Ah, well, it looks like this story will be more than two parts after all. It will take a bit longer to tell all I wanted to tell so I have no idea how long it will be at this point. I just wasn't sure how my attention span for writing would be. But, once I started, I can't seem to stop. :o)
Chapter 2
Things were quiet when the trio first made their way up to the cabin. Hawke cooked dinner for everyone and Caitlin turned on the radio in hopes that Dom would not start back up the conversation he'd started right away. Caitlin recalled most of what had happened while they were gone and saying that she was a bit embarrassed was a major understatement. She wasn't sure what Hawke thought because he hadn't said much to her since they returned and she really didn't know why. Still, she wasn't sure how comfortable she was going to be in discussing it with him.
"Great dinner," Dom told Hawke. "I see you followed my recipe. I'm impressed."
"Thanks," replied Hawke, hoping to dodge a bullet for the night. "I'm getting kind of tired. Can we talk about everything tomorrow?"
Dom smiled and sighed. "Sure, at least I got you up here together," he replied. "It can wait until tomorrow."
Caitlin watched Hawke climb the steps to his bedroom loft. She sighed softly. "The weather is beautiful tonight," she told Dom. "I think I'll sit out on the porch for awhile. Want to join me?"
Dom smiled. "Sure," he replied. "I'd love to."
Caitlin grabbed a multicolor cotton throw that Hawke kept on the back of the sofa and carried it out with her. She sat on one of the lounge chairs and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders.
Dom sat down in the chair beside her and looked up at the clear dark sky above.
"You're right," he told her. "It really is perfect weather tonight."
"Yeah, just a bit cool but I like it that way," she admitted.
The two sat quiet for awhile before Dom spoke up again. "Are you doing okay?" he asked.
Caitlin turned and looked at him, giving him a surprised look. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"Well, I know you said the doctors gave you a clean bill of health after all of those drugs Horn gave you," he replied. "I just felt like you went through a lot with all that."
Caitlin smiled. "I did," she admitted. "It was scary but I think having Hawke with me helped a lot."
Dom reached over and took her hand, squeezing it lightly. "Look, I really just want you and String to work out whatever is getting between you two," he admitted. "I don't want you to feel you have to talk about anything that would cause you any kind of…..well, pain I guess is the word."
Caitlin squeezed his hand back. "I know," she replied. "Don't worry. I want to work through all of this too," she admitted. "I really don't like how things have been between us either. You know me. I wouldn't have come if I didn't want to, no matter how much you demanded."
Dom chuckled slightly. "I know," he replied. "That's one of the things I love about you. You're one strong woman. Sometimes bull headed like him. But, I'm glad you chose to come."
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Upstairs Hawke took off his t-shirt and plopped into bed with his jeans on. He stared up at the ceiling as his mind drifted off to the day he went in search of Caitlin. Horn had her. He made no secret of it. He wanted to exchange her for Airwolf and he felt she was the perfect commodity. Archangel had gotten a tip that she was being held in a large town just south of the border. Hawke was able to get across the border without incident and quickly headed to where he was told Horn might be holding her. He wasn't sure how he'd find her or get to her but that wasn't going to stop him from trying.
Hawke closed his eyes as he pictured what happened next. To his surprise, he came across her as the crept down one of the small back allies. He wasn't sure at the time if it was luck or a set up that he found her but he knew he needed to get her away from there as fast as he could.
"Caitlin?" he called out to her as he watched her stumble towards him. "Caitlin, are you okay?"
Caitlin stared at him as if she had no idea who he was. As he moved closer to her, she started to turn and run away but her legs gave out and she collapsed on the ground.
"Cait!" he said in a near whisper now as he quickly moved to her and picked her up. She was pale and he quickly noticed a trail of needle marks on her arm.
"I've gotta get you out of her," he said to himself as he put her over his shoulder and headed towards the small hotel that Michael had told him to use as a safe house.
The rest seemed like a blur to Hawke. He was sure they were being followed so he had to backtrack in order to throw off any potential trackers. Carrying Caitlin was difficult in itself but the fact that she was becoming quite noisy and agitated made things worse.
Michael's contact came through for him and they were put in a room in the very back of the hotel property that was usually used by the owner. It had a small window that gave him access to see anyone who came near.
"I think you should stay in there for a couple of days and lay low," his contact told him. "We've already had someone coming around and asking about the lady. I'll find a way to bring you food in later tonight. Do you need anything else?"
Hawke shook the man's hand. "Thank you," he told him. "I'm not sure what I'll need yet. I was lucky to find her. It looks like they've drugged her. I need to check her out."
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Caitlin thought about Dom's remark of her being bullheaded and she couldn't help but laugh.
"I think Hawke was wishing I was a little less strong willed when we were stuck in that hotel room," she said with a slight giggle. "All I can recall when we first got there was this stern look he had on his face and how he couldn't understand why I found that so funny."