Caitlin stared at the phone and set it back into the cradle slowly. Michael's words resounded in her head. Inside job. Assassins. Don't let anyone near Marella. She took a deep breath and tried to slow her heart which was racing with panic as she walked back down the corridor. The two men were still arguing with the doctor about gaining access to Marella's room. They were young in their thirties, probably around Hawke's age, she determined. One had dark hair, the other blond but otherwise she would have been hard pressed to make out the difference; both were average looking, average height. Perfect descriptions for assassins, Caitlin thought as she slipped into Marella's room.

Her blue-green eyes were immediately drawn to the bed and the battered woman lying there. Marella was hooked up to a number of machines, drains and drips. A bandage covered her head which had been partially shaved; there had been surgery to remove a clot on her brain caused by the blow and subsequent skull fracture. There was a mask over her face supplying her with oxygen although she was breathing on her own – the bullets thankfully must have missed her lungs and diaphragm, thought Caitlin. The heartbeat on the monitor was strong; Marella was fighting.

She went over and stroked Marella's hand softly. 'Don't worry, Marella. I'm going to protect you.' Even if she had no clue how she was going to do it.

Caitlin stowed her jacket in the small wardrobe in the room and reached into her handbag to take out her gun before she stowed that too. She checked it was loaded and took position behind the door. She bit her lip and waited.

The next twenty minutes seemed like twenty years; Caitlin was aware of every breath she took, every heartbeat that pounded in her ear. The slightest sound outside in the corridor had her tensing with anticipation. Standing took its own toll; she had to shift her weight several times to ease the ache in her legs and back; alter the hold on her gun to ease the ache in her shoulder. But finally the handle on the door started to turn…

Caitlin grasped the gun tighter and held her breath, waiting.

The first man entered and walked silently to the foot of the bed; the second man entered allowing the door to swing shut behind him. Neither of them noticed Caitlin.

'We have to do this quick before that doctor realises we're in here.' The fair-haired guy asked the dark-haired one. 'You have a syringe?'

'Yeah.'

'Then let's do the air bubble in the IV.' He suggested.

Caitlin had heard enough. She took a deep breath and stepped out from her hiding spot. 'Freeze.'

They spun around to face her in shock automatically putting their hands up but seeing Caitlin relaxed and lowered their hands. They obviously didn't deem her much of a threat despite the gun, she realised with dismay.

'You really shouldn't have done that.' Fair-hair said.

'Now we're going to have to kill you too.' Dark-hair added. His dark eyes gleamed at her coldly. 'New scenario; we'll shoot her with your gun and then shoot you.'

'A tragic murder-suicide.' Fair-hair agreed.

'Here's a newsflash, fellas.' Caitlin snapped. 'I don't plan on cooperating.'

'Take her.' Dark-hair ordered.

Caitlin shot the one that moved point blank in the head and he crumpled to the floor, the look of surprise still on his face. The other began to charge before she could aim the gun again and she reacted relying on the karate instincts she had developed. Her leg shot out and caught the guy in the chest. It cracked his sternum and he fell to the floor. She shot him and he lay still.

Caitlin staggered into a chair, breathing heavily and kept the gun aimed on them as though they would come back to life and try again. The gunshots had been heard and she could distantly hear the footsteps pounding toward the room. The doctor burst in and immediately stooped to check the pulses of the two fallen men. The nurse following him screamed at the sight of the bodies and ran off again.

His dark eyes shot to Caitlin and to the gun. He rose slowly. 'What happened?'

'They tried to kill her.' Caitlin explained. 'You have to call Archangel.'

'Could you put the gun away?' The doctor asked. He gestured at the oxygen tank. 'I don't want any accidents.'

Caitlin glanced at the oxygen canister, at her gun and at the assassins. 'I think I prefer to hold onto the gun for now.'

The doctor nodded slowly. 'OK…'

More running footsteps and Hawke appeared in the doorway. Caitlin lurched out of the chair and was across the room in a couple of steps. Hawke caught hold of her; his arms went around her; hers around him and they held each other fiercely. His blue eyes travelled over the dead two men.

'I've got you.' Hawke whispered as he smoothed a hand over Caitlin's back; she was trembling badly. 'It's OK.'

'Caitlin?' Michael saw the couple on the doorway before he caught sight of the bodies on the floor beyond them. 'Good God.'

Caitlin eased away from Hawke and took a deep breath. 'They tried to kill her, Michael.'

The doctor frowned. 'Does someone want to tell me what's going on here?'

Michael sighed. 'There's been an assassination attempt. You need to move the patient to a more secure location.'

'She's in a fragile condition…'

'She'll be dead if you don't move her.' Michael shouted.

There was silence.

The spy took a deep breath and tried for the semblance of control. 'We need to move her before there is another attempt and we need to clean up the mess.' He pointed his crutch at the bodies. His good eye shot to the doctor's. 'That's an order.'

The doctor sighed. 'Yes, sir.' He pushed past the couple and ran down the corridor to start organising things.

Hawke gently manoeuvred Caitlin out of the room. 'No…' she protested, 'one of us should stay with her.'

Michael reached out and took Caitlin's clammy hand in his. 'You did a great job. I'll stay with Marella now. You go and take a break.'

'My stuff's in the wardrobe.' Caitlin said stubbornly.

Hawke kissed the top of her head and pushed her into a plastic seat by the door of the room. 'I'll get it.'

He zipped into the room and retrieved Caitlin's belongings before he went back to her. He helped her into the jacket and gently but firmly marched her away from Marella's room.

'I'm really OK.' She said. 'It was just the shock…'

He searched for an empty room as they walked down the corridor. When he found one, he pushed open the door and yanked Caitlin into it.

'What…' She barely got the word out before Hawke's lips covered hers and he kissed her roughly. She responded until he gentled the kiss and eased away.

'I thought…' Hawke shook his head. 'I heard the first gunshot when we got out of the elevator.' His arms tightened around her.

She hugged him back. 'I'm OK, really. I'm OK. They didn't get a chance to lay a finger on me, I swear.'

He looked at her, searched her tearful blue-green eyes. 'I don't know what I'd do, Cait, if I lost you…'

She stroked a hand over his cheek, along his jaw. 'I'm still here.'

'Yeah.' Hawke hugged her to him again. 'You did great.'

'I killed them.' Caitlin shuddered against him. She'd killed before but this time it hadn't really been in the heat of self-defence or with the distance provided from being inside Airwolf; she had planned it knowing that they would enter the room and had executed them up close and personal.

'It was them or you.' Hawke reminded her gently. 'You did the right thing.'

'I know.' Caitlin said. 'It just…' the tears spilled over, 'it just hurts.'

Hawke held her and let her cry it out.

She eased back eventually swiping at her face and he took out a handkerchief and wiped it over the damp cheeks before kissing the tip of her pink nose.

'Come on.' He said. 'I'll buy you a cup of coffee.'

'Sounds like a great offer.' Caitlin said tremulously.

They were still in the cafeteria finishing their drinks, and in Caitlin's case, a sinful chocolate cake, when Dom arrived. He paused at the cafeteria doorway searching the room for the couple. He caught sight of them immediately; they were sat in a deserted corner, holding hands across the table. He charged over.

'Are you OK?' He asked Caitlin as she rose to give him a hug.

'I'm fine.' Caitlin patted his arms. 'Just don't be too nice to me or I'm likely to start bawling again.'

'Michael said they tried to kill Marella.'

'Two men.' Caitlin said striving for a calm tone.

Hawke reached across the table again and tangled their fingers together, giving her silent support.

'They were definitely assassins.' Caitlin said.

'Michael agrees with you.' Dom said.

'You've seen him?' Hawke asked.

'Yeah.' Dom gestured upwards. 'I went upstairs before I came here. Michael's got them running around making sure Marella's safe.'

'Angelina and Michael's folks get dropped off at the cabin, OK?' Caitlin asked. Hawke had filled her in on Michael's concerns that they would be targeted.

Dom nodded. 'They're all settled in.' He sighed. 'So Michael filled me in on what happened upstairs, what else did I miss?'

Hawke explained about the file in Michael's office; he was just finishing as Michael joined them collapsing into a chair. Hawke took one look at his pale face and went to get him a coffee.

'Thanks,' Michael said as he took his first sip.

'Who's with Marella?' Caitlin asked.

'Lauren and Kim.' Michael said. 'They're both close to Marella. I don't think they're involved.'

'If Marella's protected,' Hawke said, 'we need to get back to your office.'

'I know.' Michael said. 'Those men were FIRM assassins. The order to send them to take out Marella had to come from within the FIRM.'

'I thought Zeus had people watching the clinic?' Hawke asked.

'They're dead.' Michael said succinctly. 'They were found in their cars with their throats slashed.

Caitlin felt her stomach lurch and she went pale. 'Thanks for the visual.'

Michael sighed. 'I'm sorry.' He raised his coffee. 'You saved Marella's life.'

Caitlin attempted a smile; it was wobbly but it was there. 'I'm just glad she's OK.'

Michael nodded. He couldn't get the image of his former aide out of his head. The large bandage on her head; the drips and monitors, the paleness of her face and the shallow breathing…she'd looked as fragile as the doctor had claimed.

'She will be OK, Michael.' Caitlin reassured him. 'She's a fighter.'

'I know.' Michael sighed. 'We just need to catch these bastards before they try again.' He reached for his crutches. 'Come on. Let's get back to the FIRM.'