So… I've decided to write the last two chapters again. When I looked them over again they didn't make sense and getting reviews from you guys, you also said this. So I've rewritten them hopefully making a bit more sense. Hope you guys like it. X

Mike stood on the deck watching Jim being escorted to the dock. The rigs from Archer's boat were surrounding him and weren't letting him out of their sight. Kate walked up behind him. She knew he wanted a quick and quiet get away back to the mainland but she had to be there to see him off for once. Mike could tell she was standing there even without her saying anything.

"X." He said.

"How did you?" Kate chuckled.

"Someone had to come and see me off. Archer said he'd call later. Didn't want a big fuss apparently." Mike shrugged.

"What about?"

"I don't know. He's talking with Maxine and Marshall now. You'll find out later."

Kate went silent for a moment. Mike could tell whatever she was going to say next wasn't going to be easy for her.

"How long are you going to be away for?" Kate finally asked.

"That's the thing you see." Mike looked uncomfortable.

"What now?" Kate sighed.

It was Mike's turn to go silent.

"Sir?"

"Maxine has offered me a job in the office at Navcom HQ. With the treatment and everything I have to be on land to get that. So I don't know when or if I'm going to be back." Mike finally admitted.

"Oh."

"Is that all you're going to say?"

"What do you want me to say?!"

This answer took the wind out of Mike's sails. He thought Kate would be a little more understanding. Kate could see the disappointment and somewhat hurt spread across Mike's face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." Kate tried to take what she said back.

"It's fine. I get it."

"After we've all been through, I thought we would get a bit longer together." Kate chuckled.

The two then went silent again. Neither of them knew what to say and was waiting for the other to say something.

"So who's going to take over?" Kate asked after some silence.

"I don't know yet. I'm sure it'll be someone everyone knows." Mike tried to say.

Before the conversation continued Bomber and Spider came to join them.

"What's going on?" Mike asked with a smile.

After that, RO, Charge and RO followed. Before long the whole crew were on the deck. Mike was surrounded by the crew, all of them had their different smiles.

"What are you all doing here?" Mike asked them.

"We came to say goodbye." Bomber talked for them.

Mike turned back to Kate. She was hiding a smile that was stretched across her face.

"You knew then?" Mike asked her.

"I knew it was going to be a while before you were back so I gathered everyone." Kate shrugged.

Mike looked around the crew. All of them seemed different since they had been in lockdown. Most in a good way but RO was more chatty than ever, which really helped the long drawn out days, which were few and far between.

"There's the rig." Buffer said pointing his head out into the water.

He was right. A rig from the mainland was pulling alongside the Hammersley. It was time.

"You're coming back though right? You're not leaving forever." Bomber piped up.

"I hope so." Mike just responded.

"Come on guys give him some room." Kate said pushing the crowd away from the edge of the boat.

The crowd scattered. They stayed close and watched on.

"Thanks for this Kate." Mike nodded.

"No worries."

Mike looked back at the crew.

"Look after them. I mean it." Mike told her.

"I will do."

"Especially that Bomber. She's a right handful!" Mike joked punching Kate in the arm.

Kate smirked back. She then punched him back. The whole saluted as Mike got off of the Hammersley. Kate was the last to salute. She was holding back tears. After everything over the past few days, it was sad to see someone leave. The whole crew watched on as Mike reached the mainland. They then dispersed as Nav and Bomber joined Kate walking back to the bridge.

"He's not coming back is he?" Bomber whispered.

"He didn't say that." Kate said.

"But it's going to be a while." Nav backed Bomber.

"Yes. There's someone else coming back later to take over until the CO can be back." Kate nodded finally.

Bomber sniffled. Kate put her arm over Bomber's shoulders. Nav then also did so. The three women walked together back to the bridge. It was nice just to have some time to themselves without loads of drama surrounding them.

"What else did the CO say then?" Nav asked.

"Apparently I have to keep an eye on you all. Especially you Bomber." Kate said.

"Why me?!" Bomber exclaimed.

Kate and Nav burst out into laughter. Mike was right, both Bomber and Spider were trouble and that was an understatement!

"We'll look after each other." Nav said through laughter.

Bomber shrugged that answer off. She wasn't hurt by what those two said but sometimes they were a bit over the top. It was nice however to have a joke after what she had been through.

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Archer slumped into his seat in his quarters. All of his crew had made it back safely and now he could finally rest. There was someone he still had to check in with though. He picked up his phone and typed in Navcoms number.

"Commander White please." Archer said to the operator.

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Maxine had finally made her way back to her office. She had made sure everyone knew what they were doing. There had been a lot of talk from other officers that weren't involved. She had to calm all of them down and told them nothing was wrong. Which was a little bit of a lie but if she had told them the truth all of them would have been in HQ without a second thought. With lockdown in force, it wouldn't be a good idea to have them all back again just yet.

"Excuse me commander." One of the officers still around asked.

"Yes, what is it?" Maxine sighed. She had thought she might have some time to herself but apparently not.

"Captain Archer on the phone Ma'am." He said nodding at the phone.

"Thank you." Maxine nodded back.

The officer bowed his head and then closed the office door. Maxine took a deep breath in and picked up the phone. She didn't really want to talk to anyone but Archer was alright. He didn't talk for long so she could easily deal with this conversation.

"Archer." Maxine spoke.

"Maxine." Archer's voice came back.

"I heard how the boarding went. Well done." Maxine said first.

"Thank you. I was just wondering if I could speak to Mike. It seems as though I can't get through to him on the Hammersley." Archer sounded concerned.

"Well there's a reason for that." Maxine breathed out.

"Oh yes?"

"Mike has got a job on the mainland. He has to have treatment."

"Treatment for what?"

"Don't you know?!"

"Know what?"

"Mike's got a brain tumor." Maxine said a bit surprised Archer didn't know.

There was then silence on Archer's end of the phone. Maxine waited and waited for Archer to respond.

"Archer?" She finally asked.

"Yeah I'm still here." Archer finally said.

"I thought you knew. I would have told you otherwise." Maxine said.

"It's fine. What's going to happen to Hammersley?"

"Well that's the next thing."

"Yes."

"I'm still looking for a new CO for the Hammersley as they can't come back into port just yet."

"Oh right."

"And I just wondered if you would like to take over the job?"