She watched as he slowly lifted his head, his eyes seeking hers. "These last few days, I've spent a lot of time thinking. About my life, my future, and how I want it to look. I would be lying if I said I thought that the transition into being Ryan's father would be easy… I don't even know what he wants from our relationship, or if he wants anything to do with me at all."
Kate reached out and grasped his arm, gently rubbing it in comfort.
Mike to a deep breath, feeling more relaxed under her touch. "In the past I have tried to block out how I feel about you, but thinking ahead, in every possible scenario of my imagination, or my dreams for the rest of my life? You're there. Beside me. I can't imagine a future without you."
"Mike…" Kate whispered; her voice thick with emotion as her hand trailed up his arm to gently stroke his cheek.
He lifted his hand up to touch hers, leaning his cheek into her palm.
"I'm sorry I've made you wait for so long, Kate…" he drew her hand around to kiss it as she closed her eyes briefly.
"Mike, why did you make me wait so long? There have been so many moments where I thought 'this is it', you know? And then you kept placing obstacles between us."
"And you also kept going back to captain Roth…" Mike injected.
Kate groaned, shaking her head. "I will not apologise for how I tried to force myself to get over you Mike Flynn. You held all of the cards, you do know that right?"
"I couldn't bare to watch him, he was so smug with you."
"Jim is a lovely man, he really tried to make me happy…"
Mike sighed letting go of Kate's hand "You know, this could all be easier if you wanted to be with him."
"Easier for who, Mike?" she countered, narrowing her eyes at him.
Mike knew that expression, he had seen it many times before. Both directed at him, and at their sailors aboard Hammersley.
Kate groaned, as she rolled her eyes in frustration. "I don't know what you're doing. What you mean by that. But to be honest, I can't be bothered with it. Why can't you just say what you want, how you feel. Rather than trying to be stoic about what the right thing is. The right thing for who? The easier thing for who? I'm so tired of it, Mike." Kate said, her voice getting more exasperate as she spoke.
When Mike looked at her blankly, she huffed, before walking away, her head shaking in frustration.
"Kate, please…"
"No, Mike!" Kate turned, her voice raised. "You have me, you have me here, right now. All I want from you is for you to be true to yourself, what you want. You just need to say it and… and I'm yours."
Mike smiled softly to himself.
"Why are you smiling!?" she demanded as she folded her arms across her chest. "Do you realise how frustrating you are?"
Mike's smile grew, as he walked closer to her.
"Are you going to answer me? Or just grin at me like that."
As Mike stood before her, he lifted his hands to gently cup her cheeks. "You're cute when you're angry, you know that?"
"That's not an answer to my questions." She retorted.
"It's not… but god, it's nice to have you angry at me, and be able to touch you… All those times we would argue on Hammersley and all I wanted to do was just kiss you… the more you infuriate me, the more I want you."
Kate looked up at him, her eyes shining as she gently bit her bottom lip. She couldn't deny that she felt the exact same way. The amount of times they had argued on board, only for her to have to resist the urge to push him up against a wall and kiss him passionately.
"Now are you going to stop trying to argue with me for long enough for me to answer?" he whispered, resting his forehead against hers.
Kate nodded softly, a wave of heat rushing through her body. She could almost feel the familiarity of his lips pressed to hers. She felt her heart begin to beat more rapidly as she tried to think of anything other than pressing her lips against his.
"Kate, I've got a meeting booked for tomorrow morning at NAVCOM."
Kate's eyes widened, intrigued at his confession.
"I'm going to give them an ultimatum. A shore posting, or my letter of resignation."
"Mike…" Kate interrupted.
Mike cut her off, continuing "I'm going to tell them I want my life back. That I've found the love of my life and I don't want to keep wasting time not being with her."
"Mike…"
"Stop interrupting" he whispered, that boyish grin spreading across his face, before gently placing his thumb on her lips.
"I will also be speaking to Maxine about Ryan, and my relationship with you."
"Mike…"
"Kate, I don't want to put this off any longer… you, us… I can't believe I have taken so long to get to this point."
Kate couldn't hold back any longer, and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer towards her. All those stolen glances when they knew no one was around. The fingertips that grazed whenever one had to pass an object to the other. The feel of his hand gently touching her back as he walked behind her. None of that compared to the feel of his body against her.
She had felt this way when she was in his arms since the moment she met him. She never really understood what it was, but it was that feeling of safety he provided her. It's not like she needed protecting, she could well and truly look after herself. But this? This was something entirely different.
"Kate?" Mike whispered.
Kate tilted her head slightly, their eyes still locked with one another.
"I'm going to kiss you now." He stated, that grin she loved so much spreading across his face.
