The sun was rising over the lake outside the cabin, casting a golden sheen over the rippling water. Stringfellow Hawke drew the bow across the strings of the cello and half-smiled at the cry of an eagle which echoed over the music, a strange and eerie counterpoint. He finished the piece and sighed at the tranquillity of his home. That morning, the air seemed fresher, the mountains more majestic and the lake more stunning. Not so strangely, the experience of nearly smashing Airwolf, the world's most technologically advanced helicopter, into the LA skyline the night before had given him a new appreciation for life. If he closed his eyes he could still see the ground rushing up, hear the blaring sound of the emergency siren and taste the fear that it didn't matter how good a pilot he was, the machine would either pull up or he and his closest friends, Dominic Santini and Caitlin O'Shaunessy, would die.

Hawke unconsciously fingered the cello strings before he stood up. He carried the cello, the bow and fishing stool up to the porch; stacked them up against the cabin wall before turning back to the view. It wasn't just the beauty of his surroundings that he had a new appreciation for, Hawke realised. The shared fight to regain control of the helicopter, of surviving, had added another dimension to the bond between the Airwolf crew. There'd been an unspoken agreement to return to the cabin together, as if they couldn't contemplate letting go of each other.

Hawke sighed. He and Dom might kid around with each other but the older man had been always been a father figure for him since the death of his parents. He was the one stable part of his life and Hawke knew he needed that constancy. In contrast he'd known Caitlin just over a year but it often seemed like he could barely recall a time in his life when she hadn't been there, supporting him unquestioningly. He frowned. Before their last mission Caitlin had been thinking about leaving LA. After what had happened, he couldn't contemplate not having her in his life in some way…

As if in response to his thought, a movement behind him caught his attention and his lips twitched. 'You're going to get cold.'

Caitlin smiled. He hadn't even turned around. 'I woke up.' She padded stiffly across the porch to stand next to him. She shivered even in the woolly fleece and jeans she wore. He glanced towards her and focused on the oversize mug her hands were wrapped around.

'Is that coffee?' He asked.

Her blue eyes flickered to him and she smiled at the hopeful expression. She relinquished her coffee to him with a sigh.

He took a gulp and then slowly handed it back to her. 'We'll share.' He said in response to the questioning look. 'Come here.' He sat down on the porch steps and patted the space beside him.

She lowered herself slowly. The steps were wide enough for two people but they still sat closely together, their knees nudging each other.

'Is Dom…?'

'Still asleep.' She confirmed handing him the mug.

He took another sip of the burning liquid and viewed her pale face over the rim of the mug. She'd been injured in the mission; tackled on the roof of the museum they'd been protecting. 'How are you feeling?'

'Oh, like I got kicked by a horse.' She admitted.

'You went down pretty hard.' Hawke commented, handing her the mug.

She warmed at his obvious concern. 'Just bruises on my bruises.' Her smile softened the words and she took another gulp of coffee before giving him the mug.

'You should have taken the bed.' Hawke said frowning.

'And have Dom complain about his back?' She laughed. 'I'm OK. Honestly. Although I wouldn't mind if you wanted to look into building another bedroom.'

'Well, you should rest up today. Dom and I can go and check Airwolf over.'

She sighed. 'You going to see if you can figure out what hit her systems?'

'Yeah.' Hawke took a sip of their drink. 'That was some ride she gave us yesterday but I'd rather not repeat it.'

'I second that.' Caitlin shook her head and blinked back the sudden threat of tears. 'I thought we weren't going to make it.'

'I think we all thought that.' Hawke admitted. He offered her the mug but when she reached for it, he caught sight of the tears in her eyes. 'Hey.' Without thinking, he set the mug down and tugged her closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to tuck her against him.

'I don't know why I'm crying.' Caitlin muttered embarrassed as she avoided his eyes, her tears continuing to flow.

'Shock,' Hawke said succinctly.

She swiped at her face and took a shaky breath. 'Guess I'm not handling this as well as I thought.'

Hawke sighed. 'I didn't sleep.'

She was startled into meeting his eyes. He shrugged a little self-conscious, dropping his gaze. 'Every time I closed my eyes, I was back in the cockpit.' His fingers brushed against her jaw as he slid a hand under her hair, smoothed it back. 'So. Guess you're not the only one having trouble handling this.'

She leaned into the palm of his hand, accepting the comfort and their eyes connected. They both froze.

Caitlin could feel her heart pounding in her chest. 'Hawke…'

His head suddenly swivelled toward the sky, his hand falling away from her. Caitlin followed his gaze into the blue, cloudless nothing and sighed. 'Chopper?'

'Michael.' Hawke confirmed. The deputy director of the FIRM, the intelligence agency responsible for building Airwolf, was obviously checking up on them after the events of the previous night.

'I'll start breakfast.' Caitlin said getting to her feet.

Hawke watched her go back into the cabin ignoring the approaching helicopter coming into land on the pier. He and Caitlin had always had chemistry and they'd always ignored it but lately…but lately it seemed as though they were having trouble with that approach; that morning, it wasn't the first time they'd slipped. In the cockpit, in the aftermath of the crisis, there had been a moment…he sighed. Maybe it was the situation; almost crashing, surviving…he pushed a hand through his hair. He could come up with excuses all day just like he always had a reason for why he tried to ignore their attraction in the first place.

'Hawke?'

Only a lifetime of repressing his reactions prevented him from jumping at Michael's voice behind him. He turned back slowly to greet his friend noticing that even at dawn the spy was dressed in his usual immaculate white three piece suit. His aide Marella was at his elbow. 'Michael. Marella.'

Michael Coldmith-Briggs III regarded the pilot with a frown. Hawke looked tired; there were tell-tale shadows under his distracted blue eyes, his short brown hair was mussed and his clothes were rumpled. He suppressed his urge to ask if the younger man was OK. 'Sorry to disturb you but this is urgent.'

'It always is.' Hawke got to his feet and entered the cabin leaving the others to follow him inside. He headed for the kitchen where Caitlin was busy pouring fresh coffee into some mugs. Dom was sat at the breakfast bar; he looked surprisingly happy.

'Good morning, Dominic.' Michael said taking the seat next to him and Marella took the last stool.

'It certainly is.' Dom replied cheerily.

Hawke took a mug from Caitlin with a questioning look at her about Dom's behaviour. She gave a small shrug before turning to the bar to serve Michael and Marella.

'So are you here with an update on what happened last night?' Caitlin asked them.

'No,' Michael was regretful, 'I need Airwolf for an urgent mission.'

Dom's eyebrows shot up. 'Now wait just a minute. She's in no fit state for a mission. Her systems had a hell of a shake up last night with whatever that blast was.'

'We think it was an electro-magnetic pulse.' Marella commented. 'We're running tests.'

'Well whatever it was, it took her out.' Dom admitted ignoring Hawke's sharp look to drop the subject. 'I thought we weren't going to pull up from that dive, I tell you.'

'Is that true?' Michael asked looking sternly at Hawke. The pilot had made no report of almost crashing.

Hawke gestured with his mug. 'It was a close call.'

'Dom's right.' Caitlin said. 'She needs to be checked out before we take her on a mission.'

Michael shifted uncomfortably. 'This can't wait.'

'What's the mission?' Hawke asked as Dom rolled his eyes.

'The NSA are handing over…a package to us.' Michael took a sip of his drink, his good eye keeping careful watch on the younger man. 'I need you to do the pick up.'

'Sounds real urgent, Michael.' Caitlin commented dryly.

'It's an urgent package.' Michael continued to watch Hawke.

'What's the package?' Hawke asked.

Michael hesitated. 'I can't tell you.'

Hawke raised an eyebrow inquisitively. 'Can't or won't?'

Michael smoothed his tie. 'The NSA doesn't give much away.'

'You don't know?' Dom snorted. 'I don't believe that.'

Michael shot him an annoyed look.

Marella handed Caitlin a computer disc. 'All the details are recorded on there. You're to rendezvous with an agent called Carmichael. He'll be your liaison and will give you a full briefing when you get there.'

Caitlin turned the disc over in her hands and exchanged another wordless look with Hawke.

'I don't like this Michael.' Hawke gestured at the disc. 'We're flying in blind.'

'If it wasn't risky I wouldn't need you or Airwolf.' Michael countered. 'I know this is less than ideal but this could be very important.'

Hawke indulged in a staring contest with Michael for a few moments before sighing. 'OK but you owe me and we'll need to do a full systems check before we take off. If we find something wrong, we're out of it.'

Michael nodded. 'We'll be in touch.' He slid off the stool and Marella relinquished her half-finished coffee with regret to follow him.

'You can count me out.' Dom remarked as soon as the cabin door closed behind them.

'Oh?' Hawke raised an eyebrow.

Dom looked a little embarrassed. 'I…er…think I may have pulled my back.'

Hawke looked at him suspiciously. It wasn't like Dom to admit to a weakness especially where his back was concerned.

'Besides,' Dom continued hastily, 'you and Caitlin should be able to handle picking up a package.'

Hawke frowned and the older man plastered an innocent look on his face. Hawke sighed and gave into the inevitable. He caught Caitlin's amused eyes. 'Are you up for it?' He asked gently.

She sighed and mentally said farewell to her plans for the day. 'I guess so. Do I have time for a shower?'

'Go ahead.' Hawke advised. 'I'll take the next one.' He waited until she was out of earshot before he pinned Dom with a look. 'What's this about? It's not like you to duck out.'

Dom gave a short laugh. 'Maybe I'm getting older, huh, kid.'

'Come on, Dom.' Hawke didn't give the older pilot an inch.

Dom sighed. He definitely couldn't tell Hawke the truth; that he'd gotten up early and seen the younger pilot out on the steps with Caitlin. It had warmed his heart to see them together, not to mention that it had raised his hopes; he didn't want Caitlin to leave. 'Honestly, kid.' He said finally. 'I guess I just don't bounce back from these things like I used to.'

Hawke nodded slowly. 'We could still use you on the systems check.'

'Sure.' Dom said. He frowned. 'I was thinking that the scans may have picked up on whatever hit us. There're not many things that would cause that kind of disruption to her systems.'

'I'd sure like to know what it was.' Hawke leaned up against the counter. 'She almost didn't pull up in time.'

'But she did, didn't she?' Dom said trying to lighten Hawke's serious expression. 'She's always come through for us and she always will.'

Hawke sighed. 'Let's hope so.'