Chapter 25:
The next morning both get up early as they have to be at NavCom at 07:30 hrs to get their orders for their next patrol. To spare some time Mike and Kate shower together, washing each others backs and other areas, which leads to hot shower sex between them. As Mike is the first out of the shower, he grabs a towel for himself and another one for Kate. Rubbing her dry, he kisses her softly "I love you Kate. Very much." Reaching up with both hands, Kate pulls him down to her and kisses him back. "I love you too Mike. What you did for me yesterday was amazing and I still can't believe it really happened. It was like a fairytale." Shaking his head, Mike replies "I can assure you, it's not a fairytale. It did happen. And I mean those words I sang yesterday. I would do everything for you. Even dying."
Kate shakes her head vehemently "Please don't say something like that. I don't want you to die. I want to grow old with you." Smiling at her, Mike replies "That makes two of us. I want to grow old with you too, but preferably not alone, if you get my meaning." Stroking his cheek softly, Kate answers "I know exactly what you mean Mike. But we have to wait with that, we can't risk it." Nodding in understanding, Mike kisses her on the cheek and says "I think we should get dressed, or we'll be late." Now it's Kate who nods and together they walk over to their closet and get out their whites. Minutes later both are ready to go. Mike grabs his briefcase and his hat and after grabbing his car and house keys, exits his home right behind Kate. He locks the door and throws his briefcase on the backseat of his ute. Getting in on the driver's side, he buckles his belt und starts the ignition.
About fifteen minutes later they reach the parking lot at the NavCom building. But as heavy rain was forecasted for this day, Mike decides to use the underground carpark. Finding a space near the door, he halts the car and unbuckles his seatbelt. Leaning over to Kate, he gives her one last, loving kiss. With a smile he means "This has to hold for at least a week or so." Smiling at each other they exit the car and make their way up to Maxine's office. When they reach it, they are greeted with a curt "Good morning" before Maxine comes down to business, handing Mike his new orders. He looks over them together with Kate and asks "When do we sail?" Seeing on to her screen, she answers "You'll set sail at about 08:30 hrs. Your crew is already notified. They should be loading the boat with supplies now." Pausing a moment, she looks to Mike and Kate "If there is nothing else, you are dismissed. I'll see you when you get back, Mike."
With a curt nod, Mike salutes and leaves the office with Kate in tow. They get back into his ute and he drives to the docks. Unfortunately there are no covered parking spaces, like at NavCom. So Mike has no other choice, but to take the tarpaulin out and cover the open back of his ute with it, securing it tightly on all sides. Satisfied with his work, he gets his and Kate's seabags as well as his briefcase out of the ute. Together they walk the short distance to the moored Hammersley. Reaching the boat, they see that the crew is indeed busy with loading the supplies. Nodding to Dutchy and Charge, who are overseeing the work, he walks up the gangway, salutes the ensign and goes inside. Kate follows him in a hurry. Once they have reached their cabins, they quickly change into a set of DPNUs and make their way up to the bridge.
Up there, they are greeted happily by Nav. She congratulates them both once more and hugs Kate first and then Mike. Smiling brightly, she says "You two really belong to each other. Charge was right. It was about damn time. What took you so long to ask her boss?" Now smiling shyly, Mike answers softly "I think the time was just never right, until now." Nodding Nav returns back to their task at hand. "What are our orders, Sir?" Immediately Mike tells her "Our orders are to sail to the Torres Strait. NavCom has intel that the smuggling activity has increased there. Mostly drugs, but weapons too. They want us to go after those smugglers and catch them, before they get more drugs into our country." Without needing to be told, Nav turns to her radar and types in the right coordinates and sets a course. Just then Dutchy and Charge come up and tell the CO, that the supply loading is done and they can leave.
Happy to be finally out at sea again, Mike gives the order. The X excuses herself and goes down to her cabin. Confused and worried, Mike looks after her. He has seen how she has gone slightly pale and wants to know what ails her. Not able to leave the bridge, as he is on watch, he asks Nav to go and take a look. "Sure thing boss. I'll let you know." With those words Nav exits the bridge and goes down to the cabin, she once again shares with the X. She knocks softly and walks in. Right away she hears retching noises coming from the bathroom. Opening the door, she sees the X kneeling over the toilet and feeding it with her meager breakfast. Instantly Nav is at her side, holding her hair back and saying "Just get it all out. You'll feel better afterwards."
Some seemingly endless moments later, the retching subsides and Nav gets up to hand Kate a glass filled with water. She rinses her mouth with the water and drinks the rest, wiping her mouth with the shirt-sleeve. Nav asks "What brings this on? Did you eat something that doesn't agree with your stomach?" Kate shakes her head and answers softly "No. I have a bad headache too and my limbs feel like they are weight down with lead. I think I'm coming down with the flu or a cold." Nav nods and means "Well, I'll help you to your rack. You just lie down and rest. I'll send Buddy down to check you out and then I'll inform the CO. He is very worried about you. But he couldn't leave the bridge. So he sent me down here instead of him."
With pleading eyes, Kate bids her "Could you please send him down to me? I want Mike here with me when Buddy checks me out." Thinking a moment about this plea, Nav nods and sends Kate a knowing, bright smile. "Sure. I'll send him down. Anything else I can do for you, Ma'am?" Shaking her head at first, Kate then remembers something "Nav, please make sure that he doesn't get hurt." Smiling again, Nav gets up and exits the cabin, making her way to the bridge. Up there she walks over to Mike and tells him "Sir. The X has asked for you. And I think Buddy should take a look at her." Immediately Mike jumps from his CO chair and shouts over his shoulder "Nav, you have the ship!" Taking over from her CO, Nav confirms the order and sits down in the now empty Captain's chair with a content smile on her face.