"Mum is everything okay with Mike?" Suzy asks her mother, having noticed Mike doesn't seem to be himself since they have arrived.

"No sadly he isn't okay, and he wont talk to us about it." she says as the two sit and watch what is going on in front of them. They are watching Mike measure up the back fence, having promised his parents he will get it fixed while he is here. Two of his nephews follow him around helping him as best as they can, one has pen and paper in hand, another carries some tools.

"Dad said he's gone more into himself since we arrived, than what he was like before we got here." Suzy tries to get more information from her mother about her older brother.

"He has, I think him seeing what you guys have and he doesn't is hurting him right now."

"He also said not to tell him Kate is coming and now I can see why. But..." She wants to say more but knows if she does she will be in the shit with her mother, but she is worried about her brother as well.

"Yea dad is worried if we tell him he will pack up and leave. We don't get much time with him, and even if he is like this its better than no time with him at all."

"But he should know mum, he needs time to process and not be hit with it." she says to her mother, she is against not informing her brother that Kate is coming.

"Yea well I'm expecting your sister won't keep her mouth shut about her coming, time will tell."

"I do feel for him mum, I honestly thought years ago he would have what we have now, not be the one still single, no kids, no wife, no partner nothing. When is Kate meant to be arriving?" Suzy says to her mother, he honestly thought that Mike would have married Kate years ago. Tears fall down her face, she feels broken for her brother. Who has always put everyone else before himself and now he is paying the price for it.

"Tuesday she said, and no I haven't told her, that he is here as well." She has left out to the kids that she is bringing Jim with her, she is hoping that she changes her mind and leaves Jim behind.

"Man mum what are you wanting to do to start World War 3. God I don't want to be around when they both get in the same room."

As Mike works on the fence his mind goes back to Kate and memories of them together in the backyard.

PAST

"Mike here you go." Kate gives him a bottle of ice cold water that she has brought out for him, Mike is busy working away on the fence, having water blasted, fixed up some broken parts and is getting ready to paint it.

"Thanks honey." he says as he grabs Kate and pulls her into a kiss. "MMM and that is even better." he replies back after kissing her.

"God you two, cut it out." comes the teasing tone of Brad towards the two of them having seen them with their tongues down each other's throats again.

"Shut up you, they only got a few days before Mike gets posted again." Comes from Suzy, she is happy to see her brother so happy. Once this comes out Kate's mood changes and she just walks off.

"Great one you two, can't keep your bloody mouths shut." Comes from Mike as he sends death threat looks to his sister, before going after Kate, he knows that he's leaving in a couple of days, and that this posting is going to be their hardest one to deal with so far.

"What I was only stating the truth." Suzy replies back, not understanding why this posting is any harder than his other ones.

"Suzy dear his posting is on a frigate, he is going to be away for six months, give or take." Comes from their mother, having overheard what was said by the kids.

"It's a big adjustment for both of them. They have gone a few weeks maybe a month without seeing each other but six months is a long time. So please don't bring it up again."

"So he's not going to be here for the wedding then?" She says

"No sorry." she watches as her daughter gets up off her chair cursing the Navy as she walks off.

"She be ok mum, I know it would be nice to have him here for it but duty calls, and don't worry I have it off already, I told my boss, and I put in ten days leave for it, and he has approved it." he decides to at least let his mum know he will be there, him and his wife.

They just sit there watching Mike talk to Kate, under the big tree in the far back corner of the section, they're sitting on the ground, Kate is in his lap.

"I love you, you know that right?" he says as he holds her letting her cry into his chest, he knows how hard this is for her, he is her first serious boyfriend. The only one she has been with, they are use to stealing moments here and there since she has been at ADFA, and he has been up at Cairns and Darwin working on the Patrol boats, they've been tripping back and forth to see each other,

"I know, it's just this time it's six months away, on a frigate, contact will be less than normal."

"I will email you when I get the time too, and I will ring as well."

"I know what the job entitles what you could be up against but why does it feel like this is over, though." She says to him, as she sits within his embrace.

"It's not over honey, it's just part of the job okay. I will be coming home, can't say in what state, but I will come home one way or another." he kisses her so tenderly, the kiss deepens for both of them. They then just sit there under the tree holding on to each other.

"It only feels like it is over because I'm going away, and this is the first time where we just can't go visit when one of us is free, you can still go to my place and stay whenever you want. I have put this posting off for too long. I have to take it." He says as he holds her. They both understand that he has no choice he must take it

"I've put you down as my next of kin, my emergency contact so no matter what happens out there you will know before my parents."

"Mike that is a huge step, that should be your parents not me." Kate says with total shock and surprised that he would do that without even talking to him about it.

"Mum and dad are fine with it, I spoke to them about it before doing it. I thought for you would be happy about this." he says to her, he honestly thought she would be happy that he was making her the most important person on his navy records so that if anything happened she would be the first one to get the call.

"But what about the fact I'm only at ADFA still and you're already serving, noting down this to them could cause issues." she says to him, she doesn't want to express how worried she is for her career if this gets out.

"It will be fine, we aren't serving on the same ship, and anyway we are both from the same town, your my sister's best friend all of that will be of help to us if they decide to question anything. It will be okay." he says back to her. Before giving her a kiss, then going back to doing what he was doing.

PRESENT

Mike is so away in his thoughts as he works on the fence, that he hasn't noticed tears falling down his face.

"Uncle Mike you okay?" asks little Denny as he tugs on his uncle's arm, having noticed his uncle crying.

"I'm okay buddy was just remembering something from a long time ago." comes from Mike and before he knows it his nephew has hugged him, he returns the hug. Mike wipes his face and gets back to working on the fence.

I have to stop thinking about her and our past. I shouldn't have come home at all. But then again staying in Cairns isn't going to help either, god help me how the hell am I meant to get through this. How am I meant to accept the woman I love no longer loves me, no longer wants anything to do with me, unless it's work related.

At dinner everyone notices how quiet Mike is while he eats his food, then even notice he spends more time moving it around than eating it, everyone talks about all sorts of things, including the new grandchild that is on the way for Millie. For Mike all the talk about what his brother and sister have been up to, what the kids have been doing and the one on the way makes his heart ache more. Once dinner is over Mike heads off outside, his father follows him.

"Son?"
"Dad, why does this keep happening to me?" Mike says to his father, who hears the broken sound in his voice, the sound of a broken hearted man. "I thought by now I would have what they all have inside, but I have nothing, just a broken heart."

"I don't know why it keeps happening son. I wish I did."

"Mike, phone for you, it's Captain Marshall. He said it was urgent and that he wouldn't accept any other answer than you talking to him." his mother says as she stands beside Mike, who takes the phone and heads back inside to his room.

"Wonder what he is wanting." he says to his wife as they watch Mike head inside to take the phone call. As they hear very soft shit from him means that whatever the call is about it can't be good.

Mike's room.

"I should've realised you would've gone back home when I couldn't get you at your place nor did I find you there. And by the way where the hell is your mobile? I have left several messages on it and you have ignored me." Comes from Steve after Mike has said Hi to him once, he got into his room, deciding to talk in his room.

"My mobile is switched off, I haven't bothered to check it in days to be honest. I told Maxine I was going away and my mobile would be turned off as I needed some me time."

"Well she didn't mention that when I was talking to her but then again I was laying into her about a few things. Now Mike this resignation you have put in for why the hell didn't you come to me with your problems, and issues. I would've looked into it for you."

"Steve I don't need you fighting my battles, you've done that enough when we served together then as my CO when I was in command of Hammersley. Hang on, why did you go to my place?"

"Well I went because I couldn't get a hold of you and I was worried. Maxine didn't inform me that you were going away, nor would you have your mobile off. And I don't mind fighting battles for you Mike, this one is properly the most important battle, the one where you need me on your side. I spoke with the Chief of Navy, he is going to do as I suggested I told him I wanted to investigate why the hell the Mighty Mike Flynn suddenly throws away twenty five years of service to the Navy and resigns not only his commission but resigns everything and leaves. I didn't tell him who and what properly has him leaving, but I did ask him that at present we keep paying you, and delay the date of his resignation until I had done a full investigation into everything around this." Mike hears Steve say to him and he is now pissed off.

"Steve what the hell, delaying my resignation. I don't want it delayed, I want out."

"I don't believe you, you don't really want out, you just want to be away from Kate."

"No Steve I want out, I've had enough."

"And if I was to say that you could have any position you want within the Navy would that change your mind."

"It wouldn't give me what the most."

"But it will still give you a job, money coming in to pay for your bill's. Look Mike I don't want you leaving, I'm looking into Maxine. I'm going to be honest with you. Mike, we sent Maxine up there hoping she would get you off Hammersley, when you went to Fleet Command to demand your shore posting back, and I read the report from them it was a surprise, because we had been informed that you were refusing to come off Hammersley. I spoke to her and she said that you were still refusing to come off Hammersley and that your meeting with Fleet Command was just a cover for you. It would show you wanted off but in fact you were happy to stay onboard, because you knew there was no one who could take over the command. Also we sent Kate to you because I thought she would be the one to get you off Hammersley, she would be able to get you to take promotion when we decommissioned the old girl. I had no idea that it was going to end up how it is now. I didn't mean to use your relationship with Kate to get you to take promotion, but I honestly thought bringing her back into your life would help things for both of you, but it didn't work." He says to Mike. Mike says nothing in reply, he wants to be cross with him but he can understand how bringing Kate back like he did should have gotten him off, but then again he is the only one who really knows why he left Kate, and why Kate hates him so damn bloody much.

"Why did Maxine say I didn't want off, I've been trying to get off since I got my promotion and had to go back on. I was happy to wait when told to wait for the promotional signal to come out to see if Kate could take command, because I felt those who Maxine had sent me were not up to commanding a Patrol Boat, Kate was by far far more experienced in it than the others, and even some of those who got promotions didn't have her experience, when I asked I got told she didn't have enough experience which is a load of fucken bullshit."

"I don't know why she has done this Mike, I am looking into it. I thought if not Kate could get you off then maybe your friend Maxine would."

"Well some information for you is that she wanted to have a relationship with me, as she tried to kiss me one night when we were having dinner. And you do know about Ryan don't you?"

"Yes I do know about Ryan, and I will note down that information re Maxine. Look Mike can you at least wait for me to finish this investigation into Maxine and what she has done before leaving. And I mean it Mike I will do whatever I can to have you stay, give you whatever posting you want. I don't want you to leave." Steve says to him, and Mike can hear the pleading tone in his voice, Steve has spent a lot of time training him over the years of service he has had in the Navy. So he decides to accept staying for now.

"I'll do it on my own terms. I will stay enrolled with the Navy but I won't return back to work, I will be on leave for now. Can you accept those terms."

"I can do Mike, whatever you want, I take it you're staying with your parents for now?"

"Yes, I'll be here until further notice."

"Okay Mike leave this with me." The two say their goodbyes.

Steve is happy he has been able to delay Mike's resigning he rings the Chief to let him know what he has found out so far, and what he is up too, he has given Steve the go ahead already to do whatever he can to get Mike to stay as they also agree it is a shame to lose Mike. He may cause issues but he is a bloody good officer.

For Mike he sits in his room, looking at photos of Kate and him when they were first together. He can't help but look at them, he sees the love they both have for each other.