"Let's go Monkey" Kate held out her hand
"Do I have to come with you?" he groaned reluctantly grabbing her hand
"We talked about this, I'll be five minutes tops just to collect some paperwork" she walked through the double doors
"But it's boring here and it's Saturday"
"I know but Maxine will be here, you like her right?"
"She gives me lollies" he grinned
"Hmm sounds like I have to have words with her"
"Wait!" he stopped pulling her back
"What? What is it?" Kate stopped to look down at him
"I need to use the toilet"
"Are you… I thought you went before we left home"
"I did but I need to go again" he crossed his legs
"Jai…" Kate looked around
"I can do it by myself" he pointed to the men's room down the corridor
"I will be just in with Maxine, you come straight there when your finished" she let his hand go
"Okay!" he ran towards the toilet
"I mean it, no wondering off like last time" Kate called after him when he pushed the door open and ran into the toilets.
"Woah little man, I didn't know they were recruiting them young now" he jumped when a little kid bumped into him coming out of the bathroom a few minutes later
"Sorry mister I had to go" he looked up at him
"Is your Mum around?" he questioned looking around
"She's in with Max" he pointed
"Right…" Mike looked across a the office
"She gives me lollies"
"Does she really?" Mike played along
"If your good you might get lollies too!" he giggled
"Well how about I take you to where your Mum is and you can get your lollies"
"I'm not supposed to go with strangers" he shook his head
"My names Mike, Mike Flynn what's yours?" he reached a hand down
"Mum calls my Mr Monkey or Monkey" he grabbed the larger hand in his
"You've got a pretty strong grip there Monkey" Mike smirked when he shook his hand
"Monkey!" her voice called across the office area
"Coming!" he pulled his hand back "Bye Mike" he giggled before running across towards the woman who called him
"Bye" he waved watching when the woman grabbed Jai's hand in hers, part of him swearing he'd seen her someone before.
"Hi Max!" Jai grinned entering her office
"Well hello there Mr Monkey" she moved around in her chair when he gave her a hug
"Do I get my lollies now?" he pulled back
"Is that all I'm good for?" she dug into her draw
"Does that man get lollies too?" he pointed
"What man Monkey?" Kate asked confused
"That man" he giggled when Mike knocked softly on Maxine's door
"Ah excuse me Ma'am I've got that paperwork for you" he entered holding up a folder
"Mike, you've been using an innocent kid to raid my lolly stash?"
"I have no idea what your talking about Ma'am" he winked at Jai
"I'm afraid my lollies are for only my favourite of people" she smirked passing Jai a small handful of jellybean's
"Thank you!" he giggled moving back over to his Mum
"Ma'am paperwork" Mike held up the folder
"Right sorry, you right to get on with that work over the weekend Kate?" she looked across at her
"Ah yes Ma'am I promised Monkey a beach day but I'll get right on with it later tonight" she nodded
"A beach day hey? Maybe if your close to the Navy docks I can give you a tour of Hammersley?" Mike shrugged
"Can we Mum, can we please!" he pulled on her sleeve
"I don't know…"
"It'll take twenty-minutes tops then you can get on with your beach day" Mike finally looked across at her getting a warm smile when they both recognized each other
"Sure…" she nodded
"Wonderful, I'll meet you down there"
"Come on Monkey" Kate interlocked her hand with Jai's and moved towards the door
"Bye Mr Monkey" Maxine waved when they left her office,
"Now that was a nice thing to do" Maxine grinned when she was alone with Mike
"Every kid deserves to see one Navy boat in there life" he shrugged
"Now this paperwork" Maxine looked across at Mike who was now watching Kate and Jai enter the elevator "Earth to Mike"
"Huh?"
"Paperwork?"
"Yes sorry" he slid it across her desk
"Do you know Kate?" she questioned
"You could say our paths have crossed before, when did she move here?"
"Well she's been here for a six months, moved from Sydney I think" she opened the folder
"And she has a kid?"
"Yes Mr Monkey, comes in every morning with her before Kinder gets a treat from my lolly stash which I might add was especially created just for him" she smiled
"Lucky kid"
"Was there anything else?"
"No Ma'am that was all" he cleared his throat
"Sure when does Hammersley sail next?"
"Tomorrow morning so plenty of time to finish off that late paperwork"
"Good"
"I best head off don't want to keep them waiting" he moved towards the door
"Enjoy" she smiled watching him make a quick exit.
"Mike Flynn" she smiled standing near the Naval gates
"Kate McGregor, well I live and breathe" he stopped next to them
"Do you know my Mum?" Jai piped up
"Ah.."
"We're old friends" Kate cleared her throat
"Can we see the boat now?" he pulled on Kate's hand
"Sure can Mr Monkey, it's the one right down the end, why don't you go see if you can find someone called Swain and tell him Mike sent you"
"But what about you?"
"I need to have a word with your Mum" he looked across at Kate
"Okay" he began running off as Kate and Mike slowly followed behind
"It's been…"
"Five years"
"Yes, I meant to call.."
"But you left before getting my number" she stopped to face him
"Well.."
"Don't stress Mike, we were both drunk I wasn't expecting you to make me breakfast in bed"
"I just figured it was better to leave, it wasn't exactly planned"
"No but that dosen't mean it wasn't fun" she smirked when they began walking again
"So you have a kid now?" he cleared his throat
"Yeah… bit of an unexpected surprise"
"What's his name?" he looked down the docks at him when he stopped at the ship
"Jai"
"And your nephew didn't help name him?" he grinned
"No thankfully Jai was all my idea although I do still have Dipsy" she laughed softly
"Really?"
"Oh yeah she's pretty much Jai's protector keeps the nightmares away"
"How old is she now?"
"Um twelve so getting a little on in age" she looked at him sadly
"And why the name Monkey?" he watched Jai shake hands with Swain
"His curls always reminded me of the way Monkey's use their tails you can always straighten them out they curl up again"
"Isn't that a pigs tail?" he teased
"I couldn't well go around calling him piggy, and monkey just seemed to suit him because he's always been super clingy from the minute he was born" she hit his arm
"And his Dad is he…"
"We.. we don't need to talk about that" she began walking faster when he grabbed her arm
"Kate.. how old is he?" he asked her sadly
"He turns five next month"
"So… I mean is it possible that.." he pulled her hand back
"Yes, probably more higher then you think" she looked across at Jai sadly
"Wow…"
"Guess that one-night stand was more then we both admitted, I mean… we created that" she smiled when Jai was picked up on a piggy back ride
"He's.. you never once thought of.. I mean.."
"Once, but the minute I held him in my arms I knew he was what I had always meant to do in life, Mike.. I never…"
"It's okay" he looked at her with a sad smile
"If you'd stuck around and gotten my number maybe we wouldn't be having this conversation" she teased hitting his chest
"I'm so sorry Kate, if I'd known.." he grabbed her hand quickly holding it against his chest
"My son means the world to me Mike, I've always wanted him to know his Father and now.."
"Does he know about me?" he brushed his thumb across her hand
"I've told him stories, that it was one night but he's always asked about you"
"I want to get to know him Kate, I want to get to know you…"
"I'd like that" she gave him a warm smile
"Mummy, Mummy" Jai ran over giggling she quickly moved her hand back
"What's up Monkey?"
"There's a guy over there and is name…"
"Okay slow down a bit you'll have an attack" she placed a hand on his shoulder
"Sorry… his name is 2Dads" he laughed softly
"2Dads?" Kate looked across at Mike
"Two last names" Mike grinned
"Ahh"
"You ready for that tour Mr Monkey?" Mike ruffled his hair
"Yes!" he jumped up and down
"Well let's go then" Mike began moving towards the gangway "You coming mum?" he looked back at Kate
"Come on Mummy!" Jai giggled
"Now before you walk on you've got to salute the mascot" Mike stopped near the ship
"Why?"
"It's respectful, so you go like this" he placed his hand near his forehead and saluted
"Like this?" Jai tried it out
"You got it in one Monkey, would you like to try?" he pointed to Thor across the gangway,
walking across Jai saluted before stepping foot on the deck
"Looks like you've made a fan" Kate smiled at him
"After you" Mike motioned for her to walk across first, slowly following behind.
...
"Guess the beach is no longer an option" Kate grinned when she looked across at Jai who was sitting in the Captain's chair
"Boats are way more exciting then the beach"
"And it looks like your crew have taken a pretty big shine to him"
"They'll look out for him, our Swain he's got a daughter and the crew act like big tuff Uncles when it comes to her"
"So what your saying is that if they know Jai is your son I've got a few allies on my side" she smirked
"Exactly what I'm saying" he nodded
"It's been five years something like this needs to be taken slowly and I have no idea how he's going to react once he does know"
"So what are you suggesting?" he leant against the table
"A test.."
"Like a paternity test?" he questioned
"He's always going to ask questions at least with a test there will be a hundred percent proof that you are his Dad"
"And you don't believe I am?"
"No I didn't say that.. I'm just saying for Jai's piece of mind and yours because I can clearly see this is all freaking you out"
"Yeah…" he laughed softly
"A paternity test is what I think we all need" she discreetly placed a hand on his
"Okay, until the test comes back what do we do in the meantime?" he looked down at their hands
"We keep this between us?"
"Do I.. can I still see him?"
"Of course, I'm not going to take that away from you besides, I get the feeling Jai might have just met his future bride" Kate grinned
"What?" Mike looked at her confused when she pointed to Jai who was contently staring at Bomber
"Oh" he snickered
"Something wrong Boss?" Bomber raised an eyebrow
"Hmm-no everything's fine" he nodded trying to hide his smile he turned to Kate and whispered in her ear
"Jai stay here, I'll be back"
"Okay Mummy" he smiled still not taking his eye off Bomber
"Has the Boss ever brought a woman on board before?" 2Dads looked across when he watched him exit the bridge with his hand in Kate's
"Not that I'm aware of" Bomber shook her head
"You don't think…"
"What?"
"Well I mean you don't think he's been keeping a secret wife and kid from us do you?" he shuffled his cards
"2Dads..." Swain rolled his eyes
"You never know" he shrugged looking at Jai.
"So you brought me out here because?" she looked across at the water
"Away from prying ears" he stopped next to her
"Oh?"
"I was wondering…" he placed his hand next to hers on the railing
"This can't be good"
"What?" he laughed
"When a man says that it never ends good, I have a son remember" she smirked
"Go on a date with me" he moved his hand across placing it on hers
"What?" she answered surprised
"We never got to do it the first time around…"
"Wasn't exactly what I was expecting you to say, I got to be honest" she turned to look at him
"I want to get to know you Kate and a date will give us time to do that"
"And what about Jai, I can't exactly leave him alone"
"Invite him along"
"Then it wouldn't be much of a date would it" she grinned
"I meant what I said Kate, I want to get to know you get to know my son"
"Mike…"
"What do you say, you me a romantic meal maybe less romantic if Jai's there" he stepped forward brushing his other hand across her cheek
"I'll think about it"
"Thinking about it is a good start" he held back the urge to kiss her,
smiling up at him she placed her free hand against his chest
'CO to the bridge, CO to the bridge' Jai's voice echoed throughout the ship
"Looks like I'm needed on the bridge" he laughed stepping back
"Monkey and I should be heading of anyway" she cleared her throat when they walked back to the bridge.