Disclaimer - Airwolf is not mine, I am just borrowing the characters, with the exception of Beth who is my creation.

The story follows on from 'A Second Chance' and is set between seasons 2 and 3, ending about 2 weeks before the start of season 3. My short story 'Guess What I Saw last Night' is part of this story, but here it is told from the view of the Airwolf crew.

Chapter 1 - Relationships

Archangel sighed deeply and set down the file he had been reading. He swivelled his chair away from his desk to look out of the window and briefly closed his eyes. He must have been more tired than he thought because he was awakened abruptly when he heard his office door open. He took a moment to compose himself before turning around to see who had entered.

"Marella." His delight at seeing his aide was expressed in the way he said her name. She had taken a few days off to recover from a bullet wound received during their last mission, which he had just been reviewing, and had only returned to work that day. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, thank you sir. I have the final report you requested."

"I didn't need that today!" He thought she had been relaxing at home, not working.

"Beth and I worked on it at the cabin, we agreed to get it over and done with. We both want to move on, sir."

"I understand." Marella had been dating Robert Hunter, who worked for the Firm, and he had turned out to be a kidnapper, rapist and traitor. He had kidnapped and raped Beth and she was still recovering from her ordeal, staying at the cabin of Stringfellow Hawke. Hawke had killed Hunter, along with the men he had been working with. "How is Elizabeth?"

Marella smiled, "Much better, sir. She wants to come back to work on Monday."

"How does Hawke feel about that?"

"She hasn't told him yet. She doesn't know if the relationship will survive her working for you. You know how he feels about putting his women in danger, he's convinced she'll die. I don't think he'll take the chance at happiness."

"With good reason," Archangel said grimly, thinking back to how Hawke had lost Gabrielle, "but she's an independent woman, otherwise I wouldn't have employed her. He'll either have to live with it or let her go."

"She's moving back to her apartment this weekend and I promised I'd call. Can I tell her Monday then?"

"Yes. Monday 0900hrs. Have her report to you."

"Yes sir." Marella turned to leave the office.

"Marella?" Archangel spoke just as she was about to open the door.

"Yes sir?"

"I was wondering, if you don't have any plans would you like to join me for dinner?"

Marella hid her surprise at the question. "I was only planning a TV dinner."

"I think I can manage something more exotic than that, on one condition though."

Marella raised an eyebrow, "What condition?"

Michael smiled, "You're not to call me 'sir' at all during dinner."

"I think I can manage that - sir," she replied with a wink.

In Stringfellow Hawke's cabin, he and Beth were sitting on the floor in front of a roaring fire, sipping wine. Tet, Hawke's Blue Tic hound, was lying sleepily next to Beth as she absent mindedly stroked his head. Hawke had asked his friends to leave them alone except for emergencies, and for once there had been none. They'd had no contact with the outside world for over a week and Hawke was just thinking that it was too good to be true, that he was feeling too happy, when Beth disturbed his thoughts.

"String?"

"Mmm," he replied sleepily, "what."

"You know I'm moving back to my apartment this weekend?"

"You don't have to," he pulled her close, nibbling at her ear.

Beth playfully pushed him away, "Stop it String. I have to go back," then said hurriedly, "I'm going back to work on Monday."

His good mood was instantly gone, "It's too soon. Michael said you could have as long as you needed."

"I'm ready to go back. Besides you told Dom you would be back at Santini Air on Monday. I can't just stay here waiting for you to come home," she tried to keep her voice patient.

"You could. You're safe here," he was standing up now, pacing the room.

Beth stood up too, disturbing Tet. His head moved from side to side as he watched his master pacing, before deciding there was nothing much to see. He put his head back on his paws and went back to sleep.

"I'll be safe at work. Archangel won't give me any outside assignments until the plaster is off my arm and I'm strong enough to take care of myself," her voice was rising and Tet opened his eyes again, stood up and trotted to the door. Hawke opened the door to let him out, slammed it behind him and continued to pace.

"Safe! Working for Archangel," his voice dripped sarcasm, "that would be a first."

"It's my job now. It's what I want to do and you can't stop me."

"I can try," he replied darkly. Then in a quieter voice he said, "I don't want to lose you."

"String," she moved to his side, taking hold of his arm to still him, "you won't lose me. I promise I'll be careful." When he didn't reply she continued, cautiously, "I know about Gabrielle, Marella told me."

He whirled around, grabbing her by the shoulders, "She had no right," his face was a mask, cold eyes meeting hers.

"She thought I should know, to help me understand why you didn't want me working for Archangel," his grip tightened and she tried to pull away, "String you're hurting me."

He let her go abruptly and she lost her balance, sitting down heavily on the chair behind her. He stormed outside, calling for Tet and Beth decided to go to bed.

The next morning Hawke was still angry and Beth decided to go home that day, instead of waiting for the weekend. She packed her bag while Hawke was fishing on the lake and walked out to meet him.

"Will you take me home or shall I call Marella?" she asked him as he climbed out of his boat, trout and fishing gear in his hands.

"Can I change your mind?"

"No."

"Then I'll take you. No point Marella flying out here." Dominic had let Hawke keep one of his helicopters at the cabin so they could come and go as they pleased, besides he didn't want Marella knowing his personal business although he suspected that Beth would tell her anyway. The two women had become good friends.