"No, no it was relaxing" he shrugged leaning against the chair

"Your idea of going fishing is relaxing?" 2Dads crossed his arms

"Not all of us enjoy quite poker games 2Dads" Mike rolled his eyes

"Well I actually one this one"

"Let me guess you cheated?" Swain piped in

"As a matter of fact no I won it fair and square"

"Alright how much?"

"Ah fifty…" he mumbled

"Sorry what as that?" Mike held a hand to his ear

"Fifty dollars" he said louder

"Fifty? Mate and that's without cheating?" Swain laughed

"Alright so it's not the usual amount I win but it did help me buy this smoking hot chick a few drinks at the bar"

"Of course it did" Mike shook his head when the familiar voice of his XO echoed up the stairs with Nav in tow

"X, Nav" Swain nodded

"Morning" they smiled stopping near the table

"So ladies anything eventful happen over shore leave?" 2Dads piped up

"Ah no not that I can think of, Kate?" Nav answered

"Nope just relaxed on the beach of some island with a book" she shrugged

"Ohh any company or good-looking males on this island?" Nikki nudged her arm

"There was one, but he spent his free time fishing off the pier" she took a quick glance at Mike

"Well 2Dads here won Fifty bucks in a poker game" Mike patted his shoulder with the clear of a throat

"Was that with or without cheating?" Kate laughed

"Without" Swain smirked

"Is that the most you've won?" Kate tried to hide her smirk

"You guys don't understand the concept of Poker" he huffed moving towards the stairs

"I think we do, never trust a poker player especially if his name is 2Dads" Swain teased

"Terrible game you always loose, now strip poker that's more…" Kate shifted to lean against the table

"That's what X?" Nikki crossed her arms

"Ahh nothing"

"Mm-hmm"

"Sounds like you've got a bit of experience is that section X" Swain smirked

"Ah no, just the ADFA days you know the campus parties they would um.."

"Get out of hand, believe me I had to break up a few when I was there" Mike stepped in

"Exactly"

"Right well next time you know of any 'naked' poker games let me know" 2Dads wiggled his eyebrows

"God.. 2Dads" Swain rolled his eyes pushing his down the stairs and following after him

"2Dads you still owe my that twenty from the last poker game you won" Nikki held her hand up

"Sorry?" he called back up the stairs

"I said…" she yelled following after them the loud thud of the door shutting seconds later,

shaking her head Kate leant her arms on the table while looking at the chart

"So…" Mike cleared his throat stopping next to her

"So…"

"I um.. I like what you've done with your uniform" he shifted taking a quick look at her backside

"Excuse me?" she turned raising an eyebrow

"Definitely better than those grey cakey overalls"

"Is that so?"

"Well I mean I personally prefer the more civil look you know" he snapped his fingers "like that Blue bikini you wore during shore leave now that was just.. Wow"

"I'll keep that in mind" she turned back to the charts

"So is it still wearable after the beach debacle or is it you know…" he shifted to lean on the table like she was

"I fixed it up if that's what you asking"

"It was never my intention to rip it but it just…"

"Got in the way?" she turned her head to look at him

"Exactly got in the way" he gave her a smirk

"Luckily for me you just knew how to get it out of the way"

"What can I say I'm good when it comes to my hands" he leaned in closer

"Yes.. you most certainly are"

"Maybe next shore leave we can…" he reached across pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear "relive the previous ones"

"Ohh I don't know the stitching on my bikini might not hold up a second time"

"That's okay I don't mind honestly"

"I'm sure you don't" she shook her head slightly

"I had fun, makes me wish shore leave was longer then just a week" he brushed his thumb across the sensitive skin of her neck

"Mike… someone will come in, and knowing our luck it'll be the biggest loud mouth on the boat"

"Let them interrupt I don't think I can keep this much of a secret any longer"

"You know what'll happen if people find out" she rested her hand against his chest

"I don't care anymore, I just want to be able to do this without the worry someone will catch us"

"Just another week and then…" she tilted her head meeting his lips in a soft kiss "we'll be free to go public" she hovered in front of his lips,

smiling slightly when Mike leaned back in kissing her softer then before

"One week…" he mumbled against her lips

"Mm-hmm" she nodded taking a deep breath when he pulled back fully

"I best head to NAVCOM for our orders" he continued to brush his thumb across her skin

"Okay"

"One week"

"Will you just go" she smirked pushing him back

"Only One hundred and Sixty eight hours left" he dropped his hand from her neck and walked over to the stairs

"If you keep Commander White waiting she won't be happy"

"Kate…" he stopped near the stairs

"Yep?" she looked up from the chart

"I love you" he looked back at her over his shoulder

"I love you too, now will you go before Knocker sends a search party"

"One week!" he repeated laughing when he saw Kate's hat falling to the floor near his feet after she'd thrown it at him

"Keep counting and it won't happen"

"Oh yes it will, nothing can stop our future" he picked up her hat throwing it back to her

"Get outta here" she rolled her eyes re-clipping the hat on her pants.

Walking into Maxine's office Mike closed the door behind him when she spun around in her chair

"You're late"

"Sorry Ma'am I…"

"I don't want an excuse; this mission is of high importance Mike we can't afford tardiness"

"Won't happen again I'm sorry" he stopped near her desk

"Your being tasked to the gulf of Carpentaria there's an army responder there, someone's been trying to sell illegal firearms"

"And what the army can't handle it?"

"No the head of the BRASS asked for Hammersley to do this mission personally" she ignored his joke

"Why us?"

"Because of you, Mighty Mike Flynn seems to be the only personal they can trust to defuse this situation"

"Right…" he stepped back crossing his arms

"Is there a problem?" Maxine arose from her desk

"It's just.. I put in for a transfer Ma'am and this mission it looks like it will take longer then a week"

"Mike this is your job what is more important than saving innocent people?" she watched him hesitate

"I…"

"The BRASS has asked for you specifically are you going to let them down, let me down?"

"Now hang on a minute"

"You leave in one hour; I suggest you choose your priorities Mike, or this could be very dangerous"

"My priorities are my ship and crew"

"Are they? Or are they for a specific Executive Officer?"

"This has nothing to do with Kate"

"Come on Mike, it's obvious the two of you are having a relationship even blind freddie can see that" she snapped

"Ma'am… whatever you think Kate and I have done nothing wrong"

"And I believe you but are you really willing to risk your career for something that might fail?"

"Isn't that my choice to make?"

"Marshall warned me about the two of you before I started here Mike, everyone knows about your 'fling' at ADFA it's why they were hesitant to place Kate with you four years ago"

"What?" he questioned confused

"But in saying that you are a good team, and that's what the BRASS focus more on"

"What exactly are you saying?" he sensed her hesitation at something

"If you and Kate can't keep things professional during this Patrol you won't be getting your transfer"

"That's bullshit!" he yelled

"Mike it's not my choice, but personally I think their doing the right thing" she shrugged leaning against her desk "Since Kate's come back into your life well.. your work hasn't been a hundred percent"

"That is crap, and you know it"

"Really? What about the Flamingo Bay or the Oil rigs"

"You'd prefer if I let my XO die?"

"All I'm saying is you need to keep your personal and professional separate"

"I never let my personal cloud my judgement Maxine you of all people should know that"

"You should leave, your picking up the SAS team on your way to Carpentaria"

"SAS you mean?"

"I'd thought you'd be pleased" she shifted to sit back at her desk

"Are you trying to set me up to fail or is he coming along as your little spy?"

"Think of it as a test, but for the love of your ship don't go knocking Jim out this time we kind of need him for this mission too"

"I only did that last time because he hurt…"

"Yes?" she raised an eyebrow

"Nothing"

"Your dismissed" she waved her hand

"Ma'am" he gritted his teeth moving towards the door

"Oh and Mike"

"Yes?"

"Fair winds" she smiled as he opened the door

"Only One hundred and fifty-eight hours to go" he muttered to himself leaving her office.

...

"Katie!" Jim smiled spotting her on the pier with her clipboard

"Jim?" her eyes widened

"Surprised to see me?" he dropped his bag next to his feet

"Ah well I wasn't aware you'd be sailing with us"

"Apparently your big Boss needs the SAS and Army expertise"

"And they got you instead" she smirked

"Ha-Ha, but yes your Commander White asked for me personally"

"Really?" she raised an eyebrow

"You weren't aware…"

"No Commander White and I aren't one for the friendly banter, the CO normally deals with her" she held the folder against her chest

"And here I was under the impression you and Knocker were best friends"

"Please, she hates me"

"I doubt it, pretty hard to hate someone as amazing as you" he winked

"Um.. so this mission any idea where we're sailing too?" she cleared her throat

"I'm sure the CO will brief you all"

"Not even a hint?"

"Afraid not can't disclose any information" he shook his head

"Right.." she nodded looking past him when she spotted Mike "I should get back to work"

"Sure I'll get one of the juniors to see me onboard" he picked up his bag

"2Dads will show you to Auster" she pointed with her pen

"Thanks" he nodded walking off,

"X we all set?" Mike stopped next to her

"Just about Sir, we're loading the last of the supplies now"

"Good get on with it instead of gasbagging yeah"

"Sir?" she looked at him confused

"You heard me" he answered before walking off towards the gangway.

(Set in Seaon 5, my own way of things happening and things about to happen. So in this everyone knows about Kate and Mikes affair at ADFA, Didn't put much in the synopsis so that I could write freely hope you enjoy the first chapter. Xx)