CH 2
When Mike arrived at Kate place he paid for the fair before getting out.
He looked around when he saw Kate's car, then he saw a car heading towards him, he recognized the car that looked like Maxine, so he duck down and move around in front of the car when he notices the car slowing down. when he saw it was Maxine, he was wondering why she was there.
He watched her drive down the street and around the corner. Mike quickly walked up to Kate's door and knocked onto it. Kate was at home eating a tub of ice cream when there was a knock on the door so she put the tub on the table then stood up and walked to the door and turned the lights on when she saw who was at the door. so she open it
"sir" Mike quickly walk in closing and locking the door then turn the lights off then look through the clear part of the glass
"what are you doing here" Mike watch through the door then Kate did "Who are you looking at" Mike turn to Kate
"We need to talk about why you cancel our holiday Kate"
"I said what I needed to say" Mike looked through the door and saw Maxine driving past again.
Mike turns to Kate. "What did Maxine say to you today in her office"
"it nothing" she turned around and walked back to her couch and sat down on it.
Then Mike sat down next to her seeing the tub of ice cream on the coffee table. He turned to Kate. "Kate when i answer my door you look shocked and upset"
"what you do in your private life is your business"
"Kate i didn't not invite Maxine around, she invited herself around, she brought dinner and wine. i told her that i wasn't in the mood for any company. She told me I need to eat. I went to do some paperwork when you showed up. i told maxine that i wasn't hungry when i went to answer the door."
"you don't have to tell me Mike who you see while on shore leave is your choice, not mine"
"Kate after you left my place I did some thinking then I remember what you said to me about me being to see fleet command. no one from NAVCOM knew i went to see them. I called NAVCOM and the lieutenant there told me that you were called into Maxine office so I called fleet command and spoke to commodore Marsh. He told me he called Maxine and asked her to find out why I wanted off hammersley." Mike looked at her and could see she started to tear up like she did that afternoon.
"She knows about us, i don't know how she knew"
"what did she tell you"
"Does it matter, it over Mike"
"Tell me"
"I was thinking of your career, i know you love the navy"
"and i love you Kate so please tell me"
Kate look at Mike then thought about what Maxine said to her and what happen half an hour ago when she showed up at Mike place with file in hand and who she saw in Mike place and how upset she was thinking that Mike move on then thought about what Mike said about Maxine showing up unannounced with dinner and wine knowing just few hours earlier about the phone call that Kate made to Maxine letting her know that it was over between her and Mike.
Kate realized that she was being set up by Maxine by breaking her and Mike up so she could make her move on Mike. Kate realized that Mike deserved to know what was going on and for her to know if it was true that he threatened to leave the navy if fleet command didn't review his decision by having his shore posted back. She turns and looks at him.
"If rumors get around about us it would be the end of our navy careers" Kate stood up and walked to the staircase where she stopped and started to cry. Mike thought about it and stood up and walked over to Kate turning her around.
"Kate Maxine threatened you to break up with me, if not" Mike looked at her with a shock on his face. He couldn't believe what he was hearing that his long time friend was black mailing Kate.
"Navy is your life Mike"
"so are you Kate. Maxine threaten to start rumors about us"
"I don't know, she might do or tell fleet command" He cup her face.
"Kate i'll sort it out, i promise you i will." he kisses and hugs her.
"i'll take care of everything" He held onto her for a few minutes. then they pulled apart while looking at each other
"what you had to do this afternoon must of been heartbreaking"
"yes it was, i didn't want to but"
"i understand you were caught between a rock and a hard place"
"yes i was"
"Well i'm going to help you get unstuck" Kate nodded "no matter what happens, i love you and your the only one who i want to spend the rest of my life with"
"the navy"
"i can't kiss" then he kiss her "the navy, i can't hug" then he hug her "the navy" then they pull apart "i can't make love to the navy"
"but you can with me" she started to smile
"Yes" she kiss Mike
"Show me," Kate said. Mike held onto her hand as they walked up stairs to her bedroom where they kissed and removed each other's clothes while on the bed and made passionate love.
Afterwards "I can't snuggle up to the navy" mike said making Kate laugh
"and what else the navy can't do" Mike look down at Kate
"Wake up in the morning with a beautiful women in my arms whom i miss doing while out on patrol"
"Same here Mike" they kiss once more.
"Mike is it true that you threaten to leave the navy cause you can't get your shore posting back"
"Yes, i told them it been months, i know that they don't want to lose me but it been hard to find a replacement"
"what about the list"
"I'll find out about that tomorrow Kate but no matter what happens, i love you"
"I know, i love you to Mike"
"when this mess sorted out we will rebook our get away holiday"
"I would like that" then they both kiss once more.
The next morning when they woke up, they kissed. "Navy sure can't do this" Mike said, making Kate giggle.
"What are you going to do today Mike"
"go to fleet command again"
"i don't want you to leave the navy Mike"
"I won't, I promise" he kisses her.
Hour and half later they were having breakfast while talking. "What your plans for today Kate"
"got some paperwork to do on Hammersley"
"Ok, i'll call you when i return"
"ok"
"Kate can you drop me off at home, i came by taxi last night i was subspous that Maxine might be driving pass and if she see my car"
"I understand Mike. i was just thinking about how she knew about us till you mentioned about her driving pass"
"True. that the only way she would know about us"
"sure i can drop you off at home"
"thanks Kate."
After Kate dropped Mike off at home she went to NAVCOM then to Hammersley to do some paperwork. She was there for two hours when the phone rang. "Lieutenant McGregor"
"X i got commander White on the line she was asking for the captain again. she been calling every fifteen minutes in the past hour."
"I'll take the call Ro"
"Putting you through" then she head two clicks
"commander white it's lieutenant Mcgregor"
"Lieutenant do you know where commander flynn is"
"on shore leave ma'am"
"where was the last time you saw mike"
"At his house when i drop the file off last night"
"did he go to your place last night"
"Wasn't he with you last night"
"Yes he was, but he left"
"Have you try calling him"
"Yes I have, It went to voicemail. Are you sure you don't know where he is"
"sorry Ma'am"
"thank you lieutenant" then she hung up. Kate returned back to her paperwork.
Later that afternoon Kate was in the galley making a brew when she heard "XO to comcen, XO to the com cen." Kate walk down to the comcen and knock on the door,
When RO open it "You wanted to see me RO"
"Commander Flynn on video chat ma'am" Kate walked over to see Mike on the monitor so she sat down while RO walked out saying "I'll go and get a brew X" then he closed the door.
Kate turns to Mike. "sir"
"X i'm at fleet command, i've been talking to commodore Marsh about what you told me." then the commodore move his chair next to Mike
"sir"
"lieutenant, i want to ask you some questions and i want you to be honest with me"
"Yes sir"
"Kate he knows the reason why i wanted my shore posting back"
"I understand sir" commodore asked Kate a number of questions including the chat with Maxine. Kate answered all of Commodore's answers.
"Lieutenant I know it must have been hard for you to break up with commander Flynn. You both put your personal and private lives aside when he returns back to Hammersley. I know I said to the commander here that it was only for a few weeks and it has been over a year. We talk about you taking over as captain so he can have his shore posting back. but are you ready to be captain of a patrol boat lieutenant"
"If you think I do sir, that is your choice whether or not I'm capable of being captain of Hammersley. I have been acting captain a few times and commander Flynn let me take over as captain for the experience before the promotion list came out four months ago. If you and the promotion board thought I am capable of me being captain of a war ship, then we wouldn't be sitting here talking about it today. If the navy thinks that i'm not capable of being captain of the war ship, it there final decision and i got to live with it sir" Commodore thought about it
"sir Lieutenant went and spoke to commander white about the reason why she wasn't promoted" Mike said
"what was commander white say"
"Lack of experience" Kate said
"I see, commander Flynn do you agree with commander White"
"No sir, the lieutenant here got more experience than any other lieutenant I work with. Plus she has been in Hammersley for five years, a lot longer than any other lieutenants that i work with in the past. Plus she knows the ship and the crew. Far as i know commander white hasn't serve on a patrol boat so she wouldn't understand what it like unless she experience it herself"
"Good point there commander"
"sir if commander white hasn't been on a patrol boat before why not put her on one for couple of patrols so she would know what it like and understand what it like being a captain"
"I'll check the commander white record and if she hasn't been on a patrol boat, I'll talk to the chief of the navy about doing what you suggested. but if she is on Hammersley will you be able to cope with her being captain lieutenant"
"I'll treat her like I do any other captain. But she can't be on Hammersley cause her son Midshipmen Ryan White is on there sir," Mike grin knows that Kate is right.
"Very well, i'll let commander white and commander Flynn know soon as i spoken to the chief of the navy"
"Yes sir"
"Is there anything you want to add lieutenant"
"No sir, but commander Flynn turn your phone on, commander white been trying to call you. she call me this morning asking if i knew where you are"
"what did you tell her" mike asked
"i told her that i didn't know where you where"
"Kate you knew i was coming here"
"Exactly i knew you were going to fleet command but i didn't know what time your flight was. you could of been still here in cairns, or flying down to canberra or already at fleet command"
"your right Kate, I'll give Maxine a call"
"thank you sir i think she was starting to get on RO nerves cause she been calling here every fifteen minutes" Mike chuckled
"Ok i'll take care of it. i'll call you tomorrow"
"Ok sir, commodore Marsh it a honor to met you sir"
"you to lieutenant keep up the good work"
"Yes sir" then the link was cut. Kate sat back in the chair then she stood up and walk to the door and open it to see RO waiting there
"Everything ok X"
"Yes and you don't have to worry about commander white calling every fifteen minutes, commander Flynn going to call her"
"thanks X" Kate walks back to the galley to get her drink then back to paper work.
The next morning Kate was at home when there was a knock on her door. so she walked over and smiled when she saw Mike there in normal clothes. She opened the door and let him in. Once the door was closed and locked. Mike pushed her against the wall generally and kissed her passionately till they broke for air.
"wow some welcome kiss" Kate said
"sorry i couldn't come around last night i didn't get home till after three this morning"
"I understand, brew"
"Yes thanks" he kiss her once more then they walk into the kitchen
"how did it go yesterday after our talk"
"We spoke to the chief of the navy about what was going on. He wasn't happy that we were still in a relationship when I was posted back on but understood the situation."
"that good, so no new captain"
"they are looking into it and considering having you as captain since there are three other patrol boats that got lieutenants and captains"
"Really so all we can do is wait"
"Yes. commodore check out Maxine profile and your right about her haven't been on a patrol boat"
"Ok, Mike i know that look"
"chief of the navy is in agreeance with you about having Maxine doing couple of patrols on a patrol boat"
"Ok question is which one, it can't be Hammersley since Ryan on there"
"that true, all we can do is wait and see"
"Ok, so you called Maxine"
"yes i did, it was about reports"
"is that all, the way she was calling RO i thought it was more serious"
"no it wasn't"
"What about the list?"
"Maxine sent fleet command her list, not mine"
"Perhaps you should have sent a copy to fleet command when you sent her your copy"
"It's too late for that now"
"True" Kate made them a drink and they talked some more.