24 Years Ago:
"Kiki?" he approached her slowly
"Yep?" she replied from her spot on the front step
"It's time" he looked at her sadly
"Come sit.. just for a minute" she patted the empty spot next to her
"Why are you sitting out here all alone?" he sat next to her
"Just trying to remember"
"Remember?"
"The good times, the bad times…" she turned her green eyes meeting with a pair of emotional brown
"What happens now?" he sniffled
"I don't know" she took a look back inside where the officers were talking amongst themselves
"They're going to separate us aren't they?"
"I really don't know Jellyfish" she brushed her hand across his little cheek
"Do you think… that she misses us?" he looked up to the clouds
"Maybe… I'm sure that wherever she is she misses her little Jellyfish" she nudged his arm
"But what about you?" he slid closer against her
"Mum and I had a complicated relationship Aden, it was… it was different for her and I" she wrapped her arm behind his back
"Was it because you have a different Dad?" he questioned
"No.. I don't think it was that Jellyfish" she scuffled his hair
"Hey I'm almost six no more of the Jellyfish" he grinned pushing her hand away
"It'll always be Jellyfish to me"
"I'm really going to miss you" he looked at her sadly
"They can't separate us forever, I'll be eighteen in seven years and once I am I'll come find you"
"That's so long" he sighed resting his head on her shoulder
"You'll be in school soon and once you are, everything will go by so fast" she tried to assure him
"Why can't I go with you?"
"Because your home is here, with Marcus" she took a quick glance behind them where a tall brown haired, brown eyed man was talking with another officer
"So is yours!" he protested
"No.. Marcus isn't my Dad Jellyfish he dosen't want me around" she ran her fingers through his blonde hair this time he didn't push her away
"I want you here"
"And I want to be here but I can't stay" she shook her head
"Will you come visit?" wiped his nose with his sleeve
"Try and stop me" she smiled sadly
"Katerina it's time to go" one of the officers stopped near the open door
"Coming…" Kate sighed shifting to stand
"I love you Kiki" he sniffled
"I love you to Jellyfish" she lifted him into her arms giving him a strong cuddle
"Katerina now" the same officer walked past her towards the patrol car
"Jellyfish, do me a favour hmm" she pulled back from the hug knelling in front of him
"Anything" he nodded watching her fiddle in her backpack before pulling out a locket
"Take care of this for me, until we see each other again" she pulled it oved his head so it was around his neck
"Really?" his little fingers opened the locket to reveal a photo of her
"That way you'll never forget me" she smiled sadly moving to stand again
"Thanks Katerina" he held it tightly in his small hand
"Good luck out there kid" Marcus stopped behind Aden placing a hand on his shoulder
"Yeah… Just promise to look after him" she picked up her backpack
"I can do my job as his Father"
"Sure, that's why your separating us"
"Your not my kid Katerina, your someone else's responsibility I just pray you don't end up like your Mother" he motioned to the Police car
"With you now out of my life I doubt I will end up like her" she moved backwards at seeing the anger in his face
"Why you…"
"Thank you Mr Marvel, we'll take it from here" the female officer stepped in placing a hand on her shoulder
"Bye Jellyfish" she looked down at him sadly before being turned and walked towards the car,
"Is that all you own?" she asked looking at the backpack she had in her arm protectively once they were in the car
"Yes Ma'am, I don't own any possessions not anymore" she took a glance back at Aden who was holding the locket around his neck
"Well I'm sure once you get older you'll have to many to count"
"Where exactly am I going?" Katerina asked nervously when the car started to move down the road
"Somewhere new, how would you like to experience the tropical beach?" she smiled into the rear-view mirror
"The tropical beach, there aren't any of those in England"
"No Katerina, we're taking you to Australia it was your Mother's wishes"
"What!" she yelled
"She knew no one would want you here, get some rest we'll be at the airport in an hour" she cleared her throat
'Australia… But what about Jellyfish?' she mumbled to herself looking out at the gloomy day that was expressing just how she was feeling perfectly.
Present Day:
"Clear sky?" he interrupted
"Hmm?" she turned to face him the wind blowing her hair behind her
"The sky" he pointed "it's pretty clear tonight"
"Yeah I suppose it is" she turned back to look up at the stars
"You did good today" he stopped next to her
"Didn't everyone?" she rested her hands on the railing
"Well some more than others" he teased
"As Commanding Officer are you allowed to have favourites?"
"Well as Commanding Officer no, but as Mike you would be ranking in first spot" he nudged her arm
"Flattery Mr Flynn will get you everywhere" she grinned when his hand came to rest next to hers
"Nice to know" he brushed his pinkie across her hand
"Mike…"
"I know what today is Kate… I just.. I wanted to check in on you" he shifted closer, so their shoulders were slightly touching
"I'm fine" she shrugged
"And I'd believe that…"
"If you didn't know me so well" she finished his sentence
"Exactly" he flashed her a grin
"Sometimes I… I wonder what he's doing, if he's married, kids…"
"Kate, it's been twenty-four years you can't keep blaming yourself"
"But I do… I do Mike, I knew what Marcus was like I knew he wasn't capable of taking care of a five year old"
"You were Eleven Kate, Aden was not your responsibility" Mike shifted his hand placing it on top of hers
"Jellyfish… Imagine if he could see me now" she laughed softly a stray tear falling down her cheek
"He'd be so proud, proud to have a sister like you" he squeezed her hand
"I doubt he'd even remember me, he was so young and I changed my name… several times in fact"
"But you didn't change the way you looked.. Kate he will take one look at you, one look into your beautiful green eyes and he'll know straight away 'this woman is my sister'" he turned to lean his side against the railing
"But he won't ever get the chance, because I have no clue where he is"
"Maybe he's out there searching, trying to find out where you are maybe one day you will be reunited"
"Maybe is a big word Mike, maybe he could be dead and maybe…" she was cut off by his lips seeking out hers in a emotional kiss
"And maybe you don't know what tomorrow will bring" he pulled back still hovering close
"What if he never gets the chance to meet you, to…"
"He will, and when he does he'll know where his true family is" Mike placed his free hand against her cheek
"Thank you" she ran her finger across his bottom lip
"Don't hide from me Kate, you know it dosen't work" he grinned kissing her finger before pulling her into a hug
"It's not you I was hiding from it was 2Dads, I'm really was not up for one of his practical jokes" she rested her head against his chest with a grin
"He really does jump at the most unexpected time doesn't he" Mike rested his cheek against the top of her head while they looked out to sea
"You really need to have a talk with him"
"Kate…" he grumbled
"Who's boat is it?" she pulled her head back
"Mine… and the Navy's"
"And whose crew?"
"Mine… again" he looked down at her
"Exactly" she patted his chest
"And who's my second in command?" he teased
"Wife first dosen't count" she pulled back completely
"You can't do that!" he watched her walk away
"Sorry?"
"Pulling the wife card, should not be allowed" he called after her
"Too late, you better move you've got night watch back into port" she laughed moving in the side hatch he shook his head before following after her.
...
"I got you a present" her voice startled him hours later
"Oh thank you" he shifted in his chair
"Figured it was only fair to feed you" she passed him a plate
"Why is their only half?" he raised an eyebrow
"Oh I got hungry on the way up here" she laughed
"So you ate my sandwich?" he said sadly
"Well… technically the sandwich was originally for me"
"So I what.. get your leftovers?" he picked up the uneaten half
"Consider yourself lucky" she turned to exit
"Oh I do" he turned to watch her
"Please.. keep it PG on the boat" Swain screwed up his nose from the controls
"Sorry" Mike laughed turning back to face the front taking a bite out of his sandwich
"You sure she's not Pregnant seems to be stealing your food a lot lately" he teased
"You think?" Mike tried to hide his smile
"Mate.."
"It's kind of early days"
"Congratulations!" Swain smiled widely
"Thanks Swaino but can we just keep it between us, Kate wants to wait till the whole thirteen weeks thing"
"It's about time we had some little Flynn's running round here, how far along is she?"
"Two weeks, we've been meaning to say something but with this whole plane crash drama it just kind of slipped our minds" he shrugged
"Well now that I've been made aware I'll keep an eye on her, but seriously man Congratulations" he reached a hand across patting his shoulder
"Thanks Chris" Mike took another bite out of his sandwich
"Are you scared?" he could sense some hesitation
"Terrified shitless"
"Don't worry, you've got one of the lucky ones Kate will keep you from shitting your pants per-say" he teased
"I did get pretty lucky didn't I" he swallowed his mouthful
"Like I said to Charge when she first came aboard four years ago, the way you'd look at her even the way you'd look out for her what you and Kate have is pretty special you're meant for each other the whole crew knew it before you two did"
"As Kate says we're both as stubborn as each other" Mike grinned
"I'll second that" Swain laughed
"And I'm pretty sure the entire crew would agree" Mike shook his head
"Hey listen how'd you go with tracking down that contact I gave you?" Swain changed the subject
"Dead end, I've been trying for a year to find this so-called Aden McGregor and there's just nothing on him"
"It's Kate's brother right?"
"Half, different Dads" Mike shifted
"Maybe they've got different last names if they've got different Dads its one possibility"
"It's supposed to be a surprise if I can find her brother.."
"It won't be much of surprise if he rocks up unannounced" Swain shrugged
"Believe me, that won't be a problem I can't even find him and given I don't know his last name the possibility of him even knowing where Kate is it's currently stuck in the deep end" Mike sighed sadly.
...
Looking out the window he continued to run his thumb across the faded gold locket
"Can I get you another drink?" the flight attendant asked when he turned to look at her
"No thank you" he smiled
"That's a very distinct accent you're from England?"
"Born and bred"
"So why the Australian Flight bound for Cairns, surely someone as handsome as you as a woman back home" she tested
"No woman I'm afraid" he grinned sensing what she was doing
"Oh that's a shame"
"A woman in Cairns, well.. a sister, half-sister I haven't seen her since I was five"
"And she knows your coming?" she raised an eyebrow
"Not exactly, it's a surprise visit but hopefully she'll see it as a good one"
"I wish you good luck Mr…"
"Aden, Marvel" he held a hand out
"Well Aden Marvel, it was a pleasure I best" she shook his hand,
pulling it back just as quick she pointed to an impatient passenger who was waiting a refill on there drink, looking down at the locket he clipped it open
'I'm coming to find you Katerina' he whispered to himself before turning back to look out the window as they began descending into Cairns.
(Welcome!! I hope you enjoy this new story, I'm still working on finishing my other one but this was an idea I had that I just needed to get it out, I do hope you enjoy and let me know what you think! Some original characters added for extra drama.. Xx)