Michael stared at the image of the older man for a long moment. It looked like Dom; same wispy grey hair, dark eyes and wide, gap-toothed smile. The same shiny blue Santini jacket and red baseball cap. Only it couldn't be the pilot; Dom was dead.

'It's me.' Dom smiled encouragingly. 'It's really me.'

'Am I dead?' Michael demanded.

'Why would you think that?' Dom asked puzzled.

'You're dead.'

Dom's bushy eyebrows rose. 'Ah. Well. Yes.' He wagged a finger at Michael. 'But you're not.'

'Well, if I'm not dead…' he sent another questioning glance across the padded room.

'You're not.' Dom confirmed again.

'Then either you've come back to haunt me or I'm losing my mind.' Michael deduced. He rested his head against the padded walls and closed his eye again. 'All things considered I think I'd prefer it to be the latter.' A hallucination that's probably what this was; he had a head injury after all. Yes, he concluded, a hallucination.

'You're not losing your mind and I'm not exactly haunting you.' Dom said with exasperation. 'Although, given that you went and told Hawke about his parents, I am considering it.'

Michael's eye snapped open. 'He worked it out.' He said defensively. 'They both did.'

'I know.' Dom sighed ruefully. 'I guess I should have realised they probably would.' He smiled proudly. 'They're smart boys.'

'Hawke wants to take out the Cordelli's.' Michael commented.

'He's come up with crazier plans.' Dom said.

'When?' Michael asked.

Dom opened his mouth to reply, seemed to think about it and closed it again. 'Hmnph.' He grimaced. 'Maybe you're right. But he's got his brother with him. Nothing very much the two of them couldn't accomplish together.'

Michael felt the glimmer of jealousy at Dom's words and grimaced.

'You know he thinks of you like a brother too.'

His eye shot back to Dom. 'I didn't…I'm not…'

'Jealous? Sure you are.' Dom said cheerfully. 'I mean I didn't see it when I was alive but now? Well, it's kinda obvious that you took on the role of being a brother to Hawke a while ago. I don't know how I missed it.' He shook his head a little in disbelief. 'Anyway, he thinks the same way about you as you do about him. He feels that you're like another brother to him, an annoying one at times but a brother nonetheless.'

'He's never said anything.' Michael murmured.

'Well, neither have you.' Dom pointed out. 'And maybe saying something now isn't exactly the best time.'

Michael raised an eyebrow. 'Given my current situation, saying anything at all is highly unlikely.'

'Ah, you'll get out of this,' Dom waved a large hand dismissively, 'no I was thinking more about the fact that you and String admitting you're like brothers right now is only likely to make Saint John more jealous about your relationship than he already is.'

'Saint John's jealous of my relationship with Hawke?' Michael questioned surprised.

'Of course he is.' Dom said patiently as though talking to a child. 'He looks at how easy your relationship with String is and he's jealous.'

'I thought he just didn't like me.' Michael said.

'Well there is that.' Dom sighed. 'You know the enigmatic spy act doesn't exactly make a great first impression, Michael.'

'But Hawke's his brother.' Michael said a little confused. 'I mean he only has to think about everything Hawke did to search for him to know how his brother feels about him.'

'Yes, well, there's a lot of healing that needs to happen yet.' Dom said.

Michael frowned. He hadn't considered that the brothers might be having difficulties re-establishing their relationship. He'd just heard so much over the years about how close the brothers were and what a bond they had, that it had never occurred to him. His tired mind slipped back to just before Christmas when Hawke had asked him not to visit over the weekend his brother was there saying he wanted some quality time with Saint John. Michael had pretended it was fine but deep down he'd been hurt at the request to stay away. He re-examined the request in light of the new information and sighed. 'Why hasn't he said anything?'

Dom laughed. 'Hey this is String we're talking about.' He gestured at Michael. 'You know how he is. The only reason I'm telling you any of this is because he won't.' He sighed heavily. 'Cait's doing the best she can to ease things between them but they need help.'

'Dominic, Saint John doesn't like me. I don't see how I can help.' Michael muttered.

'You'll think of something, Michael.' Dom smiled. 'I know you will. Besides I want you to promise me you'll think of something.'

Michael stared at the man's dark and serious eyes. He guessed he could now count on two fingers the number of times Dominic Santini had asked him for something.

'I promise.'

Dom nodded with satisfaction.

Michael sighed and shifted to ease an ache in his side.

'Hurts, huh?' Dom noted.

Michael shot him a look. He gestured weakly. 'Dominic, what you said before about my getting out of this…was that a guarantee?'

The older man's eyes dimmed. 'You're going to have to hold on for a little while, Michael.'

'Hold on? What kind of answer is that?'

'What do you think?' Dom rejoined smartly.

'Hawke's on his way, isn't he?' Michael said tiredly.

Dom nodded. 'He's on his way.'

'And he'll find me?' Michael pressed.

'Doesn't he always?' Dom replied.

'That's not really an answer either, Dominic.' Michael said shifting position again.

'It's the only one I've got.' Dom said.

Hawke always did find him, usually just in the nick of time. Maybe that was something to cling on to, Michael mused. Maybe he would get out of this after all.

'You should really ask Marella to marry you.'

Michael glared at the pilot. 'I might have known you'd be an interfering busybody of a ghost.'

'You've been thinking about it.' Dom said ignoring the insult. 'What's stopping you?'

'Angelina…'

'Likes Marella. Hasn't she been hinting that if you two wanted to get married she'd be OK with that?'

'I'm not getting married just because Angelina wants to be a bridesmaid.' Michael said.

'But you really shouldn't allow it to stop you getting married either.' Dom pointed out ruthlessly. 'So are you going to tell me the truth here or what?'

Michael and Dom stared at each other for a long while. The spy looked away first and folded his arms against his chest. 'I think you were marginally less annoying when you were alive.'

'You know Marella isn't Gemma.' Dom said referring to Michael's ex-wife.

'I know that.' Michael insisted rubbing his forehead.

'Do you?' Dom waved a hand at him. 'Because I'm kinda thinking you're worried history will repeat itself.'

'You never remarried.' Michael pointed out.

'I never met the right woman.' Dom said with a regretful smile. 'You, on the other hand, have Marella. Smart, beautiful and, for some insane reason, madly in love with you.'

'The feeling's mutual.' Michael said.

'Then propose already.' Dom insisted.

Michael laughed weakly. 'You don't give up do you?'

'Nope.' Dom grinned at him. 'Angelina's going to make a beautiful bridesmaid.' He sighed happily. 'Your kid's a bucket of sunshine, Michael.'

'She's special.' Michael said with fatherly pride.

'You don't know how special.' Dom said with a faraway look.

'Oh?' Michael's interest was roused.

Dom's gaze snapped back to him and he smiled. 'Can't tell ya. Sorry.'

'No, you're not.' Michael said recognising the laughter shining from the other man's eyes.

'You're right,' Dom readily admitted, 'I'm not.'

There was a comfortable silence in the little padded room.

'Thank you.' Michael said quietly.

'What for?' Dom asked puzzled.

'For being here.' Michael gestured. 'I'm not sure I care if you're a ghost or a hallucination. I'm glad you're here.'

'Where else would I be?' Dom said with a smile.

'With Hawke?' Michael suggested. 'Or maybe with Nicky?' He smiled. 'You know they named the baby after you. Well, actually after you and Alan Hawke.'

Dom grinned. 'I know. But Nicky's safely with Caitlin and Hawke…well, he's got more help than he thought he would have so…'

'What about Alan? Doesn't he need you?' Michael asked casually.

'Actually…' Dom stopped and gave him an admiring look. 'Sneaky, Michael. You have concussion and you're still attempting to trick me into telling secrets.' He sighed. 'I guess I shouldn't be surprised you being a spy and all.'

'I'm not exactly a spy right now.' Michael muttered unhappily.

'You say that like it's a bad thing.'

'I miss it.' Michael said.

Dom gave a little huff of laughter. 'I don't know why given it's all that intrigue and stuff that got you into this mess in the first place.'

'You know who has me?' Michael asked.

Dom hesitated and sighed deeply. 'I wish I could tell ya, Michael, but I'm already blurring the lines just being here as it is.' His head cocked and his expression turned grave. 'They're coming.'

Michael frowned but he heard the lock snap open and the door opened. Two men filled the door way. The spy looked back over at Dom.

'Just remember; you have to hold on.' Dom said.

Michael nodded as he was pulled roughly to his feet and half-pushed, half-carried through the door.