Steve is sitting in his office typing up a report, when the alert flashes up on his screen. As he looks at his screen, please to see the email is from Mike, though he becomes apprehensive at subject of the email, his hand on the mouse, poised to open the email when he is interrupted by an urgent summons to his superiors office.
Two days later
Hammersley is heading for home port and everyone is looking forward to two weeks of guaranteed shore leave. Jon Webster, the new Coxswain, is fitting in extremely well under the circumstances, pleasantly surprised by the honesty and friendliness of his shipmates. Even when he made mistakes he was given the chance to learn and correct the error himself. Quickly relaxing into the atmosphere of a patrol boat, he felt like a welcome addition to crew. He enjoyed the camaraderie of this crew. The feeling that if anything happened they had his back, something he did not often feel on the big frigates. After two days, he could understand why the death of their fellow crew member had hit them so hard,. They were like family; whatever affects one person affects the whole crew. In his eyes, the CO and X seemed to have an excellent working partnership. He thought many could learn from these two; their decision making and respect for the crew and their views. The CO even had time to sit down and ask how he was doing. Jon came to the conclusion that he was going to totally enjoy working on Hammersley, and had no desire to leave in a hurry.
Mike was very impressed at how Jon had handled himself for his first rotation on patrol boats. Hammersley's new Coxswain was going to fit in fine and be an asset to to the crew.
When Hammersley docks in Cairns the following morning, Mike is in his cabin. A wave of different emotions run through him as he slowly packs all his personal belongings. He has one last longing look before leaving his cabin and his ship.
A smile spreads across his face as he walks across the gangplank and hears Kate suggest he hurry up or they will be late.
They are aware of the attention they attract as they enter Navcom and glance at each other, not sure what is going on. As they get closer to Maxine's office they notice she is deep in conversation with Steve, who notices their arrival and walks out to meet them.
"Mike. Your office, now," Steve directs sternly, leaving Kate standing. Unsure what she should be doing, she sits herself down at one of the computers and checks her emails. Maxine watches Kate from her position in her office with a smirk on her face. Kate is aware that she is being watched at times and starts to wonder what has gone on to make her centre of attention, and for Steve to be here yet again.
Every so often Steve could be heard raising his voice. No one is totally sure what is being said but, going by the angry tone of Steve's voice, Mike has done something.
Sometime later Mike appears and goes straight to Maxine's office, slamming the door behind him and causing the other sailors to jump at the sound. Kate looks over to Maxine's office and is surprised by the anger Mike is directing towards her. If looks could kill, then his would.
"Bloody hell, Maxine. What the hell are you playing at, digging up mine and Kate's personal life from ten years ago? Do you know how much damage you have caused?" he spits at her.
"Well, Mike. Maybe you should have thought of that before you complained to Steve about what I did," she retorts.
"For Christ sakes Maxine. What you did was out of line, unprofessional and I had a right to do it. What is said at Fleet Command is meant to stay there, not be given out to other sailors because you felt like it," he says angrily.
"But-"
"No buts, Maxine, and don't say that you were trying to protect me. All you were thinking about was yourself yet again, and saving your own damn behind. I can fully understand why Stuart walked out on you now. You can be so bloody pigheaded and self centred at times. Do you have any idea how much trouble you have caused by doing this? Of course you didn't, well because of this I have made a formal complaint about you and I have also asked for an investigation into why Kate's promotion application was never received by the board. If you want to play dirty Maxine, you will get dirty," he spits as he moves to leave, turning back when he hears his name.
"Mike come on, we don't need to be like that."
"Like what, Maxine? You decided to do this. After I got approval for Kate and I to be together, I was turning down Steve's offer to stay here, but you know what? I'm not now. I'm taking the teaching offer and when I am done, I am coming back here and making sure I am sitting in your chair, because by the time I am done with you, Maxine, you won't have a job left. This is what happens when you cross me, and don't even think about using Ryan as a pawn in your little game."
He ignores her attempts to talk further and walks out of her office, slamming the door behind him once again. He scans the room searching for Kate and finds her standing beside Steve, who had approached her while he was with Maxine. He walks briskly towards them, unaware that the entire room has witnessed their argument.
"Mike, go home and calm down. We will talk more tomorrow after I have spoken to Kate about things." Steve suggests gently. Mike nods his head and walks away as Steve guides Kate to Mike's office.
Later that evening Mike is at home, trying to de-stress after his meeting with Steve and his yelling match with Maxine.
How dare she do that. How dare she go digging into things that she has no right to know. What happened between Kate and I back then is none of her business. I can see why things never worked with Stuart and her. When things don't go her way she likes to stick her nose in and get things her way. She had no right to say those things about Kate, let alone think them, and how could she think I would be so stupid as to do something like that for grades. She needs to let go. Whatever she thinks we have, we don't. She needs to stay out of my personal life and Kate's.
I just hope Kate is ok. I left a message for her to call me or come around if she wants too. She must hate me now. I told her no secrets or lies, then I lie about her promotion application. God I stuffed this up, yet again. Say one thing then do the other, you idiot Mike. She was bound to have heard you when you told Maxine off about it.
I just hope she doesn't hate me. I hope she can overlook it and talk to me again.
Maxine has really put her foot in it this time.
His mind wanders back to Kate. Where is she? Is she ok? Why hasn't she responded to my message? He is still asking himself questions as his eyelids grow heavy; dreaming of her in his restless sleep.
Nursing a glass of wine as she sits in her couch, Kate stares blankly at the TV while trying to process all the information she has been given. She wasn't ignoring Mike's message, she told herself. She just needed some time to wrap her head around everything.
He lied to me. He tells me to talk then he does something and does not tell me. He gets information and does not give it to me when it clearly involves me. I know Steve said to not tell me, but surely I should of been told; it explains why I never got my promotion.
I can't believe Maxine did what she did. It took a lot of talking with Steve to get him to understand that I am not that sort of person. He can ask all my other instructors, teachers and the like to see what they think of me. I even told him to look at my school records. I don't need to sleep with anyone to get good grades; to be top of my class. That is who I am; that is the standard I have set for myself. If she knew me, she would know this. No wonder Mike is so angry with her. They're friends; she's the mother of his son.
I should ring Mike and talk to him. Tell him I am ok. But I am worried I might say something that will hurt us both. Tomorrow I will go and see him; talk to him. We have to work this out together. I can't let this be a setback for us. Not after he has laid so much on the line for us, for himself, and how patient he has been with me. He deserves my support.
Having worked things out within herself, Kate happily goes to bed dreaming of her future with Mike.