'I can't believe you called that shot out.' Sarah complained good-naturedly to Jo as she set her empty plate down and reached for her drink.
'It was a good call.' Mike said smugly.
'You would say that,' Sarah laughed, 'it won you the game.' She threw her balled-up paper napkin at him. He threw it right back at her. She threw it again seemingly oblivious at the worried look exchanged by her brothers at the by-play.
Caitlin intercepted the airborne napkin. 'Children,' the twinkle in her eyes gave away her amusement, 'play nicely or you don't get dessert.'
Mike subsided with an apologetic smile. Sarah pulled a face at her sister-in-law. Chris laughed at his mother who ruffled his hair lovingly in response.
'I think the umpire did just great.' Saint John slid his hand under Jo's blonde bob and rubbed the back of her neck. She leaned over and kissed him.
'I'm sure you do.' Marella commented dryly. She brushed a crumb off her white trousers and handed the last of her sandwich to Angelina's dog, Brownie.
Jo grinned at her. 'I swear I was completely impartial.'
'Right.' Mike snorted.
Jo hit him lightly on the arm.
'Hey!' Mike protested laughing and holding his hands up in surrender. 'I'm not complaining!'
Angelina whispered something in Chris's ear and he nodded eagerly. She turned to her father and pulled on his arm to get his attention.
Michael responded slowly as though his mind were elsewhere. 'What, angel?'
'Can Chris and I be excused to play Frisbee with the dogs?' Angelina asked with a sweet smile designed to melt her father's resistance; it worked.
'If Sarah agrees.' Michael said.
Sarah nodded. 'Just stay away from the water.'
The two children shot to their feet and raced away from the group of adults.
Saint John shifted position slightly on the ground and decided to take advantage of the lack of children. 'Have you heard anything more from Larry Mason, Michael?'
Michael shook his head. 'Not yet.' He sighed. 'I'll chase him when we return to the office tomorrow.'
'I thought you said he was close to finding our parents.' Saint John's frustration gave an edge to the words that had Michael's hackles rising fast.
'He's doing the best he can.' He retorted.
Marella laid a hand on Michael's arm. 'Larry's the best there is.' Her dark eyes flashed at Saint John. 'He'll be in touch as soon as he has something.'
'Sorry.' The apology was grudging but Saint John knew he owed Michael one. 'I'm just a little anxious that we find our parents before Cordelli.'
'We all are.' Hawke added quietly. 'Michael and Marella are right; Larry's the best there is. He'll be in touch.'
'I don't think we'll have to wait much longer.' Michael murmured remembering Dom's words.
Hawke raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. It was unusual for the spy to admit to intuitive feelings or hunches; Michael usually relied solely on logic and facts. He could see the same thought cross Marella's mind.
There was silence for a moment before it was broken by a baby's wailing.
'That's Nicky.' Caitlin murmured.
Marella waved her back into her seat. 'I'll get him.'
Caitlin settled back against Hawke. 'Tell me he's going to stop teething soon.' She demanded jokingly looking at Sarah.
The other woman grinned and shook her head. 'You've got months of it.'
'Great.' Caitlin rubbed her forehead. 'So tell me how I survive on three hours of sleep a night?'
Jo grimaced. 'Three hours?'
Caitlin nodded and stifled a yawn. 'Three hours.'
'You get used to it.' Sarah said matter-of-factly.
'When?' Caitlin laughed.
'Another couple of years.' Sarah smiled. 'Of course, that's if you don't add another baby to the mix.'
There was a hint of a question in the statement and Caitlin ignored it. She and Hawke were trying for another baby but she preferred not to have the whole world watching and waiting. Maybe they wouldn't have to wait much longer though, she mused, her hand sliding over her flat stomach as she thought about her visit to the doctor's earlier that day. Maybe her tiredness wasn't just down to Nicky's teething…she searched for a topic to divert the conversation. 'How's the house sale coming along?'
'Almost complete.' Sarah said happily. 'In another few days, I should be the proud owner of my own home.'
'That's great news.' Jo grinned at her.
'You could stay here.' Hawke said quietly. His blue eyes settled on his sister regretfully. 'We'll miss you when you're gone.'
'No, you won't.' Sarah laughed. 'You and Cait will have the cabin to yourself again. You'll love it.'
Hawke shrugged. He knew a part of him agreed with her but another part of him was sorry to his sister move out to her own place.
'I still think you should stay here until we've got the Cordelli's under lock and key.' Saint John said bluntly.
Sarah rolled her eyes. 'That could be months.'
'It won't.' Hawke gestured at her. 'As soon as we find our parents, we'll move on the Cordelli's.'
'Exactly how are we going to do that again?' Sarah asked exasperated.
'We have a plan.' Hawke stated.
'A plan you're keeping to yourselves.' Sarah pointed out. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her brothers. 'I'm a Hawke too.'
'Yes, you are,' Saint John agreed, 'but you're not trained for this kind of thing.'
Caitlin smiled sympathetically at her. 'Believe me, Sarah, if I wasn't trained, they probably wouldn't tell me either.'
'So you know.' Sarah said. Her blue eyes flashed at Mike. 'Do you know?'
'Well…' he began hesitantly avoiding her gaze.
'See.' Sarah gestured angrily. 'Everyone knows but me.'
Jo put her hand up. 'I don't.'
'We'll tell you when we find our folks.' Saint John said trying to placate both of them.
Hawke shot him a look and Saint John shrugged as though to say 'what was I supposed to do?'
'You really think this Larry friend of yours will find our folks?' Sarah asked nervously running her fingers through her mink brown hair. Her blue eyes pinned her brother's.
'Larry will find them.' Hawke assured her.
Sarah took a deep breath, trying to still the butterflies in her belly and loosen the tight feeling in her chest.
Saint John reached over and squeezed her hand. 'It's going to be OK, you know.' He smiled at her confidently. 'We'll be right there with you.'
'They must hate me.' Sarah ducked her head. 'Running off the way I did…'
'Not a chance.' Saint John said firmly. 'I bet they'll be thrilled to see you and I know they're going to love Chris.'
' Saint John's right.' Caitlin added smiling at her sister-in-law. 'I'm sure they'll just be pleased to see you're OK.'
'And, besides, I think your brothers coming back from the dead will steal the show.' Mike commented wryly.
Saint John reached across and smacked the back of his best friend's head.
'Hey!' Mike rubbed his head and glared at the older man.
'Actually, I think Mike's probably right.' Sarah said sending him a sympathetic glance. She sighed, her vision turning inward as a memory surfaced. Her parents at a dining room table trying to explain the picture of two boys they had hidden away. In hindsight, she could see that their faces were filled with pain; her father's eyes smarting with tears; her mother pale with tension. She shook her head. 'They never forgot you.'
'There's going to be a lot of explaining to do if we find them.' Saint John sighed. Jo's hand slid over his and he turned his palm upward to intertwine their fingers.
Hawke rubbed his thumb over the rim of the beer bottle he held. 'When,' he corrected softly, 'when we find them.'
