Mike awoke to the tantalising smell of breakfast cooking, and remembered that Robert and Bomber had stayed with him. He pulled himself up, wheeled himself into the shower, shaved, and dressed. His father would be coming for him in two hours, to take him to his physio session. Mike was hungry, and he wheeled himself into the living area to find that Bomber had made a delicious breakfast. She said, "Good morning sir, like a brew?"

"Good morning, Bomber, and that breakfast sure looks good."

"Thanks, sir."

"Where's Robert?" he asked.

"He'll be here in a minute; he's just making a phone call."

Robert emerged from the spare room and they all sat down to Bomber's hearty breakfast. Mike said, "What plans do you two have today?"

"We've got a few things to do in town, so we'll be out while you're at your medical appointments. I'll do some shopping and have lunch ready for you."

Mike looked at the two sailors who had once served on Hammersley under his command. He thought they looked brighter, somehow.

Mike finished his breakfast, and excused himself. He wheeled over to his desk, logged onto his computer, and started typing an email to Kate.

Charge and Amy threaded their way through the crowd of newly disembarked passengers to retrieve their luggage. He called Buffer to let him know they'd arrived, and Buffer told him to watch for Robert Dixon; he and Bomber would pick them up.

Bomber was delighted to see Charge again. She threw her arms about him, and greeted Amy with pleasure. Charge introduced Robert and he formally shook hands with Amy and took her luggage. Bomber explained that they were staying at Mike's; Kate was away onboard Hammersley. Charge's face fell; he was looking forward to seeing Kate, especially since it had been over two years since he had seen her; on the occasion of his and Amy's wedding. Bomber explained that they needed to go shopping to buy food; she was planning lunch and assumed that Charge and Amy would join them. On hearing that Bomber was the cook, Charge was very amenable to the idea, and said to his wife, "Amy, you're in for a treat. This young lady is the best cook in the entire Fleet."

"Wow," said Amy grinning. "I'm so looking forward to lunch."

Robert asked how life was in Hammersley Ranges, and Charge talked about his job in the mining company. "Looking for a job, young RO?" he asked.

"No, I'm happy onboard Kingston, thanks Charge."

When they arrived at Mike's place, Gregory was leaving. He turned towards them and said, "Ah, this is the young lady who's the magnificent cook. Mike's been telling me all about you. I'm Mike's father, by the way."

Bomber said, "I'm Rebecca. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Flynn. This is Robert Dixon, and this is Andy and Amy Thorpe, just arrived from Western Australia."

They shook hands and Gregory said, "Please call me Gregory. 'Mr. Flynn' makes me sound old and stuffy." He turned to Charge. "Did you serve with my son, too?"

Charge shook Gregory's hand, and said, "Yes, I did. So did Robert here."

Bomber asked Gregory if he would like to join them for lunch. Gregory said he would, but only if he could persuade his wife to join them "It won't be too much trouble for you, cooking for all of us?"

Bomber said, "Not at all, I'm used to cooking for up to one hundred at a time."

They went into the house, and Charge tried to conceal his shock at seeing Mike in a wheelchair. Mike said, "Charge. I'm so pleased you've come over. And Amy, good to see you again. What a pleasant surprise."

Awkwardly, Charge put out his hand to shake Mike's, then found himself giving Mike a huge bear hug accompanied with much back-slapping. The unease evaporated, and as Bomber busied herself in the kitchen, Amy, Charge and Robert sat down to chat. They were presently joined by Gregory, and Amelia, who went straight to the kitchen, introduced herself to Bomber and settled in to helping her prepare the meal.

Charge said to Mike, "Fair dinkum Boss, they couldn't kill you with an axe. You're one hell of a survivor, I'll give you that."

Gregory interjected, "He is that. Takes after his uncle."

Charge could sense a story coming, "Yeah? Well tell us."

Gregory filled in the time until they were called to lunch telling Charge about his brother Patrick, who continued to run his farm after being blinded in a shooting accident. Amy and Robert listened intently as well. When Gregory finished, he said to his captivated audience, "Tough old bugger, he was. And as stubborn as the day is long." This remark caused Charge and Robert turn to Mike as one man and give him a searching look. Mike said, "What?"

The lunch was a light-hearted happy time. Bomber and Amelia received quite a lot of compliments for their finesse in the kitchen.

Afterwards, Gregory and Amelia left, saying they needed to walk off this excellent meal. Robert went to the spare room to catch up on his reading, and Amy helped Bomber clean up in the kitchen. Charge helped himself to a couple of beers, and went outside with Mike, where he passed him a beer. Charge said, "We heard about the accident in the news, and Buffer emailed us. A hit and run apparently." Mike said he had no memory from the time he walked out of NAVCOM to waking up in hospital ten days later. He said he was thankful for that small mercy. Charge said, "How's the recovery going? Will you still be in the Navy?"

Mike said, "It's slow, and frustrating. I can feel my legs, but the walking again is taking a long time; too bloody long. Worst of all, I took it out on Kate, Charge. I don't want to be a stone around her neck, being useless to her. I behaved like a real bastard to her, and drove her away. She stayed on Hammersley until the ship sailed. I feel so ashamed. As for still being in the Navy, well that's an uncertainty as well."

Charge's story.

"Mike, that girl is one in a million. She loves you. You didn't see her face when we brought you back with Jim that time you were hurt on the Samaru Islands. Nor when she thought you'd been killed in that sub."

Charge disembarked from HMAS Anzac. It had been a hard tour over to the Gulf, and he had plenty of work keeping the ship going. Now, finally, she had docked at Fleet Base East. From the deck, Charge swept the dock looking for Helen, Jamie and Jessica. He couldn't pick them out in the crowd. He had written, but received no replies. Helen had been frosty toward him before he embarked on the voyage from which he was now returning. She was tired, she said, of being married to the "invisible man." The kids needed a father, she said, and she needed a husband. "It's time you stopped thinking of yourself, and thought of us for a change. Can't you try for a shore-posting?"

Charge sighed. "Helen, I've tried. And I love the sea. After this voyage, I'll try for a transfer to the Patrol boat fleet. I've got a mate on those. He says the most you are at sea is two to three months, tops. And I'd get more shore leave. How about that?"

Charge walked slowly through the crowds of families and friends, welcoming the crew home. Helen and the kids didn't come to see him. His heart was heavy. He made his way to the Senior Sailors' mess on the base, and saw there was some mail for him. He opened it, and saw that his transfer to the Patrol boat fleet was approved. He was to report to HMAS Cairns in a month's time.

He felt a little lighter, and walked to the gates where he called a taxi to take him home.

When Charge let himself in, the house was ominously quiet. He called out, "Helen, Kids, I'm home!" There was no response. He put down his bag, and wandered around the house. The rooms were empty. He went into the bedroom he shared with Helen, and opened the wardrobe door. Her clothes were gone. Turning to the bed, now devoid of any bedclothes, he saw the envelope simply marked, "ANDY."

Opening it he read, "We've left. I've taken the kids to my parents in South Australia. Don't try to follow me, I don't want you back. I am sick and tired of being alone, and the kids barely know you. Good luck and goodbye,

Helen."

Charge sat on the bed. Shit, he thought. Shit. The transfer came too late.

He walked out of the house, down to the pub, and drank himself senseless.

Despite the numerous phone calls, emails, and a long letter from Charge, Helen was firm in her stance. No, she wasn't returning, yes, she knew that he'd transferred to the Patrol boat fleet, but it was too little, too late.

Then came the series of letters addressed to his kids that came back marked, "Return to Sender." Following that was the divorce papers to be signed. He did not challenge either custody or access.

By this time, Charge had transferred to HMAS Hammersley and saw that he was in the same senior sailors' mess as his old mate, Chris 'Swain' Blake.

"Charge. Welcome to Hammersley."

"G'day mate." Charge shook hands briefly. Swain asked if he'd like to go to the pub. Charge did not need a second invitation.

They went to the bar, and carried their beers to a nearby table. Swain could see that his old friend wasn't himself. He asked, "How's the wife and kids?"

Charge said gloomily, "In South Australia, mate. She left me and took the kids. The divorce came through last week. She was sick of me being at sea."

Swain said, "Mate, she knew she was marrying a sailor. It wasn't as if you pulled the wool over her eyes. She must have known you'd be at sea much of the time."

"That's just it. She was hoping I'd get some shore postings. I hate shore postings. I joined the Navy to go to sea. What did she want me to do?"

"Some wives can't handle the life, mate. Don't blame yourself entirely for all this. It was her fault too, you know."

"Yeah."

Charge settled into his new posting. He formed close friendships with both Swain, and another new transferee, Pete "Buffer" Tomaszewski. They were there through thick and thin for each other, and when Charge discovered that his ex-wife remarried, and his kids adopted the surname of their stepfather, his mates again were there for him, and supported him. With their help, Charge renewed his love of Navy, and the sea, and became the legendary Patrol boat Chief Engineer, known for his reputation at repairing any engine issue presented to him.

Mike said to Charge, "You're another one I didn't know had a rough time. How come I'm finding this all out now?"

"I thought you did know. But that's beside the point; I told you this now, because I wanted you to know two things; first, you always have your friends when things are tough, and Mike, you still have Kate. Don't lose her, mate, whatever you do."

"I sent her an email this morning, Charge."

"Good stuff. And speaking of wives, here comes mine. We'd better get moving; Buff wants me to help him sort out one of his boats." Charge laid a big hand on Mike's shoulder. "You'll be OK, Mike. Trust me."