The Airwolf cockpit was silent except for the background hum of her computers and the steady growl of her engines as she ate up the miles between California and Texas. Michael turned from his position on the jump seat to look at Dom next to him. The older man's dark stare was pinned to Hawke as though his thoughts alone would hold the younger pilot together. Michael could see Marella, who was sat in the front of Airwolf, was also looking at Hawke. His own gaze slid to the pilot. Caitlin was the centre of Hawke's world…if anything happened to her. He wasn't sure they'd be able to put the pilot back together again.

Hawke could feel how worried the others were about him; the anxiety was like a living breathing entity that occupied the cockpit with them. He didn't have the strength to ease their concern and he knew if he tried it would be a lie. He tried to keep focused on the flight but he knew Airwolf was assisting him more than usual. Maybe the machine knew how his mind would slip to his wife every other breath. Hold on Caitlin, Hawke thought urgently, I'm on my way. She couldn't be kidnapped. Not now, not with the baby…

Hawke walked back into the examination where he'd left Caitlin and caught Doctor Peters on her way out. He spotted Caitlin redressing behind a screen as the doctor smiled at him and told him Caitlin would tell him everything before she left him alone with his wife.

Caitlin stepped out from behind the screen. She was looking thin after successive days of a stomach bug that rarely let her keep her food down, her face was pale under her freckles and there were shadows under her blue-green eyes. He went to help her finish pulling on her sweater.

'Thanks.' She said lifting her long red hair free. He barely registered the kiss she dropped on his lips or her murmured request to go home, he was too worried. He just caught hold of her shoulders and asked her what the doctor had said.

There was a strange look in her eyes and his stomach knotted with tension.

'Well I'm anaemic…' OK, so anaemia wasn't so bad. '…and my blood pressure is a little low…' that explained the faint '…and the stomach bug is really morning sickness…' he didn't hear the rest of the sentence.

'Cait.' He was barely aware of saying her name, shock reverberating through him. 'What did you just say?'

'I'm pregnant.'

He stared at her. Pregnant. His wife was pregnant. As in having a baby. She was looking at him nervously, her fingers twisting together. He couldn't believe it. They'd been trying but…he had to check he'd heard it right.

'I did.' She was trying to smile but her eyes were filled with the same nerves crowding his belly. Pregnant. She was having a baby. His baby. A wave of masculine pride and possessiveness washed through him.

'You did.' He could feel the smile spread across his own face as she smiled back at him, happiness shining from her blue eyes. 'You're pregnant.'

She'd been so ill though…he had to check everything was OK, that she and the baby were fine. She was quick to reassure him.

Hawke nodded. 'You're really pregnant.' He repeated.

'Really pregnant.'

'A baby.' Hawke said in wonderment. His hands slipped to her belly where their baby was growing and pressed lightly against her. Someone was after them though. His old fear clutched at him and he wrapped his arms tightly around Caitlin. Nobody was going to harm his family…nobody.

'String…' Dom's gentle voice broke through Hawke's memory and he came back to reality with the startled understanding that Airwolf was pretty much flying on her own. Hawke strengthened his grip on the stick.

'The O'Shaunessy ranch is five miles out.' Dom said quietly.

The speed decreased rapidly as they switched from the turbines and re-engaged the rotor system coming to hover over the sprawling ranch. Hawke took Airwolf down into a wide space behind the house rather than using the helipad. There were a number of trucks already parked up and people were already rushing to the back of the house to observe the helicopter's descent, shielding their eyes from the bright sun and the rising dust cloud. A white limo drove up to meet them as they exited Airwolf. Dom set the alarm and locked the doors with the remote electronic device they rarely used; there were too many people around not to keep her secure.

An exotic brunette with skin the colour of café au lait and wide almond eyes stepped out of the limo and handed a rosewood cane to Michael. Hawke barely noticed her, his attention was on the men walking towards them; two official looking guys and Patrick, Caitlin's father.

'Hawke.' Patrick enveloped his son-in-law in a hug.

Hawke returned it and tried to ignore how anxious his father-in-law looked. 'Patrick…what's happening?'

'Maybe I can help with that.' FBI Special Agent Gray Charleston tore his gaze away from Airwolf, and let his eyes drift over the tense man in front of him, tried to see past the aviator sunglasses to the eyes hidden behind. 'You're the husband?'

'Yeah.' Hawke acknowledged him with a brief nod.

'Gray, it's good to see you again.' Michael said.

'Archangel. Marella.' Gray acknowledged him with a nod. 'I was told you would be arriving to assist…' his gaze moved to Gaynor, 'but not why.'

'Caitlin…she's unofficially one of mine.' Michael explained and saw Gray cover his surprise well.

'Let's get inside and I'll brief you all.' The agent said.

They made their way through the back of the ranch house and into a large, formal reception room. The FBI agents had set up along a desk at the back of the room. Tracing equipment had been tied into the phone line; more extensions added. The room was filled with a mass of milling people.

Hawke ignored the agents and focused on Caitlin's…his extended family; Caitlin's grandfather, Chester Mitchell came over to stand with them whilst his wife stayed with their daughter, Caitlin's mother Maggie. Caitlin's eldest sister Erin and her husband Paul, his arm around his wife and baby, were sat with them along with Caitlin's two brothers Brian and Callum, their wives and children, and her younger sister Fiona. There was an aunt bringing in coffee, an uncle stood by the mantle puffing on a pipe, more family milling through the house. There were so many people, so much family and all of them looking at Hawke with the same compassion. Hawke felt Dom's hand on his shoulder and he steadied, listening as Gray brought them up to date.

'Caitlin was taken this morning. Family thought she'd gone for a walk along an old riding trail and had an accident. A search commenced but there was no sign of her in the immediate area. An aerial search of the rest of the ranch was about to commence when the call came in at lunch time.' Gray tried hard not to sigh. 'Her mother took the call. Apparently the voice was a man. He told her that he had Caitlin, he wanted a million dollars and he would be in touch.'

'Did he give any proof of life?' Hawke forced the question out.

'No.' Gray's head swivelled to him.

'Any time-frame?' Marella asked.

Gray shook his head. 'No indication of where or when the drop was to be made,' he said matter-of-factly, 'and he didn't specifically exclude the involvement of police or FBI.'

'So either he's an amateur very new at this or he's a professional who isn't concerned at our involvement and maybe even wants us involved.' Michael concluded, careful to keep his expression neutral in front of Caitlin's gathered family.

Gray nodded.

'Have we started organising the ransom?' Michael asked assuming that Caitlin's grandfather would step up to pay it and knowing that it would take time for even a man like him to organise funds.

'Well…' Gray began.

'We're not paying the ransom.' Caitlin's grandfather cut in.

Hawke's face hardened into harsh lines. Michael blinked in astonishment.

'You're not…' Dom blurted out and squared up to the white-haired man. 'Why the hell not?'

'Yeah, tell them why not Chester.' Patrick goaded, his green eyes sparking at his father-in-law. It was obviously an old argument.

'I won't give in to demands for money.' Mitchell folded his arms across his barrel chest defensively.

'Hey, buddy, this is Caitlin's life we're talking about.' Dom took a step forward.

Michael took a step to halt him from punching Mitchell and turned to the FBI agent. 'Gray?'

'I've requested the funds but one million dollars is a lot of money and I've received instruction from the regional office to try to resolve the situation before a ransom is required.'

Hawke caught Gray's brown eyes flickering to Mitchell and then back to Michael. In other words, Hawke thought, Mitchell had sway with the local FBI command. He cleared his throat. 'Michael, it'll take me a while to pull that kinda money together…'

Michael cut Hawke off with a look and signalled for Marella. 'Organise the one million dollars and get it brought here immediately.'

Marella nodded. 'Yes sir.'

Dom started to smile not even hiding the spreading grin; Hawke nodded his thanks and relief spread over Patrick's tight features.

'Now you just wait on a moment…' Mitchell's face was red with outrage, 'I won't have…'

Hawke yanked off his sunglasses. Blue thin ice glared at the tycoon; a cold deadly warning heated with the light of a temper wanting to let loose on something, anything. It silenced the older man more effectively then words; it silenced the whole room.

Hawke pulled his fury back inch by inch, took a breath. 'I need some air.' He said and walked out. Half-way back to Airwolf, he remembered they'd locked her. He swore and changed directions, headed for the stables.

The smell of old worn leather, hay and horse eased him a little as he entered. His eyes blinked adjusting to the shadowy light and he made his way to a spirited mare. She was a beautiful animal and as he smoothed a hand down her chestnut neck, felt her nuzzle into his chest, he let his anger drain away. All he wanted was his wife, safe and well. Their wedding day drifted back to him…

Hawke was stood in front of the judge, the lake just beyond the smiling man. The sunlight cast a beautiful gold glow over the water and the air was heavy with perfume from the flowers that edged the clearing. He turned to smile at a beaming Dom before his eyes drifted to the porch steps.

Caitlin stood with one arm tucked into her father's. The floor length dress of pale cream silk shot through with a gold thread shimmered in the sunlight. A cream wool shawl was draped over her arms and she held a bouquet of gold and cream roses in her hand. Her hair was up in some complicated do that Hawke knew he would destroy later but she'd left tendrils curling around her face and neck which the sunlight turned to copper. He would always remember how beautiful she looked, he thought. Their eyes connected. Love and trust beamed from hers along with the same underlying honesty that had hit him the first day they met as she made her way towards him.

He took her hand and interlinked their fingers. The wedding ceremony began and he solemnly took his vows. His heart warmed as she made hers. He wasn't alone anymore; she was going to be with him, always. He slipped the wedding ring on her finger and brushed the warm metal. His. She was his. Caitlin slipped the matching plain gold band on Hawke's finger.

'…I now pronounce you….'

Hawke reached over and kissed his wife...

'Hey.'

The voice, so like Caitlin's, wrenched him from the past. He looked over at the stable doorway. Erin. He might have guessed her elder sister would be the one to search him out; she had always supported their relationship.

'I brought you some coffee.' She took a couple of steps forward and handed him a mug.

He caught the faint aroma of the bitter drink. 'Thank you.' Hawke took it from her to be polite and then, because she looked too much like Caitlin, because it hurt to look at her, turned back to the horse.

'I see you found White Star.' Erin walked up rest an elbow on the stall railing and reached over to pat the mare's neck. 'Caitlin's had that horse forever.'

Hawke stroked the horse's nose. He'd headed for her without any thought but he suddenly remembered how Caitlin had shown him the mare the first time they'd visited.

Erin glanced across at Hawke. 'You holding up OK?'

Hawke avoided the question. 'You?'

'I'm OK.' The same damn bravado as her sister.

Hawke sighed and took a sip of the coffee he didn't really want. 'Did she go out walking every morning?'

'Yeah.' Erin admitted. 'Every morning. Normally, as you know, it would be a horse ride but with the baby…she didn't want to take any chances.'

Hawke swallowed hard at the mention of the baby, forced himself to focus. 'Same time?'

'No, it varied just like her riding but it was never later than eight and she was always back at the house for breakfast at nine.'

Hawke took another sip. 'How many people know about the baby?'

'Only the immediate family.' Erin said.

Hawke raised an eyebrow.

'OK, so maybe the odd aunt and uncle…' she shrugged, 'nothing stays secret for very long around here.'

Hawke was about to reply when he heard the scuff of a boot by the door. His blue eyes skipped past Erin to Dom who was stood in the doorway, his bulky frame blotting out most of the sunlight. Erin excused herself and Dom wandered in to take her place.

His dark eyes swept over Hawke with concern. 'You OK?'

Hawke ignored the question. 'What's happening?'

'Michael's gotten the official go-ahead to take over.' Dom folded his arms, leaned against the stall railing. 'Talked to the FBI director himself, don't you know?' He gave a short laugh. 'Gray and the local FBI will stay on but Michael's running the show now.'

'Good.' Hawke glanced back at the horse. 'You know, Dom, someone's been watching her this week, maybe for a while.'

'Oh?'

'Caitlin normally rides every morning when she's here. At different times, but always before eight. This week she was walking because of the…' Hawke took a gulp of coffee trying to get his mind to work with a jolt of the caffeine. 'Somebody had to be watching her a while to establish the pattern; the earliest she would leave, the latest; what mornings she would go out early, which late.'

'Well that isn't too much of a surprise is it kid?' Dom gently pointed out. 'Somebody obviously planned to kidnap her.'

'And that's just what doesn't fit, Dom.' Hawke said, starting to feel he was on the right track. 'Think. If you wanted to kidnap someone from Chester Mitchell's family in order to demand a money ransom, who would you take?'

'Well, String, I'm not…'

'You'd take one of the kids or Fiona.' Hawke told him. His intent blue eyes met Dom's. 'You wouldn't take an ex-cop with martial arts training.'

'Maybe they don't know…'

'You said it Dom. Somebody planned this. If they spent all that time watching her habits then…'

'Then they had to have made a deliberate choice in choosing her.' Dom sighed heavily, his brow lowering unhappy at the implication. 'Could they know about the baby?'

'Maybe.' Hawke admitted. 'But I don't think that her pregnancy makes her that vulnerable…not yet. In a few months, maybe, when her mobility is compromised. She can still defend herself right now.'

'Couldn't it have been a…a spontaneous thing?' Dom suggested.

'I don't think so.' Hawke said sure of his ground. 'You don't just find yourself way out in the middle of a ranch and faced with an opportunity to kidnap someone.'

Dom straightened. 'We'd better tell, Michael.'

'Tell me what.' Michael sniffed at the stable aroma and carefully walked over to join them. He had changed from the lilac Airwolf uniform and into his usual white suit.

Hawke filled him on their deliberations.

Michael nodded. 'I think you're right. I was coming to say pretty much the same thing. I checked out Mitchell and I don't think this is about the money. You know how much he's worth?'

'I didn't request a financial statement when I married Cait but I'm guessing the one million dollars is pocket change.' Hawke sat down on an old barrel.

'And some.' Michael confirmed. 'If you'd truly planned to kidnap Caitlin, anyone for Mitchell's money, you'd be demanding a lot more than one million.'

'So what are we saying here?' Dom demanded. 'If Caitlin was the target and money wasn't the motive…'

'Airwolf.' Hawke shook his head and pushed his hand through his short brown hair. 'It has to be.'

'But why the pretence?' Dom asked, gesturing.

'That's the million dollar question, Dominic.' Michael's lips twisted. 'Literally.'

'You know if you're snatching Caitlin off the middle of the ranch, you need to have an exit plan.' Hawke said. 'Have the FBI been over the trail Caitlin took for possible evidence from the grab?'

'They've started but they're not sure which route she took and the ranch is a lot of ground to cover.' Michael said.

'Not in our baby.' Dom looked over at Hawke.

'Beats waiting around here.' Hawke got to his feet and handed the mug, still half-filled with coffee to Michael. He halted at the stable doorway, spinning back to Michael who was following behind. The spy came to an abrupt stop, almost splashing coffee over his white jacket. 'Michael…'

'I'll patch you in if there's a call.' The spy promised.

Hawke nodded in acknowledgement of the friendship that prompted the understanding as much as for the promise. He and Dom headed for Airwolf.

They were soon flying over walking trails, scanning the surface with every piece of surveillance equipment available to them in Airwolf.

'Anything?' Hawke asked.

'Not yet.' Dom muttered, punching in another scan.

Hawke shifted in his seat and tried to relax his shoulders. Somebody had taken her to get to Airwolf; to get to him. It was the very reason why he'd tried to let her go the year before, before their friendship had become something more…

Hawke was stood awkwardly by the side of Caitlin's hospital bed, overwhelmed by his guilt as he looked at the bruised scrape on her forehead and the bandage peeking out from her gown. He had been the one out in the open, the one the shooter had targeted; he was the one who should have been lying in the hospital bed but she had saved him, taken the bullet and almost died. He had held her hand and prayed to a God he wasn't sure he believed in for her to live and somewhere in that long wait for her to recover, he'd finally admitted the truth to her and to himself; that he loved her. That had been a few days ago.

'Why don't you just come out and say whatever it is you have to say?'

Hawke's blue eyes shot to Caitlin's with surprise and he swallowed hard when she raised an expectant eyebrow. He cleared his throat. 'Your father told Michael your family were taking you back to Texas to recuperate.'

'He did?'

Surprise flitted across her face and he wondered if her family had even discussed it with her. 'I think it's a good idea.' Hawke folded his arms and took a deep breath. 'And I think you should stay in Texas once you're better. Maybe it's an opportunity for you to do what you said…leave LA, have that family you want.' He'd thought about it and it was for the best. She was in too much danger staying involved with Airwolf, with him.

Her eyes narrowed on him. 'You want…you want me to stay in Texas?'

He held her shocked gaze but didn't reply; he couldn't, there was a lump in his throat.

'I see.' Her expression became guarded.

'Caitlin,' Hawke took a deep breath tried to explain why he was letting her go; he wanted to look away from the hurt she was trying to hide but firmed his resolve; he was doing this for her. 'You deserve better.'

'I deserve better.' She repeated dully. She stared at him and he looked away from her intent regard without saying another word. 'Well if that's the way you feel…'

He heard her sob and his eyes went back to her. The sight of her crying tore at him and his need to comfort her overcame everything else; before he knew it, he was sat on the bed and holding her as she cried herself out in his arms. Eventually she quietened, and as she brought herself back under control, she inched away from him. He let her go that inch.

'I don't know why I'm crying.' Caitlin muttered. 'I want to hit you.'

Hawke almost smiled at the comment; it was so typically her.

She took a deep hitching breath and her damp eyes met his. 'You know it wasn't your fault I got shot.'

'It was my fault.' Hawke contradicted her. 'You could have died, Caitlin.' His head bowed. 'You almost did and I couldn't live with myself if…' He felt her fingers smooth through his hair, comforting him. He stirred to look at her, leaned into her hand as it slid over his rough cheek.

'You don't have to send me away.' Her words were a plea.

'I need you safe.'

Her eyes shone with the hurt he was inflicting. 'Then I guess there's nothing more to say.' She looked away from him. 'When do you leave?'

'I think it's best,' he had to take a breath; it was though he suddenly couldn't breathe, 'if I leave today.'

'Well,' Caitlin said brokenly, 'you should go.'

Hawke loosened his hold and tried to ignore the rising panic her words provoked, the pain that jolted through him; he stepped back and started to the door. His hand was on the handle when he paused, stared at the wood directly in front of him sightlessly. 'I'm sorry, Caitlin.'

He didn't look back until the door was shut behind him. He could hear the sound of her crying through the wood. He rested a hand on it as though he could reach through the solid material to comfort her. The door blurred in front of him. Whether it was right or wrong, he'd made his decision; he had to live with it…

'I have something.' Dom's gruff voice sounded through the helmet. 'Land by that fence, near the road, will ya?'

Hawke took Airwolf down and the two men climbed out.

'Here.' Dom led the way over the grass to where it hit the access road. A gun lay discarded in the middle of tyre marks. Hawke stooped and picked up the gun carefully; there might be fingerprints. He sniffed it. It had been fired recently. His gaze scanned the ground and came to a stop at a patch of brown. He crouched down. Splatter patterns of blood. He swallowed hard.

'Have you listened to a word I've just said?' Dom asked exasperatedly. He noted the tension in Hawke's body as the other man slowly rose back to his feet and came to stand next to his friend, following the direction of his eyes. Dom's face grew grave but he patted Hawke's arm. 'It doesn't mean anything, String.'

'What were you saying?' Hawke asked, pushing imagined horrors out of his head and trying hard to focus.

Dom took his arm and pulled him a few steps back toward the access road. 'The way I figure it, they had a car here, maybe staged some kind of emergency, caught her attention from the trail which is back near that tree line over there.' He pointed and Hawke glanced over seeing the fresh footsteps in the ground before returning his attention to the tyre marks. 'They did a u-turn here and headed back out on the access road to the main highway.' He shook his head. 'We're only about thirty minutes from the house on foot, fifteen minutes in a car. They took a hell of a risk.'

'They could have gone anywhere.' Hawke stated. His eyes went unwillingly back to the blood on the grass. 'She didn't make it easy for them, Dom. Either she got shot or they did.'

Dom rested a hand on his shoulder. 'Come on, kid. We should mark the spot and let the Feds come out and do their thing.'

'Yeah.' Hawke raised the gun he'd picked up. 'We'll take this with us.' He led the way back to Airwolf. He settled back in the seat and took the helicopter back into the sky. He should have let her go, he thought desperately. He should never have given into his need for her…

Hawke hung up the phone and turned toward the Santini Air office door. His jaw dropped open. Caitlin was stood lounging against the door frame, an inquisitive expression in her blue-green eyes. His eyes ran over her, drank in the sight of her. The last time he'd seen her was when he'd told her to go back to Texas, when he'd tried to push her away. But the last month had been hell without her and he wanted her in his life so badly for a moment he thought he was dreaming her presence but then he caught her eyes… eyes that looked back at him, still as honest as ever, and gleaming with the same nerves that crawled around his spine and twisted his gut.

'Hey.' Caitlin said, and he noted absently that her fingers were twisting the straps of her leather handbag. 'You going somewhere?'

Hawke snapped his mouth shut and knew it was the moment of truth. He held her gaze steadily. 'Texas.'

'Texas?' Her lips curved a little; that was a good sign. 'Any particular reason?' She asked.

'You.' The stark word was out of his mouth before he could prevent it. He was lost for words, his fear that there was nothing he could do to make things right between them clutched at him; he'd hurt her so badly. He rubbed at his chest. Maybe he didn't have to say anything…he started to walk toward her. He was a hand span in front of her, confusion filling her eyes when he yanked her against him and kissed her soundly. He eased back and rested his forehead on hers.

'You hurt me.'

Hawke flinched at her words but he raised his head and looked at her. 'I know and if I could take it back I would. Just so we're clear, I don't want you to leave. Ever.'

Caitlin reached up and brushed the hair out of his eyes. 'I'm not leaving.' She said. 'But I can't give you a guarantee, Hawke. I can't promise you that I'm going to live forever. You're going to have to deal with that.' She stroked a hand down his cheek.

He winced at the honesty in her eyes and sighed as he told her she would have to be patient with him.

She nodded. 'I can be patient.'

Hawke breathed out slowly and hugged her closer; he had a second chance…

'String? We're here.'

Dom's urgency broke through Hawke's memory and he steadied the aircraft under him as he brought Airwolf to an abrupt halt. Hawke kept his eyes forward not wanting to see the concern for him in Dom's eyes, swinging Airwolf around in a gentle arc back down to the parking area. The landing gear went down. Airwolf landed with hardly a bump. Hawke pulled off the helmet and sat looking back out at the paddocks.

'Are you coming?' Dom asked realising Hawke wasn't following him out. He had the gun they'd retrieved in a plastic bag.

Hawke shook his head. 'I think I'll stay out for a while.'

'Want some company?'

'You'd better get that gun to Charleston.' Hawke said. He watched as Dom nodded and headed into the ranch-house. He slumped back in the seat and stared at the sky. But I can't give you a guarantee, Hawke. I can't promise you that I'm going to live forever. Her words echoed in his head and he swallowed hard against a rush of panic. He had to find Caitlin…he had to.