10 – Back to Insanity

(Mike is back on Hammersley as CO, remember – no 2Dads storylines – ever)

The sound of her cell phone woke them. Reaching over Mike, Kate glanced at the screen. "Ugh, notice for sea" she said.

Mike sighed, "but you're on light duties, why would they call you in? How are your ribs this morning?" said Mike as his hands caressed up and down her sides. Lifting up the sheets, he gave her a longing look, the bruises he had kissed last night were still very visible in the light of day. In the light of day, her naked body did not go unnoticed either. Mike felt his penis twitch and shifted slightly.

She glanced down at his burgeoning arousal, sighed and pulled the sheets back up over her. "The Navy has no sense of time. It's a good will mission, out to XXX island to deliver supplies and right back to port. Raising up, dragging her hands across his chest, she reached in to give him a good morning kiss. "Can I make a reservation with my personal masseuse after this mission?"

"For you, I'd clear my schedule" he grinned. "You get ready, I'll make coffee and then I can drop you on my way to NavCom."

Home Port, Dockside HMAS Hammersley – and back to insanity

"There's Knocker, who is that with her I wonder?" said Mike as he pulled into an empty parking space on the dock.

"I imagine it's your replacement" replied Kate.

Mike nodded in agreement. "Looks like most of the crew is already assembled, you'd better hurry. You wouldn't want to get in trouble with this Captain like you did with the last one."

Mike could not help but feel light hearted. They had finally come together, it felt good to be making decisions with each other rather than for each other. Of course, he would be anxiously awaiting her return from the mission but when she came home, he had big plans – some of them even out of bed! He was preoccupied with giving her a proper send off without being too conspicuous to the crew assembled.

"We'll have to say our good-byes here" he said leaning in to give her a kiss that would have to last for a while.

A commotion on the dock drew her attention away from his embrace. "What's going on over there?! Looks like someone has fainted, a medical? Come on Mike, we'd better get over there," said Kate. They exited the vehicle, only Knocker noticing the two of them approaching as Swain, Charge and a seaman they didn't recognize, were busy creating space around the fallen Naval officer.

"Mike!" said Commander White, "Thank goodness you're here. I was just introducing the Hammersley crew to their new Captain. He and Charge were speaking when his speech started slur, then he just slumped forward. Swain thinks it must have been a stroke. Mike, she continued, we can't scrub this mission. The supplies are critical aid to a remote station. You're going to have resume command."

"What about Kate, Lieutenant McGregor, ma'am" Mike said nodding toward Kate. "She has already assumed command of the Hammersley, she's familiar with the ship and the crew."

"Mike, that's not an option. This is a time sensitive mission, there isn't a replacement executive officer available. Anyway, as you might know, Lieutenant McGregor has been placed on light duties due the bomb incident on the last mission."

Commander White was speaking in the tone that brooked no argument. Mike blushed slightly at being reminded of the bruises he had seen on Kate's torso. Noticing his response, Commander White continued, "It would not be in the best interest of the mission to have a physically compromised Captain with a replacement executive officer and relatively new Bosun. Max nodded to the unknown seaman."

"Dylan Mulholland, Duchy, sir" said the seaman. "It's a pleasure to meet you despite the circumstances," he continued proferring his hand toward Mike.

"I have to think of the ship, the crew and the mission, Mike. You're here, she's here, is there a problem I need to know about?" Max butted into the introductions.

Kate spoke up, "of course not Ma'am, no problem. You're right of course, the mission, the ship, the crew come first. I've had some massage physio on my ribs" she said cheekily "I should be able to resume full duties within the next day or so."

"Ahem, yes" said Mike clearing his throat to cover his response to Kate's reminder of their "massage" session last night. "I'll just um, yes, well, we better get the ship underway then X. Welcome aboard Duchy, XO Close up specials. I'll be in my cabin." He walked toward the gang plank, saluted the ensign, and made his way to his cabin – and a very cold shower.