A/N: Four days later….
Mike closed the door to the ship's office and greeted the occupants when he realised one person was missing, "where is Agent McGregor?"
"She's just in the wardroom to take a call, Sir." Nikki replied, "she'll be back soon. She said to just start without her."
"Alright, I just got off the phone with Commander Marshall and our orders are to steam home this afternoon followed by ten days shore leave after."
"Woohoo…." Charge hollered enthusiastically.
Mike smirked at his engineer's reaction, "you have something interesting lined up, Charge?"
"Maybe Sir." Charge smiled, "but mostly just excited to be home. It's been a long patrol."
"True. But it's been an important one." Mike added, "Commander Marshall has also extended his congratulations to our outstanding effort in this patrol. Defence is very appreciative, and they have also mentioned that exceptional deeds above and beyond our duties would not go unnoticed."
Everyone in the room nodded and the atmosphere was one of collective relief that they could complete the challenging patrol relatively unscathed.
"Do we know the outcome of SAS's raid on the compound at Hawkesbury Island, Sir?" Dylan asked curiously.
"All I heard so far is that it was a successful raid with minimal casualty. Looks like Rahman was cooperative in the end."
A brief knock on the door ensued and it opened after Mike's invite.
Kate went into the room with a radiant smile on her face before closing the door and addressing everyone. "I just got a call from Max, my supervisor. The SAS managed to rescue Fatimah during the raid along with a dozen other women and children."
"That's great, Agent," Mike nodded at her, "well done."
"Yes, you've never stop advocating for them." Nikki smiled at Kate, "you were right to persevere."
"I couldn't have done it without everyone's support." Kate stared at them gratefully, "I learned a lot about what it means to be a part of the team while I am here. I was an honour to be part of your patrol. Thank you."
"It was nice to work with you as well, Agent." Mike nodded, "I think I can speak on behalf of every single one of my crews that you've been a great addition to our team as well. I'd even wager that we'll miss your presence when you go home to Canberra."
"I think at least one person will definitely miss you a lot," Nikki chimed in, earning an amused glare from Kate and a subdued smile from Dylan.
"What would happen to the women and children?" Swain asked next.
"Well, they would first be assessed by AFP as to their involvement in the attacks." Kate turned contemplative, "then we'll arrange them to live with their family if possible or a community housing as a temporary solution. In the case of Fatimah, she is an orphan now. So, it's not going to be straight forward."
"Does her mother have other family member here that she could live with?" Nikki couldn't help but feeling a bit sad.
"Not in the island." Kate replied, "but, Bindu has managed to track down an aunt in Darwin, Halimah's sister. We're in the process of contacting her right now. I'm hopeful that she could take Fatimah in."
The good news lightened everybody's mood and Mike dismissed them soon after to commence the preparation for their journey home.
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"Hey."
Kate turned to find Dylan carried two thermoses on his hands while walking towards her. "Hey, is that coffee?"
"Tea for you." He handed one to her before standing next to her against the railing on the back deck. "Coffee might make your seasickness worse."
She chuckled, "I don't know if I'll ever get my sea legs."
"Hmm, don't be too hard on yourself," he bumped her shoulder gently, "most of us here has years of being at sea ahead of you. You're doing well for not throwing up every minute. I've seen some young sailors got so sick on their early days."
"Did you?" She smiled, trying to imagine a young version of him, "got sick I mean when you just started?"
"Of course." He chuckled, "I grew up in a farm at Hunter Valley. So, the only time I was at sea before joining the Navy was for a short time during yearly holiday to the Merewether. It was a big adjustment at first."
"Did you know that I considered joining ADFA after I finished Uni back then." She grinned at him.
"Really?" He grinned back, "what made you choose ASIO instead?"
She went quiet a little bit, "my foster dad used to work for the ASIO. It was my way of paying him back for taking me in when I had nowhere else to go."
Understanding dawned on him, "that's why you said hardly anyone would miss you if you died, and why you were so tireless about saving those women and children in Hawkesbury Island, you were a foster kid."
"Classic case of personalisation, huh?" She smiled sadly. "I grew up in an abusive household. My dad died when I was a toddler, and my stepdad killed my mum when I was 10."
"Shit, I'm sorry." He felt angry and sad for young Kate for going through something so traumatic. "What happened to your stepdad?"
"Life sentence without parole. He's still rotting in prison."
She then sighed and stared at him silently, "Dylan, I have unresolved issues involving my childhood and maybe that's why I'm not particularly good with intimate relationship. We don't live in the same city. My job may require me to go undercover or any other forms of deception which you've had a problem with already. Are you sure you still want to start anything with me?"
He huffed, "you listed all of those as if you're damaged goods and I'm too good for you." He shook his head, "I'm not a great catch either, my longest adult relationship was only for 6 months. I've dated multiple girls at the same time. I've used sex as an escape for my unresolved PTSD from the gulf… The list could go on."
He then reached for the wayward strand of her hair before trying to tuck it behind her ear against the incoming wind. He could see her amused look as the strands kept escaping despite his best effort. "Looks like your hair is as stubborn as its owner."
She laughed. She thought that it must be illegal for him to be able to make her smile so effortlessly.
"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is," He paused and gathered his thought carefully, "I am aware of my own terrible records in terms of relationship, so I would understand if you don't want to start anything with me either. But, if you are willing to give us a go, then I'd try my best to make us work, despite the distance and the nature of our jobs."
She went quiet after his words and just carefully sipped the hot liquid from the thermos for the next few minutes to consider everything in her head. Thankfully he let her be, maybe recognising her tendency to retreat inwards when presented with a puzzle. Her experience with Hammersley's crews in the last 3 weeks had helped drawing her out of her comfort zone, but she was an introvert first and always would be.
"Are you going straight home to Canberra once we reach Cairns?" he finally asked curiously.
"Well, I don't have to be in the office until Monday next week. So, I am thinking of doing some touristy things in Cairns for a couple of days and just fly back on Sunday night."
"Do you need a tourist guide and a place to stay until Sunday?" He couldn't help teasing her.
"It depends," She smiled, "how much are you going to charge me?"
He laughed, "for you, nothing."
"Bullshit," she jabbed his shoulder playfully, "there's no such thing as free lunch."
"Maybe I want your heart as payment." He said as casually as possible while his own heart was jackhammering in his chest.
"How medieval of you," she tilted her head and studying the tension in his feature, "you want me to cut up my own heart and present it to you in a silver platter like an offering?"
"No." He stared at her seriously, "I want to earn it. And I'm hoping that you'll let me try to earn it."
She smiled softly at his request, "then maybe you should start by taking me to dinner as soon as we reach Cairns."
He slowly grinned at her before pulling her towards him for a kiss. She reciprocated by pulling his head down towards her, and their lips finally met again after that night at the front of the hospital.
This time around there was no bomb threat looming over them and no one else was at the back deck staring at them. But of course, sooner or later, duty called.
"CPO Mulholland to the bridge at the rush."
He let her go with a sigh and kissed her forehead in apology, "they must've seen something on the radar just now."
"It's OK." She caressed his cheek fondly, "we'll have plenty of time when we get back to Cairns."
"I'll see you at lunch then."
"You will," she patted his chest, "go on, I don't want the Captain to get mad at me for obstructing his patrol boat operation."
He only smiled at her joke before giving her a quick peck on the cheek. He then crossed the deck and opened the door to the inner corridor, leaving her alone on the back deck once more.
She watched him go with a smile and for the first time in four years, she felt like she had some semblance of normal life for once.
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The end…. For now….
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A/N: Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. See you next time for another Agent McGregor's adventure….
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