Four days later...

Steve was tired after a day of heavy training. It was as if he had fought with about five men at the same time, his body hurt. He had already had dinner and gave up some time of his rest to call Catherine. He walked away from the dorm to talk to her without anyone intruding. He called her five times and all five times he just heard her voice saying that she couldn't answer at the moment.

"Did she go out with some guy for dinner?" He thought. Steve liked her, but at the same time he was afraid. He was afraid that she wouldn't feel the same way about him and thought it was better to have her as a friend than not see her ever again. He hid his feelings for her from her and from other people. Well, at least he thought he could hide it, and had no idea that his eyes denounced it. Anyone could see the way he looked at her.

He gave up and was already walking towards the dorm when she returned his call.

"Catherine? I called you a few minutes ago."

"I didn't hear you, Steve. I'm sorry. I just got home from work and just saw you called me."

"Wow! But it's so late, Catherine."

"Yes, I'm learning a lot, but I'm also working a lot. And I still have to study a little when I arrive at the hotel. I'm really exhausted and today was still the third day. I wonder how I'll feel after the 30th day".

"Are you taking care of yourself? Are you feeding properly?" He asked.

Catherine smiled. "Should I call you Caroline Rollins? Because now you talked just like my mother."

Steve laughed at her question. "No, keep calling me Steve."

"Okay," she answered as she took off her shoes. "Oh, my God!" She exclaimed in relief.

"What?" he asked.

"I just took off my shoes, and that's so good. How was your day?"

"Oh, you really don't want to know what my day was like, do you?"

"Yes, I do. If I didn't want to, I wouldn't ask. I care about you and I want to know how your day was," Catherine told him.

"Well, the training was heavy today. I have the feeling that I had a fight with ten guys at the same time."

"Wow! But are you enjoying it?" She asked.

Yes, I am," he answered without stopping to think, "I'm crazy, aren't I?"

"I think I'm the one crazy. I wake up at five in the morning to go to the hotel gym and then I go to work at the Intelligence Center and then I still have to study whenever I get back to the hotel".

"What about social life?" Steve asked. He really wanted to know if she had met anyone. That was a question that didn't come out of his thoughts.

"What social life, Steve? After all that, do you think I have time for social life? I don't even have time to go out and eat. I know my mother will fight me when I come home because I will have lost a lot of weight."

"You need to feed yourself, Cath. If you don't feed properly, I'll go to your parents' house myself and tell them".

"Oh, don't be a snitch, Steve!" She smiled.

"Okay, I was kidding. I'll let you study. I'm going to fall on the bed now," Steve told her.

"Lucky you that can go to sleep now. Good night, Steve," she said in a soft, calm voice.

"Good night, Cath. It was nice talking to you."

"You're welcome. Call me when you want, and I'll get back to you when I can."

"Okay," he answered and finished the call.

Steve waited anxiously for the end of the month, so she would come back. But she didn't come back. "They liked my work, Steve, and asked if I wanted to stay here for another two months. I talked to my parents, and they encouraged me to stay. My dad said he's going to pay for my stay here for another two months," Catherine told him with a broken heart. As happy as she was with the recognition of her work, with her professional success, she missed him, she wanted to see him.

"Good, Catherine," Steve said. He was happy for her, really. But he also missed her.

"How's the course going?" She asked.

Steve yawned. He was tired. "Good. Your return will coincide with the end of my training."

"That's good. So we can get some days off together. Go rest, sailor. We'll talk tomorrow?"

"Of course, Catherine. "

By the end of the three months, Steve and Freddie had finished the course. They were getting dressed for the training ceremony where they would receive their diploma. Steve looked at Freddie and smiled. "What is this, Freddie? You don't even know how to tie a tie?" Steve tied Freddie's tie despite his friend's protests.

"What are you going to do with your days off?" Freddie asked Steve.

"I'm thinking of going to see my father. But it's just a thought yet."

"Do that, Steve. You owe me," Freddie told him.

"What do you mean I owe you?" Steve asked.

"Well, I finished SEAL course like my dad wanted, and that was thanks to you and the many punches you gave me in the face. I pleased my dad because of you, and now it's your turn to please your dad. Go see him."

Steve didn't answer and they went to the event room. After the speech of some superiors, the diplomas would be delivered. Steve was surprised to see the person who would deliver the diplomas. "Catherine!" he thought out loud.

"Oh, it's true. It's Catherine," Freddie said on seeing her too.

"Actually, it's Lieutenant Rollins now," Steve said to Freddie.

"Really? So fast?"

"What are you implying, Freddie? That she got promoted because of her father? She got promoted because she's capable, she's studious, she's smart," Steve said.

"And she's beautiful, nice, smiling, captivating, and other things more, isn't she?" Freddie provoked him.

"I don't know what you mean by that," Steve replied.

"Oh, no? "You don't have to be so shy. Just assume you like her before some guy does it. You're lucky I like Kelly, otherwise I'd be your competitor".

Steve laughed. "Stop being ridiculous, Freddie. Catherine would never look at us. And you didn't hate Kelly yesterday?"

"Yesterday was yesterday, Steve. Today is today."

"Beautiful thought, my friend. I don't know where you get all that wisdom from."

Catherine was ready to deliver the diplomas and was only waiting for the boss's order. She looked at Steve and smiled. She hadn't told him she was back because she wanted to surprise him after three long months away.

Steve was one of the last to be called because of his initial. Catherine handed him the diploma with a huge smile. "Congratulations sailor."

"Thank you. It's nice to have you back."

Joe was sitting in the front row watching the exchange of looks and smiles between two.