Chapter 25

Things started to settle down in the next few days. The shifting timelines settled into one coherent event where Dr. Moffett had survived and escaped with the controller for Archie's invention. Archie's dream of making a better world suddenly clashed with his father's dream of global domination. And what was worse, Archie had inadvertently supplied his father with the very means to make that goal possible.

Stringfellow Hawke liked Archie. He was a kind and caring man who never let his genius get the better of him. He was also rather awkward and a bit of a nerd. But what found most alarming was the way his daughter's eyes lit up when she spoke to Archie. It soon struck him as odd that his daughter was become infatuated with Moffett's son.

String strolled into Santini Air sporting his tan trousers and classic yellow shirt when he spotted Caitlin and Mike sitting in coveralls at the break table sipping coffee and going over the classified ads in the local paper. He walke to the pair and looked about.

"What ya two doing?" he asked.

Caitlin smiled, "Looking at houses for sale!"

He cocked an eye, "Why? We already own a house. A big three story brick one that's worth a half a million dollars."

Mike nodded, "And you hate it! And I still have my timeline memories and don't recall ever living in that house."

Caitlin added, "Mike and I thought it would be best to try to duplicate what she remembers growing up as much as possible. That way we don't get too many surprises…Like your job!" she swallowed a laugh for she knew Stringfellow Hawke was not an administrator at heart.

He recalled the other timeline and admitted with a nod, "That was a shocker."

Caitlin asked, "Where do we live in your time, Mike?"

"Outside of D.C.," she mentioned. "It was just you and me in that timeline because Airwolf traveled into the future and disappeared. You had these two real annoying neighbors Bob and Rob. They're a couple of perverts."

String snapped a finger, "I remember them! That's right! They were checking you out, Mike and had they had this weird lawn fetish."

Caitlin wondered, "Should we move to Washington?"

Mike shook her head, "Heck no! I like it out here. I would have loved to have grown up in that cabin and worked at Santini Air. You moved to D.C. when you took a job working for the electric company. I happen to have been stationed there."

He reminded her, "Sinjin will be rescued soon."

She stated, "Archie says that meeting yourself from a future timeline will not kill you. My uncle should be safe."

He shook his head for that was not what he alluded to. "Once Sinjin comes home he will have the cabin too," he reminded her. "It belongs to both of us. We still need a house."

She balked, "That cabin is huge. There is plenty of room for us and Sinjin and my cousin and my aunt."

"What about school?" he asked her.

"You can home school me," she suggested.

Caitlin spoke up, "The reason we are looking for another house is so you will have the childhood you remember having."

"But why?" she sighed. "Why lived that twice? I have my father, my mother and my uncle. I want to live out here and not on the East Coast. I want to grow up with Dom in my life. I want to be able to work here after school."

He smirked, "Can't say I blame her."

Caitlin sighed, "I want you to have a normal life."

"There is no such thing as normal," she rebutted. "The life I recall living was from a timeline that wasn't even supposed to exist. In the first timeline I was never born. I know there will be surprises when and I get back home. I'm prepared for that."

Caitlin squeezed her hand, "I'll be here for you."

"I know," she squeezed her hand in return.

"Archie has it all set up," he informed. "You, Sinjin, Archie and Dom are all going back to your time with Airwolf."

"Why Dom?" she asked.

"Because in the first timeline he was supposed to have died in that explosion," he reminded her. "Archie says wouldn't matter if he stayed or went. I want Dom with you in that bird."

"Any other reason?" she asked him.

He candidly admitted, "He wouldn't be alive once got you got back. He would be too old. If he should have died then there is no reason for him to stay here when he could have a life in the future with you…and Farmville."

The Next Morning

Dom had packed a few bags for his trip back to the future. He stood in his blue jeans and shimmering jacket with red hat topped on his graying head. He looked upon Hawke, "I guess this is it."

"See ya in thirty years," he nodded.

"I wish you could come with us," he told him.

"I'll be there waiting for you," he assured him. He wrapped his arms around him and held him tight for a moment. His heart sank but he knew Dom would thrive in the future. He released the embrace and then looked at his much older brother.

"Take care of yourself, Sinjin." he hugged him tight as well.

"You just be there when we get back," he insisted.

"I will be," he promised. He looked onto Archie.

"You're a heck of a lot smarter than your old man," he smirked at him.

"Coming from you that is a heck of a compliment," he held out his hand.

Hawke shook his hand and gave a nod and then pulled him close and hugged him while whispering in his ear, "Stay away from my daughter."

Archie grew wide-eyed and gulped.

He then looked at Mike and couldn't help but smile at her, "You're not too shabby of a pilot."

She smirked back, "Isn't this the part where you hug me goodbye and tell me how much you love me?"

He smirked back at her, "Yeah, it is." He pulled her close, "Come here."

"You're not a shabby pilot either," she hugged him in return.

"Take care of Dom for me," he whispered.

"You will be there when we get back," she assured him.

"Hope so," was all he could say. He honestly didn't know if he would be there or not but could only hope for the best. He stood back and watched as they boarded the chopper.

Caitlin, who said her goodbyes just moments earlier, wrapped her arms around his middle. She assured, "They will be fine."

"I know they will," he kissed her forehead as he held onto her. The pair stood back as the bright morning sun shined down upon them. The rotors started and the wash kicked up forcing them back. They looked on as Airwolf took to the skies once more. As Airwolf flew out of sight he held Caitlin and closed his eyes hoping for the best and that the future they were being sent too was not ruled by Dr. Moffett.