2 Weeks had passed since Kate was discharged from the hospital, the second day the entire crew showed up to surprise her and meet the newest additions to the Hammersley family and little Emi got to meet her big cousin Chloe and Sally and Swaine's youngest child Jack they had him a year after Pete and Kate left, 2Dads and Bomber also had a child who was a year younger than Emi a little boy named Klaus, even Mike was married now to his ex-fiancé Maxine White he reconnected with after seeing everything Kate and Pete went through he didn't want to miss another shot to get her back.
They had organised a proper beach BBQ this time and made sure everyone was able to make it walking along the footpath Kate smiled as Emi went running off down the sand
"Chloe!" she yelled as she embraced her in a hug
"Glad you could make it this time" Mike smirked as they stopped next to the table and chairs that had been set up Kate stopped the pram
"Yes well, we wouldn't miss it for the world" Kate smiled as Mike took Justin from her arms for a cuddle
"How's my little nephews?" Maxine asked moving toward Pete as she carefully grabbed Joseph
"They are super grumpy" Pete smirked as he moved next to Kate and wrapped an arm around her waist
"That's okay Auntie Max and Uncle Mike will settle them, you two go have fun" Maxine smiled
"Thank you" Kate sighed with relief as Maxine laughed a little
"You two look exhausted, go grab a drink and some food everyone else is already getting some we'll look after these two" she smiled as Pete nodded and made his way towards the rest of the crew with his hand interlocked with Kate's.
Hours later as they had finished eating and either doing some fishing or swimming they sat around the large picnic table as the kids played near the water building sandcastles with 2Dads, Bomber and
"It's hard to believe we're all here, most of us" Mike smiled as he had an arm wrapped over Maxine's shoulder he looked down at her she still had Joseph in her arms
"Well some of us never left Sir unlike these two who moved onto bigger and better things" Swaine laughed pointing to Kate and Pete as the twins began to get fussing
"Feeding time" Kate sighed as she reached for the nappy bag and pulled out two bottles as she passed one to Maxine as she began feeding Joseph she passed the other to Charge who was now holding Justin
"Hey we came back" Pete grinned as Kate rested back into her chair he placed an arm over her shoulder
"So Pete tells us you've got some exciting news to share Kate" Sally said smiling
"Did he just" she turned to face him
"You're in the dog house now Pete" laughed Swaine as Sally hit his chest
"What's this big news?" Charge looking up from Justin
"Well…" she began saying as she felt a tug on her arm
"Mummy?" Emi asked softly from next to her chair
"Yes?" Kate replied brushing her hand through Emi's hair
"Can I have a juice box?" she asked hopeful as Kate nodded
"There in the bottom of the pram, just one" Kate smiled as Emi ran over to the pram and grabbed 3 juice boxes the crew watching as she passed one to Chloe and Klaus
"She set that up" Pete said smiling as everyone laughed.
"So this exciting news?" Nikki asked as they all turned their attention back to Kate who rested against Pete's embrace for comfort
"You'll probably find out sooner or later but I'm actually not re-joining the Navy" she said as everyone began to talk all at once
"What?"
"What will you do?"
"The Navy is your life!"
"Are you and Pete breaking up" was the last comment that snapped Kate out of it
"What? No! Pete and I are not breaking up" she sighed
"Kate is joining the theatre in a… very?" he turned looking at her
"Somewhat" she smiled
"Right sorry, somewhat famous play" he grinned as everyone looked stunned and confused
"What play?" Swaine asked from the end of the table
"Um 'The King and I' I'm playing the role of Anna…"
"What! That's not a small play! That's huge, and the lead!" Sally said surprised
"It's hopefully my first of many" Kate said with gritted teeth
"You know how to sing Opera?" Maxine asked looking at her confused
"Believe me Kate has an amazing vocal range" Pete said smirking widely
"Experience from when she yells at you is it Pete?" Swaine asked laughing
"I do not yell I make suggestions" Kate smirked
"Do we get a tester?" Charge asked
"Yeah go on, sing something from the show" Sally said smirking
"Okay um…" Kate said clearing her throat
"Shall we dance, on a bright cloud of music shall we fly, shall we dance Shall we then say "Goodnight and mean "Goodbye"? Or perchance, When the last little star has left the sky, shall we still be together" she belted out not missing a note
"Damn! You've got a keeper there" Nikki smirked
"Mummy's singing, Mummy's singing!" Emi said loudly running over
"Seems like Emi is your biggest fan" Mike grinned as Emi stopped next to the chair and looked at her Mum lovingly waiting for her to continue
"Emi has always loved Kate's voice even when she was in the womb" Pete laughed as Emi moved Kate's arm and wriggled her way onto her lap
"You can't stop now" Maxine smirked moving Joseph to burp him
"What?" Kate asked confused as she look down at Emi in her lap
"You've got an audience now we have to hear the whole song" Nikki grinned as 2Dads and Bomber stopped next to the table with Klaus in his Dads arms and Chloe holding Jacks hand next to their parent's
"Sing Daddy's song!" Emi said hopeful turning around her Mum's lap so she could face her as she snuggled her head against Kate's chest
"Daddy's song?" Mike asked confused
"Kate wrote me a love song before the accident at Samaru, it's Emi's favourite it on her album" Pete smiled
"Wait album?" Charge asked
"That's for that…" Kate said embarrassed
"Alright now you have to sing it for us!" Sally said pulling Jack into her lap
"I think I've embarrassed myself enough and the song is kind of corny" Kate smirked as she brushed a hand through Emi's hair
"Come on!" 2Dads said smirking
"Fine but on one promise" Kate said grinning
"Anything" Mike said nervously
"You lot all come to the show when it comes out" she said hopeful
"We'll be there!" Swaine said as Kate nodded
"Ok…" Kate answered as she looked at Pete who smiled as he grabbed her hand in his as she began to sing his song.
"That's beautiful!" Bomber said hugging 2Dads slightly 20 minutes later after Kate had finished singing
"I think your voice may have sent a few people to sleep" Mike grinned as they all looked at the twins who were now sound asleep and Emi who was still in Kate's lap snuggled asleep against her chest, Klaus who was asleep in his Dad's arms the only 2 kids who weren't asleep was Chloe and Jack who had gone back to playing
"So you're not actually going back to NAVCOM?" Nikki asked from across the table minutes later
"Yeah… I'm sorry Nik I just didn't want you lot to get mad or upset I mean gave 13 years of my life to the Navy and now I'm exploring my next best option that I was always too scared to do" she said softly
"And now you're not scared?" Mike asked
"Well I mean it still terrifies me but I guess I have you to thank for making this possible" she smiled
"Me?"
"If it wasn't for you posting that embarrassing video of us singing drunk I wouldn't be here today, perusing something I've dreamt of for so long"
"You would have gotten there eventually even if you were so stubborn"
"Oh trust me she still is" Pete said laughing as Kate playfully elbowed him in the side Emi stirred a little in her arms
"My point is, that I owe it all to you guys I know I was such an ice queen when I first started" she smiled
"We handled you" Charge laughed as he moved Justin slightly who was asleep
"You guys become my family something I never got the chance to have" she smiled softly as Pete pulled her against him
"Well you're stuck with us whether you like it or not now" Bomber grinned,
"We're all family and that will never change" Nikki winked at her
"I want to propose a toast" Maxine said lifting her glass up as Joseph let out a little snore
"To Kate, may your dreams come true and you achieve everything you've wished for" she smiled at everyone lifted up their glasses
"To Kate" they all said as Kate smiled at Pete
"I love you" he whispered to her as he placed a kiss on her lips.
Later that night Kate was resting on the couch after she'd put the kids to bed
"I can't believe you managed to put all of the kids asleep today besides Jack and Chloe" he laughed from his spot in the kitchen
"I honestly think I have the magic touch" Kate shrugged as she laughed
"Oh definitely" he smiled as he moved towards the couch and leant behind her
"You know…" he began saying as Kate dropped her head back as she looked up at him
"What?" she asked smirking
"I'm just so incredibly proud of you Katie, not only are you achieving your dreams you're looking extremely sexy doing it" he winked at her
"Have I not always looked sexy?" she joked
"Well…" he said smirking at Kate hit his chest
"You're the most beautiful, sexy and gorgeous woman I've ever met" he smiled brushing her hair off her face
"Nice save" she grinned as he leant down and placed a kiss against her forehead
"Wine?" he asked moving back
"I'd love some" she smiled as she moved to turn the TV off throwing the remote back on the coffee table.
"I didn't think today would go so well" Kate said as Pete poured them some wine in the kitchen
"It seems like everyone was more surprised than mad or upset" Pete grinned making his way towards the couch as he passed her a glass of wine
"I can't believe they thought we were breaking up" she smirked as she took the glass as took a sip
"Well we did go through a will they won't they phase" he grinned as he sat next to her
"That was like 9 years ago" she shook her head
"I know but for 4 of them the crew didn't see us" he shrugged as she moved forward placing her glass on the table
"What you mean the way you would always tease me or get on my nerves not to mention the occasional fights" she grinned as she sat back into the couch
"We had a lot of good times too I only ever fought with you for one reason" he said placing his glass next to her
"Really and what would that be?" she asked as he grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap running his hand under her shirt and across her back as he stopped on her side
"I was just in it for the steamy…" he said kissing her shoulder
"Hot…" he continued moving up to her neck
"Passionate…" he smirked as he stopped in front of her lips as Kate let out a moan of disapproval that he stopped
"Make up sex" he finished moving his head forward as he kissed her passionately
"Did you ever think we'd end up here?" she asked softly as he pulled away from the kiss
"I mean the amount of time's you got hurt it's surprising you're even still here" he smirked as he rubbed his fingers across the scar on her back
"What are you thinking?" she asked sadly
"If you'd hadn't of gotten shot and almost died in my arms would be here right now together married, with 3 beautiful kids…" he said as she shifted to rest her head against his chest
"I don't know, but what I do know is I'd never change any of it"
"Not even when you almost died twice?" he asked running his free hand through her hair
"Maybe the second time because that was after a fight we'd had…" she said shifting back to look at him
"It's always going to be a reminder though isn't it?" he asked sadly
"What?"
"Your scars from the bullets, you're scars on your leg from when you broke it it'll always be a reminder that because of our stupid fights and the times I couldn't protect you or I was to stupid and selfish to put my own feelings aside…" he began saying as Kate placed a kiss against his lips
"None of anything that happened was your fault, getting shot wasn't your fault and breaking my leg certainly wasn't your fault it was me being my stubborn self and not hearing you out" she tried to assure him as she pulled away from the kiss
"Kate…"
"No! We've spoken about this so many times before Pete…" she said moving off his lap to stand in annoyance
"I'm just trying to be reasonable both times you've almost died have been with me, and if I recall once of those you actually were dead!" he said angrily
"I'm not having this fight right now" she sighed picking up her wine glass and she moved into the kitchen and poured it down the sink
"Kate can you honestly say you feel safe with me?" he asked following her
"Yes! Of course I do, you're my husband I love you and I trust you with my life" she sighed placing the empty glass down on the bench as he moved towards her and picked her up placing her on the bench so she was height level with her
"Like I told you, steamy hot passionate make up sex" he smirked
"All that just to have make up sex?" she asked grinning as she wrapped her arms around his neck
"Hey I'm good what can I say" he laughed as he moved in to kiss her Kate placed a hand on his chest to stop him
"You don't really think all those things do you?" she asked sadly
"Of course not, although it still haunts me I'd never ever let you go you're stuck with me forever and always" he smiled
"You're a jackass" she said hitting his chest
"A sexy Jackass?" he asked running his hands back under her shirt
"Oh definitely" she grinned as she met his lips against hers he lifted her up and carried them towards the bedroom.
Might have another chapter out tonight!! So keep an eye out.. The next one will be the last and a flash forward 10 years, enjoy! xx