Chapter 2

Dom found Hawke sitting outside of the hospital. The sun was setting and he was staring out at it.

"She loves watching the sun set," was all Hawke could say as Dom approached him.

"I know," replied Dom.

"Dom, there's something I need to go and do," he told him. "Karen left her land and the cabin she was building to Caitlin. But if Caitlin doesn't…."

"Don't say it," Dom interrupted him. "Cait's a fighter. You know that. She'll pull through."

"I feel like I have to go and make sure that cabin gets built," replied Hawke. "I know this sounds crazy but I think if I keep building it, she'll have to be okay."

"If she doesn't?" asked Dom. "What happens to the property then?"

"It'll be auctioned off for charity," Hawke replied sadly. "She didn't have any other family so she asked if I'd be executor to her will. I feel like saying yes to her was like a death sentence."

"Don't talk like that String," replied Dom. "You know that's not true."

"Isn't it?" replied Hawke. "Look at Caitlin. She's in there fighting for life and Karen's dead. Every time I care about anyone, they die."

"Were you in love with her?" Dom asked.

String stared at him a moment before answering. "Come on Dom, I think you know the answer to that," he replied.

"Caitlin saw you kissing her the other day," Dom told him.

"Oh?" Sting was surprised. "What did she say?"

Dom shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Nothing much," he replied. "She just said that maybe it would be a good thing that you ended up with someone she really liked."

Hawke gave him a weak smile. "Sounds just like her doesn't it?" he asked. "She always tries to put other people first."

"Yeah, she does," Dom replied.

"Dom, the kiss was pretty platonic," String assured him. "It didn't mean anything. She was just grateful for my help."

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"Wow, Karen," said Hawke. "These plans turned out even better than I thought they would."

"Yeah," she replied. "As you can see, I left several of the little details open for now. That way I can kind of personalize things before it's all finished. Not big things, just little touches."

"Nice idea," Hawke said.

"Uh, String there is something else I need to talk to you about," she told him. "It's just a technicality but when I met with my uncle's lawyer to get the land deed and check for the builder, I found out there was on stipulation in the will."

"What's that?" asked Hawke.

"Well, I had to pick someone to leave the property to should I die," she told him. "And, I needed someone to oversee it all."

"What does that have to do with me?" he asked.

"I thought you'd be the one to oversee things should anything happen to me," she replied. "I know we haven't known each other long but I think maybe that's best. What do you think?"

String smiled. "Of course I will," he assured her. "I'd be honored. Who are you leaving the property to?"

Karen smiled. "My oldest friend of course," she replied. "I thought Caitlin would be deserving of it."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"Alright String," Dom told him. "Go do what you gotta do. I'll keep you posted on Cait's condition."

Hawke hugged his friend. "Thanks Dom," he replied.

Dom watched as Hawke climbed into the red, white, and blue Jeep and drive away. Then, he turned and went back into the hospital to wait.

Two hours later, he was finally allowed to see Caitlin. It pained him to see her lying there, like a broken rag doll. He sat down beside her bed and gently took her hand in his.

"Hang on sweetheart," he said softly. "It's not your time."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Hawke sat by the lake and watched as Santini's helicopter landed on the dock. Dom had spotted him on his descent and immediately got out and headed towards him.

"String, where the hell have you been?" he asked. "I've been trying to track you down for days. This is the fifth time I've been by here. Do you have any idea how worried I've been about you?"

"I'm sorry Dom," he said sincerely. "I ended up having a lot more to do with being Karen's executor than I thought."

"Funeral?" asked Dom.

"Yeah, it's tomorrow," replied Hawke. "I know Caitlin will be sad that she couldn't be there for her friend. How is she doing? When I called earlier, the hospital would only give me general information."

"She's still in bad shape," he replied sadly. "She's been in and out of consciousness. The doctors had to sedate her this morning because she remembered the accident along with what happened to Karen and she didn't handle it well."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," Hawke replied. "I know that must have been hard for her."

"There's more. String, right now she's paralyzed from the waist down," replied Dom. "The doctors think it's temporary and once the swelling goes down, she should get the feeling back. It will be a long road back for her that will take a lot of work."

"Cait's tough," replied Hawke. "She can do it."

Dom shrugged his shoulders. "Normally I'd agree," he replied. "But I saw her this afternoon. She was finally awake again but it was like Caitlin wasn't in there anymore. She just lay there and stared off across the room. I tried talking to her but I couldn't get through. Of course, I guess I have had some difficulty getting through to her before. That was always something you were good at."

"I'll come see her later tonight," Hawke promised.

"Good," replied Dom. "I'm going back there now. I'll expect to see you later then."

"I'll be there," he reiterated.

Later that evening, Dom was relieved to see that Hawke came as he said he would. When he walked into Caitlin's room, Dom was sitting on a small couch that sat just below a double window. He motioned to Hawke to keep his voice down as he moved further into the room.

The lighting in the room was slightly dim but as soon as Hawke got closer to Caitlin's bed, he nearly lost his breath. She looked worse than he had ever imagined. Her face was badly bruised and she had several cuts underneath one of her eyes while the other was bandaged up. She had a neck brace on along with other bandages on her arms. He quickly skirted by her and sat down beside Dom.

Noticing how uncomfortable he was, Dom put his hand on Hawke's arm and gave it a light squeeze. "She's looking much better," he told him. "I know she's pretty banged up, but she's healing."

"It's still hard to see her like this," String admitted. "I wish there was something I could do."

"You can leave," Caitlin said as she overheard the men talking.

"Caitlin," Hawke replied as he and Dom jumped up and stood by her bed.

Tears were filling her eyes as she repeated her command. "Leave Hawke," she demanded. "I don't want you here."

Dom looked at one of the monitors. "String, you're upsetting her," he told him. "I think it might be best that you go."

Hawke shot Dom a dejected look and then looked back at Caitlin. "Okay," he replied before turning and heading out the door.

When he left, Dom tried hard to console her. "Take it easy sweetheart," he said. "It's okay."

"I don't want him here," she said, trying hard to hold back the tears. "

"Why?" asked Dom. "What's the matter?"

"My life is over Dom," she told him. "I'll never walk or fly again. I can't be a part of Santini Air anymore and well Hawke….it'll hurt less if I don't see him."

"Caitlin, we don't know that for sure," Dom told her. "The doctor said you have to wait until the swelling goes down. He really feels that you've been through the worse of it. Now, it'll just take time."

"Please Dom," she begged, ignoring his comments about her condition. "Tell him not to come back. I can't deal with seeing him right now."

"Okay, whatever you want," Dom said trying to calm her further. "Let me go and talk to him. I'll make sure he stays away if that's what you really want."

Caitlin started to relax with Dom's words. When he saw that she was drifting back off to sleep, he finally went out into the hall to find Hawke.

String was sitting in a chair near the nurse's station. Dom was relieved that he hadn't left the hospital.

"She didn't mean it you know," he told Hawke. "She's very emotional right now. She isn't taking her paralysis well. She's worried it's going to be permanent."

"I know," he replied softly. "I guess I should go for now."

Dom patted him on the shoulder. "I'll call you later with an update."