Disclaimer: I own nothing.
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Once the HMAS Hammersley had passed through the storm, they responded to a May Day call from a shipwrecked family now seeking refuge on an island. When Lieutenant Commander Mike Flynn issued the orders for the shore party, he makes the surprise announcement that he would be leading them ashore today.
XO Kate McGregor had been in the dining room when the announcement came over the speaker. Excusing herself from the sudden excited chatting in the dining room, she made her way to the bridge, silently fuming. Just because she might be pregnant, did not mean that she would be in a dereliction of her duties.
She was not going to discuss a potential pregnancy in front of the crew and so when she arrives on the bridge she asks to see Mike in his office. 'Sir, a word?'
Handing Nav the ship, he leads the way down. Stepping into his office after Kate, he shuts the door as he turns to her. Raising a hand to his lips, he silences her opening argument. 'You're not going.'
'I'm feeling fine now, sir. And we don't know for sure. I want to do my job,' protested Kate.
'I'm not risking it. You're staying on the ship. That's an order X,' was the firm response.
Changing tacts, Kate responded softly. 'Mike, it's a family needing rescuing. What could possibly go wrong?'
'You of all people should know that a situation like this doesn't always go the way expected. You're not going,' says Mike in a tone of finality.
As Kate prepares to object again, Mike begs softly. 'Please Kate. It's my kid too we could be worrying about here. I don't want anything happening to either of you.'
Having no response to this, Kate nods her head and accepts the inevitable. Mike would lead the boarding party ashore.
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Commanding the operation from the bridge, Kate watched as the RHIB returned to the ship carrying their extra passengers. Her breath caught in her throat as she caught sight of the family. It was a pregnant mother, two young children and a father.
Stepping outside, and as she orders Swain to check out their latest arrivals, Kate struggles to keep her breathing under control as she looks down. The image of Mike holding the little girl in his arms as he helps her onto the ship pulls at her heartstrings.
'Are you okay ma'am?' asks Nav. 'You look a little pale.'
'I'm fine Nikki,' says Kate. 'Just fine,' she repeats softly to herself as she sets about ordering Bomber to prepare food for their guests.
Two hours later finds the crew sharing jokes and laughter with the family on deck. The father was quite the comedian and they boys had taken it upon themselves to have a little stand up comedy competition. 2 Dads had won, though Mr Pietersen had provided stiff competition.
Standing as far back as she possibly can, Kate finds that all she can do is watch the pregnant Mrs Pietersen. Noting how she interacts with her little girl and boy, and rubs her pregnant belly contentedly, Kate finds herself panicking and wondering what it would be like.
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Even though she's not on watch, later that night finds Kate McGregor leaning over the deck rails as she lets out a shuddering breath. Taking in the now clear sky, stars sparkling like jewels on velvet, Kate tries to balance herself once again. She was seriously out of sorts.
So intent on thinking, she doesn't register the arrival of Mike Flynn. Joining her leaning over the rail, he stands close beside her, shoulder to shoulder. 'Hey,' he said gently.
'Hey yourself,' she responded quietly.
'I saw you watching the Pietersens before,' said Mike. 'You okay?'
'I just need to know,' said Kate, her voice breaking.
Leaning over to grasp her hand, Mike says nothing as he looks out at the sea with her.
Neither see Nav step out onto the bridge and look down on them, before leaving just as quickly to leave them alone.
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When the Hammersley docks late the following day, and the Pietersens have been escorted from the ship, the team was on shore leave. Buffer extends an invite to Kate and Mike to join them all for drinks as they step off the boat, the last two people to do so.
Glancing at each other, Kate and Mike quickly make different excuses. Putting an end to their stuttering attempts of an explanation, Charge leads the team in the direction of the bar with a loud yell as Mike and Kate quietly head in the other direction. Nav sends a worried look toward them, but her attention is quickly diverted as the team heads for their watering hole.
It is a quiet drive to the shop, before they head to Kate's apartment.
Half an hour later finds them both sitting quietly on the edge of Kate's bed, tension radiating from them both as they bide their time.
Mike grabs Kate's hand and holds on firmly as they wait. He can see the image of a little blonde haired girl running around – a little girl who is the splitting image of her mother. Just the thought of Kate growing round with his child was opening up possibilities he never thought possible. He'd always thought that he was married to the Navy, and that would therefore be the extent of his family life. But here was a chance that offered him a very different future.
Kate meanwhile is scared shitless. What would she know about children? Her own childhood was nothing like Mike's and she was terrified that she would be a horrible mother. And what of her career. Could she stay home and be a 'mother' whilst Mike galvinated around the oceans? Could she do this?
When the time has come to check the test, Mike keeps one hand in Kate's death grip as he reaches for the little object that had the power to drastically change both their lives.
It takes him a few seconds to process what he is seeing before him.
Turning his head, he looks into Kate's eyes as he utters in a low tone 'It's negative.'
An eternity seems to pass, before both remember to breathe again. Kate is surprised to find herself battling tears, but forces herself to remain composed. 'Perhaps it's the best,' she whispers.
Finding himself juggling a myriad of emotions, and not trusting himself to express a thought or opinion to the vulnerable Kate at the moment, Mike just asked softly 'Are you okay?'
'I'd actually rather be alone at the moment if you don't mind,' said Kate, hating how weak her voice sounded, but needing desperately to be alone to process everything.
Knowing that didn't want to break in front of him, Mike lifts her up and tucks her into bed. He brushes her brow with his lips before he leaves, turning one last time when he hears her low voice. 'Thanks sailor.'
'Always.'
Kate McGregor hugged her pillow and cried herself to sleep that night, as Mike Flynn tossed and turned, before finding himself glaring at his ceiling as the hours pass him by into morning.