Disclaimer - I do not own Sea Patrol or its characters, only those I make up that are not part of the show.

In this story Jim and Swain do not die, they do get off the boat in time, but do get some injuries, nothing life threatening but enough for them to be in hospital. Also I had a different idea on why Kate doesn't talk about her mother to anyone, and also a different way on how the two got to know each other. Watson bay was just one of their meetings but not their first. It will have past and present view points as well.

CAIRNS

Mike's home

Mike sits at his table going over his resignation letter that is up on his laptop. He prints it off along with other documents to give to fleet command to make sure this goes through.

He has decided that in the end there is no other option for him now, over twenty years of service to the Navy and he is now sick of it, sick of not having the woman he loves, of not having a family with her like he wants. Of the Navy just not taking into effect the costs it has on their sailors and their family's. It wasn't until his kidnapping that he realized just how much family meant to him. He is missing seeing his nieces and nephews grow up, his sisters and brother, his parents, he has decided what is far more important to him right now and it is no longer the Navy, no longer the CO of Hammersley, he wants something to come home to at the end of the day. Sadly it will never be the woman he loves. But he can go find something else to do and maybe, just maybe he will find someone else that could possibly take her place. He knows no one will replace her and what she has meant to him but he hopes someone can help him forget and move forward somehow.

Before he heads off to fleet command he takes all the paperwork and files he needs to hand into headquarters and to Knocker. Then he goes to his meeting with Fleet command. The only good thing right now is that the crew is on four weeks rest with everything that has gone down, and the hard work they have put in.. But once his parents find out he has quit then things will change, they are going to be so pissed off with him over this. But has decided to hold off on informing them on his resignation.

Three hours later he leaves NAVCOM, resignation accepted. When Hammersley sails in four weeks time it will have a new Commanding Officer on board. He knows he needs to inform Kate, cause as soon as he informs his parents she will find out very quickly. He's just not sure when to tell her, or how to tell her. He knows she has been visiting Jim, in Hospital. As he saw her in the car park when he was sitting in his car having been in to see Swain, she was returning to her car as well. And as he has been with Swain the only other person could be Jim.

He rings his sister once he is home and finds out that the kids have school holidays in a week's time and that they are heading back to the family home, and he decides to go as well. Which surprises his sister that he so easily gave into her asking him to go, she often has to beg and even then she still gets a no. She gets on the phone straight away to her mother

"Hi Mum."

"Hi Suzy how are you?"

"Good thanks mum, hey I know I should have passed it by you first but I never expected to get an yes response from him but I told Mike we were all coming home for the kids school holidays, I asked him to come and see us all cause it's been so long and he said yes. Like as in yes I will be there, so I told him we were arriving on Saturday to your place." There is silence on the phone, Suzy allows her mum to digest what she has said.

"You're joking right?"

"Nope mum I'm not, he just came out with yes he would be there, that he had no other commitments. And he would see us on the weekend."

"Okay that is odd, the last time he was home was when he was off on medical leave? Wonder why he is coming home this time."

"Don't pester him please mum, otherwise he won't come home. The kids deserve to see their uncle god knows how often they have seen him since they were born. Plus I want to see him too." Comes Suzy's sad voice through the phone, they all know how much time they get with Mike which is jack shit all, compared to how they get time with each other.

"Okay I won't ask him why when he rings to tell me what he is up to."

"Thanks mum. See you in a week."

A few days later Jim and Swain are discharged from hospital, both told to rest up and that they are both bloody lucky to still be alive.

CAIRNS

Kate's place

Since the explosion, Kate's emotions have been everywhere, she has been visiting Jim everyday, and she has stopped in to see Swain as well. When Jim gets discharged, he goes back to her place, as she wants to look after him. She decides to accept his proposal deciding that at least it is someone. She can't allow Mike to give up his life, his love of being out at sea for her.

She makes plans to head back to her childhood home where her mother is living and askes Jim to come with her.

"Mum, you home next week?" Kate asks her mother

"Sure am, when are you planning on coming?" her mother is feeling so great about hearing that she is coming home without being asked.
"Jim has a doctor's check up on Tuesday, I was hoping you wouldn't mind me bringing Jim home with me, I want him to meet you guys?" She asks.

"Of course I take it you've accepted his proposal then?" comes from her mother on the other end of the line.

"Yes I have accepted." She says to her mother, but her mother doesn't hear the normal joy and happiness that comes with being engaged.

"And Mike?" She ask's wondering if he knows or if she has even considered him at all.

"I already told you mum we are over, he's shown to me already what is more important to him, and it's not me. So please do not ask about him again. We will see you late on Tuesday." Kate says before hanging up on her mother she knows she will get an ear full later about hanging up on her mother but right now she doesn't care. She needs to get back to looking after Jim. He is shocked to hear that she is taking him home to meet her family. He thought she didn't have a family. She never speaks about them, she does at times talk about her best friend from school. But has never spoken about her family at all. This leaves him wondering who they are, does she have sisters, brothers. He asks her for more information on her family, but all she says is you will meet soon, this leaves him frustrated as hell but also wondering what the hell she is hiding from him at the same time.