"Pelican!" yelled Emily, chasing after the giant white bird as it sped away from her in the park, taking flight before the three year old could catch it.
"Emily, there's ducks" pointed Zach, the seven year old accustomed to the look on his sisters face moments before tears and wanting to avoid them.
"Where?" asked the little girl, her wide eyes peering around the park before brightening.
"Hammersley's coming in" called Kate, waving both the children over. Zach bounced up happily, sprinting towards Kate as Emily tottered between following her brother and playing with her new quacking friends.
"Come on Emily" called Kate, leaning down to pick up the still child.
The little girl squealed in annoyance before her attention was caught by the incoming grey boat.
"Mike!" she called, pointing a chubby finger towards it.
"Do you think they met pirates this time?" bounced Zach, grabbing hold of Kate's hand as she led the children down the pier.
"Or, bandits with swords!"
Kate chuckled at the stories the little boy had decided made up Mike's daily life onboard the patrol boat.
"Drug smugglers more likely" she muttered, gripping the child's hand tighter so that he wouldn't disappear.
"Huh?" he asked, face contorting in confusion.
"Nothing" smiled Kate, aware that Marcus probably wanted the issues of boarder security saved for when the child was a little older.
She needn't have worried though as Zach was already babbling on about the possibilities of Mike taking on 7 swashbuckling pirates whilst a giant octopus tried to eat poor Spider.
---
"Chloe, stop squirming" commanded Sally, trying to grasp hold of the toddler who was hanging from her arms.
Emily, getting the same idea, tried to swing out of Kate's, pushing against her shoulder to escape.
"Looking forward to this" teased Sally pointing at the toddlers and looking over at Jen who held her sleeping 3 month old daughter, Phoebe, in her arms.
"As long as I get a good nights sleep" she smiled, causing all three women to laugh.
"So, Marcus will pick them up around 5?" asked Sally, nodding towards Zach and Emily who were coming home with her when the Hammersley docked.
"That's what he said, but you know men, the never arrive when they say they will" agreed Kate "Thankyou for this" she nodded, grateful for Sally's babysitting.
"I promised Marcus I'd watch them ages ago, but this was the only time I could make the booking" she explained further.
"Where exactly are you going?" asked Sally, hoping to be let in on the secret Kate had been carrying for the past week.
The woman only smiled in response "You'll see"
"Mike!" squealed Emily happily, watching the man all but run down the ramp off the Hammersley; surprising the people on the pier as he was usually the last of the ship.
Standing in his civvies he tried to salute and wave the rest of the crew off as quick as possible, wishing them a good weekend whilst glancing around the pier nervously every few seconds.
"You okay sir?" asked Buffer, watching with amusement as Mike all but pushed a dawdling Spider down and off the ramp.
"Yep, just want to get out of here" grinned Mike, seeing no reason in lying.
The crew watched with amusement as Mike visibly sighed with relief, watching the last of his men leave the boat.
"Have a good weekend" he called to them all, jogging down the pier.
"Mike" called Zach, grabbing onto the man's leg. He stopped suddenly as Emily claimed the other, grinning despite his desperate wishes to leave as soon as possible.
"Hi squirt" he laughed, throwing Emily into the air before grabbing her, placing her on his hip as Zach bounced along by his side, asking about his day.
"Did you see any pirates?"
"No pirates mate, but there were a few ninja's" he grinned, wondering if he was allowed to describe four drug smuggling, almost hostage taking men as the child would a teenage mutant turtle.
"Wow" gasped Zach, stopping suddenly "Did you beat them?"
"We sure did bud" nodded Mike seriously, eyes dancing.
"I saw ducks" announced Emily proudly, straining on Mike's shoulder to see her feathered friends again.
"Did you!" exclaimed Mike, looking at the three year old who nodded solemnly in reply.
"They flew!"
"I'm sure they did" he laughed, well aware of Emily's track record with scaring unsuspecting birdlife; even if it was unintentional.
Kate, from her position further down, smiled contently at the sight of Mike with Zach and Emily, her hand coming to rest subconsciously on her own flat stomach.
"Hi" she smiled shyly as the trio reached her.
Mike sighed, relieved to have finally reached her and overwhelmed by the sight of her stood before him.
"Hi" he managed to grin back.
"Well, Zach and Emily, you two are with me" announced Sally, tying to untangle the firm grasp Emily had on Mike's shoulder.
"I'll see you two tonight at my place" nodded Mike, handing Emily over and leaning down to Zach's level.
"First I have to take Kate out" he grinned knowingly at the boy.
Zach giggled in reply, hushing Emily and waving at the pair "Have a good time" he called.
"So, you ready?" asked Mike, leaning in to grab Kate's hand.
---
"Are you nervous?" asked Kate, squeezing Mike's arm.
The pale faced man nodded in agreement, eyes wide as he tried to calm his rapidly beating heart.
"We've only been waiting 8 years" he smiled. He jumped as the door swung open, revealing a middle aged woman with brown hair and glasses hanging from her nose.
"Kate?" she asked, smiling as the pair nodded.
"And you are?" she asked, glancing warmly at Mike.
"Mike Flynn" he greeted, holding a hand out to shake.
"And is this your first time here?" asked the woman, glancing between the two.
"My first time, not Kate's" answered Mike, gripping her left hand tighter. The ring on her finger dug lightly into his and he couldn't help but smile at the warmth he felt knowing it was there.
"Well, let's get started then" smiled the woman.
A few minutes later she glanced up from the screen she had been staring at, watching the concentrated look of nerves covering both Mike and Kate's face.
The pair glanced towards each other, smiling shyly as the woman turned the screen towards them.
Mike felt the tears rising as the little blob on the screen came into view, Kate's hold on his hand tightening as she gasped in joy.
"There's your baby"