A Disaster That Wasn't Meant To Be…

Happy Mother's Day all mothers for yesterday. For you:

Rebecca Brown had a headache. A tall, brunette headache that just wouldn't go away. Every e-mail and every message she received from home was from this headache and she just couldn't get away from it. It was starting to become even more irritating than the other tall brunette headache that plagued her life aboard the ship. Was there anywhere she could go these days without being terrorised? It seemed the only place she could still find solace was in the galley where she could hide from her sister and Spider at the same time. Of course that didn't leave her at peace either, with many of the crew still assuming that when she was in the galley it was time to eat. And then there was Robert, who despite everything had finely tuned exactly when she needed a shoulder to lean on, and now had a habit of popping up every five or so minutes. And almost as if on cue, he appeared at the door of the galley watching her chopping lettuce a little too roughly to be calm. He just cleared his throat and gave her his usual weak smile as she turned on him with narrowed eyes. When she saw it was him she just sighed and leant back against the bench top, putting the knife down quickly with a clunk. RO stepped into the room slowly and stood across from her. They were silent for a moment and then RO spoke.

"Got another e-mail from your sister?" He asked, knowing the answer anyway.

Bomber just nodded with a loud sigh. RO gave a small smile. "Look, whatever it is, it'll be fine."

Bomber smiled back at him. "Thanks RO, but you don't know that for certain. This is my sister we're talking about."

RO nodded. "Yeah, well, if she's anything like you…" He stopped with a laugh as Bomber threw a tea towel at his head. He ducked and it fell on the counter behind him. But Bomber was smiling and that was what mattered. "You can tell me to bugger off if you want, but if you want to tell me exactly what you're fighting about I might be able to help."

Bomber frowned and then, after about a minute, finally gave in. "It's stupid really but it's about our step-dad. He's left mum and she's in a bit of a wreck. Jess wants me to come home, but I can't. She hates me RO, you know that."

RO smiled. "It's not stupid. The only thing stupid is that you think your mother hates you. There's no chance anyone could hate you."

Bomber gave a small laugh. "Thanks RO, you're a good friend."

RO just nodded, slightly uncomfortable still at being referred to as a friend. "Anytime Bomber." He gave her a brief nod, causing her to laugh, then left. Bomber turned and leant against the counter, no longer as stressed about the issue with her mother and sister, but still stuck about what she should do.

***

Buffer had his own problems. His mother was terribly ill and there seemed to be no answer to the disease she was now struck down with. Cancer had been in his family, and so it hadn't really been a shock when his mother had come down with a bad case of it a few years back, but since then she'd been in remission. Now it had returned and all Buffer could think about was the realization that his mother, now older and likely not strong enough to fight the disease again, could well die. And although usually the strong silent type, Buffer's mind was now caught up in his mother so much that every waking moment on the ship was spent counting down until shore leave when he could see her again. His mind was elsewhere, and when he was needed for a boarding that was never a good thing.

It seemed a routine boarding. A FFV, their usual target, filled with fishermen that were already standing on the deck with machetes in their hands and the constant threats to attack the Navy or themselves. Alongside him in the RHIB sat Spider and ET, the pair also staring up at the fishermen with their guns held towards them. As the RHIB pulled up ET and Spider sprung onto the boat, slowly followed by Buffer who the pair could see clearly wasn't himself today. Spider knew why, but ET didn't and just gave Buffer a brief glance before turning back on the fishermen. Buffer's eyes were trained on a fisherman to his left and so he didn't notice the man on his right until the man was just inside his eye line and holding a machete aloft as he came towards him. Buffer turned quickly and he gun went off, missing the fisherman (who promptly dropped his weapon and cowered) and instead embedded itself in the back of ET's knee. The sailor dropped quickly, allowing the fisherman he'd been covering to escape, a stunned Spider only able to watch. He was quicker than Buffer, grabbing ET and pulling him to his feet and towards the RHIB. Once they were in the little inflatable Buffer joined them, receiving death stares from ET, and they sped back to the Hammersley.

***

"What happened?" The CO turned on Buffer, explanation needed but none sufficient enough to be given.

Buffer just gaped before he heard Spider speak beside him. "Sir, we were outnumbered. Buffer had to fight off two of them."

Buffer gave Spider a glance, a thank you glance, but no mattered what Spider said it would never be good enough to explain the mistakes he'd made today. He was doomed. The CO confirmed this a moment later. "Thank you Seaman Webb, but nonetheless," He turned to Buffer. "Petty Officer Tomaszewski, I'm afraid I will have to suspend you, pending an investigation."

Buffer bowed his head, but despite everything, his mother was the only thing on his mind.

***

ET's injury was bad, very bad, and as Swain and Bomber fussed over his leg, Nikki spoke to him, trying to keep him as calm as possible. But ET was actually taking the whole thing rather well and it was he who was keeping Nikki calm instead of the other way around.

"Well could've been worse, you've got me in the bum." ET laughed. Nikki just gave a small smile. "Not that you wouldn't love that eh Swain?" He asked the medic.

Swain just gave a brief laugh, holding the bullet aloft for a moment before putting it in a small metal basin. "It would be my dream ET."

ET grinned. He looked up at Nikki. "Hey, look, I'm fine alright?" Nikki just nodded and gave him a brief smile.

"I know, but after the pipe accident…" She lost her train of thought, lost in memories, before returning to the moment with a sad smile. "Look at me, I'm a pathetic wreck."

ET grabbed her hand. "I don't think so." He suddenly got serious and Nikki frowned. "Uh, I'm been wanting to ask this for a while but it's never really been the right time so… Nikki, will you marry me."

Nikki looked everywhere but at ET, stunned by this, and saw Bomber gave Swain a look of surprise. Nikki understood this, also shocked by this. "ET, I…" She stopped, her confusion slowly turning to anger. She pulled her hand from his. "What makes you think that this is the right time?"

ET said nothing, knowing what was coming and so Nikki just left the room. How could he put her in a position like this? And although she knew she loved him, all of a sudden she didn't want to see ET's face.

***
"Long day…" A voice said as Bomber returned to the sanctuary of her galley. She glanced up to see RO at her door again and smiled as he walked in.

"Yeah, seemed to go on forever." She agreed. "Uh, what happened to Buffer?"

RO shook his head. "Suspended. Poor bloke. I don't know what's on his mind."

Bomber shrugged. "Spider knows but apparently he's sworn to secrecy. I reckon he knows nothing though." She smiled and RO returned it slowly. "ET is fine. Well, good enough to propose to Nav."

RO gaped accordingly. Bomber grinned and nodded. RO just frowned. "And, what'd she say?"

Bomber shrugged. "Nothing really, she just walked out." RO raised his eyebrows and Bomber nodded slowly. "Poor ET."

They were quiet for a minute and then RO spoke. "About this thing with your mum, I was thinking, if you wanted some company out there…"

Bomber lowered an eyebrow. "RO, are you offering to help me deal with my family?"

RO shrugged. "Just a suggestion."

Bomber smiled and nodded slowly. "Yeah, yeah, that'd be great, thanks." RO just motioned to the door and Bomber nodded again. "We'll talk closer to shore leave." And with that, and a quick smile, RO left the galley. Bomber just grinned at the door where he'd just stood then returned to work, her mind free of worries once again.