"Welcome back." Mark was the one to greet them as they manoeuvred their way back into shallow water. He offered his hands to the couple, helping them both step down into the water and directing them towards the flock of volunteers on the road.

Kate looked down at him, thigh-deep in the murky water.

"We're pretty low on fuel - do we have any or is that why you're off the water?"

Mark shook his head. "I'm off the water because Alison wasn't about to let me back out without a second set of hands and it was a good excuse. We've been collecting jerry cans, we can fuel you up if you want to keep going."

Kate glanced over at Buffer who nodded in silent agreement. It felt good to fall back into sync with him.

"Fuel'd be great, thanks."

Mark nodded amiably and called out to the crowd to bring down some fuel and something to eat.

"Well, you certainly upgraded," Alison commented, as she waded into the water beside her husband, a jerry can in one hand, a plastic container full of sandwiches in the other.

"Oi," Mark complained good naturedly as he took the jerry can from her, passing it up to Buffer.

"You know you're the only man for me." She smirked sideways at Mark and then whispered as she leant up, handing the sandwiches to Kate. "Doesn't mean I don't have eyes."

Kate could feel herself flush, it wasn't the first time someone had assumed she and Buffer were a couple but it had been long enough that it caught her by surprise.

"Johnno headed south and Steve's out east if you want to keep clearing out north." Mark offered a welcome distraction that Kate would happily take.

"We'll check around the creek. Though most people around there probably evacuated."

"Worth a look though," Buffer replied with a shrug. "Better safe than sorry."

Mark and Alison waded back away from the boat and Buffer let the stern drift around a little until it pointed them back down the road.

Kate stepped back up beside him as he manoeuvred over a roundabout and offered him a sandwich from the tub.

"You seem like you've been doing well for yourself." She bit down on her own sandwich to avoid grimacing at her awkward attempt at conversation.

"Made Chief Petty Officer about a year ago." Buffer smiled at her, his eyes still on the water. "Turns out it's better pay than Charge made it out to be, though that's probably because I'm not paying for two ex-wives."

"So you decided to get a boat instead to sink all your money into." Her mouth quirked, she had forgotten how easy it was to fall into this kind of banter with him.

"And good thing I did." He replied, patting the wheel.

She was opening her mouth to reply when her ears caught a sound.

"Cut the engine." She ordered, ears straining to determine what she had heard over the motor.

Buffer slowed them and cut the engine, letting them drift slightly with the current and their own momentum. For a few long seconds, there was just the sound of water and the distant hum of boat engines and choppers. Then she heard it again. The way Buffer's head shot up showed he heard it too.

It was a distant shout for help.

"Can you tell where it's coming from?" She asked Buffer, turning her head to try to track the sound.

They both seemed to pinpoint the location at the same time.

"Over there." She pointed down a side street that led straight to the creek even as Buffer was restarting the motor and turning towards it.

They motored slowly down the street - stopping the motor every ten metres or so until the calls were loud enough they could be heard even over the engine.

Kate was scanning the street in the methodical way she had been taught, eyes sectioning each house, focusing on the windows and roofs while Buffer focused on the water. It was a practised routine that made it easy to forget how much time had passed since they had last done this.

It was the movement that caught her eye first - an arm stuck out of a window, waving. She gestured back to Buffer, pointing and he began slowly crabbing over, fighting a strong current that only grew more turbulent near the houses.

A head popped out of the window as they drew closer - wet hair dripping down a woman's face, her expression mingled shock and relief.

"Hey! How many of you are in there?"

"Three!" She yelled back, her voice hoarse from calling out. "Me and my kids."

"Okay, can you pass them out the window?" Kate asked, eyeing the water level and what must be at least chest-deep in the house.

The woman ducked out of sight and returned with a toddler, holding him up through the window.

"Wait!" Kate called at her. "We need time to…" But it was too late - the woman was tired and the waterlogged child was heavier than she thought and he slipped through her hands, disappearing into the water in a dramatic splash.

Kate just reacted, jumping in after him. She vaguely heard the screams of the mother and what she thought was Buffer's voice before the water closed over her head.

The current was strong and as her lifejacket pulled her back to the surface she was already metres from the boat, her eyes scanning the water around her until she saw a small head bob up, eyes terrified.

He was just out of reach and she watched him bob back down as she swam towards him, her mind frantically calculating his location. She dragged her arms through the water, frantically reaching downwards in hope of them connecting with flesh or cloth.

The feeling of her fingers clenching into cloth was indescribable and she tugged the body up with it, relieved beyond belief when she was greeted with spluttering and cries and a tiny body clenched around her neck.

She turned her body in the current, protecting the child from any debris that they might be pushed into and finally able to look back towards the boat.

It was closer than she had feared - they'd already been swept several houses down and she had thought she'd need to grab onto a tree or light pole to stop them being swept further into danger.

Buffer's face was fierce and determined.

"I'm going to pull up beside you, do you think you can grab a rope?"

Kate eyed the water around her, they were drifting closer and closer to something that made the water churn.

"Yes! Quickly!"

She saw Buffer clock what she'd seen and he revved the engine, ignoring the possibility of hidden hazards. He had the rope in one hand and tossed it just in front of her with the ease of long practice.

She grabbed it with both hands, letting the circle of her arm hold the child tight against her chest. Buffer threw the boat into reverse, the engine struggling to keep up with the speed of the current. One hand on the wheel he dragged them in with the other, Kate pulling them hand over hand as well. She flinched as she felt something strike her back, turning her body to shield the child in her arms.

Buffer was forced to take his hand from the wheel to accept the child and it skewed a little over the water. Kate clung to the rope, banging against the hull until he could steady it.

She grabbed the rope again, her arms already tired from fighting the current. It was a hard climb but she eventually pulled herself over the gunwall, collapsing flat on the deck, gasping.

She felt a hand grasp her shoulder and looked up to where Buffer was squatting, one hand on the wheel, glancing between her and the water.

"Are you okay?" His voice was concerned and there was nothing businesslike about it.

"I'm fine." She replied, pleased when the words were only slightly gasped. She stayed prone for another long moment before rolling herself onto her side and pushing up to her knees.

His hand reached for her again and she took his strength as she stood, wavering on her tired limbs and the rocking boat. Buffer's arm wrapped around her waist and she let herself lean into him for just a moment before straightening and plucking the child from where he was crying at their feet. Buffer didn't let go of her, he just settled his arm more firmly around her as though he worried she would fall back into the water. He was warm and solid and she felt the adrenaline spike begin to recede. She let herself rest against him as he turned them back towards the house and the near hysterical screams.


Kate's legs were shaky as they motored back towards the landing. She saw Buffer notice how she lowered herself into one of the seats, her arms likewise weak.

"I'll anchor this time and we can go ashore. You need to rest." Buffer commented, turning back to the water.

"Buffer…" She tried but he interrupted her.

"Never thought I'd be the one telling you when it's time to stop and rest." His voice was amused and Kate sighed her acquiescence. "You've done enough today." He gestured at the sky, "And there's not much daylight left anyway."

The sun was starting to dip, filling the horizon with light they were helpfully facing away from.

Kate leaned back in the chair, it was a relief to have someone tell her that it was time to rest and not let herself keep pushing onwards.

They tied up to a tree on the verge in thigh-deep water and slogged their way back to Mark and the others on dry land.

"Did'ja fall in?" Mark asked as he spotted Kate's dripping clothing and tired steps.

"No, she jumped in after the baby." Buffer nodded at the mother and children who were already being greeted on the bitumen.

Mark sucked at his teeth, "That was brave of you. Risky though." He nodded at Buffer. "I asked around, we've got a spare trailer that'll fit you. We'll get your boat out safely, you should take her home, she looks exhausted."

Buffer nodded his thanks and Kate was too tired to argue with an order she wanted to follow. Mark smiled at them.

"Come on, I'll give you a lift back."