Chapter Two: So It Begins
Cait was finishing up some invoices that needed to go out before she left for her flight when String walked up to her seated at her desk.
"You ready for me to drive you to the terminal Cait"
"Oh give me about five minutes more and I will have this done." She replied without looking up tapping away on her laptop. Hitting the send button she stood up. "All done and ready to go she smiled."
String spoke up, "You know, I will fly you to Texas if you would let me."
"String" she said with a grin. "What's the worst that can happen? I'll get high jacked or something?"
"That's not even funny" he replied with a half grin. Even though they often joked about it String had a hard time forgetting about the time her plane was high jacked. He had reoccurring nightmares about it. It was then he realized he had allowed her to become an important part of his life. Loving her came much later. That had happened when she came with Dom to rescue him from Horn. He had risked his life many times for people that he barely knew, but not many people would do the same for him. He could always trust Dom and St. John before he went missing with his life, but now he had one more person to add to the short list.
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Cait was struggling to get her one piece of luggage out of the backseat of Strings car. String walked around to her side and reached in taking over the task. Cait had pretty much gotten use to Strings chivalry. Even though she protested when he would take charge she loved the fact that he was protective of her. Always opening the door for her or stepping in when there was a particular wing nut that she was not able to loosen. As much as she loved her independence she also loved that he was her knight in shining armor. The problem was it was getting harder and harder to be that close to him and not feel something in the pit of her stomach that she was sure was love.
"We had better move it if you're going to make your flight." String said as he broke her from her thoughts.
"I'm coming" she said softly.
"You're not having second thoughts about going are you?"
"No, I really am looking forward to seeing all my friends. Most of them I see when I go home but a few I haven't seen since we graduated."
String toyed with the idea of asking if she planned on spending the time with Tom or not but as much as he wanted to know the answer he decided that would be risking Cait detecting a bit of jealousy on his part. He had been getting sloppy lately letting his guard down when it came to his feelings for her. He was almost relieved that she was leaving. He needed a break from her so he could regroup and think things through and rein in his emotions.
They both walked silently through the terminal until they came to her gate. Normally he would have waited with her until they called for boarding but for some reason the moment felt awkward. He was sure it was not on her part. How could she know what he was thinking?
"Have a good time at you're reunion. See you when you get back" String said as he reached in and hugged her.
"Thanks I will. Take care while I'm gone and don't let Dom give the store away."
"Will do" String shot back over his shoulder as he walked away.
She watched as String walked away until she could no longer see him. If String thought she did not catch how awkward their parting was he couldn't have been more wrong. Cait sat waiting for her flight to be called. She had about ten minutes to wait. Cait's thoughts took her back to the day they found out St. John was alive. She remembered the mix of emotions that came over Strings face as it registered to him that St. John was alive and then the realization that he had been alive but did not bother to contact him. She thought once he found St. John that String would be more open to love. That was not the case. It seemed just the opposite. He now trusted even less. If someone he loved more than life it's self could betray him then he would never let himself get that close to anyone again. The day after St. John came home String began putting distance between her and him. They were still close in a lot of ways but String had clearly set boundaries up between them without saying a word. Before she could get another thought in she heard her call to board her flight," Oh well she thought, I'll have time on the flight to sort through my feelings for Stringfellow Hawke."