Disclaimer: These characters and original scenario belong to the copyright holders. I'm just getting them off the shelf to visit with them for a while.

Cait and the Care and Feeding of Hawkes

Dom took Caitlin aside after she got back from flying a charter to San Diego. Hawke was at a film shoot with Mike. "Have a few minutes to talk, Honey?"

"Sure, Dom. How about you treat me to lunch?"

"Tacos?"

"I'm a Texas girl. I'm always up for tacos."

"Tacos it is." Dom walked back into the office where Ellie and Saint John were eating their sandwiches and playing with Joshua. "Cait and I are going to grab a quick bite at Francisco's place. Can we get you anything?"

"No thanks, Dom," Saint John said. "We're nearly done with lunch anyway, and it's almost time for you know who to have his afternoon nap."

Dom walked over to Joshua and gave the blond head a quick caress. He and Cait walked out to the parked cars. He held the passenger-side door open for Cait, seated her in the passenger seat of the Santini Air jeep, and drove to the small Mexican restaurant on the west side of the airfield. They sat down and ordered.

Dom was uncharacteristically quiet.

"What's up, Dom?"

He fiddled with his water glass. "I was thinking about String."

"I think about him all the time. It's kinda nice."

"And he thinks about you. He doesn't take his eyes off you when he's in the same room." He took a deep breath.

"Dom?"

"Well, you know how happy I am for you."

"I hear a 'but' in there somewhere."

"Well, it's just I can't help but worry a little. String is like, well, it's like a…, a…, it's a little like having an exotic pet. You love it but you're never sure what it's going to do. Marrying him is going to be a challenge."

"You know, he's a lot easier to be around since Saint John is back."

"And since he's with you. He walks around smiling. String, smiling."

"Like Bobby Phelps said, he looks good when he smiles."

"It just seems too perfect after so much heartache for so long. I guess I just worry that he'll go off into one of his moods or something and wreck the best thing that's ever happened to him."

"What's that, Dom?"

"You, Cait. But you'll have to be patient. Really patient."

Cait reached out to take Dom's hand. "I know. I know, but I love him, and I want to be with him. Trust me, Dom. I'll take good care of him. I won't hurt him."

"And don't let him hurt you."

"I won't."

Their lunch plates came. Dom watched with amusement as Cait dumped hot sauce on top of the salsa.

"What?" she asked.

"I guess you can take the girl out of Texas, but…"

"But you cain't take Texas out of the gal," she drawled.

"I don't know how you don't get ulcers." They dug into their food.