It was sunrise before Marella finally joined Hawke on the porch.

"She's awake and asking to see you."

"She know where she is?"

"Yes, even before Tet stuck his nose in her face," Marella laughed. "That mutt has been by her side all night."

"Humph, I wondered where he was when I needed him," Hawke looked out at the lake and said quietly, almost as if to himself, "He was always more protective of her than of me. Whenever we had a fight he would go stand by Beth, as if to protect her from me."

"Did you fight often?" Marella asked softly.

"Too often. I guess that's why she broke it off."

"But I thought.. oh never mind, I must have misunderstood."

"Misunderstood what?" demanded Hawke.

"I thought you two were still together. She certainly implied that you were," Marella replied.

"She broke it off about a week after she met you and Michael," Hawke recalled.

"How," Marella asked.

"A letter, by post to Santini Air. Why?"

"Are you sure it was from her?"asked Marella.

"What are you thinking? That it was forged?" Hawke thought for a moment, then his face turned cold and angry. "Why that son of a ... Just wait til I get my hands on him."

Marella had been thinking the same – that Michael had got Hawke out of the picture so that Beth could work for him. Michael was usually a fair man but could be ruthless when necessary.

Hawke walked towards the lake and stood still, taking in the scenery until he felt calmer.

Marella could think of nothing to say so went into the cabin and put on a pot of coffee. Hawke came in a few minutes later and paused at the bottom of the stairs. He took a deep, calming breath then slowly climbed the stairs.

Beth was sitting up in bed. Her left wrist was in plaster and her face was covered with cuts and bruises. Hawke didn't even want to think about what other injuries might be hidden beneath the white silk pyjamas she was wearing. Her eyes were closed and the dark circles underneath them stood out against her paler then usual skin.

"Nice pyjamas!" he said with an attempt at a smile. "Not your usual colour though."

Beth opened her eyes and held out her arms. Hawke rushed towards her, knelt beside the bed, reached over and held her tight. She was crying; he could feel her tears soaking into his shirt where her face was buried against his chest.

"String! Why didn't you rescue me? I waited, every day I waited. It was all that kept me sane, knowing that you would come for me." Her sobbing got louder and Hawke held her tighter, rocking her gently, tears in his own eyes.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know! Archangel didn't tell me you were in trouble." The anguish in his voice caused her to lift her head and look into his damp eyes.

"But why didn't you contact Archangel when you didn't hear from me? I said in the letter that I would be unreachable for two weeks maximum, and I was gone for over a month!"

"I never got your letter; at least not the one you thought you sent me. I thought you broke up with me; we did have that big fight."

When she didn't answer, Hawke climbed onto the bed next to her and put his arm around her. He brushed a stray lock of hair off her face and kissed her bruised forehead.

"We have a lot to talk about," he said gently, "but for now I think Marella has made coffee. Feel up to going downstairs?"

Beth nodded and with Hawke's help made it down the stairs and onto the sofa. Hawke sat protectively next to her while Marella brought them all coffee and toast.

They sat in silence, enjoying the first coffee of the day and Hawke thought back to his and Beth's first coffee together.

Beth returned to the bar after delivering the tray of drinks to her work mates. She held out her hand and Hawke took it and was dragged onto the dance floor.

She was shorter than him, even in her high heels, but their heads were close enough together to make talking a little easier.

"I'm Beth."

"Stringfellow."

"Stringfellow? That's nice – it suits you."

Hawke laughed, "That's not what most people say."

They made small talk and danced for over an hour before Beth put her hand over her mouth and yawned.

"Sorry," she said, "long day."

"Can I walk you home," Hawke asked, not wanting the evening to end.

"Don't you need to get back to your friends?"

"Nah, they're big enough to look after themselves. What about you?"

"I don't think they've even missed me." she said, glancing over at them.

Hawke waved to Dom, who had been watching him for a while. He knew he was in for some teasing when he returned to work on Monday.

Outside it was dark and quiet.

"Do you live near," Hawke asked, his voice a little loud in the sudden quiet.

"A few blocks away," Beth replied.

They walked in silence, arm in arm until they reached her apartment building.

"Coffee?" Beth asked as she unlocked her door.

"Please," replied Hawke as he followed her inside.

Beth put the coffee on, then excused herself and disappeared into the bathroom. She returned a few minutes later dressed in a long black silk robe. She looked beautiful and Hawke hoped this wasn't going to be just a one night stand.

She poured the coffees then curled up on the sofa next to Hawke and rested her head on his shoulder.

"This is nice," she said.

"Yeah," Hawke replied sipping his hot coffee. "I've enjoyed this evening. Want to get together again?" he asked nervously.

"You're not leaving yet are you?" Beth asked. She placed her cup on the coffee table, then taking Hawke's cup from him, placed it next to hers. "I make a mean breakfast!"

She leaned closer to him, cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. Hawke wrapped his arms around her and murmured against her lips, "I like my eggs boiled."

After breakfast Hawke helped Beth to shower and dress. She hadn't wanted any help but Marella, as her surrogate doctor, had insisted one of them help her as she had little or no use of her left arm and was on strong pain medication that could make her dizzy. There had not been time to pack any clothes for her, so Hawke lent her jeans and a shirt. As he helped her tie a belt tightly around her waist he realised how much weight she had lost.

"You ready for Marella's briefing?" he asked.

"I guess so," she sounded reluctant, "best get it over and done with."

Marella was sitting reading a file and looked up as she heard them coming down the stairs.

"While you two were getting ready I thought I would go through the file again, just in case I 'd missed anything." Hawke raised an eyebrow at her – Marella never missed anything! "I found a couple of extra pages which I'm sure were not there last time I opened the file." She handed one sheet to Hawke and the other to Beth.

Hawke read his sheet, his expression unreadable, then handed it to Beth. She recognised it immediately as the letter she had written to String when Michael had asked her to work undercover for him.

She handed it back to him. "It's yours," she said quietly, then turned to read the page Marella had handed to her.

"It's from Archangel, explaining why he had to deceive us," she told Hawke, "he suspected that there was a mole in the Firm and needed an outsider to work undercover. You are known to a few of his operatives so he couldn't risk us being seen together until he had found the traitor."

"And he knew I wouldn't like it," Hawke said darkly, thinking of another dark haired woman who had once worked for Michael. "But why you anyway? He only met you once."

Marella answered, "Beth was a cop, and a good one at that. Michael had her investigated, as he does anyone he finds out you're involved with, and was impressed with her file. She was perfect to go undercover as a singer at a club that we think is being used as a cover for terrorist activity. Her personality, the way she dresses and her delightful voice meant she fitted in without having to do too much 'acting'. Couple that with her police experience and she was the perfect choice."

"He could have come to me and explained the situation. There was no need to make me think Beth had ditched me!" Hawke's face was red with anger and Marella was torn between defending her bosses actions and sympathising with Hawke.

The sympathy won over. "He was wrong to do what he did," she told Hawke, "and I will tell him that when he returns."

"After I knock him across the room!" Hawke muttered. If he was surprised at Marella siding with him he didn't show it.

They sat around the dining table with the file spread out so they could all see it. Beth and Marella had both tied their dark hair back and would have looked quite professional if it hadn't been for Beth's outfit. Hawke idly wondered if Beth wore white when she was working for Michael, although if she was undercover most of time she would be wearing her own clothes. Until the evening before, he had never seen her wear white.

The file had photos of the suspected terrorists and details of their entry into the country. Beth had already identified two of the men as working in the club. Anton Ivanov was working as a barman and Boris Fedoseev as a trainee manager. The Firm suspected that the club was being used to employ Russians who Fedoseev was somehow getting into the country. They also suspected that it was masquerading as a legitimate business that would need to buy equipment that they would then modify to use for terrorist activity. What the Firm didn't know was what they were planning.

"He's the one who took me," she said, pointing to the photo of Fedoseev. "He was waiting for me by my car, I didn't see him until it was too late."

"Can you remember anything else, did he say anything or mention any names or places?" asked Marella.

"No, I think he must have drugged me. The next thing I remember is waking up in a dark room with one hell of a hangover."

"And then what?" asked Marella when Beth paused.

"And then the questions started, and when I wouldn't answer he'd hit me."

"What was he asking you?"

"Who I worked for, how much I knew, why was I at the club, did I want to die or just be scarred for life." Beth paused to collect her thoughts. "Fedoseev was definitely in charge but he wasn't alone. There was Ivanov and another guy who he called Bobby. I never saw Bobby's face, he always wore a ski mask which I thought was a bit odd. I did wonder if he thought I might recognise him.

Hawke interrupted, "Any other clues to his identity? Height, build, accent, anything."

"There's something, but I can't remember what – it's so frustrating, not being able to remember. I wasn't feeling well and was pretty scared. It was obvious they knew I was involved with some official organisation, but they weren't sure which. He mentioned the police, the FBI and even the Firm. I don't think I gave anything away. Archangel had sent me in to gather information on the terrorists but he'd only told me what I needed to know. When I wouldn't or couldn't answer the questions Fedoseev told Bobby to take me away and kill me." Beth paused and turned her head away.

"What's the matter," Hawke asked her, suddenly concerned.

"Well obviously he didn't kill me. He blindfolded me, drugged me and took me to what I think was a derelict apartment building." Beth paused again, put her elbows on the table and her head in her hands.

"What happened next?" Hawke asked. He thought he knew but needed her to say it.

"He kept me for himself. I only got food and water as a reward for 'favours'," she whispered.

Hawke was watching Beth carefully and realised that she was close to breaking point, only her police training was keeping her under control.

"I need a break and Beth, you look tired, why don't you go upstairs and lie down for a bit." Hawke suggested.

She just nodded, so Hawke took her upstairs and settled her in bed with a glass of water and painkillers for her arm. She took them without argument, then lay on her side and went to sleep almost immediately. Hawke stayed for a few minutes, added a log to the bedroom fire, then went back downstairs to Marella.

"Sorry Hawke, I should have noticed that she was getting tired."

Hawke shrugged. "I hate seeing her like this. She's normally so strong, so passionate and full of life."

"Give her time. It's only been a few days and she's in pain. She also has some memory loss which is making her confused."

"Will she regain the memories?" Hawke asked, concerned.

"In cases like hers the brain sometimes shuts down as a protective measure. The memories should slowly return as she starts to feel better."

Hawke sighed deeply. "Anything else I need to know before I try to get some sleep?"

"These men are dangerous and I don't know why they kept her alive when she had no information and could identify them. That's why we need you to keep her safe here. I don't think they know about you."

"What if they do?" demanded Hawke.

"We are certain they don't, but if it makes you feel better maybe you should contact Dominic and have him do a full systems check on Airwolf, just in case we need her."

"Good idea, but first I'm going to bed." Hawke looked at Marella and noticed for the first time how tired she looked. "You should try to get some sleep too." In the bedroom Hawke stripped off and climbed into bed next to Beth, careful not to wake her, and was asleep within minutes.

It was late afternoon when Stringfellow Hawke woke to the sound of voices. He shifted position so that he could hear better and realised that he was listening to Marella talking on the radio.

"...clothes, make-up and whatever else you think she might need." Marella was saying.

Hawke couldn't hear the reply but it sounded like another female voice.

Then he heard Marella say, "Tell Archangel to stay away for a few days, Hawke needs time to cool down. Marella out."

Beth moved slightly beside him and he turned to look at her. She was awake and watching him.

He leaned across and kissed her lightly on the lips. After a seconds hesitation she responded and the kiss became passionate. Hawke, suddenly remembering what she had been through, pulled away abruptly. She looked at him and the hurt in her eyes made his stomach turn over. What have I done, he thought.

Beth turned away and sat on the edge of the bed, her back to him. He reached out and touched her shoulder but she shrugged him off.

"Beth?" he said, his voice questioning.

She didn't answer, just sat there unmoving.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Then why did you pull away? Do I disgust you that much?"

"Hey!" He gripped her shoulders and turned her around to face him. Tears were falling silently down her cheeks. "I love you, you could never disgust me!"

"Then prove it. You've barely touched me since I arrived. You never used to be able to keep your hands off me!"

"I was trying to give you some space. After what happened I thought you wouldn't want me to touch you," his voice caught in his throat as he held back tears.

"Just kiss me," she whispered.

Hawke pulled her down on top of him and kissed her hard. She responded, wrapping herself tightly around him.

They stayed like that until a discreet cough caused them to separate. Marella was standing at the top of the stairs that led to the balcony that served as the only bedroom.

"Dammit Marella! What do you want," demanded Hawke, annoyed at being disturbed in his own bedroom.

"Sorry Hawke," Marella's voice was apologetic, "I have to leave. I'll be back in the morning with clothes for Beth, and groceries. Is there anything else you need?" The question was directed at Beth.

"I'll come downstairs with you," replied Beth. Wiping the back of her hand across her wet cheeks she followed Marella downstairs.

As soon as they left his room, Hawke got out of bed and showered and dressed, and by the time he got downstairs Marella had left.