CHAPTER 1

"Why is it I'm being debriefed again?" Hawke asked in a none too friendly tone. "And why does it have to be this early in the morning? I like getting up to watch the sunrise as much as the next guy, but if you remember, it takes me an hour to fly here."

"Debriefing is standard protocol, the last stage of any mission," Archangel answered, "you know that."

"A part you've never been very particular in enforcing for the Airwolf team. Besides, why am I the only one here?"

"You said Dominic and Caitlin weren't involved."

"They weren't. But Saint John and Lexa were."

"I thought Saint John wasn't flying, and... wait, Lexa? She's back in the country?"

A slight smirk crept across the other man's face. "This isn't a debriefing, this is you phishing for information. Where were you the whole time anyway? A little help would have been nice."

"I was in Washington DC, trying to figure out who was setting off bombs throughout the country and why. Please tell me it was Lexa." She was an efficient agent he would hate to lose, but also quite a force to be reckoned with, and if at all possible he'd like her to remain on his side.

"I take it she hasn't sent you the hospital bill yet."

Archangel looked even more confused. He really was out of the loop on this one, a fact that seemed to be amusing his visitor greatly.

"No, it wasn't Lexa. She was evidently the only one who knew where the bombings were going to occur. A little bad luck and her reckless driving caught up with her though, and she played leapfrog on the middle of the interstate. After a few days in a coma, she came out and remember enough for us to go after the baddies since she wasn't in any condition to do it herself.

"How is she now?"

"Her motorcycle was totaled; she's peeved about that, and her first hospital escape failed, that tells you something, but I'm sure she'll be up to her usual no good before long. You just might not want to assign her anything that requires a lot of arm strength for a while. She's reinjured her wrist yet again since she won't let it heal before taking a header over the cars in front of her, and on the other side she has a cast all the way from shoulder to fingers. If it's any consolation though, last time I saw her, she'd already figured out how to get out of the bed restraints, so I'm sure she'll be back as soon as she figures out how to get here."

\A/

"Santini Air," Saint John answered the phone.

"Hey, it's Lexa. Can Stringfellow come out to play?"

"No, he had a meeting with Michael at Knightsbridge."

"Must be debriefing time, yuck. Anyway, could you do me a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"I ordered a new motorcycle since my last one was totaled and I was supposed to pick it up today, but it's a little difficult to ride with a shoulder cast, I haven't found a ride back to Los Angeles yet. I was hoping you could pick it up and drop it off at my place?"

"I guess I could do that."

"Great. It's supposed to be at Del Amo's, already paid for, and my apartment is about a block from Knightsbride, number 113."

"Okay, I'll get that done."

"Thanks, and I should be back soon. The bus was going to take three times longer than it should to get back there, so I'm probably just going to higher a puddle jumper flight back. See you soon."

Saint John hung up the phone and decided to go then. No one had come in all morning, and String should show up any time. No point in waiting for String to come in and rant about how he shouldn't be allowed to drive and how she was going to get herself and probably someone else killed with her recklessness.

In all truthfulness, he was a little curious. He was afraid to fly because he didn't trust his own judgment and ability anymore. How could she nearly get herself killed and then two weeks later go back to the very things that almost killed her?

Perhaps today he would find out.

Forty five minutes late, Saint John reached the dealership. Walking inside, he explained his reasoning for being there and with a surprising amount of ease completed the deal.

"Lexa called not too long ago saying you'd be by, said she'd been in an accident or something and wasn't able to to pick it up herself," the manager said, handing him the key. "It sitting out front waiting for you. Be careful though, there's a lot of power behind that thing, and tell Lexa we hope she gets better soon."

Dumbfounded, Saint John agreed, thinking that had to be the strangest visit to a dealership he had ever made. Everyone had been unusually helpful and nice, caring; it made him wonder what kind of business Lexa had done with them in the past, that or how much the new motorcycle has really cost...

It started with a gentle yet powerful purr, and he found himself immediately drawn in, wanting to see what it could do despite the fact it had been a while since he had even ridden a motorcycle, and never one of the power he knew this one held.

Despite the urge to go racing through the streets as fast as possible, he contained himself, instead taking a slightly longer and more scenic route toward Knightsbridge and Lexa's apartment.

After taking a nice ride and touring Thousand Oaks, Saint John arrived at Lexa's place, thinking that his first vehicle of his own since returning to the states might have to be a motorcycle, even if he couldn't afford the beauty Lexa had recently acquired.

He pulled into the parking space nearest unit 113 and was trying to decide what to do with the key when he hear someone approach fro behind.

Climbing out of the departing car, Lexa greeted him, cheerful as ever, and despite the two casts looking impeccably dressed.

"Glad I could catch you. I got a ride back with an old friend. I wanted to thank you for picking that up for me. I expect they treated you well?"

"Very well," he confirmed.

"Before you have to leave, do you want to grab lunch?" she offered. "I'll buy, and I know this great little place within walking distance."

"How can I say no to a question like that?"

"I was hoping you'd say yes. Come on."