"So the firing on us above the tree line that was you?" Kate questioned when they walked to camp

"No…" Mike shook his head

"But…"

"2Dads was hiding behind the tree's because he can't fire a gun"

"But that means…" her eyes widened

"X!" Charge turned pulling out his gun and firing behind her

"GET DOWN!" Mike yelled grabbing Kate's arm pulling her into cover when shots were fired around them

"What the hell was that" Kate huffed

"What?"

"Pulling me out of the way like that" she turned firing towards the enemy ignoring the scrape across her cheek from a branch

"I was rescuing you"

"I don't need to be saved" she held her own firing the gun as the enemy fell to the ground

"Point taken" Mike nodded

"We've had this discussion before so many times over" she turned to face him

"I know" he looked at her sadly noticing a scratch along her cheek she didn't have before

"It'll never change with you"

"Your wanting to have this discussion now?"

"Charge is that the last one?" she called out ignoring his comment

"Ai Ma'am" he replied,

"Let's continue towards the camp" she placed her gun in her holster

"Kate…" he tried reaching for her arm

"Don't…" she pulled it back making her way towards Charge and 2Dads.

Sitting in the medic tent a few hours later Kate brushed her finger across the bandage on her cheek

"Your looking worse for wear" he sat across from her

"It's just a scratch" she smiled sadly

"Yeah I mean I could say the same about mine but I'm so high on morphine right now" 2Dads grinned

"How is the shoulder?"

"Swain set it in a sling, but I need X-rays when we get back to base which reminds me" he used his good arm and held out a jacket

"What's this?" she grabbed it

"The Bosses jacket I was thinking maybe you could give it back to him for me"

"2Dads…"

"You'd be doing me a favour really, Swaino says I'm not really allowed to do anything to extensive"

"And returning a jacket would be too extensive?" she raised an eyebrow

"Well from the way you two are avoiding each other it might give you an excuse to go and talk to him"

"We're not avoiding each other"

"Right and I'm not a pain in the arse most days"

"It's complicated" Kate ran her thumb across the nametag on the jacket

"Ten years' worth of complicated?"

"How'd you…"

"When we were stuck in the ditch the Boss he told me how you met.."

"Really? He's not normally one to open up about his person life"

"I suspect he was feeling rather guilty about the radio breaking because he knew you'd come looking for him"

"He wouldn't let me come on the mission I mean boarding's are my job as XO and he let his personal feelings cloud his judgement"

"X…" 2Dads shifted to sit next to her "The Boss he… all he could talk about in that ditch was you, now from where I'm sitting that sounds like someone who'd do anything to safe the woman he loved"

"But that's just it I don't need to be saved"

"And he knows that believe me he does, but love… it makes you do weird things"

"Love… it can be a curse especially when the one person you want you can't have" she teared up

"X…" he went to place a hand on her shoulder

"2Dads I don't need to be consoled I'm fine" she smiled sadly moving to stand

"Okay" he nodded nervously

"Get some rest" she scuffled his hair before moving towards the exit of the tent.

...

Entering the tent she'd been allocated for the night Kate jumped when she spotted Mike sitting on the end of the bunk

"Don't you have your own tent?" she placed his jacket down

"Don't you have your own jacket?" he grinned noticing the nametag

"2Dads he um.. he asked me to return it"

"Well this is your tent is it not?"

"I would have returned it, I just needed to freshen up" she went to move past him but a hand on her waist stopped her

"Kate…" he pulled her to stand in front of him

"Don't do this here…" she refused to meet his gaze

"Where am I supposed to it? We can't talk on board because of prying ears and we can't talk here because of the Army"

"Mike…"

"I know you can look after yourself pulling you out of the way it was just an instinctive thing"

"I get you worry but how do you think I felt hearing Swain say they couldn't reach you or that you hadn't shown up at camp"

"I'm sorry…" he rested his hand against her cheek forcing her to meet his eyes

"Is this always how it's going to be between us, worrying about one another letting our stubbornness get in the way of the job"

"Who you calling stubborn?" he teased pulling her closer

"I thought you were dead" she teared up

"I'm okay" he wiped the loose tear off her cheek while arising to stand

"I just…" she stuttered when he moved back zipping the tent up

"I'm okay" he turned back to her,

giving him a sad look Mike moved forward wrapping his arms around her and meeting her lips in a passionate kiss

"We… can't" she mumbled

"Yes.. we can" he deepened the kiss his hands making quick work of her jacket,

pushing her own hands under his grey shirt Kate smiled against his lips when he maneuvered them towards the bed;

lowering her down slowly he pulled back from the kiss and looked into her darkened with desired eyes

"I love you" he brushed his thumb across her bottom lip

"I love you, so much" she rose her head to meet his lips once more.

(My morale has been a little low as of lately so I'm a little lost in writing this ir updating.. But anyways hope you enjoy this update, if that's what you'd call it.. )