Chapter 26

Dom sat in the engineer's station and reported, "Where's back to two thousand and fifteen!"

"We're home!" Mike cheered to Sinjin.

"We're home, kid." he grinned back at her from under the helmet.

Dom asked, "You still think Airwolf is lame, Mike?"

"It's not as lame as I thought it was." she admitted.

Archie chuckled, "Not as lame as the eighties?"

"Compared to the eighties Airwolf is freaking awesome," she laughed.

Sinjin cheered, "I would have to agree. Wonder if my brother ever got a real haircut?"

"I'm sure he did," she grinned wondering what became of her father for she could only recall the former timeline.

Dom picked up a radio transmission, "I'm getting landing instructions from your base, Mike."

"Patch it through," she stated. She opened the mic, "Control this is Airwolf."

A male voice replied, "We have you on radar Major Hawke. You are cleared to land."

She cocked an eyebrow, "Major Hawke."

Sinjin reminded her, "Your parents were married before you were born this time around."

"Oh yeah," she recalled figuring she would have to get use to the new name.

Archie jested, "You can always change it if it bothers you."

"To what?" she asked.

"Sam Beckett worked well for me," he kidded.

"How about Marty McFly?" she jested in return.

"Doc Brown," he countered.

Sinjin noted, "You two are a couple of nerds."

Mike huffed, "I'm not a nerd."

Dom smiled, "Yes you are. You're just like your old man…A nerd."

"My father isn't a nerd," she insisted.

Sinjin grinned, "My brother is the biggest nerd I know! He just acts cooler than most nerds."

She miffed alarmed, "We're not nerds!"

Short Time Later

The chopper landed and was secured on base. They were escorted into a private debriefing room inside the main headquarters. They were seated at a table and provided with water.

The door swung open and Stringfellow Hawke walked inside. He looked good; his hair was still brown with hardly any gray. His face had aged only slightly. He sported a thin mustache and wore brown leather A-2 style flight jacket over a green flight suit. But what was most alarming was the name badge on the leather jacket that read, "Col. Hawke."

Sinjin gasped, "String?"

He cocked a grin, "Welcome back home." His eyes settled on Dom, "Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes." He then looked upon his daughter, "I see you made it."

She pointed to his badge, "You're a Colonel?"

"Air Force," he nodded. "I take it you still remember that weird timeline where me and Dom disappeared for thirty years."

She nodded, "Yeah."

"After you guys went back I stayed with your mother and you were born," he informed. "We knew Moffett was gonna be a problem so Michael stayed in the Firm and I was positioned in the Air Force with Sinjin."

"I'm retired," Sinjin stated. "I was never in the Air Force."

"You are this time," his brother smirked. "Colonel."

"I'm an active colonel?" he gulped.

He informed, "You and I are going to be flying Airwolf for Air Shows." He looked at Dom, "If you want you can fly as the engineer. But we can't tell anyone who you are, Dom."

"Oh," he's eyes grew wide. "I was thinking of spending time with Caitlin when I got back."

"She's gonna put ya to work," he warned. "She's running for town supervisor."

"My mother is what?" asked Mike baffled for her mother never showed any such interest before.

"She's mad at the town over the sewer bill and is running for office," he chuckled.

Mike asked suspiciously, "How come you don't have any gray hair and look so good?"

He shrugged, "Genetics!"

Sinjin balked, "What's that stuff on your lip?"

"A mustache," he snorted. "Michael and I have a bet going as to who can grow the nicest mustache."

Mike noted, "Michael's is way better, String."

"Funny," he smirked at her. "That's 'Dad' to you young lady."

"I have to call you 'Dad' now?" she gulped.

"You always have," he countered. "Now, I've pulled some strings to get you a leave so you can adjust to any changes that occurred as a result of the time travel."

"I appreciate that," she nodded. "Does Mom still live in the same house with the crappy neighbors?"

He grinned, "Rob and Bob! They each owe me a case of beer. We only rent it. We still have the cabin and your uncle and I own Dom's business." He then smiled at Dom, "We knew you were coming back. We made sure it would be there for ya."

"I appreciate that," he stated relived to have his business waiting for him.

Mike asked, "What about Archie?"

"There are rogue elements who want to get their hands on him…Especially Moffett. He's still alive but luckily he no longer has Archie's controller. I destroyed it a few years back when he was gunning for us. Archie will be working for the Firm under Marella. He will be issued a new name for a cover." He looked at Archie with a straight face and asked, "You prefer James Kirk or Jonathan Archer?"

Archie gasped, "Those are both from Star Trek."

"I prefer Archer myself," Hawke told him. "Kirk might raise a few eyebrows."

"Is there another option?" he asked him.

Hawke shook his head, "Nope! Jonathan Archer it is!" He then added, "You can go by Archie and no one will know."

"I suppose," he winced.

"Marella will be collecting you, Archie. She will show you your new life." he looked at Mike and Dom, "You two will be with me."

Sinjin asked suspiciously, "Who am I married to in this timeline?" He knew his brother was hiding something from him by his expression alone.

"First wife or second one?" he asked him amused.

"I'm divorced?" he asked unsure.

"She left ya for a General a few years back," he told him. "You're second wife is Dom's niece, Jo. You two hooked after your divorce."

Sinjin signed, "My life changed!"

Archie told him, "You were supposed to be married to her in the first place. There are going to be surprises for we changed things. That's unavoidable."

Mike smiled, "Nice surprises. I got my mom and dad, so I really can't complain about any surprises."

String motioned, "You got Jon too!"

She cocked an eyebrow, "I'm married!"

"No dip-stick! You're brother." He told her.

"Brother?" she gulped. "I don't have a brother."

"You don't?" he asked with a straight face for he knew she was in for a surprise because she didn't have one in her timeline.

She shook her head wide-eyed.

"I always wondered why you never mentioned him," he kidded. He then shrugged at her, "You got one now."

"But I don't have a brother," she insisted.

He asked, "Well what do you want me to do? Send him back? It's not like we got from a store ya know."

Sinjin smirked, "You always wanted a sibling. Now you got one."

"I wanted a baby sister," she reminded him.

String rolled his eyes, "I know! That's why you kept putting dresses on him when he was little."

Dom stated, "She didn't have a brother in her timeline, String. What's he like?"

"He's twenty-five and a captain in the Air force. He looks juts me too," he grinned. He then muttered under his breath, "But acts more like his mother."

"I can't wait to meet him, String." Dom cheered.

"I can't wait for you to meet him too, Dom." he smiled with a nod.

Sinjin asked suspiciously, "I only have one kid, right? A boy? No surprise children that I don't remember?"

"Not unless you had some and didn't tell anyone," his brother smirked back.

Sinjin sighed, "Scared me! If Mike can suddenly have a younger brother she doesn't remember due to this time travel thing than I could have additional kids that I don't remember too."

Dom asked condescendingly, "Or have a wife who happens to be my niece?"

"Or that," he conceded.

Short Time Later

Stringfellow Hawke drove the black government supplied black SUV to the home he rented with Caitlin. In the truck with him were Dom and Mike who were both in civilian clothing. As he pulled into the drive Mike noted the home improvements and the apple tree was still in the front yard.

She mentioned, "In the timeline when you and Dom came to the future you had put that same tree."

He nodded, "Landlord knocked the rent in half when I did the improvements." As he went to open the door he mentioned, "I made a bet with Rob and Bob as to who would have best yard. I won!" He climbed out of the truck with Mike and Dom in tow.

Mike spotted Rob emerge from his garage nearby. He smiled and waved, "Afternoon, Colonel Hawke."

"Rob," he nodded back.

Bob emerged from his garage next holding a lawnmower part in his hand, "String! I got your case of beer. Um, I was wondering if you got time if you could help me with this?"

My, how the attitudes of the neighbors had changed. Mike stood in shock and gasped.

Bob smiled gently her, "Major Hawke. It's good to see you again."

Rob greeted her in fashion, "Good to have you home, Major."

"Ah," she had no idea what to say for they were never that nice to her before. She had no idea that it was the fear of her father physically battering them to preserve her honor that lead to that change of attitude.

Bob spoke up as they walked to the house, "I'm having a barbecue this weekend. Make sure you come."

"Will do," String told him.

Rob huffed out from his driveway, "I'm having a cookout the weekend after that!"

Little did Mike know that her father was the subject of a jealous battle between to the two neighbors. He was a man's man. Everyone respected him and he was rather helpful. Everyone wanted to be his friend and much to Stringfellow Hawke's dismay, popularity had its drawbacks.

"Thanks Rob," he told him and led his daughter and Dom into the house.

Mike looked at Dom and noted, "They are never that nice to us."

Dom nodded, "I know! I remember!"

"Cait," he called out.

Caitlin walked into the living area holding a large plastic sign. She was thinner, her hair was short and styled with loose curls and colored blonde to hide the gray. She wore a little makeup and looked very well. She sported blue jeans with a red and white light flannel shirt, "What ya think of this?" She held up the election sign with the name, "Caitlin Hawke for Town Supervisor."

"Looks good," he smiled waiting for her reaction.

The sign fell from her grasp as she looked upon Mike and Dom. She realized Dom and had just arrived. "You made it!" she cried. She ran to them and wrapped her arms around both Dom and Mike. "You just got back."

"We did," Mike assured her smiling.

She looked up at Dom with tears streaming down, "How I have missed you."

"I missed you too, Cait." he hugged her.

"They need to adjust to the changes," Hawke started.

"I know," she agreed in understanding.

"Running for town sup?" asked Mike.

"I am," she told her. "They raised taxes to pay for new sewer plant but never did any improvements and then raised our sewer bill on top of that. I'm gonna clean up this town."

"Dom and I can help," she volunteered figuring it will keep her mother busy and off of Farmville.

Dom added, "Of course we can help." He then asked, "Cait, what happened to Farmville? My account is gone."

"What accounts?" she asked baffled.

"My first trip here you had me set up on Facebook and we played Farmville. I don't have any accounts." he told her.

"I don't remember you being here a first time," she told him.
"To me you and String went to the future and came back. You and String were telling me what I was like." For Caitlin this was the first time she saw Dom since he left in Airwolf thirty years prior.

Hawke spoke gently to him, "I think that since we changed the timeline, your accounts online were never done." He then cocked his head rather baffled, "But I can't explain why you still have the phone." He bit his bottom lip rather curious in thought.

Dom miffed, "So my crops aren't here."

He shrugged, "Sorry! I wrong on that one."

"So you were on Facebook and playing Farmville?" Caitlin gathered.

"I was," he muttered.

"String hates social media and won't play games." she chuckled. "We will set ya back up. But Angry Birds and Candy Crush are popular now. Minion Rush is also good! Mike plays that."

Mike let out a sigh of relief, "Whew, they still have my game."

Her father mentioned, "I got ya an early birthday present. It's on your bed in your old room."

Confused she asked, "What ya get me?"

Caitlin smiled, "Go check it out."

She walked past her mother and went to her room with her audience behind her. She opened the door to her old bedroom that looked exactly as she recalled. On her bed was a brand new Atari 400 computer still in the box. "What?"

String smirked, "I found that in an estate sale! You know how much that thing cost me?"

She shrugged, "A hundred bucks?"

He shook his head, "No! It's still sealed. It's worth nearly a thousand dollars. So don't open it."

"What?" she asked confused.

"You said you collected old computers," he reminded her. "If you open it then it loses its value."

Dom chuckled at the joke, "He got you brand new Atari and you still can't play with it, Mike."

"Hey another five years and that sucker will be worth even more," he insisted.

"Thanks…Dad…" she miffed.

Caitlin soothed her, "It's for your vintage computer collection."

"I know," she hugged her tight. "Thank you!"

Meanwhile

Sitting a blue sedan Dr. Moffett looked through the binoculars at the house. His hair was slightly gray and his face looked older. He smirked at the old foe in thought, "Soon! I will have my revenge soon. Just need to be patient."

The End

Thank you for reading the story and for all the reviews. I am working on a sequel where String and Sinjin must travel back in time to save Dom after Dr. Moffett kills him in World War Two during an attempt on their father's life in an effort to prevent the brothers from ever existing.

Caitlin, Jo and Mike also accompany them on the mission. Caitlin finds out a startling secret about her mother while in the past. Mike meets her mother's side of the family, a very young Dom and her grandfathers from both sides.

The next story doesn't have changing timelines and is easier to follow. I hope you enjoy reading it. Thank you.