Chapter 10—Consequences
Disclaimer—I do not own Airwolf – Either Bellisario or Universal does, and I don't make any money off these stories. They are simply written for my enjoyment, and whoever else might enjoy reading them—robertwnielsen
A/N—This chapter will pick up a couple of days after the conclusion of Chap. 9, and will focus on the reactions to everything that happened in the previous chapter. Enjoy—robertwnielsen
Summary—Relationships change in the aftermath of the kidnapping. Can Hawke and Caitlin's marriage survive?
O'Shannessy Ranch
"Mom?" Erin O'Shannessy called out. She was back from visiting Caitlin, String, and the rest of their family, and had a lot of stories to tell. "Mom, where are you?"
"I'm right here, Erin," Maggie O'Shannessy said as she came into the living room. "So, how's Cait doing? And String?"
"That's kinda what I wanted to talk to you about, Mom," Erin said. "You, ah, you better sit down."
"Why?" Maggie demanded. "What the heck happened out there?" Uh-oh, Erin thought anxiously. Mom already sounds mad. And it's only gonna get worse when I finish tellin' her what happened to all of us.
"Not much," Erin replied, "at least, not until somebody String had served with in the Army kidnapped Dom, Cait, Saint John and me, to get back at String for something—"
"WHAT?" Maggie shouted, anxious and angry all at the same time. "Kidnapped? Who? And, why?"
"Mom. Mom, calm down," Erin said, suddenly worried. "Remember what the doc said about—"
"I don't give a hoot what that doc said," Maggie retorted angrily. "What the heck happened?"
"Somebody that served with String and his brother Saint John in the Army kidnapped us all," Erin repeated, "as part of a plan to get to String, because of a grudge the guy was holding about something that happened while they were in the service together. I don't really know, or understand, all the details. Then Cait offered to stay with the guy after he killed String, and—" Erin was suddenly cut off when Maggie interrupted angrily.
"Cait did what?" Maggie demanded, her anger spiking. "I certainly hope you talked some sense into her!"
"I tried, Mom," Erin replied, trying to keep her tone of voice civil, in an effort to calm Maggie down. "Saint John, Dom and I all tried to talk some sense into Cait, but you know how she gets when she's got her mind made up. She had convinced herself and Weston—that's the guy who kidnapped us—that when Weston killed String and made her a widow, she'd stay with Weston. Then Saint John turned around and did the same thing, so Weston let Dom and me go."
"What about Cait?" Maggie demanded. "And String? And my grand-babies? Cait's not with that guy, I hope!"
"No, Mom," Erin said, trying to calm her mother. "Cait came back with String a couple of hours after Weston's men took Dom and me back to the hangar. And the babies are fine—String made Cait go get checked out as soon as they got back to the hangar, and the doctor assured them that the babies were okay. Which," Erin said, noticing her mother's facial expression, "is a lot more than I can say for you right now, Mom." I knew I shouldn't have brought the kidnapping up, Erin thought anxiously. The doc told Mom to take it easy for a few days, and this isn't helping.
"Well," Maggie said, her voice returning to normal, "I'm sure glad everybody's okay. Actually, what you said Caitlin did doesn't surprise me that much. She did it a couple of times before, back when she was a cop, y'know—offered herself as a hostage to save other people, I mean—and even through all that, she's still here. Sometimes I wonder how Caity didn't manage to get herself killed a long time ago," Maggie said, shaking her head in a weird combination of relief and frustration.
"I know, Mom," Erin said as she brought over a cup of tea. "But what you need to do right now is relax. Everybody's okay—and, I have to say that the whole thing sure made my visit a heckuva lot more interesting!"
"I just bet it did," Maggie said as she took a sip of her tea. "I'm going to have to have another talk with Cait, it sounds like."
"I know, Mom," Erin said. "I know." And I feel sorry for Cait when it happens, Erin thought anxiously, knowing the frame of mind their mother was in.
"So you're sure everybody's okay?" Maggie demanded.
"Mom," Erin said, exasperated. "I met Cait and String myself after they came back to the hangar. They're fine. And Cait told me that String made her get checked out after they got back, and the babies are fine, too. Now, will you just relax, for Pete's sake?"
"Okay, Erin," Maggie said. "I'll try. But give me the phone, willya?" Erin reluctantly handed the phone over, and was surprised at Maggie's next words. "Yes, Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. What's the soonest flight we can get to California?"
I was afraid of this. Ready or not, Cait, Erin thought anxiously, here we come. And, Mom's on the warpath.
Hawke's Cabin
"String?" Caitlin said.
"Yeah?" Hawke replied as he finished getting dressed.
"I'm worried about what happened when Erin went back home after everything that went on," Caitlin replied honestly. "I can only imagine what Mom's gonna say—and do—when Erin tells her about everything that happened. Especially what I did, Caitlin thought, remembering how she had offered herself to Randall Weston, in exchange for Erin, Dom, and Saint John's freedom. Then Sinj offered to stay too, Caitlin thought. "I'm—I'm just worried."
"I know, Cait," String replied, smiling at his wife to try to relax her. "And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried, too. I mean, what you did—offering yourself to Weston like that—took a lot of guts, like Michael said. But at the same time, it was incredibly dangerous. What if Donovan hadn't decided to turn on Weston, and you would have had to watch him shoot Saint John and me? Or what if I had to watch Donovan shoot Sinj, before Weston shot me? Or what if Weston had decided to—" Caitlin suddenly pressed her lips against String's, pulling him closer to her body and wrapping her arms around his neck. Hawke quickly warmed into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Caitlin's waist and returning her passions with his own, until she finally pulled them apart a few moments later. "Sorry about that, String," she said. "But I was just getting tired of all your "what if's" that didn't happen."
"I know, Cait," String replied with a smile that relieved his wife. "And I understand. And you're right—Weston's gone, and you and I are together, the way it's supposed to be."
"Yeah," Caitlin replied, smiling up at her husband. "The way it's supposed to be." She sighed happily as she snuggled closer in Hawke's arms, relishing the familiar scents she'd always associated with her husband—his favorite cologne, and the soap he used in the shower. The scents that tell me all's right in my world, Caitlin thought happily, knowing that they had to leave for the hangar soon. But not yet, Caitlin thought as she reached for String, and found him responsive to her touch. Not yet.
O'Shannessy Ranch
"Mom, are you sure about this?" Erin asked as she watched her mother packing. "I mean, like I said, everybody's okay—String, Cait, me, Saint John, Dom—we all came through that mess okay, so why are you so determined to go out to California and confront Cait and String?"
"Because, Erin," Maggie said impatiently, "I need to hear from String himself why this character Weston kidnapped all of you. And I need to give Caity a piece of my mind about what she wanted to do. That just makes me so mad, Erin!"
"So I noticed," Erin replied, trying to calm her voice. "And it worries me, Mom. You know what the doctor said about getting too stressed out."
"And I already told you that I don't give a hoot what that danged doctor said!" Maggie snapped angrily. The thought of her youngest daughter offering herself as a hostage to some nut had Maggie's hackles up, and Erin could see it, which only worried her further.
"Mom," Erin said hesitantly, "this kind of thing is exactly what made Daddy so sick near the end, and what got Cait so worried when you talked to her before you went in the hospital the last time. Please, for all our sakes, when we see Cait and String, try to be calm, will you? For me?" Erin asked.
"Okay, okay, Erin." Maggie said, sighing. "You're right, as usual. I remember Patrick getting all worked up about Caity wanting to learn to fly, and how that made him worse just before he died. And I can only imagine what woulda happened if Patrick had still been alive when Caity became a cop, with all the danger she put herself in. Besides, I want to see my granddaughters, just like Dom does. So I promise—I'll try to be calm when we see them, okay?"
"Okay, Mom," Erin said. But why don't I believe you? She asked herself worriedly. Almost immediately, though, Erin had her answer. Because you and Cait are too much alike, she thought anxiously. Cait's got your stubborn streak, to go along with Daddy's temper. And that combination could be dangerous—to you, especially. Just then, Erin heard a horn honking from outside. "Cab's here, Mom," Erin said. Maggie picked up her luggage, and went outside to the cab with Erin. Well, Erin thought later, as she and Maggie boarded their plane to California, ready or not, Cait—and String—here we come.
Santini Air, later that morning
"It's about time you two got here!" Dom shouted as String climbed out of their helicopter, then helped Caitlin climb out as well. "I was beginnin' to think I'd have to come up there with one of Michael's search and rescue teams!"
"Trust me, Dom," Cait said with a sly smile directed at her husband, "we didn't need rescuing. Not this time."
"Oh. Oh," Dom said, his face turning red as the full implications of Caitlin's comment dawned on him. "Well, that's okay, then. How are you two doing, anyway?"
"We're fine, Dom," String replied. "Just—a little worried about what Cait's mom thinks about everything that happened when Erin was here."
"You mean about the kidnapping, and what Cait wanted to do, and everything else, right?" Dom asked, not surprised when Hawke nodded. "Yeah, I'm a little worried about that, too. I mean, Cait's mom probably got worried sick after Erin told her what happened. Not 'sick' literally," Dom added, noticing Cait's expression. "At least, I hope not. You know what I mean, right, Cait?"
"Yeah, Dom," Caitlin said. "I do know what you mean. And I bet Mom is plenty angry with me," Cait said with a nervous shake of her head. "Even though she doesn't understand why I did what I did."
"Why wouldn't she understand, Cait?" String asked. "You don't think Erin explained what happened, and why you did what you did to your mom?"
"Oh, I'm sure Erin explained all of it, String," Caitlin replied, "it's whether Mom believed what Erin said that I'm worried about. Mom's kinda stubborn that way, y'know."
"Well, at least I know you come by it honestly," String teased his wife.
"Oh, you!" Caitlin admonished him gently. Then, to let String know there were no hard feelings, she kissed him deeply, and passionately.
"All right, all right, you two!" Dom said, smiling at them. What's that old saying about 'the calm before the storm?' Dom asked himself. 'Cause I'll bet Cait's mom and Erin are on their way here right now. So we better enjoy this peace and quiet while it lasts.
Later that afternoon...
"Caitlin!" Maggie shouted as she and Erin climbed out of the cab. "Where the heck are you?"
Oh, no. Caitlin thought. Mom sounds furious. Not that I blame her, but I sure hope I can head this off before too much damage gets done. "String, come on," Caitlin said, grabbing String's hand. "Mom's here."
"So I heard," String said, smiling at Caitlin as they walked out to meet Maggie and Erin.
"Hello, Maggie," String said with a smile, but Maggie angrily interrupted him.
"Don't you 'Hello, Maggie' me, Stringfellow Hawke!" Maggie shouted angrily. "I want to know what the hell happened here when Erin came to visit! Who the hell was this 'Weston' creep, and why the hell was he after you? Dammit, Stringfellow Hawke, I knew something like this could happen, and—" So much for your promise, Mom, Erin thought as she anxiously watched her mother.
"Maggie," String said in what he hoped would be a soothing tone, "if you'll just calm down for a minute, I'll explain everything."
"Mom," Erin said, "listen to String. Calm down before you make yourself sick! You promised me, remember?" Erin hoped Maggie would understand how worried she was, and calm down.
"Okay, okay!" Maggie huffed, taking deep breaths to try and bring her emotions under control. "I'm just upset, Erin. And," she said, glaring at Hawke, "I sure hope like hell Stringfellow has a damned good explanation for what happened, and why you, Cait, my grand-babies, Dominic and Saint John were in so much danger!"
"Dom," String said, "can you get us some coffee?"
"Sure, String," Dom replied, disappearing into the office. Boy, do I hate bein' right all the time, Dom thought anxiously as he fixed coffee for everybody. I just knew World War III was gonna break out. I sure hope we can stop it before there's too much collateral damage. A short time later, he came back with five cups of coffee, and String began telling the story of why Caitlin and the others had been kidnapped.
"Randall Weston served with Saint John and me in the Army," String began. "One day during PT—that's physical training, by the way—Weston made a very crass remark about another soldier's family, and that other soldier took matters into his own hands—literally. Weston had been goading him for quite some time, and that day after what Weston said, the other soldier just couldn't take it anymore, and he just snapped. There was a fight, and since I was acting as squad leader with Saint John gone, I was forced to report the incident to our commanding officer after the PT leaders and I broke it up."
Hawke continued, "Weston was already on thin ice because of several other incidents that had happened, and this one proved to be the proverbial last straw. General Spielman, our commanding officer, had no choice but to throw Weston out of the service with a dishonorable discharge, which pretty much destroyed Weston's opportunities for employment when he got home. Nobody wants to hire a soldier with that sort of black mark on his record."
"Okay," Maggie said, interrupting. "I get that this Weston character was a serious troublemaker, but why the heck was he after you, Stringfellow?"
"Because, Maggie," String said, forcing himself to stay calm, "Weston was—a little crazy, to say the least, even before I had to report him and get him thrown out—and when he got tossed out, he blamed me for everything that happened, even though it was all his fault. I remember hearing him swear that somehow, some way, he'd get even with me for ruining him."
"So how the hell did he end up kidnapping my Caity, with the babies, I might add, and Erin, along with your brother and Dom?" Maggie demanded.
String sensed Maggie's anger rising, so he took a few deep breaths to calm himself before he continued. "Evidently, Weston had seen a photo of Caitlin and me in the paper, and decided to come to California after me. He had gotten involved with the mob in Oregon, and had connections here in California that allowed him to purchase a large tract of land where he set up a base of operations—that's where he took Cait, Erin, and everyone else. And the reason he was able to get away with it was that I had left the hangar for a few minutes. Dom told me some parts he ordered had come in, and asked me to go pick them up. By the time I got back, Weston's thugs had already been here and grabbed Cait and the others."
Maggie completely lost her temper. "Of all the irresponsible, foolish, confoundedly stupid things to do, Stringfellow Hawke! You've got a wife, and babies on the way! Why were you runnin' off to pick up some cockamamie parts that Dominic probably didn't even need, when you knew this Weston nut was out there, and lookin' for you?" Erin looked worriedly at her mother, then at String. Mom, I hope String sees how mad you are, and tries to calm you down, Erin thought, then added, even though you probably wouldn't listen to him. But maybe you'll listen to me.
"Easy, Mom," Erin said anxiously, trying to calm her mother.
"Don't tell me to take it easy!" Maggie shouted, her anger returning full force. "Erin, you don't seem to get it! You, Caitlin, and the babies all could have been killed by this nut, and you're tryin' to tell me to take it easy? Sometimes, Erin, I swear you are more irresponsible than Caitlin!" Caitlin drew back, stung by her mother's words.
"Now wait just a minute, Maggie," String replied, feeling his own defenses going up. "Caitlin may be your daughter, but she's also my wife. And I'm not going to just sit here and let you—"
"Shut your mouth, Stringfellow Hawke!" Maggie shouted angrily. "Don't you tell me what I can and can't do where my daughters are concerned! Maybe you don't understand this because you're not a parent yet, but when one of your kids goes and does somethin' so stupid as what Caity did, maybe you'll understand why I'm so danged upset!" Hawke glanced worriedly at Caitlin. I don't like the look on Maggie's face, he thought anxiously. She looks like she could collapse any second.
"Mom," Caitlin said anxiously, "I'm not going to sit here and let you tear String apart, any more than he's going to let you do it to me. Yes, we made mistakes. String and I both made mistakes. But we're okay. Weston's dead, the babies are fine, and Erin, Dom, Saint John and I are all okay. So that's why we don't understand why you're so upset."
"There's another reason I'm so upset, Miss Caity," Maggie angrily snapped. "And this one has to do with you specifically! What the hell were you thinking offering yourself to this Weston idiot?" Uh-oh, Caitlin thought worriedly.
"I've done it before, Mom," Caitlin replied meekly.
"Yeah, I know." Maggie said, and her voice sounded remarkably calmer, "and I didn't like it any of those other times either!" Erin glanced nervously at Caitlin, noting that their mother's momentary calm was quickly evaporating.
"How many times have I told you, Caity girl, that one of these days that Irish luck of yours is gonna run out?" Caitlin and Erin both noticed the increase in volume of Maggie's voice, along with her face turning a slightly darker shade of red. "You're just danged lucky it didn't run out this time! And then where would I be? I—I..." Maggie suddenly felt extremely short of breath, and Caitlin noticed immediately.
"Mom?" Caitlin asked worriedly. Suddenly, Maggie's eyes rolled back into her head, and she toppled forward out of her chair. Caitlin caught her just before she hit the ground. "MOM!" Caitlin shouted as she eased Maggie's body onto the ground. String vaulted out of his chair and ran to the office, quickly calling for paramedics as Caitlin began administering CPR.
"The paramedics are on their way," String said anxiously.
"String, help me!" Caitlin shouted. Hawke immediately picked up on the fear in her voice. "Mom's not breathing, and I can't tell if her heart's beating!"
"Just tell me what to do, Cait," String replied calmly.
"When I tell you to, breathe deep into Mom's mouth," Caitlin replied. A few seconds later, she said, "Okay, breathe!"
String quickly exhaled into Maggie's mouth. He recognized the steps for artificial respiration and CPR. I just hope we started in time, String thought to himself, even as Caitlin ordered him to expel another breath into Maggie's body.
After what seemed to Hawke to be way too long, he heard sirens approaching. Finally, the paramedics came over and quickly started Maggie on oxygen. "What happened?" one asked.
"My mother, my husband and I were having an argument," Caitlin said, "when all of a sudden, Mom's eyes rolled back into her head, and she fainted. My husband called you, and we started CPR."
"And you are?"
"Her youngest daughter, Caitlin O'Shannessy Hawke," Caitlin replied. "Maggie O'Shannessy is my mother."
"Thank you, ma'am," the paramedic replied. "What've we got, Bob?" he asked his partner.
"She's alive," the paramedic named 'Bob' replied, "and she's fightin' harder than a bull in a china shop." Caitlin smiled in spite of everything. That sounds like Mom, she thought, knowing she inherited her stubborn streak, along with her tenacity, from Maggie.
"Patient is a female, approximately 72 years of age," the first paramedic said into the portable phone. "She was having an argument and suddenly passed out, according to her daughter. Vital signs are: Pulse 140 and thready. BP 80 over 50, pupils are responsive." He listened intently to the voice on the other end, then said to his partner, "Start an IV, D5W with Lactated Ringer's, wide open." His partner nodded and reached for the appropriate drug to start the IV.
"Is Mom gonna be okay?" Caitlin asked worriedly.
"Right now, I'd say yes," Bob replied. "She's got a good, strong heartbeat, even though her blood pressure's low. Has she had any recent heart trouble, or anything of that nature?"
"Well," Erin said hesitantly, "she did go into the hospital recently. Her doctor thought something was wrong, but Mom said it turned out to be nothing. She's seemed fine until today."
"Like I said, your mother seems to be okay," Bob replied. "We'll be taking her to Kensington Memorial Hospital. Would one of you like to ride along?"
"I will," Erin said. "Cait, you and String meet us at the hospital, okay?"
"Okay, sis," Caitlin said, wiping tears out of her eyes. The paramedics quickly and carefully strapped Maggie onto a gurney, then loaded her into the ambulance, and Erin climbed in behind them. The doors quickly closed and the ambulance headed off into the distance, sirens blaring.
"String," Caitlin said, the fear obvious in her voice and her eyes, "take me to the hospital. Now." Without a word, Hawke led Caitlin over to one of the Santini Air jeeps. "Dom," String said, "we'll let you know what happens, okay?"
"You better let me know, String," Dom replied. "And you better get going. I sure hope Maggie's all right."
"So do we, Dom," String said. He quickly climbed in the Jeep and started it up, heading towards the hospital.
"Cait," String said in what he hoped was a calming tone of voice, "whatever happens, I don't want you ending up in the hospital with your mother. Just, please take it easy. Remember," he said, turning to smile at her, "you've got babies to take care of."
"I know, String," Caitlin replied. "It just made me mad, the more upset Mom got with you. By the way, thanks for jumping to my defense like you did."
"Of course, Cait," String replied. "And thank you for coming to my defense the way you did. That couldn't have been easy, going against your mom like that."
"It wasn't, String," Caitlin replied, "but I wasn't gonna let her tear you apart like that, especially when you couldn't help what happened. I mean, Weston was determined to get back at you any way he could, and he knew the best way to do it was to grab all of us."
"One thing I don't understand, Cait," Hawke said. "What did you mean when you said, 'I've done it before'? What exactly had you done before?" Hawke asked, not entirely sure he wanted to know the answer.
"I'd—been involved in a couple of hostage situations back in Texas when I was a cop," Cait said hesitantly. "And in both cases, I decided to offer myself to the guys who took the hostages, just like I did with Weston. Cops take care of their own, y'know, and besides, I knew it'd be much easier to subdue the perps once I was alone with them. Like I said before, I know karate—and, I give free samples," Caitlin said, grinning.
"I seem to recall hearing something about that," String said with a grin directed at his wife. Not to mention feeling it, he thought wryly as he remembered the kick to the chest Caitlin had given him when she showed up at Horn's compound and he had attacked her. But her comment about the situations from her time as a cop in Texas had unnerved String, too. Somehow I had the feeling I didn't want to know, String thought. But at least Maggie's reactions make more sense now. "But at least everything turned out okay. And," he said confidently as they pulled into the hospital parking lot, "everything's gonna turn out okay with your mom. You'll see." He smiled at Caitlin and was relieved to see her return his smile.
"Thanks, String," Caitlin replied, squeezing his hand. "I—I really needed to hear that."
"Anytime, Cait," String said. Caitlin quickly let go of his hand so they could get out of the jeep, but grabbed his hand again as soon as she could. When they got inside the hospital, Erin was there waiting for them.
"How's Mom?" Caitlin asked anxiously.
"Right now, I don't honestly know," Erin said, and Caitlin heard the tears in her voice. "She—she went into something called 'v-fib' twice on the ride over here, but the paramedics were able to bring her back. You know what that means, Cait?"
"Yeah," Caitlin replied. "Ventricular fibrillation. It basically means that her heart was fluttering uncontrollably. They probably used a defibrillator to get her going again, right?"
"Yeah," Erin said. "Figures you'd know all about that, you bein' an ex-cop and all. I guess you saw a few situations like that back in the day, huh?"
"Yeah," Caitlin replied. "Sometimes they got pretty scary, just like happened with Mom. I just hope that—"she suddenly cut herself off when the doctor came over to them.
"Miss O'Shannessy?" the doctor asked. Caitlin started to respond, but realized he was referring to Erin. "Yes," Erin replied. "How's our mother?"
"She's fine," the doctor reported, as Erin and Caitlin both exhaled. "Whatever she was arguing about caused her heart rate to spike, and then drop precipitously, which led to her passing out. Basically, she had a mini-heart attack. Was she in a heated disagreement with someone recently?"
"Yes," Caitlin replied. "I'm her youngest daughter, Caitlin O'Shannessy Hawke. Mom, my husband and I were fighting about something that happened to me recently. She was getting very agitated with both my husband and me, and then all of a sudden, she got almost too calm, just before she passed out." She began sobbing quietly as the full impact of what she'd said hit her. Caitlin quickly turned and buried her head against String's chest, relieved when she felt Hawke's arms around her.
"Cait, honey, this wasn't your fault," Hawke murmured, hoping his tone would soothe her. "Remember what I said on the way over here, okay?"
"I know, String," Cait said. "It's just hard, y'know?"
"Yeah, Cait," Hawke said. "I do know. But worrying like this won't do you, or our babies, any good. And the doctor said your mom's okay."
"Yes, she's okay, for now," the doctor said. "But, I'm concerned about her. I think she's going to be all right, but—"
"But, what?" Caitlin demanded. "Doctor, what aren't you telling Erin and me?"
"Mrs. Hawke, your mother is dealing with an enormous amount of stress, and I think you know what the stressors are. The problem is that at her age, especially after an episode like this, her heart won't be able to take a great deal of stress on a consistent basis. So she's going to need to have complete calm for a good long while once she gets out of here."
"Doctor," Caitlin said anxiously, "may I see her?"
"Can you guarantee me that there won't be any stressful conversation?" the doctor demanded tersely.
Caitlin hesitated for a moment, then looked the doctor in the eye and calmly said, "Yes, Doctor. I'll be perfectly calm."
"And I'll make sure of it," String replied. "I'm her husband, Stringfellow Hawke."
"All right, Mr. and Mrs. Hawke," the doctor said. "You may go see her." Caitlin nodded her thanks, and she and String walked into her mother's room.
"Mom," Caitlin said, I'm—"
"Don't, Caity," Maggie said weakly. "Don't apologize. It was my fault, what happened. I shouldn't have let myself get so bent outta shape. It's like I've always said, Caity girl—you've always marched to your own drummer, and nothin' Patrick or I could ever say could change your mind. And," she turned her eyes on String, "I owe you an apology too, String. The paramedics told me that you were the one who called them as soon as I fainted, and that you helped Caity give me CPR until they got there. I—I'm sorry for the way I snapped at you."
"Maggie, it's okay," Hawke replied. "Caitlin told me what she'd done before, and I understand why you got so upset at her, and at me. I probably would have done the same thing if one of our daughters ever put herself in a situation like the ones Cait's been in, and did something like what she did." Caitlin stifled a smile as she imagined what String would do if one of their children ever placed herself in danger the way Caitlin did. Heck, String probably won't let either one of our daughters even think about becomin' a cop, Caitlin thought, stifling a smile.
"Well, I still think what I did was really stupid," Maggie said. "I mean, I'd bet that I made you and Caity worried sick after I passed out, plus what happened when we talked before Erin came out here. And with everything that happened with the kidnapping on top of that, I'm guessing that wasn't very good for the babies. I—I hope everything's okay."
"Maggie," String said, "I'm sure the babies are fine. But if it'll make you feel better, I can have someone check Cait out."
"That would definitely make me feel better, String," Maggie said. String nodded and called for a nurse. When the nurse arrived, Hawke said, "My wife needs to be checked out. She's pregnant, and she's been under a lot of stress today because of what happened to her mother." The nurse nodded and ushered Caitlin out.
"Thank you, String," Maggie said. "It's like I said when you and Cait got married, I think you're a good man, and Caitlin's very lucky to have you."
"Thank you, Maggie," String said. "And I'm very lucky to have Caitlin. And I'll do whatever I have to do to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again."
"I appreciate that, String," Maggie said. "It's just that Caity's my last little girl. And before you say anything, I know she's not really a little girl anymore, but she'll always be my baby. You and Cait'll understand it someday when your kids are grown up and have gone out on their own, and it's just the two of you again."
"I'm sure we will," Hawke replied, smiling at his mother-in-law. "You know, Maggie, I never told you this before—but a lot of the traits I love most in Caitlin are definitely from you. And I don't want your relationship with Caitlin to suffer because of me."
"Don't you worry about that," Maggie said. "You let me handle my relationship with Caitlin, okay? I admit that I got a little more bent outta shape than I probably should have. I know you wouldn't have allowed Cait to do what she did if you'd been there from the beginning when they first got grabbed, String. So, no hard feelings?"
"No, Maggie," Hawke said, smiling at her. "No hard feelings." She smiled back at him and extended her arms to Hawke, who hugged her back carefully so as not to disturb the IV's in her arms, just as the door to Maggie's room opened, and Caitlin and a doctor walked in.
"Well," Caitlin said, "I see things are better between you and Mom." Caitlin smiled at her husband. "This is Dr. Robertson, Mom. She did the examination."
"Mrs. O'Shannessy," Dr. Robertson began, but Maggie cut her off.
"Excuse me, Doctor, but could you please call me 'Maggie?' Everybody does. I haven't gone by 'Mrs. O'Shannessy' since Cait's father died when she was twelve years old. Just tell me how Cait and my grand-babies are."
"Okay, Maggie," Dr. Robertson replied. "The babies, and Caitlin, are all fine. Whatever happened, there hasn't been any injury to her, or her babies. I don't foresee any problems with the pregnancy, either."
"Thank you, Doctor," Maggie said, the relief obvious in both her face and her voice.
"My pleasure, Maggie," Dr. Robertson replied, then turned to Caitlin. "Don't worry, Mrs. Hawke. Like I told you, everything's fine, and it'll stay that way as long as you take care of yourself. Don't get too stressed out again—next time you might not be so lucky, especially as the pregnancy advances."
"I'll make sure of that," Hawke replied, smiling at the doctor.
"I know that!" Caitlin replied with a smile. Hawke smiled back, remembering when she had said those same words to him all those years ago, when he'd seen her working on Dom's old Stearman. He softly laughed, which prompted Maggie to ask, "What's so danged funny, String?"
"It's a private joke, Maggie," String replied. "When Cait came back to California looking for me, I was working on that old Stearman out in front of the hangar. Anyway, I looked up and saw Cait, and the first thing I said when I saw her was, 'Caitlin! Deputy Caitlin!' And she looked at me through her shades and said, 'I know that!' So now whenever she says it, I always picture her standing in front of me back at the hangar saying it to me."
"That's funny, String," Maggie said. "You know, I've always wondered why Caity was so quick to move out here lookin' for you. She never explained it to me or Erin—just packed up one day and left. I will say this, though—even though you're a bit of a strange bird, Stringfellow Hawke, now that I've gotten to know you, I see why she came here lookin' for you. And for what it's worth, and I know it's probably not worth much, but I couldn't imagine my Caity with anybody else." Hawke smiled at the unintentional pun that Maggie had made.
"Thank you, Maggie." Hawke replied, "I think." Of course, there's a reason she didn't explain meeting me to you, Maggie. One 'black battleship with the rotors.' And, that's something I hope you never find out about, he thought. Because if you knew some of the things that have happened to Cait because of Airwolf, that just might kill you.
"String," Caitlin replied, "trust me, Mom meant that in a loving manner. And she's right, y'know. You are kind of a strange bird, in your own way."
"Yeah, I guess I am," String replied. Everyone laughed at the exchange, and Caitlin finally said, "This is such a relief, you and Mom getting along better, String. I was worried about that for a while after what happened, and Mom's reaction."
"I know, Cait," Hawke replied as he slipped his arm around Caitlin's shoulders and pulled her close to him. "But like I've told you before, Dom and my parents always taught me never to hold grudges, so I'm certainly not going to start now. Especially when, to an extent, Maggie was right to be upset with me." Caitlin nodded, knowing what String was referring to.
"Mom," Caitlin said, "String doesn't admit things like that very often, so I hope like heck you appreciate what he just said!"
"I do, Caity girl," Maggie said. "And like I said before, I may have overreacted a little, but it's only 'cause I love you. Even though you're a grown woman and carrying my grand-babies, you'll always be my little girl. You know that, right?"
"I know that!" Caitlin replied, wiping tears out of her eyes. Maggie joined in the laughter this time around.
"Oh, and String," Maggie added, "you be sure and tell your friend Dominic that he's a right smart fella, teaching you and your brother Saint John not to hold grudges. Grudges can be nasty things, I don't mind telling you."
"You're right, Maggie," Hawke replied. "And I'll make sure and tell Dom that." Considering that it was Weston's grudge against me that started this whole fiasco, he thought.
"He did a danged good job raisin' you and your brother, String," Maggie said. "I hope you know that—and that you'll let him know that, too."
"I do, Maggie. And, I'll make sure to tell Dom that as well," Hawke said.
"Thank you, String," Maggie replied, sighing happily.
Just then, the door opened and Erin walked in. "Everything okay in here? You guys have been in here quite a while."
"Yeah, Erin," Caitlin replied, smiling at her sister. "Everything's fine. Things are even better between String and Mom."
"Well, that's good to know," Erin replied. "It'll sure help Mom to have all of us getting along."
"Yeah, Erin," String replied. "It sure will."
"So, Mom," Erin said anxiously, "how're you doing?"
"A lot better now," Maggie replied, smiling at her older daughter. "I'm just wonderin' when they're gonna let me outta this danged place!"
Caitlin and String exchanged a knowing smile, as Erin said, "That's just like you, Mom. No patience when it comes to hospitals."
"Guess you and String have that in common, Mom," Caitlin said. "He can't stand hospitals, either."
"Well, I guess I can understand that," Maggie replied.
"Well, you guys," Erin said, "this is fun, and I'm sure we could go on all day, but I get the feeling Mom could use a little rest."
"Oh, I'm fine, Erin!" Maggie retorted, but she recognized her older daughter's expression. "But now that you mention it, I am getting a little tired. I could probably use a nap."
"Besides," String said, "Dom's probably wondering what's been going on here. We told him we'd let him know how you're doing, Maggie."
"Well, you be sure and tell your friend Dominic that I said hello," Maggie replied.
"Okay, Mom. We'll do that," Caitlin replied, walking over and giving Maggie a kiss on her cheek. "'Bye."
"Good-bye, Maggie," Hawke replied, walking over and kissing her cheek gently.
"'Bye, Cait. 'Bye String," Maggie replied. "And, String? Thanks again—for everything."
"No problem, Maggie," String replied. He and Caitlin walked out of Maggie's room, and a short time later, were headed back to Santini Air.
"Thank God Mom's okay," Caitlin said.
"I had a feeling she would be," String replied. "Don't ask me how, though. I just—knew it. Maggie's a tough lady, y'know, just like you. Like I told Maggie while you were getting checked out—a lot of the traits I love most in you obviously come from your mom."
"Thanks, String," Caitlin replied.
"You're welcome, Cait." Hawke replied.
"How's Maggie doing, Cait?" Dom asked a few minutes later when String and Cait arrived back at the hangar.
"She's fine, Dom," Caitlin replied happily, causing Dom to relax. "She told us to tell you hello, and she was even complaining about getting out of the hospital just before we left." Dom laughed at that comment. "I think Mom's going to be just fine."
"That's good to hear, Cait," Dom said, smiling. "I know you were worried about Maggie for a while, and I gotta admit, I was too."
"You were worried, Dom?" Cait asked. "How come?"
"Well," Dom said, wondering if he'd inadvertently said too much, "I care about your mom, just like I care about you, Cait. And if your mom was really sick, it wouldn't have been easy on you, y'know."
"Is that all, Dom?" Caitlin asked.
"Well, no," Dom said hesitantly. "I mean, well, you know what I mean, I hope."
"Yeah, Dom," Caitlin said with a twinkle in her eyes, "I think we know exactly what you mean."
"Listen, you two," Dom said, "We've got nothin' on the schedule for today, and you guys could probably use the down time, so go ahead and take off. I'll take care of everything else, okay?"
"You sure, Dom?" Hawke asked.
"Yeah, String," Dom replied. "I'm sure. Go on, get outta here."
"Okay, Dom," String said. "Oh, by the way," Hawke said, "I almost forgot something else Maggie wanted me to tell you. She said to tell you that she thought you did a great job raising me and Saint John."
Dom smiled, even as he remembered Hawke's parents. Caitlin gave Dom a quick hug and said, "I have to agree with Mom. You did terrific with both String and Sinj."
"Oh, get out of here, you two!" Dom said, wiping tears out of his eyes.
"See you later, Dom," Hawke said, smiling as he slipped an arm around Caitlin's waist. He and Caitlin walked over to one of the helicopters and quickly lifted off, heading for home.
By the time they had reached the cabin, Hawke had a bad feeling about Caitlin. "Cait, are you okay?" Hawke asked. "You didn't say a word all the way back here, and that's not like you."
"I'm sorry, String," Caitlin said sadly. "I—I just keep thinkin' about how Mom got so sick—and I feel like it was all my fault."
"No, Cait," Hawke replied anxiously. "If this was anybody's fault, it was mine. I should've done something to protect you and the babies, along with Dom, Erin, and Saint John. Your mom was right—those parts could've waited, and it was incredibly foolish, irresponsible and stupid of me to just leave all of you at the hangar where Weston's boys could grab you. If I'd waited and been there when Weston's goons attacked, then maybe you all wouldn't have been kidnapped—and then Maggie wouldn't have gotten so sick, because you two wouldn't have argued today. I—I'm sorry, Cait."
"Sorry?" Caitlin demanded. "What the heck do you have to be sorry about, Stringfellow Hawke? Oh, wait, lemme guess. You're 'sorry' that you didn't protect me, Erin, Sinj, and Dom, right? Because of some cockamamie curse that you think you have on you, right? String, for God's sake, how many times have we been through this?" Hawke hesitated to answer, because he could sense the anger growing in Caitlin's voice, and remembering what Dr. Robertson had told Caitlin, Hawke didn't want to say anything that would further upset her.
"I know, Cait, but—" Caitlin angrily cut Hawke off again.
"Dammit, Hawke!" Caitlin erupted, more angrily than Hawke could ever encounter hearing his wife's voice. "If I've told you once, I've told you a million times—'but' me no 'buts,' or else, pregnant or not, I swear to God I'm gonna kick yours! I don't want to hear another word about this 'curse' you think you have on you, either! If everything I've been through since I've known you, and survived, doesn't prove to you that you're not really cursed, then dammit, I don't know what will! And," she said, tears forming in her hazel eyes, "it makes me wonder if you really love me the way you're always saying you do."
"Cait, how can you say that?" Hawke demanded, feeling his own anger rise. "You know I love you—more than I've ever loved anyone in my entire life. Why would you say something like that?"
"I—I don't know." Caitlin replied. "I just know that if you really loved me the way you say you do, you wouldn't be doubting my ability to take care of myself. And," she said hesitantly, "there's one other thing I know."
"What's that?" Hawke asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.
"I know that I—I'm going to be sleeping in the guest room tonight, Hawke," Caitlin said.
"What?" Hawke demanded angrily.
"You heard me, Hawke," Caitlin said, and Hawke winced at Caitlin's use of his last name. "I—I just can't deal with this tonight." She rudely brushed past her husband and headed upstairs to gather a few things she'd be taking to the guest room.
Way to go, String! Hawke thought angrily as he watched his wife's form retreat up the stairs. How the hell am I gonna fix this mess?
Dinner that night was about as strained between Hawke and Caitlin as any time he could remember. She barely said a word to him as they ate, and even though Hawke had been the one to make dinner, Caitlin left the dishes for him. "I'm going to bed, Hawke," Caitlin said coldly. "Good night."
"Cait," Hawke said, but Caitlin had already headed upstairs to bed.
Hawke did the dishes in silence, wincing when he heard the guest room door slam shut a few minutes after Caitlin had gone upstairs, then sat in the living room for hours afterward. What the hell am I gonna do? Hawke thought, allowing his emotions to overtake him and the tears to flow down his face. Just then, String's faithful hound dog Tet came up and plaintively whined as he laid his head on String's lap.
"I don't know," Hawke said as he gave Tet a scratch behind the ears. "I just don't know."
Finally, Hawke decided to go upstairs and try to go to bed. He paused in front of the guest room door, but saw that it was closed to him. "I'm sorry, Cait," he whispered to the door, even though he figured she wouldn't hear him. He laid one hand against the bedroom door and sadly whispered, "I—I love you," before he headed to the main bedroom.
"I'm sorry, Cait," Hawke's voice came weakly through the bedroom door. What have I done? Caitlin asked herself. She recognized Hawke's tone of voice—he's hurt, Caitlin thought sadly as the full weight of what happened earlier came crashing down on her, especially when she heard Hawke whisper "I—I love you." And he's upset with me. I—I've got to do something to make this right. But what? She lay awake in the guest room bed for several hours wrestling with her decision. Finally, Caitlin wiped the tears out of her eyes and thought, Dang it all anyway! String was only upset because he loves me and because he hates seein' anything happen to me—and I've gotta admit, I hate seein' anything happen to String, either. And dang it, even as mad as I was—I still love him. And I'll always love him. I know why I got upset at him, too, dang it all. All that fear I felt when Weston was getting ready to shoot String—it just all came back to me, and I took it out on my husband. I guess there's only one thing to do—'cause I know I'll never get to sleep in here, away from String. She rose from the guest room bed and changed out of her nightgown into a more revealing negligee, then slipped on her robe and left the guest room to head back to her own bed. Our bed, she corrected herself. Besides, she thought as she stopped just outside their bedroom door, this thing with Weston wasn't String's fault any more than it was mine. He didn't know Weston's boys were comin' after us. And if he had been there, he might have gotten grabbed with the rest of us. And then who would have rescued us? 'Cause Weston probably woulda killed String right off the bat if he'd been there with us. God, I am so stupid! She thought angrily. I owe him the biggest apology ever, she thought as she sadly stared into the bedroom, her eyes focusing on her husband in the dim light coming through the bedroom window.
Hawke lay awake in their bed—the bed he and Caitlin had shared so many romantic nights in, and had created the babies Caitlin was carrying in. How can I make this right? Hawke thought angrily. How do I make Cait understand that I worry about her, and the babies, because I love her? And anyway, this wasn't my fault, dammit! This was Weston's fault, pure and simple. And, he thought sadly, I do owe her an apology for what happened. Just then, he glanced up and saw a figure silhouetted in the door.
"Cait?" Hawke asked.
"Yeah, String," the voice came from the door. "I—I can't sleep."
"I can't sleep either," Hawke admitted as he sat up. "Because I need to apologize for everything. I—I'm sorry, Cait."
"I—I heard you apologize when you came up," Caitlin said, surprising Hawke. "Listen, String. I'm sorry, too. This whole thing wasn't your fault any more than it was mine. If it was anybody's fault, it was—"
"Weston's," Hawke replied, switching on a light. "You're right, Cait. This whole thing was Weston's fault—not yours, and not mine." He tentatively smiled at Caitlin, and was relieved to see her return his smile with a weak one of her own.
"Come sit beside me, please?" Hawke asked, patting her side of the bed. Caitlin hesitated, then slipped into the bedroom, walking hesitantly over to her side of the bed and sitting down. "Y'know, String," Caitlin said, "I was thinkin' about what you said earlier—about how if you'd been there, maybe this whole thing wouldn't have happened. I was thinking that if you had been there, then you would've been grabbed with the rest of us, and Weston probably would've killed you straight off. And then where would I be, stuck raising our daughters alone?" Assuming he didn't kill us all anyway, Caitlin thought, remembering Weston's expressions, which reminded her of a complete madman.
"Y—You're right, Cait." String remembered having thought about that same possibility. Or even worse, that she'd be raising them with—with Weston, assuming he didn't kill her along with everybody else, he thought. "I guess I didn't think about that when I said what I did." Caitlin nodded, forcing a weak smile at her husband. "And, remember when your mom said grudges can be nasty things? She didn't know how right she was, considering it was Weston's grudge against me that started this whole mess." Caitlin nodded at her husband, not sure if she could trust her voice. Finally, she felt confident enough to ask the question that was burning in her mind.
"String, are we gonna be okay?" Hawke heard the anxiety and concern in her voice, and hoped his words would reassure her..
"I—I guess that depends, Cait. I mean, I'll always feel like I should be protecting you, especially with the babies coming. But," he said, smiling at her expression, "I also know from experience how capable of defending yourself you really are. Sometimes—sometimes, I just forget that, you know? I—I take how well you can defend yourself for granted sometimes, and that's when things like this happen. I guess I just think about Mom and Dad—Dad was always telling Saint John and me that it's the husband's responsibility to protect his family, you know?"
"Yeah, String." String smiled when he saw Caitlin shyly moving closer to him. "I do know. I mean, Daddy was the same way with Mom—and Mom gave him grief about it almost until the day he died, just like I did with you. And I almost forgot something—do you remember what Dom told us on our wedding day?" String hesitated, then smiled and nodded at Caitlin. 'Never go to bed angry. Resolve your problems before they start...,' Dom had said. And here we were, going to bed angry with each other, with this problem unresolved,Hawke realized. "Yeah, Cait. I do remember." And if Dom could have heard us when we were flyin' back here, he never would have let me hear the end of it. And I'd deserve it, too, Hawke thought.
"Well," Caitlin said, smiling as she moved closer to String, "to keep us both from goin' back to bed angry, as Weston might say, I'm gonna make you an offer you can't refuse." At least, I hope like heck you can't, Caitlin thought anxiously.
"Okay," String said hesitantly, unsure what his wife meant. And I'm not too thrilled about her using Weston's name like that, but I guess I can understand it. Hawke resolved to listen to whatever Caitlin was going to tell him.
"If you can promise me that you'll quit blaming yourself every time something bad happens to me, Saint John, or anybody else, then I promise you that I'll be a little more understanding the next time you get so overprotective. Deal?"
"Deal," Hawke said, holding out his hand for Caitlin to shake. Caitlin shook her head and leaned into String, capturing his lips with hers in a passionate kiss, one that left little to the imagination. When she finally separated them, Caitlin said, "That's how I like to seal a deal, String. At least, how I like to seal a deal with you."
"Well," String said, hesitantly sliding his arms around Caitlin and pulling her closer to him, "I have to admit that I like the way you think."
"I thought you would. And, I knew if you didn't agree with me at first, then you wouldn't be able to resist—this." She smiled as she disengaged herself from Hawke's arms and slipped out of her robe to reveal the negligee she was wearing underneath.
"H mm. I have to say you know me too well, Caitlin," Hawke said, grinning appreciatively at his wife. "Just one thing. Remember—a Hawke doesn't go back on a deal!" Caitlin smiled as she remembered Bobby Phelps saying 'A Phelps never goes back on a deal!' after he'd given String that sketch of him, that day at the hospital. Then, String anxiously added, "So—I guess this means you won't be going back to the guest room?" He nervously fingered the strap on one side of Caitlin's negligee, and was relieved when she smiled seductively at him.
"I'm sure glad to hear that," Caitlin said with a seductive smile as she took her husband into her arms again. Shyly, she added, "And, String, now that we're okay, I'm not going anywhere tonight. I just have one more thing to ask you. Please make love to me."
Smiling, String slipped the straps of Caitlin's negligee down off her arms, then lifted her negligee over her head and said, "Caitlin, don't ever—ever doubt that you have the right to ask me to make love to you." She smiled through the tears that were forming in her eyes as String leaned into her and rotated her onto her back.
"I love you so much, Caitlin Hawke. Never, ever forget that."
"Don't just tell me, String. Show me," Caitlin whispered as Hawke moved inside her.
When it was over, String cradled Caitlin lovingly against his chest as he ran his fingers gently through her long red tresses. Finally, he heard Caitlin's voice. "String, that was wonderful." And String left no doubts in my mind how he feels about me. I just hope he figured out how much I love him.
"Thank you, Cait," String replied as he lifted her face so he could look into her eyes. "You were wonderful, too. And I promise you, I will never doubt my feelings for you ever again."
"Me neither," Caitlin said happily. "I was so scared when I came up here earlier, String. I—I was really thinkin' you might leave, or even throw me out, after what I did. And, I have a confession to make. The reason I snapped at you in the helicopter comin' back here was—I was feelin' all that fear that had built up inside me when Weston had us captive, and especially when I thought he was gonna kill you, and keep me for himself. It all came back to me, and I took it out on you. That's why I said I thought you might leave, or throw me out. Anyway, I-I'm sorry."
"Why on Earth would I do that, Cait?" Hawke asked, surprised. "I mean, with as many dumb things as I've said and done since we met, I'm surprised you didn't leave a long time ago. Heck, I'm surprised we even got married. And," Hawke said, noting the tears in his wife's eyes, "apology accepted. I figured you reacted the way you did because of what happened today. It's okay, baby," Hawke said as he pulled Caitlin close to him again.
"Never, String," Caitlin said as she slipped back and looked deep into his eyes, hoping he could see the love she held for him in hers. "I admit I got frustrated and thought about leavin' when it looked like you'd never admit your feelings about me. But now that we're together the way I always wanted us to be, I promise you, String—I'll never leave you. I said on our wedding day that I would always be here for you—no matter what. Remember?"
"Yeah, Cait," Hawke replied. "I do remember. And I promised you the same—that I'd always be here for you, no matter what." He heard, and felt Caitlin sigh with relief as she snuggled closer into Hawke's arms. Thank goodness, Caitlin thought as she listened to String's heartbeat. I wouldn't have been able to raise my—oops—our kids without String, she thought.
"Cait, I can't guarantee that we won't ever have problems again, you know that, right?" Hawke asked her anxiously.
"I know, String," Caitlin said. "And it's something both of us need to work on, like I said when I made you that deal. But as long as we're communicating and working with each other, I think we'll be just fine."
"I agree, Cait," String replied as he lifted her face so she could look into his eyes again.
"What now, String?" Caitlin asked.
"Who knows, baby," Hawke answered her truthfully. "Nobody knows what's going to happen in the future. But, I do know one thing. Whatever happens, you and I'll face it, together," Hawke said confidently.
"Yeah," Caitlin murmured happily as she laid her head against Hawke's chest. "together. I love the sound of that, String. And I love you, Stringfellow Hawke. Always and forever, I love you."
"I love you, too, Caitlin Hawke," String replied drowsily as he tightened his arms around Caitlin. "Always and forever." He closed his eyes and felt himself quickly falling asleep, pondering the future.
THE END.
Meanwhile...
A mysterious man stared angrily at the newspaper photograph of Caitlin O'Shannessy. He calmly pulled a pistol out of his pocket. "Good-bye, bitch!" he shouted before firing a shot, which pierced the photograph right between the eyes. Calmly, he put his pistol away and began making plans.
TBC...