Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note:I'm on a roll!

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She was restless.

It was Sunday night – the day before she started at her new job. She'd cleared out her belongings on the Hammersley, had her dress whites ready – though who knows how long they were going to fit her for – and was trying to get her head into the right place.

She'd planned to stay at her place tonight and get herself ready, but the emptiness of the place was depressing after having spent the greater part of the last three months constantly amongst people. And so now found her pacing Mike's apartment listlessly.

She just felt wrong.

Her mind vaguely registered that Mike was talking to her, but she was otherwise occupied as she continued to move around the lounge room, picking up random objects before placing them down as she looked without seeing. She startled when Mike placed a hand on her arm. 'What's wrong Kate?' he asked.

She struggled to find the words to respond to his concerned question – she wasn't even sure what was wrong honestly – but to her horror she felt tears pooling in her eyes. She hated being vulnerable, and when Mike just pulled her into his arms and hugged her close, she just felt worse as tears ran down her cheeks.

She didn't object when he lead her from the room and she just sat there as she watched the bath water fill up. Her limbs felt heavy and her mind foggy when Mike approached her and slowly and gently divested her of each item of clothing.

He said nothing as he then joined her in the bath, settling her back against his chest, content with running his hands over her body. Feeling some of the restlessness leaving her tense muscles under Mike's soothing ministrations, she dropped her head back into the crook of his neck as she revelled in the heat of the water and the body holding her up.

She couldn't avoid the shakiness in her voice when she whispered some time later what was now at the forefront of her mind. 'Do you ever wonder that this is too easy?'

His hands stopped where they were on her lower arms, before he stretched and entangled his fingers in hers. 'Mmm?'

'This pregnancy wasn't planned, but we seem to have adjusted well. Almost too well,' said Kate slowly, her body tensing up once again. 'Why is this so easy? It shouldn't be this easy.'

'Is that so hard to believe?' questioned Mike softly. 'Is it so hard to believe that we can make this work? Make a future together?'

He brings their entwined hands to rest on the swell that is their unborn child, the movement sloshing some water over the edge of the bath, but neither cared.

'All my life anything that was too good to be true was,' she responded, her eyes looking at anything that wasn't Mike. 'How do I know that it won't be the same this time?'

Mike paused a moment. He had to tread carefully here. 'I guess we don't know,' he said slowly. 'But I will tell you one thing that is guaranteed: I won't leave you.'

'Promise?' She hated how needy she sounded. She shouldn't need a man to take care of her, but at the moment any other type of future without this man looked thoroughly depressing and if she was honest with herself, a little scary.

'I promise.' Never had two words meant so much to her.

'I don't deserve you,' she said sorrowfully. 'I don't deserve...'

Turning his head swiftly, Mike broke one hand free from their joined hands as he turned her reluctant face to him. 'Don't,' he said firmly. 'If anything, I'm the one that doesn't deserve you.'

Sensing the doubt in her eyes, Mike spreads his hand over her cheek and brought his head down to brush his lips over hers as her eyes fluttered close. Parting, he looked at her face as he unconsciously brushed his thumb over her lips. 'I love you. Never forget that.'

They enjoyed the company of each other for some time before the bath water began to cool. Not willing to leave the bath just yet, Mike lifted his toe and flicked on the hot water tap, before he switched it off and his leg was submerged once again. Their legs were tangled together and Kate had her arms propped up on his arms on the rim of the bath.

'I was useless on that last patrol.'

Mike startled. He hadn't expected her to talk anymore. 'It's okay, the crew understands. You're pregnant.'

'Yeah, but still...' she protested.

He dropped a kiss to the top of her head. 'You'll be missed. Don't worry.'

Kate tilted her head up sheepishly. 'I'm that obvious huh?'

'No, you're just nervous,' said Mike hugging her close. 'Tell me about the new job.'

Kate took a deep breath. She wasn't too sure how he was going to take this. 'I've been appointed to the Disciplinary Committee, but there's a reason for it.' She paused.

'Mmm?' prompted Mike.

'I'm going to be Commander Marshall's 'spy' on the inside,' she rushed out as quickly as she could.

'Huh?' said Mike dumbly. 'Spy for what?'

'The Navy's been hit by the rumours of sex bets scandals and someone's orchestrating things from the inside,' she elaborated. 'So that's what I'm doing to avoid a court martial for us both.'

'Mmm.'

That was it? Mmm? She'd been expecting him to explode at Commander Marshall about using her as a pawn in the navy's game, or at the very least berate her for not telling him earlier.

He sensed her adverse reaction and was quick to put things to rights. 'Don't get me wrong Kate,' he said. 'If that is all it takes for you to avoid a court martial, then I'm all for it.' He slid his hand down to rest on her abdomen. 'I wouldn't change any of this for the world, but I'm relieved to know that none of it is going to backfire on you.'

She tilted her head and kissed his neck, his muscles considerably tenser than they were before.

'But having said that,' he added. 'I'm going to have a word with Commander Marshall.' Now there was the Mike she'd been expecting.

Turning in his arms, she propped herself with her arms on his shoulders as she straddled him, water swirling around them. She didn't break their gaze as one of his hands brushed her hair from her face.

'Come here...'

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Next Chapter: First Days.