After two days shore leave, Hammersley crew returned back on the ship. Bomber noticed change on Buffer when she saw him. He barely said 'hi' to her. 'Idiot!' she thought and headed for wardroom.
Hammersley sailed out. Their mision was to find weapon smuglers who killed Tawls. Bomber was passing by sailor mess when she heard Buffer's and EJ's conversation.
"We need to be really carefull. If someone discover us..." started Buffer.
"We are going to be in big problem. Especially if Bomber finds out. She hates me." added EJ while she was sitting by Buffer.
"She doesn't hate you. She is just like that." Buffer was defending her.
"You like her? Should I be jelasous?" jocked EJ.
"No I don't like her. She is just a good friend and a colleague." answered Buffer with a smile.
Bomber's heart melted. She tried not to start run. She came in her wardroom and shut the door behind herself and leaned on them. 'Just a friend and a colleague. I can't believe I am just that for him.' she thought. In her thoughts interupted Kate's voice from PA.
"Hands to boarding stations! Hands to boarding stations!"
Bomber went in boarding room. She took a weapon and a vest.
"Bird is not going?" she asked Dutchy.
"No." answered Dutchy. "EJ took her place." he added.
"Great." murmured Bomber. They went into the RHIB and they boarded ship. Crew of the ship was from Australia.
"Our radio is not working." said one of the crew.
"EJ saw what is wrong with it." said Buffer.
"Yes sir!" she answered with a smile.
"Sit down!" said Bomber when she saw that one guy moved. From moment when they came on the board he hide his face.
"I think she maybe need a help. I know little bit about radio." he said.
"Sit down." repeted Bomber and he sit back.
In that moment EJ came back on the deck. When she was returning back, she sliped and Buffer caught her before she landed on the flore.
"Second time you are catching me to I don't fall." smiled EJ.
"Well, it is mine obligation..." started Buffer but he was cutted off with Bomber's scream.
"Watch out Buff!" she yelled and pushed him away. Guy, with who Bomber earlier talked came with a knife on Buffer. Bomber succeded to move Buffer and he was only knifed on arm.
"Johny." said EJ scared.
"I will kill you!" he said and pointed a knife on her. In that moment Dutchy hit him and cuffed him.
"Buff, you ok?" asked Bomber helping him to stand.
"Yes I am. It is just a scratch. Who is he?" asked Buffer and pointed on his attacker.
"My ex fiancee." answered teriffeded EJ.
"Come on Buff. We need to patch you up." said Bomber while she was ignoring EJ. They returned back on Hammersley. John and his crew were put in auistere. Bomber was patching Buffer's arm in wardroom.
"Thanks for saving me Bomb. I didn't even noticed him." said Buffer and looked into young medic what was focused on his wound.
"Of course you didn't when you were distracted with EJ." answered Bomber and looked him in his eyes.
"I wasn't..."
"Yes you were. I saw you two on the deck couple nights ago, but don't worry, your secret is safe with me." smiled Bomber while she was ripping gloves off.
"You saw wrong..." Buffer start to explain when Bomber cut him off.
"You don't have to explain me anything. We are friends." added Bomber and patted him friendly on his shoulder. Buffer took her hand and pull her closer.
"One for change, let me explain something..." Bomber cut him off again.
"You are feverish." she said and put her hand on his forehead.
"It is nothing. I am feeling little bit dizzy too."
"Stay here. I will send a Bird here." said Bomber and went out. She came at Kate's office.
"Ma'am, Buffer is having a fever." she said looking in her CO.
"Fever?" asked Kate confused. "How he get it? He was ok in the morning?"
"Don't know ma'am. I will call a naval medic and..." Bomber was interupted by Bird.
"Bomb, XO just fainted." she said.
"What?" said Bomber and allready start to walk towards wardroom. "Ma'am tell RO that I need medic on the line." Bomber added to Kate.
"I will." She nodded and went on bridge.
Bomber was trying on every way to lower Buffer's fever but she couldn't.
"Simptoms what you said are showing poison in his blood." said medic over a line.
"Poison? He didn't be exposed..." started Bomber.
"What?"
"He was knifed on the boarding." remembered Bomber.
"Threat him with antibiotics." said a line medic. Bomber do all what medic told her. His fever wasn't cracking, but it didn't go up as well.
"How is he?" asked EJ when she entered in the wardroom.
"Like you are interested. It is your fault." said Bomber and looked into leading seaman in front of her.
"What?"
"You heard me well. He is knifed because your fiancee became a jelaous on him. You really have a gut to came here and ask how is he." yelled Bomber.
"I love him." said EJ.
"Then stay away from him. You are bringing only trouble." said Bomber and turn to her patient. "Get out of my wardroom." she added. EJ went out and shut a door behind her with a noise. Bomber knelt by Buffer's bed.
"Please fight. I need you." she whishpered and take his hand. She squeeze it and Buffer returned a squeeze back.
"Bomb..." came from Buffer.
"I am here." she said. He was still unconcious. "I am not going anywhere." she added while caressing his forehead.
"I need you here." he said in his unconciousness.
"And I am here." said Bomber while she still was holding his hand. "I know you are not going to remember anything, but this is only way to I told you this. I love you Pete." added Bomber and kiss his forehead.
"I love you Rebecca. You are my life." he said in his unconciousness.
Bomber looked on him confused. Did he said that what she heard? Ok, he is unconcious and feverish, but he said it. She smiled and squeeze his hand again.
0600 am first morning watch
Bomber spent all night in wardroom, by unconcious Buffer. Bird came in it with two mugs.
"Here it is. Special brew." Smiled Bird and handed a mug to Bomber.
"Thanks Bird." answered Bomber and took a sip of coffee.
"How is he?" asked Bird and leaned on table.
"His fever fell down somewhere in the dorn. He is sleeping wrightnow." Bomber answered and look on man who was lying on the bed.
"What have you done to EJ?"
"Nothing. Why?"
"I saw her last night in the sailor mess. She was crying."
"Well, maybe I overreacted. I told her that this is her fault." said Bomber with inocente smile. "I was angry." she added avoididing Bird's look.
"If you say so. I need to finish breakfast." she said and went out of the wardroom.
'Bird is wright.' thought Bomber and sit back on chair. 'I shouldn't yell on EJ. She loves him and she just wanted to be by his side. To help him on some way. She is his girlfriend and I am nothing to him. And that what he said, he was having a fever.'
Bomber rised and opened a wardroom door and she was faced with EJ.
"EJ, I am sorry for yesterday. I was angry. Of course it is not your fault." said Bomber to young sailor.
"I forget." smiled EJ.
"If you want, you can stay with Buffer now. I need to go to talk with CO and to grab some food." smiled Bomber.
"Thanks." EJ said and went in wardroom.
Bomber headed to CO's cabin.
"How is he?" asked Kate when she saw young medic.
"He is ok. He is sleeping wrightnow. EJ is with him. Poison didn't do any damage." answered Bomber.
"We will be in Cairns in next four hours. Take some sleep Bomber. You really need it."
"Thanks ma'am." said Bomber, smiled and went out.
Buffer woke up. He looked on his left side. There was sitting EJ.
"Hey, you are awake." smiled EJ and knelt by bed. "How are you feeling?" she added.
"Thirsty." he murmured. EJ handed him glass of water.
"It is my fault. Johny wanted to stab you because of me."
"No it is not your fault. I am fine." he smiled. "You were here all night?" he added.
"No. Bomber was. She spend all night here." answered EJ and helped Buffer to sit on the bed.
"Bomber?!" asked Buffer confused.
"Yes. Why?" Buffer didn't answer. Was he halucinating or he heard that what he heard in his dream? He sighed and looked into EJ who smiled on him. He didn't return a smile back.
