Merry Christmas [11/11]
Title: Merry Christmas
Fandom: Sea Patrol
Pairing: Mike/Kate
Total Words: 19, 360
Summary: 'She’d almost been glad when she’d heard that they were being crash sailed. It meant that instead of spending Christmas sitting at home moping about the fact that she had no one to spend it with she would be on the Hammersley with her friends.'
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Part Eight
Part Nine
Part Ten
Navcom
1145, 24th December, 2010
‘Are you sure it was her?’ Maxine asked.
Mike ran a hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair. There was no way he could be 100% sure, and Maxine knew that.
‘How many Carly’s have a father connected with corruption in the Samaru Islands?’ Mike answered.
‘That doesn’t answer my question, Mike,’ Maxine replied.
He shook his head. ‘No, I can’t be sure.’
Maxine sighed and Mike glanced towards the exit. He wanted to get to the hospital, find out how Kate was. She’d been in surgery since 0600 when they’d returned to base and he hadn’t been able to see her since they’d taken her to the HMAS Melbourne.
He’d spent half the morning sitting in the hospital waiting, until Maxine had called him in for a debriefing. Normally he would’ve argued but he knew he would have to report to her eventually - and once Kate was awake he wanted to be by her side.
Never in his life had Mike Flynn been so afraid he was going to lose someone. He couldn’t shake that feeling of panic that had taken over when she’d stopped breathing. He’d dealt with similar situations before, but nothing like that.
Not when it was Kate.
He was finding it hard to even remember that it was Christmas Eve. He didn’t really care much anymore, he just wanted to know that she was going to be OK and then things were going to change.
He wasn’t sure how yet, but he would do everything he could to be with her. Jim had been right.
‘Mike,’ Maxine’s voice cut through his thoughts.
He looked back at her, surprised. ‘Sorry.’
‘I’m sure Lieutenant McGregor is fine,’ Maxine said.
‘Yeah,’ Mike replied, his mind still six kilometres away at the Barry General Hospital.
There was a knock on the door and Mike turned around to see Ryan standing there in his dress whites. Mike smiled, suddenly proud of how grown up the kid looked.
‘Come in,’ Maxine said, waving him in.
‘Mum, Mike,’ he greeted.
They were interrupted by a loud shout from outside Maxine’s office and they all looked out to see what the commotion was. Maxine stood up.
‘I’ll be back in a moment,’ she said, walking out of her office to break up the argument.
Mike looked back down at his watch. Kate should’ve been out of surgery ten minutes earlier but he hadn’t heard anything. Not that the hospital had any reason to call him - but he’d been kind of hoping they’d call Maxine and interrupt their meeting with good news.
The longer she was in there the more worried he got about her.
‘We found this by accident while we were tied up in your cabin,’ Ryan said.
Mike focused his vision on Ryan, not entirely sure what his eyes had been focused on before that. Ryan was holding out an old photo of him and Kate that he kept hidden.
‘What were you doing in there?’ Mike asked.
‘The Marcus guy went to sleep in there, we tried to get him while he was sleeping but apparently he was smarter than us and we ended up tied up,’ Ryan smiled. ‘I took the photo so he couldn’t use it as leverage against you.’
Ryan definitely had potential as an officer, although Mike was slightly worried how much he’d told his mother.
‘Thank you,’ Mike replied, putting the small photo in his own pocket just as Maxine re-entered the room.
‘That new Lieutenant is nothing but trouble,’ she muttered, taking her seat again and looking at the two of them. ‘Was there anything else?’
‘I’d like to resume my shore posting,’ Mike wasn’t sure where the words came from.
Maxine wasn’t either, her expression somewhere between surprised and impressed.
‘Then you think Lieutenant McGregor is up to being CO of Hammersley?’ Maxine asked, leaning back in her chair and smiling.
‘The second she’s recovered from surgery,’ Mike replied.
‘In that case I’ll put through the order to start finding a new Executive Officer,’ Maxine smiled. ‘It’s about time, Mike. I need a friend around here.’
‘Speaking of Lieutenant McGregor’s surgery…’
Maxine nodded. He wondered if she knew, he was pretty sure everybody else did now, including Ryan, and Maxine knew him better than most.
‘Go,’ she said. ‘I’ll get you to sign everything after Christmas.’
‘Thank you,’ Mike stood up and walked out, glancing at his watch again.
She definitely had to be out of surgery.
Then he heard his name being called out from behind and turned to look at Ryan who had followed him from Maxine’s office.
‘I can drive you to the hospital,’ he offered. ‘But you have to promise me one day you’ll explain that photo to me.’
Mike smiled at Ryan. ‘I can’t make promises, but a lift would be great.’
Barry General Hospital Recovery Room
2130, 24th December, 2010
Kate woke up to the sound of snoring. She was getting sick of waking up in unfamiliar places and not knowing exactly what had happened. Her brain switched on much quicker this time, focusing on Mike who was asleep in the chair next to her bed.
He was still in his dress whites, hat on the floor next to him. She wondered how long he’d been there and if he’d even eaten since they got back.
‘I don’t think people are supposed to snore loud enough to wake up the patients,’ she croaked out, suddenly becoming aware of how dry her mouth was.
Mike opened his eyes slowly and looked at her, smiling. ‘Hey, you’re awake.’
That she definitely was. Even though she could feel the morphine in her system her injury still hurt. He stood up and walked over to her, sitting down on the edge of the bed and pushing aside a strand of her hair.
‘Mike…’ she warned.
She was afraid someone was going to see him, even though the door was closed - it was a hospital and people didn’t knock before entering rooms. He didn’t seem to care, smiling at her.
‘Congratulations,’ he said softly.
She frowned. What was he congratulating her for? Surviving surgery? She had way too many drugs in her system to understand him speaking in code, and his close proximity was as intoxicating to her as the drugs.
‘For what?’ she asked.
‘You’re the Hammersley’s new CO,’ he finished.
She didn’t know how to respond to that, her chest felt like exploding and imploding at the same time - although that could’ve had something to do with her surgery - and her head suddenly felt very light - again that could’ve been the drugs.
She didn’t want to believe what he’d just said, she’d heard it from him before - that he was taking a shore posting and they could be together. That had backfired.
Somehow this time she believed him though, because this time he wasn’t being forced to take the shore posting and he couldn’t come back to Hammersley as CO if she was in charge. She wouldn’t let him.
‘Shore posting?’ was all she managed.
He nodded. ‘Maxine called an hour or so ago, it’s all confirmed - your new XO will join you next time the Hammersley is deployed.’
Only now did she smile. He wasn’t joking, this time he was serious.
‘Why?’ she asked, still short of words.
‘I nearly lost you,’ he whispered, a grim tone to his voice.
She took his hand and squeezed it. She was about to open her mouth to respond when he spoke first.
‘If they let you out of here I want you to come over for Christmas lunch tomorrow,’ he said.
Maybe she was just high on drugs.
‘Kate?’ he continued.
‘Yeah, I’d like that,’ she replied.
He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the forehead just as the door creaked open. He pulled away but didn’t let go of her hand and looked towards the door.
Jim was standing there, holding small teddy bear dressed in a Navy uniform. Kate smiled as she saw him, squeezing Mike’s hand just to check that he knew it was OK.
Mike didn’t seem to mind Jim’s presence and Kate wondered for a moment what had happened. For the first time neither of them were acting like jealous males.
‘Want me to leave?’ Mike asked Kate.
She shook her head at the same time Jim commented ‘No need.’
He walked over to her and placed the teddy on the end of her bed.
‘I thought about flowers and chocolate but neither of them seemed very ‘you’, so I found this guy at the market,’ Jim smiled, sitting on the end of the bed. ‘I considered getting the Army bear but since there wasn’t a specific SAS one I settled for Navy. You guys aren’t so bad either.’
Why was everything suddenly OK? Kate wasn’t used to things turning out her way and the whole situation was quite confusing to her.
‘Thank you,’ she replied.
Jim smiled, standing up again. ‘I have to go, the trouble in the Samaru Islands isn’t over yet and we’re being sent back - this time on the HMAS Bundaberg.’
‘Merry Christmas,’ Mike commented, standing up, letting go of Kate’s hand and hold his out to Jim. ‘And good luck.’
Jim paused for a moment and then shook Mike’s hand.
‘You too,’ he looked at Kate. ‘Feel better, Kate.’
He turned and left. Kate felt slightly empty, watching him go again, but this time at least she understood why. And somehow she had a feeling Mike did too. Mike sat back down again and before they could continue their conversation they heard talking outside the room.
Next thing she knew half the Hammersley crew were there, creeping in slowly as though worried she may still be asleep. Charge smiled first.
‘Merry Christmas!’ he said, holding up a bottle of rum. ‘I brought you the makings of a Guava Mojo! I had to sneak this in and Swain says you’re not allowed to drink it until you’re better, but it’s the thought that counts, right?’
Kate laughed. ‘Thanks, Charge.’
The others entered one by one.
‘We heard you weren’t going to be allowed out in time to make it to the pub, so we thought we’d bring the party to you,’ 2Dads commented.
‘Guys, quiet,’ Swain said, closing the door behind him. ‘Visiting hours are over, I had to beg the nurse to let us in.’
Kate smiled as everyone took seats around the room. This was exactly what Christmas was supposed to feel like. Maybe the location and the situation could have been better - but these were the people she considered her family.
Things weren’t so bad after all.
Mike Flynn’s House
1342, 25th December, 2010
Mike wasn’t sure why he was so nervous. Kate had been to his place hundreds of times over the years, and that was when there had been rules in place for the two of them to break.
Now there weren’t any rules and he couldn’t stop his stomach twisting in a knot. He’d brought her back from the hospital that morning - after much fighting between her and the doctors that she would be fine in his care - and she’d fallen straight asleep on the couch. He’d left her there and concentrated on cooking the best meal that he could.
He’d never been much of a cook, usually if she came over she did the cooking. When left to his own he usually ended up eating dodgy Chinese food or takeaway pizza.
So he was trying and probably failing miserably. But it was the thought that counted?
He heard her rustling on the couch and looked over at the living area.
‘What time is it?’ she asked.
He smiled. ‘Almost two.’
‘Damn, I missed Christmas,’ she winced as she tried to sit up.
‘Maybe you should just lie down,’ he suggested.
She waved a hand and finished sitting up. ‘That would make it hard to eat.’
He smiled involuntarily. He’d never been so happy to see Kate alive and mostly well, sitting on his couch. He looked over at the Christmas tree. There were three presents under it. One each for Maxine and Ryan that he’d been planning to take there for the lunch he’d cancelled on, and one for Kate that he’d had for months and had never been sure he was going to give to her.
In all the years they’d known each other he’d never given her a present for Christmas or her birthday, always afraid that somehow that could be misconstrued as something unprofessional and inappropriate.
‘I don’t know if you’ll want to eat what I’ve cooked,’ Mike replied.
‘After hospital food, everything will taste good,’ she smiled back at him.
‘I’m not sure that’s a compliment,’ he turned down the stove and walked over to the tree.
Since he had the present he might as well give it to her. He picked it up and walked back towards the couch, taking a seat next to her and handing her the present.
‘Merry Christmas,’ he whispered.
The way she looked at him made his heart beat a little faster. She hadn’t been expecting a present, he didn’t blame her. He’d never given her any reason to.
‘I didn’t get you anything,’ she replied.
‘Open it. It’s nothing special.’
He picked up the teddy bear that Jim had given her and looked at it. It had the insignia of a Commander and Mike smiled to himself, wondering if Jim had done that on purpose. Although it was possible that it had been his only option and he had really been looking for an SAS bear.
‘Very funny,’ Kate laughed as she opened the present. ‘You know maybe you could use one of these yourself.’
It was a book about how not to be a work-a-holic.
‘Maybe,’ he replied, smiling slightly.
He wondered if it was too soon to kiss her. Only two days earlier they’d been on the Hammersley, him her CO and her his XO. Everything he’d felt for her for years had been wrong, against the rules.
Yet here they were, no rules, nothing to keep them apart - and he didn’t even have the courage to lean forward and kiss her, or to open his mouth and tell her exactly how he felt.
She looked at him again and suddenly he felt trapped, like she was reading his thoughts.
‘Mike,’ she said quietly.
He liked when she said his name, he could count on one hand how many times he’d heard her say it since she’d first arrived on the Hammersley. He used her name all the time but for some reason she’d avoided using it at all costs.
‘I’m sorry I was an idiot,’ he said suddenly, unsure where his words came from.
She touched his face lightly. ‘Yeah, you were.’
Suddenly the knotted feeling in his stomach went away and he leaned forward, kissing her lightly, afraid of hurting her in some way. She didn’t seem afraid of pain as she deepened the kiss, sliding her hand around the back of his neck.
After a few moments she pulled away and looked him in the eye.
‘Promise me this time it’s real,’ she whispered.
He nodded. ‘This time it’s real, Kate.’
She kissed him again, this time more passionately and his hands found their way into her hair, too afraid to touch any part of her still fragile body. This was how things should have been for years, and he instantly regretted delaying it.
But he didn’t have to worry about that anymore, because finally not only had he found the courage to invite her over for Christmas, but he’d taken the shore posting he’d dreaded for so long and he’d made sure she was replacing him as CO.
Everything felt right.
She pulled back and looked over his shoulder.
‘Mike,’ she said, laughing. ‘I think you burnt lunch.’
He slumped his shoulders and looked at the kitchen, there was definitely smoke coming from the oven.
At least he’d tried. He ignored it and kissed her again until she pushed him away, laughing.
‘You better get that or we’ll be having McDonalds for Christmas dinner,’ she commented.
He reluctantly stood up and walked to the kitchen. The gravy on the stove was burnt, as well as the chicken in the oven. He sighed and turned to look at her.
She laughed again and he didn’t think he’d seen her that happy in years.
‘I hope you don’t mind your chicken crispy,’ he commented.
She shook her head.
The food didn’t matter anyway.
They had each other.
Fandom: Sea Patrol
Pairing: Mike/Kate
Total Words: 19, 360
Summary: 'She’d almost been glad when she’d heard that they were being crash sailed. It meant that instead of spending Christmas sitting at home moping about the fact that she had no one to spend it with she would be on the Hammersley with her friends.'
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Part Eight
Part Nine
Part Ten
Navcom
1145, 24th December, 2010
‘Are you sure it was her?’ Maxine asked.
Mike ran a hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair. There was no way he could be 100% sure, and Maxine knew that.
‘How many Carly’s have a father connected with corruption in the Samaru Islands?’ Mike answered.
‘That doesn’t answer my question, Mike,’ Maxine replied.
He shook his head. ‘No, I can’t be sure.’
Maxine sighed and Mike glanced towards the exit. He wanted to get to the hospital, find out how Kate was. She’d been in surgery since 0600 when they’d returned to base and he hadn’t been able to see her since they’d taken her to the HMAS Melbourne.
He’d spent half the morning sitting in the hospital waiting, until Maxine had called him in for a debriefing. Normally he would’ve argued but he knew he would have to report to her eventually - and once Kate was awake he wanted to be by her side.
Never in his life had Mike Flynn been so afraid he was going to lose someone. He couldn’t shake that feeling of panic that had taken over when she’d stopped breathing. He’d dealt with similar situations before, but nothing like that.
Not when it was Kate.
He was finding it hard to even remember that it was Christmas Eve. He didn’t really care much anymore, he just wanted to know that she was going to be OK and then things were going to change.
He wasn’t sure how yet, but he would do everything he could to be with her. Jim had been right.
‘Mike,’ Maxine’s voice cut through his thoughts.
He looked back at her, surprised. ‘Sorry.’
‘I’m sure Lieutenant McGregor is fine,’ Maxine said.
‘Yeah,’ Mike replied, his mind still six kilometres away at the Barry General Hospital.
There was a knock on the door and Mike turned around to see Ryan standing there in his dress whites. Mike smiled, suddenly proud of how grown up the kid looked.
‘Come in,’ Maxine said, waving him in.
‘Mum, Mike,’ he greeted.
They were interrupted by a loud shout from outside Maxine’s office and they all looked out to see what the commotion was. Maxine stood up.
‘I’ll be back in a moment,’ she said, walking out of her office to break up the argument.
Mike looked back down at his watch. Kate should’ve been out of surgery ten minutes earlier but he hadn’t heard anything. Not that the hospital had any reason to call him - but he’d been kind of hoping they’d call Maxine and interrupt their meeting with good news.
The longer she was in there the more worried he got about her.
‘We found this by accident while we were tied up in your cabin,’ Ryan said.
Mike focused his vision on Ryan, not entirely sure what his eyes had been focused on before that. Ryan was holding out an old photo of him and Kate that he kept hidden.
‘What were you doing in there?’ Mike asked.
‘The Marcus guy went to sleep in there, we tried to get him while he was sleeping but apparently he was smarter than us and we ended up tied up,’ Ryan smiled. ‘I took the photo so he couldn’t use it as leverage against you.’
Ryan definitely had potential as an officer, although Mike was slightly worried how much he’d told his mother.
‘Thank you,’ Mike replied, putting the small photo in his own pocket just as Maxine re-entered the room.
‘That new Lieutenant is nothing but trouble,’ she muttered, taking her seat again and looking at the two of them. ‘Was there anything else?’
‘I’d like to resume my shore posting,’ Mike wasn’t sure where the words came from.
Maxine wasn’t either, her expression somewhere between surprised and impressed.
‘Then you think Lieutenant McGregor is up to being CO of Hammersley?’ Maxine asked, leaning back in her chair and smiling.
‘The second she’s recovered from surgery,’ Mike replied.
‘In that case I’ll put through the order to start finding a new Executive Officer,’ Maxine smiled. ‘It’s about time, Mike. I need a friend around here.’
‘Speaking of Lieutenant McGregor’s surgery…’
Maxine nodded. He wondered if she knew, he was pretty sure everybody else did now, including Ryan, and Maxine knew him better than most.
‘Go,’ she said. ‘I’ll get you to sign everything after Christmas.’
‘Thank you,’ Mike stood up and walked out, glancing at his watch again.
She definitely had to be out of surgery.
Then he heard his name being called out from behind and turned to look at Ryan who had followed him from Maxine’s office.
‘I can drive you to the hospital,’ he offered. ‘But you have to promise me one day you’ll explain that photo to me.’
Mike smiled at Ryan. ‘I can’t make promises, but a lift would be great.’
Barry General Hospital Recovery Room
2130, 24th December, 2010
Kate woke up to the sound of snoring. She was getting sick of waking up in unfamiliar places and not knowing exactly what had happened. Her brain switched on much quicker this time, focusing on Mike who was asleep in the chair next to her bed.
He was still in his dress whites, hat on the floor next to him. She wondered how long he’d been there and if he’d even eaten since they got back.
‘I don’t think people are supposed to snore loud enough to wake up the patients,’ she croaked out, suddenly becoming aware of how dry her mouth was.
Mike opened his eyes slowly and looked at her, smiling. ‘Hey, you’re awake.’
That she definitely was. Even though she could feel the morphine in her system her injury still hurt. He stood up and walked over to her, sitting down on the edge of the bed and pushing aside a strand of her hair.
‘Mike…’ she warned.
She was afraid someone was going to see him, even though the door was closed - it was a hospital and people didn’t knock before entering rooms. He didn’t seem to care, smiling at her.
‘Congratulations,’ he said softly.
She frowned. What was he congratulating her for? Surviving surgery? She had way too many drugs in her system to understand him speaking in code, and his close proximity was as intoxicating to her as the drugs.
‘For what?’ she asked.
‘You’re the Hammersley’s new CO,’ he finished.
She didn’t know how to respond to that, her chest felt like exploding and imploding at the same time - although that could’ve had something to do with her surgery - and her head suddenly felt very light - again that could’ve been the drugs.
She didn’t want to believe what he’d just said, she’d heard it from him before - that he was taking a shore posting and they could be together. That had backfired.
Somehow this time she believed him though, because this time he wasn’t being forced to take the shore posting and he couldn’t come back to Hammersley as CO if she was in charge. She wouldn’t let him.
‘Shore posting?’ was all she managed.
He nodded. ‘Maxine called an hour or so ago, it’s all confirmed - your new XO will join you next time the Hammersley is deployed.’
Only now did she smile. He wasn’t joking, this time he was serious.
‘Why?’ she asked, still short of words.
‘I nearly lost you,’ he whispered, a grim tone to his voice.
She took his hand and squeezed it. She was about to open her mouth to respond when he spoke first.
‘If they let you out of here I want you to come over for Christmas lunch tomorrow,’ he said.
Maybe she was just high on drugs.
‘Kate?’ he continued.
‘Yeah, I’d like that,’ she replied.
He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the forehead just as the door creaked open. He pulled away but didn’t let go of her hand and looked towards the door.
Jim was standing there, holding small teddy bear dressed in a Navy uniform. Kate smiled as she saw him, squeezing Mike’s hand just to check that he knew it was OK.
Mike didn’t seem to mind Jim’s presence and Kate wondered for a moment what had happened. For the first time neither of them were acting like jealous males.
‘Want me to leave?’ Mike asked Kate.
She shook her head at the same time Jim commented ‘No need.’
He walked over to her and placed the teddy on the end of her bed.
‘I thought about flowers and chocolate but neither of them seemed very ‘you’, so I found this guy at the market,’ Jim smiled, sitting on the end of the bed. ‘I considered getting the Army bear but since there wasn’t a specific SAS one I settled for Navy. You guys aren’t so bad either.’
Why was everything suddenly OK? Kate wasn’t used to things turning out her way and the whole situation was quite confusing to her.
‘Thank you,’ she replied.
Jim smiled, standing up again. ‘I have to go, the trouble in the Samaru Islands isn’t over yet and we’re being sent back - this time on the HMAS Bundaberg.’
‘Merry Christmas,’ Mike commented, standing up, letting go of Kate’s hand and hold his out to Jim. ‘And good luck.’
Jim paused for a moment and then shook Mike’s hand.
‘You too,’ he looked at Kate. ‘Feel better, Kate.’
He turned and left. Kate felt slightly empty, watching him go again, but this time at least she understood why. And somehow she had a feeling Mike did too. Mike sat back down again and before they could continue their conversation they heard talking outside the room.
Next thing she knew half the Hammersley crew were there, creeping in slowly as though worried she may still be asleep. Charge smiled first.
‘Merry Christmas!’ he said, holding up a bottle of rum. ‘I brought you the makings of a Guava Mojo! I had to sneak this in and Swain says you’re not allowed to drink it until you’re better, but it’s the thought that counts, right?’
Kate laughed. ‘Thanks, Charge.’
The others entered one by one.
‘We heard you weren’t going to be allowed out in time to make it to the pub, so we thought we’d bring the party to you,’ 2Dads commented.
‘Guys, quiet,’ Swain said, closing the door behind him. ‘Visiting hours are over, I had to beg the nurse to let us in.’
Kate smiled as everyone took seats around the room. This was exactly what Christmas was supposed to feel like. Maybe the location and the situation could have been better - but these were the people she considered her family.
Things weren’t so bad after all.
Mike Flynn’s House
1342, 25th December, 2010
Mike wasn’t sure why he was so nervous. Kate had been to his place hundreds of times over the years, and that was when there had been rules in place for the two of them to break.
Now there weren’t any rules and he couldn’t stop his stomach twisting in a knot. He’d brought her back from the hospital that morning - after much fighting between her and the doctors that she would be fine in his care - and she’d fallen straight asleep on the couch. He’d left her there and concentrated on cooking the best meal that he could.
He’d never been much of a cook, usually if she came over she did the cooking. When left to his own he usually ended up eating dodgy Chinese food or takeaway pizza.
So he was trying and probably failing miserably. But it was the thought that counted?
He heard her rustling on the couch and looked over at the living area.
‘What time is it?’ she asked.
He smiled. ‘Almost two.’
‘Damn, I missed Christmas,’ she winced as she tried to sit up.
‘Maybe you should just lie down,’ he suggested.
She waved a hand and finished sitting up. ‘That would make it hard to eat.’
He smiled involuntarily. He’d never been so happy to see Kate alive and mostly well, sitting on his couch. He looked over at the Christmas tree. There were three presents under it. One each for Maxine and Ryan that he’d been planning to take there for the lunch he’d cancelled on, and one for Kate that he’d had for months and had never been sure he was going to give to her.
In all the years they’d known each other he’d never given her a present for Christmas or her birthday, always afraid that somehow that could be misconstrued as something unprofessional and inappropriate.
‘I don’t know if you’ll want to eat what I’ve cooked,’ Mike replied.
‘After hospital food, everything will taste good,’ she smiled back at him.
‘I’m not sure that’s a compliment,’ he turned down the stove and walked over to the tree.
Since he had the present he might as well give it to her. He picked it up and walked back towards the couch, taking a seat next to her and handing her the present.
‘Merry Christmas,’ he whispered.
The way she looked at him made his heart beat a little faster. She hadn’t been expecting a present, he didn’t blame her. He’d never given her any reason to.
‘I didn’t get you anything,’ she replied.
‘Open it. It’s nothing special.’
He picked up the teddy bear that Jim had given her and looked at it. It had the insignia of a Commander and Mike smiled to himself, wondering if Jim had done that on purpose. Although it was possible that it had been his only option and he had really been looking for an SAS bear.
‘Very funny,’ Kate laughed as she opened the present. ‘You know maybe you could use one of these yourself.’
It was a book about how not to be a work-a-holic.
‘Maybe,’ he replied, smiling slightly.
He wondered if it was too soon to kiss her. Only two days earlier they’d been on the Hammersley, him her CO and her his XO. Everything he’d felt for her for years had been wrong, against the rules.
Yet here they were, no rules, nothing to keep them apart - and he didn’t even have the courage to lean forward and kiss her, or to open his mouth and tell her exactly how he felt.
She looked at him again and suddenly he felt trapped, like she was reading his thoughts.
‘Mike,’ she said quietly.
He liked when she said his name, he could count on one hand how many times he’d heard her say it since she’d first arrived on the Hammersley. He used her name all the time but for some reason she’d avoided using it at all costs.
‘I’m sorry I was an idiot,’ he said suddenly, unsure where his words came from.
She touched his face lightly. ‘Yeah, you were.’
Suddenly the knotted feeling in his stomach went away and he leaned forward, kissing her lightly, afraid of hurting her in some way. She didn’t seem afraid of pain as she deepened the kiss, sliding her hand around the back of his neck.
After a few moments she pulled away and looked him in the eye.
‘Promise me this time it’s real,’ she whispered.
He nodded. ‘This time it’s real, Kate.’
She kissed him again, this time more passionately and his hands found their way into her hair, too afraid to touch any part of her still fragile body. This was how things should have been for years, and he instantly regretted delaying it.
But he didn’t have to worry about that anymore, because finally not only had he found the courage to invite her over for Christmas, but he’d taken the shore posting he’d dreaded for so long and he’d made sure she was replacing him as CO.
Everything felt right.
She pulled back and looked over his shoulder.
‘Mike,’ she said, laughing. ‘I think you burnt lunch.’
He slumped his shoulders and looked at the kitchen, there was definitely smoke coming from the oven.
At least he’d tried. He ignored it and kissed her again until she pushed him away, laughing.
‘You better get that or we’ll be having McDonalds for Christmas dinner,’ she commented.
He reluctantly stood up and walked to the kitchen. The gravy on the stove was burnt, as well as the chicken in the oven. He sighed and turned to look at her.
She laughed again and he didn’t think he’d seen her that happy in years.
‘I hope you don’t mind your chicken crispy,’ he commented.
She shook her head.
The food didn’t matter anyway.
They had each other.