Cait parked her car at Santini Air and headed for the Jet Ranger. After the pre-flight checks she was in the air and on the way to the cabin. Her date with Ben had been fantastic and she found herself really looking forward to seeing him again. But were the butterflies in her stomach for Ben or for seeing Hawke again. She really wasn't sure. As the cabin came into view, she spotted a familiar white chopper. Archangel. What was he doing here wondered Cait as she came into land. She went up the steps and opened the cabin door. String and Archangel were stood at the bar with some papers in front of them. They both turned upon hearing the door open.

"Where's Dom?" asked String

"And a good morning to you too" replied Cait. "Dom has put his back out and will be out of action for a few days. He didn't tell you?"

Cait saw Michael and String exchange a look.

"No" muttered String.

"Hey, I'm sorry I'm not who you expected." snapped Cait.

When String didn't respond Michael spoke

"Has something happened between you two?"

"It's fine Michael." replied String.

"Is it? We need this thing doing Hawke and fast!" exclaimed Michael.

"I know. I'll take Cait with me instead of Dom. We've done it before."

"Where are you taking me?" asked Cait stepping over to look at the documents on the bar."

"I was just briefing Hawke." replied Michael. "We need you to go to a dead drop site here." Michael pointed on the map to a place just south of Cheyenne Wells in Colorado. Some information has been leaked to the Russians about a new stealth bomber we are building but we haven't been able to work out how. So, we put an agent into the facility to work undercover to try and find out who the leak is and how they are getting the information out of the facility and ultimately to Russia. The thing is, we think the agent has either been compromised and picked up by the KGB or has turned as she has disappeared. What we don't know is whether the dead drop site is known to the KGB or not, so it's possible there may be nothing there to collect, but one way or another we need to find out."

"But why do you need Airwolf?" asked Cait "I mean, I presume someone has already been collecting stuff from the dead drop location?"

"Correct Cait, but since we lost contact with our agent, we just can't take the chance of sending in someone without some form of back up, just in case."

"So, what exactly do you want us to do Michael?" asked String

"This should be a simple collection mission….if indeed there is anything there to collect" replied Michael. "I asked Samantha to load some potential landing site co-ordinates onto this for Airwolf's computers" said Michael, handing Cait a disc. "Will you take the mission?"

String looked at Cait

"Yeah, I'm in" replied Cait with a small smile.

"When do we leave Michael?" asked String.

"As soon as you can please Hawke. This is top priority!"

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"Cait, I really think we need to clear the air" said String as the Jet Ranger lifted off on a heading for Santini Air. "especially now we have this mission to do."

"I'm not sorry about what I said you know." replied Cait, glancing across at String.

"I didn't think you would be" said String with the brief smile. "You were right Cait, everything you said was right and I'm sorry OK."

"Apology accepted" replied Cait "but don't think I've forgiven you yet"

"I won't" replied String smiling over at Cait.

They landed at Santini Air.

"Cait, are you ready to head straight to the lair?" asked String.

"I am, but I just need to make a quick phone call first."

"OK, I'll get the keys to the Jeep and check Ev has everything under control here" replied String.

Cait got out the Jet Ranger and headed into the hangar. String shut everything down and followed her in. As he was passing the office door, he overheard Cait on the phone.

"Hey, I was looking forward to it to you know. Last night was fantastic and I was looking forward to doing it again." said Cait into the phone. "Ah ha, yes, I know, but sometimes we get overnight charters and Dom's put his back out so he can't go and I don't want to turn down the business. I hope you understand…..Ben….I'll miss you too, but I'll make it up to you, I promise….OK, look I've got to go…..bye….bye bye"

String moved on before Cait had hung up the phone.

Cait switched the radio on in the Jeep as she and String made their way to the lair. Of course she had forgiven String, she struggled to stay mad at him for long, but things still felt a bit awkward between them. So, it was a companionable silence most of the way there, each quiet with their own thoughts. String's thoughts were of Cait and what he had just overheard in the office. Dom hadn't mentioned that Cait was seeing anyone, but then why would he, it was nobody's business but Caits, so why did he find it bothering him. He had never thought much about Cait's previous boyfriends, although he had to admit there hadn't been that many, well not compared to the number of ladies he had taken out on dates anyway. This time though, he had heard something different in her voice and if he was totally honest with himself, he had felt a wave of jealousy wash over him in that second. Could he cope with Cait finding love and moving on with her life? Once upon a time it would've been a yes, but over the past months, he had realised that the feelings he had fought so hard to quash down within him were taking over his mind. String glanced over at Cait who was humming along to a song on the radio and he found himself smiling properly for the first time in days. Whatever else was going on, Cait was there beside him, where he could keep her close and protect her and all felt right with his world again.