Hawke fumbled with the tie and wondered why he'd insisted on accompanying Caitlin to her sister's wedding. Admittedly, he thought, it hadn't been as bad as he had feared. Caitlin's father, Patrick, had been the one to greet them at the ranch's tiny airstrip where Dom had dropped them off. He figured the other man had been so taken aback by Airwolf that it had completely arrested any kind of confrontation that might have happened. When they'd gotten to the ranch itself, it was so crawling with relatives and friends for an eve of wedding dinner that Hawke had found it easy to fade into the scenery. Erin, Caitlin's older sister and the most supportive relative of their relationship had dealt with the only potentially awkward moment when they'd been shown to their accommodation. They'd been given the pool house which afforded them a great deal of privacy but kept them out of the main house. Hawke wondered briefly at the motives behind the choice. He frowned in the mirror. The tie was a mess.

'Here.' Caitlin's hand nudged him round to face her. She undid the knot and started over with the tie as he took the opportunity to run his eyes over her outfit. His lips twitched.

'You laugh and you will die.' Caitlin warned him seeing the spark of laughter in the blue gazing back at her.

'But you look so…'

'Green?' She said sweetly looking down at the bridesmaid's dress with rueful amusement. It wasn't her usual style. The top was a close-fitting forest green satin with spaghetti straps. It did nothing for her but the colour wasn't too bad. Unfortunately the bottom half of the dress wasn't quite so kind. It was a fussy full skirted set of lacy layers all in slightly differing variations of green that flared out from the waist and fell to the ankle. She was fairly certain she was going to trip on the concoction at some point.

'It's OK. Bridesmaids are meant to be dressed in something cringingly embarrassing and it is Fiona's day after all.' Caitlin wondered how many times she would have to say it before she would believe it herself. She adjusted his tie and smoothed it straight before running her hands over his shoulders. The new suit fitted him perfectly.

Hawke's eyes landed on the strappy sandals. 'Are you going to be able to walk in those?' Her ankle was still swollen from the sprain she'd acquired from their plane crash.

'No.' Caitlin admitted. 'I was planning on wearing my trainers but the dress isn't long enough to hide them.' She shrugged. 'I'll guess I'll hobble.' Her eyes flickered to the clock. 'I'd better go do the dutiful sister thing and spend some time with the bride before the ceremony.'

'I'll help you over to the house.' Hawke offered an arm and she took it gratefully as they left the pool house and made their way across the pool to the ranch.

Patrick O'Shaunessy stared out of the window at the couple as they approached. His green eyes narrowed on the way Caitlin was limping and then at the way Hawke's arm slid around her waist to support her. He sighed deeply. When they'd met Hawke after Caitlin had been shot it had been obvious that the pilot cared deeply about for her but seeing them now they were a couple…Patrick sighed. Hawke wasn't the man he would have chosen for his daughter. He went to the French doors to help Caitlin over the back step. He frowned at her shoes. 'You shouldn't be wearing those.'

'I know that, Dad.' Caitlin said as Hawke helped guide her to a chair. 'Try telling Fiona.' She slipped her shoes off with relief and stood up. 'I'd better go upstairs and help.' She glanced from her father to Hawke a little worried.

Hawke gave her a small smile. 'Take it easy on the stairs.' He watched with her father as Caitlin shuffled out of the room.

Patrick sighed and gestured at the bar on the other side of the den. 'Drink?'

Hawke shrugged. It was early but he figured it was the older man's way of building some kind of bridge between them and for Caitlin's sake he was prepared to do whatever he needed to make that happen. He took the small tumbler of whiskey and raised it before both men knocked it back. The liquor burned down the back of Hawke's throat and he glanced around the room whilst he caught his breath and Patrick refilled their glasses. A family portrait of the O'Shaunessy's caught his attention and he wandered over to it. His gaze slid over a young Caitlin. The artist had done an incredible job at capturing the mischief in her eyes.

'She was sixteen when that was painted.'

Hawke turned to Patrick briefly before his eyes were drawn back to the painting. 'The artist did a great job.'

'My mother was the artist.' Patrick explained, walking up to stand beside him. He gave a small laugh. 'Caitlin's a lot like her.'

'She must have been quite a woman then.' Hawke commented.

'She was.' Patrick sighed and gestured at the painting. 'When my mother painted this, Caitlin had just got her pilot's license. She'd seen me teaching her brothers and bugged me until I taught her too.'

'She's a hell of a pilot.' Hawke said.

'As rumour has it, so are you.'

Hawke raised an eyebrow questioningly.

'I had you checked out.' Patrick explained unashamedly, handing him a glass of whiskey.

'Oh.' Hawke folded his arms and waited.

'Of course given how much of your life is classified it was quite difficult for my investigator to get any information at all.' Patrick noted. 'But what was in there…was enough to worry any father especially given the work you're involved isn't exactly without risk.'

'I guess I can understand that.' Hawke said slowly.

'Can you tell me honestly you think she should be mixed up in…whatever it is you're mixed up in?'

'Whatever she decided to do, it's not in Caitlin's nature to stay on the sidelines when people are in danger.' It was a truth that Hawke was coming to terms with himself. 'You should be proud of her. There are a number of people who owe her their lives.'

'Including you.' Patrick said tersely.

'Including me.' Hawke returned evenly.

'I actually invited you for a drink because I wanted to apologise.' Patrick surprised Hawke into looking at him.

'What for?'

'We needed a scapegoat for Caitlin getting shot and you were handy. That was wrong of us. I think it's because we never really knew what actually happened.'

Hawke heard the question in the statement and sighed. 'We were on a mission to extract a man who had stolen some Russian designs for a new helicopter. The Russians ambushed us because the guy's wife betrayed him. The tail rotor on our chopper got hit on the way out and we had to put down for repairs. The guy was pretty upset about his wife, went for an unscheduled walk out in the open. I went after him. Cait realised we were about to be attacked, came to find us and pushed me out of the way of the bullet.' Hawke's eyes clouded with the heart-stopping memory of seeing Caitlin not moving and covered in blood. He shook himself. 'We got her back to the helicopter and flew back, got her to a hospital as soon as we could.'

Patrick heard the tumult of emotions buried in the simple statements and his heart suddenly seemed very heavy as he realised Hawke was head over heels about his baby daughter. He sighed. 'Thank you.' He raised his glass. 'It helps to know what happened.'

'It must have been frustrating.'

Patrick knocked back his drink. 'I remember when she used to run to me with her skinned knees and her monsters under the bed.' He raised his eyes and pinned Hawke with a frank stare. 'Now she runs to you.'

Hawke decided silence was probably the best policy but he was beginning to sweat when Patrick dropped his gaze and turned his attention to the painting.

'So, tell me a bit more about you.' He said. 'I understand you lost your folks when you were quite young and that Dominic Santini raised you?'

'And my elder brother.'

'He's still MIA?'

'Yeah. But I'm still looking.' Hawke looked down at the floor.

Patrick stroked his chin trying hard not to feel for the man in front of him. 'You work for Dominic when you're not flying missions?'

'I help out.'

'Part time.'

Hawke found himself very near amusement. 'Are you trying to find out if I have money?'

'Do you?'

Hawke swallowed the retort that came to mind. 'I have enough.' He said shortly.

Patrick saw the flash of annoyance in Hawke's eyes and felt some paternal satisfaction. 'So what are your long term plans? You find your brother? Carry on working for Dominic and this intelligence agency you're all mixed up in?'

'Pretty much.' Hawke said.

'And how does Caitlin fit into that picture?'

Hawke sighed, irritated at being pressurised into talking about his feelings and torn about whether he should mention his proposal to Caitlin; they hadn't discussed it since Dom had rescued them and he had no idea how Caitlin felt about it in the cold light of day. 'Any way she wants to. Caitlin's important to me.' He bit out, his words coated with frustration.

Patrick smiled at his reaction. 'Hell, son, even I can see you love her.'

Hawke looked at him startled.

'Of course,' Patrick continued, 'if you hurt her, I'll have to break every bone in your body.'

'Of course.' Hawke agreed faintly.

'Welcome to the family, son.' Patrick held his hand out and Hawke took it a little bemused.

The moment's solemnity was broken as the wedding planner rushed in. A middle-aged woman with hair dyed a startling shade of red and dressed in a pale cream suit clapped her hands together in horror. 'Mr O'Shaunessy why are you in here? We're about to start. Please.' Her hands waved them out of the room. 'Places!'

The next few minutes were chaos as the guests made their way out of the house, past the stables and riding paddocks to the back lawn had been set out with two sections of chairs and a specially constructed arbour acted as the altar where the happy couple would be married. Hawke could see the groom and best man already standing waiting for the ceremony to start as he wandered over to the crowded seats and wondered briefly where he was meant to sit. Erin's husband waved at him and he made his way to sit by the other man.

'Saved you a seat.' Paul said succinctly.

'Thanks.'

'Figured we had to stick together.' Paul said with an easy smile.

Before Hawke could reply, the band started up and everyone quieted, rising to their feet and glancing back up the aisle as the traditional wedding march began.

Everyone looked expectantly as the music continued.

The wedding march came to the end of the refrain and Hawke saw the conductor urgently gesturing from them to begin again. People were beginning to get restless in the crowd, whispers started up and then murmurs as the wedding march played through again. Hawke's eyes flickered to the front where Tom, the groom, was beginning to fidget.

The music began again.

'Maybe one of us should go and find out what's happening…' Paul suggested just as Patrick walked quickly up the aisle. The music was abandoned mid-refrain as Caitlin's father spoke urgently with Tom. The younger man strode back down the aisle breaking into a run as he headed to the house, followed by his best man.

Patrick turned to the congregation. 'I'm sorry, folks, but there's been a change in plans. You're welcome to stay for some food and drink but I'm afraid there won't be a wedding today after all.'

Hawke and Paul exchanged a surprised look and they made their way back to Patrick as the crowd broke up and headed for the buffet tables on the other side of the lawn.

'What happened?' Paul asked when he reached his father-in-law.

Patrick sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. 'Fiona's ran off. She left a note saying she was sorry but she couldn't go through with it.'

'But wasn't someone with her?' Paul asked.

'She asked the other girls to leave her alone for a few minutes to gather her thoughts.' Patrick sighed heavily again. 'Brian and Callum have gone after her. They think she's headed for the airport; the honeymoon tickets are missing.'

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

Patrick shook his head. 'Poor Tom. I just don't get why.' He said with exasperation. 'And why didn't she say something earlier?' He gestured. 'I'd better circulate, smooth the ruffled social feathers.' He said with a grimace.

'I'll come with you,' offered Paul.

'Hawke, could you go back to the house and check on the girls?' Patrick asked.

'Sure.' Hawke agreed readily.

They headed off in separate directions and Hawke made his way back up the lawn to the house. He slowed as he recognised Tom standing leaning against the fence by the stables looking off into the distance. He hesitated, uncertain if he should go over. He glanced to see if anyone else was around to offer the guy some support and sighed when he realised everyone else was occupied. Hawke wandered over. He and Tom had been introduced briefly the night before. He'd found himself reluctantly liking the younger man.

'Hey.' Hawke joined Tom by the fence. 'How are you doing?'

Tom gave a small huff of laughter. 'I'm going to get asked that a lot, aren't I?'

Hawke quirked an eyebrow. 'I guess.'

Tom shook his head and turned to lean his back on the fence, crossing his legs and his arms. 'Hell of it is she warned me last night after the dinner she was having second thoughts. I just ignored her, told her everyone got cold feet.'

'Maybe the two of you can still work it out.' Hawke shoved his hands in his pockets.

Tom shook his head again. 'I think this is it.' His brown eyes met Hawke's. 'Truth is; Fiona wasn't really the sister I wanted to marry.'

Hawke's eyes iced over but the pain in the other man's voice cooled the urge to punch him; he couldn't blame Tom for falling for Caitlin, after all, he'd done the same himself.

'You have no idea how lucky you are.' Tom said looking away from Hawke's intent blue stare.

'Believe me, I know.' Hawke said quietly and sincerely. He saw Tom's best man approaching. 'I'd best leave you to it.'

'Thanks.' Tom nodded his head in acknowledgement as Hawke continued on his way. The ranch house was almost in as much chaos as it had been in the run-up to the wedding. Hawke dodged the kitchen and den and made his way up the stairs. He paused on the top step when the sound of a baby's squalls competed with the noise from the downstairs. He approached tentatively and peeked around the door into the bedroom.

'Everything OK?' He asked as he took in the distraught and frustrated expressions on Caitlin's and Erin's faces. He tried not to smile at the image of the two of them still in their bridesmaid dresses.

'She won't stop crying.' Erin said rocking her daughter. 'I think she wants her dummy but we can't find it.'

'I've looked everywhere.' Caitlin blew her fringe out of her eyes. 'It's not in her bag.'

'Maybe I left downstairs in the kitchen.' Erin patted the baby's back and headed for the door. She suddenly turned and handed the baby to Hawke. 'Hold her for me? Thanks.' She hurried out leaving Hawke holding the baby, his face frozen with shock. He and the baby stared at each other; the baby hiccupped and stopped crying.

'Wow.' Caitlin said.

He adjusted his hold and walked into sit on the bed next to Caitlin who smiled at her niece.

'You want to hold her?' He asked.

She shook her head. 'And take the risk of her crying again. No thank you. I think she likes you.'

'It's probably just the surprise of someone new.' Hawke jiggled the tiny person in his arms and smiled as her blue eyes blinked at him.

'So how are you surviving?' Caitlin asked.

'I'm OK.' Hawke said. He glanced at her. 'How about you?'

'Erin and the baby have been a good excuse to keep out of most of the drama. My mother's furious. Fiona's in so much trouble, it's not funny. I mean when we left her she was dressed and looking beautiful…poor Tom.' She sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder as she leaned into him. 'I'll be glad to get home tomorrow.'

They looked up as Erin came barrelling back in, the elusive dummy in her hand. She stopped arrested at the sight of the couple sitting in a shaft of sunlight, the baby falling asleep in Hawke's arms, her tiny body curling trustingly into his.

'How did you do that?' Erin asked, collapsing into the rocking chair.

Hawke shrugged. 'I think it was the shock of someone new.'

'Or maybe not being held by her increasingly panicking mother.' Erin said cheerfully. She accepted the baby back with a smile of thanks and immediately put her down in the crib. 'Mom's asking for us.' She said over her shoulder. 'She wants us to entertain the guests.' She made a face.

Caitlin rolled her eyes. 'Great.' She looked down at her dress and then at Erin's blue version. 'Do we have to do it in these outfits?'

'I think,' said Erin with a grin, 'that the dresses are the entertainment.'

The laughter carried them all downstairs and through the rest of the day.