When Kate arrives on the bridge, she sees Mike is on the stat phone and she asks RO how far off from base they are. He informs her that they have just over 90 minutes left before reaching the docks. WOW the last couple of hours have gone past rather quickly! She thinks to herself as she notices Mike hanging up the stat phone shaking his head.
"Hear there this is your Captain speaking. I have just been informed by Commander White that we all have forty eight hours shore leave. Please be back on board by 0600 hours Sunday to sail at 0900 hours. That is all."
"What about those who are on watch?" Asks Charge.
"Good point, Charge. X?" Mike says as he looks at her.
"Hear there this is your XO speaking there will be a duty watch list available for viewing in the ships office in thirty minutes please be aware of your roistered watch time and be on time. That is all." Kate says as she puts the intercom down and heads off, as she gets to the stairs she stops and turns.
"Sir would you like to help me with this roster to save time?"
"Why not X." He says as he gets out of his chair.
"Dutchy you have the ship."
"Eye sir I have the ship." He replies back as the two head off and do the watch roster together.
Thirty minutes later the two reappear on the bridge talking away, the ease of which the two are talking to each other and enjoying it doesn't go unnoticed by the crew. For Dutchy he's hoping whatever had them in a foul mood at the start of this patrol has left them and hopefully they are on the mend to what he knows they both want, which is each other.
"Captain has the ship." Dutchy says as he hands the ship back to Mike. As Mike sits down, he asks Fox to pip the order. They all talk for a little while and as They start to come into view of Cairns and the entrance to the harbour. This alerts Mike that it is time to pipe the orders through the ship and he instructs Fox that it is time to give them.
"Special sea duty and cable party close up.. Damage control state three, condition voyage." Fox pipes throughout the ship and they all know that they are not far off from port and everyone starts kicking into action.
As they pull into the, docks Mike notices his sister standing on the docs waiting and he just shakes his head.
"Wow someone's a lucky sailor. Hey Fox is that your misses down there?" Asks Charge when he sees Zoey on the wharf and Fox looks.
"No Charge but she sure is one fine looking lady and anyway Charge I'm not married remember."
"You all can stop drooling over her. she's already married with two kids. Her son is just over three weeks old and her daughter is four." Comes from Mike and they all stop dead and turn to look at Mike. As the bridge goes quiet, Kate hold in her laughter at the look on the faces of some of the senior sailors on Hammersley.
"So she's your misses then?" Asks Fox thinking to himself that he hadn't heard anything about him being married and as far as he knew the boat was his baby, but then again you never know and Kate can't hold it anymore and just cracks up laughing at them all. Mike just grins and shakes his head at her.
"No Fox, she's not and I think she would be totally offended by you calling her that. She is my sister. That is how I know those things about her. So hands off all of you." He says and they all can tell from his tone that he means it. Kate the only one ignoring him and still giggling over it.
"She's going to love this when I tell her. I can just see her face all screwed up to start with then she will crack up laughing." Mike looks at her and isn't impressed. But she just smiles right back at him and he knows there is no way he can get Kate to not to tell her.
"X, you know the CO's sister?" comes from Charge
"Yes I do, but I'm not telling you how I know her either. Now back to work all of you we all have shore leave that I am sure you all want to get to. I am sure you want to enjoy it and not be wasting it on board here making small talk." Kate says as her tone changes from friendly to officer tone, and they all know it is time to get back to work. "Sir, I'll make sure our quests get escorted to where their boat is being taken too." She says as she leaves the bridge.
Kate walks out to the boat deck and over the gangway to speak to one of the officers that are on the docks. When Zoey first calls her, Kate just ignores her. Zoey decides to use Kate's full name.
"Katherine Anne McGregor, don't you walk away from me when I'm talking to you." Zoey says as Kate tries to ignore her yet again.
"Zoey, I do have work to do." Kate says as she heads over to someone and gives them orders to take their passengers to where their boat is going.
"Excuse me, but did you just say her name was Katherine Anne McGregor?" Asks Sam, the name oh so familiar to him; a name that has only been mentioned when looking for one little girl who went missing with her mother twenty seven years ago.
"Yes I did just say that was her name. Why do you ask?" Zoey asks the man that has walked off the gangplank of Hammersley.
"Just my niece. She has the same name as that Officer." His voice sounding off in some way to Zoey.
"Sam, what did I tell you on the boat." John says to him
"I know John but…" but he doesn't finish his sentence.
"Excuse me Sir, but what is it with that name?" Zoey asks having noticed Kate return back to Hammersley, but unknown to the group Kate has stopped out of sight, but within hearing range of them.
"Ma'am, don't worry we go through this often."
"Why not worry? Why do you go through this?" Zoey asks the two men.
"Twenty seven years ago his step brother's wife left in the middle of the night taking their only child with them, a daughter. Ever since then, Sam here, along with his brother and sister, have never given up hope in finding her. I have to keep telling Sam that just because there is another person with the same name as her doesn't mean it is her." Kate hears this and starts to wonder if this Sam person is someone she knows from her England days.
"I take it from your accents; you're not from Aussie then?"
"No, we are from England. We're just cruising around trying to get Sam to relax and have some sort of holiday and get him off thinking about it all. This time of year is always hard on the whole family."
"Yeah well, you weren't the one that had to tell my brother what had happened when he returned back from being away. I was the one left to look after them for those few days and look what happened. She left in the middle of the night while I was sleeping. Excuse me, but can you take us to where our boat is being taken please?" Sam asks one of the sailors that happen to be standing near them. Kate having heard the whole conversation between them quickly moves off to her cabin hoping that no one sees her before she gets there as she tries to hold back the tears that are threating to fall.
Back out on the wharf, Zoey gets Dutchy's attention.
"Yes ma'am, how can I help you?" Dutchy asks in a nice polite voice.
"Can you please take me to see my brother, Commander Mike Flynn."
"Sure, just follow me." He instructs and she follows him.
Ten minutes later they find Mike in his cabin finishing off his reports for Maxine.
"So this is where you are hiding out is it?" She asks as she stands in his door frame. Dutchy had already left the two alone to talk.
"Not hiding out Zoe, just finishing of reports that have to go to Maxine." He says as he gestures for her to enter and then closes the door behind her. "So what are you really doing here Zoey?" he asks her.
"Well you and Kate have both been avoiding talking to me about each other." She says to him.
"Zoey, what goes on between Kate and I is our business and not yours."
"Oh, it's my business when I see you both miserable. I just want you two to be happy."
"There are rules Zoe."
"I know you have rules Mike but they also can't tell you who you will fall in love with. I've been there you know." Mike looks at his sister.
"I know, but your boss is not like our bosses."
"What about Marshall, your old CO, maybe talk to him if you can't talk to Maxine and just tell him why you want off. It might help."
"And he might just want all the details."
"Mike unless you ask you won't know. They are all probably trying to figure out why you all of a sudden want off after trying to stay on board for so long. Just think about it ok?"
"Ok, but can you let me finish these off please, so I can get them to Maxine."
"Surely with the time she would be fine with getting them tomorrow."
"Yes, but I would also like to get them completed so that I don't have to do them once I get home. Just give me another five to ten minutes, then I'm all yours."
"Ok then, but not too long. I told Barry we would be back by six thirty." She replies as he looks at his watch.
"You'll be lucky."
"Ok fine then. Where is Kate's cabin." Mike then gives Zoey directions on how to get to Kate's cabin before returning back to his paperwork.
Twenty minutes later they are leaving Hammersley.
"Come on Kate, you have to come to dinner. I already told Barry you would be there."
"Zoey, I would just like to go home and rest it's been a long few weeks."
"Come on please? I brought Rummikub with us." Zoey begs Kate.
"Ok fine, I will come then, but I'm not staying late." She says, but she doesn't see the evil grin on Zoey's face as they all walk to the car parking area.
Once they arrive, Mike and Kate are surprised to see their passengers from the boat waiting around. When they start walking up to them, Mike becomes concerned and makes sure he is semi in front of Kate, but not completely which doesn't go unnoticed by Zoey. What she also notices is how Kate happily allows him to do this and gentle places one of her hands on his arm.
Kate notices them walking over. She is not totally surprised, but she is worried about what they might be doing here. As Mike steps just in front of her semi providing protection form the two gentlemen, she places her hand lightly on his arm to let him know she is there, and to take it easy. She can feel his tension through his muscle and she gentle squeezes his arm and she feels him relax just a small amount.
"Can I help you?" Mike asks once the two men are closer to them.
"I was just wondering if I could possibly speak to this lady." Sam asks as he points to Kate, his voice sounding a little unsure and nervous at asking. Mike relaxes being able to pick up from the sound of the man's voice and his body language that he is nervous about the request he has made.
"Kate?" Mike asks her, his head turned to her to watch her reaction.
"You can talk to me, but you do it here and now in front of these people." He stands there for a few moments not sure how to go about what he wants to say.
"This might sound extremely personal, but I need to ask you this. My friend John has already told me the chances of you answering with the answer I want is very slim, but I have to ask."
"Go ahead." Kate replies already having some idea what this is about after over hearing the earlier conversation on the docks between Zoey and them. He stands there not sure how to ask. Then he remembers the envelope in his pocket.
"I have written down some details. They are inside this envelope, I think it might just be better to give you this to read. If you want to get in touch, my mobile number is in there, if you want to talk more or not. If I don't hear back from you, I will assume that what is inside is not related to you" He quickly rattles off as he hands over the envelope. He then turns away with his friend John and they walk away.
Kate stands there not sure if she should open the envelope or not. Mike sees through her eyes that there is a slight bit of fear there, something that she often doesn't let anyone see.
"I think I will go home and read this." Kate finally says to Mike and his sister.
"Would you like me there?" Asks Zoey. Kate isn't really sure what to say.
"Kate, come back to my place. You can read it in my office. Then at least someone is close by if you need anyone of us. Zoey here take these, I will drive Kate back to my place in her car." Mike orders them as Zoey takes his car keys and heads to his car.
Mike starts to guide Kate to her car.
"Kate, are you ok?" He asks as he opens the passenger side door for her.
"I think I already know what is in this." She says to him and he crouches down beside her now that she is sitting in the car. One of his hands rests on her knee and gently caresses it as he speaks again.
"Are you going to be ok then? Would you prefer that I took you home?" he says so soft and caring to her.
"Nah, I think I'm going to need some support if this is what I think it is. Can we just go now?" She says and he stands up placing both their duffel bags on the back seat, then he moves around and gets in his side. By the time he is in the car, Kate is buckled up and her door is shut. she is looking at the envelope fiddling with it.