Two days later England

LONG LOST DAUGHTER HAS BEEN FOUND!

The long lost daughter of wealthy land and business owner Neil Andrew McGregor has been found. Katherine Anne McGregor has been located in Cairns, Australia. Miss McGregor has been missing for over 25 years and it was presumed she would never be located again, but several weeks ago when Neil's half-brother, Sam Benson was out sailing around Australia with another family friend John Hoy when their boat broke down. Who came to their rescue? None other than Miss McGregor or should we say Lieutenants McGregor. From the information we have been able to find she works for the Royal Australian Navy as an executive officer on board a patrol boat called HMAS Hammersley.

For the McGregor family here in England it is a welcome relief and more so for her father who told us yesterday that when he heard the news he was over the moon and had never given up hope of finding his oldest child. When we asked if they had ever looked overseas for her he said 'No as there was no record of her leaving England on any flights. We always thought she was still here in the UK, not half way around the world. As we all read this article today Mr McGregor is on his way to Australia with his family to see his daughter. Nothing was mentioned about his first wife Sophie Patricia Harrison who disappeared at the same time as Miss McGregor.

The news article goes on showing a few pictures of the family information about what happened all those years ago when Kate and her mother went missing.

CANBERRA

AUSTRALIA

"Sir we got a situation incoming."

"What is that Admiral?"

"Lieutenant Kate McGregor's father has heard where she is and is on his way to Australia as we speak."

"When is he due to land?"

"Tomorrow afternoon and he has a connecting flight straight to Cairns with his family."

"Oh bugger, he better not be wanting to make her return back to England. Steve, I want you to head to Cairns and do whatever you have to, to make sure she stays."

"Would that include a promotion and the CO Job on one particular patrol boat?" Steve asks.

"If you think it will help, do it Steve. Lieutenant McGregor is one of our best officers and I don't want to lose her. Oh and ask Maxine why Mike isn't back on land behind a desk."

"Will do Sir." Steve says as he leaves the Chief's office booking a flight to Cairns as he heads out the door of the Canberra office to head to Cairns.

Following morning

Hammersley is out on patrol and is currently anchored out in the harbour of a little town off the coast of Australia. The local newspapers have been brought on board. Hammersley is getting ready to sail back home to port.

Kate is in the ships office when she opens up one of the papers and stands there shocked.

LONG LOST DAUGHTER FINALLY FOUND

One of England's richest property owners' oldest daughter, who went missing twenty eight years ago, has been found alive and well. As we have been informed Mr Neil McGregor is currently on his way to Australia to meet his oldest daughter Lieutenant Katherine Anne McGregor. Kate, as she is called, works for the Royal Australian Navy, on board HMAS Hammersley which is under the command of Commander Mike Flynn, also known as Might Mike Flynn. She is his Executive Officer, or second in command. Hammersley is currently based out of the Cairns Naval dock. Kate moved here with her mother at the tender age of seven to a South Australian opal mining town called Cooper Pedy. She attended the local school, where she excelled and was top of her class the whole way through, joining the Navy at eighteen. She has been a hard worker, earning promotions and a reputation as well as a hard task master who doesn't like bending the rules. She was nicked named at ADFA as Princess Perfect due to her excellent recall of rules and her scores. She won the sword for Best Cadet in her final year at ADFA. She has worked hard to get where she is.

Our spokesperson from England informed us that Mr McGregor was coming over with his wife and three other children to finally see his daughter and met her partner who we are yet to get confirmed. He wants to reconnect with her after all this time.

For Mr McGregor it has been a long twenty eight years of not knowing where she was, how she was doing or even if she was still alive. Now at least father and daughter can have a reunion one that has been a long time coming.

Once Kate had finished reading the article she takes the paper with her and heads to the bridge.

"Mike, a word in your cabin now." She says once she is beside him and he sees the worry in her eyes he agrees and hands the ship over to Dutchy.

"We have a major problem." She says as she passes him the paper with the article and he starts to read it.

Everyone who has gotten the morning paper are now reading the article about her and her family; including her mother.

Back in Cairns

Steve is in with Maxine talking to her.

"Why is Mike has not off Hammersley yet?"

"He refuses to leave." She says to him.

"Well the boss wants him off now so we better find a replacement and I will talk to him about it."

"No, I will talk to him Steve. We are friends it be easier coming from me."

"Well Maxine the whole idea of sending you up here was to get him off Hammersley, so far that hasn't worked at all well. Yes I know we left him on board when Ms Cruise was around, but he was meant to return straight back to his desk job. I will deal with Mike as I also need to talk to Lieutenant McGregor. When is Hammersley due back in port?"

"Later this afternoon all going to plan. They have forty eight hours shore leave to restock fuel and have a slight break before heading back out again."

"Right then once they dock they are on shore leave till further notice."

"Why?" Maxing asks not happy that Steve is over riding her.

"Family situation has arisen for Lieutenant McGregor and until it is sorted Hammersley is to be docked."

"Steve, we need them out there." She says to him.

"No you don't Maxine! You just want them out there. The chief has given me approval to do as I see fit and so Hammersley will be docked. I will contact Mike and inform him unless it is a mayday call they are to return to base." He says as he gets up and leaves Maxine's office.

Hammersley

Mike and Kate are sitting in his cabin when there is a call for him to go to the bridge he picks up his phone in his cabin and talks to RO, as he talks to him he finds out there is a phone call for him, and he gets RO to patch it through to his cabin.

"Commander Flynn speaking." Mike says into the phone.

"Mike, its Steve speaking. Have you seen today's paper?"

"Yes we have."

"How is Kate taking the news?"

"Well she had no idea so is still in shock over it all."

"Mike, do you know who her partner is?" Steve says he has a pretty good idea who it is, but wants to make sure first. Mike says nothing to him in response to his question.

"Well Mike on another note you are not to make any stops. You are to come straight back to base and then Hammersley is on leave again."

"Why is that Sir?" he asks Steve.

"Till we get things sorted with Kate and her father Hammersley can't sail plus if I get my way with you Mike you will be back at Navcom not on Hammersley."

"What do you mean your way Sir?"

"Maxine said you are refusing to come off Hammersley."

"She said that did she?" He says back

"Mike don't get smart with me."

"I'm not sir. It was just a few days ago she was told to either find Hammersley a new CO or an XO. If neither were done she was to note down that if neither was done within two weeks I would be resigning effective at the end of those two weeks. That was four days ago so she has ten days to sort out the issue or I'm gone."

"So getting you off Hammersley isn't going to be an issue?"

"Nope never has been an issue as far as I'm concerned. I've wanted off ever since the sub incident. She's been the one holding it all up." He says as he crosses one of his arms across his chest his hand being tucked under his armpit. Kate watches on only hearing Mike's side of the conversation.

"Ok so if I was to say to you that once Hammersley docks this afternoon you are no longer her CO you would be fine with it." Mike smiles at this.

"Yes I would be totally fine with that."

"And then would you tell me who Kate's partner is then." Steve says now diverting the question back around to Kate and her partner.

"Well once I am no longer Commanding Officer of Hammersley I can then inform you, but right now I can't" Mike replies back to Steve.

"Mike, just give me a straight answer does she or does she not have a partner."

"She doesn't right now."

"But she will once you're off the boat then?" Steve asks him

"Yes she will."

"I take it you've both been professional while on the boat and serving together?" Steve asks his tone serious now.

"Steve, nothing has happened that would cause you to pull us over the coals. We have not broken any Navy rules while she has been serving under me."

"What about other times Mike?" He asks him and Mike knows from the tone not to piss around with Steve.

"The only time it was more was when I first took the promotion before I was made to return. We stopped and have done nothing more than be friends and work partners." He replies back with. "I may be seen as a cowboy who likes to bend the rules, but there is no way in hell I am going to risk hers or my careers, not with something this serious."

"That is good to hear Mike, because I would really hate to have to lay charges against either of you."

"Well unless you want to lay charges against us for spending far too much time together then there is nothing that will or could stick. So anyway why are you ringing and talking to us and not Maxine?" Mike asks trying to get the topic off him and Kate and onto whatever it is he is ringing about.

"I'm in Cairns right now. We got wind thank god before the press that her father is on his way here with his family to meet her and her partner. The brass are concerned she will return back to England with him and I have been tasked with the lovely job of making sure she stays, which I hope you will help me do Mike." He says

"Steve, I will tell you the same thing I told Kate, it is her choice and I will not make that choice for her. If she decides to go back that is up to her, if she doesn't then again it's her choice, but I refuse to make that choice or help her decide Steve. I can let you know and this will make you feel better at present she is not planning on leaving."

"That is good to hear because it makes my next decision easy, can you get her for me please."

"She is right here in my cabin with me sir. I will put her on for you." Mike says and then passes the phone to Kate who moves and is now standing up beside Mike, who quickly pulls her down on to his lap now not really caring if someone walks in as in about six hours' time he will no longer be the CO of Hammersley finally getting that desk job he has badly wanted.

"Kate Admiral Steve Marshall speaking, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine Sir."

"I'm here in Cairns to help with anything you need regarding your family Kate."

"Thank you Sir."

"Kate, you can call me Steve you know. Look I know Mike has already told me, but are you planning on staying or moving back to England with your father's family?" he asks her.

"I'm planning on staying right where I am for now."

"Ok and what are you plans for the future Kate, have you thought long term?" He asks her.

"Don't you think that is a tad personal Sir?" she asks him

"Well I would like to know your future plans so that I know what I can do or offer to you to help to keep you here. The Brass and the Chief really want you to stay here with us."

"Oh ok, well then Sir my plan is to hopefully get a promotion, Command one of the Navy's finest sea vessels, get married and have a family and not in that order either, in whatever order it happens to come in." She says as a smile breaks out on her face after reading the note Mike has written.

"So then if I was to say to you once Hammersley docks you are going to become her CO how would you feel?" And she is left speechless for the first time in a long time.

"Really Sir?" She says after a few moments of silence her voice full of shock.

"Yes Kate as soon as Hammersley has docked into home port in Cairns Mike will be resuming his posting at Navcom and you will become her CO."

"Thank you so much Steve."

"No problem, I will be there when you dock to do hand over. Make sure to have your team ready to go."

"Will do Sir." She says her voice full of happiness.

"Oh and Kate your family, what are your plans there?"

"Well I didn't know they were coming till I read the paper this morning. Right now I have no idea what they want or why they are even coming over. I am sort of in the dark over all of this."

"Ok well once you dock we can talk some more if you like."

"Thank you Sir." They both say their goodbyes before hanging up the phone.

She turns and looks at Mike, they both smile at each other before he quickly places a kiss on her lips.

"So I take it you are now CO?" he says to her with a smile and she nods her head in agreement.

"Yes Steve offered it to me, so now if you want to be on here as CO, it's not going to happen because I'm kicking you off come docking time." She says to him with some cheek before they both leave the cabin and head to the bridge to let everyone know that they need to be on the boat deck all dressed in their whites once docking procedures have been finished.

Plane ride to Australia

"I wonder what I can do to make her return home with us." Mr McGregor says out loud.

"Honey you can't do that to her. You heard what your brother said. She has a job and a partner. You can't make her choose between you and the only life she has known since her mother took her away from you."

"But she belongs back in England taking over the family business."

"And what are you going to do if she says no and worse of all if you push her she refuses to even allow you in her life? Neil, you can't push her. If she is anything like you, pushing her is just going to make her more stubborn and more determine to get what she wants no matter the costs. You should be more concerned about if she will want to see her. Even more so since you refuse to contact her to say you were coming." He grumbles a few inaudible words.

"Neil, you know I'm right so just get a grip. Money will not buy you your daughters love ok. Only time and effort will do that." She says to him as she gentle places her hand on his leg.

"But I want her back in England. We've missed out on so much."

"Man, you can be so pig headed and stubborn at times. You either do this on her terms or when we land in Brisbane I will book us on the next flight back to England. I'm not going to allow you to wreck whatever life she has managed to build for herself, or make her choose between this family one she hasn't been a part of for over twenty five years or the family she now has with whoever that might be. Now stop sulking over it and think about it. You know I'm right on this, and those three, they have the right to get to know their older sister and not have you pushing her away. If I remember her as well as I do from when she was little, she is as pig headed and stubborn as you are."

The two sit in silence as they watch their three other children entertain themselves. They may be rich, but their children do not have everything. They know how to work to get what they want. That not everything is just handed over because they say so. His only son has decided to do an apprenticeship in building, he reckons it will help later on when repairs need to be done, and he also wants to do an electrician course as well. The youngest of the twin girls loves to cook and is often found in the kitchen helping their cook prepare and cook their meals. He was planning on getting rid of the cook so they could do it as a family, but after watching what he was teaching his youngest daughter he changed his mind and has kept him on. The only one still not sure what they are going to do is his middle child the oldest of the twin girls.

"Maybe Kate can help Mary decide what she wants to do?" He says to his wife and she looks at him.

"Well she might like the big boats, the uniform and the life Kate leads now. It is so different to what she has grown up with.

"And if she does what are you going to do?"

"Support her. We have a Navy in England. She could join them."

"And what if she prefers the one in Australia?"

"We will come across that bridge when we get to it." He says to his wife. The two make small talk off and on, on the rest of their trip to Australia.