It was 3 days before Kate was aloud down to the NICU to see belle. She had tried to get down before but each time she tried to move out of the bed she was ushered back in by one of the nurses on duty. Mike had even tried to take her down in a wheelchair but as soon as the nurse saw she was on him like a ton of bricks. Kate did find this funny as he looked like a naughty school boy being called in front of the headmistress. Finally 3 days after belle had been born mike walked in pushing a wheelchair.

"your carriage awaits" he smiled bowing low

"I can walk you know. I have only had a baby not lost the ability to use my legs" Kate huffed

"I know but it might be nice to be waited on." he helped Kate back in to the chair and began wheeling it out in to the corridor and down to the intensive care unit . pushing the wheelchair right up to the incubator he helped Kate to stand.

"She is so small" Kate whispered looking at the tiny bundle that was her daughter

Some how it looked worse in reality. Belle looked lost in the huge incubator, then with the tubes for the ventilator and feeding plus the monitors for heart rate and oxygen stats it was hard to look out. Kate opened the little window on the side. Placing her finger in to the door she gently touched the tiny hand. Belle's fingers grasped round Kates finger

" she knows your here" Mike smiled stood behind her with his arms wrapped round her waist

All of a sudden the alarms on the heart monitor began flashing and beeping. Kate jumped back worried that she had done something wrong and hurt Bella. The nurse walked over checking the monitor and Belle she smiled turning the alarm off

"its okay she just moved the pad" the nurse opened one of the other doors and corrected the problem. Smiling reassuringly

Both Kate and mike watched as Bella yawned. It was a big yawn for such a small baby. Kate also yawned.

"come on princess perfect lets get you back to the ward " mike smiled.

The following morning the doctor discharged Kate so she could finish recuperating at home. Belle had to stay in the hospital for several more weeks until she had gained enough weight and was strong enough to cope with the outside world. For Kate it was tough leaving the hospital with out her baby. She wanted to take her home and put her in the cot in the nursery that mike and her had painted but the other half of her knew that the hospital was the best place for her baby and knowing she could visit everyday to hold her and be close to her was of some comfort. she knew that some other mothers weren't as lucky.

It would be a further 6 weeks before Belle got the all clear to come home. She had weight on well and had her mothers fighting spirit. Strong and unwilling to let go. Dressed in the baby grow that 2 dads had given she looked so sweet. It was cute. She was a Hammersley baby through and through waking up every 4 hours and ironically It was always at watch change over times for her feeds before sleeping through to the next watch. Mike would get up with Kate and sit doing some paperwork sent over from NAVCOM.

Nav, bomber and Bird were the first people to visit and have a cuddle.

"she is so sweet" Bird cooed over her as Nav held her.

"she is adorable" Nav smiled placing her back in the mosses basket. "sorry this is only a flying visit but Hammersley is sailing in a few hours, but we wanted a cuddle before we left"

"Nikki I have a favour to ask" Kate looked serious

"anything just name it" Nav smiled

"would you be Belles god mother, when we get her christened"

"I would be honoured

Mike walked in to the lounge. "and hows my two favourite girls" he smiled looking at Belle who was asleep in her mosses basket.

"fine." Kate smiled back "please don't wake her she has only just gone down."

Mike sat next to Kate he looked serious "I have some bad news"

"whats happened" Kate asked looking worried

"Maxine is coming back 2 months early. I am doing my best to find her a posting away from cairns but she may be back"

"great. This will please her me being at NAVCOM, well when I go back that is"

That night Kate struggled to sleep. Maxine had been a thorn in her side from day one. She had never liked her from the moment she had transferred from Canberra but now she was married to mike Maxine was trying even harder to make Kates life a misery. The last 10 months had been blissful not having Maxine sending Hammersley out every 2 days on false call outs or fools errands. She just hoped that mike would come up with a decent plan and fast. The last thing Kate wanted was Maxine making her feel bad on top of the emotional roller-coaster that came with parenthood

so sorry its a little short but I hope you enjoy. I have no idea how long a baby would spend in NICU and can only go on what my mum told me about how long me and my sis were in as we were prem. or how long it would take to recover from a C-section. please let me know what you think