"Another" he held up his empty glass
"Are you sure that's wise?" the bartender questioned
"I'm not after a lecture Jimmy"
"But it looks like you'll get one, if not from me from him" he pointed to the doorway where Swain was entering
"Great" Mike rolled his eyes
"Jimmy" Swain nodded stopping next to the bar
"What do you want Swaino?"
"Bit early for a drink isn't it?" he sat next to him
"Don't give me a lecture"
"Exactly how many have you had?"
"Oh I don't know two or three maybe three or four" he shrugged
"Jimmy?"
"He's had six, I told the bar tender to cut him off hours ago and yet he seemed to have slipped a little rum into his soft drink"
"I'll take it from here thanks Jimmy" Swain nodded
"Your right" he moved down the bar
"So this about another fight with Kate or self-wallowing?" he rested his elbow on the bar
"I do not need a lecture" Mike huffed moving out of his chair
"No but looks like you need an arm" Swain shifted quickly stopping Mike from falling over
"Leave.. me alone"
"Let me take you home"
"No" Mike stumbled towards the exit
"Swaino" Jimmy called stopping him at the end of the bar
"Yep?"
"From what I got out of him; Kate ended things claimed to not love him he then went on to say something about Jim kidnapping a Monkey?" he shrugged
"Right…"
"This was all before he started drinking so the monkey part was rather confusing"
"I got it thanks Jimmy" he patted the bar before following out after Mike.
"Come on let's get you home" Swain placed a hand on his back and moved him towards the carpark
"No.. no I need to go find Monkey" he tried to push him away
"And I'm sure the Police are doing all they can"
"No you don't understand, Jim wants Jai and… he wants Kate, my Kate" Mike rested his forehead against Swain's shoulder
"Boss…"
"I lost her Swaino.. and in the process I lost them both" he began tearing up
"I'm sure Kate had her reasons, why don't you head home and give her a call in the morning"
"The morning?" Mike moved back
"You're drunk I don't think it's wise for you too…"
"I'm not drunk!" he interrupted walking past him
"Where are you going?" Swain called after him
"To get my Kate back"
"No, you're going home" Swain quickly grabbed his arm
"Let go of me" Mike snapped
"Not while you're like this"
"I couldn't protect my son but I'll be damned if I lose Kate to him"
"And I understand that but right now you need to sleep off this alcohol"
"Swain… I love her, I love her…" Mike looked at him sadly
"I know mate, I know"
"I love her…" he repeated as Swain maneuvered them back towards the car park
"I'm sure Kate had her reason as to why she ended things" he tried to assure him
"Wait…" Mike paused
"What?"
"Your right!"
"I am?" he looked at him in confusion
"Kate would only end things for one reason"
"And that is?"
"To get Jai back!" Mike patted his arm
"I'm lost?"
"Hours earlier when she told me she didn't love me I watched her Swain.. I didn't notice it before but now…"
"Sorry?"
"She crossed her fingers! She crossed her fingers and she put them in her pocket!"
"Your point being?"
"Who crosses their fingers when their telling the truth!"
"From my experience no one.."
"Exactly! Please can you take me to hers.. I need to see her" he gave him a hopeful look
"Boss…"
"I'm not asking as your boss I'm asking as Mike a man who is hopelessly in love with this woman and will do anything to not lose her, please" he gripped Swain's arm
"Okay" he nodded "but I'm buying you a coffee first your breath is horrendous" he smirked pulling his keys out of his pocket
"Thank you" Mike let his arm go moving with him towards the car,
"Is she really the one?" Swain questioned over the roof of the car
"Mate, Kate is the only one who gives me butterflies"
"Butterflies?" he teased
"The good kind, the really good kind" he smirked pulling back the car door.
Standing on her doorstep ten minutes later Mike knocked loudly
"Kate, please I just want to talk?" he looked back at Swain in the car who shrugged
"I know you're here, I can see the kitchen light on"
"I have nothing to say to you…" her soft voice answered
"Please…"
"I haven't changed my mind Mike" she tried to hold back the tears "Crossed fingers…" he whispered
"I don't…"
"Just tell me it was a lie, tell me that you didn't mean it" he jumped slightly when the door opened just enough for her head to come into view
"You need to leave…" she kept a firm grip on the door
"Kate…"
"Please…"
"Just tell me" he moved his head into the opening keeping it in front of hers
"You can't be here" she looked up at him sadly
"You crossed your fingers…" he reached a hand up brushing his thumb across her chin
"You have to go" she pushed him back closing the door
"Kate…" he leant his forehead on the door
sighing softly he moved back towards the car when his phone vibrated in his pocket ignoring it he shifted back into the car
"No luck?" Swain turned the car of
"Afraid not.." he shook his head
"I'm sorry Mike.."
"Yeah.. look can you just take me home?" he clicked on his seatbelt
"Sure" he nodded pulling out of the driveway,
reaching into his pocket Mike pulled his phone out opening up the new message a small smile creeping onto his face when he read over it
'You give me butterflies' typing back a reply he pressed send,
leaning against the closed door Kate wiped the loose tears off her cheek when she received a message;
taking a deep breath she opened it up to see the words 'I love you too' looking back at her.
opened it up the words 'I love you too' looking back at her.
Walking along the pier the next morning Kate stopped when she spotted the familiar brown curls of Jai moving towards her
"Monkey!" she called out
"Mummy!" he jumped into her arms hugging her tight
"Oh it's so good to see you" she tried to hold back the tears
"Where's Daddy?" he sniffled resting his head on her shoulder
"He's not here Monkey…" she watched when Jim moved towards them
"So you made your decision then?" he stopped in front of her
"I have one condition" she rubbed Jai's back
"Now Kate…"
"Jai goes to live with his Dad"
"What?" he scoffed
"I will not have Jai stuck in.. whatever this is"
"Why should I agree to this?" he crossed his arms
"You don't want him Jim, you never did"
"Fine, will give us time to create our own" he smirked
"Give me five minutes to drop him at the Naval docks and then we… we can leave" she struggled
"And how do I know you won't run"
"Because I will do whatever needs to be done to protect him"
"Kate…"
"Just let me do it!" she snapped
"You have five minutes, but I'll be watching" he motioned to the gates into the Naval docks
"I won't do anything, you can trust me"
"Sure I can"
"Mummy?" Jai moved his head back
"You rest Monkey" she brushed her hand through his curls
"Go before I change my mind"
"I'll be back" she said reluctantly.
...
"Kate?" Charge questioned seeing her move along the docks
"Is Mike here?"
"No.. he's at home sleeping off his hangover is everything…"
"I need you to take Jai" she began shifting him
"What?" he asked confused taking the sleeping Jai in his arms
"Give him to Mike, tell him the spare key is under the pot plant and Monkey is now his responsibility"
"Kate, what's going on?" he looked at her nervously when she shifted kissing Jai's head
"Jai is his responsibility now just.. make sure he's got you all please…" she stepped back
"Kate?"
"I'm sorry.." she turned walking away
"Was that Kate?" 2Dads stopped next to him
"Get onto the Boss, something's up"
"What?"
"Just do it!" he snapped moving Jai more comfortably in his arms.