Standing looking at him Kate smiled softly

watching as he stood aside allowing her to step in to the tiny cabin.

"Mike" she said softly trying to read his thoughts. "I..." she paused sitting on the edge of the rack

"did you find Sovay?" he asked interrupting her

"yeah, she umm she had gone off with a friend from school but just didn't tell me that is what she was doing" Kate forced a smile

"good. I am glad." he smiled. "so why are you here" he sighed.

"I wanted to say sorry, I should never have said what I did"

"what. That I don't know what it is like to lose a child" he said

"Mike, I had no idea, Nikki told me what happened with Ursula. I hate myself for what I said. It was cruel and..." she said looking up in to his eyes. "i don't know why I said it..."

"you were scared for Sovay. I get it. But in my experience in situations like that it helps to keep a level head" Mike said sitting on his rack next to her

"i know" she said tears starting to fall down her cheeks. After everything he was being so calm and understanding. "I know. I knew as soon as I walked away. It's just Jims in town and he demanded to see the girls and when I said no as he has had too many chances before and it's me who has to deal with the fall out and the attitude that follows, he threatened me. Said I would regret it" she said

"Kate, why didn't you tell me" Mike said softly sitting next to her.

"because I thought I could handle Jim but his words have been playing on my mind ever since he showed up at NAVCOM and its just affecting everything. Us, my work, that's why I was outside yesterday, the house being ready was just a bonus that Marshall said we could use as a excuse for a week's leave." she sighed "it's just my mind is just going into overdrive at what he is planning and the fact I won't be able to stop him"

"come here" he said holding his arm out.

Scooting along his rack she lent in to his arm resting her head against his shoulder

"he is only going to affect us if you let him" he said softly "and as for work well I am sure its not that bad"

"i fucked up one of the charts for Hammersley on Monday" she said pulling back slightly looking up in to his grey eyes.

"Ah well we all make mistakes from time to time. Its one of the things that makes us Human."

"not me and not like this. I never make mistakes ever. That's why I won the 'Sward for best Navy cadet' in my year" she said

"ah the infamous Princess perfect" he grinned

"i am going to kill that loud-mouthed Nikki bird" Kate grinned

"ah this wasn't Nikki this time. You have quite the reputation in the Navy Kate"

Covering her face, she tried not to laugh, she knew things had been said but she had no idea how far they had spread.

"so how badly did you mess up the chart" mike smiled

"i was umm..." she paused mumbling the last half of the sentence.

"sorry?" Mike said

"i was 2 degrees of course plotting through a reef that hadn't been charted since endeavour sailed through which would have almost ripped a hole in Hammersley from stem to stern" she said

"ah so maybe we all haven't made a mistake quite that big" he grinned teasing her

"i told you it was bad" she said covering her face.

Leaning closer Mike slowly pulled her hands away from her face, leaning in he teased her in to a deep kiss pushing her back against his pillow.

"i am sorry" she whispered against his lips

"i know" he said running his hand along her waist fiddling the button on her trousers ….

so sorry its a short one this time but i wanted to leave this little bit on a bit of a cliffhanger although i think you all know whats going to happen :D :P. enjoy and hopefully i will have the next half of this but up soon x