Chapter 10
Caitlin's head felt heavy as she struggled to open her eyes. The sounds around her were familiar and she quickly realized that she was aboard Airwolf. She opened her eyes and turned to see String beside her. His icy stare startled her and she realized that she was handcuffed. "He doesn't know yet," she thought to herself. Caitlin didn't have the energy to explain herself to him at that moment. She ached all over. Instead, she closed her eyes and let herself drift back off to sleep.
When they got to the clinic, Michael met then with a gurney and he quickly rushed her off into one of the back rooms before coming back out to join them.
Hawke felt as if he were lost in a fog. They had gotten the new Airwolf back but at what cost? He shook his head and finally spoke up. "How's Saint John?" he asked.
"Fortunately he didn't puncture a lung," replied Michael. "He reinjured the ribs he had previously broken and they were putting pressure on his lungs. He's resting comfortably now. You can see him in a little while."
String felt his legs growing weak as he leaned against the hallway wall. "What about Caitlin?" he asked.
Michael frowned. "Come with me," he insisted. "I need to talk to you and Dom in private about something."
Michael escorted them into a small conference room and they all sat down. "What's this about Michael?" String asked. "Is Caitlin going to be okay? Are they going to be able to reverse what Deaver has done to her?"
"Relax Hawke," replied Michael. "Cait's going to be just fine."
"How do you know?" he asked. "You haven't even been back to see her."
Michael leaned back in his chair a moment before responding. He wasn't sure how to begin the conversation but he knew he needed to tell String the truth.
"This all started a few weeks ago," he replied. "Saint John saw Gibson sneaking out of Caitlin's window when he was coming home one night. He brought her here immediately and we determined they were drugging her to cause unexplained nightmares."
"What the hell are you talking about Michael?" said String. "How come we weren't told about this?"
"I'm sorry Hawke but we wanted to track Gibson and see who else was behind this," said Michael. "We eventually connected him to Deaver and the Dream Center. Caitlin agreed to continue what they started and she went there on her own accord."
"You mean she let them brainwash her?" asked Dom. "How could you let her do that?"
"I knew Deaver's studies on mind manipulation," replied Michael. "I knew we could counteract it. We figured out he wanted the new Airwolf and Caitlin along with Saint John agreed to help catch him."
"So you risked their lives and the possibility of losing another Airwolf just to catch Deaver?" asked Dom. "That was pretty risky."
"They never had the actual new Airwolf," replied Michael. "That one is merely a shell with limited abilities. Deaver knew we were working on a new one and he bought it."
Hawke was growing angry. "I nearly blew Caitlin out of the sky for a worthless piece of machinery?" he asked. "Not to mention she nearly lost her mind."
Michael stood up and walked over to the conference room windows. "Caitlin knew it was a fake," he said. "I gave her the drugs to counteract what they had given her before she took off," he said. "It was slow acting and was much safer than what she had given you when Horn had you under his influence. Within an hour she should have been free of any drugs they gave her. I suspect she is just suffering from the repercussions of the accident now."
String shook his head. He got up and stormed out of the conference room. Dom followed behind him. "Now String," said Dom. "Calm down. It's all over with now and everything's okay."
"Is it?" asked String. "I can't believe that Caitlin and Saint John kept this from me."
Michael came up behind them and overheard the comment. "They had no choice," he said. "We insisted. We had an insider in the Firm and we had to figure out who they were. We weren't sure if they had Santini Air bugged or not and we wanted to limit the amount of people who knew we were on to Deaver."
String stared at Michael. "There's more to it isn't there?" he asked.
Michael sighed. "Yes, Caitlin didn't think you'd approve of her involvement in this and she didn't want to argue with you over it."
"So she just pushed me away and made me think she didn't want to have anything to do with me instead?" he asked. "I can't believe this."
"And you did the very same thing last year when you pushed her away to go on the mission to Mexico," said Michael. "Only she was led to believe you were dead. How is this any different?"
String didn't answer Michael. Instead he stormed out of the clinic. Once again Dom followed him out. "Where are you going?" he asked.
"I need to get some air," replied String. "Look, I'm going to take the Lady back to the lair and head to the cabin. Tell Saint John I'll call him later."
"And Cait?" asked Dom.
String shook his head. "I don't know Dom," he replied. "I don't know."
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Four days later, String found himself lying around the cabin. He had no energy to get up or do anything. Depression over recent events had set in and he didn't know what to do about it. He slumped down in an oversized chair that faced the front door of the cabin and put his feet up on the coffee table. When he heard the sound of an approaching helicopter, he didn't bother to move. Instead, he just stared at the front door, waiting for it to open.
To his surprise Caitlin opened the door carrying two large suitcases. She sat them down just inside the room and shut the door behind her. He stared at her in disbelief.
"What are you doing here?" he gruffly. "Why do you have your suitcases here?"
Caitlin put her hands on her hips. "You told me you wanted me to move back in with you," she said firmly. "So, here I am."
"What makes you think that the offer still stands," he said sarcastically.
Caitlin stared at him for a moment and then walked over to him and plopped herself into his lap.
"The fact that I know you still love me," she said softly as she leaned over him and kissed him on the lips.
She pulled away when he didn't respond to her. He just sat and stared at her.
"And," she continued. "I love you with all my heart and I miss being here with you."
String's scowl quickly turned to a smile. "That's all I wanted to hear," he said as he pulled her back to him and kissed her passionately. Caitlin wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.
"Welcome home," he said as he stood up and pulled her towards the loft stairs.
"Wait," she said as she heard the rain begin to hit the roof of the cabin. "I have a better idea."
"What's that?" asked Hawke as Caitlin pulled him outside into the rain.
"Oh, let's just say I had this dream about you," she replied with a laugh.
The End