Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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She'd survived it!

Kate hums a song under her breath as she packs her bag in preparation for their flight out early tomorrow morning. It was quite an addictive song and she had Tommy Flynn to blame for it being stuck in her head like a broken record.

Ellie and Linds loved the big purple dinosaur that went by the name of Barney, and being the 'cool' uncle (as he'd advised her several times over) Tommy had taken it upon himself to come up with a new version of the song. And so:

I love you. You love me.

We're a happy family

With a great big hug

And a kiss from me to you

Won't you say you love me too?

Had become:

I hate you. You hate me

We're a happy family.

With a great big punch

And a slap from me to you

Won't you say you hate me too?

Needless to say, the two four year olds had sung this at the top of their voices for all of Christmas Day – with the accompanying actions. They'd also gotten creative and twigged the other verse themselves. Never let it be said that four year olds couldn't be creative!

I hate you. You hate me.

We're enemies like they should be.

With a great big hit

And a push from me to you

Won't you say you hate me too?

Brett and Mike had actually resorted to covering their mouths when they began to whisper the song to each other during the Christmas grace at dinner two nights before. And she could have sworn that Abby and Brett were going to murder Tommy on the spot when they had left earlier this morning to drive to Brett's family in the country and the girls were still in singing mode. She felt for them. It was going to be a long five hours!

That still didn't help her situation though as she found herself constantly humming it. Folding various pieces of clothing, her thoughts turned to Mike.

After the marriage scare on Christmas Eve, she'd bolted from the lounge room and ran for his bedroom. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about it, and her emotions had been in turmoil when Mike had stepped into the room not long after.

'Kate...' He hadn't looked too certain of what to say, and she'd just smiled and told him to not worry. It was a joke – after all it was Tommy they were talking about. There had been a degree of awkwardness between them that night, but it had all disappeared by the time Christmas arrived the following morning.

She had no doubt that the family had obviously gotten to Tommy and he spent all of Christmas Day trying to make it up to her. He refused to leave her alone and she was introduced to every single person that was there for the day – from the elderly Great Aunt Eileen and all the way down to the scruffy dog from next door – as she participated in what was officially the biggest party she'd ever been to in her life.

She would have married Mike then and there when he came and rescued her from a conversation with a cousin that thought it was fascinating that she was in the Navy and was going on and on about his desire to join the 'forces that protect Australia's waters from foreign enterprises and the like'. As he laced his fingers through hers and lead her to a relatively quiet spot off to the side, she'd inwardly groaned as yet more people arrive through the front door.

The family was so bloody big!

Mike's estimate of 'oh about 40 people' turned out to be anything but, and by the time they all rolled into bed that night, she swore that she'd met half the country. And every single woman she met seemed to fawn over her pregnancy. Abby had assured her that she would get used to it over time, but the interest in her and the unborn Flynn child was unnerving. She'd been patted within an inch of her life.

Boxing Day had also been another experience: the cricket was on several televisions and there was an actual game of cricket going on in the large backyard behind the house. She knew the basics of cricket and played a game on occasion growing up, but no one had been more surprised than herself when she turned out to be a brilliant fielder. That tennis ball never got past her, and it was a one-handed catch out to her right that saw the end of Mike's cousin Jake's batting reign. It had taken her a second to realise that she had actually caught the ball before she was mobbed by Mike's half of the family.

Sitting on the bed next to her zipped up bag, she rested a hand on her swollen abdomen as she spoke to her unborn child. 'You're going to be so lucky to have your Daddy's family, you know?' she whispered. 'Mummy didn't have anything like that. You're going to be so loved.'

Yawning, she looked at the time, wondering where Mike was. He'd been a godsend and agreed to go out and find what she needed to satisfy her sudden craving of honey chicken and sour cream, but he was sure taking his time.

Little did she know that he hadn't actually left the house yet.

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Mike had had every intention to zip down the road and grab some Chinese as quickly as possible, but his master plan had been interrupted when he came across his mother in the kitchen as he reached for the Ford keys.

'Hey Mikey.'

'Hey Mum,' said Mike startled as he turned to find his mother with her dressing gown wrapped around her tall form standing in the doorway. 'I'm just popping out for a moment. Sorry if I woke you.'

'You didn't,' brushed off Carol as she stepped forward. 'You've got a little time to talk with your mother,' she continued as she guided her son to the lounge room.

'Ah...' It would appear that he did.

'Kate's a nice girl,' said Carol seating herself as Mike looked at her suspiciously.

'Yes she is,' said Mike cautiously.

'Been a while since you've brought anyone home,' continued Carol conversationally. 'Indeed, it's been a while since I've heard you mention any girl.'

'Kate's the one Mum,' said Mike as he leaned forward.

'Yeah I know,' said Carol as she took her son's hand. 'I can see it – it's in the way you look at her, it's in the way you always check on her, it's in the way you kiss her. You're in love.'

'I've been lucky Mum,' said Mike releasing a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding.

'Nonsense,' scoffed his mother. 'This is what's right for you both.'

'We're not just together because Kate fell pregnant you know?' said Mike earnestly. 'Well, that's how we ...'

His mother stopped him then and there. 'It doesn't really matter how it all began. All that matters is that you're both here now. She'll be a welcome addition to the family.'

'You just want another grandchild to spoil,' laughed Mike as his mother waved off the suggestion. 'But while we're on the topic, when are you getting married?'

The momentary humour is replaced by a seriousness. Mike didn't even bother looking surprised as his eyes met that of a determined Carol Flynn.

'I'm biding my time Mother,' said Mike as he fiddled with the car keys. 'I need to tread carefully.'

Carol nodded her head knowingly. 'Well, don't bide away for too long.'

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Stepping into the bedroom over an hour later with a bag of the elusive honey chicken and sour cream, Mike looked down at the form that he had just ran all over the town for. Kate was asleep.

It was too hot for sheets and so Kate was dressed in a pair of shorts and a singlet top as she lay cuddled up on her side facing him. Dropping the food to the floor, he slid on to the edge of the bed as he brushed the blonde strands from her face. Looking intently at the sleeping woman, he felt a swell of love and pride.

For all his bravado and gung ho attitude, he was honestly scared. Slipping his hand to cover hers where it rested over their unborn child, he couldn't imagine himself taking on parenthood with any other person other than Kate.

Fingering the small box in his pocket, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead before he whispered 'I love you' and left the room to put the food into the fridge.

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Next Chapter: Mike's marriage proposal doesn't quite go the way he had expected it to.