Saint John staggered back into the clearing. He was a tall man; light brown hair bleached almost blond by the sun; hard hazel eyes that had seen too much. There was no-one left alive on the ground; he had killed Buchard personally. He stared at the strange black and white helicopter hovering above him and back at the destruction she had wrought on the ground. God, what a ship! No wonder Buchard had wanted it. And his little brother was flying her. Strange, he hadn't recognised String's flying style. He shrugged the thought away as he waved up at the machine. It had been a long time. A long time. Maybe it was time he went home in more ways than one, he thought tiredly. He waited for the chopper to land and wandered over as the rotors whirred to a stop.
The doors opened. The first man out was definitely not his brother; an African-American male, short black hair, black moustache, pale brown complexion and dark eyes. Company, Saint John thought. His hazel eyes moved over to the other door. Light blonde hair, dark eyes, a little young…not his brother either. He frowned. Buchard had been certain it would be his brother flying the ship. So Buchard had been wrong…his eyes caught sight of a third pilot exiting the aircraft and his eyes widened. He came to a surprised stop as she ran towards him.
'Jo?' He was laughing as she launched herself into his arms. His went around her hugging her tightly. 'Jo.' He pulled back. 'You're not the family I was expecting but am I glad to see you!'
Jo's blue eyes were filled with tears. 'Saint John.' She hugged him again.
Saint John patted her back as she started to cry. 'Hey. You rescued me. This is supposed to be a happy moment.' He pulled back and looked in her blue eyes. Something was wrong…his missing brother…Jo's presence, the thoughts ran through his tired mind like a locomotive. 'What's happened? Where's String? Where's my brother?'
At the V.A hospital, Hawke was trying hard not to hope too much. He winced at the sharp pain in his right arm and bit down hard to stop from crying out. Marella had been by earlier and he'd refused the painkillers she'd wanted to give him. He wanted to be alert for his brother. All his searching, all he'd been through…and now Marella had told him that there was a rescue mission happening right that moment; Jo had convinced Locke and some other pilot to help her take Airwolf and find his brother. Saint John was going to come home.
His eyes fluttered shut again. He was so tired. It was an effort to hold on. There was so much pain and it was so hard sometimes to breathe…a sound…the door opening. His eyes snapped open and he tried hard to make out the figure in the doorway, his vision was so blurred. He focused hard on a tall man with light brown, almost blonde, cropped hair and hazel eyes.
'Saint John?' Hawke started smiling. 'Is that you?'
His brother was striding towards him and in the next breath, his arms were around him.
'You bet little brother.' Saint John's voice was choked as he held his brother's broken body against him. God, he'd waited too long to come back; he'd waited too long.
'There's so much I've got to tell you.' Hawke said, crying and hugging the other man to him as tight as he could, ignoring the pain rolling through him in waves.
'I know. I know.' Saint John tried to calm his younger brother.
'Dom…' Hawke sobbed the name, his grief threatening to overwhelm him, take him back under.
Saint John pulled away from him enough to look directly into Hawke's drugged gaze. 'I know.' Jo had told him the awful news. He'd grieve for the old man later; he had a little brother to take care of now.
Hawke gathered himself. He had Saint John back; it was time to go home to Caitlin and keep his promise to her.
'Don't let me die here.' Hawke clutched at him, sobbing.
'You're not going to die.' Saint John stroked the back of String's neck trying to comfort the younger man. 'I'm not going to let you.'
'I don't want to die in this place.' Hawke said furiously.
'You won't, String.' Saint John looked at him firmly. 'I promise you.'
Hawke pulled his brother back into a hug.
'I promise you.' Saint John repeated and wondered how the hell he was going to keep his promise.
Hawke held onto his brother and for a moment just revelled in the comfort of having him back, alive and well.
Marella opened the door and stepped quietly in the room. She closed the door and held her hands up as Saint John whirled to face her.
'Friend.' Hawke gasped and then couldn't help the groan of pain.
Marella moved fast. She filled a syringe with painkiller. 'Are you alone?'
'Yes.' Saint John replied. She was a handsome woman, competent, professional and in a nurse's uniform. Another Company employee? But one who was friends with his brother. He shook himself and caught hold of her hand as she went to inject his brother. 'What is that?'
'Morphine for his pain.' Her dark eyes flickered to the hand on her wrist and he let her go.
She injected the drug. 'There's a chopper on the roof and I've dealt with the guard. We have to leave now for the cabin.'
'What cabin?' Saint John questioned. It was startling to realise that he had no idea where his brother lived.
'Grandpa's.' Hawke said. 'She means Grandpa's….I live there.' His blue eyes went to Marella. 'Thank you.'
Marella nodded. She handed Saint John a blanket and went to get the wheelchair she had stowed in the room's cupboard.
'OK.' Saint John wrapped his brother in the blanket and picked him up. He put him in the wheelchair.
Marella placed a hand on his arm stalling him for a moment. 'When we get to the cabin there'll be someone waiting for him.' She said hurriedly. 'You'll need to follow her instructions.' Her dark eyes slid to Hawke and then back to him. 'Don't waste time arguing or double-guessing her intentions.' She poked her head round the door. 'Come on. I'll cover you.'
Saint John nodded and headed out after her. She helped him get an unconscious Hawke comfortable in the back of the chopper before climbing in. She slapped Saint John's hands away from the controls.
'I'm flying.' She said and he subsided.
Saint John looked down at the bright lights of LA as they headed out of the city. He remembered the location of his grandfather's cabin and he couldn't believe Hawke lived out there; it was so remote. Fine to visit once in a while and do some fishing but to live? He glanced back at the younger man stretched out on the back seat. Hawke's brow was creased and he murmured gibberish. Saint John prayed that whoever was waiting for them at the cabin had a plan.
His heart sank as he approached the cabin. The place was deserted. No lights, no smoke. Their lights caught the glint of something parked on ground in front of the house. He frowned. It couldn't be…Marella brought the helicopter down with a small thud on the landing pier. Saint John found himself staring out at Airwolf.
The cockpit door opened and someone got out. A woman. For a moment, he thought she was Jo as she ran towards the chopper but as she got closer he could see the differences in stature and size. He got out and went to meet her.
'I'm Saint John.' He yelled. He couldn't make out much of her features in the dark, all he could make out was reddish brown hair over a pale but pretty face; that she was wearing some kind of uniform.
'I know.' Caitlin recognised him from the arrival of the team back at the Lair. She'd been hidden again when they'd landed back from rescuing him. They'd had a sombre air and she figured Jo had clued them in on Hawke's condition. She'd watched them leave and then she'd stolen Airwolf back. 'I'm Caitlin. Help me get him into Airwolf.'
He hesitated briefly and Marella shot him a look reminding him of her advice at the hospital. 'You have a plan?' He asked as the redhead opened the back passenger door. She ignored him, climbed inside and reached out to his brother.
Hawke felt the touch of a hand against his cheek and his eyes opened in recognition. 'Cait?'
'Yeah.' Caitlin stroked a hand down his cheek and leaned gently into the bandaged hand he placed on hers.
Saint John froze at their casual intimacy.
'Kept my promise.' Hawke said.
'You listen to me, Stringfellow Hawke.' Caitlin brushed his hair back from his face. 'I'm going to take you to get you the best medical treatment. No arguments. You are not going to die, you hear me?'
'Cait…' Hawke was so tired.
'Don't let go.' Caitlin's pained and pleading eyes caught his. 'I need you.' Her voice was a whisper. 'I can't do this without you.'
He remembered the bleak days when he'd thought she was dead. How he'd found it difficult to live without her. He couldn't put her through that not with the baby…as much as he wanted to give up. He gave a short sharp nod and closed his eyes.
Caitlin breathed in deeply in relief. She moved to give Saint John space to pick up his brother. She hugged Marella goodbye as he carried him over to Airwolf.
'Thank you for everything.' She said.
'Just take of each other. We'll be in touch.' Marella pushed her towards Airwolf.
Caitlin hurried over and directed Saint John to put Hawke in the back of the cockpit. She eased in when he was done and made sure Hawke was comfortable, wrapping him another blanket to give more warmth before climbing out.
Saint John's attention was on the departing helicopter. He turned back to the woman who remained with him; Caitlin, he reminded himself.
She indicated the commander position and pointed at him. 'Get in.'
'I can't fly her.' Saint John admitted.
'I'm going to teach you.' Caitlin said. 'I need to be in the counter-specialist chair so I can move between Hawke and the controls.'
Saint John nodded and complied.
Caitlin handed him a helmet as soon as he was settled and pulled one over her head. She switched on the engines and checked the systems. Caitlin gave a silent prayer under her breath as the systems came up. They were being automatically adjusted and she thanked God that Airwolf had decided to transfer her intelligence back into the original machine to help with the flight to Switzerland.
Saint John grabbed the console and glanced over at the woman beside him. The take off had been fast and smooth. As they headed into the night sky, he realised that she clearly knew how to fly the helicopter; knew how to fly it better than the hotshot pilot Rivers who'd been part of his rescue. He listened carefully as she began to instruct him.
When Caitlin was convinced Saint John wasn't going to fly them into a hillside, she handed the controls over to him fully and went into the back to check on her husband. It seemed strange to see him in the back seat. He was out cold but his breathing and pulse were steady. She glanced at the monitor and almost cried out in surprise. His vitals were displayed; Airwolf was keeping watch over her favourite pilot. Stay with me, Hawke, she thought and kissed his cheek. She moved back to her seat and rubbed the back of her neck trying to ease the tensed muscles.
'You and my little brother are involved, huh?' Saint John glanced over at her.
Caitlin waggled her left hand at him and he blinked in shock at the wedding ring. 'You didn't notice his ring I take it?' She said amused.
'No.' Saint John admitted embarrassed. 'I guess that makes us family.'
'Yeah.' Caitlin watched the instruments. He was a quick study and he was doing a good job. She wondered how much of an assist Airwolf was giving him.
Saint John adjusted his position. 'How long have you been married?'
'Since February.' Caitlin said. 'But we met two years ago. I take it you and Jo didn't talk much on your way back?'
'No. I was…in shock.' Saint John said. 'Dom dead…String injured…me rescued. It just seemed unreal.'
'You'll have a lot to catch up on when he's recovered.' Caitlin commented.
'This clinic any good where we're headed?'
'It's the best.' Caitlin twisted her fingers together. 'They specialise in his type of injuries and it has good security.'
'Security?' Saint John frowned. It seemed a strange requirement.
'The explosion that injured him and killed Dom was caused by a bomb.' Caitlin explained. 'If someone was after him, they failed and they might try to finish it. And if they're after him, they're probably after me.'
'Why would anybody be after you and my brother?'
'For the same reason Buchard used you.' Caitlin waved at the console. 'Because of this Lady.'
'How did String end up flying this ship anyway?'
'Hawke was her test pilot.' Caitlin relaxed into the seat. 'The FIRM hired him to recover her two and a half years ago when her creator a guy called Moffett stole her.'
'The FIRM?' Saint John scowled. 'String got involved with those guys?'
'He'll probably have the same tone when he asks you how you got involved with the Company. They haven't impressed him since they took over the FIRM.' Caitlin noted. 'But, yeah, he got involved, recovered Airwolf, kept her himself and made a bargain with them; you for Airwolf.'
Saint John started. 'Me?'
'He thought you were still MIA.' Caitlin explained.
'But I left him a note in my footlocker explaining about the unit I joined.' Saint John said confused.
'He didn't get it until last year.' Caitlin sighed. 'And even then you have to admit it was pretty much a goodbye note.'
Saint John shifted uncomfortably.
'He's had no idea for the last sixteen years if you were alive or dead.' She finished brutally; she was in no mood to be kind.
Saint John flinched. What kind of hell had he put his little brother through? He was incredibly lucky that String was still pleased to see him. He wondered how long that would last as the younger man recovered from his injuries.
'I didn't know.' Saint John said eventually. 'If I'd known I would have come back sooner.'
'Well you're here now.' Caitlin said. 'He knew you'd come through for him and get him out of the hospital. Just like you knew he'd come through for you with Buchard.'
'Having faith in each other was never our problem, more like the opposite.' Saint John commented. He saw the open curiosity on her face. 'Sorry.'
'No problem.' She shrugged. 'It's between you and him.'
'I'm probably making it sound worse than it is.' Saint John sighed. 'It's just we were too close. It wasn't good for either of us.'
'Is that why you didn't contact him?' Caitlin asked without thinking. 'I'm sorry. Like I said, it's between the two of you.'
'I didn't contact him because the unit that rescued me from the POW camp offered me a place and they were incredibly strict about that kinda thing. I barely managed to get them to agree to the letter.' Saint John said. There was something about her which made it easy to confide in her. 'I liked them, liked what I saw of their operation and wanted to help them do for others what they'd done for me.' He sighed. 'And I'd realised in the camp that it would be good for String and I to be in separate units.'
'You blamed him for leaving you?'
'No.' Saint John denied it automatically. He corrected himself. 'At least not at first but those camps…they did something to your mind. By the time I got rescued, I admit I was a little mad at him for not picking us up even though logically I knew he had no choice but to leave, the ropes were full. I guess I figured some space would help even everything out.' He peered into the darkness. 'And then I was rarely out of deep cover assignments. I thought about calling around birthdays, holidays the odd times I was between assignments but it never seemed like the right time.' The feeling that he'd left it all too late rose up again and grabbed his throat, closing it on a wave of emotion.
Caitlin noticed the tremor in Airwolf's frame as Saint John's whirling emotions transmitted themselves to the aircraft. 'You want me to take the controls back?'
'I've got them.' Saint John insisted.
Caitlin didn't argue. She was exhausted. All she really wanted to do was curl up beside her husband and sleep. Soon, she thought, smoothing a hand over her abdomen.
Saint John caught the movement and his eyes widened. 'You're pregnant?'
Caitlin smiled at the shock in his voice. 'Yeah. You're going to be an uncle.'
'Wow.' Saint John shook his head. 'You know I never tagged my brother as the settling down type.'
'I think it took him by surprise too.' Caitlin said smiling.
'You love him a great deal.' He could hear it in her voice.
'Yes.' Caitlin agreed. 'I do.'
'How did you two meet?'
'We were both caught by a corrupt sheriff.' Caitlin's eyes turned inward as she remembered back. 'Hawke got away, came back and rescued me in Airwolf. I was curious, looked him up and before I knew it, I was working at Santini Air and involved with Airwolf myself.'
'So you guys have been together since then?'
'No.' Caitlin laughed. 'We were just friends for a long time. I had to get shot before your brother admitted he was interested,' she tilted her head, 'and before I would admit it back. I think we drove Dom nuts.' Tears threatened at the thought of the old man.
'You fly Airwolf very well.' Saint John's tone was admiring.
'Hawke and Dom taught me.' Caitlin bit her lip. 'I would have come on the rescue mission for you if it wasn't for…' She gestured at her tummy.
'Hey.' Saint John smiled. 'My little nephew or niece is a hell of a lot more important than you being part of rescuing me.'
'Still,' Caitlin sighed, 'I would have liked to have been there.' She smiled sadly. 'All three of us; me, Dom and especially your brother would have liked to have been there. Finding you…that's the whole reason why we've been flying the Lady.' She checked the monitor.
'Well at the least the Company came into rescue me when you couldn't…' His voice trailed away when she shook her head.
'Jo convinced Locke and Rivers to help her find you when we let them discover Airwolf.'
'You let them? You mean that Lair isn't Company property?'
'No. I told you; Hawke kept Airwolf from them. When he got injured, Locke hired Rivers to find her.' Caitlin checked his altitude. 'You're a little high. Drop down ten feet.'
Saint John followed her instructions. 'So you let them find Airwolf?'
'Well with me out of commission and Jo nowhere near trained enough to fly Airwolf at mach speed, we needed Rivers to help us get you.' Caitlin punched in another scan on the front monitor. 'Locke surprised me when he agreed to it too. He seems like such a by-the-book kind of guy.'
'Yeah. Most of the Company guys are that way.' Saint John acknowledged. 'Guess I lucked out and got someone with some honour.' He frowned. The Company hadn't come to rescue him. He'd just assumed with Locke and Rivers…what did that mean? Had the Company written him off? Maybe it was time to rethink his employment. It would be just like them. They weren't as ruthless as the FIRM but the Company had its moments.
'So you let them find Airwolf,' he said putting it together, 'had them rescue me and now you've taken her back.' He shook his head. 'You must have been hiding in the Lair when we got there.'
'Just outside.' Caitlin divulged. 'As soon as you guys were out of range, I took her.'
'Jo never let on.' Saint John said bemused.
She hesitated. 'Jo doesn't know I've taken Airwolf or arranged the clinic for Hawke.'
'Why?'
Caitlin folded her arms a little defensively at his hard tone. 'Look, I know you guys were close when y'all were growing up but Hawke had pretty much lost touch with her. When Jo reappeared she kept it secret that she'd been working with the Company the past few years. It rang alarm bells with Hawke and he debated about whether to include her in the Airwolf team at all. Jo had only been learning how to fly Airwolf for a week or so when the explosion happened. She's been great but when I was planning how to make us disappear I just decided the less people who knew the better. I have the baby to think about.'
Saint John assimilated the information. He guessed he couldn't blame Caitlin for her caution. She didn't have the history with Jo and he had to admit finding out that his surrogate little sister had been working for the Company didn't sit well with him either.
'You trusted her to come after me.' He said finally.
'I didn't have a choice.' Caitlin said. 'Jo was the only person in our team who was in any condition to come after you and the only person who could liaise with Locke and Rivers to get them to help. They don't know about me and I'd prefer to keep it that way.'
'They don't know about you?' Saint John frowned. 'But you're married to String…'
'Well, everyone seems to be ignoring his wedding ring and our marriage record is sealed.' Caitlin informed him, 'The agreement Hawke had with the FIRM was that I was kept out of the official file so I'm not in that. If I'd still been working at Santini Air, Locke might have put it together but I'd stopped.' She shrugged. 'And it's possible that Locke thinks I'm dead. My death was faked during a kidnapping attempt recently, I'm not sure I've officially been declared alive again.'
'It sounds like you've been through a lot.' Saint John murmured.
'We both have.' She shifted her position a little, glanced back at her husband.
'He'll be OK.' He reassured her.
Caitlin nodded.
'What's the plan when we get there?' Saint John asked. 'Do we stow this lady somewhere or what?'
'I'll drop you and Hawke off.' Caitlin said. 'I'll find somewhere safe for her and make my way to the clinic.
Saint John glanced at her. She looked exhausted. He felt a surge of protectiveness. She was carrying his brother's child and the events of the last few weeks sounded like they would have floored anyone let alone a pregnant woman. She was something, he thought, vulnerability around a steel core of strength. He understood why his brother had chosen to marry her; she was a good match for him. She needed rest, he concluded, and to be free of the worry that someone would come after them. His quick mind worked out the likely scenario that would result from her taking Airwolf back in the way she had; Locke and the Company would come after her.
He cleared his throat. 'I think I have a better plan.'
'Oh?'
'Let me take Airwolf back and run interference for you.' Saint John suggested.
'You don't want to stay with String?'
'Of course I want to stay with him but,' he looked across at her, 'he'd agree that protecting you would take priority.'
'You don't need…'
'I do.' Saint John insisted. 'Look, Locke is going to quickly find out that Airwolf is missing. He's going to find out that I'm missing. If I return in Airwolf within a reasonable amount of time, his assumption will be that I took her. He won't go looking for someone else who can fly her.'
'I guess.' Caitlin said doubtfully.
'I know.' Saint John said. 'He's likely to question Jo and whilst I don't think she'd tell Locke about you because she used to work for the Company and can't be trusted, I'm not sure she'll hold out forever. She probably thinks we owe Locke for the rescue. I can help make sure she keeps you secret.' He saw his points hitting home and pressed his advantage. 'What's more I can help muddy the waters about String's fate. Maybe give the impression that he hasn't survived. It'll help give you some protection from whoever came after you guys with that bomb and keep Locke off your tail.'
Caitlin turned his plan over in her head. It made sense. But, she thought, it would be handing Airwolf over, something she knew Hawke would never do. She had to do the best thing for them; Saint John's plan would provide them with some protection from the Company and…and she was too tired to argue with him. She caved, knowing Airwolf had some way of transferring herself out of the original machine again. 'Fine. You can take her back. The Company can have Airwolf.'
Saint John gave a small nod. Hawke, his wife and their unborn baby would be safe. He might not have been around for his brother the last few years, but by God, he'd be there for him now.
