Part 4

Dutchy finally felt able to breath again when after a few hours, nothing had happened. So far he hadn't found any post-its, nor had Kate cornered him to give him a lecture on his behaviour. Nevertheless, he still felt uneasy, on edge. Knowing he had every right in feeling this way came when they were getting ready for a boarding.

Dutchy was getting his gear from his locker and was about to pull on his lifejacket when a small yellow note slipped out and landed on the floor. Unfortunately Dutchy wasn't the only one who noticed the note. 2dads made a beeline for the note and was already trying to decipher it. 'Blue really isn't your colour' it said. "Dude" 2dads started. "What the hell is this?" Dutchy angrily snatched the post-it away and stashed it in his pocket. "It probably is a note I wrote ages ago, trying to remember something." Dutchy lied. 2Dads harrumphed, as he clearly didn't believe Dutchy. "I think…" 2Dads started. "I think you better shut up" Dutchy threatened. With a shake of his head 2Dads made his way outside towards the RHIB.

Behind him he heard Kate laugh and he turned around to her. "This isn't funny X." He said to her, clearly feeling upset. She raised an eyebrow looking amused. "Really?" she asked. "Because when you were terrorising my house, it seemed as if you DID find it very amusing." Dutchy sighed and said nothing, knowing she was right. It was no use going against her. He just had to let her blow off her steam, and maybe things would calm down sometime during the patrol.

During the whole boarding Dutchy wondered what Kate had written on the post-it. After grabbing it from 2Dads' hands and stashing it in his pocket, he hadn't had the chance to have a look at it. He was worried, as 2Dads was known for rumour mongering. What did Kate write? He worried. What was 2dads going to do with the information on the note? Hopefully he would think that it had been Dutchy writing that note to use as a pick up line. "Damn it Dutchy," an angry Kate shouted as he ran into her when he was preoccupied on the FFV. "Watch where you're going!" He tried to shake the funny feeling away, but Dutchy just felt miserable.

Kate started feeling slightly guilty about terrorising Dutchy, but only slightly. She couldn't understand how he reacted so differently to the teasing than she had done. "Typical male", she muttered. One moment he could keep all emotions hidden from his face, as he had done when she reprimanded him for not paying attention during the boarding, while on other moments you could read him like a book. Well screw him, Kate thought, I am not done yet. Even when he gives me the that 'sad puppy look' and is ready to burst into tears I am not giving in.

When Kate knew Dutchy would still be busy finishing his reports as she had ordered him to do as a punishment and Swain was busy on the bridge, she decided to have another snoop in their cabin. Maybe this time she could leave a post-it in the bathroom, on his shaving kit. While walking down she wondered what would be the best line to write on the post-it.

'Can I borrow this for my legs?' or 'I hadn't picked you as a gilette man' or 'I have the same one in pink.' Still grinning, she opened the door to their cabin and went straight to the bathroom.

Dutchy had a headache. After two nights without any sleep in a row he was starting to feel it. To make matters worse, Kate had forced him to write all the reports of the latest boarding as punishment for not paying any attention and nearly messing everything up. He knew she was right, so when Kate told him what to do, he uttered a tired "Yes Ma'am" and got to work. The sooner he would be done, the sooner he could get to sleep.

Meanwhile Kate was having a great time in the Dutchy and Swain's bathroom. She lifted everything and tried to imagine whose it was. She unscrewed every tube and bottle to smell. Good choice. She thought when easily finding the exact aftershave Dutchy was always wearing. She looked at the bottle wearing the label of 'Diesel – Only the brave'. Typically something Dutchy would buy, she thought with a grin.

Maybe I am not going to write a post it for his razor, she thought when getting confused over two quite similar razors. If she wasn't careful, she'd easily stick the note to the wrong razor. At least with the aftershave she was sure which one was Dutchy's. She didn't dare think what would happen if it was Swain finding a provocative post-it on one of his belongings. She was sure his reaction would be even worse than Dutchy's had been.

Dutchy was finally finished with the report. He was sure Kate had made it harder for him to write on purpose. She still wanted to punish him. Women usually fell for the sad look he could give them, but Kate wasn't having any of it. She remained cold to all his looks. Maybe he had been so wrong about her. Maybe she wasn't at all interested in him.

He got up from the chair and stretched, wincing slightly as he felt how sore his muscles were. Maybe I should have a shower before going to sleep. He thought while making his way to his cabin. Dutchy was glad Swain was still on duty, as it gave him more freedom in the cabin to get ready for his shower. Bit by bit he peeled off the layers of his clothing, carefully folding them over the chair. When he finally stripped off his boxer shorts he grabbed his towel and opened the door to the bathroom.

As soon as Kate had heard the door open she panicked. There was no way she could escape now, and there was nowhere to hide. She just had to stay in the bathroom and hide. Hopefully whoever it was, wasn't going to use the shower, she thought while shutting the shower curtain to hide herself. Just use the toilet and leave, she prayed.

Dutchy swung open the door and hung his towel on its hook. Quickly before having his shower he emptied his bladder in the toilet. Dutchy didn't believe 2Dads's saying 'If it's yellow let it mellow' and flushed. He then turned around towards the shower. Odd he thought. Usually we leave the curtain open after using it. Dutchy shrugged and pulled the curtain open, already lifting his hand to open the taps. It was then that all thoughts left his head as he saw Kate staring wide eyed at his naked body.