(Just a little note: In this story there is no Hammersley all of the characters work at NAVCOM, its set in my own timeline with my own ages and dates)
A whole year
A year since he walked out her door and didn't look back,
too long to count since they last talked and a year since the one person she never thought of walked back into her life.
Entering the pub on a Friday evening Mike smiled when he spotted Swain and Charge with 2Dads and Spider over playing pool,
"G'day fella's"
"Mike you're not normally down here on a Friday night?" Swain looked at him confused
"Thought I'd have a change of scenery for once being stuck in that office all day does my head in"
"Can I get you a beer?" Charge arose when he sat down
"I'd love one thanks Charge" he nodded
"Don't you normally do a movie night with Kate on Fridays?" Swain asked when they were alone
"Normally but she's otherwise preoccupied"
"Oh avoiding you, you mean"
"Has everyone noticed that?"
"Please it's clearly obvious there's more between the two of you then just friends"
"Swaino, Kate and I have known each other for five years since ADFA she's my best friend nothing more"
"Are you sure that's all it is?"
"Besides, she's married"
"Yes with a husband who walked out on her a year ago" Charge interrupted placing a beer down in front of Mike
"His loss, Kate's an extraordinary woman" Swain smiled
"Yeah tell me how those two met again?" he raised an eyebrow
"Jim Roth, he was the SAS captain" Swain began saying when Charge excused himself to go play pool with the others
"Yeah, go on?" Mike lifted his beer taking a mouthful he wiped the froth off his top lip
"They met three or four years ago Kate was tasked with organizing the transport for them to get to some island I don't know I guess they just hit it off and before we all knew it they were married after a year, this year would have been their second wedding anniversary but you know he left last year"
"I just don't understand how anyone would leave her, I mean it's Kate"
"He asked her to go with him ya know" Swain lifted up his own beer
"Really?"
"It was the day after and she'd shown up to work red and teary eyed said she was fine but somehow Bomber had eventually gotten the truth out of her"
"And the truth is?"
"Jim gave her an ultimatum"
"He what?" Mike's eyes widened
"He told her it was him and creating a family or NAVCOM and her job"
"That's more of a blackmail then ultimatum he's practically saying come with me I'll give you the one thing you've always wanted or stay here and get nothing"
"And how would you know what Kate's always wanted Michael" Swain gave him a cheesy grin
"Oh… like I said earlier Kate's my best friend we've talked about these sort of things"
"These sort of things?"
"You know, marriage, kids all Kate's ever wanted was a family"
"Well she picked her NAVCOM family over him and he walked, as far as I know she hasn't spoken or seen him in a year" Swain shrugged
"So Jim, he's no longer in the picture then?" Mike placed his beer glass down
"On no you don't, don't you go getting any funny idea's"
"What?"
"That girls been through enough she dosen't need her best friend breaking her heart too"
"Swain I would never…"
"Kate's like a sister to me Mike, and up until a year ago I thought I'd lost her for good when Jim left but you waltz back in here and…"
"And?"
"Look… I see the way she looks at you and I see the way you look at her but a word of warning if you're not in it for the long haul stay away from her" he cleared his throat
"Kate's my best friend I don't intend on hurting her" Mike arose from his seat
"And where exactly are you going?"
"To visit a friend" he lifted his glass chugging the rest of his drink before banging it down on the table
"Mike I swear to god if you hurt her"
"Relax I only want to find out why she's avoiding me" he began walking backwards
"Just… go easy"
"I always do" he held up his arms turning around he quickly walked out the exit,
"Where's he off to in a hurry?" Charge looked at Swain in confusion when he stopped next to the table
"Somewhere he shouldn't be going"
"You gonna join us for a game?"
"Yeah sure" he sighed moving to stand.
...
Sitting on her couch with a bottle of wine Kate held in closely to her chest her free hand flicking through the pages of her favourite book when a knock echoed through her apartment,
placing her glass and book down she shifted off the couch and moved up the hallway
"Hey" he smiled when she pulled the door open
"It's rather late for a visit isn't it?" she leaned against the door
"Well I would have been here earlier but for some odd reason you've been avoiding me for the past two days"
"I'm not…"
"Yes Kate you are, so tell me what did I do wrong?"
"You didn't do anything wrong" she shook her head
"So you admit you are avoiding me"
"Yes…"
"Did I not pay for the last round of drinks at the local or did I say something I shouldn't have to the guys?"
"Mike…."
"Come on Kate, I miss my best friend" he reached out nudging her arm
"I have been avoiding you but it's not for the reason you think"
"Then why?"
"Because I've been trying to avoid wanting to do this" she moved forward kissing him,
pulling away she looked across at him surprised when he leaned back in meeting her lips in another kiss;
wrapping his arms around her waist he maneuvered them back into her apartment his foot closing the door behind him,
walking her backwards Kate pushed his jacket off slowly that it fell on the floor;
lowering her on the couch he moved to hovered above her their lips moulding together
"You have… no idea.. how.. much I've.. wanted this…" she whispered between each kiss
"Me too…" he began kissing along her neck
"So why'd you wait so long…"
"Kate…"
"Something's wrong…"
"I just need to know.." he sighed moving back they shifted to sit across from each other
"What is it?"
"You know I care about you not just as my best friend but… well it's just if this were to go further…" he paused resting a hand along the back of the couch
"Mike?" she slowly placed a hand over his
"I know it's been a year since Jim left for that posting overseas but if he were to show up here, right now and ask you to leave with him would you go?"
"Jim's the one that walked out Mike, I…"
"And that's his mistake but Kate you need to see this from my point of view"
"I haven't spoken to him in a very long time he's not going to just show up and..."
"Your avoiding the question" he sighed pulling his hand back
"I honestly don't know…" she answered softly
"Your still in love with him"
"No I'm…"
"I should go" he smiled sadly moving off the couch
"You don't need to leave"
"Yes… I do"
"It's more complicated then you understand"
"You don't need to explain I get it you guys were married for a year"
"Technically still are…" she mumbled
"What?"
"Nothing"
"I think it's best if maybe I keep my distance for a while" he reached down picking up his jacket
"I don't want that" she arose quickly to stand
"And you think I do?"
"Then don't go"
"Kate…"
"Stay" her voice broke slightly
"It's not fair to ask me that, for either of us" he pulled on his jacket
"I already lost one person I love don't…"
"It's not the same" he shook his head moving back up the hall
"Walking away like this… it's not going to solve the problem" she followed slowly behind
"There is no solution to this"
"I care about you I really do"
"I know…" he sighed turning to face her
"So then stay… please…"
"But it's always been him Kate"
"No…" she struggled to keep her emotions in check
"It's for the best" he turned back around pulling the door open he stopped in his tracks when Jim stood on the other side with a hand raised ready to knock
"Mike?"
"Jim what… what are you doing here?"
"I um.. I came to see Kate am I interrupting something?" he looked over his shoulder at Kate who was frozen in shock
"No I was just leaving" Mike cleared his throat
"Right well.. it was good to see you?" Jim moved aside for him to exit
"Yeah same to you" he nodded walking off down the path,
turning back to look inside Jim swallowed nervously when Kate moved towards him
"I must be dreaming you better not be here" she placed a hand on the door ready to slam it shut
"We need to talk" he cleared his throat
"After a year of no communication you now want to talk?"
"Are you going to invite me in?"
"I…"
"Please Kate…" he begged,
sighing softly she stepped aside for him to enter; taking a look down the path when his footsteps echoed up the hall
she closed the door slowly before taking a deep breath and making her way towards the kitchen where her estranged husband she hadn't seen in a year was now currently helping himself to a glass of wine.
"I see you haven't really changed the place much" he placed his glass down when she entered the kitchen a few minutes later
"What do you want?"
"Although I have noticed our wedding photo's are no longer decorating the walls like they used to"
"Jim…" she sighed leaning against the door way
"I wasn't aware Mike relocated back to Cairns"
"Yeah last year, now what are you doing here?"
"Kate…" he smiled sadly stepping towards her
"You can't just show back up here after a year" she stepped back
"Why not? We are still married" he moved back over to his glass of wine
"Only because you refused to sign the papers"
"I'm here now"
"But I don't want you here!" she huffed
"Kate…"
"Can you just leave"
"I just got here"
"And it's late so can you just…" she motioned to the door
"Sure… I'll pop by tomorrow?" he asked hopeful
"Fine" she nodded stepping side when he moved past her and down the hall
"I missed you" were his final words before she heard the front door close and his footsteps walk across the veranda.
Walking along the local pier the next morning with a coffee in hand Kate sighed stopping near the railing she looked down into the water
"I hear it's a pretty bad place to go swimming" his voice interrupted her
"Yeah?"
"I know a great local waterhole I can take you to one day"
"One day?" she smiled sadly when he took her coffee from her hand taking a sip
"Jim still hanging around?" he placed it back in her hand
"He's hanging around, somewhere…"
"Not exactly how I was expecting the night to go"
"Mike…"
"Did he ask you to go with him?" he turned leaning his side against the railing
"No..." she shook her head taking a sip of her coffee she held it out for him
"But that's why he's here isn't it?" he took it back
"I don't know why he's here; it was late last night and I asked him to leave"
"Oh.. and how'd he take that?"
"The usual Jim way leaving in silence"
"The same way he did a year ago?" he lifted the coffee mug to his lips
"Yeah, exactly the same way" she ignored his hand that held out the coffee mug for her to take back
"Kate…"
"I really wish you had of stayed last night"
"You know why I didn't" he shifted to look over the water
"It's always been you" she turned her head
"You can't say stuff like that, not while your…"
"Why not? It's the truth"
"Kate…" he sighed moving his head to meet her eyes
"You don't believe me?"
"This… it's new territory for us both crossing that friendship line it, especially after five years"
"I can't get the feel of your lips out of my mind Mike"
"Me neither but I can't just make things okay by saying 'Dear Best friend I think I'm in love with you'" he smiled softly
"Your in love with me?" she teased
"I said think" he smirked before becoming serious "but as much as I'd love to say it and have it make everything okay, Kate it just dosen't work like that "
"Is this not something you want to at least explore?" she reached a hand across placing it on his
"Of course it is, but Jim being in town… you need to sort things out with him before we cross that line" he held out the coffee mug hoping it would ease the tension
"I know" she sighed taking it
"How about I shout you some breakfast?"
"Considering you drank half my coffee I think it's the least you can do"
"Come on" he held his arm out,
smiling Kate interlocked her arm with his as they walked along the pier towards the local café.
Welcome to my new Fic, I will do one last chapter for my other story once I figure out how to end it but until then enjoy this new story Xx