Hawke sighed and wished not for the first time that he'd had Saint John fly him to the cabin in Airwolf before the team had been rerouted to search for Evan by Locke. The Company had turned up evidence that definitely suggested Evan was on someone's payroll although they couldn't prove it was actually Sterling. The Airwolf team hadn't been able to find him and after several long, tiring and fruitless hours, Locke had agreed to call off the search. God only knew what Evan's treachery meant for the Airwolf project. Hawke folded his arms across the spare clothes he'd borrowed from Mike. His own, apart from the leather jacket, he'd thrown in the garbage; they had been too smeared with blood and dirt. He ignored the rough feel of the bandages on his hands.

'So are you going to tell me what's bothering you or do I have to guess?' Saint John said.

Hawke glanced across the cockpit at his older brother but didn't answer.

'OK,' Saint John said, 'I guess I'm guessing.' He figured he knew what the answer was; Caitlin leaving Hawke with the Airwolf team and Hawke requesting Saint John make the call to the cabin to tell her that they would be late home had been major clues. He risked a brief look at Hawke's guarded expression. 'I take it Caitlin wasn't happy about you playing bodyguard with Angelica.'

Hawke shifted in his seat.

'I'm right, aren't I?' Saint John said.

Hawke fidgeted but didn't answer.

'She didn't want you to do it,' Saint John guessed, 'but you went ahead and did it anyway.'

'Yeah. I know.' Hawke agreed. He'd screwed up big time, he thought.

'Why?' Saint John asked bemused. 'I mean if you knew Caitlin would have a major problem with it, why do it?'

'I thought there was a chance Angelica might know something about our parents.' Hawke said defensively. 'And she did; she gave me that stuff on our sister before she died.'

'You think it's worth anything?' Saint John said sceptically.

'Maybe.' Hawke said.

'It's not a lot.' Saint John pointed out.

'No.' Hawke allowed. 'But I didn't know that when I agreed to protect her at the cabin.'

'You really did it just on the slim chance she had some information about our folks?'

Hawke winced at Saint John's incredulity and he stiffened. 'Look, when you're looking for your family you do whatever it takes.'

'Even if it means ruining your marriage?' Saint John shot back. 'You know you don't know how lucky you are.'

Hawke's lips thinned and he pressed them together.

'You have a wife who loves you and a great kid,' Saint John continued, 'and you risked that all on the slim chance Angelica Horn could tell you something about our parents? I don't get it.'

'Maybe when you've spent sixteen years searching for them, you'll understand.' Hawke retorted.

Saint John stiffened. He knew his brother had searched for him tirelessly, had tracked down every lead despite all the dead ends and no matter how slim the evidence.

'I'm sorry.' Hawke said sighing.

The apology was unexpected and Saint John looked over at his brother in surprise.

Hawke looked back at him squarely; the sincerity of the apology shining from his eyes in the dim light of the cockpit. 'I screwed up.' He confessed. 'I shouldn't take it out on you.'

Saint John absorbed the abject misery his brother was doing his best to hide. 'Caitlin will forgive you, String.'

'You don't know that.' Hawke muttered.

'She saved your life.' Saint John said. 'I think that says something.'

'I hurt her.' Hawke said quietly.

Saint John frowned. 'And you'll make it up to her.'

'Yeah.' Hawke agreed even if he had no idea how.

Saint John cleared his throat and decided a change in subject was needed. 'So what's the story with the other helicopter?'

Hawke sighed. 'It's classified.'

'She's the next generation of Airwolf, isn't she?' Saint John said ignoring Hawke and answering his own question. 'Why didn't you tell us?'

'It's classified.' Hawke repeated with more than a little exasperation.

'Is that all you're going to say?' Saint John asked torn between amusement and annoyance at Hawke's response.

'What do you want me to say?' Hawke said bluntly. 'I'm not supposed to tell you anything.'

'We weren't supposed to be backing you up today.' Saint John retorted. He glanced over at his brother.

Hawke held his gaze for a moment before caving. 'Michael began the project after the incident with Airwolf II.'

'The one named Redwolf?' Saint John checked.

'Yeah.' Hawke said. 'Michael figured that it was only a matter of time before Airwolf was outclassed by something else so he set about building the next generation.'

'Nice of him.' Saint John said. 'It would have made your deal with him worthless.'

'He would have kept the deal.' Hawke said firmly. 'Anyway, Michael kept the project when the Company took over the FIRM, and when I came back from Switzerland, he offered me and Caitlin jobs testing the helicopter.'

'She looks like an incredible ride.' Saint John commented.

'She is.' Hawke admitted. 'She's faster than her predecessor; she's got the latest technology, updated programming, better weapons systems.' He paused. 'She's artificially intelligent.' The words came out in a rush.

'She's what?' Saint John stared at his brother.

'Sky, Saint John.' Hawke remarked pointing at the expanse in front of them.

Saint John returned his attention back to his flying.

Hawke sighed. 'She's not the original but she's a worthy successor.'

'You have a soft spot for the Lady, don't you?' Saint John remarked fondly.

'She's a helicopter, Saint John.'

'Yeah, right. Artificially intelligent. When were you planning to tell me?' Saint John muttered.

Hawke gestured at the scene in front of them; the cabin in the twilight with smoke rising from the chimney and the windows back lit with the cosy yellow glow of the lamps inside. 'We're home.' He shifted on his seat nervously as they landed. Nobody came out to greet them and the two men made their way inside the cabin with a little trepidation.

Erin appeared from the kitchen and Hawke could see the hint of temper sparking in her green eyes. 'She's upstairs.' She said mildly.

'Thanks.' Hawke said making his way past her to the stairs.

'Hawke.'

He turned back to his sister-in-law.

'You hurt my little sister like this again and I'll shoot you myself.'

Her words had him flinching but he nodded at her. 'I'll give you the gun.' He said.

She nodded back at him. They understood each other.

Hawke continued up the stairs oblivious to the concerned look Erin and Saint John exchanged before they both retreated into the kitchen. Hawke pulled his jacket off and took a deep breath before he opened the bedroom door and stepped inside.

Caitlin was sat on the far side of the room on the rocking chair. She was cradling Nicky and Hawke stopped abruptly at the sight of the two of them. The sudden realisation of what he could have lost with his decision that day rammed home and stole his breath. He closed the door with a gentle click.

Caitlin glanced up and they looked at each other warily. She rose and placed Nicky in his crib.

Hawke threw his jacket on a chair and made his way across the room to stand beside her. He reached in and gently touched his son's hair. For a long while, they both simply stood and watched their child. Eventually, she moved away from the crib and walked the few steps over to the end of their bed where she sat down heavily and stared into the fire.

'I'm sorry.' Hawke said quietly.

Caitlin's eyes flickered to him guardedly. Hawke walked over and joined her. They were sat close enough that their arms and knees brushed each other but there had never seemed so much distance between them.

'I don't know what else to say.' Hawke admitted.

'I don't know what to say to you either.' Caitlin said. She gazed down at the ground and took a deep breath. 'I'm sorry too.'

Hawke's head whipped round and he stared at her intently. 'You have nothing…'

'Yes, I do.' She interrupted him. She straightened and shifted to look at him fully. 'I've been thinking about everything that happened today and I realised that I probably overreacted.'

'Cait…' Hawke reached out and picked up her hand. Their fingers tangled together.

'I was talking to Erin and I realised that this really had nothing to do with Angelica and had everything to do with finding your family. I know how important that is to you and I know that's why you agreed to take Angelica to the cabin and protect her.' Caitlin continued. She still hadn't looked at him. 'It's just…' she sighed, 'if it had been anybody but her.'

'I know.' Hawke couldn't wait any longer and he tugged her into his arms, pleased when she didn't resist and went willingly, her arms sliding around him to hold him as tightly as he held her, their lips meeting urgently.

Time passed but neither of them was willing to let go of the other. Eventually, the sound of Nicky stirring had Caitlin slipping out of Hawke's embrace to check on their son before she slid back under the covers and snuggled up against her husband again. His hand absently stroked her arm as they cuddled together.

'It won't happen again.' Hawke said quietly.

Caitlin raised her head to look at him, shifting position so they were facing each other. 'What do you mean?'

'You and Nicky come first.' Hawke said simply.

Her blue-green eyes softened. 'I know how you get when you're trying to find family, Hawke.'

'This is different.' Hawke said. 'I realised that when I was talking with Saint John. I'm not searching for him anymore and I don't need to find my parents or any other brothers or sisters. I just forgot that for a minute.' His hand cupped her cheek and his blue eyes seared hers. 'You're my family.'

Tears pricked her eyes.

'I don't ever want to hurt you like I did today.' Hawke confessed.

She sighed and looked down avoiding his eyes. 'Well, a lot of that had to do with Angelica.' She looked up and saw the question in his eyes that he hadn't voiced. She smiled sadly. 'I guess there's always been a part of me that thinks you probably should have ended up with someone like her.'

'You think I should have ended up with a spoilt, manipulative…' Hawke began.

'No,' Caitlin corrected interrupting, 'I mean…she was a stunningly beautiful woman.'

'So are you.' Hawke said.

'No,' she corrected him again with a laugh, 'I'm not.' She placed a finger over his lips before he could argue. 'I'm not saying I think I look like a horse's behind but I've always known I'm not exactly beauty queen material either. Angelica was a beautiful woman and before we got together, I guess I always thought you would end up with someone like her. She seemed to be more the type you went for rather than a tomboy pilot.' She looked away from the surprise in his eyes.

Hawke recalled Angelica's opinion about Caitlin in the car. He wondered how many times, when Caitlin had been kidnapped, Angelica had taunted her with the same thoughts. He nudged her chin so Caitlin would look at him. 'I might not have known it back then but you're my type.' He said simply. 'Just you.'

Caitlin nodded and bit her lip.

'What?' Hawke asked.

'What happened with you and Angelica back when you first met?' Caitlin blurted out the question.

Hawke's eyebrows shot up. 'Nothing.' He said. He caught the doubt in her eyes. 'Some flirting, kissing, a little making out on top of a bed but we weren't intimate.' He stroked her hair back behind her ear. 'Is that why you were so bothered by her? You thought we'd been lovers?'

'A little.' Caitlin said honestly. 'Although the whole her trying to kill me thing really didn't help.'

He'd known Caitlin had never liked Angelica but he'd never realised why and now he did… 'I should never have agreed to talk with her.'

'No, you were right to.' Caitlin disagreed. 'If you hadn't talked to her we wouldn't have found about Sterling.'

'She gave me some information on my sister before she died.' Hawke added. 'I don't know if it's any good but…'

'So it was worth it.' Caitlin said with difficulty.

Hawke kissed her gently. 'Nothing would be worth losing you.'

'You haven't lost me.' Caitlin assured him. 'And I don't want to lose you either.' She grimaced. 'I guess we were bound to argue about something sooner or later.'

'Maybe.' Hawke admitted ruefully. His blue eyes pinned hers. 'We're going to be OK.'

'Yeah,' she inched closer to him, 'we're going to be OK.'