CH 78

MacGyver, Jim, and thousands of others in the armed forces, including those who retired or left the service after returning from war, attended remembrance day in Cairns. After the ceremonies, Jim and MacGyver returned home. They changed out of their uniforms then went into town for lunch and some shopping.

At the mall, they walked arms around each other into the food court to get a cold drink and then sat at a table.

"Hey, there's Swain and Sally," she said, looking at the couple who was walking past while holding hands.

"Looks like they're shopping as well," Jim said.

"Yeah," MacGyver said, smiling.

"Why are you grinning like that?" Jim asked, looking at her.

She turns to him, "It's Sally; she's got that certain look."

"What look?"

"The pregnancy glow look. She had it when she was carrying Chloe."

"No way."

"Yes, way. It would seem that Swain's been very busy on the shore leaves," she said with a giggle.

"I guess so; good on them."

"True."

The day Hammersley left for patrol, the crew talked about different things, laughing and joking amongst themselves.

MacGyver was in the kitchen making Anzac biscuits when Swain walked in to get a drink.

"So Swain, how's Sally?"

"She's good."

"Chole?"

"She's good also."

"I guess she's looking forward to playing big sister."

Swain stopped and turned to MacGyver. "What? How did you know? We haven't told anybody."

"Jim and I were in the mall last Saturday; we saw you two. Sally has the pregnancy glow like she did when she was pregnant with Chole. You must be thrilled."

Swain smiled, "Yeah, I am."

"By my guess… she's about fourteen to sixteen weeks?"

"Fourteen weeks."

"I said to Jim that you've been busy during your shore leaves."

"Very funny. What about you and Jim?"

"He was away a lot on secret missions over the past few months."

"SAS stuff?"

"Yeah, whatever it is, it's big. Jim can't tell me what it is, but it's got me worried."

"He can take care of himself."

"I know. That's what worries me."

"Meaning?"

"He said it's a ten."

Swain looked at her in shock, remembering what happened with Gallager, Ray Walsmen, and the Robson's. She rated Ray Walsmen a six on the threat assessment, Robson's a three, and Gallagher an eight. But a scale that's a 10 is a big worry.

"Ten, that is…?"

"Alarm bells going off left, right, and center. From the look on Jim's face, it's a worry for him too. But keep this to yourself."

"Of course. Any ideas?"

"No."

"Well, don't worry about it."

"I do worry, Swain."

"I know." Then they heard laughing.

"Two Dads," MacGyver said."Two Dads, you get back here!"

"That Bird…"

Swain and MacGyver saw Two Dads walking backward past the serving counter with Bird walking quickly after him holding something in her hand.

"Two Dads, Bird, what's going on?"

The two stop to see MacGyver and Swain looking at them.

"I found this in my bed," Bird shows them a rubble croc.

"Really, Two Dads, a croc?" shaking her head at him. Then Bird stepped forward and hit Two Dads on his arm with the rubber croc, then threw it at him.

"Here, have your toy back, Two Dads" then she turns and walks away.

Two Dads picked it up and looked at MacGyver. "What? It was a joke."

MacGyver shook her head at him as she walked away, grinning.

"One day, she'll get him back good," Swain said as he finished making his coffee.

"True. I hope that I'm there to see it."

Swain laughed.

The crew was away for a three-week patrol. When Hammersley returned, some of the crew got twelve-hour shore leave.

Three days later, Hammersley left with supplies onboard to drop off at one of the islands. When they arrived at the island that night, the crew stayed on board.

The following day they used both RHIBS to take the boxes of supplies to the wharf.

Mike and Kate returned from a cafe where they enjoyed breakfast together. They spotted Dutchy and MacGyver working with the crew. Mike walked over to MacGyver.

"How're things going?"

"Good, if all goes well, we will be out of here on time."

"That's great."

Suddenly they heard screaming coming from the docks, and they ran to the commotion.

A woman was screaming hysterically while a man was flailing in the water, trying to reach a pram with a baby that has fallen in.

"Sir! You get the father; I'll get the pram!" MacGyver said urgently before they both dived off the dock and into the water. Other crew members were meters behind them, standing by to help. Mike got to the father, who was struggling, while MacGyver got to the pram. She managed to lift it up as she swam to the dock. Dutchy grabbed the pram and pulled it out and onto the dock while MacGyver got out. She checked on the baby. The baby wasn't moving, and the mother was screaming.

MacGyver got the baby out of the pram and started doing mouth to mouth while Mike and the man clamored onto the dock.

"What are you doing?" the father yelled, trying to take the baby out of MacGyver's arms.

"Hey, she's trying to save him," Dutchy said, holding the guy back.

"Get a RHIB, now!" MacGyver said with urgency. Then the baby started to cry.

MacGyver stood just as the RHIB showed up. "Where are you taking him?" the baby's mother asked.

"Back to the ship where I can check his lungs. You can come. I need to make sure no water got into your baby's lunges," MacGyver explained as she got into the RHIB. Dutchy helped the woman get in then, and they headed to Hammersley.

"My son! What is she doing? Where is she taking him?" the father said anxiously.

"She's going to make sure he's okay," Mike explained.

"Who is she? Does she know what she's doing?"

"Yes, she does. She's a medic on Hammersley; she's fully qualified," Mike said.

"I need to be there," the baby's father said.

"Why don't you get changed, Sir, and then we can go over to the ship."

"Okay, but if anything happens to my son…."

"She will do everything she can to make sure that he was okay." The father went to get changed.

Once MacGyver was on board, she and the baby's mother headed down to the wardroom, where she checked him over and removed the wet clothes.

"Bird, can you get a couple towels?"

"Sure," she left the wardroom to go and get them.

MacGyver used the stethoscope to check on the baby lunges. Smiling as she puts the stethoscope back in its spot. Then she was talking to the baby when Bird returned with the towels. Wrapping him up in the towels, she then picks him up while talking to him until he settles down. Then he reaches out and grabs her dog tags looking at them.

"Found something interesting, have you, little man?"

"Is he alright?" the baby's mother asked.

"He's going to be fine. I had to make sure that there was no water in his lungs."

"Why's that?"

"Saltwater in the lungs isn't a good thing. The body would add water to flush it out, which can result in secondary drowning."

"I had no idea."

"Because he wasn't breathing, and I had to perform CPR to get him breathing again, I had to rush him back here to make sure that his lungs were clear. Now all he needs is a dry diaper and clothes. Isn't that right?" The baby smiled and giggled at her.

"You're good with him. Do you have children of your own?"

"My husband and I have been trying, but with work and my being on patrols, we don't get to spend much time together. But we are not going to give up trying." There was a knock on the door, and it opened.

"Is the baby okay?" Kate inquired.

"Yes, X, you can see for yourself. Here, can you stay while I'll get out of these wet clothes?" MacGyver said, passing Kate the baby.

"I heard what you and Mike did."

"Thanks, I guess the whole crew knows about it."

"Pretty much."

"Figures." She walked out the door, leaving Kate to talk to the baby's mother.

MacGyver went, had a quick shower, and got dressed in dry clothes. She sorted out her wet things then returned to the wardroom finding Mike and the father were there. The mother was dressing the baby in dry clothes.

"Thank you for saving my son's life," the baby's father said, looking at MacGyver.

"Your welcome, Sir."

"Why did you bring him back here?"

"Your son wasn't breathing when he was pulled from the water. That's why I was doing CPR. Once he was breathing again, I brought him back here to ensure that there wasn't any water in his lungs. If there was, I could have treated him straight away. He was lucky, and as you can see, it had no effect on him." They watched the baby smiling and giggling away happily.

A few minutes later, one of the RHIBs returned the family to the dock.

Hammersley left the following day for their scheduled patrol when there was a pan pan call. When responding to the call, the boarding team finds another boat dumping something over the side. The skipper showed them his sea sonar, and it showed where the object is.

Mike sent Dutchy down with a rope to retrieve the item. As the large object was pulled out of the water, they saw what looked to be a body wrapped up in black plastic. The plastic was cut open and indeed revealed a body. The body was moved to the cold room, and Mike had Hammersley head to where the boat was. The skipper told them that it wasn't him.

The boarding team returned to Hammersley. Hammersley returned to the same place to hand off the body to the coroner. The crew was given shore leave for the night. Kate stayed on board to finish up things while some of the crew went to shore.

MacGyver spoke to Jim on the phone for a few minutes before joining the crew. As MacGyver walked into the bar, she spotted Mike at the bar. She noticed a woman sitting next to him flirting, so she walked over to them.

"Listen, lady, I'm not interested," MacGyver heard Mike tell her.

"Come on, you must have women problems… I can make them go away."

MacGyver steps forward, "Mike! Darling! Ready for dinner?" putting her left arm around Mike's shoulder.

"Who are you? I was talking to him first," the woman whined.

"See our left hands?" MacGyver flashed their wedding rings at her. "So…Why don't you go and piss off and leave my husband alone, you family wrecker. " Grabbing up her bag, the pushy woman stalked away.

"Excuse me," MacGyver called out as the woman was walking away. She stops and turns to MacGyver.

"Why should I?"

"Well, because of the stain that's on the back of your white skirt."

Shocked, she turned and walked away as quickly as she could. MacGyver removed her arm from Mike's shoulder and sat down next to him, chuckling.

"Thanks, MacGyver, but did you have to lie about the stain?"

"Well, it got her out of here."

"Drink?"

"White wine, thanks."

"I'll have the same again," Mike said to the bartender. Then he turned to MacGyver.

"Where's Kate?"

"She should be here in about a half-hour, so for now, I'll keep you company."

"Thanks."

"I spoke to Jim a few minutes ago."

"How is he?"

"Good, he misses me."

Mike smiled. "I bet he does."

"This weekend, we're going down to Sydney to a high school reunion."

"Does Kate know?"

"Yeah, so hopefully no crash sail."

"You never know."

"True."

"High school reunion?"

"Yes, Jim's fifteen-year reunion. He said he is looking forward to showing me off to some of his stuck-up classmates."

"Why's that?"

"When he attended his ten-year reunion, he was just a lieutenant at the time. Some of his classmates went on about their wives, girlfriends, fiancees, and the jobs they are doing and how much money they make."

"So, you're going with him."

"Yep, but we don't know if Kim's going to be there."

"Kim…. Simpson?"

"Yeah. They were in the same year together."

Their drinks arrived. They talked until Kate arrived. Mike orders her a glass of white wine. Mike told Kate about what happened when MacGyver showed up and what MacGyver said to the woman, making her smile.

"Thanks, MacGyver"

"Any time"