1 year later:

Kate walked out of the back door in to the garden. The sun was shining bright and there was lovely cool breeze blowing off the coast. It was a welcome breeze the summer had been unbearably hot especially for a tiny baby who couldn't regulate their own body temperature or understand why it was so hot. The past year had been a roller-coaster. Maxine had been dishonourably discharged from the navy. The brass had found out the fact that she had been victimizing Kate and indirectly the crew of Hammersley. Even being transferred to the Antarctic survey detail at Casey Station hadn't stopped her. She bombarded mike with emails trying to convince him Kate was a bad choice and had been cheating on him, Belle wasnt his daughter, anything to try and get him to leave Kate. It had all failed. Mike saw right through her. The bonus of knowing her for as long as he had was he was able to read her like a book and see straight through her lies and manipulation.

Ryan had met his little sister not long after. Bonded with her so well and adored her. It was hard to see her because he was now working in Melbourne but he did fly up to Cairns every couple of months to see Mike and Belle. He had cut off all ties with his mother as soon as he found out what she had been doing to Kate. The whole mess with Maxine had actually help repair his relationship with mike. Since finding out that mike was actually his biological farther but he hated his mum for what she was doing.

Everything had been set up for Belle's first birthday. There was a paddling pool a bouncy castle and a ball pit. Mike was stood at the barbeque that had been set up. He had spent best part of a hour trying to get the coals to light but so far had failed.

"hows everything going" she smiled handing Mike a drink.

"fine or it will be when I can get these coals to light" he huffed taking the glass.

"do you want me to try" Kate asked

"no you put your feet up and enjoy Belles birthday. Where is the little princess anyway"

"I put her down for a nap. We don't want the birthday girl being a mardy bum do we"

They were irrupted by the gate opening and bomber walking through juggling several boxies including a huge cake box.

"hey where do you want these" she smiled poking her head round to see everyone.

"you didn't have to make this we have plenty of food" Kate smiled

"I wanted to and as I was making the cake I thought why not" bomber smiled.

"you made the cake?" Kate asked puzzled

"yeah Mike asked me, I thought you knew" she lifted the lid of the cake box and revealed a huge cake that was all blue with a little island in the middle with ducks and teddy bears sat round the edge. Bomber also couldn't resist adding a little paste Hammersley sailing towards the island.

"MIKE! You made bomber make the cake" Kate frowned

"okay before you say anything. You didn't want some tacky cake from the supermarket and bomber is the best baker in Cairns" mike protested "not to mention mates rates" he smiled

"cheep-skate" Kate grinned hitting him on the arm. "the cake is lovely bomber. I'll just take it in to the kitchen so it doesn't spoil in the heat. Whats in the other boxies.

"some Anzac Bickies and my famous Irish cream liqueur billionaires gateaux" she smiled following Kate in to the house.

"drink?" Kate asked

"please"

Handing bomber a glass of fruit juice she heard a wail from upstairs alerting her to the fact that Belle had woken up. "excuse me I need to sort out madam. You couldn't help mike could you, don't want the crew to go down with salmonella" Kate smiled heading to the stairs.

Heading in to the nursery she found belle holding on to the sides of the cot standing up lifting her up and on to her hip "aren't you a clever girl" Kate smiled as belle gurgled as If agreement. Placing Belle on the changing table she dressed her in a blue and white sailors dress.

When they arrived in to the garden the rest of Hammersley's crew had arrived along with Sally and Chloe and some of the parents and babies that were in Belles Playgroup. Kate carried Belle over to mike who was stood at the barbeque. "guess who was stood up in her cot this afternoon" She smiled walking round mike.

"who's a clever girl" Mike smiled

Once everyone had eaten substantially they all gathered round the huge table in the garden and bomber carefully carried the cake out of the house and placed it down in front of Belle whilst everyone sang happy birthday. Mike and Kate helped belle blow out the candles.

Kate turned to Mike they had just put Belle down for the evening and were both curled up on the Sofa watching "I want to go back on Hammersley" she said

"sorry" mike called "you want to go back to sea"

"yes. Having Belle has been amazing but being on shore is doing my head in. I hate all the paperwork. I want to go back to Hammersley"

"well I suppose that's not a bad thing. Brass were talking about one of us having to go back to sea and it would mean moving to Sydney or Perth for me. So long as your sure"

"I am. Besides my postings will be a lot shorter and safer than a long posting for a destroyer or frigate"

2 weeks later Kate walked over the gangway of Hammersley. She was back as commanding officer and captain of the ship. Looking out of the tiny window of the bridge she saw Mike with Belle smiling up at her. She looked down and held the tiny heart locket that had been a gift from belle with a photo of the both of them and a picture of mike and Kate on their wedding day.

Mike stood on the quay holding Belle they watched as Hammersley sailed out of the channel and in to the open seas until it was a little grey blob on the horizon.

"fair winds Kate" he whispered before turning and pushing belle's pushchair up the quay side and back towards the car. This patrol would only be short and Kate would be home soon. He was glad it was Kate back at sea. she was the better of the 2 and she was destring for great things. He had known that from the first time he had laid eyes on her 10 years ago at Watsons Bay and he knew it now, she had the fire in her to go far. He was happy to hold her hand and support her on as she rose up.

And Fin. thank you all for the reviews please let me know what you think of this chapter.