Chapter 17
Due to excessive training and well defined muscles in his arms and legs, Mike has no trouble at all to climb the stairs with the crutch as support. Even though, he sighs in relief as he makes the last step onto the bridge. Five pairs of eyes turn to him and widen in surprise in unison. Spider, Dutchy, RO, 2Dads and the X can't believe what they see. Dutchy is the first to recover from the slight shock "I thought you are well boss. What's with the crutch?" Slowly making his way over to his Bosun, Mike explains loud enough for everyone to hear "I'm not fully healed yet. But I couldn't stand to be in that hospital any longer. I needed to be back out at sea, or I would have gone crazy with boredom."
Turning to the others on the bridge, he goes on "I would appreciate it, if you wouldn't say anything about this to anyone outside of Hammersley. Because if NavCom or the Brass get wind of this, I'm faster out of the Navy then I can blink an eye. Understood?" They all nod and say as one "Aye Sir." Satisfied Mike limps over to Kate, who still sits in the captain's chair. Feeling his presence, she turns around to him.
Seeing the way he looks at her, she knows what he is asking her without having to say it. She hops off the chair and announces "Captain has the ship!" Smiling gratefully at her, Mike gets up into the high chair, groaning as he puts too much weight on his right leg in doing so. Kate has heard this and asks him softly "Are you alright Sir?" Seeing her honest concern for his well-being, he answers equally soft "Yes, I'm okay. No worries Kate. I just have to be more careful with my right leg, that's all." Content with his answer, Kate nods and takes her place in front of the radar screen. Mike too is feeling content, so much that he even starts to hum a soft tune.
Nav coming up to the bridge to start her watch, hears his soft humming and recognizes the tune instantly. She never thought her boss to be a Bryan Adams fan, but the tune is without a doubt the Canadian rockstars love song "Please forgive me". Without thinking Nav says her thoughts out loud "I've never taken you for a Bryan Adams fan boss. I always thought you were more the guy to listen to Sinatra and other classics." Mike laughs heartily and turns to Nav "There are some things you don't know about me and some you probably never will know. But this song has a special meaning to me, as everything in there describes my feelings for a very special woman and I should have said a few things to her a long time ago. But being the emotional coward that I am, I didn't until recently."
Nav is at awe, hearing this confession from her usually tight lipped boss, at least when it comes to his private life. "This is so romantic. Do we know that special woman of yours Sir?" Mike shakes his head and turns his gaze back out to the sea ahead of them. Nav knows this means the talk is over and gets back to do what she came up for, taking her place at the radar screen. She and Kate change places and Kate walks over to stand beside Mike, smiling at him.
About two hours later, tiredness starts to seep into his very bones. He blinks his eyes a few times to regain his vision, but everything stays blurry. He feels nauseous too. The urge to throw up getting stronger by the minute. Not able to keep his condition a secret any longer, Mike decides to exit the bridge and go down to his cabin to get some much needed rest. He turns to Kate who is still standing by his side "X?" As he sees that she looks at him, he tells her softly "I'm not feeling too well. Could you take the ship while I rest up in my cabin?"
Taking a closer look at him, Kate sees that sweat glistens on his forehead, rolling down his cheeks and soaking the neckline of his grey shirt. He has also gone slightly pale. She answers "I'll take the ship Sir. And you go down to the wardroom so that Buddy can keep an eye on you." Mike nods slighlty and hops off the CO's chair and taking his crutch, leaves his post. But Kate stops him with a hand on his arm. He turns to her and gives her a questioning look. She explains "I'm not letting you go on your own Sir. You look like you are about to collapse." Turning to Charge, Kate calls him over. He leaves his post and comes to a halt next to them. She then says "Please help the Captain down to the wardroom. He is not feeling well Charge."
Charge nods "Aye, with pleasure Ma'am." He then puts an arm around his boss's shoulders and says "Alright boss. Let's get you down before you fall." After they have taken the first steps, a sudden strong bout of vertigo hits Mike full force, just as they reach the stairs. Black dots are circling the edges of his vision and he struggles to stay focused and upright. But finally he loses the battle with gravity. His still healing leg gives way and he collapses. But Charge has a good hold on him and manages to keep him from hitting his head. He shouts for Dutchy to assist. Together they carry their semi conscious boss down to the wardroom.
Once there they lay him down on the bed as gently as possible. Buddy turns astonished around at hearing them. As he spies his CO lying on the bed, he asks "What happened?" Charge answers "I guess he overdid it a bit. He felt unwell and collapsed. We brought him here so that you can keep an eye on him." Buddy nods and looks closely at his boss. Seeing him covered in sweat and nearly unconscious, he decides to hook him up to an IV. Buddy gets the needed items and returns to his semi conscious CO. He puts a hand on his boss's arm and adresses him "Sir? Can you hear me? It's me, Buddy."
Mike nods slightly and opens his eyes, only to squeeze them shut again as the bright light from overhead blinds him momentarily. Eyes still closed, he asks "Could you give me something for the pain and the damn nausea? It drives me crazy." Buddy smiles at that and replies "I wanted to do just that. But to make it easier, I'll hook you up to an IV, alright?" Nodding his consent, Mike just watches through half opened eyes, as Buddy gets a canula out of it's package and without preamble, sticks the sharp end of it, into the back of his right hand. He fixates it with some straps of medical tape and pats his boss on his arm "I'll be back in a moment with your meds Sir. Just relax."
Trying to do just that Mike lays there, eyes still closed and taking a few deep breaths. Moments later Buddy is back and injects the contents of two needles into the IV-line, adjusting the drip. To Mike he says "I'll just give you something for the pain and for the nausea boss. The pain medication will make you a bit sleepy, so I suggest you do just that, sleep. In a few hours you'll feel like a new man." Patting his boss gently on the shoulder, he speaks up "I'll leave you to your rest boss. See you in a few hours." With those words being said, Buddy exits the wardroom and closes the door softly. He then walks up to the bridge and announces over the PA system that the boss rests comfortably in the wardroom and is not to be disturbed.
Kate thanks Buddy for letting them all know how their CO is doing. Buddy just waves it off "It's okay Ma'am. Just doing my job." Still wishing to see Mike with her own eyes, Kate tells Nav that she has the ship and exits the bridge. Nav smiles knowingly after her. Seeing the confused look from their new Swain, she explains "Those two are very close. Like soul-mates. If he is in pain, she feels it too in a way. And vice versa." Nodding, Buddy thanks Nav for telling him this and goes down to his cabin.
Down on the main deck, Kate reaches the wardroom and slowly opens the door, peering through the gap. Seeing Mike peacefully sleeping on the bed, she goes in fully and softly closes the door behind her. Walking up to the bed, she is astonished to see an IV-line going out of the back of his hand. Taking a chair and pulling it up to the bed, Kate sits down and takes Mike's hand in hers, careful of the IV-line and strokes the back of it. Watching the slow rise and fall of his chest and hearing his even breathing, makes her feel sleepy too. Before she knows it, her head drops down and moments later she is fast asleep. Her head resting on Mike's chest while her hand is still holding onto his.