Authors Notes: I think this is a scene we all wanted to see an extended version of...Mike and Kate in their final heart-wrenching scene together in Kate's house the morning of the memorial. This is the last chapter involving scenes from the final episode, but the story will continue for a little while...after all, we still have to get from the memorial to the snapshot of them married and expecting their first child...

Thanks to everyone who has left feedback...all comments are welcome... Enjoy :)

Chapter 4 – Mike and Kate

"Are you ok?" Mike asked Kate, knowing full well that she wasn't, but not knowing what else to ask. There were so many things that he wanted to ask, and say, but he couldn't find the words.

"I feel so guilty," Kate replied whist staring forward, unable to face him. She had been struggling with her guilt ever since she had tried on the wedding dress and she was now finding it almost impossible to deal with.

"Your decision to let them go ahead was right. It's not your fault that they disobeyed orders to leave." Mike tried to reassure her whilst walking closer to Kate. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and console her, but he didn't know if she would even allow him to touch her, so decided to remain where he was.

Shaking her head, Kate turned around to look at him. Mike had the misunderstood her guilt and she had to rectify it. Walking slowly towards him before stopping a safe distance back, "No, no, that's not what I mean."

"Then what is it?" Mike asked confused. He understood that she was feeling guilty but he had assumed that it was because of her decision to leave Jim and Swain on the boat to diffuse the bomb.

Taking a deep breath, Kate replied "After I met you for coffee, I went and tried on a wedding dress," Mike's expression changed from confusion to anguish and pain, and Kate knew she had to continue, "and that's when I knew that I would never marry Jim."

Mike looked down, there were too many conflicting emotions running through him and unsure of what to say he finally looked up and asked, "Did you tell him?"

Shaking her head, Kate looked down again. It was now or never, she had to say what she wanted to say, and whilst struggling with her emotions, she looked up at Mike and answered, "There is only one person that I could ever imagine marrying."

Mike could not believe what he heard. Of all the things he had imagined she would say, he never imagined he would hear her say those words. Despite his sense of grief for both Jim and Swain he felt incredibly relieved and happy. Despite everything that had happened, she wanted him, and only him. With a lump forming in his throat, emotions overtaking his senses, he croaked out, "Yeah. Me too."

Of all the times, a declaration of eternal love at this time felt wrong to both of them. The man who had proposed to Kate, the man who loved her so much, who had sacrificed himself to save her and others, had died not knowing that she did not love him in the same way he loved her. It was a proposal which had forced Kate to make a decision about who she really loved, and in the end it had been Mike, not Jim. And then there was Swain, leaving a family behind. A family was something Kate so desperately wanted, but always seemed out of her grasp, and now there was a slight hope that it was being given back to her.

Fighting her overwhelming emotions, Kate wasn't sure what to say next. What was appropriate? What did Mike expect? She looked around nervously hoping Mike would say something, but when he didn't she tried to deflect the seriousness of what they had just said and change the topic. "Thank you for staying on the couch last night, it can't have been comfortable but I don't think I could have faced waking up to an empty house." Kate said momentarily regaining her composure as she spoke, trying to ready herself for the day ahead.

"It was fine," Mike said with a re-assuring smile, "thank you for letting me stay, I wasn't looking forward to going home to an empty house." A large lump had formed in Mike's throat that was threatening to stop him from being able to talk, but he knew that there were things that needed to be said, "Kate, my career was never more important than you, and I'm sorry if I made you feel that it was." He said sincerely, looking intently at Kate making sure she believed every word.

Kate looked at him a little confused, not sure why he had apologised or how he knew that was how she felt, until she realized there was only one option. "Dutchy," She muttered under her breath. "That wasn't...I didn't..Its...You love the Navy, it's part of who you are, and I didn't want you to have to leave." The composure that she had regained was quickly slipping away.

"I wish you would have told me, I don't think it would have come to that." Mike replied softly, regretting that he had only just found out why things had ended the way they did and wishing he could go back in time to make things right.

"That's not the way it was put to me." Kate whispered as she looked away from Mike. She didn't have the strength to have this conversation with Mike now, and she was beginning to wonder how much Dutchy had told him.

"I'm sorry about that too." Mike barely croaked out as the lump in his throat grew. He could see the effect the last few months, and the last few days, had had on Kate, and all he wanted to do was hold her until her pain went away, but he was still not sure whether she would let him so he kept his distance.

"What do we do now?" Kate asked nervously. They both knew what the next few hours would entail, Kate wanted to know what would happen after that.

With Kate's earlier declaration and a renewed hope for a future together, Mikes voice stabilized as he floated his idea past Kate, "Well, when today is over, I could really do with a break. Just get away from here for a while."

"A...A break..." Kate couldn't understand what was happening. Only moments ago she thought they had both admitted that they had only ever imagined marrying each other, and that they were beginning to resolve some of their problems, but now he wanted a break? Was it just because of what happened, or did he want a break from her?

Noticing the confusion on Kate's face, Mike immediately realised he hadn't explained what he meant very well. "No, not...I mean a holiday. Just get away from Cairns for a while." Seeing the confusion and hurt deepening on Kate's features he quickly realised Kate still didn't understand what he was saying, Mike continued, "With you...we can have separate rooms, I know you still have... there are still things you are dealing with, but I just want to be with you, and spend time with you. I want to help you."

"I need you too. I don't think I can face it on my own." Kate's voice was faltering as she made her admission. She was terrified at the idea of facing the memorial on her own, not to mention spending the remainder of her shore leave alone. Mike was providing the security and the comfort she needed to let down her guard and start dealing with the grief she knew was coming.

"I know this isn't the best timing, I have tried to give this to you so many times, but the timing has never been right, and at the end of the day, it's something I want you to have." Mike paused as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small metal object. Holding it in one hand and traced around the edge of it with his thumb before walking towards Kate. "Mum gave it to me when I joined up to help keep me safe, and it's done a pretty good job, so I want you to have it."

"What is it?" Kate asked choking back tears as she stepped forward and reached for Mike's hand, taking a look at what he was holding.

"It's St Christopher. He's the patron saint of many things, one being sailors." Reaching for her collar, "May I?" Mike asked whilst looking at her watching the medallion in his hand.

Realising what Mike wanted to do, Kate nodded. He reached under Kate's collar and began pulling out her dog tags to attach the medallion. "This way, if I'm not around to help you, you will always have St. Christopher." Mike finished attaching the pendant and replaced Kate's tags under her uniform. "Also it means that you will always have a piece of me with you, no matter what." Mike looked at Kate and could see the tears resting on her eye lashes.

"I never saw you wear it." Kate managed to say, trying to stop the tears from falling. She never knew Mike to be sentimental, and this gesture combined with the emotion of the day was well and truly over whelming.

"I kept it in my wallet." Mike admitted softly, "On days when I thought I would need a bit of extra help, I would put it in my pocket." He explained as he reached out and started to wipe away the tears with his thumbs that were now flowing down Kate's face.

"It's an appropriate name given what's happened." Kate whispered, her voice faltering as the emotions continued to build inside her and she began to lose control.

As Mike watched Kate unravel he couldn't take it anymore. He didn't know what was acceptable or expected in this situation, but he couldn't stand by and watch it any longer. He reached out for her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her to his chest. As he held her tightly he could feel her breath hitching as she tried to control her soft whimpers. He wasn't sure whether or not he was actually helping until he felt Kate's hands gripping the back of his shirt.

As he felt her responding he tightened his grip on her and dropped is head, placing a kiss on top of her head. "It will be ok Kate, we'll get through it together." Mike's voice was muffled as he spoke into her hair. A few moments later and it seemed to have worked as Kate regained control of her breathing and before either had a chance to move back or say anything else, Mike's phone began to ring. "Did anyone ever tell you the Navy has no sense of timing?" Mike asked trying to relieve some of the tension as he took a step back from Kate.

It seemed to work as Kate continued to compose herself, "I think you may have said that before." Kate replied softly as she made a move toward a box of tissues while Mike answered his phone.

Kate froze as soon as she heard Mike answer the phone, "Maxine...No, no, that won't be possible...You do realise what today is right? Can't it wait?...OK we will meet you there...No, I'll let her know...See you there." Mike hung his head a sighed loudly as he disconnected the call. "Kate, that was Maxine, we are needed at Navcom after the service." There was a certain resignation to Mike's tone. He didn't want to say it, he didn't want to believe it himself, but he knew Maxine wouldn't have requested the meeting if it wasn't important.

"No...I can't." Kate stammered as she began to lose control again, "Not today Mike, I need to talk to Jim's parents, I need to give them something." Kate had tried to put Jim's grandmothers ring with his personal affects, but at the last second she had a change of heart and decided to give it to his parents herself. She knew it would be very difficult meeting them, but she felt it was the right thing to do, and something that she needed to do. They deserved an explanation.

Mike knew what Kate meant and he wasn't about to make her explain further, "Then Navcom will have to wait. Whatever it is, nothing is more important than..." Mike couldn't bring himself to say the words, and looking at Kate he knew he didn't have to. She understood what he meant. Nothing was going to be rushed today. Mike walked over to Kate and reached out to her, lightly rubbing her upper arm. "You right to go?"

Kate took a deep breath in before responding. "Yeah, I don't want to be late." Kate said as they walked to her door, Mike placing his hand on her back as they walked to the door. He knew their physical contact would have to be kept to a minimum today, but at least for now he wanted her to know that he was right behind her and that he would do anything to support her.

To Be Continued