Stringfellow Hawke hugged the small blonde woman tightly before he released her and let his fiancée, Caitlin O'Shaunessy, step forward to say goodbye. When Caitlin moved back to his side, he slipped an arm around her waist in a loose hold and his blue eyes caught on the glinting diamond on her left finger. He couldn't quite believe that Caitlin had agreed to marry him or that the relationship he had once restricted to friendship had developed so far, so fast. But then, he thought as he tightened his hold on her, even their friendship and the solid rock of trust that it was built on had been forged quickly and easily. He shoved his thoughts aside and watched as Dominic Santini said goodbye to his niece, Jo.

The older man had seemed more like his old self in the last few days. A few weeks earlier, he'd been cruelly betrayed by a woman he had believed loved him and it had taken time for him to recover his balance. Jo's visit had helped, mused Hawke thoughtfully. Dom had always had a soft spot for her, had been a parent to the young girl in the same way he had acted as a surrogate father for Hawke and his brother Saint John. When they'd been younger Jo had been almost an honorary sister and whilst they'd lost touch over the years, she'd responded to Hawke's request to spend time with Dom; Hawke hadn't wanted to leave the older man alone whilst he accompanied Caitlin to her sister's wedding in Texas. Looking at the happiness lighting Dom's craggy face and dark eyes, Hawke had been glad he'd made the call.

'Now are you sure you can't stay another day?' Dom was asking his niece.

Jo hugged him again and shook her head. 'A job's a job.' She smiled and poked a finger into his expansive chest. 'You taught me that Uncle Dom.'

Caitlin smiled. 'You'll come back for the wedding?'

Jo grinned. 'I wouldn't miss it.' She sighed a little wistfully as her blue eyes travelled from Caitlin to Hawke and back to her uncle. The visit had renewed old and partially forgotten familial ties; she found herself surprisingly reluctant to leave. 'I'd better get going.'

'Let me help you there.' Dom said opening the door of the helicopter and giving her a hand into the cockpit. 'All set?'

Jo nodded as she adjusted the headset and radio mike. 'All set. You'd best get clear.'

'Stay safe, now!' Dom closed the door and the three pilots on the ground all moved back to an acceptable distance from the rotors that cut through the air, gaining speed with each rotation. They waved as the helicopter lifted off and disappeared into the blue LA sky.

Dom sighed and Hawke slapped a hand on the older man's shoulder. 'You OK, Dom?'

'I just miss her already.' Dom admitted folding his arms across his chest. 'You know I think she really wanted to stay.'

'Where did she say she was going?' Hawke said.

'Budapest.' Dom said.

'Budapest?' Hawke frowned.

'It's an international trade conference.' Dom said. 'They needed an interpreter.' He sighed. 'Ah but it was good to have her home for Christmas.' His eyes brightened as he remembered the festivities a week before. The day had been filled with celebration. He sighed again.

Hawke exchanged an amused glance with Caitlin. 'Hey Dom, why don't we take the Lady for a spin?' He asked referring to Airwolf, the most technologically advanced helicopter in the world by the nickname Dom had coined for her. Hawke had been reluctant to fly Airwolf with Jo around even though she'd helped operate the helicopter with Dom to rescue Hawke and Caitlin after their plane had crashed on their way to Texas. Hawke appreciated Dom hadn't exactly told Jo, she'd stumbled on the secret of Airwolf after following her uncle, and he was willing to trust her a little because of their previous childhood relationship but…but he was still uncomfortable with someone else knowing about Airwolf and the location of the Lair where he hid her even if that someone was Jo.

'Really?' Dom began before his eyes caught the speculative look in Hawke's. 'Oh no you don't, String!' He wagged a finger at the younger man who attempted a look of innocence and failed miserably. 'Don't be starting all that nonsense!' Dom warned. 'There's nothing wrong with Airwolf.'

'Maybe.' Hawke allowed and shrugged. 'There's one way to find out.'

Dom threw his hands up. 'I'm not spending all day testing her, String. No way.' He glared at Hawke who held his gaze evenly.

Caitlin sighed. She reached across and kissed Hawke's cheek before slipping out of his hold to buss Dom's cheek too. 'Have fun, guys.' She walked away leaving the two of them still stood staring at each other in a battle of wills wondering how long it would take before Dom gave in.

In the end it took only another few minutes after Caitlin left them alone before Dom agreed grumpily to test the helicopter; in truth he wanted to go flying in the Lady too much to refuse. The two men made their way to the Lair in the Valley of the Gods in the Santini Air jeep. The landscape had changed with the winter and there was snow covering the tops of the red rock formations; a cold chill air cut through their jackets as they drove into the cave and parked the car.

Dom hurried into the Airwolf uniform and firmly put the red satin baseball cap back on his head. He shut the locker door and made his way back to the central area of the cave rubbing his hands to warm them. His eyes glanced off the stark steel platform to his left with its garish yellow railing and semi-circle of consoles. He might appreciate the value of the technical equipment housed there but there were times when he wished the Lair had retained its original simplicity.

Hawke looked over from the electronics panel he was examining in Airwolf's front cockpit and caught the direction of Dom's gaze. Hawke scowled. The new equipment hadn't been his idea; it had been a present from Michael Coldsmith-Briggs III, the deputy director of the FIRM, the intelligence agency that had built Airwolf, when the spy had finally discovered the location of Airwolf's hiding place. Michael had been the one to ask Hawke to recover Airwolf when she'd been stolen by her warped creator Moffett and he'd been the one to offer Hawke a deal when the pilot had also refused to return her; fly Airwolf missions and the FIRM would find Hawke's missing brother Saint John. In fairness, Hawke thought turning his attention back to the mess of wiring, Michael had started to come through on his part of the deal.

He adjusted a loose wire and closed the panel before moving onto the next one. Dom slipped into the cockpit on the other side, moving into the back and taking his usual place at the engineer's console. Hawke barely noticed that Dom began systematically uncovering the panels and checking them in the same methodical way as he himself was doing for the front console; his mind was already wandering back to the folder Michael had given him before Christmas.

Saint John had made it out alive from the Vietnam War. He'd been a POW for two and a half years before he'd been rescued by a Special Forces unit which he'd gone on to join. The secret team had continued to perform missions out in the Golden Triangle long after the end of the war only disbanding when the political temperature got too intense for them to sustain operations. Hawke frowned and his hands slid another panel back into place. The end of the Special Forces missions hadn't been the end of the missions though; his brother had gone to work for an intelligence agency performing similar operations. It was a tough, uncompromising existence and Hawke realised a little uneasily, one that suited his brother; Saint John had wanted to be a soldier; Hawke had fallen into it when he'd followed his brother to war. It was also an existence that needed absolutely secrecy and Hawke couldn't help but wonder if that was why his brother hadn't contacted him in sixteen years or whether there was another, less desirable reason…did his brother blame him for leaving him behind in the jungle?

'I'm done back here, kid.' Dom's gruff voice broke through Hawke's reverie and he slammed the final panel back into place.

'What are we waiting for then?' Hawke said grabbing the heavy Airwolf helmet and adjusting it until it sat easily in place.

'I was hoping you'd say that!' Dom said gleefully as Hawke pressed the buttons to start the engines and bring the systems on line.

Airwolf powered up smoothly, the wash from the accelerating rotors sweeping dust from the floor of the Lair. Hawke grasped the cyclic and took her up fast. The helicopter cleared the Lair and hovered for a moment in the clear blue sky.

'Turbos.' Hawke ordered.

'Turbos.' Dom confirmed.

Hawke's thumb hit the ignition and they shot forward. For a while he just enjoyed the sheer exhilaration of flying her but as they raced into open countryside he brought his mind back to the reason they'd taken her out.

'OK. Let's do some basic runs, see how she handles.'

Dom rolled his eyes but set up the systems. 'I still don't see why you think something is wrong with her.' He gestured at the front of the cockpit.

'She's been acting odd for a while Dom you know that.'

'All I know is that she's doing what she's supposed to.' Dom insisted.

'She's acting without us telling her to.' Hawke said forcefully. 'I'd say that was odd.'

'Ah she's just extrapolating her programming.'

Hawke pressed his lips together and dropped the argument to give his full attention to concentrating on the flight run, staying mere feet off the ground whilst they executed intricate manoeuvres at speed.

Several more tests later and Hawke decided to call it a day. The helicopter had executed every move, had followed every command and crucially hadn't acted without the knowledge of either her pilot or engineer. They headed back to the Lair tiredly.

'I've been meaning to ask,' Dom said, 'how'd it go when you told Caitlin's folks about your engagement?'

Hawke rolled his shoulders trying to ease the knot of tension gathered there. 'OK, I guess.'

'Oh?'

'I think they're mainly pleased we're not just going to be living together anymore.' Hawke commented.

'Well, like I told you before, kid, my generation's kinda old fashioned that way.' Dom chuckled.

Hawke frowned. 'I think the announcement had kinda a muted response.' He admitted. He'd seen the disappointment at her parents' reaction flicker in Caitlin's honest eyes before she'd had a chance to hide it from him. He'd been disappointed too; he'd felt he and Caitlin's parents had made their peace over his relationship with her when they'd been in Texas.

'They were probably just…just surprised,' Dom said, 'and maybe after what happened with Caitlin's sister they're a little cautious, huh?'

Hawke's lips twisted. The wedding of Caitlin's younger sister to Tom McNally, the O'Shaunessy's neighbour and an ex-boyfriend of Caitlin herself, had been the reason why he and Caitlin had headed to Texas. The wedding had been cancelled when the bride had gotten cold feet and ran away. Hawke frowned remembering his conversation with the jilted groom after the abandoned ceremony; 'she wasn't the sister I wanted to marry' had been Tom's response to Hawke's awkward offer of commiserations. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Caitlin had told him about her relationship with Tom; they'd been essentially childhood sweethearts. She denied there was anything more than nostalgic friendship between them but Hawke figured Tom definitely didn't feel the same way.

'You still thinking about the beginning of February for the wedding?' Dom asked.

'Yeah.' Hawke said. 'We figure we'll get married on the fifteenth.'

'What's wrong with Valentine's day?' Dom asked.

'What's right with it?' Hawke shot back with a small breath of laughter.

Dom hesitated for a second and then firmed his lips. 'It's pretty quick, huh?'

'We know what we want, Dom and it's not like we just met.' Hawke glanced back and caught the older man's eyes for a brief second before he returned his gaze to the front. 'We just don't see any point in waiting.'

Dom sighed. 'Your Dad was the same way when he met your mother.' He sniffed sentimentally and decided to drop the subject of the date. 'And you're having the ceremony up at the cabin?'

'Right.'

'Doesn't Caitlin want to get married from Texas?' Dom asked confused. It was traditional for the bride to marry out of her family home.

'The cabin was her idea.' Hawke muttered. He had a suspicion she'd suggested it to save putting him through the same kind of huge society wedding her folks had laid on for her sister.

'You told Michael yet?' Dom started a surveillance scan of the area as they approached the Lair.

'No.' Hawke frowned. 'He's still in Washington.' Michael had gone to the political capital to help his boss argue against the FIRM being amalgamated with another intelligence agency; a move by the Senate Oversight Committee to reduce operational costs.

'Still?' Dom's bushy eyebrows shot up. 'That doesn't look good.'

'Nope.' Hawke agreed.

'And no news?' Dom pressed.

'No news.' Hawke confirmed. 'Last time I spoke with Marella all she would say was that the Senate Committee was still debating.'

'Well I guess we'll know soon enough, huh?' Dom checked the results of the scans. 'We're all clear.'

Hawke swung Airwolf around and descended back into the Lair. The chill had them changing back into their civvies quickly and securing the helicopter and Lair with a practised efficiency. They drove back to the airfield with the setting sun turning the sky a starling orangey-red. It was almost dark when they pulled up in front of the hangar. Hawke led the way into the cosy Santini Air office. Caitlin was sat at the desk poring over magazines but lifted her head when she saw him. He dropped a kiss on her lips. Dom smiled at the couple happily before a yawn caught him off guard. He finished it to find Caitlin and Hawke smiling at him with amusement.

He gave them a rueful gap-toothed grin. 'Guess I'm beat.'

'Why don't you head home, Dom?' Caitlin suggested. 'We can lock up.'

'Sounds like a good idea.' Dom admitted. 'You all set for that stunt tomorrow?'

Caitlin nodded. 'It's pretty straightforward.'

'Well straightforward or not, let's come in early for the checks tomorrow.' Dom yawned again. 'See ya.'

They smiled their goodbyes as Dom left them alone in the office. Caitlin's eyes met Hawke's speculatively. 'You realise,' she said rising from her chair and hooking her arms around his neck; his hands settled on her hips to steady her balance, 'we have a whole evening to ourselves.'

Hawke's hand swept her long red hair over her shoulder before sliding it up her neck, along her jaw-line to cup her cheek. He kissed her gently. 'I might have some ideas on how we could spend the time.'

'I hope you do.' She teased and leaned in for another kiss. The phone interrupted them and Caitlin reluctantly eased out of the embrace to pick up the receiver. 'Santini Air.' She frowned at the silence. 'Hello?' The silence and the eerie sensation that someone was on the other end had her shifting uneasily. 'Hello?' She shook her head and slapped the phone back down.

Hawke frowned at her unhappy expression. 'Wrong number?'

Caitlin rubbed the back of her neck. 'That's the third time today.'

'And?' Hawke pressed.

'It's nothing.'

'Caitlin.'

'I just get the feeling someone's there but not saying anything.' She complained before she shrugged. 'It's probably just some creep hoping to freak me out.' She straightened her shoulders. 'And I'm not going to let them.'

Hawke's eyes narrowed. 'You get another one of these calls, you tell me.'

Caitlin nodded. 'Sure.'

'I'm not kidding, Cait.'

She kissed him easing the worry in his guarded blue eyes. 'I know.'

He hugged her. 'Come on. Let's go home.'

Caitlin slipped out of his arms and started to gather the magazines on the desk. Hawke realised with a start that they were all showing glossy images of brides and wedding cakes. 'Wedding magazines?'

'Yeah.' Caitlin blushed feeling a little foolish. 'I was just looking for some ideas.' She pushed the magazines furiously into her carry-case.

Hawke watched her closely. He'd been happy when Caitlin had suggested a small wedding at the cabin but maybe it wasn't what she really wanted; maybe she wanted the traditional thing…he sighed. 'You know we could still have the wedding in Texas if you wanted.'

Caitlin's eyes shot to his. 'I thought we agreed we'd have the wedding at the cabin.'

Hawke shrugged. 'We haven't arranged anything yet.'

'Actually we have.' Caitlin confessed. 'I…er…ordered the invitations.' Her lips twitched at the shock he couldn't quite hide. She tapped one of the magazines. 'I mean we don't have a lot of time to send them and I found this great design and the shop was local so…' she sighed. 'I didn't think you'd mind.'

'I don't…I…' Hawke stumbled to a stop. 'I just want to make sure you have the day you want.'

'As long as you turn up, I'll have the day I want.' Caitlin said.

Hawke nodded. 'Same here.'

She picked up her carry-case and he took her hand as they walked out of the office and headed out of the hangar locking it behind them.

'Talking of not being at your own wedding, how's your sister taking our news?' Hawke asked as he raised the chopper off the ground.

'I haven't spoken with Fiona.' Caitlin admitted. 'Mom thought it would be insensitive given what happened.' She shifted. 'They're all coming for the wedding though.'

'Good.' Hawke breathed a sigh of relief. After the initial understated response from her parents he'd been worried that they might not even show.

'Erin called about the dresses and Mom's kinda been on the phone a couple of times today with ideas.' Caitlin laughed. 'Although I'm not sure that's a good thing…'

Hawke heard the cautious note of delight that laced her words and settled back to concentrate on his flying. Maybe everything was going to turn out alright after all.