"We need to get everyone back." Kate demands of the patrol cop, heart hammering in her chest. The cop, for his part, looks as though this could very well be his first week on the job, but Kate has no time to baby him. She's just noticed the way that the air is shimmering and the smell in the air that's getting stronger with every breath. "Don't get any closer to the shed though. Chris!" She whirls around to face the ambulance, where Nikki is still coughing, as though trying to clear her throat. "Get Nik on oxygen and get that rig away from here. Buff!" She turns to face Buffer, who is looking taken aback at her sudden orders. "We need to get in there. Get HAZMAT on their way but if there are people inside they don't have that long. We need to get them out."

"Gear up!" Buffer commands, and they all rush for their oxygen tanks, while Kate mentally catalogues everything she's ever read about chlorine gas. She knows that, in small doses, the worst that can happen is simply a bit of a throat tickle and sore eyes, but if the concentration is higher... "Any sign of danger, we get out. You hear me?" Buffer presses.

Kate nods. "We're gonna need more ambos too. And someone needs to check Chris and Nikki and those other cops. Make sure they're not exposed too heavily." She tugs her mask over her head and adjusts the tank. "Lets go."

It's eerie inside. Music is still playing, that standard summer mix that every single public pool seems to have on a loop. It's the type of music that should have laughter over the top, splashes and the noise of conversation. Not silence, and the light splashing of the water lapping along the edge of the baby pool.

They split up, Kate following Dutchy as usual. They always employ the buddy system, and today is no exception. And then, up front, Dutchy gestures, and Kate sees them. A lifeguard and a teenager, slumped over.

She springs into action. They're coughing, which at least means that they're still breathing, although for how much longer she's not sure. Hoisting the man to his feet, Dutchy gestures for her to take the teen, and she pulls them to their feet as they make their way to the exit.

"Hell... of a call." Nikki coughs slightly as she sits on the back step of the ambulance, an oxygen mask held loosely in her hand. She looks tired but otherwise seems okay, although she's still coughing every now and then.

"Will you just keep the bloody thing on?!" ET demands, pressing the mask to her mouth once more. She rolls her eyes, but takes the oxygen all the same. "Hell of a call." He echoes a moment later, and the corners of Nikki's mouth twitch. HAZMAT have arrived and taken over, and the victims from inside have all been carted off to the nearest hospital for treatment. "If you hadn't have realised..." His gaze flickers to Nikki and then back to the building, far at the end of the road now. "Well, it was good work."

"Owe... you a beer." Nikki manages, before rolling her eyes once more as ET flashes her an irritated look. A moment later she presses the mask back again and settles herself more comfortably where she's sitting. ET moves to sit next to Nikki, raising an arm and wrapping it around her, and she leans into his touch and closes her eyes, looking perfectly at peace.

Kate smiles, but the sight of Nikki and ET, so obviously in love, is making her ache. She pushes herself to her feet and heads back to the truck to scoop up her water. Charge moves next to her, leaning against the truck. "So, ET reckons this near-death experience calls for drinks at the pub tonight. Oh, and the boss called. Cal just took Bridie home. So," He adopts an awkward sort of dance. "no excuses this time! You saved a lot of lives today. This calls for a night out. Come on! Say yes!"

So that is how Kate finds herself sandwiched between Dutchy and Spider in a ridiculously noisy pub, wearing a top she hopes no one from Bridie's school ever sees her in and heels that send her somewhere in a normal height range. The music is loud, but the conversation and laughter from the station are louder, and despite her hesitancy, the teams' enthusiasm is infectious.

"Guava mojo!" Charge declares, returning from the direction of the bar carrying a plate of drinks to the table, and the rest of the station echo the words, throwing their hands up in the air as though the words are a war cry. 2Dads doesn't even wait for Charge to set the plate down, plucking one from the middle and taking a few measured gulps. "Oi!" Charge chastises, but 2Dads simply grins before moving off to dance with a group of women.

"What's in it?" Kate frowns as she accepts the drink from Charge. She has to lean in almost to Dutchy's ear to be heard over the pounding music.

"Guava Mojito, basically." Dutchy explains, leaning across too. "They're good. But dangerous." He takes a sip of his own and lets out a booming laugh as he seems to recall something, gesturing in RO's direction. "Had Robert arrested for property damage."

"That was a gross misunderstanding!" Robert shouts back, looking irritated at Dutchy spilling the story, before opening his mouth, perhaps to fill her in on every mitigating factor, but a distraction appears in the form of Nikki and ET.

"Hey!" Nikki squeals, folding herself into the small gap between Kate and Dutchy before wrapping an arm around each of them. "So, what'd I miss, my lovelies?" She calls out.

"Aren't you supposed to be in hospital?" Chris shifts to the very edge of his seat to be heard by her, frowning at ET.

"Hey, it's not his fault. I got the all clear!" She raises a hand in victory, before the hem of her dress further down her thighs. "I am alive, thanks to this lovely lady, and I am very ready to party!" She grins at Kate, a truly wicked glint in her eyes. "And I have just the thank you drink for you!"

Four hours later and Kate finds herself staggering down the street, arm in arm with Nikki. Both of them are spectacularly drunk and leading the way along the road, and she's pretty sure the guys were following, because they were all going... somewhere.

"So you got the braaaains but have you got the touch?" Oh, yes! Karaoke! Nikki stumbles slightly and Kate just manages to catch them both, sending the two women into hysterical peels of laughter. A moment later there's the sound of clattering footsteps and Dutchy catches up with them, his gaze just as blurred as theirs.

"You could sing a song we could join in on." He suggests, pulling a face. "Shania Twain, though?" He looks to Kate, as though expecting that she would back him up, however Kate shakes her head and tips her head back slightly.

"Don't get me wrong, yeah I think you're alright!" Kate joins in on Nikki's song, raising a hand as though greeting an audience. "But that won't keep me warm in the- woah!" She curses as she stumbles slightly, her heel tipping slightly on a crack in the footpath, and Dutchy just manages to help her.

"You're fucking trashed, the both of you." He muses drily. Nikki continues singing, Kate pausing only to poke a tongue out at him before joining in.

"That don't impress meeeeee much!"

"So, I must ask..." 2Dads interjects, jogging to catch up to the singing duo and the bemused Dutchy. He too is unsteady on his feet, and just manages to right himself as the footpath levels down to the road. "Kate, were you this gone at your 21st?"

Kate looks to Dutchy, trying to imagine him as a 21-year-old, then realises that 2Dads is looking expectantly at her. "Me?" She lets out a derisive snort of laughter. "I had a two year old and a twelve-year-old! Was lucky if I drank a coffee that hadn't gone cone stold. I mean..." She frowns, and for the first time seems to recognise her surroundings. "Oh. We're here?"

"We're... where?" Dutchy frowns, squinting himself so that he can see the surroundings better. "The karaoke bar isn't for another block. We should have got an Uber."

"Noooo." Kate ducks out from under Nikki's arm and moves towards a laneway. "No. He lives down here!" Then, quite suddenly she stops, and clicks her heels together, before turning back to rejoin Nikki. "But I broke up with him. Because I'm an arsehole."

"Why'du go 'n do thatfor?" Nikki questions, and she too has to squint to focus on Kate's features. "Whoa! There are two o' you now!" Nikki shrugs and kicks a foot in front of her. "It's okay, though. 'Cos Josh 'n I break up all the time. And then we get back together. And the sex is great." She whips around and grins in the direction of ET. "Isn' that right, babe?"

"Okay. Maybe no more drinking for you both?" Dutchy suggests as ET lets out a sound that might be a victory cheer.

Kate looks at him inquisitively for a moment before shrugging. "Oh well." She sighs, then turns back to Nikki and resumes their singing.

"I think we should have confiscated their shoes." Charge muses, nodding to the women and their pointed heels. "Don't think I could walk in them sober. Let alone... ah... not sober?"

"Tattoos!" Buffer snaps his finger. "We should all get matching tattoos."

Dutchy glances around at the singing girls, 2Dads now throwing up in the gutter and Charge, Buffer and ET all carrying on conversations with themselves. "Should've gone home with Chris and Spide." He mutters to himself. "I'm the most sober drunk one here."

Kate grins as she staggers back to Nikki, very nearly tripping on her heels and grabbing Dutchy for support. He seizes her elbow, steadying her, and she can't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. "Oops." She chuckles, flopping into the seat next to Nikki. "Think I'm a bit drunk." The words feel heavy on her tongue, and she has to concentrate really hard to stop them from tangling together.

"Yeah, no shit." Nikki calls back, leaning over to be heard over the music. "But then, hey, we all are. Plus..." Nikki jabs a finger into Kate's chest. "You saved my life today. So I reckon I'll be ob-obilgated to hold your hair back." She takes another swig of her drink and shifts closer to Kate. "So what did happen to the boyfriend? Thought you guys were pretty forever, you know?"

"I ended it." Kate shouts over the roaring of whatever guitar solo is playing in Charge's karaoke song. "He... he didn't understand."

"Didn't understand what?" Nikki frowns, and, geez, they're both sitting next to each other yelling backwards and forwards, but Kate feels the words tumbling from her.

"She attacked Bridie. And... can't stay here. Not when she's living half an hour away. Not safe for her."

"Y'know I don't know who she is, right?" Nikki frowns. "But does'at mean you're leaving?"

"What else can I do?" Kate reaches forwards and takes a shot from the table. She has no idea what's in them or who put them there but she downs it in one, relishing in the burning. "Bee's my kid. I have to... to look after her first."

"No!" Nikki reaches forward and grabs Kate's arm, as though she's threatening to walk out then and there. "Look, I don't get the whole kid thing. But... but that Mike guy looks like he can more than handle a bad guy or two, you know? Plus... do you want to end things with him?"

"No." Kate says before she can stop herself. Nikki raises an eyebrow, and Kate shakes her head, spinning the empty shot glass in her hands. "Ah, but it's complicated."

"Only if you make it so." Nikki points out. "Look at me and Josh. I mean, we work together half the time. And... and I almost died today and so did he. But we make it work. 'Cos if we overanalyse everything, shit falls apart."

"But you don't have a kid."

"True." Nikki concedes. "But he seems to love your kid as much as you do? So he's not an arsehole. And..." Nikki rakes a hand through her hair, scraping it off her neck. "Look, I'm drunk. I don't know what I'm saying. Follow your heart and... and all that shit. But... but don't walk away if it's not what you want to do, you know?" She rests her head on Kate's shoulder. "I'm glad you came to town. Nice to have another girl around in the bloody boys' club."

"Yep." Kate agrees.

"Well..." Nikki sighs, then pulls herself to her feet again, holding out a hand. "If you're leaving, we needa make tonight count. Come dance!"

"No." Kate shakes her head, pulling herself to her feet as well. "Another time. Promise. But I think I have somewhere I need to go."

Nikki grins, as though she knows full well where Kate is headed. "Well, you're not walking alone." She orders, waving her hands. "Buff, 2Dads. We need help!"

"It's this one!" Kate grins, stooping slightly to smell the pretty purple flowers next to the letter box, before finding she can't quite manage to get up again. She has to use the letterbox to pull herself to her feet once more, and Buffer hastens to assist her up the front steps, although he's not much steadier than she is and they both end up crashing heavily into the door. The resultant crash has Kate raise a finger to her lips and curse. "Shh. You'll wake Rosie."

"You're about to knock on his door." Buffer points out. "Won't that wake her?"

"Oh yeah." Kate hesitates for a moment, then drops quite suddenly into a sitting position, leaning against the brick wall and digging her phone from her pocket. She just manages to notice that her phone's wallpaper has been changed to a photo of 2Dads pulling a face. "So I'll call him. You guys go back. I'm fine. Prooooommmmmise." She sings the last word, opening up her contacts.

"Are you sure?" 2Dads frowns, glancing suspiciously at the house. "I think we should stay. The guy could be a weirdo."

"Or a Liberal." Buffer adds. "Or a dick. But I can beat him up if you need me to."

"He's not a weirdo or a Liberal or a... the other thing." Kate retorts, scrolling through her 'M's before remembering she'd put him under Arsehole anyway. "He's good. He's too good. He's... oh!" She lets out a grin as the door opens and there stands Mike, looking confused. Kate turns to the phone, then glances back at him. "I was just going to call you with my phone!" She explains. "But you found me."

"Yeah." Mike stares between the three people on his front porch. "Only because it sounds like someone was using a battering ram to break in."

"Oh no! It's late." Kate realises, dragging a hand over her face before turning to Buffer. "What time is it?"

"She's a bit drunk." Buffer explains to the confused Mike.

"We all are." 2Dads adds for good measure. "But... ah, she said she needed to talk to you."

"Yup. She's yours now. We're getting tattoos!"

"I'm not." 2Dads grumbles. "I told you that!"

"Did you want to come?" Buffer asks Mike.

Mike shakes his head, looking utterly lost for words. "Ah... no thanks."

Buffer shrugs and turns around, before spinning once more. "Okay, well, we have delivered her, but we know where you live, so don't hurt her."

"Or we'll burn your house down!" 2Dads pumps a fist in the air. Mike raises an eyebrow at the threat, then casts a weary look towards Kate. For her part, she doesn't look too concerned by the threat.

"We'd get the kid out first." Buffer hastens to add. "We're not monsters."

"RO is." 2Dads mutters. "You right, Kate?"

Kate nods, leaning against the brick wall next to his front door. "I wanted to see you." She mumbles, closing her eyes. The wall is surprisingly comfortable, after all, and- the world suddenly shifts. There's a clattering of the door and a hand catches her, and she looks up to see Mike. "Oh. Oh no."

"Kate, you're wasted." Mike mutters, wrapping an arm around her. "Come inside."

"Okay." Kate is starting to feel sleepy now, resting her head on his shoulder. "I wanted to see you."

"Really?" Mike frowns, closing the door behind them and leading her into the lounge room and into an armchair. "Why did you want to see me?"

"Because I'm in love with you, even if I lie about it. I will always love you. Hey, that's a song." She starts to hum tunelessly as Mike shuffles around in the kitchen. "Where are you going?"

"I'm getting a bucket, because you're going to be hurling your guts up any moment now." Something bright is deposited in her peripheral vision.

"Am not." Kate protests, closing her eyes because the world is starting to spin. "No. I needed to tell you that I lied and I love you and I love Rosie and I'm sorry and I think you were right?"

"Right about what?" Mike frowns, leaning in closer to her and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Right about me maybe potentially being sick."

"Oh." A hand on her shoulder pulls her upright (wasn't she sitting before anyway) and she lets out a groan.

"No! No more moving." She mumbles as he shifts her arms like she's a Barbie Doll.

"You're holding a bucket, Kate." He murmurs. A moment later his hands are pulling her hair out of her face as she vomits spectacularly into the bucket in front of her. "I'm sorry." She gasps between breaths, wiping her mouth with a piece of paper towel that seems to have materialised from nowhere. He sets the bucket down at her feet and fiddles with her hair while she feels tears prickling the corners of her eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come here and be sick. And I never wanted to leave you. I want to stay. But... but I'm scared. Claire hurt her, Mike. And... and I can't let her get hurt. And I know you said you can stop her getting hurt but... but all her life it's been me and I can't get used to someone as good and... and great as you. And..."

"Kate, it's okay. You don't need to explain now."

"I do!" Kate protests. "Because you're looking at me and... and I just threw up in your bucket and it was probably a good bucket that Rosie liked because it's yellow and I hurt you and I need you to know that I love you. That I'm in love with you and you're the only guy I've ever felt like this with and that's scary and I'm so tired and I'm sorry."

"Kate..." She feels gravity tip once more as she's suddenly hoisted up into his arms. "It's okay. I love you too. We can sort this out. But right now, you need sleep."

She has no idea where they're going or what's happening. All she knows is that she's safe in his arms and soon he's depositing her onto something soft. "Sleep." He murmurs.

Kate rolls over and immediately is comforted by the smell of him. "I'll stay." She murmurs, closing her eyes. "Will you stay?"

"Yes." Mike murmurs. "Just give me a minute." She's desperate for sleep, desperate for the bliss that unconsciousness will provide, but she is too aware of his absence to drift off. Soon, however, he's returning to the room and there's a clattering of something plastic and the chink of glass. "Here. Drink as much of this as you can." He instructs. The water soothes her burning throat, but does nothing to help her lurching stomach. She groans and he takes the glass back from her, before tapping the plastic something. "I've cleaned the bucket out. It's right next to you, okay?" He murmurs.

"Okay." She mumbles into the pillow. "But something is eating my leg."

Mike chuckles. "Seriously? It's me, Kate. I'm taking these heels off you. With my hands, I might add." Then her shoes are gone and the bed dips as he slides in next to her.

"Oh." Kate feels as though the very earth is rocking her to sleep. "I'm sorry, Mike." She murmurs.

"It's okay." Mike's breath tickles the back of her neck. "We'll talk in the morning."

"I'm sorry about Rosie's bucket." She manages.

Mike laughs again. "Kate, go to sleep." He whispers.

"Okay." She nods, settling herself more comfortably as his hand wraps around her waist. "Love you."

"Love you too." He whispers, before unconsciousness claims her.