserve it!"

Kate snuggled into his nook and closed her eyes.

"Bloody, Mike Flynn."

The next morning Maddie peered into Kate's room, she was asleep, leaning against Dutchy. Dutchy was awake and gestured for her to enter. He removed himself from the bed and Maddie sat in his spot, Kate stirred as Maddie slid into the bed beside her.

"Oh, Maddie, sweetie..."

"Hi, mum, are you okay?"

Kate sat up and rubbed her hands over her face as Dutchy exited the room to give them some privacy.

"I'm sorry about last night… Where's Liv?"

"Ah, she's gone home, but don't worry she won't say anything."

She kissed the top of Maddie head and pulled her close.

"I'm so sorry."

"Mum, why are you sorry, Mike Flynn should be the one that's sorry."

Kate sat up facing Maddie, she reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear wondering where her baby had gone.

"Look, sweetie, we're both in the wrong, and it's more complicated because he's your teacher, you still need to respect him."

Maddie's nose wrinkled.

"I don't have to respect him, respect is earned, and he doesn't deserve..."

Kate grabbed her hand, stopping her, she needed to make her listen.

"Madison, what happened between Captain Flynn and I should have no effect on your education or your relationship with him as a superior."

Maddie wiggled out of her grip, annoyed she was defending him.

"Seriously, Mum? It sounded like he wanted to break you and dad up, how can that not affect me? I just don't understand how you got mixed up in this, I wouldn't have thought you'd be one to break the rules."

Kate exhaled sharply, she was going to have to explain.

"Mike and I knew each other before Hammersley."

Maddie took a second to register what she said, a million questions flooded into her mind.

"What? When? How?"

"Ah, maybe 18 months before I was posted to Hammersley. He was running a course at Watson's bay, I was one of his students."

Maddie's jaw dropped, she was lost for words, more facts about her mother's life she was unaware of.

"We bumped into each other before the course started, at a local bar, we talked for hours. Then the next morning he was standing at the front of the class, I swear I heard nothing but my own heartbeat the entire class. By the time the class was over, I had convinced myself to shut it down, but then he asked me to stay after class. We tried to talk ourselves out of it, but then he reached over and held my hand, it was like a pulse of electricity ran through me and I couldn't walk away. We spent a week together, an amazing week, we stayed over the weekend to spend some more time together, but then, Sunday morning I woke up in the hotel alone."

"What happened? Where did he go?"

"I dunno, he was just gone…"

Maddie squeezed Kate's hand for support, she hadn't never seen her mum look so heartbroken talking about someone other than her dad.

"So, he ghosted you, and then you had to work with him?"

"Pretty much, I would say, karma's a bitch, if it wasn't so horrible for me too. But, he was right when he said we both acted inappropriately. He started dating this marine biologist, who I thought was just a bit off, and of course he thought I was jealous, which I'll admit, I was, a little, but she did turn out to be dodgy, kind of, she had to go into witness protection, that's a whole other story. Anyway, when I got together with your dad, he was the one acting all weird, so, really, we both didn't deal with it so well."

"Yeah, but you were right about the marine biologist, and that obviously didn't last that long. But what, he spent 4 years having digs at your relationship."

Kate hesitated, she had never told Maddie that she and Jim broke up for a period of time, but she needed to get everything out in the open.

"Umm, no, your dad actually left me, for nearly 2 years."

"What? Why?!"

Maddie stared at her, she couldn't believe she had kept all of this from her. Kate took a deep breath in, knowing her next sentence wouldn't help.

"He thought I was still in love with Mike."

Maddie held up her hands, needing a time out.

"Hang on a minute, in love? Mum, you loved him?"

She couldn't answer, she was scared how Maddie would react.

"Maddie, your dad was was trying to do what was right, for both of us."

Maddie shook her head as she shifted away from her.

"I can't believe you'd do that to dad!"

"Hang on, he left me."

"Yeah, but he wouldn't have if he thought that you loved him! I don't understand why you're trying to justify what Mike did, he left you! He just, he was your superior and he just… and you went back to him, over dad..."

Kate dropped her head, she had never told her because she was afraid she would react in this exact way.

"Maddie, it wasn't like that..."

Maddie lept up from the bed, not wanting to hear her excuses.

"Right, so, you had this great guy, and you just let him walk away for someone that had already proven he wasn't good enough? I thought you'd have more self respect than that!"

Kate moved towards her, trying to calm her.

"Maddie, can you just let me finish, you know it has a happy ending?"

She reached out for Maddie's hand, but she snatched it away.

"No, it doesn't! Look around, dads gone, how is that a happy ending?"

Tears streamed down Maddie's cheeks as she ran out of the house, slamming the door behind her. Kate let out a frustrated scream and threw herself back on the bed.

A couple of hours later Maddie hadn't returned, Kate made her way to Dutchy's house to see if she was there. Knocking on his door, she took out her phone to check if she had responded to her message, but there was nothing. There was no answer to her knock, so she messaged him.

"Have you seen Maddie?"

He replied immediately.

"We're at the park."

Kate jogged to the local park and found Maddie and Dutchy sitting on the swings. Dutchy saw her approach and placed himself in front of Maddie, pulling her swing towards him.

"Just talk to her."

He let the swing go and walked up to Kate.

"She hasn't said much."

"Thanks for looking out for her, it's probably all a bit much."

"She can handle it, she's your daughter after all. I'll be at home if you need me."

"Thanks."

Kate cautiously sat on the swing next to Maddie, she was about to say something when Maddie beat her to it.

"I just don't understand how you could be with someone who treated you like that."

"Maddie..."

"No, mum, it goes against everything you taught me."

She dug her feet into the bark chips, kicking them out of frustration.

"I heard him say that you had to think about dad's proposal, was it because of him?"

Kate's heart skipped a beat remembering the day, tears welled in her eyes, she had never said the truth out loud.

"The truth, maybe two percent."

Maddie's head snapped towards her, she thought she'd deny it. Kate grabbed her swing, pulling her close, making sure she was listening.

"But the main reason I hesitated was from shock, we'd only been together again for a couple of months. Maddie, it was never a choice, your father was, and still is the love of my life. I guess this brings us to the next topic, are you not okay with me dating?"

Kate released her swing, Maddie skidded her feet along the ground bringing her swing to a stop.

"Have you not been listening to me? I'm fine with you dating, as long as they're worth it."

"Maddie, Mike Flynn is not a bad person, he's just not good with, well, with talking about relationships."

"Yeah, all types of relationships, it seems."

Kate moved off the swing and stood in front of Maddie.

"Maddie, I need you to be professional about this, Mike is in an awkward spot too, remember."

Maddie pushed away from her, Kate stood off to the side to avoid being hit.

"I don't understand, I've never seen you so angry and upset as you were last night, and now it sounds like you're on his side, how are you so forgiving?"

Kate grabbed the chains, bringing the swing to a standstill.

"Well, I'm older and wiser, and a parent. Look, I know this was a lot, and I'm willing to talk about it more if you need..."

"It's okay, but ah, are you going to go out with him?"

"No, as you can see we've got a lot of things to sort out."

"Yeah, it's just weird, you had this whole other life that I didn't know about…"

"I didn't mean to hide it from you, I just didn't want it to affect the memory of your dad. So, are we okay?"

Maddie nodded, Kate pulled her in for a hug as her phone beeped. Maddie wiggled her hand from Kate's embrace and pulled her phone from her pocket. Kate shook her head and released her embrace.

"That'd be right, I'm trying to have a nice moment with you, and you're on your phone."

"It's Tyler, he, umm, wants to catch up."

"Go ahead, it's fine, you go back tomorrow so gotta have fun while you can."

Maddie wrapped her arms around her waist and jumped up from the swing.

"Thanks, you're the best!"

They walked back to the house, Tyler had already arrived and was waiting at the front door.

"Hey!"

Maddie looked embarrassed at her daggy appearance.

"Ah, hi, you're here already, I haven't had a chance to get cute yet!"

He smirked, looking her up and down and winked.

"You'd look cute in a hessian sack!"

Kate approached and cleared her throat, interrupting the obvious flirting, his charm reminded her too much of Mike. Tyler turned his attention to Kate, obviously embarrassed that she had overheard.

"Oh, Captain McGregor, hi, thank you for letting me take her out today, I know your time is precious together."

"No problem."

Kate unlocked the door and Maddie ran into the house, Tyler called out after her.

"Make sure it's bike friendly..."

She smiled and nodded and ran into her room.

"Tyler, come in, please, can I get you a drink or something."

"Ah, water would be great..."

Tyler nervously wandered around the lounge unsure of how to act, he jumped as Kate reentered the room and handed him a glass of water.

"So, you guys going on a ride round the bay?"

"Yeah..."

"That's cute, but ah, she doesn't have a bike here..."

Tyler took a sip of water as his eyes darted out the window.

"No, umm, motorbike..."

Kate placed her glass down and opened the front door, she froze seeing a similar bike to the one Jim had owned. Tyler worried she wouldn't approve, he took a step outside.

"Ah, I promise I'll be careful, I've had my licence for 2 years, do you wanna check her out?"

Running her hands over the seat she smiled remembering the exhilarating feeling of being on the back of Jim's bike, she felt free, untouchable, or maybe she felt like that because of him.

"Maddie's father had a bike..."

Tyler wasn't sure how to respond, he knew the situation, but didn't want to make it awkward.

"Well, ah, he has good taste then..."

Kate's gaze was still focused on the bike.

"Had... he had good taste..."

Tyler winced, he had made it awkward.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Captain Roth was a true hero doing what he did..."

Kate snapped out of her trance and looked over to Tyler.

"So, you seem like a sensible young man, don't let me be wrong, I hate being wrong!"

She gave him a pat on the shoulder, he nodded and saluted.

"Yes, Ma'am..."

"Kate, will do fine while we're off duty."

She made her way back up to the house as Maddie bolted out the front door.

"Okay, ready!"

She gave Kate a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Love you!"

Kate turned and observed them for a moment, Tyler placed his spare helmet on Maddie's head and fastened the buckle.

"So, apparently your dad had one of these..."

Maddie wrinkled her face and lifted the visor.

"Wait, how did you know that?"

"Ah, your mum just told me."

"Ah, I'm sorry if she gave you a lecture or something."

"No, she didn't actually, I was kinda waiting for it... she just said I looked like a sensible young man."

She laughed and gave him a slight shove.

"Yeah, I'll be the judge of that."

Tyler pulled on his helmet and sat on the bike.

"You been on a bike before?"

Maddie shook her head, glancing over to the bike feeling a little anxious.

"You're good at it, right? I'm not gonna lose a leg or something?"

He scoffed as started the bike, revving the engine. He lifted the visor on his helmet.

"Hey, I wouldn't be letting you on this thing if I wasn't confident, I don't want to have to explain to your mother why you're in the hospital, and can't become the next Chief of Navy."

"Good point."

She straddled the seat behind him and wrapped her arms around this torso, she took a deep breath in and tightened her grip as he took off.

They walked down the jetty, Maddie closed her eyes feeling the fresh sea air on her face. Tyler reached over and grasped Maddie's hand in his.

"So have you sorted things out with Nate?"

Maddie's heart rate increased, had Nate been talking about her?

"Umm, what do you mean?"

"Well, Liv said he's been acting weird."

"Yeah, but I think that's just him, I tend to ignore it… anyway, have you got your Hercules costume yet?"

"No, I went edgier, I was thinking if it's hero's and villains, we can't go as two hero's so, I'm going as Hades..."

Maddie raised an eyebrow and swung their hands between them.

"That's hot!"

"Well, I gotta match my hot girlfriend…"

Kate made her way over to Dutchy's house with a bottle of scotch, she entered and found him out in the backyard watering the garden.

"Hey..."

He spun round with the hose, surprised by her presence, she screamed as the water hit her face.

"Dutchy!"

He dropped the hose in a fit of laughter and ran to turn it off.

"Sorry, Kate! Your fault for sneaking up on me!"

She handed him the bottle while wiping the water from her face.

"This was to say thanks for helping me with Maddie, but maybe I should just pour it over you."

He took off his shirt and dabbed her, trying to dry her off.

"So, did you guys sort things out?"

"Yeah, I think so. I just worry she's gonna be like me and over think things."

"Well, that's quite possible. So, where is she?"

"On her date."

Dutchy chuckled and headed in side, he returned with a towel and two glasses.

"So this scotch is really for you?"

Kate's phone beeped as they sat at his outdoor table, she let out a growl as she read the message and jumped up from her chair.

"Hey, where you going?"

She stomped over to her house, Mike stood on her doorstep with a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates.

"Really, Flynn?"

Dutchy peered out his front door wondering where she was going, he let out a huff seeing Mike and shook his head.

"Don't fall for it, Kate."

End Chapter 10.