2 hours later and Hammersley pulled into Port and Kate was taken straight to hospital for surgery while Mike stayed on Hammersley and finished up a last few things
"Mike" a voice broke him from his spell as he walked over the gangway
"Sir… Ah what are you doing here?" he asked confused as Marshall stopped in front of him
"Well I was looking for Lieutenant McGregor"
"She's at hospital Sir"
"Hospital?"
"I thought RO had informed you, the X was shot shattered her shoulder" Mike answered nervously
"Well I was waiting to be informed of the outcome by you Mike, I specifically told you to leave this alone" he said annoyed as Mike sighed he began walking off
"Sir…"
"No don't Sir me! I told you I was getting onto the BRASS and you just couldn't leave it alone Mike you just had to be the hero and march in there"
"What was I supposed to do?" Mike said annoyed as he stopped next to his car
"I expected you to listen to me!"
"The X was in trouble she needed to be saved and couldn't wait for you to get permission from the BRASS"
"There are protocols here Mike you have to follow them!"
"And in the meantime Kate could have died!" he yelled as Marshall stepped back in surprise
"Lieutenant McGregor…" he corrected him
"Yes… Look Sir I was just wanting to get my crew back safe" Mike said softer
"But it's more than that isn't it?" he pressed
"I don't…"
"Kate she's more than just a crew member to you" he said as Mike looked at him like a kid who got caught doing something he shouldn't.
"Sir…" he began saying as Marshall held a hand up to stop him
"No lies Mike, the truth"
"The truth…" he said in a defeated voice as Marshall nodded
"The X and I… Kate we have quite a long history Sir when she joined Hammersley it wasn't the first time I'd met her" he started saying as they moved towards a bench that was near the ship
"I don't understand your 10 years older than Kate you wouldn't have met her until…" he paused as they sat down
"She took that course I taught at ADFA, she was 21 doing her 3rd year she was so ambitious, smart, absolutely beautiful" he smiled softly as Marshall looked down at the ground knowing where he was going…
9 years ago ADFA:
"Shit!" she yelled as she tripped on the step sending her paperwork flying everywhere
"This is just great" she muttered moving to pick up the paperwork two feet stopped in front of her
"Let me help" he said kneeling down as he began helping her pick everything up
"Thanks…" she whispered before moving to stand
"Not a problem" he replied holding out the paperwork for her as she finally looked up and put a name to the face
"Um Sir…" she answered embarrassed as she took the paperwork shoving it back in her folder.
"Sir makes me feel so old" he grinned
"It's Sub-Lieutenant McGregor right?" he asked
"Ah yes Si… Commander Flynn"
"And how do you know my name?" he replied with a cheeky grin
"I'm taking your Navigators course"
"I thought the face looked a little familiar" he smiled
"I just joined your class this semester Sir…" she replied as he raised an eyebrow at her
"Sorry force of habit" she grinned
"Well McGregor, I would love to continue this conversation however I'm running late for my lecture"
"Can I make it up to you?" she asked as he went to move past her
"Sorry?" he asked confused
"For making you later Sir…" she smiled as he pulled out a card
"Can I take you out for dinner?" he grinned passing his card to her
"I thought I was supposed to be making it up to you Sir" she shrugged taking the card
"Mike" he smiled holding a hand out for her to shake knowing she was teasing with the whole Sir thing
"Kate" she replied gripping his hand as she shook it he ran his thumb across the back of it
"So dinner?" he asked hopeful as they continued to stand there with their hands still holding each other's
"I'd like that" she cleared her throat as a few students walked pass she quickly pulled her hand back
"Great, say the quad about 7?"
"You mean tonight?"
"Well why wait?"
"I'll see you then Sir…" she grinned at him as he laughed slightly
"Until then Kate" he flashed her his signature Flynn smile before walking off to his lecture as Kate went her way.
3 hours later and Kate made her way across the quad in a knee length red dress smiling when she spotted Mike sitting there in a pair of jeans with a deep blue button up shirt with a clearly ironed jacket
"You look…" he began saying as Kate approached him
"Too much?" she said looking down flattening her dress out
"You look beautiful" he smiled as her blonde hair rested lightly across her shoulders her sweet perfume filling his senses
"Thank you" she grinned as he moved to stand
"Shall we?" he smiled holding out his arm as she wrapped her hand around it
"We shall" she replied as they began walking towards the carpark.
"So Kate, tell me a little about yourself" Mike smiled as they sat at their table half an hour later in the local restaurant off the pier
"Well I'm not exactly that interesting" she shrugged
"Enlighten me"
"Well…" she paused as he moved forward in his chair to get a better look at her from the candle light that was in the middle of the table
"I was born in England the daughter of a local businessman who was rather well known around the world my Mother was his secretary" she grinned
"Hmm so you're a…"
"Bastard child?" she laughed
"Well I wouldn't say that" he smirked
"My Mother met a Opal miner who was travelling around the world and she followed him to Australia took me with her"
"So how old were you?" he asked
"I was 9" she nodded reaching for her glass of water
"Wow it's just you don't really have a accent" he shrugged as she placed her glass down
"I faked an Australian accent until it became real, I didn't want to be the new kid who didn't fit it" she smiled weakly
"I'm sure you fitted in perfectly Kate" he replied with a soft smile
"And had you always wanted to join the Navy?"
"Sort of… I was about 13 when we had a careers day and this woman from the Navy came to talk about her job she was an Officer on a Frigate being the Boss, respected, loved by everyone; I wanted to feel that"
"You weren't loved by everyone?" he asked confused reaching for his beer
"Hmm" she shrugged not really wanting to answer
"So tell me a little about you?" she said changing the subject
"Well… I've lived here my whole life, born in a small farming town outside of Sydney I've got 2 sisters both older and both of them constantly teasing me about my life choices" he grinned
"And they aren't proud of your achievements?"
"I was 17 when I joined up I guess they just didn't like the idea of me risking my life everyday"
"Teaching a bunch of pre adults is your idea of danger?" she grinned
"Oh yes a hundred percent, I mean people dropping their paperwork it can be very dangerous!" he winked as they both laughed.
"Are you cold?" he asked softly as they walked towards the end of the pier just after 9
"A little, I just didn't bring a jacket…" she began saying as he took his jacket off
"Here" he smiled pulling his jacket over her
"Thank you"
"It's really beautiful out here" she answered as they stopped at the end of the pier and looked over at the water
"Whenever I was struggling in class or just needed time out I'd come to this pier and go fishing"
"Mike Flynn fishing I don't see it?" she grinned
"Even got the whole tatty fishing shirt to give it the real authentic look" he smirked moving closer to her
"Really?" she turned her head to look at him
"What do you do for fun Kate?" he asked turning to face her as his side leant against the railing
"It's… it's stupid"
"Come on I told you mine"
"I sing…" she whispered looking down at the water
"Do I get a teaser?" he nudged her arm playfully
"Absolutely not!" she grinned looking back up at him
"I'll get you to sing for me one day Kate"
"One day? And whose says that this will go any further than a once off dinner" she shrugged with a glint in her eye
"Because no one can resist my charm" he winked
"Your charm?"
"I had fun Kate" he smiled moving his hand across as he pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear
"Surprisingly so did I" she grinned
"You wound me Kate"
"Well I don't think your ego needs to get any bigger" she replied as he moved closer
"My ego?" he smirked as she placed a hand on his chest
"Just kiss me already Mike" she answered as he looked at her surprised before moving down as he placed a soft slow kiss against her lips his hand running along her cheek as he cupped it behind her neck as she deepened the kiss
"Can I invite you back for a coffee?" he asked against her lips as his hand travelled behind her back
"Hmm" she moaned
"Or something else?" he replied as she moved back from the kiss
"Something else?"
"Sorry I…"
"I could be up for something else" she grinned meeting his lips in another kiss before pulling apart and walking back to the car.
Back to Present:
"I know it was against the rules Sir but…"
"It was love?" he sighed as Mike brushed a hand through his hair
"It still is, the baby Sir… It's mine" he mumbled as he looked at Marshall nervously
"WHAT!" he yelled moving to stand
"Steve…"
"Look the past is just that but this… You and Kate have broken the no frat rules I can't look past this" he sighed as Mike arose
"Do what you need to Sir but I need to see Kate she'll be waking up from surgery soon and I really need to see her" he replied
"Is this… This thing between you and McGregor is it becoming something?"
"And if it does?"
"Maxine will most likely split you up, I know technically I'm still in charge but you won't always get to deal with me" he sighed
"Sir?"
"I'm taking a leave Mike possible early retirement"
"What?"
"We can discuss it later go… Go be with Kate" he waved his hand
"Sure…" he answered slightly confused.
"Kate?" he whispered brushing a hand across her cheek 20 minutes later as he sat next to her hospital bed
"Mmm" she moaned reaching a hand out he grabbed it in his
"I spoke to the nurse, your shoulder will heal well and bubs is doing good" he replied stroking the back of her hand with his thumb
"That's great" she mumbled her eyes still staying shut
"You get some sleep, I'll come back later" he squeezed her hand
"Stay… Please" she replied opening her eyes to look at him
"Anything for you Kate" he smiled moving his free hand as he placed it against her stomach
"Hi baby, it's me your Daddy" he moved his head as he placed a soft kiss against it, Kate closed her eyes holding back the tears as she listened to Mike tell their unborn baby the story of how his parents met.