Hey everyone,
So, I hate packing and I only have 8 hours till I leave so what do I do? Write instead lol...
Loving the theories that people have come up with and now I hope I don't let you down cos all your ideas might be more exciting than the one I had haha. Thanks for all the reviews! Just a warning I don't know how much I'm going to be able to update while I'm away, so it may be a few weeks...
Fine is a 4 Letter Word.
Chapter 2
4 Weeks Earlier.
2 Dads sat with the Hammersley's new XO, Brad Hodge, at their local pub. Brad had been transferred 2 weeks after 'the incident' and was fitting in well. He was a bit of a larrikin like 2Dads, that's why they got on so well, but he was also a professional when it came to being on the ship, not unlike their old XO, Kate McGregor. After 'the incident' the biggest shock was Fleet Command's decision to separate most of the crew, they said that it was a routine rotation but most of them didn't buy it. The crew thought they were more worried about what would happen if they kept them together.
Only 2Dads and Kate had been spared a transfer, Kate, because she was grieving and it wouldn't have helped her situation. The Hammersley crew had been told that Kate needed some more time to recover and had chosen to take some extended leave. They all had reached out to her in one way or another, text messages, phone calls, dropping in to say hi but the replies from her became less frequent and the crew didn't want to feel like that they were intruding so eventually communication ceased.
2Dads took a sip of his beer as he glanced around the pub feeling a little saddened by the absence of his old crew. His eyes stopped and focused on the bar, Kate was perched on a bar stool hunched over with multiple empty glasses piling up next to her. He watched as she tipped her glass towards the bartender signalling to pour her another, he gave her a single nod and reached over to the liquor shelf and grabbed the Grey Goose. He poured her a double and topped it off with a scoop full of ice and placed it in front of her.
Brad noticed 2Dads' wandering eyes and waved his hand in front of him trying to regain his attention.
"What ya looking at 2 Dads?"
He leaned over to 2Dads side of the table trying to check his view, he raised an eyebrow suggestively spotting the blonde at the bar. He whacked him on the arm and nodded in her direction.
"Got your eye on someone?"
2Dads nearly choked on his mouthful at the thought.
"Ah, no!"
Brad glanced back over to the area where Kate sitting, he squinted trying to get his eyes to focus on the familiar woman who was looking worse for wear.
"Hang on, isn't that?"
2Dads didn't need him to finish his sentence and nodded.
"Yeah, Kate, umm Lieutenant McGregor, our old XO..."
Brad had heard the stories, he didn't understand why 2Dads was so interested in her.
"I heard she went a bit..."
2Dads titled his head and his brow furrowed hoping he wasn't going to say what he thought he was going to say. He stood up above Brad and crossed his arms over her chest.
"A bit what?!"
Brad could see he hit a sore spot and decided not to finish his sentence, he lifted his glass to his mouth and took a big mouthful of his drink instead. 2Dads shook his head slightly, he couldn't understand, unless you were there you just couldn't. He picked up his beer and headed to the bar.
He placed his drink down on the bar mat and glanced at Kate, she knew he was there but she didn't have the strength to make small talk. She pretended not to take any notice of him and continued to sip her drink. He slid into the stool next to her and cleared his throat as a kind of announcement that he was there but she still didn't look up.
"Kate?"
She didn't respond, he paused for a moment giving her an opportunity to answer, he couldn't tell if she was ignoring him on purpose. He positioned his face closer to hers and smiled.
"Ah, hi Kate..."
She exhaled sharply and glanced up at him, she was going to have to talk, she held his stare for a split second then focused back on her drink.
"2Dads, what do you want?"
He winced and stood back from her a little taken back with her tone.
"Just saying hi, haven't seen you around much."
She shrugged and picked up the glass and swirled the ice around, her eyes followed it as it spun around the edge of the glass almost putting her into a hypnotic state. She sighed and downed the lot and clenched her eyes closed as she waited for the burning to stop.
"Yeah well, I'm not allowed to work am I?"
She rattled the ice in her glass to get the bartenders attention, he walked over to her and looked at the pile of glasses and back at her.
"Last one..."
Kate rolled her eyes and chucked a $50 note on to the bar. He placed the refilled glass in front of her and she immediately grabbed it and took a sip.
2Dads was instantly concerned, she was never a big drinker, little own straight spirits. She had been through a lot in the past month, they all had, but she had lost the most. He looked her up and down noticing her dishevelled appearance, she looked tired yet hardened, nothing like her normal self. He wasn't sure whether she had still kept in contact with the others since they left, he was the only one that wasn't transferred and seeing her like this he felt like it was his duty to look out for her.
"Ah, you wanna come join us?"
She looked over her shoulder at the table of the new Hammersley Crew members, they were laughing and having a good time. Happy people were the last thing she wanted to be around.
"Not tonight 2Dads..."
"Well, when are you coming back?"
She shrugged hoping that her lack of communication would be a sign that she wasn't in the mood to chat.
"I hear Mike's going back to a shore posting, any chance you'll be applying for the CO job?"
Kate felt a pang of excitement, it was the job that she had aimed for over the past few years but in her current state she didn't want to think about it.
"Mmm, maybe..."
She turned her body slightly hoping he would get the hint to leave, she jumped as he placed his hand on her arm and gave it a little squeeze.
"It'd be great to have you back, we miss you!"
He picked up his beer and headed back to the table, as he sat down Brad playfully hit him on the arm.
"Hitting on your old XO?"
2Dads rolled his eyes and glanced back at her.
"No! She's just been through...a lot..."
"Yeah, but haven't you all?"
2Dads took a sip of his beer, he didn't want to talk behind her back, literally, but it was better that they hear the truth from him than some rumour from someone who had no idea what they had been through.
"Yeah but, so umm, the SAS Captain who was killed, it was her fiancée..."
Brad glanced over to Kate, he didn't know her that well but he had heard of her reputation. From the stories that he had been told he had pictured her differently, certainly not the empty looking shell of a person that sat at a bar downing spirits.
"That's rough... But I heard she was the one who gave the order for them to stay there..."
2Dads rage increased, he tried not to lose it, it was such a bullshit thing to say. He slammed his glass back on to the table out of frustration.
"No! They had their own mission, it was his choice to stay! Don't talk about stuff you know nothing about! She's fine..."
2Dads turned his head slightly and watched as she threw back another glass, he knew that she wasn't fine but Brad didn't need to know that.
He was about to change the subject when he heard a raised female voice, he looked back over his shoulder to see Kate leaning across the bar and yelling at the bartender. He instantly got up and ran to her side not wanting her to make a fool of herself in public. He pulled her back slightly trying not to man handle her.
"What's the issue here?"
Kate was unimpressed with his presence and gave him a slight shove away from the bar.
"None of your business 2Dads..."
2Dads knew it wasn't the case and glanced at the bartender for answers, he passed a $50 note to him.
"I'm cutting her off, I shouldn't have even served her the last one..."
Kate snatched the money from 2Dads grip and stormed out of the pub, he raced after her checking that she wasn't heading to her car.
Outside Kate paced up and down the concrete path, 2Dads reached out and gripped her arm.
"Kate... I can give you a lift home if you like?"
She snatched her arm out of his grasp and shook her head as she rummaged in her bag for her phone.
"No, I'll call a cab..."
She fumbled with her phone, the vodka had caught up with her and her eyes refused to focus. 2Dads took out his phone and opened the Uber app and confirmed a ride.
"I've ordered you an Uber, should be 10 minutes away. Do you want me to wait with you?"
She barely made eye contact with him and sat on the edge of the raised garden bed trying to stop her head from spinning.
"No...thanks..."
2Dads watched her for a moment hoping that she would change her mind.
"Okay..."
2Dads made his way back inside the pub and stood just inside the doorway watching over her until her ride arrived.
The next morning 2Dads knocked on Maxine's door, he heard her call out to enter. He sheepishly entered her office, she looked up from her computer surprised to see him.
"2Dads, what can I do for you?"
He stood tensely in front of her, he didn't really know how to begin to raise the subject. He didn't want to give Maxine the wrong idea about Kate but he just wanted to know if anyone else had noticed her odd behaviour.
"Ah, I wanted to talk to you about Kate, ah I mean, Lieutenant McGregor..."
Maxine stopped what she was doing and leaned on her desk towards him curious about what he had to say.
"Lieutenant McGregor?"
He sat down in the chair in front of her desk and looked around the office avoiding her eye contact.
"Ah, have you see her or spoken to her lately?"
Maxine hesitated, she hadn't and now she was a little concerned.
"Ah, not really, why is that?"
"Umm, I think she needs to come back to work..."
Maxine was confused where this conversation was heading.
"Well, she's been through a lot 2Dads, it's only been a few of weeks since..."
"I know Ma'am, but I think she's lost without work. I know her Ma'am, she needs to work..."
Maxine closed the laptop in front of her and gave him her full attention, she was intrigued with where this was heading.
"I didn't realise that you two were that close..."
2Dads didn't know what the comment was supposed to mean.
"Ah, well we worked together for nearly 3 years Ma'am, we're all friends..."
Maxine smiled at 2Dads sentiment, she stood and walked around her desk.
"2Dads, it's a little more complicated than that... she needs to be cleared and she hasn't expressed any desire to come back."
2Dads was confused, he swore that when he mentioned the CO position that she seemed interested.
"Yeah I know Ma'am, I think she just needs a bit of encouragement. She's a great leader, I was just wondering if she's being considered for the CO position when Mike comes back here..."
"2Dads that's not something I can really discuss with you..."
"I know Ma'am, I just, I think she just needs to be reminded that she's a valued crew member and that this wasn't her fault."
Maxine tilted her head concerned about at his last comment
"2Dads, no one has accused her of this being her fault."
"I know Ma'am, it's just the feeling. I mean it's just stupid talk but, I hear things and I just hope she hasn't heard the same things. I mean no one's actually going to say it to her face but he was on her boarding party and technically it was her call and you know Kate, she'll take responsibility for things... things that are out of her control... I mean you and the boss, I would have thought that you would have supported her through this?"
Maxine was surprised that he was questioning her actions.
"Well, we have been giving her some space, we didn't want to push her..."
2Dads suddenly realised he was lecturing his Boss and broke eye contact and shuffled uncomfortably on the spot.
"Well, I think it would mean a lot, that's all..."
"That's very nice of you 2Dads... we'll see what happens..."
2Dads nodded and left her office, he wasn't really sure if he had made things better or worse. He left Navcom and headed to Kate's house, he was better to admit it himself than let her hear it from someone else and assume that he as gossiping about her.
He hesitated before knocking on her door, he wondered if he should just mind his own business and tell Maxine to forget about their conversation. He shook his head at himself, she was a friend and he was worried about her. He was the only one left, he couldn't just let her fade away. He inhaled sharply and knocked twice and waited.
The door opened slightly, he peered in, it was dark. Kate poked her head out of the door and squinted her eyes adjusted to the light.
"2Dads? What are you doing here? It's early!"
2Dads looked at his watch and back at her and frowned slightly.
"Ah, it's 1130 Ma'am...can I come in?"
Kate sighed and opened the door, 2Dads walked into her house and looked around and frowned. It was dark and unwelcoming, not how it previously had felt. He walked into the lounge room and threw open the curtains, Kate cringed and shielded her eyes from the light, he turned and looked her up and down. He was concerned to see she was still in her pyjamas, her hair was messy and she had panda eyes, it was not at all how he was used to seeing her. A reflection caught his eye and he glanced over to the kitchen bench, there were empty vodka bottles sprawled around. Kate noticed his prying eyes, she knew he was secretly judging her. She cleared her throat trying to distract him.
"So, what are you doing here?"
2Dads attempted to make light of the situation in order to make her feel more comfortable.
"Just umm, seeing how my favourite XO is..."
Kate knew he was lying, she could always tell. She placed her hands on her hips and put on her best XO voice.
"2Dads..."
2Dads knew he was caught out, he held his hands up in surrender.
"Okay, I just wanted to see how you were. Haven't heard much from you since we all got split up..."
Kate knew she had dropped off the radar, she had secluded herself but she hated all the sympathetic looks that followed her around.
"Yeah, well..."
She made her way to the couch and sat down and slouched over her knees, 2Dads cautiously sat down next to her, he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable but he needed to know what was going on.
"So you're okay?"
Kate glanced up at him, she knew that he already knew the answer.
"2Dads, why are you here?"
His eyes were immediately drawn to the floor, he felt guilty talking about her to Maxine but he hoped that she knew that it was coming from a good place.
"I umm, I saw Maxine today..."
Kate didn't think anything of it, she shrugged it off.
"Yeah and?"
"Well, I spoke to her about you..."
Kate's eyes widened out of fear, why was he discussing her with Maxine?
"Me?!"
Her tone had changed, he could tell she was annoyed, he was immediately on the defence.
"Well kinda, more about you coming back to work. I feel like you need to come back..."
She didn't want to think about it, she moved off the couch and paced the lounge room.
"To come back 2Dads I have to go see a shrink."
He moved off the couch attempting to follow her, he didn't understand why seeing a shrink was a problem.
"Yeah and?"
She walked into the kitchen trying to avoid the question, there were empty bottles littered around the bench, she quickly picked up the bin and shoved them in. 2Dads walked over and sat on a stool at the bench.
"I don't understand the issue?"
She placed the bin back under the sink and proceeded to wash her hands, her back was turned so he couldn't see her defeated expression.
"I don't need someone to tell me how to get over my dead fiancée..."
Kate's stomach dropped realising what she had said, she was so glad that 2Dads couldn't see her face, she was sure that her expression would have given away her secret pain. 2Dads was shocked at her heartless tone, that wasn't the way that he thought she'd talk about him. She slammed the scrubbing brush in to the sink and tried to compose herself, she paused for a moment and concentrated on her breathing, 2Dads sensed that she was letting down her guard and it was his opportunity to get through to her. He got up and leaned against the kitchen bench, close enough to know he was there but not invading her personal space.
"But maybe just talking would help? And if that's all they want you to do in order for you to come back it seems pretty easy to me. That way you can return to the Hammersley where you belong..."
She shook her head with her back still turned and wiped her hands on the tea towel. She ran her hands through her tangled hair and turned to face him but she couldn't bring herself to look him in the eyes.
"I'm not good enough 2Dads, they knocked me back before and haven't offered me a position since..."
He didn't understand her attitude, she was normally so confident about her abilities at work.
"But that was ages ago! I mean, would you go and see someone if they offered you the job?"
Kate continued to tidy up around her avoiding his concerned stare.
"I don't want to be offered the job out of pity 2Dads..."
2Dads was getting annoyed, he didn't know where the stubborn, tough XO, the one he had learned to love and respect over the years, had gone.
"Kate..."
She cringed at him calling her Kate, she had let him get to close, to comfortable, she had to shut it down. She calmly walked to the front door and swung it open as a signal for him to leave.
"I'll see you later 2Dads..."
2Dads hesitated for a moment, he thought of pushing further but he knew he was fighting a losing battle. He wasn't going to get through to her, not today anyway. He slowly approached the door and stopped in front of her, he placed his hand gently on hers and caught her gaze.
"It wasn't your fault..."
He gave her a small nod and squeezed her hand and left.
Kate stood there for a moment taking in what he had said, she scowled and slammed the door shut. She fell back against the door and her eyes scanned around at her unkempt house. She wasn't willing to admit that she was struggling, not to 2Dads anyway. It was probably pretty clear from the state of her home that she wasn't herself and she needed to hide it, fast, before anyone else came snooping around.
End of Chapter 2.