Ch 111

An hour later the Hammersley's left port to take supplies to Samaru island, as the start of their week patrol. Back in Cairns, Patrick and Michele took the kids to the hospital after Steve had called them to announce that Pete's family agreed with the visits from the Hammersley crew and their families.

At the hospital, they stopped the Doctor that was leaving Buffer's room to ask him about the situation. Emma managed to open the door and walk into the room, and standing on a chair she checked it was, in fact, her uncle in bed. The girl beamed at him, and she found a way to climb into his bed and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Get better, Uncle Pete," she said seriously before she laid with her head on his shoulder. Soon, Emma heard a noise and sat up looking at Pete; he barely opened his eyes letting out a groan. "Did I hurt you, Uncle Pete?" She asked pouting.

"Emma," he grinned.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No, sweetie. It's my head what's hurting." He raised his arm to touch the back of his head and felt the bandage, before lowering his hand again.

"I thought I hurt you," Pete saw that Emma was about to cry.

"No, you didn't hurt me. Don't cry, come here, I enjoy your cuddle," he said smiling. Emma laid down again

"I'm happy you're awake, Uncle Pete. Everyone was worried about you."

"Everyone?" She nodded.

"Mum… dad… Auntie Nav," she started quoting all the names she could remember. "They were worried because you didn't wake up. I'm happy you are awake."

"I'm happy I am awake, Emma."

The moment the Hammersley was under cell coverage, Kate's phone rang.

"Hi mum," Kate said after checking the caller id.

"Mummy!"

"Emma? Are you ok?" She turned to Mike who was looking at her

"Yes, can I share something with the crew on the... the," she trailed.

"PA system," Kate heard Michele said

"Yeah, that."

"Ok…" She grabbed the mic and turned the system. "This is X speaking. Emma's on the phone and wants to share something with you all. Go ahead, Emma." Kate said when the phone was on speakers.

"Uncle Pete's awake!" She shouted, and there was a loud cheer around the boat. "The Doctor wanted to get me off Uncle Pete's bed, so I kicked him. He tried again, so I punched him and then when he picked me out I kicked him in the nuts, grandad told me that I should kick them there if they were trying to do bad things," she said barely taking time to breathe. "It worked! He let me go, and I went back to cuddle with Uncle Pete because he loves my cuddles. He told me that I should tell you that he's awake and he says hi. And, what else grandma?"

"Everything points that he's going to get better," Michele said

"Yeah that! There was more, grandma…"

"Yes, let me." There was a shuffling noise. "Before Emma and I had to leave the room for him to get rechecked, he asked to pass a message to ET and Spider. He said no jokes on his temporary replacement or else, something about twelve hours of training for six days. He said you'd know what he meant."

"Thanks, mum. Emma, the crew, is happy with the news. We've all been worried about Buffer, hang on Mike want to say something."

"Emma, sweetie?"

"Yes, daddy?"

"I'm...we," he looked at Kate, "are proud of you for trying to defend yourself."

"Thanks, daddy! Uncle Pete has been teaching MJ, David, Adam, Dave, and Alex on how to..."

"Protect," Mike said

"Yeah, protect ourselves."

"That's good, Emma. We have to go now; we will be docking soon."

"You are home!" she squealed.

"Not yet, in an hour or so."

"Grandma! Can we go and see daddy ship come in, please?"

"Yes, we will be there," Michele said

"Alright see you soon, love you."

"Love you, daddy. Love you, mummy." Then Kate hung up.

"Now, here this is the Captain speaking. I know you've heard it all and I know you all want to see Buffer. Give him a few days of peace before you all visit him. Kate."

"Now here this, OX speaking, if I find out that you are close to Buffer's room in the next forty-eight hours, I will start giving cleaning duties, those toilets are in need of one."

"For his sake, and yours," Mike said, "just wait a couple of days and enjoy your shore leave, that is all." Then he put the mic back and walked back to his seat. "Swain, now you know who was behind the lessons for our sons."

"I know, sir. He even got them into karate classes to help them boost their self-esteem since I'm hardly home. They've been helping Sally out as well which is good."

When the Hammersley docked, everyone saw Mike and Kate family on the dock. The moment Kate walked outside they heard Emma calling her.

"Come on board," Kate said.

Emma ran up on to the gangway saluting. David and MJ followed their big sister. They knew the Hammersley as well as they knew their homes, so they found their way into Mike and Kate arms easily.

"I missed you, mummy, daddy," the kids repeated to them

"We missed you too," Mike said. Emma turned around and found ET and Spider talking, she frowned.

"I hope you didn't play jokes Uncle Josh, Uncle Billy," Emma said with her hands on her hips

"Ah," they both said

"Spider, ET, what did you do?" Kate asked.

"Spider! ET!" they heard Kitt yelling. When he found them at the bridge, they easily noticed what they had done. Kitt's hair was now red.

"Uncle Billy. Uncle Josh," Emma said wiggling her finger at them, so they crouched down. "You both are in trouble with Uncle Pete when he gets better and," she whacked the side of their heads at once, making them knock their heads together and lose their balance falling to the floor. She shook her head at them before turning around and walk over to Mike and Kate

"Right you two, you are on gut watch while on shore leave for the next five days. And I want every bathroom and toilets clean by the time we are back. Also, you will have to pay for the dye remover. Understood?"

"Yes, X." They both said

"You are dismissed," they walked out of the bridge.

"That wasn't necessary, X. It's not the first-time crew members play a prank on me, and I'm pretty sure I won't be the last."

"You might be right, Kitt. But those two should've known better by now."

"Yes, ma'am. X? Who are these children?"

"Petty officer Kirk Turner, Kitt I would like you to meet Emma, MJ, and David Flynn. They are Mike and my kids," He was in shock

"You two are married? Does the fleet command know this, sir?"

"Yes, they do Kitt. We can explain you everything on the next patrol," Kate said. He nodded and crouched to the kids' level.

"Hello Emma, MJ, David, you can call me Kirk."

"I don't know you," Emma said

"I'm...Buffer temporary replacement. I'll be here until he's better."

"Ok...hi, Kirk."

"I've heard what you said and did to the doctor, your mum and dad are proud of you."

"They are," she said smiling.

"Sir. X. If Emma joins the Navy and one day she's Captain of this boat, I would feel sorry for the crew members under her." Kirk said as he stood up.

"Thank you, Kirk. We still don't know what she's going to do when she grows up."

"I know that, X. But boy, if she did, she would be the combo of Mighty Mike and Perfect Princess and that alone means she will be a force to reckon," everyone laughed.

"That she is," Mike nodded.

A few days later, the Flynn's went to visit Buffer. They followed Emma's lead to the room, and she pushed the door opened, smiling brightly when she saw him sitting up in bed with a nurse taking his blood pressure. He smiled when he saw them.

"Everything's normal, sir. Is there anything I can get you?"

"Yes, can you bring that chair close to the bed? I've got a visitor," the nurse turned around and looked down to see Emma.

"Hello," the nurse grinned moving the chair close to the bed.

"Hi, is uncle Pete ok?" the nurse smiled.

"Yes, he is." Once the chair was in place, Emma got up and jumped into bed, moving closer to Pete for a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"How did you get here Emma?"

"Mummy and daddy," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Do they know what room I'm in?" He asked, and the door was opened.

"I'll leave you with your visitors."

"Thanks," Pete said to the nurse. "Sir, X. I was wondering when you were going to drop." He said when the nurse walk out of the room.

"We've decided to wait for a few days knowing the crew would be visiting you."

"Yeah! They all came. Charge told me what happened on the bridge," Mike and Kate sat down with the boys on their laps while Emma remained cuddling with Pete. "Emma," she looked up at Pete, he raised his hand with the palm facing her, smiling as she hit his palm with her own. "Great head buck, Emma! Charge told me what you did," Emma grinned

"Are Uncle Josh and Uncle Billy still in trouble?"

"Yes, they are." He smiled kissing the top of her head.

"Charge recorded what happened and showed me."

"We noticed he took his phone out, we thought it was to take photos," Mike said

They spent two hours talking to Buffer. Emma, David, and MJ got distracted drawing on Buffer's casts that were already covered with signatures from the crew.

"Sir, any word about Campbell Fulton?"

"Yes, he lost his job."

"Good. Nav said she wasn't going to press charges since he lost his job."

"You've spoken to her?" Kate asked

"This morning, she brought this basket with her," he said putting his hand on a big basket of fruit. "The guys got me these," he opened the drawer, and it was filled with bottles. He grabbed one and passed it to them. They laughed, the bottle contained a pinkish juice marked as "Guava Non-Mojo."

"Is that all there is in the draw?" Kate asked

"And in the bottom Cabinet, they brought a whole box."

"That's a bit mean," Mike said.

"Yup, I've said to them that as soon as I get the all clear and back on the Hammersley, they would have to buy me guava mojo drinks for every bottle they brought me."

"I hope not all in one night," Kate chuckled.

"I've never thought of that."

Once they were ready to leave, Emma gave Pete a hug and kiss on his cheek before Mike lifted her off the bed and put her on the floor. They waved walking away and leaving him to have some more rest before his dinner arrived.