This is a three part story. I hope you enjoy it.
Part 1
Kate stood at the end of the pier. She had just come from a meeting from Commander Marshall and Lieutenant Commander Flynn. It was basically a progress report on how things were going on HMAS Hammersley. Things would've been fine if she and the CO could agree on anything. As it was, they agreed to disagree.
Sometimes Kate felt she was on another planet and that everyone else was speaking a language that she couldn't understand. It just got so frustrating. The thing that really topped it was that she was still finding the need to prove that she could do the job to everyone around her.
Well, I've had enough! Kate thought. I don't care what they say or think about me it's alright. If it gets the job done then so be it. I will be like ice and nothing will penetrate the surface.
While Kate was thinking about these things she hadn't heard footsteps coming up behind her. Mike just stood there watching her, taking her in as if it was the last opportunity for it to ever happen.
Her hair was neatly pulled back into a bun and her whites were immaculate. Mike couldn't see her face but he thought it would be like the rest of her calm neat and no expression.
When he took a step forwards Kate heard it and spun round. The look on her face was completely different to what he thought. There was anger and sparks flashed across her face.
"X?" Mike was surprised.
Kate just folded her arms and stared at him her expression not changing.
"Ah, Kate is there something wrong?"
Kate took a step forwards so they were almost touching. "What do you think Einstein?" she hissed sarcatically. "Do I look alright?"
"Nnoo!!" Stuttered Mike. "Wwhat's wwrong?"
Kate's eyes narrowed dangerously as she studied him. Once her examination was complete her eyes focused on his.
"It doesn't matter Sir. Goodnight Sir." Then she stepped past him and started walking away.
Mike grabbed her arm as it went by. "X, you are going to explain what the hell is your problem." It wasn't a question it was an order.
Kate turned and looked at him then pulled her arm and him towards her. As she did this she went to twist his arm behind his back but he moved to intercept her. So instead of getting free Kate and Mike were struggling to get the upper hand.
Kate decided enough was enough she held her arm as she got her left leg and put it right behind Mike's right knee and pushed. Kate's kick had done what she had wanted it to do, well, sort of. It had gotten Mike off balance but he fell the wrong way. He fell on top of Kate. Kate not being able to support his weight fell with Mike on top of her.
"Omph!" Mike wheezed out. Noise was coming underneath him. Mike moved over slightly and a very red Kate was looking up at Mike.
"What is your problem Sailor?" Kate's face widened in surprise. She had had called him Sailor. That was his nickname from a previous life. She had never said it again since they had fallen apart.
Mike's face mirrored Kate's. "Kate what's wrong? You've been on edge since we left HQ." said Mike quickly controlling his emotions.
The surprise disappeared from her face and it was replaced with the previous anger. "What do you care? It won't make any difference and you can get off me."
"No." It was said quietly but firmly.
Kate stared at him in disbelief.
"I'm not going to let you up til you tell me what's made my XO so pissed."
Kate's face turned from disbelief to a smile but it wasn't a friendly smile, it was actually quite evil for Kate.
"You promise?" Kate asked very seriously.
"Yeah I promise. Now tell me."
"Nothing is bothering your XO. Are you happy Sir? No of course not but you asked if your XO is fine she is but Kate McGregor is pissed off now, so get off me."
"No Kate you promised..."
"And I kept my promise now get off me."
Mike stared at her. "When I said XO that included Kate as well."
"You didn't say that. Now Get Off ME!" One of Kate's hands had gotten free so with that hand she poked him really hard in the stomach. This time it had the desired affect, Mike leapt off her.
As soon as he was off Kate got up very quickly and turned and ran as fast as her legs could take her. She made it off the pier and up the road heading towards the local park. She had just entered it when she glanced back to see if Mike had followed her when she tripped over a stick on the ground.
Two seconds later Mike found her on the ground with her hands wrapped around her left ankle and Kate groaning in pain. Her once immaculate uniform was covered in dirt and her hair had come out of its bun. Mike had to put a hand over his mouth to hide the smile on his face.
"Yeah that's right, just stand there and smile like an idiot." Snapped Kate angrily.
Mike immediately wiped the smile off his face and moved to help his second in command.
"Can you walk Kate?" he asked gently.
"I don't think so but I guess I can try." As she said this Kate tried to pull herself up but fell back down with a groan. "A little help would be appriciated."
Mike snapped out of his daze and knelt beside her. "Let's take a look and just check if it's broken." his hands moved to her ankle and carefully removed her shoe and sock. Then he deftly checked her ankle. "It doesn't appear to be broken just badly sprained. We had better get you home."
He then handed her shoe and sock then got up. Once standing he bent down and picked her up bridal style.
"Mike! Put me down! I can walk." Mike just ignored the protests as he carried Kate back to her apartment.
"This is soo humiliating."
Mike just chuckled. "This is not funny, Sailor." That shut him up as she said his nickname for the second time that night.
A few minutes later Mike arrived outside Kate's door. "Have you got your keys?"
"Of course I have! What kind of question is that?"
Kate felt in her pockets but she couldn't find them. Mike just watched her as she got frustrated.
"Shit." breathed Kate.
She looked up at Mike and looked embarassed. "It would appear Sir that I have seem to misplace my keys."
Kate stopped abruptly as she remembered where she had put her keys. She looked at Mike again. "I left them at HQ in the Commander's office. Crap now I'm going to have to wait til morning to get them. Now what am I going to do?"
While she had been talking Mike had turned around and walked away from her house. Women he thought with a shake of the head.
A few minutes later they arrived at Mike's house.
"Kate are you able to reach into my right pocket and pull out my keys?"
Mike stood there patiently as her felt Kate's hand fumble around in his pocket.
"Got it!"
"Good now can you unlock it because I don't seem to have a free hand."
Kate lifted her arm and put the key into the lock and turned it. Once unlocked Kate pushed the door open. Kate pulled the keys out as Mike moved to walk in.
Mike moved to his living room and placed Kate gently on the couch. Then he turned around and turned the lights on and went to shut the front door.
Mike came back in with first aid and an ice pack.
"Alright let's sort out that ankle." He put the ice pack on her ankle. "While that rests on there I'll see if I can rustle up something for us to eat."
"You can cook now?" Kate's face was full of surprise.
Mike laughed. "Yeah well I couldn't just keep living off takeout now could I. I know how about Spaghetti?"
"Spaghetti?" Disbelief was still etched on her face.
"I'll take that as a yes." Mike walked out still chuckling and went into the kitchen to get all ingrediants together.
Ten minutes later a smell wafted through into the living room. Kate's nose pricked up and her stomach growled.
Mike stuck his head out. "You can take that ice pack off now and dinner is just about ready."
Mike put his head back into the kitchen as Kate raided the first aid box.
A few minutes later he walked in and grabbed the bandage out of Kate's hand.
"Here let me." and he bandaged her ankle up. Then he swooped down and picked her up and carried her to the dining room.
He placed her one chair and bought another over so she could rest her foot on it. Mike sat down on a chair to her right.
Kate stared at the food in front of her.
"Itadakimasu (pronounced as eat ta duck ee mus) or as the french say Bon Appetit." Mike grabbed a fork and started to dig in.
Kate sniffed the bolognaise then picked up a fork and put a little on the end. She bought the fork to her mouth and placed the food in. As Kate chewed her eyes shut as she savoured the taste.
Mike watched on in amusement. A hint of a smile showing on his face.
"Mmm!" Kate said. Her eyes opened and smiled. "This is surprisingly good. Unless you've added a slow acting poison to it." she joked.
"I'm glad you like it, milady." Mike said with a florished bow.
Kate giggled. They both got stuck into the food and it was devoured within minutes.
Once the plates were cleared away Mike bought out some fruit salad with chocolate swirl icecream.
"You think you could fit this in?"
Kate raised an eyebrow with a face saying do-cows-eat-grass?
"I'll take that as a yes, then."
They were halfway through dessert when Mike decided to try again and find out what was annoying Kate.
"Um, Kate?"
Kate looked up. Mike put a hand over his mouth to hide the smile on his face. Kate had a bit of icecream on the tip of her nose.
"What Mike?"
"Um, Kate, ah, you have icecream on the end of your nose." Mike said hurriedly. He was nervous. Why? he didn't have a clue or maybe, it was because he didn't want a pissed off Kate McGregor on his hands.
Kate rubbed the offending bit of icecream off her face and continued to eat her dessert.
Mike tried again.
"Ah, Kate?"
"Yes Mike?" Kate looked up again with a patient expression on her face.
She was trying hard not to laugh at the nervous expression on his face.
"Kate."
"Yes that's my name. Now go get your own." Kate's eyes twinkled as Mike just stared at her with a dumbfounded expression. Then he laughed, not a small laugh but one that uses the whole body.
Kate joined in. She had just got herself under control when she looked at Mike again. That's when she lost it. She had tears running down her cheeks and she was holding her stomach. She moved to lean forwards and her left foot slipped off the chair.
"Oww oww oww ouchie wawa!" Kate cried out in pain.
Mike was immediately at her side. His face was one of concern. He gently placed her foot back on the padded chair and then grabbed her hand to get her attention.
"Suck it up Katie my girl. Just breath."
Kate just stopped midway through cursing her foot to look at Mike.
"You haven't called me that in years." She said quietly.
Mike just stared as he tried to remember what he'd said. His eyes flew to hers when he realised.
"Sorry." he said quietly. He moved to go back to his chair when Kate grabbed his arm.
"Don't." she whispered.
He looked at her. His eyes questioning hers.
Brrrriiinnggg!!
Damn phones he thought. He moved to go answer it but Kate's arm stopped him.
"Leave it."
Mike did a double take. Did Kate McGregor just tell him to not answer the phone. Oh he remembered the old days when they "hung out" together and they would be halfway through something when a phone would ring and Kate or himself would drop everything just to answer it.
He moved to answer it when Kate said again, "Leave it Mike." This time more firmly.
He instead turned and sat back down on his chair.
Kate looked at him. Then she let out a deep breath and said, " I suppose you want to know why I was so angry before."
"Um, yeah I guess." Mike shook his head. Now wasn't the time to sound unsure. "Yeah, I'd like to know. I mean I'm really worried about, I mean..."
Kate put a finger to his lips to silence him which worked.
"I was angry at you because every suggestion I made you would disagree with it and you openly argued in front of the Commander. Mike we are suppose to act as a team and sometimes it's impossible to work with you when you are so stubborn."
"I'm not the only one who's stubborn Kate." Mike countered.
"Let me finish Sailor!" Snapped Kate.
"Sorry."
"Mike sometimes I feel like I'm just there to look pretty and I hate that. Look I know some of my ideas wouldn't work and I know I don't have your experience when it comes to Patrol boats but I'm trying and it really hurts when you just say no without even listening to me."
"Kate I do listen to you."
"Oh, really?" Kate raised her eyebrow with sceptism. "Look Mike, I, I think..." Kate spluttered to a halt.
Mike sat back and waited for Kate to continue.
Kate was looking down at her now melted dessert then she looked up into Mike's eyes.
"Mike I've asked for a transfer." Kate said bluntly.
There was silence, not a sound was made. Kate looked back down at her plate. She played with her icecream as she waited to hear what Mike would say.
"Why?" came a hoarse reply.
Kate stared at her icecream. "Because I think it's time I moved on. Besides I think that you need a better XO and well I just can't do it anymore." Kate sighed in defeat.
"Was it something I said? Look Kate I'm sorry if it looked like I wasn't listening to your ideas. It was just that I had other things in mind and I was paying attention. Unlike what most people think I can do more than one thing at a time." Mike joked.
Kate smiled weakly as she played with her spoon.
"Kate." Mike reached across and grabbed her hand. "Kate I need you."
"You or Hammersley, Mike? I can't do this anymore. I can't dance this song with you anymore. I've had enough."
Mike thought for a moment. "Hammersley of course. Not that I... What dance? Kate?"
Kate just stared at him stunned. He wasn't that thick. Was he?
"Never mind Mike. You wouldn't understand." Kate forced herself to stand as she leaned heavily against the table. "Thanks for dinner and my ankle and everything but I really should get going."
"Where would you Kate? You've left your keys at HQ. Remember." Mike was now standing as well.
"I'll go see Nikki I mean Nav, Sir." Kate said formally. She took a step and fell. She shut her eyes as she went to hit the ground.
It didn't happen. Kate slowly opened her eyes and found herself starring into Mike's blue eyes.
"Kate." he whispered his eyes not breaking contact. " You can't walk. Your staying here tonight. In the spare room and that's not a request either."
Kate just nodded as her heart was racing. No thought Kate this can't happen, so Kate shut her eyes.
Mike gently pulled her up and managed to pick her up again without falling over. Kate kept her eyes shut and leant her head against his shoulder. Mike just smiled.
He carried her to the spare room and gently placed her on the bed and
turned to leave.
"Sir? Mike?" Mike turned to look at her. Kate still had her eyes shut. "Do you have anything that I, ah, could borrow? I, ah just don't want to sleep in my whites."
"Sure. I'll have a look. Be back in a minute." Mike left.
Kate slowly opened her eyes as she heard his foosteps retreat. Sadness echoed in her eyes. Kate shut that emotion out. She wouldn't let it get to her. She wouldn't. She couldn't.
Mike came back in with a pair of shorts and a Navy tee. "Sorry it was all I could find." He said apologetically.
"No, that's fine Sir. Thanks. Um, if you don't mind I, ah, need to get changed."
"Sure no worries Good night." He quickly walked out and shut the door. His head filled with confused thoughts.
Kate slowly stood up while leaning against the bed so that she wouldn't put any pressure on her foot. It took her ten minutes to change. Longer than usual ( come on it would take you longer with a stuffed foot) anyway.
She placed her uniform on the chair next to the bed. True the shorts were a bit big but they were definitely comfy. As was the tee.
Kate got back into bed and turned the light out. Though once the light was off Kate's mind began to wander. Sleep would be awhile she thought.
Ok that's a wrap for the first part. I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you liked, disliked, what you think could have been done to make it better and yeah whatever else you can think of. Thanks again, until next time,
Fantasy