Hawke was sat in the bedroom reading when he heard a chopper approaching; he recognised it as the one that usually transported the acting director of the FIRM, Michael Coldsmith-Briggs III. He sighed. They had last seen their friend at the welcome home dinner he had laid on for his former senior aide, Marella. The Hawaiian agent had just returned to LA after recovering from a gunshot wound she'd sustained saving Michael's life. The friendship that had developed between them all still surprised Hawke at times but they were a close knit group and it had been good to celebrate the gang being back together.

Hawke glanced at Caitlin who was curled up next to him sleeping and frowned unhappily. She had been sick twice since they'd come back from the doctor's and she had only managed a couple of mouthfuls of the soup he'd made for dinner. She seemed exhausted. He put his book down and gently eased away from her. Despite their friendship, if Michael was visiting it usually meant an Airwolf mission; Hawke had kept and flown the technologically advanced helicopter in return for the FIRM trying to find Saint John for the past two years. Whatever the mission was, Michael would have to forget it, Hawke thought; there was no way he was leaving Caitlin. He headed downstairs and walked out to the porch with Tet at his feet.

He watched the white chopper descend and land. Michael climbed out of the chopper and waved at his current aide, Lauren to stay with it as he made his way along the pier up the porch steps. The spy was dressed in his usual three-piece white suit with his black eye-patch adding a note of eccentricity. He was using a slim rosewood cane and Hawke knew it wasn't just for show. Michael's leg was still healing after surgery; his cane was a definite necessity.

'Hawke.' Michael greeted the pilot with a firm handshake and easy smile.

'Caitlin's not feeling very well.' Hawke said quickly indicating the porch bench. 'She's asleep and I don't want her woken up.'

'Is she alright?' Michael asked anxiously.

'Just a stomach bug but it has her pretty wiped out.' Hawke waited until Michael was sat on the bench with his leg stretched out in front of him. 'If this is a mission you'll have to find someone else.'

'It's not a mission and I promise I won't stay long.' Michael said. 'It's more of a courtesy call.'

'Oh?'

Michael smoothed his silk tie. 'Marella called me; the fake Airwolf is ready for testing.'

Hawke was silent for a moment. Michael had confessed that the FIRM was building another Airwolf earlier that year. The new ship would be more technologically advanced than the original Airwolf; it was going to be the next generation of her class. It had turned out to be a fortuitous project. Just after his wedding to Caitlin, they had discovered that the original Airwolf was developing artificial intelligence; she had rewritten a self-preservation code to choose her current flight team as her failsafe rather than her twisted creator, Charles Moffett. Their delight in the development was tempered by the knowledge that the FIRM would be merging with a larger intelligence agency, the Company.

Michael had realised that the Company was unlikely to honour the deal he had made with Hawke over Airwolf and they had decided to use the cover of Michael's new Airwolf project to build a fake. They would hand the fake Airwolf to the Company; Hawke would keep the original. The only complication was that the Company was likely the same agency that his brother worked for and they seemed determined to prevent Hawke from finding out the truth. Michael had discovered that information about Saint John was systematically being removed from the intelligence network. It looked like the Company were planning to pretend to Hawke that they would honour the deal when in reality they were likely only going to use Hawke until Michael's new version of Airwolf was completed. All of them were unsure what that meant for them; did they substitute Airwolf with a fake or not?

Hawke leaned back on the porch post and regarded Michael. 'We don't even know if we need a fake Airwolf.'

Michael shrugged. 'It wouldn't hurt to be careful, Hawke, and have the ship ready if we do.'

'I guess.' Hawke said unhappily.

'It can wait a couple of days,' Michael continued, 'until Caitlin's back on her feet.'

'Good.' Hawke sighed and rubbed a hand over his tired face.

'You OK?'

Hawke started a little and he quickly covered his surprise at Michael's question. 'I'm fine. Just worried about Cait.'

Michael frowned. 'I thought you said it was just a bug?'

'It is but she's been through a lot lately and then I went off to Cambodia…' Hawke shrugged self-consciously.

Michael regarded the younger man. 'It's not your fault she's sick, Hawke.'

Hawke shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He decided a change of subject was needed and gestured. 'I didn't think Marella would be back at work so fast.'

'She was eager to get things returned to normal.' Michael said.

'Have you two gone on your date yet?' Hawke asked mischievously.

Michael brushed his moustache and caught Hawke's gaze with his good eye. He had definitely not confided his date with Marella in the other man which could only mean one thing; 'Caitlin told you?'

'Yeah,' Hawke smiled and crossed his arms against his chest, 'she said she'd tortured it out of you.'

Michael nodded. 'Well, the answer to your question is no.' He frowned and hesitated as though he were about to ask something else and then thought better of it.

Hawke's eyes narrowed. 'You might as well spit it out, Michael.'

'How did you and Cait do it?' Michael asked curiously. 'How did you make the transition from friends to…a relationship?'

Hawke looked at him thoughtfully. 'What's the problem?'

'There's no problem.' Michael denied.

'Sure there is or you wouldn't be asking me the question.' Hawke said with a short laugh.

'No,' Michael said firmly, 'there isn't.'

They stared at each other for a long moment.

Michael sighed. 'I should get going.'

'Are you having seconds thought with Marella not being able to have children?' Hawke asked bluntly. Marella's gunshot wound in the act of saving Michael had cost her dearly.

Michael's eye flew back to the pilot. 'No.' He snapped.

'Then what?' Hawke asked.

Michael gestured with uncharacteristic nervousness. 'I just…' he shifted on the porch bench a little and clasped his hands around the top of his cane, 'Whilst Marella was in Maui recovering, we talked every day on the phone but now that's she's back home, we seem to clam up around each other, like we don't know what to say.' He sighed. 'I don't even know if she still wants to go out on the date.'

Hawke shoved a hand through his hair. 'Michael, go talk to Marella.'

'But…'

'Talk to Marella.' Hawke repeated. 'It's the only way you're going to get your answer and it'll be a whole lot less embarrassing for both of us.'

Michael opened his mouth to retort and then closed it again as he considered Hawke's advice. 'I guess you're right.' He agreed grudgingly. 'Thanks.'

Hawke nodded. 'Tell her hi from me.' He took a step toward the cabin door as Michael got to his feet.

'Tell Caitlin I hope she feels better.' Michael said making his way back down the porch steps.

Hawke waited by the door until the FIRM chopper took off before he slipped back inside. He wandered up to the bedroom to check on Caitlin and found her sat up reading.

'Hey.' She put the book down. 'I thought I heard a chopper?'

'It was Michael.' Hawke sat down on the edge of the bed next to her.

'You didn't invite him in?' Caitlin asked amused. The laughter died in her eyes as she reviewed his expression. 'What's wrong?'

Hawke almost sighed in frustration; Caitlin was getting too good at reading him. He tried for an innocent look. 'Nothing for you to worry about.'

Caitlin sighed. 'You know I appreciate you taking care of me like the great husband you are, but if you treat me like a five year old every time I get sick, we're going to have a problem.'

'I don't want you stressed.' Hawke picked up her hand. 'You just need to concentrate on getting better.'

'I'll only be more stressed knowing something's troubling you and you're not telling me what.' Caitlin said forcefully. 'Now what's wrong?'

Hawke gave in to the insistence in her eyes and filled her in on the conversation he'd had with Michael.

She frowned during his explanation of the situation between Michael and Marella. 'That isn't good.'

'No.' Hawke agreed.

'They'll be fine once they've talked.' Caitlin sighed. 'I hope.' She really wanted the couple to get together but she was concerned they would end up hurting each other.

Hawke kissed her fingers. 'I'm sure they will be.'

'So the new Airwolf is ready?' Caitlin murmured. 'Maybe you and Dom should go in tomorrow and take a look, even if I'm not back on my feet.'

'We'll see. There's no rush. The FIRM and the Company don't merge for another couple of months yet.' Hawke leaned forward and kissed her. 'We should have an early night.'

'Sounds good to me.'

Hawke kissed her and got to his feet. 'I'll finish up downstairs.'

'OK.'

In the end it took Hawke almost an hour to clear up. When he came out of the bathroom she was asleep again, the book open on her lap and the side lamp still burning. He switched off the lamp, put the book on the bedside table and gave her forehead a chaste goodnight kiss before climbing in beside her. He was asleep within minutes.