It had been a mistake.

A fun mistake. A surprisingly great mistake. A mistake that gave her butterflies in her stomach when she remembered it. But still: A mistake.

The worst part was that Kate hadn't had enough to drink to blame it on alcohol-induced poor judgment.

The first rays of morning sun coming through the broken blinds woke her up. She blinked her eyes open and was immediately reminded of where she was as the sights and smells of a bachelor's apartment assaulted her. He'd apologized for the state of the place, last night, she remembered. At the time, she hadn't paid attention to her surroundings, eagerly pushing away the outside world and tumbling into bed with him.

She sneaked out before he was awake. She considered leaving a note but what would it say? "Don't call me," "this was a mistake," "oops?" There was a collection of mostly empty coffee mugs on the hall table and she resisted the urge to carry them to the kitchen sink. This wasn't her apartment–she had no claims on him–she was, in fact, pretty sure she didn't want to have any claims on him.

That afternoon she met up with Nikki. They sat at a window table in Nikki's favorite cafe and sipped their wine, picking at a cheese plate.

"Spill it," Nikki commanded. She had clocked the rare smile on Kate's face and immediately knew there was a development in the usually dead love life of her good friend.

"Nikki, there's really nothing to tell." Kate blushed.

"Mmm-hmm. Sure. Who is he?" Nikki leaned forward, eager for details.

Kate shook her head. "I can't tell you," she said.

"So he's Navy then," Nikki jumped to the obvious conclusion. "Anyone I would know?"

"No comment," Kate smirked and took a sip of wine.

"Fair enough," Nikki relaxed back into her seat, satisfied that the mystery man had, in fact, been Navy. "It was good though? Dinner? Drinks? Did he cook you breakfast?"

"It wasn't even a date," Kate protested at the assumptions. "We just bumped into each other and I wanted to know what he was up to…" she trailed off, wanting to tell Nikki everything but knowing this was a liaison that needed to remain a secret.

"And what he was up to was getting into your pants?" Nikki grinned at the face Kate made.

"Look…" Kate spun the stem of her wine glass between her fingers. "It was totally random. But yeah, it was really good." She gave a small grin, not meeting Nikki's eye.

"Ten out of ten?" Nikki joked.

Kate laughed with her. "Yes, ten out of ten, if you must know. The ego of a sailor without the narcissism of a captain."

"Not a captain!? Kate McGregor sleeping around with run-of-the-mill sailors?" Nikki exaggerated her reaction, pulling another laugh from Kate. "I'll let you keep your secret but just promise me it wasn't Dutchy. I have heard nothing but red flags about that man," Nikki looked pointedly at Kate and took a long sip of her wine.

"Nikki!" Kate was offended at the suggestion. "I would never! We're like siblings! Besides, I'm the one who told you all of his red flags!"

Nikki laughed at Kate's reaction.

"Plus, we've been on the same ship for six years now–if something was going to happen it would've already," Kate explained.

"Are you going to see this mystery man again?" Nikki asked.

"Definitely not!" Kate was emphatic but she couldn't suppress her smile at the idea of seeing him again. "I didn't even leave him a note this morning. So even if I wanted to see him again I already messed it up."

"You left without leaving a note?" Nikki was slightly taken aback. "He has your number, at least?"

The smile dropped from Kate's face as it registered that they had never exchanged numbers.

"You slept with a guy and you don't even have his number? You're sure you know his name?" Nikki teased her.

"Yes, I know his name," Kate rolled her eyes at the suggestion. "But I suppose I did forget to ask for his number."

They both fell quiet, pondering the possible implications of this.

"He knows how to find me, though," Kate finally said. "And I could find him, easily…if I wanted to," she added.

"...if you wanted to?" Nikki asked incredulously. "I'm sorry, yours is not the smiling face of someone who doesn't want to see him again."

Kate shrugged, a smile back on her face.

2dadz: You ever had a woman leave first thing in the morning?

Charge: No. They can tell I'm a breakfast champion.

2dadz: What does it mean if they leave and don't say goodbye?

Charge: ?

Charge: This happened to you? When?

2dadz: This morning. I don't have her number. I was going to ask her for it when we woke up but she was already gone.

Charge: Congrats

2dadz: Thanks.

2dadz: Actually I think it was a mistake.

2dadz: She thinks it was a mistake.

2dadz: Fuck.

Charge: How was it a mistake? You had random stranger sex with no strings attached. The end. Not a mistake. You're living the dream.

2dadz: Except I know her. It's more like a nightmare.

Charge: LOL. You know her? Navy? And she left without saying goodbye?

2dadz: Shut up

Charge: LOL

2dadz: What do i do?

Charge: LOL

2dadz: Fuck off

Charge: I still don't understand the problem…

2dadz: It was a good night. It was a fucking great night.

Charge: Ok and?

2dadz: And then she left.

Charge: Chill out. If you know her, just ask for her number.

2dadz: We're not in the same circle any more.

Charge: Email her. If she's Navy then she has an email like the rest of us.

...

Charge: Did you email her?

Charge: 2nd date?

Charge: Or she's sick of your ugly mug and that's why she left?

Charge: LOL

2dadz: Do you have Kate McGregor's number?

Charge: LOL

Charge: Not funny.

Charge: NOT FUNNY

*incoming call from Charge*

"2 Dads! What the fuck is going on?!" Charge exploded the moment Leo answered his phone.

"Look, this is a SECRET. So don't open your big mouth about this to anyone," Leo greeted him with the same volume. "I just really need a favor. Can you get me her number?"

"I work with her! I can't just give you her private number! There's probably a regulation about this!" Charge was still yelling.

"We haven't been on the same ship in years! I'm not even in Cairns any more!" Leo yelled back.

"Wait, wait, wait," Charge took a deep breath and calmed down. "Back up. You hooked up with the X?"

"She's not my XO any more, but yeah." Leo took the cue from Charge and calmed down as well. "It was…it was pretty epic." Charge could hear the grin in Leo's voice.

"Huh. I always thought she had better taste than that," Charge chirped.

"What can I say? I'm irresistible," Leo chirped back.

Charge sighed loudly.

"Let me start again: You hooked up with the X–Kate–and she left the next morning before you woke up? And didn't leave her number?"

Leo paused after Charge's questions. "Well when you say it like that it doesn't sound good," he finally said, defeat in his voice.

"Nah, it really doesn't," Charge gave a short chuckle.

"Fuck," Leo swore under his breath. "Better give me her number anyway–so I can call and apologize," he grumbled.

"There's the 2 Dads we all know and love! Always something to apologize for," Charge chirped. "Also, you're in town and didn't call me? I'm offended."

Leo let out a short laugh. "I was going to call you last night but…I ended up with plans."

The End.