"This can't be happening, you can't be serious" she said angrily to herself as she entered her house and throwing her keys down on the couch
"It's time like this I could really use your advice Jake" she said sadly as she looked at a photo of them on the table.
Past:
"You look amazing..." he said leaning against the car as she made her way towards him in a long flowy red dress
"You scrub up pretty good yourself…" she answered grinning at him in his Jeanes and button up floral shirt
"I got us a table at my favourite restaurant" he answered moving off the car as he opened the door for her
"I thought this wasn't a date?" she answered softly
"Well you can decide that at the end of the night" he answered hopeful as she nodded before moving into the car.
After a short drive and a quite car ride they pulled into the carpark of a restaurant and exited the car, Mike quickly moving around to her side to open the door for her before they made their way inside and were escorted to their seats that was on a private balcony.
"This is beautiful" she answered as he pulled her chair out for her
"My view is even better" he said grinning as he sat opposite her
"Stop it…" she said blushing
"What I can't help it if I'm in the company of a beautiful woman" he answered pouring her a glass of champagne from the bottle that was sitting on ice
"What are we toasting to?" she asked holding her glass up
"To whatever the night brings" he said grinning as he clinked his glass with hers before they took a sip.
"So Mike, tell me about yourself" she asked placing her glass back down
"Not much to tell really, joined up at 17 I was posted to the Fremantle class HMAS Hammersley as a young sailor, and other promotions and transfers came and went" he answered placing the bottle back on ice
"And now?" she asked
"Now I'm just teaching other sailors until I get a new posting somewhere, what about you Kate?" he asked smiling at her
"Oh you know trying to run away from a past I'd rather forget" she answered softly
"Hmm a bad girl hey" he said grinning at her
"You know it" she answered smiling at him
"Everyone's running away from something right, at least you know what it is your running from" he answered smiling weakly at her
"Yeah…" she answered sadly
"So why did you join the Navy, it wasn't just to meet this handsome face" he said laughing
"Well…" she answered smirking at him
"No but really I don't know, I just always wanted to run away and join the Navy ever since I was 12" she answered shrugging her shoulders.
"Does anyone else in your family have an interest in the Navy?" he asked
"No actually my Mother was against me signing up" she answered
"So you would have signed up when your 17 if she didn't support you how'd you get permission?" he asked confused
"My brother actually helped me" she said smirking
"Is this the same brother you were meeting yesterday?" he said reaching for his glass "
Your very observant Mike Flynn" she answered looking at him softly
"I try to be" he said winking at her
"Any of your family in the Navy?" she asked taking a sip of her drink
"Nope just me" he answered
"No brothers or sisters?" she asked confused
"A younger sister but she's only 17 and she isn't really interested in the Navy side of things" he answered
"So there's how many years difference between you and your sister?" she asked
"Ten year difference, what about you and your brother?" he answered as the waiter brought over their food
"Only three years, your parents waited ten years before they had another child?" she answered as a plate of food was placed in front of her
"Well actually my sister was an accident" he said grinning
"Your sister and I have that in common" Kate said grinning at him
"Well what a wonderful accident it was" he said winking at her before they tucked into the food.
Later than night after an eventful evening Mike and Kate headed back to campus "Want to go for a walk?" he asked as they moved out of the car
"Sure…" she answered following him
"There's somewhere I want to show you" he answered hopeful as they began walking down the path towards a secluded part of the campus
"Where are we going?" she asked confused as they walked down a few steps
"Somewhere special, I discovered it on my first day here" he answered
"Which was what 12 years ago?" she asked joking
"No smarty, only 10" he said reaching for her hand to help her down the steps
"How do you know it's still here?" she asked confused grabbing his hand
"Because I've been coming here every day since I came back" he said smiling at her
"Really?" she asked as she missed a step falling forward
"Whoa, you okay?" he asked catching her flush against him
"Yeah…" she answered as she looked up into his eyes
"You falling for me already Kate" he said winking as her as she sighed
"You wish" she answered grinning as she pulled herself back and caught her balance
"Come on we're almost there" he answered as they walked down the last few steps and down a small path over a bridge
"How many other girls have you brought here?" she asked slyly
"None actually you're the first" he said turning to face her as she smiled at him
"Really?" she asked softly
"Take a look" he said softly turning to look at the view in front of them
"Wow" she said turning to look at the view in front of her, a small fountain was in the middle and around it was a beautiful garden with a chair under a giant oak tree and small shed in the corner
"How'd you find this place?" she asked moving closer to the fountain
"I actually discovered it by accident and have been maintaining it since, when I left I had a friend look after it" he said moving to stand next to her
"And now?" she asked running her fingers through the clear water in the fountain
"I come here for an escape no one else knows it exists" he answered softly
"It's beautiful" she said smiling widely at him
"She sure is" he answered looking softly at her.
"Mike…" she answered softly as he moved closer to her
"We can't…" she answered softly as he slowly placed his hand on her cheek
"I've never met anyone like you before Kate" he answered softly as he leant in slowly brushing his lips against hers
"I can't do this… I'm sorry" she answered sadly as he pulled away
"That wasn't the response I was expecting" he answered moving back as he cleared his throat
"It's not you, I just came out of a somewhat serious and abusive relationship I'm not ready to get into something…" she answered refusing to look him in the eyes
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have…" he said rubbing the back of his neck
"No don't be sorry, I mean can you honestly say that we could have made this work?" she answered sadly
"Kate what I'm feeling for you is… it's not something I've ever experienced before" he said softly
"Your my teacher Mike, if anyone found out it could mean the end of both our careers" she answered looking at him sadly
"Kate…",
"I can't, I'm sorry…" she answered moving towards the way they came in
"I'm not going anywhere, I'll be here as your friend until you change your mind" he answered hopeful
"Thanks for dinner, but I won't be changing my mind" she answered softly as she took off leaving him standing there confused more than ever.
The next day after class Kate made her way over to Jake's apartment to hopefully chat to him and get some advice on the whole Mike situation, entering his apartment she stopped in her tracks when she saw rows of money all laid out on the coffee table
"Kate… What are you doing here?" he asked confused as he made his way out from his bedroom
"I needed some advice, what is all this?" she asked confused
"Nothing…" he answered quickly
"Jake this isn't nothing!" she answered moving towards the table as she looked at the money
"I told you it's nothing" he answered angrily
"This is your job that you got? What is this?" she asked angrily sitting on the couch
"Kate you need to stay out of it Okay, it's safer if you don't know" he answered softly
"Safer? What have you gotten yourself into Jake?" she asked sadly
"Nothing I can't handle" he answered as she felt a lump like thing next to her hip
"What is this?" she asked pulling it out from under the couch cushion
"Kate…" he said quickly moving forward as she arose from the couch
"You've got to be kidding me…. You're a drug dealer?" she answered opening the packet to reveal a bunch of pills and other stuff
"Kate stay out of it" he answered softly
"I don't believe you, how long has this been going on?" she asked placing it down on the table
"Kate…" he answered
"HOW LONG!" she yelled angrily
"2 years…" he answered looking at the floor
"2 years! You give me a lecture about finding drugs in my jacket and you're a fucken dealer!" she answered angrily.
"I needed to pay my way through Uni, I never take them Kate I swear!" he answered moving towards her
"No your worse, your supplying people like Max with drugs, why?" she answered sadly
"I couldn't tell you not after what you went through with Max you had to wonder where I was getting the money to buy you nice things and afford a car like mine" he answered softly
"I can't believe this… You have to stop this now or I'll go to the cops" she answered crossing her arms
"You'd dob your own brother into the cops?" he asked angrily
"If that's what it takes to get you away from all this then yes" she answered softly
"Kate I'll go to jail! I've been in this for too long I can't just turn and round and back out they'll come after me" he answered sadly
"Look at this way then… You don't stop whatever this is and you'll lose me for good" she answered softly
"You don't mean that" he said confused
"You may not be taking drugs but you're dealing in them I won't have anything to do with someone like that even if they are my own brother" she answered angrily moving towards the door
"What do you want advice on?" he asked hoping to change the subject
"I don't need your help anymore" she answered tearing up as she pulled open the door
"Kate don't go please" he said moving towards her
"Your choice Jake, it's this" she said pointing to the drugs and money
"Or me you little sister who needs you" she continued before leaving his apartment in a hurry as the tears began to fall.
Half an Hour later Kate made her way down the hall she stopped in her tracks as she saw Mike standing out the front of her door waiting for her, sighing as she wiped her eyes she made her way over
"Sir, what can I do for you?" she asked reaching for her keys in her handbag
"You took off from class before I had a chance to talk to you…" he answered softly as she fiddled with her keys trying to put them in the lock
"I'm rather busy at the moment…" she said sniffling
"Dammit" she said as she tried to unlock the door kicking it slightly with her foot
"Let me…" he answered softly as he moved her hand to unlock her door pushing it open she entered with him following behind.
"Is everything alright?" he asked sadly passing her key to her as he shut the door
"Just fine, couldn't be better" she answered pulling off her handbag and throwing it on the bed
"Kate…" he said softly as she looked up at him slowly
"I'm fine…" she answered softly as he looked at her carefully her eyes were puffy and red, her cheeks were stained with tears without thinking he instantly pulled her into a hug feeling her break down in his arms.
20 minutes later Kate pulled away from him
"I'm sorry…" she said drying her eyes
"It's okay" he said looking at her sadly as she sat down on the bed
"I just had a tuff day" she answered looking over at him
"Want to talk about it?" he asked moving to sit next to her
"You think you know someone and then you find out something about them you never knew" she answered angrily
"I'm guessing this is about your older brother?" he asked looking at her softly
"He's gotten involved in something dodgy and I don't know how to help him" she answered
"Maybe you just being there will be the help he needs",
"I can't be there to support him knowing he's done what he's done" she answered sadly
"Look I don't know what he's gotten involved in but if he's your brother you'd do anything to help him" he answered placing a hand on hers
"You're really great you know that" she answered smiling softly at him
"I guess you bring out the best in me" he answered softly
"But you barely know me" she answered
"I know you Kate, I know you've got a kind heart, you're courageous and beautiful I'm taken back at how gorgeous you are" he said smiling at her as he brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear before resting his hand on her cheek to wipe away the stray tear from her cheek
"Thank you for today, I mean letting me cry all over your clean shirt" she answered embarrassed
"I always hated this shirt anyway" he answered grinning at her, his hand still on her cheek
"Mike about the other day…" she answered sadly
"It's fine honestly you don't need to explain" he answered moving his hand off her cheek
"I want to…" she answered as she moved back on the bed to lean against the wall
"Ok…" he answered as he did the same
"My Ex he got into drugs and used to abuse me do things I didn't want him to do…" she said sadly
"Kate I…" he answered reaching a hand over as she grabbed it
"I never expected to meet anyone else or let alone fall someone while I'm here but I guess fate had another ideas but…" she answered looking at him softly
"But?" he asked looking at her sadly
"If we were to give this a go how would it work? I mean you and I both know the Navy Regulations let alone a teacher and a student having a relationship" she said as he turned to face her
"We can make this work Kate, if that's what you want?" he asked softly
"I want to give it a try" she answered leaning forward as she placed a soft kiss against his lips as she pulled his closer to her
"Kate…" he said softly as she broke the kiss
"I want to…" she answered as their lips met in a fiery kiss she moved to lay down as he hovered above her pulling away he looked her deep in the eyes
"You won't hurt me will you Mike?" she asked softly
"Never…" he answered before leaning down and kissing her passionately.
Present:
She'd gone to bed early in hopes of drowning out the events that had happened with in the past 24 hours after everything was she being cursed or punished and now her past was coming back to haunt her?
It has just turned 4am when she was awoken by the sound of her phone ringing turning over in bed she sighed as she reached for it answering it without looking at the caller ID
"Kate McGregor hello?" she answered half asleep
"Sorry to wake you Kate but we've been crashed sailed" he said softly through the phone
"When do we sail?" she asked turning on the bedside light
"We sail at 5:30 so I'll need you to be on Hammersley in 30 minutes to brief you" he said through the phone
"Yes Sir, I'm on my way" she answered moving off the bed
"See you soon" he said before hanging up,
sighing heavily as she moved off the bed and towards the bathroom as she got herself ready to head for her Patrol aboard Hammersley.