Sitting on her bed Kate sighed looking over at the wardrobe and at the dress she had brought for the formal. it was a simple navy-blue dress which was just short of floor length, with shear sleeves that had a leaf and rosebud pattern stitched into the lace. she sighed she just wished she could wear it with him.

"Hey, you" she smiled as Sweep jumped up on to the bed.

Sighing softly, she allowed Sweep to get comfy before scratching her between the ears.

"You not ready?" Nav smiled walking in in her dress which was a red strapless dress that came straight down hugging her figure.

"I told you I'm not going. There is no point if Mike isn't going to be there" she sighed

"So, you are going to spend all evening in here alone!" Nikki sighed sitting on the edge of the bed

"I won't be alone. I have Sweep to keep me company"

At that moment sweep jumped down off the bed and walked over to the window

"Well at least I have Jane" Kate half smiled holding up her favourite book. Jane Ayre.

"Well, it's up to you but I wouldn't stay here" Nav sighed picking up her bag "have a good night" she smiled walking out

"You too" Kate smiled watching as her friend left.

Leaning back against the wall she sighed looking at the dress. it would have been the perfect night and the last they would have spent together. Walking across the room she sighed lifting the dress off its hanger she lay it on the bed. Nikki was right. Just because she wanted to go with Mike, and he wasn't going to be there didn't mean she couldn't go and have fun with her friends.

She left her hair down with its natural curls framing her face. She left her make-up natural with hardly any foundation and a pale pink lip.

Looking in the mirror she sighed. "Well, sweep what do you think?" she asked turning to see the little cat too busy cleaning himself. "Some help you are" she laughed walking over scratching the kitten behind his ears

Sweep looked up giving a slow blink before shifting position and resumed grooming himself

Heading out she walked across the courtyard. The formal was being held in the grand hall. Walking in she spotted Nikki over at the bar with a couple of other 1st years

"So, you decided to come out after all" Nikki smiled grabbing 2 glasses of Champaign from a passing waiter thrusting it into Kates hands

"Well, someone has to keep an eye on you" Kate smiled taking a sip

"Hey!" Nikki said "anyway you arrived just in time the admiral is just about to make his speech for the graduating class" Nikki smiled

"cool" Kate smiled turning to face the stage

"Ladies and gentlemen" he said "first may I welcome you all to the annual summer ball. This year has been tough for us all and I know a lot of you know I say that every year but it's true it must be tough so we can install all the qualities we are looking for in the ADF" he paused "for those in your first year your journey is just beginning and it's only going to get tougher, for those in second year moving in to third year then the hard work starts now and to the graduating class this is also where it gets tougher. As you take your first postings in the real world may you have all the qualities of Honour, honesty, courage and integrity."

There were a few claps from around the room from various people. they were the values that they all stood by and hoped to show not only in the class but also out in the field once they had graduated.

"Now some of you may be aware that this year is also a very special year for me as I am proud to welcome my son into the Royal Australian Navy. Where are you Mike" the Admiral

Looking around Kate caught a glimpse of him as the spotlight hit him

"Now not only is Mike starting his career on a Ship that shares a name with the ship I started on The HMAS Melbourne, but I don't think he will Mind me saying that he is also engaged to the best female cadet we have seen in a while"

"Dad!" Mike hissed walking on stage. turning he caught a glimpse of Kate stood in the crowd.

Looking up at the stage Kate couldn't hear anything properly everything had gone blurry her mind trying to process what had just been announced.

"I..." she stammered turning and making a run through the crowd

"Kate?" Nikki called watching her friend run out shortly followed by Mike who dashed off stage following her out.

Running out across the court yard Kate stumbled in her heals stopping to pull them off she didn't care if she tore her tights to shreds, she just wanted to run as far away from here as humanly possible and even then, it still wouldn't be far enough. picking her shoe up from the floor she finally allowed the tears to fall, she felt so stupid. She had been fine on her own for so long she would have never fallen for a kiss. She had always told her self she was made of steel and hard as stone.

"KATE!" Mike called after her "Just Wait"

"Go to hell Mike!" she called turning

"Just wait let me explain" he said reaching out to touch her shoulder.

"Explain what" she turned pulling away. "Go on then explain. Explain how you lied to me about tonight, how you broke my heart." she said

"Kate" Mike said softly

"EXPLAIN!" she sobbed the tears falling

"I... I never meant for any of this..."

"You never meant for any of this..." she paused "i fell completely and truly in love with you, before you I never really knew if I had a heart but now, I do because you broke it"

"Kate" he sighed reaching out

"no.! You don't get to do this! you are a coward, Mike Flynn. Even now you are stood there with a straight back and square shoulders. I hate you Mike Flynn" she said running off back towards her building.

"Kate!" he called after her in to the darkness

"There you are" a voice said walking up behind Mike. "Your father is looking for you" Maxine white said draping her arms over his shoulder

Pulling his arm out from her grasp he pushed her to one side "Leave me alone Max. Why did you have to do this! You have ruined everything"

"What did I do!" she protested

"Just leave me alone" Mike sighed pushing past walking off in the opposite direction.

Stopping outside her halls building she looked up. It's not how she thought she would be ending the night.

Heading in to her room she threw her shoes in to the corner of her room before curling up on the bed the tears. Sweep jumped up on to the bed nudging her nose in to.

"oh sweep" she whispered softly feeling the warmth and the purrs coming from the tiny kitten.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A week later Kate slowly walked across the campus she could see the preparations for the Graduation and passing out ceremonies happing later that morning. sitting under the tree she sighed softly feeling the cool breeze blowing across the grass.

She watched as the graduating classes marched in. Army followed by Air force and lastly the Naval cadets. She could just see him on the end file in his dress uniform. As much as it pained her to see him, she still loved him.

Sitting watching the ceremony she watched as the brass of each of the services stood to give a speech about the cadets they over saw. Awarding the top honour to each of them. when it came to the navy she watched as Maxine white was awarded the sword for best cadet. She recognised her as the bully driver from her first day and as the one who was engaged to Mike.

Closing her eyes, she tried to blink back the tears. She looked up watching as the Navy brass walked over to their seats. A loud ripple floated through the air as the brass sat down. She caught a glimpse of Mike who was doing his best not to laugh as one by one the brass got up and sat down again followed by the same ripple. each one pulling a whoopie cushion from under their seats.

She stayed under the tree longer than she intended she watched right to the end. Standing up she brushed the grass from her legs. She was just about to walk back when she saw a shadow approach

"Kate" He called softly

Turning she was greeted by his steel blue eyes that always made her go weak.

"Mike" she smiled softly

"i am so sorry about..." he said

"I know" she nodded

"if I could take it all back and make things right then..."

"Things would still be the same." she sighed brushing away the tears that were leaking from her eyes. "When do you ship out?" she asked

"i have to be in Sydney the day after tomorrow" he said "can we go for a drink for old times' sake"

"i can't" she said. "i have to move all of my things to our new digs before tomorrow and the end of the year. "she smiled "i will say nice job with the whoopie cushions though"

"it will be worth the wrath of my dad." he said

Letting out a laugh she smiled looking up at him.

"Fair winds Mike" she said holding out her hand

"Goodbye Kate" he said stepping closer wrapping his arms around her "you are going to make an amazing sailor probably one of the best the navy has seen in a while" he said kissing her softly before walking off back towards where all the other graduates were.

She watched as he disappeared into the shadow of the setting sun. His words now had gone some way to heal her heart that he had broke. She knew she had a heart because he broke it but he had also healed it and shown her true love does exist and she can find it.

and that's it. finished. this has taken me forever and i have just lost it a bit towards the end so sorry if the end is a bit messy. i have been really buisy since march with work as i got a long term placement but we are now in the summer holidays in the UK so hopefully i can get some writing done (if i can over come my perfectionism) hope you enjoy and i am going to work on Better Man.

enjoy and thanks for sticking with this one