"Why'd you do it?" he huffed storming into her office
"Excuse me?"
"Sending in your little spy to collect files about Kate and I on Hammersley"
"Mike I don't know what your talking about" she shook her head
"Bullshit!"
"Okay you need to calm down"
"Calm down? Calm down, that's rich coming from you"
"If you'd just…" she arose to stand
"Kate could die because of you!" he pointed a finger at her
"What?" her eyes widened
"Your little spy shot her, she's currently in surgery"
"I don't…" she dropped back into her chair
"How could you do this?" he leaned his hands on her desk
"Mike…"
"You were my friend! Going behind my back to collect evidence that dosen't even exist, threating Kate and I this isn't what friends do Maxine"
"How was I supposed to know the girl had a gun"
"You shouldn't have sent her in, in the first place!"
"I…"
"Do you really think we'd jeopardise our careers?"
"You weren't thinking straight, you never did when it came to her"
"I'm telling you this once and only once whatever Kate and I have we did nothing wrong it never, ever was brought on the ship and you threatening her or me isn't going to change the way we feel about it each other…"
"I only wanted what was best for you" she looked at him sadly
"Kate! Is what is best for me, she makes me a better person and I want to marry her, you and the Navy will not stop me from doing that"
"You… you asked her to marry you?"
"Not that it's any of your business yes, yes I did"
"I… I wasn't aware it was that serious"
"The day I quit Maxine, I'm pretty sure I proved to you just how much I love Kate"
"You are a cowboy Mike acting before thinking that's exactly what is happening now"
"Don't you dare contradict me"
"Your making the wrong decision in your career and when it comes to her"
"Kate is and never will be a wrong decision and if she dies I will never ever forgive you" he huffed moving back to the door
"Mike" she moved to stand
"What?" he turned to face her with tears in his eyes
"I did this for you"
"No Maxine you did it for your own selfish needs and if you could see how it's been tearing me up you wouldn't have done it"
"I'm sorry…"
"No… no you're not"
"Where are you going?"
"To the hospital, to be with my Fiancé"
"She… she said yes?" her heart broke
"Unhappy are we?" he raised an eyebrow "Looks like your little plan didn't work"
"I…"
"This will be the last time you ever interfere in my life again personal and professional" he shook his head
"What?"
"You won't be working in or anywhere near the Navy again"
"You…"
"Oh no I didn't do anything" he held a hand up "Think of it as payback"
"Payback?"
"Seems a few of the people you've blackmailed in the past have decided to step forward and given the recent events you should really look for a new career" he smirked exiting her office,
not looking back but knowing she was squirming at his words.
Sitting in the uncomfortable chair four hours later he lifted up her hand holding it against his cheek
"Come on Kate…" he mumbled kissing the back of it
"How is she?" Nikki entered the small hospital room
"Recovering, the surgery went well and the bullet didn't hit anything important but she's lost a lot of blood"
"I should have stopped her from going in there" she sighed stopping next to the bed
"Nikki none of this is your fault"
"No?"
"No, if anything it's mine"
"Yours?"
"I stormed out when you rang… I got so caught up in my own emotions and thoughts that I didn't even consider if she was ready…"
"Ready… ready for what?" she questioned
"I asked her to marry me…" he looked at Kate sadly
"Wow…"
"I freaked her out, I should have stopped her demanded we discuss it"
"You mean she didn't say yes?" Nikki said surprised taking the spare seat across the bed from him
"She looked at me like I was invisible"
"No…"
"Yep"
"But Kate's crazy about you, as if she'd turn down a marriage proposal"
"Nikki… she didn't even give me an answer she went down to the bloody ship instead" he turned to look at her
"Surely given the time she would have…"
"I said..." her mumbled voice interrupted through the mask
"Kate?" Mike quickly arose to stand hovering his head above her when her eyes fluttered open,
reaching up with her free hand she slowly moved the mask aside "I.. said…. yes, on the boat…"
"Yes?" he took the mask from her hand placing it back across her face
"Yes…" she nodded slowly closing her eyes again
"Well I think you got your answer" Nikki smiled moving to stand
"Nikki?" Mike moved back clearing his throat
"Yep?"
"The person that… that shot Kate did they get them?"
"She's in custody apparently Commander White hired her to collect files and anything she could off the Hammersley computer to prove the two of you were… courting one another"
"Will she be charged?"
"The gun went off accidently or so she's saying, but it's Kate's decision so the Police will probably be in to interview her once she's more coherent" she smiled
"No… no charge…" Kate tried to keep her eyes open
"Kate she…"
"No charge, she's… just a kid…"
"I'll leave you too it" Nikki smiled sadly
"Thanks Nik" he nodded with a smile, turning back to Kate once Nikki had gone Mike sat back down
"Mike…"
"I'm here" he assured her grabbing her hand
"Where's… my ring…" she smirked slightly wriggling her finger
"Are you sure?" he asked nervously
"No one else…"
"You'd rather marry" he finished her sentence getting her famous XO stare
"I will kick you… out of.. this.. room…" she slowly closed her eyes again
"I'd like to see you try" he laughed softly watching her nod slowly,
reaching into his pocket with his free hand Mike pulled out the engagement ring slipping it on her finger slowly he smiled when she squeezed his hand.
(Sorry it's short update, hope you enjoy either way Xx)