Dominic Santini waved at the sight of the incoming helicopter, a wide grin spreading across his craggy face. He adjusted his red baseball cap and clapped his hands together joyfully. It had been a long two weeks since he had last seen Stringfellow Hawke and Hawke's wife, Caitlin. Ah, he thought happily, but it was good to have them back. The couple had retreated to their cabin to heal the physical and emotional wounds from John Bradford Horn's plan to steal Caitlin and the couple's unborn baby from Hawke. Dom felt the anger stirring in him again as he thought about what the megalomaniac had put the couple through; Hawke had almost been destroyed by grief after Horn had faked Caitlin's death in a helicopter crash. Hawke had ultimately refused to believe it and had rescued her, only for Horn to try again. The second attempt had left them both bruised and battered. They had needed the time alone, Dom thought. He had been a little surprised when Hawke had called a few days previously to tell him they were headed for Texas to see Caitlin's parents but maybe there were wounds that needed to heal there too. Caitlin's faked death had affected them all. Dom was just happy to have them back at last. He waved again.

'Are you sure they'll be OK with my being here to meet them?' Jo Santini stuffed her hands in the pockets of her blue flight overalls and shuffled awkwardly beside her uncle. She figured there was a lot more to the story of Caitlin's foiled kidnapping and faked death than she'd been told.

'Of course I'm sure.' Dom replied blithely. 'Like I said they were thrilled when I told them you were all moved back.' He started forward as the helicopter landed and the engines were switched off. Jo trailed after him.

Dom helped Caitlin from the helicopter and hugged her before taking a good, long look at the redheaded pilot. He was pleased to see her cheeks were glowing with a healthy pink tinge under the freckles and her blue-green eyes were shining back at him without any shadows. There was little sign in the slim frame of her advancing pregnancy and he ignored the faint imprints of bruises still evident on her throat. 'You look fantastic.' He said.

He turned his attention to Hawke who stepped forward so Dom could hug him too. They held each other for a long moment before Dom eased his hold on the man who he had raised, bussed his cheek and slapped the back of his head fondly. Hawke looked good; his boyish face was as relaxed and unguarded as Hawke would ever allow himself to be. Dom couldn't help notice how his ice blue eyes warmed whenever they caught sight of Caitlin. He frowned. Hawke's hair was longer than normal and its brown colour bleached with the sun.

Dom gestured. 'You need a haircut.'

Hawke shrugged. He'd let his hair grow out over the last few weeks and he wasn't bothered. 'I missed you too, Dom.' His attention caught on the diminutive blonde lurking behind the older man. 'Jo?'

'Hi, String.' Jo moved forward to hug Hawke. She was delighted at his welcome, his blue eyes smiling at her as he gave her a quick squeeze. She had been a little concerned that Hawke still viewed her with suspicion even after their discussion about her involvement with an intelligence agency called the Company. She patted his arms and turned to his wife. 'Caitlin.'

Caitlin gave a sunny smile and enveloped Dom's niece in a hug. They still didn't know each other very well but they had begun to form a friendship on Jo's last visit that Caitlin hoped would continue. She stepped back and reviewed the pretty woman in greased overalls with a practical blonde bob scraped back into an even more practical ponytail with amusement; she recognised a kindred spirit.

'So you're finally all moved back?'' Caitlin asked her Texan drawl more prevalent after the stay with her family.

'The whole nine yards.' Jo smiled.

'Well, let's not stand out here gossiping.' Dom ushered them into the hangar. They caught up with inconsequential matters whilst enjoying a cup of coffee. Jo finally excused herself to fix the Jet Ranger in the hangar leaving the three of them alone.

'She seems real settled in, Dom.' Caitlin commented with some relief.

'Yeah, she's a good kid.'

'Has she said anything more about her time with the Company?' Hawke asked.

Dom was about to reply to the casually delivered question when he caught the suspicion in Hawke's eyes. 'Now, String, don't start. You can't think…'

'What I know, Dom,' Hawke cut in, 'is that the Company officially took over the FIRM a week ago.'

'And I thought you'd cleared this up already and were satisfied Jo wasn't spying on us or anything like that.' Dom insisted.

'I did,' admitted Hawke sheepishly, 'but the last few weeks…' he shrugged awkwardly.

Caitlin cleared her throat as she saw Dom's brow lower ominously. 'Dom, the reason why we're keen to be sure is…well…' her blue-green eyes found her husband's.

'We've made some decisions.' Hawke completed. His hand reached out to hers and their fingers tangled in silent support.

Dom frowned; he got the feeling he wasn't going to like what they had come up with.

'Cait's going to go and work on the new Airwolf project.' Hawke said quietly. Their friend and the former acting director of the FIRM, Michael Coldsmith-Briggs III, had revealed the existence of the project at the start of the year. They were aiming to build a new generation of the world's most technologically advanced and mach capable helicopter; the original Airwolf still remained hidden in the Lair.

It had been two and a half years since Hawke had recovered the helicopter from her twisted creator and made his deal with Michael; he would fly Airwolf on missions of national importance and the FIRM would look for his MIA brother. But time had moved on and Airwolf had developed an artificial intelligence. The team were still working on a solution for ensuring an intelligent Airwolf didn't fall into the hands of the Company given the merger.

Dom looked from Caitlin to Hawke and back. 'What d'ya mean Cait's going to work on the Airwolf project?' He gestured expansively with his mug of coffee.

'We've had some time to think in the last few days,' Caitlin explained when her husband motioned for her to reply, 'and we've realised that we made it pretty easy for Horn to discover we're married, about the baby, about our lives.'

'You know Jo doesn't know it was the information she gave to Marin that…' Dom began worriedly.

'That informed Horn I was pregnant?' Caitlin nodded. 'I know and I don't see the need to tell her either.'

Dom breathed a sigh of relief.

'Truth is, Dom,' Hawke added, 'Horn had plenty of opportunity to learn of it without Jo. We weren't exactly discreet.' He cleared his throat. 'That's gotta change.'

'Michael's taking care of making sure there is no or little documentary evidence linking me to Airwolf or to Hawke just like he sealed the original marriage record but…' Caitlin said.

'We need to do our bit.' Hawke added. 'She needs to be less visible right now especially with the baby on the way.' He said firmly seeing the look of protest on Dom's face. 'Michael's project can provide her with that protection. If she continues to work here with us every day, it's too easy for someone to make her a target.'

'And there's another reason.' Caitlin added. 'The doctor hasn't grounded me but she has suggested I find a less physical job.'

'Is everything OK?' Dom asked worriedly.

'I'm fine but…' she sighed, 'I could be better. She just doesn't want me overexerting myself and fixing choppers, flying as much as I do here, it's all physical work,' she held up a hand stopping Dom from speaking, 'and before you say it, I couldn't stand being around the office and just watching.'

'Consulting on the Airwolf project is still a desk job but it's interesting enough that it'll stop her going completely nuts and she's well away from being tempted into missions.' Hawke added.

Dom sighed despondently. He couldn't argue with either reason. 'You've talked to Michael already?' He asked.

'Not yet.' Hawke admitted. 'He's meeting us at the cabin later.'

'I'm going to miss working here.' Caitlin said with a sad smile.

'I'm going to miss having you work here.' Dom replied and sighed.

'At least with Jo here you're not going to be a pilot down,' Caitlin made a determined effort not to sound jealous of the other woman, 'and if Jo is trustworthy then you might not be a pilot down in Airwolf either.'

Dom's gaze snapped to Hawke's. 'You'd get Jo involved with the Lady?' His craggy face lit up with a hope that Hawke didn't have the heart to wipe off.

'It's a thought.' Hawke said diplomatically. 'We could just go back to being a two man team.'

'But a threesome gives you more flexibility,' Caitlin noted, 'and Jo understands about you searching for Saint John.'

Dom almost smiled at the look the couple exchanged; it was obviously an old discussion. He cleared his throat. 'Well, that's true enough.' He said commenting on Caitlin's last remark. 'Jo adored Saint John. All you kids were like family to one another when you were young.'

'Yeah.' Hawke agreed. 'But that was a long time ago and like I said, I'm still a little wary of her involvement with the Company.'

'And I say you're making too much of it.' Dom argued.

'Maybe.' Hawke shot back.

Caitlin stood up and kissed Hawke's cheek. 'And on that note, I need to visit the bathroom.' She sighed. 'I'll be right back.'

Dom hid his amusement as Hawke kept hold of her fingers until the very last moment. The office door closed behind her and Dom saw the worry flit over Hawke's otherwise impassive face.

'I know she said she was fine but…' Dom began.

'She is.' Hawke gestured and went to pour them another coffee. 'Her blood pressure's still a little high that's all.'

'Hmmm.' Dom could still see Hawke's own anxiety lurking beneath the surface calm of his blue eyes. 'And what about the two of you?'

Hawke handed him a drink. 'We're OK.' He caved to the parental concern gleaming in Dom's eyes. 'It's been rough.' He admitted.

'It's going to take time getting through what Horn did to you both.'

'Yeah.' Hawke agreed his face hidden in the mug.

'The two of you love each other; that's the important thing.' Dom said wisely.

Hawke lowered the mug and slowly nodded.

Dom took a gulp of coffee. 'How was Texas?'

'Good.' Hawke said sounding a little surprised at his own comment. 'We had a service for the woman who died in the helicopter crash.'

'Oh.' Dom shifted uncomfortably.

Hawke smiled at his expression. 'The O'Shaunessy's decided to keep her buried on the family plot but they were replacing the headstone and wanted to mark the occasion.'

'I wouldn't have thought that would have been a good experience for either you or Cait.' Dom commented gently.

Hawke said. 'I think it helped drive home to all of us that it wasn't Cait who died that day.' He gestured. 'And I think it also helps that there isn't a grave any longer with Caitlin's name on it.'

'I guess so.' Dom muttered.

Hawke hid a smile at the uncertainty lacing Dom's words. If he was truthful he'd had his own misgivings when the O'Shaunessy's had called with the invitation but he was glad they had gone. The simple ceremony had given him and Caitlin some peace about what had happened.

'You joining us for dinner tonight?' Hawke asked.

Dom nodded. 'Should I bring Jo?'

Hawke shook his head. 'Not with Michael and Marella coming over.' He set his mug down as Caitlin came back into the office. 'We'll see you up there?'

Dom nodded. 'See you later.'