'Mom, no.' Caitlin picked up the wrench by her hand and whacked it into the workbench. Hawke and Dom exchanged an amused look and concentrated even more intently on the rotor they were fixing.

'No, I told you yesterday. We're coming later today, we're just waiting on getting some replacement documentation…no, of course we won't miss the wedding.' Caitlin sighed and raised her eyes upwards, praying for patience. 'It was an accident; another plane collided with us. Yes, of course we were looking where we were going.' She said gesturing with the wrench. It missed the coffee percolator by inches. She listened for a while and dropped the wrench with a clatter to rub at the pain in her forehead, leaving a grease mark across the freckles. 'Well at least we didn't get hijacked.'

Jo looked up from her position underneath the helicopter and sent a quizzical look towards her uncle. Dom shrugged; he remembered only too well the drama of the plane hijacking that had caused Caitlin to miss her sister Erin's wedding.

'No, that wasn't funny. Yeah, we'll see you then. OK. Bye.' Caitlin pressed the button to end the call and lowered her head onto the workbench.

Hawke jumped off the ladder and walked over to her. He massaged her tense shoulders. 'You OK?'

She raised her head and sighed, leaning back into the massage. 'You know I don't think my ankle is up to going.'

Hawke dropped a kiss on the top of her head. 'We're going. It's only a couple of days.'

'Right.' Caitlin repeated doubtfully. She gestured at the office. 'I'd better get us started on the insurance paperwork.' She rose to her feet, kissed Hawke's cheek and hobbled out of the hangar.

'When did Marella say she'd be by with those documents?' Dom said coming down from the ladder to stand by Hawke who was staring after Caitlin with a worried frown.

'Huh?' Hawke's eyes flickered reluctantly to Dom and the question finally registered with him. He shoved his hands in his beige overalls. 'It wasn't an exact time.'

'Hmmm.' Dom lifted the coffee pot and shook it hopefully. The sound of liquid swishing was music to his ears. 'You want a cup, Jo?'

'Sure.' She slid from under the chopper and pushed herself to a standing position. Her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, shoved through the back of the baseball cap she wore. It was colour coordinated with her blue overalls. She happily accepted the mug her uncle handed her.

'Now remember, when Marella gets here…' Dom reminded her.

'I know,' Jo raised her mug, a twinkle in her blue eyes, 'I know nothing.' She quickly took a sip of her drink, hiding her face in her mug as Hawke's icy blue eyes shot to her. He'd been barely mollified by Dom over her impromptu Airwolf experience and she could see that he was struggling to trust her to keep quiet even given their history. She lowered the mug. 'I won't tell anyone, Hawke. I promise.'

Her sincerity shone from her eager face and Hawke sighed before he winked at her. It had always been his way of letting her know they were OK. She gave a pleased nod of acknowledgement.

'Before I drop the subject, never to mention it again, I just want to say…she's an incredible machine.' Jo murmured.

'Yeah.' Hawke agreed readily.

'Although the way she runs those scans automatically like that…' Jo shook her head, 'I didn't realise surveillance equipment could be that sophisticated.'

'What do you mean?' Hawke asked shaking the coffee pot and realising it was empty; he put it down.

'I mean the way she picked up on your SOS through the communications system. One minute the computer was completely quiet and the next all I had all over the screen was the SOS before she pinpointed your location.'

Hawke stared meaningfully at Dom who avoided his eyes.

'I'm telling you it was incredible.' Jo completed a little hesitantly as she scanned their expressions thoughtfully.

'Incredible,' repeated Hawke sarcastically to Dom.

The older man gave him a dirty look.

'I don't suppose I could come with you guys when you go to Texas later?' Jo asked hopefully.

'No.' Hawke and Dom said in unison.

Jo sighed. 'Fine.' She headed back to her original position grumpily.

Dom rolled his eyes and glanced at the clock. 'I'd better head out for those supplies we need. I'll be back in an hour.' He didn't wait for a reply as he headed out of the hangar, pulling on his trademark red cap as he went.

Hawke wandered over and crouched beside Jo. He handed her the wrench she needed. 'Hey.'

'Hey.' Jo replied.

'I just wanted to say thanks.' Hawke smiled at her surprise. 'For yesterday and for coming.'

Jo slid back out and sat up. 'He's hurting.'

Hawke looked down before he met her eyes. 'I know.' He shrugged. 'It's going to take some time for him to get over what happened.'

'I'm glad you called me.' Jo admitted.

Hawke rubbed his chin and gestured absently. 'He misses you.'

'I know I should visit more but…' Jo sighed and met his eyes ruefully. 'Life, you know?'

Hawke nodded.

'He knows you called me.' Jo gestured with the wrench. 'He figured it out.'

'We never could fool him.' Hawke muttered embarrassed he'd been found out.

'You know,' Jo said chuckling, 'it's weird but I was stood in your old room at Uncle Dom's thinking the exact same thing yesterday.'

'You never could keep out.' Hawke complained with the nostalgic hint of old fights and accusations echoing in his voice.

'I miss you guys.' The words slipped out before she had time to think about them and she was surprised at the heartfelt yearning that grabbed at her.

'You could come back.' Hawke offered casually.

She grinned lightening the moment. 'Maybe I'll think about it.'

The sound of footsteps interrupted them. Hawke rose to greet Marella. The dark haired Hawaiian was smartly dressed as always in a white suit. He indicated the office with a jerk of his head and left Jo watching curiously after them.

Caitlin looked up from the forms she was filling in as Hawke and Marella entered. She greeted the other woman with a smiled. 'Hi.'

'Hi.' Marella reached into her purse and brought out a small brown envelope. 'I think you'll find everything in order.'

Caitlin flipped through the contents; drivers' licenses and new passports along with flight certificates and other paraphernalia. 'This is great, Marella. Thanks.'

'Michael told me to tell you he's glad you're both OK.'

Hawke leaned against the desk, crossed his legs as he braced his weight on his arms. 'Dom told us about yesterday. Is Michael OK?'

Marella nodded. 'He's in Washington trying to get to the bottom of what's happening with the Senate Oversight Committee.'

'Are they still looking at amalgamating the FIRM with another agency?' Caitlin asked. Michael had told Hawke about the proposal after the end of their previous FIRM mission.

Marella nodded again. 'I'm afraid so.'

'Is there anything we can do?' Caitlin asked.

Marella's dark eyes gleamed with amusement. 'Try not to crash any more planes.'

Both pilots made a face at her.

'Who's the new mechanic?' Marella asked curious at the glimpse of the young blonde woman she'd seen out in the hangar.

'Dom's niece, Jo.' Caitlin answered before Hawke could gesture for her to remain silent.

'Dom's niece?' Marella repeated.

'We didn't want to leave him on his own when we went to the wedding.' Hawke explained.

Marella's expression cleared with sudden understanding. 'I have to get back to the FIRM. Let me know if you need anything else.'

They murmured goodbyes as Marella took her leave.

Caitlin looked down at the desk. 'I guess we're all set to go then.'

Hawke's lips twitched at her obvious misery. 'As soon as Dom get backs.'

She sighed and pushed her chair back. 'I'm going to finish packing.' She kissed him on her way past. 'You know,' she said grumpily, 'you're going to be wishing you hadn't insisted we go when we get there.'

Hawke waited until the office door was closed before he silently admitted she might be right.