AN: I don't know when i'll be posting the next chapter. I haven't heard from my beta reader. Most probably doing christmas shopping and stuff. So soon as i've heard from her i'll post the next chapter. Plus i want to wish all my readers a merry christmas.

Ch62

The day she was leaving she said her goodbyes to the kids at a daycare center before leaving to head to the navy base where Michele and Patrick would be waiting for her to take her SUV keys. Kate stopped at the Secretary checkpoint, and she saw her in-laws parked not far away. Kate lowered her window to show her navy ID to the guard who saluted Kate which she did in return

"Lieutenant, ma'am."

"Petty officer."

"You can go through, Ma'am."

"Thank you, the couple in the white car are with me," she showed the petty officer the letter. He read what it said then look at the couple who was looking at them.

"Ma'am, I just need to make a call to confirm this letter."

"Of course," he walked to the booth to make a phone call. A minute later, he walked out and over to Kate passing the letter back to her

"Here you go, Lieutenant. They can follow you, ma'am."

"Thank you, can you tell them please."

"Yes, ma'am."

He walked and talked to Michelle and Patrick, returning to his post on time to allow them to go through. Kate drove towards the docks with them behind her. Once she stopped, they parked the car close.

"Do you have everything you need Kate?" She smiled

"Yes, I have. If there any problems with the kids, here is a list of names and numbers you can contact" Kate passed Michele a piece of paper

"Thanks, Kate. The kids are going to miss you."

"I know, I'm going to miss them."

"Does Mike know you are leaving?"

"I spoke to Commander Marshal from Cairns NAVCOM; he will let Mike know the next time he calls."

"Alright, dear. You look after yourself," Michelle said to her as they hugged.

"I will, mum."

"Dad," she said embracing Patrick. "I know you are looking forward to spending time with the kids" they smile

"That we are Kate."

"I better get on board," she grimaced picking her duffel bags. "See you both in two months."

"Call us when you return."

"I will, mum."

Kate hugged them once more before walking to the plank and up onto the ship where a sailor was waiting for her. They watched Kate, and the sailor exchanged salutes. Then Kate turned to give them a wave before following the sailor into the ship.

Later that afternoon, HMAS Sydney left port heading towards the Tasman sea and south for the patrol. When the Hammersley finally returned from patrol, the spirits of all the members were high, as they were going to have a few days off. Mike was dreaming of flying to Sydney but unable to do so in case they needed to crash sail. There was a tropical storm heading towards some islands, and they could be needed to drop off medical supplies to the islands.

So instead of that, Mike spent the next three days painting the boys' bedrooms, before Hammersley had been appointed for a crash sail. Sorting his painting materials for when he returned, Mike took a shower and barely four hours after receiving the call, the Hammersley was leaving port.

When HMAS Sydney returned to port, Kate was ecstatic because she was going to be able to see her kids after two months apart.

"Lieutenant," she jumped in place. "You've done a wonderful job during these two months."

"Thank you, sir."

"Do you have any plans for when we return?" Kate grinned

"Spending it with my family sir. And you?" He smiled

"Same plans as yours, so you have kids?" She nodded. "How old are they?"

"Emma's seventeen months; MJ and David are almost five-month-old," he looked at Kate in shock

"What? Five months? What are you doing here? You should have a shore posting with kids that young."

"Yes, sir. I agree, I was an instructor at Watson bay before I received notice to be here sir" he shook his head

"Someone at the base headquarters surely screwed it up."

"I guess they did, sir. But we are already getting back."

"Yeah and I'm glad you were here, Lieutenant," Kate smiled

"Thank you, sir."

A few hours later, the Commander looked down on the wharf in time to see Kate walking towards a couple with a quad stroller. Kate dropped her bag on the floor to give Patrick and Michel a proper hug before she turned towards Emma

"Mummy! Home!" Emma jumped up and down until Kate picked her.

"Yes, Emma! Mummy's home, I missed you so much," she caressed Emma's hair before hugging her tightly. Then she lowered Emma and picked David, while Patrick raised MJ. She looked at them in awe. "They've grown so much!" Kate said with tears rolling down her cheek as she kissed David's forehead. She gave him to Michelle as Patrick gave her MJ. "How have they been?"

"Wonderful, Kate," Patrick said. "They were wonderful with us," the comment made Michele snort

"What happened?"

"Nothing bad. The other day, Brad was changing MJ's diaper, he just put a clean diaper on him when MJ peed on it and Brad," Kate laughed

"That must have been hilarious."

"Well, you will be able to watch it because we were recording him when that happened."

"That's sure a thing I want to watch. Next time Mike's comes down to visit, then we can all watch it together."

"Yeah. Hopefully, he will be able to get here next time."

"Next time?"

"Yes, last time his crew was on standby in case of crash sail."

"Due to the tropical storm up north?" Michelle nodded. "Oh well, I guess there's nothing we can do against nature, right? We should go, I can't wait to have a long hot bath," She picked her bags as her in-laws placed the kids back in the stroller.

Later that afternoon, the captain of HMAS Sydney was having his briefing with the base CO Commodore and the Canberra's Rear Admiral who was visiting for the day. They were talking about the patrol, reporting as usual about the maydays and boarding that were carried out at the time they were out.

"I understand you had Lieutenant Kate McGregor on board, Captain?" The Rear Admiral asked.

"Yes, sir."

"How did she do?"

"She did an excellent job on all of the boardings, sir. She had all her paperwork completed by the end of the days no matter how many boardings there were."

"Good, and the crew?"

"Some of them had some reluctance to follow her orders. But she's one hell of a taskmaster; one crew member almost wet himself when he thought she was an easy target. He and the others learn their lesson after she finishes dealing with them." He smiled. "She had them on cleaning duty for three days… with a toothbrush." Rear Admiral and the Commodore smiled knowingly.

"I suppose the toilets are clean, Captain?"

"The cleanest in the navy, sir. After that, there were no more incidents. The crew learned to respect her."

"For the way she going's she will reach to Lieutenant Commander in the next few years," the Commodore said

"I agree, sir. I feel sorry for her husband if he steps out of line with her," the Captain commented

"She didn't mention her husband's name?" The Commodore asked

"No, should I know him?" the Commodore smiled

"I guess in a way we all do. She's married to Lieutenant Commander Mike Flynn," the Captain looked at the Commodore in shock

"Mike Flynn? Mighty Mike Flynn?"

"Yes, that's the one."

"Well, I'll be damned. I thought he was married to the navy."

"Not anymore."

"Is he still up in Cairns?"

"He's the Captain of Hammersley"

"How long he will be there?"

"Until she's decommissioned at the end of next year," the Captain shook his head in shock

"Who's the CO up there?"

"Commander Steve Marshal"

"I've heard of him. I hope he knows what he's in for when it comes to Mighty Mike."

"They've known each other for years," Rear admiral said

"That's good to know," they talked for another ten minutes before the Captain walked out of the Commodore's office.