"Hey Dom," Hawke ducked into the office at Santini Air. "Cait," he added almost absently. "You want to get some dinner?"

"Sure," Cait answered her back to him as she tucked a file into the old filing cabinet in the corner, "as long as you're buying."

"I'm buying." Hawke said with an ear to ear grin. He quickly shifted his gaze to Dom when Cait turned around missing the smile she flashed at him. "Dom?"

Dominic Santini watched the by-play between the two. He couldn't quite hide the smile that sprung to his lips and filled his eyes. The two of them had been dancing around their feelings for some time now. He briefly wondered if it would take one of them getting shot for them to tell each other how they feel. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"Nah, you kids go ahead. I've got a date with Nancy."

"You two are getting pretty serious huh?" Hawke teased. "That makes what…four?"

"Five," Cait chimed in.

Hawke held up his hand fingers splayed wide. "Five Fridays in a row Cait and I have had to eat by ourselves."

"It's been six Fridays and you two seem to manage just fine without me being along though you should take her someplace to put some meat on her bones."

"Ah that's okay Dom," Hawke patted Dom's stomach quickly, "You seem to be putting enough on your bones to make up for the rest of us."

Hawke ducked as Dom took a good natured swipe at him.

"Why I ought to…"

"Boys," Cait admonished. "If you're done we should start closing up so we can all get out of here and eat." If she didn't stop them before they really got started dinner would be a long way off.

A while later Hawke sat on the edge of Caitlin's desk in the hangar. He fidgeted with her car keys thinking of taking her someplace different. They'd gone to one of the two places near the airfield for the previous six times they'd gone out. Not, he reassured himself that they were going out. They were just two friends having dinner after work. So, he had paid the last three times that still didn't make it a date.

He tried to ignore the fact that he'd been glad when Dom had declined to join them. He liked it when it was just the two of them. They would talk about growing up and family, their favorite books or movies. They even discussed what their childhood ambitions had been. She was really an interesting woman. He didn't want to think about why he hadn't wanted to know more about her earlier in their friendship. It had been enough that she had been there a steady presence to depend on without demands for reciprocation. Sometimes he still wondered at how easily she fit into his life.

Hawke wanted to take her someplace special to cheer her up. Caitlin had been feeling down ever since she got off the phone with her mom earlier in the day. From what he had heard while Cait was on the phone, it had been the same old argument. Her mom thought she needed to get married and have kids. Cait would agree all the while beating the nearest object with whatever tool was close to hand. The thought brought a smile to his face. She wasn't even aware she did it.

He was still smiling when Caitlin came into the hangar from changing out of her coveralls. She wore a simple out-fit of jeans with a white t-shirt under a black leather jacket. She had also dabbled on a little make-up that smoothed out her freckles and emphasized her eyes and lips.

Hawke pushed himself off the desk and slung an arm easily over her shoulders for the short walk out to her car.

Dom watched as Hawke escorted her out. He held the door for her before taking the driver's seat. Anyone watching would have thought they were going on a date. Dom silently prayed Hawke would come to his senses about Cait. As far as he could see, they were perfect for each other, and all though they seemed to get closer with each passing peril Cait survived, he wished they'd just get together and get it over with all ready. He wanted grand kids and he wasn't getting any younger. He sighed heavily as he locked up the business and headed off to his own date.

"So where are we going? B52s or Halo Jumpers?" Caitlin named off the two places near the airfield they usually had dinner.

"I thought I'd surprise you."

"Well I do like surprises as long as they don't involve getting shot at or kidnapped."

Hawke gave her a lopsided grin. "Normally, I wouldn't worry about that, but then again you do seem to get held hostage a lot."

"Well at least it keeps things interesting. You wouldn't know what to do if our lives were just plane o' boring. And, I don't have a cabin in the mountains to escape to like some people."

"Ah Cait, you know you're always welcome at the cabin. You can escape there anytime you want. Besides Tet likes the company."

"You always said Tet manages just fine on his own."

"That doesn't mean he doesn't get lonely."

Cait glanced over at Hawke something in his tone made her wonder if they were really talking about Tet.

"I'm sure he's just as content nosing up someone else's skirt." She turned toward the window. She wasn't sure why she'd said it but couldn't take it back.

"He's never nosed up your skirt." Hawke defended. "He's always treated you with respect."

"Maybe if he did, I would know he likes my company."

Hawke shot her a quick glance before turning his attention back to the road. She was gazing out the window. He wished he could see her face. Wished he could read her expression.

"Tet likes you too much to do that to you."

"I like Tet too." She said quietly.

They rode the rest of the way in silence. Each lost in their own thoughts.

Hawke parked in the only remaining empty space outside a weathered building that had once been painted blue. It sat just off the main road with the back facing the ocean. He jumped out of the car and rushed to hold Caitlin's door as she stepped out. He swung his arm around her shoulders and guided her to the door.

"Stringer!" A fiftyish short portly woman propelled herself into Hawke's arms as soon as they stepped through the door.

He hugged her with an indulgent grin on his face.

"I can't believe you're here. We haven't seen you in years. Wait tell I tell Henry. He'll just flip." She pulled away and yelled over her shoulder for the mentioned Henry to come quick. She ran a critical eye over him. "You're much too thin. We'll have to see what we can do to put a little meat on those bones."

"Juney." Hawke interrupted her before she could get started in earnest. "I'd like you to meet Caitlin. Caitlin meet Juney."

She assessed Cait in motherly fashion. She smiled broadly and held out her arms to gather Cait in a welcoming hug. "Well aren't you just the prettiest thing. I'm pleased to meet you Caitlin."

"I'm pleased to be met."

Juney led them to a small round table in one corner of the restaurant. They sat on a red leatherette seat that followed the contour of the table. Cait took in the photos on the wall. She was a little surprised to find that some of them had a young Hawke and St. John in them. Juney took Cait's drink order before bustling off between the crowd of tables and patrons.

"Stringer?" Cait couldn't keep the teasing out of her voice as her curiosity zeroed in on the first of the many questions she had.

"Yeah, well..." Hawke grinned at her sheepishly. "It's a long story."

Before he could say anything further a man about Dom's age with shockingly blonde hair came barreling toward them. He swooped through the saloon style swinging doors that no doubt led to the kitchen and wiped his hands vigorously on the apron attached to his ample mid-section.

"Stringer," he bellowed ignoring the stairs from the other diners. He gave Hawke a sideways hug as he sat next to him which pushed Caitlin to the edge of the seat.

"I didn't believe it when Juney said you were here. Wow, it sure is good to see you. I thought you'd never come down off that mountain of yours. Dom said you'd gone to work for him a while back. I kept hoping you'd come by to see us."

"Henry!" Hawke broke into the other man's words. "I want you to meet Caitlin."

Henry extended his hand and took Cait's reverently. "I'm honored."

Juney rushed by with their drinks and drug a protesting Henry back to the kitchen.

"So, they obviously know you." Cait stated as he eased slightly away from her to give her more room on the seat.

"Yeah." Hawke took a sip of his water. "We used to live around the corner from here. St. John got his first job busing tables here. I kind of hung around a lot in those days."

A few minutes later, a man who could only be the son of the previous pair made his way to their table. He sat their dinner on the table and grasped Hawke's outstretched hand. He placed his other hand on Hawke's shoulder.

"It's been too long String."

"Yeah, it has John." Hawke answered in a quiet voice.

John gazed over at Caitlin. He gave Hawke a short nod of approval before he left.

Caitlin felt like something more meaningful than the few words exchanged had just occurred. One look at Hawke's far away expression and she knew she probably wouldn't find out any time soon what it was.

"You must have a standing order." She indicated the blackened filet's, steamed vegetable, and mixed rice on the plates.

"Nah, this is one of those specialty places. They only serve one dish a night."

Cait bit into the filet and found it to be a delicious catfish.

"Mmm. This is better than some places in Texas."

"Glad you like it."

They had a great dinner between the generous and alternating visits of Henry and Juney. They seemed determined to catch up with their 'Stringer' and telling Cait anecdotes about his childhood. Cait discovered their nickname for him was in reference to a string of fish he'd caught and tried to sell them when he was eight rather than a derivation of his name. Long after the meal was done Cait continued to get her fill of information about the young Stringfellow Hawke.

Before they were to leave, Cait excused herself to powder her nose. She took her time making her way back to their table. The photos on the walls invited her to take a closer look. She stopped at one of Hawke in a powder blue tuxedo. He was grinning like the Cheshire cat. It was the same grin he'd given her that day she'd come to the airfield looking for him after leaving her life in Texas behind. Standing next to him was a girl in a matching blue formal. She had the same shockingly blonde hair as Henry, but had the same complexion as Juney.

"My sister," John confirmed her suspicions. "That was their Senior Prom. He proposed to her that night." He sighed full of emotion.

Caitlin looked back at the photo in earnest. So this was Hawke's first love.

"It's good someone has finally put that smile back on his face. Its been gone too long."

Cait turned toward John, but he had all ready moved away. She was thoughtful the rest of the way back to the table.

Hawke looked up as she slid back onto the seat next to him. His smile dimmed at the look on her face.

"What's wrong? I thought this place would cheer you up."

"It did." She gave him a hug.

"Hey, what was that for?"

"For bringing me here. For wanting to cheer me up."

"Anytime," he said easily.