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Chapter 5
"So, what's the plan?" Mike asked Tom.
"You will escort Dr. Scott and Milowsky, the President, the kids and the samples onshore. The James will draw out the sub." Tom explained.
"My kids?" Mike asked.
"Yes. But, Christine will stay in case this is prolonged and she has to deliver Kara Foster's baby." Tom said.
"She's…not in the Navy, Tom." Mike asked, suddenly worried.
"I'll conscript her if I need to." Tom answered, rather arrogantly.
"You…can't do that." Mike pointed out.
"Actually, you're right, but the President can. He can enact a draft, just for Christine." Tom said.
"That's ludicrous!" Mike exclaimed.
"You feel pretty strongly for a woman who you're divorced from." Tom remarked as he took a drink of coffee.
"She shouldn't be separated from her children." Mike said.
"Lieutenant Foster shouldn't stress about who is going to deliver her baby. She and Christine have hit it off, and Christine is an experienced midwife." Tom pointed out.
"Who hasn't delivered a baby in a few years. I'm sure she's out of practice." Mike said.
"Doesn't matter. I'm sure it would come back to her. Besides, Rios needs help in the sick bay. With any luck, it'll just be a hike for you and the others. The action will be on the ship." Tom answered.
"I…don't like this." Mike said.
"Well, you are being ordered. You will go. Christine will stay. Be on deck at 0700 tomorrow, with the girls." Tom said before leaving the ward room. Mike just shook his head and went back to his quarters, knowing he would have to explain to Christine that she was being separated from her daughters.
It was not an easy conversation. Partly because Christine didn't want to be separated from her kids, but also because she told him about Katie's feelings towards him. Unfortunately, Katie had to go with him, so it was not going to be an easy day for any of them. There was just not enough time to fix things, if they could be.
The next morning was rough. Mostly for Christine, who was in tears most of the night. Mike had promised to take care of the girls and to bring them back, but he knew it did little for her. She choose not to go to the deck and said her goodbyes to them all privately. Just before they left, Mike handed her an envelope with a letter inside.
"In case." Mike said.
"In case?" Christine asked.
"In case they make it back but I don't. There's letters for all three of you, but don't read yours unless something happens." Mike warned.
"Oh. I didn't write anything." Christine replied as she took the letters.
"Ah, I wrote letters before every deployment and before every away mission. You just never had to read them." Mike said before grabbing the girls' bag.
"Thankfully so. Please take care of the girls, Mike. Be easy with Katie. I know she is wrong, but be easy." Christine said.
"I will. Take care." Mike answered before giving her a long hug. He and the girls were gone before anything else could be said.
Christine spent the day in the sick bay, helping Rios reorganize things. It kept her mind from thinking about Mike and the girls. She knew the ship had been hit but there was not a lot of damage. The phone rang and Rios was talking quietly. Finally, he hung up but began getting IVs, bags of fluid and other items.
"What's going on?" Christine asked.
"The sub is sunk and XO is on his way back with everyone." Rios said.
"So, why the supplies?" Christine asked.
"XO and Lieutenant Greene were both injured. Not severely, and they are ambulatory." Rios said. Christine helped him pack up everything and followed him to the deck, where the RHIBS were being offloaded. Lieutenant Greene looked rough. Finally, Christine saw Mike and the girls. His shirt was covered in blood and he seemed aggravated by Doctor Scott.
"It's a through and through." Mike said.
"Yes, but Tex said that it was dug into. Besides, there could be muscle or skeletal involvement." Dr. Scott said.
"Doc, I've been shot before. Christine will stitch me up and I'll be fine." Mike answered. Christine walked up and gave both girls a hug.
"Christine is a nurse." Dr. Scott remarked.
"Mike; she has a point. She can stitch you up." Christine said.
"Mama, I'm all itchy." Hannah said.
"There were a lot of ticks. We sprayed the stuff Dad gave us but…there were a lot." Katie said.
"How about I take them back and get them showered while Doctor Scott attends to you?" Christine suggested.
"Okay." Mike replied. He grabbed her and kissed the top of her head. He let her go and she headed back to his quarters to get the girls cleaned up. While she waited, she put the envelope in his top desk drawer.