CAHPTER 1.……PLANNING

Caitlin sat alone in the Santini Air office. It had been three months since Stringfellow Hawke had been killed during a seemingly easy mission for Michael Coldsmith-Briggs III, director of the FIRM. While business had gone back to normal as much as it could at the hangar, it just wasn't the same without String. To be perfectly honest, nothing was truly normal again. Saint John spent most of his nights in his new apartment, unable to bear staying at the cabin after his brother's death. She, on the other hand, had moved into the cabin since Le van Hawke, Saint John's son, had been determined that was where he would stay, and with him now knowing how to fly himself there it was harder to stop him. He still spent every night in String's old bedroom, but at least the nightmares were becoming less frequent. Le had known String the least amount of time, but they'd still had a strong relationship and String's death didn't come any easier to him than it did any of the rest of them.

\A/

Dom met with Saint John outside the hangar, "What are we going to do about Cait's birthday?" Dom asked.

"She said she didn't want anything, but we have to do something."

Dom agreed. "She misses String as much as any of us, but we can at least do something to lighten her mood." He came up with an idea. "This weekend, we can have dinner at my place. You find something to get her, and I'll take care of all the food for dinner."

"I'll get her a gift tonight and bring the groceries over tomorrow, just tell me what you need."

\A/

Dom picked up Le from school on Friday and brought him back to his apartment. Soon they were planning a delicious dinner.

Le finished putting the groceries up after Saint John walked in the front door. "Dom, Cait said she'd be over here tomorrow by five thirty."

"Good."

"All set then."

"Ok, see you tomorrow."

\A/

Caitlin pulled her nightgown on and settled on the edge of the bed with a sigh. It seemed so wrong. The man she loved was dead and she was living in his cabin with his nephew. Tomorrow she was supposed to have dinner with Saint John and Dom, probably for her birthday. She couldn't find any reason to celebrate though. Her dream guy was gone, and with him the rest of her dreams, of a family with him, and lately she hadn't felt well either. Maybe she should she a doctor. An idea came to her, but she quickly dismissed it. It couldn't be.