Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: This chapter took longer to write than I thought it would.

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Hearing the shower running, Kate McGregor blearily opened her eyes and checked the time. 7am? It felt like she'd just put her head down to sleep just seconds ago, and yet it was morning. And her stomach was advising her that she needed to get up. Now.

Throwing back the covers, she threw open the bathroom door and dashed over to the toilet as the contents of her stomach were summarily upended. When was this going to end? Hearing the shower curtain being pulled back, she waved off the concerned question of the man who had put her in this position in the first place with a wave of her hand.

Feeling slightly more human when she entered the kitchen half an hour later, she saw that Mike was ready to go. Breakfast put off for a few minutes longer, she approaches Mike who pulls her toward him. He brackets her face before he leaned down and gave her a hard, firm kiss. They had so much more freedom to do this now. 'Love you and good luck.'

She opened her mouth to respond, but it was clear that Mike wasn't done yet. She watched in amusement as he went down onto his knees and pressed a kiss against her abdomen. 'Be good for your mother Skipper.'

'Skipper?' she queried, crossing her arms over her chest as Mike plastered that idiotic grin of his across his face as he backed out the door.

'Bye hon!'

****************

James Manger stands under the hot water, the bathroom full of steamy air. Just how he liked it. Hearing the faint ring of his mobile in the distance, he turns off the taps and opened the glass door. Quickly drying himself, he wraps a towel around his waist before he makes a dash for the phone.

Dashing into the lounge room via a bruised toe on the doorframe, he limped toward the ring tone. Snatching it up from the table, he flipped open the phone and brought it to his ear, the pain in his toe now a throbbing ache. 'Manger.'

The voice that greeted him on the other end was a welcome one. 'Hey Mer.'

'Good.'

'The hammer? Tell him to check the box under the table in the shed.'

'Hang on, what does he need a hammer for?'

'Oh.'

Moving into his bedroom as he continued to talk – I'm multitasking Meredith! – Santa got dressed in preparation of his first official day onboard the Hammersley as the new Executive Officer. When the horn of the taxi sounded soon after he noticed the time. 'Shoot. Gotta dash.'

'Love you. Kiss to the kids – whether they want it or not!'

'Bye hon.'

****************

Walking toward the nondescript building that housed the Navy's Disciplinary Committee, she found it hard to believe that in this place, people held the power of making or breaking someone's career in their hand.

Placing a hand on her abdomen, she took comfort in the little presence within her as the butterflies settled. She wouldn't be in this alone.

Stepping through the department doors where she would be spending the next six months of her professional life, she took a deep breath and schooled her features. Let's get this show on the road.

Hat under her arm, she approached the receptionist with a cool smile. 'Lieutenant Kate McGregor here to see Commander McLaren.'

'One moment please...'

****************

Stepping on board the Hammersley, he swiftly stowed away his bag and possessions before heading up to the bridge. Nodding his head at the sailors he passed on the way, Santa greeted his superior. 'Morning sir.'

'Morning.'

Preparing to head over to the files, his journey is halted when the CO gestured him over. 'Thought you'd be interested in knowing that the AFP autopsies have concluded that the Spalding family were murdered.'

'The Hell hath no fury op?' he recalled. 'Any indication as to the reason behind it all?'

'They're not saying anything,' was the reply.

'What about the Clementine? AFP have any chance in chasing them up?'

Santa could see the distaste and a slight trace of regret on his boss's face. 'Police can find no trace of them. Owner and boat aren't registered anywhere.'

'I'm sure we'll catch them.'

'We will,' was the determined response.

Dismissed, Santa moved to commence the departing protocol.

****************

The person who came out to greet her was not who she'd expected. This was her new boss's PA? Rachael Lauren did not look a day over 20 and was almost bouncing her way over to her. Shaking her hand and noting her enthusiastic introduction, Kate followed the sailor's eager path to the offices within.

With Commander McLaren currently unavoidably unavailable, she was led to her office and introduced to the colleague that she would be sharing said space with: Lieutenant Karleigh Walters. Shaking her hand, she listened with half an ear as Rachael gave her the rundown, her eyes already scanning the room. 'Dunny here will be so jealous. She wants to be sea-locked, but she hurt her leg first trip out diving underwater' – Rachael shuddered for effect – 'and so know she's landlocked. Speaking of that, how come you're joining us here on land too?'

Marvelling that the young woman had managed to say all that without a breath, she turned her entire focus onto the face of the eagerly anticipating PA. 'Ah, I'm pregnant.' No point in hiding it. It would be blatantly apparent soon enough. 'So, it's a shore posting for me.'

She notes Lieutenant Walters' scrutinising gaze on her before Rachael starts up happily once again. 'Pregnant? Oh that's marvellous. When my sister...'

She was thankfully saved when Walters butted in. 'Greenie – zip it. Let's go meet Commander Ashley 'Asshole' McLaren shall we?'

****************

With the Hammersley cruising the seas on patrol, he quickly dropped down below to grab some scran before his shift began. Passing the dining room where some sailors are gathered, he hears his name mentioned. 'Wonder where Santa came from?'

'I can't see any physical resemblance, so unless he was born in the North Pole or has reindeers...?'

'Reckon he has a Santa suit in his wardrobe?

Deciding to have fun with them, he pops his head into the room. 'No I don't.' Catching the busted! look on young Spider's face made that scare all the more worth it.

'Think Christmas, St Nick, Christmas Carols – Away in an Manger, and there you got it.'

Stepping out of the room just as quickly, he takes another bite of his lunch, a grin on his face as he leaves the group behind.

****************

Digging into the packet of apricots on the desk nearby, she was so focussed on the policies, guidelines and assorted paperwork in front of her, that she startled when there was a knock on the door.

With Walters out of the room, she realised that whomever was here was most likely here for her. Lifting her head, she saw Commander McLaren in the doorway. He disregarded all pleasantries as he got straight to his point. 'Room 2 in fifteen minutes. Fraternisation case.'

Huh?! 'You want me to sit on a panel now?'

'No time like the present.' And with that he was gone, leaving her momentarily stunned.

Her new boss appeared abrupt and gruff, but she knew he had a reputation. Just the possibility of coming before Commander McLaren had most newbies running scared as Rachael had informed her. His communication skills needed work – and he was rude – but Walters had assured her that he was brutally good at his job.

Gathering up the things that she would need, she headed for the door.

Time to sink or swim eh?

****************

In charge of the ship, he found the scheduled patrol cut short when RO got his attention. 'Sir, Coast Guard on the line.'

Reaching for the radio, he gave orders to the RO to get the captain to the bridge as he took the communication.

By the time his CO had arrived on the bridge, he had the basics of the situation: a Coast Guard patrol flying overhead had seen a boat named Stark Raven that was stationary just west of their position. They weren't responding to communications and the Coast Guard suspected that they might be in trouble. Hammersley was the closest asset.

Debriefing the captain on the situation, he assured the Coast Guard that they would respond as the CO approached the navigator and altered the ship's course in order to get them to the Stark Raven coordinates.

Call complete, and with the CO now in control of the ship, he moved to organise the boarding party.

Life was certainly different on a patrol boat.

****************

Sitting alongside Commander McLaren, she is given a brief opportunity to meet the third panel member – a Lieutenant Commander Terrance 'Polly' Farmer – before their issue comes before them.

'Case 2009-862/J. Fraternisation between officers. HMAS Kirribilli Executive Officer Lieutenant Octavia Howard and Commanding Officer Ralph Winston.'

Pen and paper in front of her, Kate sits up a little higher as Lieutenant Howard was summoned to give her statement.

'Ralph – I mean Commander Winston – and I have been sleeping together for just under four months. We first got together after a night out some time ago. And from then onwards, we'd catch up every now and then.'

Listening to the facts that she is hearing, she can't help but feel a sense of déjà vu. This could very easily have been her and Mike standing in front of the committee now with those exact facts and circumstances.

'We wouldn't have been caught if we hadn't done it on the boat and the Chief Petty Officer hadn't walked in on us. I didn't want to keep it up, but who am I to say no to my boss hey?'

The feelings of hypocrisy didn't go away with this further revelation of facts and she had to remind herself of why she was here.

****************

Stepping on board the Stark Raven, Santa is followed by Swain, Buffer and Spider. Seeing no one on deck, he makes his way toward the bridge which he discovers to be empty, whilst Buffer and Swain head down below. Fearing a ghost ship, his attention is then drawn when Buffer calls that he has found someone coming out from below. It's a teenager who introduces himself as Leith Copeland.

The kid didn't look old enough to be manning the boat himself, let alone be out here with supervision. 'You in charge of this boat?' he asked.

'No sir,' was the fearful response. 'I've had a lesson or two myself, but my mother's steering it. We've just been sitting here a bit. Is that a problem?'

'Where's your mother?' he probed.

'She's not feeling too good, so she's down below,' said Leith, his eyes moving furtively to the hatch.

'I'm feeling fine,' said an indignant new voice as Ellen Copeland made her unsteady arrival on the deck. Santa noticed the worried look on the teenager's face before he turned to the mother. 'Are you okay ma'am?' asked Swain, instantly on the lookout for any injuries.

'Just dandy. I'm perfectly fine.'

No she wasn't. He could recognise the signs anywhere: the red cheeks, the unsteadiness and lack of balance.

With Swain attempting a brief examination and declaring her fit, Santa pauses before he relays likewise to the CO. Perhaps she wasn't doing it at the moment, and it was all okay? Returning to the Hammersley, he pondered his suspicions. His previous superior had not appreciated his input on such matters.

He didn't say anything.

****************

The bitter taste hadn't left her mouth since the first moment that Lieutenant Howard had entered the room. Her story seemed genuine, but perhaps it was being in a relationship with her own (now ex) Commanding Officer that made her think that something was off. No captain would put their ship at risk for a fling onboard.

She puts the question to the officer in front of her. 'When did the onboard incident happen?'

'Well, the first one was two weeks ago on the Friday at lunchtime, and then we got caught last Wednesday.'

'Are you certain?' She can see McLaren silently flipping through his papers beside her.

'Positive,' was the determined response. 'I remember because that was just before we got changed course to head to Tomlasin Bay.'

McLaren takes over now. 'The first time you were engaged in sexual activities with Lieutenant Commander Ralph Winston was on Friday, 20 November at 1230 hours?'

'Yes. I'm positive,' said the woman in front of them. '12:32 if you want to be precise.'

'And that we do,' responded Commander McLaren in a deceptively low tone. 'Commander Winston was on the phone with NAVCOM at that time.'

As the commander probes harder, the story falls down around her. Lieutenant Octavia Howard had never had a relationship with her superior, and had hoped by being caught in a compromising position, the navy would attempt to keep any non-consensual allegations quiet and she could get off scot-free with a compo payout and an honourable discharge.

Discussing the penalty with Commander McLaren and Lieutenant Commander Farmer, Kate sucks in her breath when the penalty for fraternisation between senior officers is revealed. If she had come before the Committee, there would have been serious ramifications for her career.

****************

He should have said something.

The Hammersley received a mayday call just hours later from a distressed Leith Copeland onboard the Stark Raven who nervously shared the fact that their boat had run aground on a nearby sand bar. It was less than 100 metres from where they had last left the Stark Raven.

Nothing could be done until the tide went out, and when Santa stepped back on board the Stark Raven he could see instantly that Ellen Copeland had been drinking. Taking a hard look at the woman walking clumsily toward them with a bottle raised high, he knew that he should have said something. This unnecessary diversion could have been avoided if he had voiced his suspicions earlier.

Standing in the CO's office later that afternoon, he felt responsible to share with his earlier suspicions about how this incident was a possibility. The CO didn't take it well.

'Maybe we do things differently here to what you're used to, but here we all have input. You should have said something...' He knows that he should have, and he feels all the worse as he is also kicking himself. 'You're my new right hand man, and I need to have confidence in you to see these things at boarding parties and operations. I need to be able to trust you to have faith in your instincts.'

'I know.' He stood stiffly as the CO took his seat at his desk and sighed. 'We're lucky it wasn't any worse than this. I'm sure you don't need me telling you that this won't happen again.'

'Damn straight it won't.'

****************

Three days later, Kate slid her key into the lock and stepped into her empty apartment. The past three days had been full on and a steep learning curve. It had also been a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster.

Of all the cases she could have faced first up at her new job, it had to be a fraternisation one. And not only that, it had to be a female executive officer and a male commanding officer. Part of her had been thankful that when the case had turned out to be something other than them sleeping together. It made it easier to believe that she hadn't done the same thing, and she felt less guilty about her own situation.

She'd sat in on one more panel in the following two days, but the majority of the time had been spent acquainting herself with policies and procedures, and the number one joy: all the necessary paperwork to satisfy the bureaucracy. Anything she did had to be recorded in painstaking detail.

Quickly changing her clothes, she headed for the kitchen to make herself a concoction that had been at the forefront of her mind all day. Happily seating herself on the lounge, watching some television show that she has no idea is about, she digs in.

Tomorrow was a new day.

****************

Lying on his bunk, back of his head propped by one arm, Santa looked up in contemplation at the bunk above him.

His first day really couldn't have gone any worse: facing a situation that he could easily have avoided. He had projected his experiences from the Islington onto the Hammersley, and over the past three days, he had swiftly realised that he couldn't have been more wrong.

But the worst thing had been that he knew he was better than this. Thankfully, the various incidents on the patrol since had given him plenty of opportunities to prove himself and his worth. This boat worked on teamwork, respect and a sense of camaraderie between sailors. In short, he just needed to be himself and do his job to the best that he could. Shifting to be comfortable, sleep was swiftly coming.

Tomorrow was a new day.

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Next Chapter: You want me to meet your family?