Hi Kids,

Well I've hoped you've enjoyed this journey, I wasn't sure where these stories were going and I've decided to make these the last chapters. This was definitely a challenge, one I'm not sure that I would repeat lol. I must admit I'm constantly having to go back and read nearly the whole stories as one so I don't get confused so I can't imagine what you guys are going through if you're reading both haha.

But I hope I've been able to satisfy everyone in their K/M and K/D fantasies haha.

I had to take some creative licence with "Navy Punishment". I went to read the actual Defence Force Law Handbook and it was just way to long and not very specific so I apologise if anyone knows the actual answer and I'm way off, plus I didn't really want to fire anyone lol.

Thanks to everyone that's left feedback its always appreciated.

Anyway, on with the show.

The Ties that Bind

Chapter 12

Bird knocked on her door as Mike walked down the corridor. Kate leapt off her bed and swung open the door ready to let fly.

"Mike, I told you..."

She stopped in her tracks as she saw the frightened expression on Bird's face.

"Oh, sorry Bird..."

"It's okay Ma'am, but I do need to give you a quick recheck though..."

Kate let out a frustrated huff and followed her to the ward room.

Kate sat on the exam table and rolled her eyes.

"This is totally unnecessary you know..."

"Ma'am, we just want to make sure you're okay, you may go through some symptoms of shock later so I need you to come and get me or Swain if you feel..."

"Bird, I think I've been in this job for long enough to know..."

She stopped herself, Bird didn't deserve to be berated.

"Sorry Jess, it's just been a day..."

Bird gave her a reassuring smile.

"I know Ma'am, I'll try to make this as quick as possible... and I umm, I'm sorry about Paul."

Kate broke eye contact, hearing those words made her stomach churn, no matter what she had just been through, he was still her brother and the sympathetic look that Bird was giving her confirmed her worst fears, he was gone. Kate was silent for the rest of the exam, Bird didn't really know what to say, she smiled occasionally and finished quickly and left.

A few hours later they docked at home port, Mike nervously knocked on Kate's cabin door.

"X, Commander White wants a word..."

Kate let out a frustrated huff and grabbed her bag, he tried to make eye contact with her hoping she had calmed down.

"We can catch a ride together..."

She walked straight past him almost shoving him out the way.

"No thanks."

Dutchy ran up behind Mike seeing Kate leave.

"Is she okay?"

Mike shook his head.

"I don't think so..."

Kate sombrely walked into Maxine's office, she wasn't in the mood of a lecture, Maxine noticed her drained appearance and stood form her desk with a concerned look on her face.

"Kate, how are you?"

Kate sighed, great, more sympathy. Maxine sat next to her trying to appear less intimidating.

"Kate, I really need to know how you are, are you okay?"

Kate grit her teeth and tried to put on a tough exterior.

"I'd be better if I was still out there searching for him..."

Maxine ignored Kate's dig, she know that she was under a lot of stress.

"Kate, the Kingston did another sweep, they were out there for another 2 hours. I'm sorry they didn't find anything, there's not much else we could have done."

Kate's stern look dropped of her face as tears streamed from her eyes, she started to breathe unsteadily, she wasn't okay, everything wasn't okay.

Mike watched from outside Maxine's window, he could see Kate starting to panic, he rushed into the room and knelt next to her. Kate didn't want to be anywhere near him, she stood up and stumbled a little trying to avoid him, he reached out and steadied her. She looked back at him and gave him a nasty glance.

"I'm fine Mike..."

Mike didn't believe her, he stood his ground.

"Kate, I'm sorry I shouldn't have let you go on that boat..."

Maxine's eyes budged at his comment, she grabbed his arm and pulled him aside.

"What? You let her go on the boarding?"

Mike glanced back at Kate trying to avoid Maxine's fuming stare, he could see Kate was clearly in shock, she was standing there staring into space.

Mike lowered his voice to avoid Kate over hearing.

"Max, she needed it, she needed to go out there, she helped..."

Maxine couldn't believe his stupidity, Mike was known for his cowboy antics but his was crossing the line, she had given him an order.

"No she didn't Mike and you deliberately disobeyed an order!"

Mike raised his voice slightly.

"She was fine Max, she's quite capable..."

Maxine was irritated that he was arguing with her, she knew this was due to their personal relationship and it wasn't appropriate. She had to act like his boss right now and not his friend.

"Capable? She got herself into a situation where she could have been shot and instead you had to discharge your weapon, and from what it looks like you killed someone. If she wasn't on the boarding..."

They both stopped as they heard a thud on the ground, they turned to see Kate on the floor. They rushed to her side, Maxine took out her phone and called an ambulance.

Mike sat next to Kate's bedside, his leg bouncing up and down. The doctor walked in and picked up her chart, he noted down her vitals and placed the chart back on the end of the bed. He could see Mike had questions, he cleared his throat.

"We have sedated her, I have spoken to your Commander and she advised me that Kate had been though some trauma in the past 24 hours. We thought it was best to let her body rest, she'll start to come out of this evening, I can call you when she wakes up..."

Mike shook his head.

"No, that's okay, I'll wait..."

Maxine appeared in the door way and gestured for him to come out of the room. He glanced back at Kate and reluctantly left her side.

"Mike, you need to come back to Navcom."

"But Max..."

"I'm sorry Mike, I had to report your actions to Fleet Command."

"Max..."

"Mike, you gave me no choice, you deliberately disobeyed an order then you put Kate in danger and you shot a man as a consequence. You let your personal relationship get in the way of your duties, I'm sorry."

Dutchy ran in to the hospital as Mike and Maxine were walking out, Dutchy noticed the gloomy looks on their faces an assumed the worst.

"Is everything okay? Is Kate okay?"

Mike nodded.

"Yeah, she's just sedated..."

Maxine sensed that the needed a moment alone.

"I'll meet you in the car Mike..."

Dutchy watched Maxine head for the exit, he turned back to Mike with a confused expression.

"What's going on?"

"Ah, gotta go face the music..."

"What do you mean?"

"Maxine gave me orders not to allow Kate anywhere near those drug boats..."

Dutchy shook his head is disbelief.

"You didn't tell me that..."

"I know, she begged me to let her go..."

Dutchy winced, he knew that hasn't the greatest idea, but he put himself in Mike's shoes, he probably would have done the same.

"Well, good luck...let me know how you go..."

Mike gave him a nod and walked out of the hospital.

Dutchy sat at Kate's beside, he thought it was hid duty seeming Mike couldn't be there.

Later that evening Kate started to regain consciousness. Dutchy was asleep in the chair next to her bed. She smiled as she opened her eyes, he had always been her protector, yet as he slept next to her he looked like a peaceful puppy.

She giggled as he snorted in his sleep, he bolted up right as he heard her laugh.

"Kate?"

"I'm okay Dutchy..."

Dutchy relaxed back into the chair.

"Right, you're okay..."

Kate looked around the room half expecting Mike to be hovering. Dutchy could see he mind ticking.

"He's not here..."

Kate remembered their last encounter, her asking him to leave, blaming him for the loss of her brother.

"Good..."

Dutchy knew she was putting on a front, he reached out and put an hand on her arm.

"Kate..."

She looked at him innocently.

"What?"

"He was here..."

Kate crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

"I don't care..."

Dutchy scooted his chair closer, these two were impossible.

"Yes you do. Kate he was doing everything he could to protect you, I probably would have done the same thing, you need to go easy on him?"

"Why, why should I? I have lost my only other part of my family..."

"Kate we are a family, Mike is your family... he's had to return to Navcom, he's in trouble."

Kate slowly unfolded her arms as she became concerned.

"Why?"

"Maxine gave him direct orders not to let you be involved in the boarding and obviously it played out like it did and Paul was shot. I guess they believe that if you weren't involved it may have gone differently. Her hands were tired, she had to report it. Kate he cares for you so much, he's done all of this to prove to you that you are the most important thing to him in this world..."

Kate felt so many things, she had lost her brother and her heart was aching, she was so mad at Mike but also truly in love with him and now he could be facing serious charges because he let his personal feelings sway a professional decision. She had to do something to help, she swung the covers back on the bed.

"I have to go speak to them..."

Dutchy put his hand out to stop her.

"Kate, I think you should just stay out of it."

"Dutchy, I can't..."

They were interrupted by the Doctor entering the room.

"Ms McGregor, you're awake, how are you feeling?"

"Great, but now I need to go..."

He stood in front of her stopping her from leaving.

"I'm afraid we can't allow that, you still have sedative in your system, it's not safe for you to be alone."

Kate looked at Dutchy for help, her eyes pleading for him to help, he gave her an unimpressed look and sighed.

"What if stay with her?"

The doctor paused for a moment.

"Okay, but if she has any dizziness or nausea she needs to come straight back in."

Before the Doctor could give her any more instructions Kate leapt out of bed, he grabbed her arm.

"Just hold on a minute, I'll get a nurse to remove your IV and you'll need to sign some papers that you're discharging yourself against medical recommendation."

An hour or so later Kate had been discharged, Dutchy was driving her home.

"Where are you going?"

Dutchy glanced over to her with a confused expression.

"Back to your house?"

"No, we're going to Navcom, I need to talk to them..."

Dutchy stayed silent and continued drive in the direction of her house

"Dutchy, don't make me pull rank..."

She gave him a stern glare, he let out a huff and pulled over.

"Kate, what are you going to do?"

"I dunno, tell them that I insisted, that I, that I made him put me on that boarding..."

Dutchy gave her a doubtful look.

"They're not going to believe that, how could you make him do that?"

"Dutchy, please don't argue with me!"

He sighed and indicated back out to the road.

"Just remember, Hammersley can't lose both of you..."

Kate ran into Navcom and tried to peak into Maxine's office but with no luck, the blinds were drawn. She knew that was a bad sign, she stood at the door and tried to compose herself. She knocked one the door three times and waited, the door opened ever so slightly and she was met with a stern looking Maxine.

"Kate, glad to see you're up but this isn't a good time..."

"On the contrary Ma'am, I think I can help."

"No Kate, Mike needs to deal with this, there's nothing you can say that's going to help him."

"But Ma'am..."

"Go home Kate."

She slammed the door shut, Dutchy walked up behind her.

"C'mon, I'll drive you home...I'll message Mike to let him know where you are."

Back at Kate's house she paced in the lounge room while Dutchy cooked them some dinner. He served 2 plates and brought them into the lounge room. He placed them on the coffee table, Kate barely noticed.

"Kate, just eat something please... or at least sit, you've been pacing for nearly 90 minutes, you're going to wear a hole in the floor."

Kate reluctantly sat down, Dutchy hovered the plate under her nose.

"Mmm, honey chicken and veggies..."

She glanced down at it and took the plate from him.

"It does smell good..."

"Of course it does! I made it! Now do you want me to cut it up for you?"

Kate rolled her eyes and placed the plate on the table and started to cut up the chicken. She was about to have a mouthful as she heard the front door open. She jumped up and raced towards it.

"Mike?"

Mike sheepishly entered her house not knowing how she was going to react, she ran up to him and he gave him a hug.

"Mike..."

Mike squeezed her back.

"Good to see you're home and umm you're not mad at me..."

They separated, Kate was still struggling with her feelings but she knew that for Mike to deliberately disobey orders was a big deal, and he had done it for her.

Dutchy walked up behind them and cleared his throat.

"Umm, well I might leave you two to talk..."

He turned to Mike before leaving.

"Just get her to eat the bloody chicken will you? Oh and there's plenty left for you..."

"Thanks Dutchy..."

Mike and Kate sat on the couch, he glanced over to Kate's plate.

"Mmm, that does look good!"

Kate whacked him on the arm.

"What happened?"

"Eat first..."

Kate rolled her eyes and picked up her fork and ate the piece of chicken that was attached to it.

"There, now tell me..."

"Well, it wasn't pretty, I've lost my promotion..."

Kate was shocked, she thought that Maxine might have been able to reason with Fleet Command.

"Mike!"

He placed his hand on hers.

"Its fine Kate, I could have been a lot worse... and I'm on a sort of probation, like, I can't do anything wrong for 6 months else there will be more consequences..."

She looked at him sympathetically.

"Mike, I don't know what to say..."

"Nothing, I mean it was stupid of me, Maxine was right I did let my personal feelings get in the way of my job, but I genuinely thought you going out there could have helped the situation but instead you got involved and I had to..."

Mike didn't want to say it, he didn't want to upset her further, Kate let out a sigh.

"Mike I'm sorry, it wasn't your fault, Paul put you in an impossible position."

Mike brushed his hand over her cheek.

"Kate, I did all of this for you because I love you, you know that right?"

Kate looked into his eyes and smiled, in all the years that they had been on again and off again, this was the first time that he had ever actually said it.

"I love you too Mike..."

They leaned in slowly, their lips were about to touch when they heard a strange noise outside. They jumped up off the couch, Mike ran to the back door.

"Just wait there..."

Kate shook her head.

"No way, I'm coming with you."

Mike turned on the back light, there was a pot plant knocked over and the pot had smashed everywhere. They jumped again as the doorbell rang, they both walked back inside, Mike locked the back door. Kate called out.

"Who is it?"

There was no answer, Mike stood in front of Kate and slowly unlatched the door.

"Who is it?"

Mike opened the door and they were both stunned to see Paul standing in front of them.

"Ah, hi..."

Kate blinked multiple times trying to check if her eyes were deceiving her, Mike was also just as bewildered but less sympathetic.

"Tell me why I shouldn't call the cops right now?"

He stepped towards Kate.

"Just let me apologise and say goodbye and then you can."

Kate was still in shock, she titled her head to the side as if it was going to help her focus.

"What?"

Paul took another step forward, but Kate stepped back. He dropped his head a little, his sister was genuinely afraid of him.

"Can I just come in for a minute?"

Mike put his arm out to stop him.

"How do I know this isn't a trick? Just yesterday you were threatening to kill her?"

Kate didn't know what it was but she could sense a change in him, she placed her hand on Mike's arm, he reluctantly lowered it so Paul could enter.

Paul sat on the couch next to Kate and reached out and took her hand in his.

"Katie, I came back to see if you were okay, I didn't know if you were alive..."

"Well, I am, but I don't understand, like Mike said, you were happy to threaten to kill me yesterday and now you're concerned if I'm okay?"

Knew it was big ask for her to understand, it was the lowest point in his life.

"I just, I don't know what's wrong with me Kate, I'm still using and I'm sorry, I know that mustn't mean much but I am. I saw how close you and your crew were, like a family and I realise that I've stuffed that up once but I want that again. I mean you've already shown me how far you would go to protect me and I know it's not really an excuse but those guys, the smugglers, they were going to kill me and I just panicked. I was, I am a coward, but I am going to turn myself in and I hope that one day you can find it your heart to forgive me and even visit me?"

Kate took a deep breath in, she didn't know what to say.

"Paul, I just, I am glad that you're alive but I just don't know if I can forgive you..."

Paul stood up and got out his phone.

"I understand, I really do..."

He glanced at Mike.

"Do you have Agent Knowles' number?"

Mike nodded and handed him his card. Paul dialled the number and took a deep breath in.

"Yes, hello, this is Paul McGregor, yes, I survived and I'm turning myself in... I'm at my sister house, yes Lieutenant Commander McGregor. Yes, I'll be waiting."

As soon as he hung up Kate's phone rang, she looked at the caller ID, it was Navcom.

"Kate McGregor, yes, hi Ma'am, it's true, he's here. Yes he's going quietly."

Kate hung up the phone and they sat there in silence. Mike scrunched up his face.

'So how did you get here? I shot you?"

"Oh umm, I had a vest on under my clothes and I hung around the bottom of the boat, when you guys were focused on finding Kate I swum for it, I was picked up by some fishermen."

Paul knelt down next to Kate, she couldn't make eye contact with him.

"Baby sister, I love you. I will never forget what you have done for me and one day I hope I can make it up to you."

There was a knock on the door, Kate leapt up from her seat.

"That was quick..."

Paul slowly stood up.

"Yeah well, I'm a wanted man..."

He put out his hand to shake Mike's hand.

"Well, this is it. Mike, look after her for me..."

Mike glanced at Paul and his out turned hand he reached out and shook it.

"I promise, just promise me you'll stay on the straight and narrow and tell the truth mate..."

"Yeah, I'm going to tell them everything, hopefully bring some of these bastards down."

He headed for the door he turned before opening it.

"I love you Katie..."

Kate stood there frozen, he opened the door to Agent Knowles and Agent Rowe, they immediately cuffed him and lead him down to the car.

A single tear dropped from Kate's eye.

"Wait!"

They Agents stopped and turned. Kate ran down her front path and flung her arms around Paul. More tears started to fall from her eyes, Agent Knowles cleared his throat.

"Sorry Lieutenant Commander, we have to go."

They separated, Kate said nothing but gave him a small smile, Mike walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her while they loaded him into the Police car.

"At least you'll know he'll be safe and get the help he needs..."

5 months later.

Kate walked in her front door, Mike as sitting on the couch reading.

"Hey!"

She leaned over the couch and kissed him on the cheek.

"How was your session?"

She plonked herself on the couch next to him.

"Yeah good, really good actually, I think I'm ready to see him..."

Mike put down his book, surprised at her revelation.

"Really?"

She smiled and nodded.

"I'm ready to tell him that I've forgiven him..."

Mike smiled and pulled her in for a hug.

"I'm so proud of you..."

"So umm there's actually a visit day today, do you mind coming with me?"

"Of course!"

Kate stood at the gates of the Lotus Glen Correctional Facility and looked nervous, she took a deep breath in. Mike tried to reassure her, he wrapped an arm around her.

"Are you sure you're ready?"

She nodded and took a step on to the property. They walked through security and signed themselves into the visitor log. They were assigned passes and leaded into an enclosed visiting area.

They sat down at a metal table, Mike grasped Kate's hand in his and gave her an encouraging smile.

"You got this..."

She took a deep breath in as she heard multiple buzzers go off, a warden lead Paul in to the area, he stood there stunned to see her.

"Katie?"

She stood up and slowly approached him.

"Hi..."

Tears welled in Paul's eyes.

"I can't believe you came..."

They sat down, Paul smiled at Mike.

"I see you kept your promise to look after her..."

Mike nodded.

"And you kept yours... I heard they took down a major ring because of your evidence."

Paul sighed.

"Yup, I meant a few months of solitary but no more broken promises..."

He turned his attention back to Kate.

"Does that mean you forgive me? That we're still family?"

Kate nodded.

"Like you said Paul, it's just us... I can't lose anyone else..."

Paul smiled ad nudged Mike's arm.

"Well I guess we can include him now... actually I have a bone to pick with you, you promised to look after her why haven't you proposed?"

Kate was mortified, she playfully hit Paul on the arm. Mike had a cheeky grin on his face.

"Well I had to get your permission first didn't I?"

Paul laughed nervously.

"Hang on, what if she never forgave me? You wouldn't have ever got it."

Mike winked at him.

"I knew she would..."

This time she whacked Mike on the shoulder, Paul laughed.

"Well I don't think she'd listen even if I didn't approve but I appreciate the gesture, and yes of course I give my approval..."

"Great, I thought you'd say that... you wanna see the ring?"

Paul looked confused, Mike stood up from the table and got down on one knee in front of Kate. Paul's eyes widened, Kate put her hands over her face.

"Oh, you're not..."

Paul nodded with excitement.

"Yes, he's going to do it, he's proposing to you in a prison..."

They all laughed, Mike took Kate's hand in his.

"Kate, I know that this isn't ideal, but at least it's a proposal story that no one will ever forget. I wanted to do this here because I know how important family is to you. We have our Hammersley family that I wouldn't change for the world and I know you would argue black and blue with someone who would say that they weren't your real family but you also have your bloody family, the people that you are connected to for life, the people we have unconditional love for. I want you to know that I will stand by you no matter what, and I wanted Paul to feel confident that while he's in here I will do anything I can to protect you from harm, to love you no matter what and to make you happy for the rest of your life. So Kate McGregor, will you marry me?"

Kate was speechless, she nodded as tears fell from her eyes. Mike sild the ring on her finger and kissed her.

Paul wiped the tears from his cheeks and clapped loudly, he moved himself in between them on the bench.

"Thank you so much for doing this here..."

He gave Mike a pat on the back.

"Really, it means so much..."

His expression changed as he pulled him in closer.

"But you hurt her and I'll hurt you, look around you, I have connections now..."

Kate gave him a death glare and smacked him on the back.

"Paul!"

Paul moved away and laughed.

"I'm kidding Sis!"

Kate scoffed.

"No, I mean if he hurts me I'll hurt him myself..."

Mike laughed.

"Yeah, sorry Paul, I'm more scared of her..."

Paul gave her a Kate a hug.

"Yeah, it doesn't look like you need your big brother to protect her anymore..."

Kate smiled and put his hand on her stomach.

"Yeah, but your niece might need an uncle..."

Paul jumped up excitedly.

"What? You're pregnant?!"

Kate nodded and rubbed her stomach.

"So you have to promise me that you'll be on your best behaviour so you can get out of here and be the best uncle ever."

Paul leaned down so his face was level with her stomach and whispered.

"I promise..."

The End.

Please let me know what you thought.

I didn't have the heart to make Paul evil in the end, I was going to have one story where he was good and one where he was bad but I just couldn't do it. xx