The following morning Mike wakes to the smell of coffee in his house. As he comes around, he notices how much his head is hurting. His throat is dry and, in total, he feels like crap. He is wondering if Kate is around, but when he walks out to the kitchen he notices Steve standing by sink.

"Sir?"

"You're up."

"What time is it?"

"1300 hours."

"What happened last night?"

"Don't you remember?"

"I remember some things, but everything seems a little hazy. There was something about HMAS Anzac and if I don't take it, it will be an order. Then I remember something about the bottom of the bottle, and food."

"Well Mike, you are correct with what you do remember. You fly out to Sydney tomorrow to be the CO for HMAS Anzac. I told you to either accept it willing or I will order you to take it. The bottle, Mike, you won't find the answers at the bottom of a bottle. I stayed to make sure you ate and then sent you to bed. Oh, and I have all your alcohol supplies in my car and you're not getting them back."

Mike heads to the couch and sits down with his head in his hands.

"Mike, you will get through this. Going away, having some space, might help both of you. And having some work to concentrate on will also help you, Mike. A bottle doesn't have the answers you need; it might help numb the pain at the start, but it won't fix it. Just give yourself time before you make any decisions about your future with Kate."

"Oh God, how much did I tell you last night?"

"Enough for me to get the basics of what is going on. Don't worry Mike, what was said last night was between friends. It won't leave the four walls of this house."

"Thank you, Steve."

"Now, I would recommend you get over this hangover, then let Kate know what is happening about your new posting. If you're not happy to phone her then use email ok, and I will deal with whatever happens from there on."

"Thank you again Steve."

"Mike, she's dug the knife in deep, hasn't she?"

"Yea, she has."

"Just don't do anything stupid while you are away, ok?'

"I won't. It's not like there's much I can do while on a frigate anyway, Sir."

"True there, Mike. But frigates are not like patrol boats, you need all your uniforms when you go, so make sure all of them are packed."

"Great."

They spend the afternoon talking. Steve heads off after making sure Mike won't do anything stupid and says he will pick Mike up in the morning and take him to the airport.

On Hammersley, Kate is still the same. At around 1300 hours they spot an FFV, which gets Kate working on other things. The crew notices how quickly she goes from being distracted to that of CO and making sure everyone knows what is going on. She does her job like she should so they all stop worrying about whatever is on her mind. It is not effecting her work yet, but Nikki decides to keep a close eye on her though.

Later that evening Kate's phone goes off at dinner and she sees it is a text from Mike.

How long is this patrol?

Marshall said five weeks with regular returns back to Cairns when needed

I won't be here when you return

Why? Where are you going? Kate gets no response from him again. She tries several more times, even attempting to ring him but she has no luck.

Around 2200 hours Nikki is walking past the CO's cabin when she notices Kate's light is still on. When Nikki leans closer to the door she hears very faint crying. She slowly enters the cabin and finds Kate curled up on the floor in the bathroom. She goes to her and pulls her into a hug, and asks if she is ok. Kate shakes her head.

"Hey, come on. Talk to me. It can't be that bad."

"It is. I stuffed it all up, Nikki."

"No, you haven't. You did great today."

"Not today. With Mike."

"No, you haven't. It's bound to be hard, with you here and him back at home."

"No, Nikki, that's not it at all. I broke the one rule he asked me not to break. Well, we set for both of us, and I went and shattered it into a million pieces."

"Give him time. He'll get over it and be back."

"No, he won't. He said if I broke this rule it was over for good, forever. There would be no more chances, ever. Then he texts me tonight and tells me he won't be around when we return."

"Well, have you called him?"

"Yes, he won't answer. I even used comcen and still nothing." Kate breaks down again in Nikki's arms. I can't believe this, she's been on cloud nine for the last week and now this, Nikki thinks to herself.

While she sits there with Nikki, her mobile goes off, alerting her to an incoming text message.

After he gets her response to his last message, Mike struggles to type one back. Instead, he goes to his laptop and types an email to her, stopping and rewriting parts of it. He ignores his mobile and house phone ringing because he knows it will be Kate trying to find out what is up. Several hours later he is finally happy enough with what he has written to send it off to her. He replies to her texts, letting her know he has emailed her. He not sure if he's done the right thing or not.

Back on Hammersley

"Do you want me to get that?"

"Please." Nikki retrieves Kate's phone from off her desk.

"It's from Mike. Want me to open and read it?" Kate nods her head.

I've emailed you why, Nikki reads out to her. Kate stays sitting on the floor for another five minutes before moving to her laptop and opening it up and downloading her messages. She sees the email from Mike, but so far she can't bring herself to open it.

"Do you want me to stay while you read it, or would you like me to go?"

"Um, I'd prefer to read it on my own, thanks." Nikki leaves the cabin and Kate finally gets the courage up to click the email and open it. She takes a deep breath before starting to read it.

Dear Kate

I'm sorry that I'm not telling you this myself, but the last few days have been, well, not as I had planned or expected.

I think it's best if we spend some time apart. I know with what is going on with you and the brass this might not be good timing, but I see no choice. Well, more the case, I have no choice. Marshall is deploying me to the gulf for six months, as CO of HMAS Anzac. Yes, a frigate.

I only asked you to do one thing. I set the same thing for myself, remember. We talk and not run when there are problems. I told you what would happen if you did it, it would be over.

I proposed to you after dad told me about my mum and what had happened for them. I thought it would show you I was here for you, because I was worried you were putting your walls back up. Dad said talking is not always enough, so I did it showing you that I wanted you and that I'm here for you. That you didn't need those walls because I'm here to protect you. Now I'm wondering if I did the right thing.

I know we didn't talk about what happened in Jarrod's office when we got home on Friday, but I wanted what little time we had before your patrol to be about us. Just us enjoying time together; no talking about Brad, Maxine or the crap that has been going on. It's got nothing to do with trust, Kate. I just didn''t want us to talk and fight about it, but if I had known you were going to react like you did to me getting some extra protection, I would never have taken things as far as I did.

I can understand you not wanting to talk about your life before the Navy, and that is fine. But walking out like you did, that cut deep, Kate. I don't think you have any idea how deep it went.

I'm not sure what will happen about us, but Marshall is right. I can't find the answer in the bottom of a bottle, so I'm doing as he has asked. Well, he said he'd make it an order if I didn't take it.

I have emailed my parents to let them know of my new posting, but I've not said anything about what has happened since we last saw them. I'm not ready to face the disappointment that they will have about me.

Bye

Mike

Kate sits there with silent tears running down her face. She goes to the safe and takes out the small black velvet box and opens it to reveal the ring Mike gave her.

No. God no. My dreams, our dreams. I crushed them all over some stupid thing. Something that really never needed to be dealt with like that. And then I walked out. Why did I do that? Why?

But what does Mike mean when he says he can't find the answer at the bottom of a bottle?

And six months in the gulf? There is no hope for us no hope at all.

What has been going on back at home for this to be happening to us?