Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Their original schedule had them arriving back at port at 2200 hours with a number of asylum seekers and suspected drug smugglers. But with the picking up of extra passengers and the man overboard situation, the Hammersley didn't dock until just after 0500 hours, and with six extra passengers.

Arriving back at port as dawn streaks the horizon, they're greeted by three different forms of 'police'. Immigration is present to take custody of the asylum seekers, the Australian Federal Police are there to take away the three alleged drug smugglers and Randolph Leith Jr. is there for the party animals and Simeon Wallis.

'Yo Randy!' yells Jackaroo, dancing off the boat. 'We're home.'

'That's Randolph to you Jonathon,' he replied, covering his earpiece. 'I'm taking an important call, so get your butts into the limousine now.'

'Get the stick out of your ass mate. We had the time of our lives!' hooted Ranger. 'Sol fell into the water!'

'Get into the car,' ordered Randolph Jr. 'Your fathers want to speak with you all.'

'Daddy will be fine with it Randy – don't be such a snob,' wheedled Davinia as Alexia lightly slapped his cheek in a patronising manner as they passed him.

Davinia and Alexis climbed into the limousine, opening the sun roof to cheer on Jackaroo and Ranger's antics as a miserable Sol leaves the ship deck. Jackaroo and Ranger sloppily saluted the boat as Randolph stopped his phone conversation long enough to give Sol a dismissive once over. 'Get rid of that clothing Sotheby. You're a disgrace.'

'And Wallis, take some seasick pills next time will you?' he said to the new arrival. Turning back to his phone call, he pushes Jackaroo and Ranger along the dock. Both resist, until they look toward the bridge and see Captain Flynn stepping out. Taking note of his glare and stance, they quickly enter limousine as Randy orders the driver to drive off.

Watching as they departed in their stretch limo, 2 Dads, RO and Spider agree they would be happy never to see these people ever again in their life.

'I don't want ever to relive the last 24 hours,' moaned 2 Dads as he left the boat.

'No objections there,' agreed Spider.

'For once, I'm in total concurrence,' said RO following close behind.

With everyone swiftly leaving the boat and on stand down until the following day, Mike leaves the bridge and heads to his cabin. He needed to go see Commander Marshall. Stepping inside, Kate McGregor stirs in his bed. 'Gimme'min...' said Kate, struggling to push the sheets back so that she can get out bed.

'It's nothing I can't handle myself,' promised Mike, keeping her horizontal. 'I'll quickly see Commander Marshall to debrief him, and then I'll come back and get you and take you home. Hmm?'

'Hmm,' she said, too tired to formulate a better response.

But as she lies on her bed an hour later, she finds herself wide awake, all traces of tiredness gone. It was 0630 hours and she was due at the hospital for a check up at 0900 hours.

The knowledge that she was pregnant was sending so many thoughts and feelings through her. And now that she was actually able to stop and think for longer than two seconds, she found herself with more questions than answers.

Turning her head, she looked up into the face of the man who was her rock. Mike Flynn lay on his side as he looked down at her, and she couldn't read his face. 'What are we going to do?' she asks, mirroring her question from the day before.

Moving carefully, so as not to freak her out, Mike slowly moves his hand to the hem of his shirt that she was still wearing, and slowly lifts it up a little. Resting his hand on her still flat stomach, he asks softly. 'What do you want to do?'

'I'm going to have this kid Mike.' Not saying a word, Mike just nods his head as Kate struggles to put words together. 'I can't be pregnant on a patrol ship, not with what I have to do, so I know that I'll have to get a shore posting.'

Taking a deep breath, she continued. 'But even after that, I don't think I'm going to be heading back out there.'

She turned then to look Mike in the eye. 'My child is not going to be shuffled between people just because I want to go out on a ship. My child is going to have a parent with them always,' said Kate firmly. 'They're never going to have to worry about if someone will be home with them or not, or if they'll be loved,' she added softly, brushing her hand against his shirt-covered chest.

'What about your master plan for Chief of Navy?' he asked softly, wondering how she was going to cope with the news that she'd be out of commission for a while.

'I'd never thought I'd love being on a patrol ship as much as I did. I wasn't too keen on at the start was I?' she laughed, as Mike gave her a gentle smile.

Taking a deep breath, she fisted her hand in his shirt as she continued. 'The past few days have changed my priorities. There I was, pregnant on a ship as we all ran around trying to save people and get home. Even when I was operating as the X, I couldn't get away from the fact that I had a new life in me. But now, the thought that I'm going to have a child seems to make everything pale in comparison. I never took myself as the mothering type, but ... I don't want to jeopardise anything. Mike... when the Iluka ...'

'I know Kate. I know,' said Mike, fighting back a shudder. 'When you were on the Iluka Kate, I was terrified. I couldn't stand the fact that something might happen to you or our baby and I couldn't do anything.'

'How do you feel about this Mike?' asked Kate softly, pulling at his shirt. 'Honestly?'

'Ever since you entered my life all those years ago, nothing's been quite the same.' When Kate opened her mouth to object, Mike shook his head. 'Let me finish. Neither of us were ready or willing to sacrifice anything then. But now...'

'Kate,' he said, bracketing her cheek as he looked seriously down upon her. 'I'm going to be with you every step of the way.'

'Good,' she said, releasing a shaky breath. 'I don't think I could do this alone.'

Careful not to rest his weight upon her, Mike leans down and brushes her hair from her face. 'We're going to be parents Kate,' he said softly, before he bends down to cover her mouth with his. Separating to breathe, he kisses her once more before he notes the time.

'We've got to go to the hospital...'