Moving on Chapter 2

Lieutenant Commander Jimmy Webster POV

Today I get a phone call from Commander Steve Marshall asking me if I would be happy to do a swap with the CO of Hammersley.  Steve informed me that Mike Flynn had request urgent transfer for personal reasons and I was his first point of call since I am single so no family e.g. wife and kids to hold up a transfer or talk to about it.  I told Steve I would ring him back in an hour with my answer.  What the hell is going on that Mike is requesting transfer off Hammersley that is his baby and we all know that.  So I decided to ring Mike and found out what was going on. 

What a surprise I got when Mike told me it had to do with some woman.  Like any woman has been able to remove him from Hammersley oh par Maxine but then again it was the chief who made him take the promotion.  I asked him a few more question but he still was unsure if he should tell me I could tell he was holding back all info.  So I asked why he has to leave Hammersley since any woman would be land based and if he needs this transfer he better answer with the truth.  Well I nearly had a heart attack.  Mike Flynn was in love with his XO, they had something but she called it off.  And now he is struggling with that plus Maxine little bomb shell.  He told me he was prepared to give up the Navy for this woman but then she called it all off on him.  The poor bugga no wonder he wont’s to get away from cairns and as quickly as possible.  Between his Xo and Maxine he must be a wreck.  I told him I would do it for him since we are close friends and have been for years.  We both as bad as each other in a way.  We both love the sea and being out on it.

He has offered me the use of his house and car.  This was very nice of him.  So I did the same for him.  Why not we both helping each other out.  He told me he has not informed his crew or Navcom at cairns of what is happening and I am not allowed to tell anyone.  He does not won’t it to get out that he is leaving for Darwin.  He said between Kate giving him one of her throat ripping debates, now that sounds interesting wonder if I will get to experience them.  And Maxine trying to make him stay. He just does not won’t to deal with it all.

I asked Mike if this was the same person who has held his heart for the last nine years.  Yes I do know about that little lady he met when he was off teacher the navigation course at Watson Bay.  He came back not himself.  We were working on the same boat then.  He was only back a few weeks before he got command of Hammersley and I became his Xo but I did not last long maybe a year then I got promoted and sent to Darwin.  After I left I know he went through XO after XO till his current one arrived.  We would often chat about how useless some XO were.

He said he would email me everything I needed to know about his crew.  I said I would do the same.  But against his wishes I have spoken to my XO letting him know what is happening.  I know Mike won’t be happy but Pete will be.  I told Pete he is not to tell anyone about what is going on, but what surprised me as Pete asked for his details to be withheld from Mike as he would like to surprise Mike.  I told Pete that neither crew is to know till the day HMAS Larrakia Sails.  As Mike is still on Hammersley.  I did not tell Pete why Mike is transferring that is Mike’s right to inform them if he wants.

Anyway better get packing my flight leaves early tomorrow morning and when I land I have to head straight to the docks to see Mike.  Yep I told him I would come there first then he can show me a few little things before he leaves HMAS Hammersley for the final time.  I just hope his crew don’t hate me for knowing and keeping them in the dark about all of this.  And most of all Kate his XO.  How is she going to react to him leaving?  Only time will tell.

Moving On

Ok I got the idea for this story from Hawkers episode hint thing that he gives at the start of each episode discussion and on a personal level, Mike decides to let the past stay in the past... but will it?

So I had to write it down.  Hope you enjoy.  It more about what Mike might be thinking.

I so not own Sea Patrol or its characters

Mike is on the boat deck of Hammersley watching the sun setting.  He is sitting down in an area which makes it hard to see him from the deck above but he can still see the sun set.  He is alone and thinking to himself.

The last few weeks have been interesting and frustrating.  The possibility is high that I am Ryan’s farther.  Maxine is interested in a relationship with me but my heart wont’s someone else.  But Kate, my Kate she no longer wants a relationship with me so I really can’t call her my Kate anymore.  She never seems to won’t to talk about it.  I have tried to get her to meet me outside of work but she always turns me down.  And of course at work well yea not the best place to be talking about our personal relationship, well what personal relationship.

I am finding it hard to stay professional when I am hurting.  I properly deserve it, after how things ended years ago.  But she keep asking me when we will get a new CO, I know I held off but after the sub.  I thought we had agreed to what would happen.  I know she must be pissed about not getting the promotion.  But I was prepared to do whatever it took, including talking to fleet command about my posting.  Then she somehow finds out that I had been to fleet command and that I would resign the next thing she is calling it all off  and telling me it is over and that she no longer wont’s a relationship with me.  My heart broke when she said this.

I can’t take this anymore.  I can’t sit in this chair and see her every day and know that there is no hope for us.  I can’t sit here and watch her be happy with someone else.  I won’t her to be happy but I can’t stay around and watch it.  It hurts to much even thinking about it.

I have not told the crew yet that this is my last patrol.  And that in Three days’ time I will no longer be their CO.  Yes that is right I am leaving.  I have requested a transfer I went straight to Commander Steve Marshall stating that doing it via my long term friend Maxine would result in it not being done and she is not to know till it happens.  And he has found me a new posting.  He was not happy about the short time frame I gave him, I know 1 week is not that long but thank god the CO of HMAS Larrakia, Jimmy as I know him was happy to do it for me after ringing me and asking me what the hell was going on.  At least with Jimmy I know Hammersley and her crew will be well looked after.

Some may say I am running away.  Others may say I am a coward.  Some may say fight her or take what the other one is prepared to give you.  But how do you fight for someone, when that person doesn’t won’t you to fight.  Do I repeat history and leave?  Or do I do the right thing and leave her letter telling her. 

In four Days I will be on another Patrol Boat.  Three days to work out how to tell her.  In four days she will board Hammersley and find Jimmy on board and not me how will she react?  Will she be happy that I am out of her live again? Or will she be sad, pissed off, or upset that I have left.

Maybe I should write a letter and get Jimmy to give it to her when she boards in four days’ time.  God why is this so dam hard to do, to decide how to tell her.  It it’s not like we are together.  But I am still worried how she will handle it, how am I meant to handle this.  How do you tell the one person who is your soul mate?  Your life, you’re every thought before you go to sleep and when you wake up, for the past nine years that you are leaving.  The one person who has the other half of your heart, and has had it for the last nine years.  Even if she never wonted it she has it and will always have it.

Three days to work it all out before I step off Hammersley for the last time and fly to Darwin to take over Jimmy’s crew.  Jimmy will be in Cairns when we dock.  He is coming to see me before I leave Hammersley for the last time.  His boat is on leave they head back out the same day Hammersley does. Hammersley is on a tight turn around less than 24 hrs in dock.  His crew has just had 2 weeks off.

Mike gets up once the sun has set it is now dark and he heads to his cabin to check his emails.