Airwolf is somebody else's, probably Universal's or Bellisarius', and I freely admit that whoever's it is, I'm borrowing their show and they retain all rights, etc. This story has a flashback of the episode 'Sweet Britches' included. Again, no copyright infringement is intended.

Author's note: The first order of business is an apology. I've had a few health issues which is why it's taken so long for this story to get written and posted. Unfortunately I'm suffering from chronic fatigue and while normally I write in long stretches, at the moment I'm only able to write for an hour or so before my body crashes and I have to nap. As you can imagine this is annoying especially if I've found a nice rhythm just before the crash and it has caused numerous delays…anyway apologies this has taken so long. I admit with my writing habit altered I'm a little nervous about this one…but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Introduction:

This is the fifth story following the Hawke brothers' relationship as they deal with Saint John's return and the usual Airwolf missions and mayhem ensue…

If you read the first four stories, (Resurrection, Unexpected Backup, Torn in Two and Best Laid Plans) you can skip straight to the next chapter where the next story begins…

If you haven't, don't worry; here's a brief recap or you too can skip straight ahead…

Recap:

Having been reunited with his brother Saint John, Stringfellow Hawke begins to come to terms with the long absence of the other man in his life. The brothers want to regain their former closeness but both are feeling the distance of sixteen years of separation. Hawke's new baby son, Nicky provides an area of neutrality and his wife, Caitlin, tries to make it easier for the brothers but they are both resigned to it taking time especially as their surrogate father and mentor, Dominic Santini is no longer alive to provide support.

The various jealousies and emotions run high as the old Airwolf team are handed control of a mission to recover Charles Moffett from the Russians. As Airwolf's artificial intelligence refuses to take the risk of falling back into Moffett's hands, Hawke has a final showdown with his old nemesis and the mission is a success. During the mission his brother raises the possibility that the Hawkes' parents, long considered dead in a boating accident when Hawke was twelve, may be still alive and in witness protection. The Hawkes are determined to find out the truth and decide to ask their friends for help.

Both Airwolf teams support the brothers but just as the search is about to begin in earnest, Michael gets kidnapped by an old enemy and Hawke returns to his old stomping ground in Washington to find him. An injured Michael sees either a ghost or an hallucination of Dominic Santini as he awaits his fate and he agrees with Dom to help the Hawke brothers find peace in their relationship even though he has issues of his own with Saint John.

Progress seems to be made and is cemented when the new Airwolf team are taken hostage at the Lair along with Caitlin and Nicky. Hawke, Michael and Marella work to free them successfully using the newly built Airwolf machine the others are still unaware exists. When Saint John is shot protecting Nicky, his relationship with his brother seems stronger than ever. Unfortunately the mastermind behind the attack remains at large. As the teams recover from the incident, Michael proposes to Marella much to Hawke and Caitlin's joy…

And now the next instalment: Adversaries.

Upcoming: The Infamous Baby Test, Sibling Rivalry.

The Airwolf universe of these stories was established in The Lost Season Series (bridging the 3rd and 4th Season of Airwolf): Single Parent Hawke, The Jade Wolf, The Truth About Caitlin, Old Friends New Enemies, Hawke's Wolf, Father Figures, Personal Business, Hidden Truths, Homecomings, The Ex Factor, A Question of Loyalty, You Are Cordially Invited, The Odd Couple, Spirit of the Wolf, Ghosts, A High Price to Pay, Prime Suspect, Traces in the Mist, Duplicity I & II, A Child Friendly Date, Reality Check, The Other Blackjack and Closure.