The scream brought Hawke out of a deep sleep and jerking upright without conscious thought, automatically reaching for the gun in the bedside table. There was another scream. He blinked as the light was snapped on and was suddenly aware of Caitlin shoving the covers back on the king size bed they shared, almost stepping on Hawke's dog Tet as she ran from the master bedroom pulling on her robe. He yanked on a pair of jeans and followed after her. He headed out of the door, across the old sleeping deck which now acted as an upper landing and down the stairs. He skirted the bar and went through the new door to the guest rooms. There was a short corridor with two doors to the right leading to the bedrooms and a door on the left to a guest bathroom. Both bedroom doors were wide open. Hawke headed for the nearest; the one they'd given Angelina. He paused in the doorway.

Caitlin was on the bed with Angelina wrapped in her arms. Michael stood at the bottom of the bed dressed only in pyjama bottoms. His grey hair was awry and he was without his glasses although the eye patch was in place. He looked completely befuddled.

'Michael,' Caitlin murmured over Angelina's head, 'why don't you go and make Angelina a warm drink.'

'Right.' Michael muttered and pushed past Hawke to make his way to the kitchen.

Caitlin stared meaningfully at Hawke; he sighed and went after his friend.

Michael was standing in the middle of the kitchen looking very much like he had no idea where to start. Hawke plucked a pan off the stand and popped it on the hob. He turned the heat on whilst he went to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of milk. He emptied the whole carton into the pan and reached for the hot chocolate as Michael subsided onto a stool.

He frowned at Hawke who was stirring the chocolate into the milk. 'Do you think we should be giving her hot chocolate at,' he checked the clock, 'three in the morning?'

Hawke glanced at him. 'I never liked warm milk so my mother always made hot chocolate.' He shrugged. 'Guess it stuck.'

Michael sighed. 'What would I know anyway?' He rubbed a hand over his face. 'I didn't even know what to do when she screamed. I went into her room but then…I didn't know whether I should wake her.' He sighed. 'If Caitlin hadn't been here I could be still stood there watching her scream.'

'Or you could be comforting your daughter. All parents learn on the job, Michael.' Hawke assured him.

'Maybe.' Michael gestured. 'Maria left me a letter. She made it clear she was expecting Hannah to look after Angelina even after I was informed. She didn't expect me to take care of her. It wasn't the plan.'

'Well, plans have a way of changing.' Hawke pointed out.

'You're not listening, Hawke. I don't know what to do.' Michael stated.

Hawke sighed and rescued the hot chocolate which was about to boil over. 'Three in the morning is not the time to make decisions about anything.' He poured the drink into a mug and handed it to Michael. 'Take this to your daughter.'

Michael took the mug grumpily and wandered back to his daughter's room.

'Here's your Daddy now.' Caitlin said easing away from the child. She motioned for Michael to take her place.

He set the mug on the bedside table and reached out for Angelina who burrowed into him. 'I had a nightmare.'

'I know, sweetheart.' Michael said gruffly.

'Caitlin says you won't let the bad men hurt me.'

Michael looked up at Caitlin who was hovering by the side of the bed. 'She's right. I won't let them hurt you again.'

Caitlin gave a small smile. 'I'll leave you to it.' She closed the door behind her and headed back to bed. Hawke was already back under the covers when she closed the door on the master bedroom, shucked off her robe and climbed in to join him. He shut off the light as she cuddled up to him.

'How's she doing?' Hawke asked.

'OK.' Caitlin said. 'After everything she saw, we shouldn't have been surprised at a nightmare.'

'Guess not.' He felt a wave of guilt.

She kissed his cheek. 'It wasn't your fault. You saved her life. Now go to sleep.'

Hawke tucked her closer and complied. A few hours later, he woke alone. He sat up and looked for Caitlin. There was no sign of her in the bedroom. He headed to the en suite bathroom he had indulged in when he'd designed the cabin's extension. He showered and dressed before he headed downstairs. He glanced across at the open doorway on the other side of the bar. There was no sign of movement from the guest bedrooms.

He found Caitlin out on the porch, looking out at the early mist across the lake. She sat cross-legged on the bench, a blanket tucked around her despite her warm clothing; a large mug of coffee in her hands. She looked up at him.

'Morning.' Caitlin shifted to make room on the bench and he sat down beside her, leaning across to kiss her. He tasted the coffee on her lips. He eased back, slid an arm around her shoulders and cuddled as they watched the lake and shared the coffee.

'So,' Caitlin said as they neared the end of the mug, 'exactly how long are our guests staying for?'

Hawke frowned. He'd forgotten the cabin wasn't exclusively his anymore. He linked their fingers. 'Sorry. I should have asked you before…'

She stopped the apology with a kiss. 'I don't mind.' She said. The truth shone from her eyes which seemed more green than blue in the early morning light. 'Lord knows the cabin's ideal for giving them a refuge.'

'I just hope Michael really thinks about what he's going to do.' Hawke commented.

'He will.' Caitlin said.

'You sound pretty certain.'

'He loves her already.' Caitlin said simply. 'Is that why you asked them to stay? You're worried about whether he'll do the right thing?'

'I should stay out of it.' Hawke said finishing the coffee.

'Why have you gotten involved?' Caitlin asked. 'I mean, I know you helped rescue her and all…'

Hawke sighed. 'I guess Michael's situation hit a little close.'

'What do you mean?' Her curious eyes scanned his.

Hawke shifted uncomfortably. 'One of the first missions after I took Airwolf wasn't an Airwolf mission really. The FIRM suspected an airforce pilot was going to hand a new jet over to the Russians. I went on base undercover but practically the first person I met was a woman I'd been involved with in 'Nam – Ni Hongh. She was married to the mission leader, Sam Roper. Anyway,' he cleared his throat, 'we found out Ni Hongh had a son, twelve years old and the Russians had him. Sam was meant to trade the jet for his son. Dom and I stepped in and rescued the son without the Russians getting hold of the jet. Only…'

'Only?' Caitlin prompted as he stumbled to a halt.

'The dates of the boy's birthday and my relationship with Ni Hongh…'

'He's your son?' Caitlin asked, her eyes widening.

'The only answer his mother would give me was that her only answer would always be that his father was Sam.' Hawke looked down at their joined hands.

'Oh Hawke.'

'I've had to live with that but truthfully I don't know if he's mine or not…'

'It must be difficult.' Caitlin said. 'Not knowing.'

'Sometimes.' Hawke admitted and brushed a stray strand away from her cheek. 'But I guess this way I duck out of having to make some difficult decisions about my life.'

Caitlin nodded slowly. 'Something Michael's not going to be able to do. There's no doubting she's his daughter.'

Hawke nodded.

'You're a good friend.' She commented.

Hawke slipped an arm around her shoulder and tugged her closer.

'Speaking of the FIRM, did you talk to him last night about what happened when he saw Zeus?' Caitlin asked.

Hawke shook his head. 'We both were too tired.' He sighed at the brightening sky. 'I guess we should head to the airfield.'

Caitlin bit her lip. 'I think one of us should stay here.'

'Why?' Hawke asked.

'Well, I kinda noticed last night that Michael's not exactly comfortable with Angelina yet.'

'You got that right.' Hawke admitted.

'So,' said Caitlin, 'it might make it easier for him to have someone else help out. Ease them over the first initial bumps.'

'I guess.' Hawke conceded. 'OK. I'll take the business. You take Michael.'

Caitlin laughed. 'Oh no. I'll take the business. You take Michael.'

Hawke's eyes twinkled at her. 'But Dom specifically asked me to look after the business.'

Her mouth opened. 'You…' She slapped him playfully.

It was Caitlin though who greeted Michael when he finally woke up and staggered showered and dressed into the living area. He blinked as though not expecting to see her.

'Hi.' Caitlin said. She put her book down and got up to pour him a mug of coffee from the pot on the stove. She handed it to him solemnly and sat back down on the sofa as he took an easy chair. 'You want lunch?'

'What time is it?' Michael asked.

'Around two.'

'Two?' Michael frowned. 'In the afternoon.'

Caitlin nodded. ''Fraid so.'

He sighed. 'Angelina?'

'Outside playing with Tet.' Caitlin said.

'I didn't wake up.' Michael sounded surprised.

'You were exhausted, Michael.' Caitlin commented. 'Give yourself a break. She's doing OK.'

Michael sighed. 'Thank you for today and last night.'

Caitlin shrugged. 'You're welcome.' She bit her lip. 'It can't be easy suddenly discovering you're a father.'

'Try terrifying.' Michael admitted bluntly. 'I have no idea what I'm doing.' He frowned at his confession; Caitlin had a way about her that invited confidences but still…maybe he was still tired.

'Most parents don't.' Caitlin said.

'Hawke said the same thing last night.' Michael took a gulp of his coffee.

'Well, he's right.' Caitlin folded her arms. 'You're not planning to keep her with you, are you?'

Michael's eyes shot to hers with surprise. He shifted a little in the chair. 'My parents have a large house on an old antebellum estate near New Orleans. I think she'd be happy there. Or there's boarding school. I was thinking that might be more secure.'

'She wants to be with you.' Caitlin pointed out.

'You think so?' Michael asked shocked to hear the insecurity in his voice.

'I know so.'

Michael was silent for a moment. 'You seem to be able to relate with her.'

'Well I know this may come as a shock Michael,' Caitlin teased, 'but I used to be a ten year old girl.'

'I didn't.' Michael stated.

'No kidding.' Caitlin smiled sympathetically. She reached over and patted his arm. 'You're doing OK.'

'You,' Michael pointed at her, 'are a liar.'

'No.' Caitlin leaned back against the cushions. 'You really are doing OK, Michael. Look at the facts; when you found out that you might have a daughter, you cleared your schedule, convinced Hawke to take you to Russia in Airwolf, and flew thousands of miles to find out the truth. And when you knew she was your daughter you rescued her, brought her back here and you've taken care of her. And now you're trying your best to find the next step for the both of you. Honestly, I would say you're doing more than OK.'

Michael smiled oddly comforted by her logic and rubbed his moustache. 'You sure you don't want to come work for me?'

'Thanks,' Caitlin returned the smile, 'but I'm happy where I am.'

'I see that.' Michael said. 'You've settled in here.'

Caitlin glanced around the cabin with the same sense of disbelief she'd had the first day she'd realised that it was her new home. 'Yeah.'

'You know in all the years I've known Hawke…I've never seen him this happy.' Michael said gently.

Caitlin caught hold of his hand across the space between them. 'Thank you, Michael.'

He squeezed her hand.

The cabin door burst open and Angelina ran in. 'Daddy! Daddy! You have to come look!' She grabbed his hand and pulled him. 'There's an eagle! You have to come look!'

Caitlin grinned widely as Michael raised an eyebrow at her and allowed himself to be dragged out of the cabin. She followed them as far as the door and leaned against the doorway watching them with amusement. 'Yeah, Michael. You're doing just fine.' She murmured.