Slow Motion
"And the daughter," replied Caitlin. "Remember she's mine."
Hawke couldn't help but stare at her before putting away his gun. "Why is she so hell bent on taking care of Angelica herself?" he thought.
As they walked back towards Airwolf, Hawke couldn't help but feel the hair on his neck stand up. It was a sign that something wasn't right. Dom had managed to climb into Airwolf but Caitlin hadn't made it yet. Fearing the worst, String ran towards her. "Caitlin!" he yelled as he tackled her and brought her down to the ground with him. Seconds later, the car they had thought Horn was in became a fire ball. The explosion was so loud Hawke thought his ears would never stop ringing.
As the fire died down, Dom jumped out of Airwolf and ran over to his friends. "String, are you alright?" he asked while helping his friend to his feet.
String fought to regain control of his senses. He looked down at Caitlin who was lying there motionless, face down in the dirt.
"Cait," he screamed as he moved down beside her. "Caitlin!"
String felt as though he were having a panic attack. "No, you can't die on me," he yelled. "No!"
Dom grabbed his friend by the shoulders and moved him out of the way. He reached down and checked Caitlin's pulse.
"She's still alive," he said while trying to calm an emotional Hawke. "Take it easy String. Let's get her to the Firm's clinic. Michael's people will take care of her."
Hawke gently picked Caitlin up off of the ground and Dom helped him get her inside of Airwolf.
"I'm flying," demanded Dom.
"Dom…" String started to object.
"No arguing," he replied. "You've been through a lot and you're in no shape right now."
String decided not to object. He knew Dom was right. He felt light headed from the explosion and his emotions seemed to be out of control. He thought it had to be residual from the drugs recently pumped into his system. A few moments after they were in the air, he felt himself drift off to sleep.
Sleep, however didn't come easy for him. His mind seemed to replay the events of the day over and over in slow motion. "Caitlin!" he yelled repeatedly in his dream as they slowly fell to the ground before the car exploded.
When he woke up, Hawke was surprised to find himself in a hospital bed. Dom was sitting in the chair beside him and had dozed off.
"Dom?" asked Hawke. "What happened?"
Dom sat up quickly and yawned. "It's about time you woke up," he said while trying to smile.
"How long have I been out?" he asked.
"About twenty four hours," Dom replied. "They ran some tests and gave you some additional drugs to make sure you wouldn't have any lasting effects from Horn's brainwashing."
String looked around the room and then back at Dom. "What about Caitlin?" he asked. "Is she going to be okay?"
Dom sighed. "I'm sorry String," he said softly. "They don't know yet. She's in a coma. She hit her head pretty hard when you two went down."
String was quiet for several minutes before responding. "It's all my fault," he replied. "I did this to her. I pushed her down too hard. She saved my life and in return I nearly kill her."
"String," replied Dom. "You know that's not true. You were trying to protect her from the explosion. It's not your fault."
"I don't think you'll ever convince me of that Dom," he replied. "It's bad enough I shot you the way I did."
"You weren't in your right mind," replied Dom. "You couldn't help it. Besides, it was just tranquilizers."
"I know," he replied. "I was so scared when I woke up after Caitlin gave me that injection. I thought I killed you but she convinced me that you were alright."
"She sure is one brave girl," replied Dom. "It took guts to sneak in there the way she did."
"I know," replied Hawke. "When I came to, I could see she was crying and I couldn't understand why."
"That's probably because Archangel told us that the drugs she would have to give you could kill you," replied Dom. "She probably thought you were dead."
"Yeah," he replied. "I guess she did." He shook his head and then turned back towards Dom. "I guess it was the drugs but a part of me wanted to kiss her right then and there. I could see the hurt and fear in her eyes yet she was trying her best to calm me down."
"She cares about you," replied Dom. "You have to know that."
"Yeah, I guess I do," replied Hawke. "I care about her too but I'm not sure if it's in the same way or not."
"Why?" asked Dom.
"She deserves better Dom," said String. "My track record speaks for that. Anyone who gets close to me doesn't live long. Hell, I guess she already got to close because it sure doesn't look good right now does it?"
"I know what the doctors have said," replied Dom. "You can be assured that I'm not giving up on her. Caitlin is a fighter. I don't think she's going anywhere."
String shot Dom a dirty look as he started to chuckle.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"Oh, I was just thinking about Archangel's expression when Caitlin told him that she could fly Airwolf. It was priceless."
String smiled. "I bet it was," he replied. "I think that's one of the smartest decisions we've ever made."
"That and making her a part of the team," replied Dom. "I shudder to think what would have happened to us with Horn if Caitlin hadn't been with me."
"We would have had to rely on Michael and the Firm," replied String. "I'm not sure I would have liked those odds."
"Me either," replied Dom. "I'll take Caitlin in my corner anytime, any day."
String sat up quickly and threw his legs over the side of the bed. Before he could stand up, a wave of dizziness washed over him. Dom grabbed him by the arm to steady him.
"Whoa there," he said. "What are you doing?"
"I want to see her," said String. "I need to see her."
"Alright but let me get you a wheel chair," Dom replied. "I don't want to have to pick you up off of the floor when you fall on your face."
String started to object but decided to just go along with his friend. "Fine," he replied solemnly.
Dom quickly brought the wheel chair in and helped String into it. He wheeled him down the hall and into the small room where Caitlin was being kept.
String couldn't help but be taken aback at her appearance. She had a large bandage wrapped around her entire head and she was hooked up to several monitors.
"Dom would you leave me alone with her for awhile?" he asked.
"Sure kid," he replied softly. "If you need anything, just let me know. I'll be right outside the door."
Hawke eased himself up and out of the wheel chair and sat on the side of Caitlin's bed. He gently touched the hair that was sticking up out of the bandage and had fallen over her eyes. He pushed it back and then leaned over and gently kissed her on the lips.
"Hang on Cait," he said softly. "I need you and I can't lose you. You mean more to me than you know."
String was surprised to see Caitlin slowly open her eyes and stare up at him. "String?" she asked "Are you alright?"
Hawke laughed. "Me?" he replied. "I'm fine. You're the one I'm worried about."
Caitlin smiled. "I'm okay," she said. Her voice sounded weak and drowsy.
String leaned over and once again kissed her gently on the lips. "It's good to see those beautiful eyes of yours," he said. "You scared me."
"I guess we're even then," she replied. "You sure scared the hell out of me after I gave you that injection. I thought I lost you."
"You saved my life," he replied. "I don't know what Dom and I would have done without you."
Caitlin sighed as she closed her eyes. "You would've figured out something," she said in a near whisper as she slowly started to drift back off the sleep.
"Cait," whispered String.
"Yeah," she replied so soft it was almost inaudible.
"The daughter's yours," he replied with a smile.
He finally got it. String knew why she wanted to take care of Angelica herself and he realized that he was okay with that.
The End