The weather was overcast and Caitlin was shivering as she exited the trailer in the short thin nightdress required for the TV stunt. She adjusted the blonde wig and jerked at the soft feel of a jacket being placed across her shoulders. She turned and smiled at Hawke.

'Thanks.'

'Great dress.' His eyes twinkled at her before travelling down to her legs.

'Hey.' Caitlin poked him. 'Eyes up here.'

'What's the scene anyway?' Hawke asked as they made their way over to the chopper.

'The heroine is escaping at night from her evil captors and takes the chopper only for it to crash in the bush.' She pointed at the bushes behind them. 'You know it's pretty similar to the first stunt I did.'

'But no kiss.' Hawke commented remembering the setup of Caitlin's first ever stunt had required them to kiss for the cameras to match with the lead actors.

'But no kiss.' She confirmed.

'Pity.' Hawke leaned down and kissed her anyway. 'Put her down easy, huh?'

Caitlin patted his arm, handed him his jacket back and climbed into the cockpit. She checked her controls and gave Hawke the thumbs up sign. He shut the door and moved back to stand behind the director where he'd get the best view of the stunt. Dom was already there waiting and he handed Hawke a polystyrene cup filled to the brim with a weak brown liquid. Hawke pulled a face.

'Hey.' Dom said. 'At least it's hot.'

'Hmmm.' Hawke's eyes were pinned to the chopper.

'Relax, will ya?' Dom muttered. 'We've been over that bird with a fine toothcomb, String.'

'Yeah.' Hawke unthinkingly took a sip of his coffee and gagged. 'What the hell is this?'

'Coffee.' Dom said defensively.

'Right.' Hawke slid the offending drink onto a side table.

Dom nudged him. 'Here we go.'

There was a call for silence on the set and within seconds the yell of action brought chaos to the scene in front of them as the actors playing the kidnappers started to run toward the chopper as it lifted up and away. A mock shoulder rocket launcher was aimed at the rotors and the benign rocket fired harmlessly into the sky. Caitlin hit her mark and pulled the cord to emit smoke from just underneath the rotors; began rocking the chopper as though she'd been hit. She waited; there was another rocket scheduled to be fired, one that would supposedly hit her tail rotor and send the chopper crashing into the hill.

Dom pursed his lips and nodded. 'Good job, good job.' He muttered. Hawke nodded in agreement and remembered to breathe; she was doing a great job, with any luck they'd be done in one take.

The rocket burst from the launcher.

Dom's eyes widened with alarm. 'String, that thing's misfired!'

Hawke yanked the radio out of the stunt coordinator's hand. 'Caitlin, evade!'

Caitlin heard Hawke at the same time her mind registered the path of the rocket. She veered hard but it was too late. The helicopter frame shuddered as the rocket hit the tail rotor for real and sent it into a spin. Caitlin struggled for control; she was too close to the hillside. She bit her lip, hearing Hawke's frantic voice through the radio and too focused on surviving to pay attention, her eyes desperately seeking somewhere to land. The chopper was descending at an angle, she pulled hard to shift the balance and land it straight.

It was a hard landing that knocked the breath from her body and threw her back against her seat. Her head slammed hard into the side of the chopper and she sat dazed and breathless for a long moment. The rotors created a cloud of dust around the cockpit and obscured the sight of Hawke and the rest of the crew running towards her.

Hawke ducked under the rotors and wrenched open the cockpit door. He gathered her into his arms and pulled her out of her cockpit, his panicked blue eyes fixing on the bump on the side of her head. 'I've got you.' He murmured his hands tightening on her. Her arms went instinctively around his neck as he carried her to a safe distance away from the machine and lowered her to the ground, kneeling beside her. She was shaking badly and he grabbed the blanket someone handed him, wrapping it around her gently and not letting go of her hand as it tangled with his. The paramedic took one look at the hard stare Hawke challenged him with and decided against telling the pilot to get out the way.

He checked her out competently and efficiently. 'Shock and possibly concussion. I'd like to take her to the clinic and get her checked out by a doctor.'

'I'm OK, really.' Caitlin said shakily, speaking for the first time since she'd landed. 'I just want to go home.'

'We'll get you checked out by the doctor first.' Hawke squeezed her hand. 'OK?'

She went to argue but then stopped at the look in his eyes. She nodded and winced when the move sent a sharp pain through her head.

'OK then.' The paramedic motioned at his partner and they brought a stretcher over. 'Let's get you moved to the clinic.' He helped Caitlin into position, strapping her in to secure her. 'You want to ride with us?' He asked Hawke who nodded.

Dom caught Hawke's arm on his way past. 'I'll follow you.'

Hawke nodded again and climbed in the back of the ambulance.

The journey to the clinic and the examination in the ER took far longer than he'd hoped before Caitlin was admitted for a night of observation despite her protests. They were settling into the private room when Dom showed up with flowers and chocolates.

'Hey.' He smiled broadly at the sight of the two of them. Hawke sat beside the bed, his hand firmly holding Caitlin's. She was sat up in bed with a mound of pillows behind her, covered in a sheet and green blanket. She was dressed in a pink hospital gown that clashed with her red hair. Her eyes were brightly clear and smiled at him in welcome.

'Those for me?'

Dom started and remembered what he was carrying. 'They sure are.' He laid the flowers and chocolates on the table and took the spare seat on the opposite side of the bed. 'So what's the verdict?'

Hawke ignored the small bubble of panic that suddenly knotted his stomach and drove the breath from his body. He deliberately took a deep breath. 'She's going to be fine.'

'I'm concussed apparently. They're keeping me overnight.' Caitlin sighed and pointed at the bump on the side of her head. It was already beginning to form a multi-coloured hue. 'The doctor said it should go in time for the wedding though.'

Hawke's fingers tightened on hers; for a moment when the chopper had been heading for the ground, he'd thought she wasn't going to make it to their wedding at all.

'That's great news.' Dom's smile widened further. 'They're all asking after you on the set and send their love.'

'What happened?'

'They're still arguing about it.' Dom said his brow lowering angrily. 'But I told them, we're off the picture.'

'Dom…'

'The stunt coordinator's an incompetent idiot no matter what happened.' Dom said waving away her protest. 'I'm not working with him again.'

'What about the contract?' Hawke asked mildly; Dom's reaction didn't surprise him.

'Let them try to sue me.' Dom muttered.

'Well, I guess that means we're going to be quiet for the next few days.' Hawke commented.

'Just as well.' Dom said gesturing at Caitlin. 'You can rest up and get better.'

Hawke let the Dom and Caitlin carry on the conversation, content to sit back and watch as she complained she was going to be bored and Dom nagged her about taking the time to recover. The same bubble of panic clutched at his gut and he shoved it away ruthlessly. She was OK; that was all that mattered.

It was a refrain he repeated a couple of days later as he watched Dom shepherd Caitlin into an office chair with resigned amusement.

'You've come back too early. You should have stayed home another day.' Dom nagged. It was obvious Caitlin wasn't physically completely over the incident given the way she lowered herself cautiously into the chair with a sigh.

'You should have stopped her.' Dom said to Hawke.

Hawke shrugged. 'The only way to do that would have been to tie her up.' He headed for the coffee.

Dom wagged a finger at him. 'String…'

'Dom, I've fine.' Caitlin's fingers brushed against the sizeable bruise on the side of her forehead. 'All I'm going to do is sit here, take calls and catch us up on some paperwork.' She watched as Dom struggled with his urge to send her home and the joy of having someone else offer to do the paperwork.

'OK.' Dom said finally. 'But you don't move a muscle, you hear me?'

Caitlin made a face at him and reached for a pen.

'Uh-oh.' Dom pointed out the window at the approaching white limo. 'Here comes trouble.'

Hawke handed Caitlin a mug and perched on the desk whilst they waited for the visitor to enter the office. The door opened; an Hawaiian woman in her thirties dressed in a crisp white suit stepped into the cramped space; her dark eyes scanned the room seriously.

'Marella.' Hawke shifted to peer behind her. 'No Michael?'

'He's still in Washington.' Marella explained adjusting her handbag and closing the door behind her. Her eyes widened as they caught the flash of sparkle on Caitlin's hand. She momentarily shoved the reason why she'd come to one side and marched over to grab the other woman's hand. 'You're engaged?'

'Yeah.' Caitlin held her hand out so Marella could get a better look at the engagement ring.

'Congratulations!' She hugged Caitlin and then Hawke before returning to pick up Caitlin's hand again. 'It's beautiful.' Her eyes flickered questioningly to the bruise on Caitlin's head.

'Stunt went a little wrong.' Caitlin said quickly.

'So why are you here, Marella?' Hawke asked.

Marella let go of Caitlin's hand and reached into her bag for a computer disc. 'We need you to take Airwolf and deliver this coded message to the Naval Intelligence centre in Hawaii.' She handed the disc to Dom and waited for the usual battle to convince Hawke the mission was necessary to commence.

'Sure.' Hawke put his coffee down. 'All the information on the disc?'

Marella blinked. 'Yes but…'

Hawke dropped a kiss on the top of Caitlin's head. 'We should be back for dinner.'

'OK.' She said uncertainly. She'd never seen Hawke accommodate a request for an Airwolf mission so quickly not even when he was bored, even Dom seemed startled; he was just standing holding the disc and staring after Hawke.

'You coming, Dom?' Hawke asked pausing in the doorway when he realised the older man wasn't following him.

'But…' Dom made a vague gesture at Caitlin and the office.

'Cait doesn't mind.' Hawke looked at her briefly. 'You'll be OK?'

'Sure.' She smiled brightly. 'I'll see you guys later.'

Hawke nodded and left the office. Dom gave her an apologetic look and followed after him. Caitlin stared at the open office door anxiously, her teeth worrying at the bottom of her lip.

'Is everything OK?' Marella asked.

Caitlin hesitated before she gave Marella another bright smile. 'Sure. Why wouldn't it be?'

Marella adjusted the strap on her handbag and wondered whether to press it with the younger woman. They weren't exactly close confidantes…she sighed and changed the subject. 'I take it I'm allowed to tell Michael about the engagement?'

Caitlin nodded. 'Of course. How's it going?'

'No news.' Marella said noncommittally.

Caitlin's lips twitched; there were times when Michael and Marella definitely acted like the spies they were. 'Does he still have Angelina with him?'

Marella nodded. Michael had recently discovered his ten year old daughter and took the responsibility of raising her seriously. 'He's hoping they'll be done in time for her to begin the new school term.'

'How's she enjoying her dog?'

'Brownie?' Marella smiled. 'It's love at first sight.' She sighed again. 'I'd better be heading back to the FIRM. I'll be in touch.'

Caitlin watched until the limo pulled away from the hangar before she shoved the pen back into the holder on the desk and leaned back in the chair. Something was going on with Hawke and had been since the accident. She frowned. It had really started when they'd returned to the cabin. She'd figured they could get started on the wedding plans but he'd evaded every question, telling her that he would be fine with whatever she wanted and then he'd spent a lot of time out on the mountain with Tet. More importantly, he'd only joined her in their bed when she was already asleep. She sighed. She had just thought that the accident had shaken him up a little and that he needed sometime to get over it. Given the speed with which he'd taken the Airwolf mission, he obviously couldn't wait to get away from her…maybe he was having second thoughts about marrying her…maybe he was having second thoughts about their whole relationship…maybe…maybe she should talk to him, she concluded ruefully.

The phone rang.

She reached forward and picked it up. 'Santini Air.' There was silence. She rubbed her forehead. 'Hello?' The silence continued. She slammed the phone down. The phone creep was back; just what she needed. She looked at the stack of folders at the side of the desk and sighed. She took the first folder and started to work.