Saint John smiled at the sight of the brunette vacuuming out the Jet Ranger. He walked over and nudged her arm to get her attention. He tried hard not to notice the way her eyes did a double take before the understanding that he wasn't their father asserted itself and she smiled at him.

'Here.' Saint John offered her a mug.

Sarah switched off the vacuum cleaner and accepted the drink. 'Thanks.'

'I even got you a new mug.' Saint John said gesturing at it.

She glanced at the design which proclaimed she was the world's best sister. Her smile widened. 'I like it.'

'Well, you are my favourite sister.' Saint John said with a grin.

'I'm your only sister.' Sarah said laughing.

'Well, there is that.' Saint John pushed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. 'I just want you to feel welcome here.'

'I do.' Sarah replied reaching out to touch his arm gently. 'Thank you for giving me a job,' she raised her drink, 'and the mug.'

'My pleasure.' Saint John leaned against the side of the helicopter as Sarah sat in the cockpit doorway to drink her coffee. 'I'm really glad you decided to come and work here.'

'Me too.' Sarah said. 'It's a really good set-up.'

'That's more down to Jo than me.' Saint John admitted. 'She organised everything after Dom died.'

'You recently became a half-owner though, right?' Sarah checked.

Saint John nodded and folded his arms across his chest. 'I wanted out of the spy business.'

'How did you get into it?' Sarah asked curious.

'I got approached when my Special Forces unit was disbanded.' Saint John said. 'It seemed like a way to keep on doing what I did best.' He gave a short laugh. 'Or to keep running.'

'I know all about that.' Sarah commented.

'What happened? I mean if you don't mind…'

'I don't mind.' Sarah said quickly. She shrugged. 'Mom and Dad were always over-protective with me and Seb. I didn't really understand why and even when they explained it, it didn't make sense to me. In fact, if anything finding out the truth made it worse.'

'Because they'd been lying to you.' Saint John surmised.

'Yeah.' Sarah winced. 'I rebelled big time. I broke all the rules they set, did my best to get into as much trouble as I could and finally I ran away.' She took a sip of her drink. 'I just felt trapped.'

'I can understand that.' Saint John admitted.

'Is that why you joined the army?' Sarah asked.

'In a way.' Saint John allowed. 'Although I think it was more the reason why I stayed away once the war was over.'

'That had to be tough on you.' Sarah sympathised.

'It was tougher on String.' Saint John said bluntly.

Sarah bit her lip. 'When I had Chris, I suddenly realised what affect my running off must have had on my parents.'

'That's when you went back and tried to find them?' Saint John asked.

She nodded. 'Only they'd moved on.' She couldn't keep the forlorn note out of her voice; the way she had felt so alone when she'd knocked on the door and been told her parents weren't there.

Saint John shook his head. 'I can't understand that. It just doesn't sound like the parents I knew.'

'Things change.' Sarah pointed out. 'They changed, I guess, after thinking they'd lost you and String, being on the run, always having to hide.' She sighed. 'I didn't blame them; not really. I mean the way I was when I left…' she shrugged, 'I was really horrible to them.'

'You didn't have the best relationship with our Dad.' Saint John guessed.

'No.' Sarah agreed gently.

'That's why you're having problems with me,' Saint John concluded, 'because I look like him.'

'You look and sound an awful lot like him,' Sarah said truthfully, 'but the more time I spend around you, the more I notice the differences.'

'Then we'll have to spend more time around each other.' Saint John said with a smile.

'I'd like that.' Sarah said.

A noise at the doorway had them both turning to look and they smiled as Jo entered the hangar. She was in flight overalls with her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and hidden by a baseball cap.

'Hey.' Saint John greeted her with a hug and a kiss as Sarah mentally waved goodbye to her alone time with her brother.

Jo returned Saint John's greeting and tried hard not to feel jealous at finding him in a deep discussion with his sister. 'So what were you guys talking about so seriously?'

'Stuff.' Saint John said covering with a smile.

Jo gestured at the mug Sarah held. 'Is there any more of that coffee?'

'Nope, that was the last.' Saint John said keeping his arm around her shoulders.

'Sorry.' Sarah said weakly.

Jo attempted a friendly smile. 'Not your fault. I guess I'll go make some more.' She patted Saint John's stomach and walked quickly away to the office. She grabbed the coffee pot and headed for the small kitchen. She was filling the carafe with water when she felt hands sliding around her waist and lips at her neck. 'That had better be you, Saint John.' She murmured as she tilted her neck to give him better access. A second later she turned around in his arms and kissed him. They were both breathing deeply when they parted.

'What was that for?' Jo asked.

Saint John shrugged, his eyes twinkling. 'I couldn't resist you.'

She forced a smile. The physical side of their relationship was great but she was beginning to wonder if Saint John was ever going to allow her into his thoughts and his feelings. Caitlin had called it emotional intimacy. Her fingers worried at the button on his shirt. Caitlin had also warned her it would take time to develop but Jo could admit to herself that she was impatient especially when she saw Saint John developing a relationship with another woman. Intellectually, she knew it was different; Sarah was his sister but emotionally, she hated that he was spending time with her and connecting with her in a way he seemed not to be ready to do with her.

'Hey.' Saint John nudged her chin up forcing her to look at him. 'You OK?'

She nodded.

'It's been a little crazy around here with finding Sarah and everything, huh?' Saint John said.

'A little.' Jo admitted. They had barely been together a week when they had found Sarah; the next week had been spent at the cabin and even the past week had involved spending every evening there as Saint John made an effort to get to know his sister.

'How about we spend the evening alone?' Saint John suggested. 'Just the two of us? I'll cook; nice bottle of wine; candle-lit dinner…what d'ya say?'

Her eyes opened wide in delighted pleasure. 'Sounds good.' She reached up and kissed him.

The sound of the phone ringing in the office separated them.

'I'll get that.' Saint John said as he dropped another quick kiss on her lips.

She could hear him faintly as she completed her task; he was talking to Hawke. She wondered absently what Saint John's brother wanted as she made her way back to the coffee machine in the office to fill it with the water she had collected.

'No, it's no problem.' Saint John said into the phone. 'No, I agree. Sarah shouldn't be on her own up at the cabin. No, no. Jo and I will stay up there tonight.'

She turned around in surprise.

'OK. Take care and good luck with it.' Saint John dropped the receiver back into the cradle.

''Jo and I will stay up there tonight.'' Jo repeated folding her arms. 'I guess our romantic evening for two just disappeared huh?'

Saint John gave her a sheepish look and rubbed the back of his neck. 'They have a mission. They're going to be away overnight and Hawke didn't think it was a good idea for Sarah to stay alone at the cabin.'

'I see; so our night together gets cancelled without so much as a discussion.' Jo retorted. She sighed and turned back to the coffee machine and continued with her task in short, jerky motions.

'You're angry.' Saint John said accusatorily.

'I'm not angry.' She denied slapping the on button on the machine.

'Why are you angry?'

Jo whirled around to face him again. Saint John was standing by the desk with his hands on his hips. There was a hint of temper in his hazel eyes which infuriated her. Why was he upset? 'I said I'm not angry.'

'Well, you're sure doing a good impression of it.' Saint John snapped back. He gestured at the open office doorway into the hangar. 'Sarah's, and Chris's, safety has to come first…'

'And I come last.' Jo blurted out.

Saint John was bemused. 'No! Of course not.'

'Really?' Jo waved her hand at him. 'When have you put me first in the last couple of weeks? When?'

'Well…'

'I'll tell you when; you haven't.' She said. 'You haven't even discussed any of it with me; not the decision to go off and find her with just String, whether we should have stayed at the cabin the first week back, the fact that we've spent all our time there since and offering her the job? I'm part owner; I should have been consulted.'

The words fell out of her mouth in a torrent leaving Saint John feeling adrift. 'Why haven't you said anything?'

'I didn't think I needed to say anything. I'm your girlfriend. I deserve a little consideration.'

'Consideration?' Saint John felt his own temper spark. 'I've considered you every day! If I hadn't, I would have spent some time with my sister alone this last couple of weeks.'

'What is that supposed to mean?' Jo demanded, her eyes flashing.

'It means I didn't expect to have such a clingy girlfriend.' Saint John shot back.

'Clingy?' Her voice was barely a squeak. 'Maybe I wouldn't have to be clingy if you actually confided in me or talked to me like you do Sarah.'

'Oh my God.' Saint John said. 'You're jealous of her!'

'I'm not…'

'She's my sister!' Saint John yelled.

'You know what, forget it! Just forget the whole damned thing!' Jo shouted.

Saint John physically reeled backwards.

'Am I interrupting?'

The two of them spun round to the door. Jason Locke looked back at them. The African-American agent was leaning against the door post, his arms folded over his light brown suit, his dark eyes concerned.

Jo glanced over at Saint John, the colour fading from his cheeks. 'No, Jason. You're not interrupting.'

Saint John remained silent.

'Excuse me,' Jo continued feeling the tears starting to press against the back of her throat and her eyes, 'I have to prepare a chopper for a flight lesson.' She headed out and stopped to place a light kiss on Locke's cheek before she hurried from the hangar.

Locke straightened and took a step into the office. He closed the door behind him. 'That didn't look pretty.'

'That's because it wasn't.' Saint John admitted running his hands over his face. He gave a deep sigh and shook himself mentally. His eyes settled on his friend and roamed over the relaxed features. 'You look good.'

'Yeah,' Locke smiled, 'I guess not having to worry about Airwolf anymore has done wonders for my stress levels.'

Saint John smiled. 'I thought you were in New York.'

'Actually I came back for a reason.' Locke sobered. 'I need your help.'

Saint John gestured at a free chair and sank onto the desk.

Locke took a seat and clasped his hands together. 'Twenty-four hours ago, I met with one of Sterling's lieutenants and he told me something worrying.' He paused.

Saint John frowned. 'Don't keep me in suspense.'

' Sterling made a deal with Archangel.' Locke said.

'What!' Saint John stared at his friend. His own relationship with Michael was a little rocky. He had set his distrust of the spy aside because of his brother's friendship with the other man and although Michael had done a great deal to help the brothers' search for their family, that distrust hadn't gone away completely. 'What do you mean?'

'Michael's been working to regain control of the Airwolf project ever since the Company took over the FIRM.' Locke explained. 'He was really clever. He worked out his political strategy with an ex-NSA agent called Robert Delaney. It was a good alliance. As you know Delaney was part of the cross-agency taskforce assigned to recover Airwolf at the back end of 1985.'

'Nobody would suspect them of being in league together.' Saint John surmised.

'Exactly.' Locke nodded. 'Delaney was responsible for prepping the political side of the deal leaving Michael responsible for ensuring there was enough doubt about the Company's handling of the ongoing Airwolf file to enable Delaney to argue for a change.'

'He needed examples where we were failing.' Saint John filled in.

'Unfortunately, we were doing a good job.' Locke scowled. 'So he had to create something.'

'Which is when he made his deal with Sterling.' Saint John shook his head and looked at the ceiling. 'That was when Sterling grabbed you in Paris.'

'I swear, Saint John, I don't think I ever told them about the Lair. Afterwards, when I was rescued I second guessed myself, figured I must have told them in some torture session that I couldn't remember.' Locke caught and held his gaze. 'But if I'm right,' he pointed at Saint John, 'if I didn't tell them, who did?'

Saint John sighed. 'Michael gave them the coordinates.'

'And got to play the hero,' Locke pointed out, 'because he made a deal with Evan to take over the mission.'

Saint John threw up his hands and got to his feet. 'Why didn't I see it?'

'Because he was careful.' Locke said. 'On the second attempt, he even played the odds with your brother's flying ability on that crash. Tell me; who supposedly worked the bad guys plan out and had you return to camp?'

It had been Michael, Saint John thought. 'This doesn't make sense.' He said as he stared out at the bustling airfield unseeingly. 'When we were talking about taking down the Cordelli's, Michael agreed we needed to put Sterling away.'

'Did he?' Locke said. 'Did he really?'

Saint John flashed back to the conversation in Michael's office.

'The original plan was to find someway of taking down the Cordelli's to enable your family to come out of hiding.' Michael said. ' Sterling is a rival of the Cordelli's…'

'You want to do a deal.' His brother answered.

It was Jo who had concluded that Michael intended to offer Sterling the Cordelli's territory in exchange of his backing off Airwolf.

Michael had explained how it would work but they had challenged him, questioned letting Sterling go…it was String who had stepped in…

'Actually I don't think offering Sterling a deal was Michael's plan.' Hawke said slowly.

'We make the deal with the Cordelli's.' Caitlin sighed and crossed her arms over the checked cotton shirt she wore.

'Sterling's territory for them leaving us alone?' Saint John remembered saying…

'Damn. This is going to kill String.' Saint John murmured turning back to him.

'I know but all we have at the moment is the word of one of Sterling's men told to me on an undercover op.' Locke said. 'We need evidence, hard evidence.'

'How do we get it?' Saint John asked.

Locke smiled slowly. 'I think I might know but I'm going to need your help.'

'You've got it.' Saint John said. He frowned. 'How long will this take?'

'A couple of hours.' Locke said rising and fastening his jacket. 'We should leave now though.'

'Great.' Saint John said. 'Let's go.'

They walked out into the hangar. Saint John interrupted Sarah who had resumed her vacuuming duty.

'I'm going out for a couple of hours.'

'OK.' Sarah looked curiously at Locke.

'Don't worry.' Saint John smiled tightly. 'I'll be back before you know it. Hawke's away on a mission so it's just you, me and Chris tonight.' He patted her shoulder and headed out of the hangar. He glanced over at the Santini Air Jet Ranger where Jo was setting up for her lesson. Her back was a tense line and Saint John decided against walking over to her.

Jo heard the car doors slam and unwillingly looked over as the engine gunned and the car squealed away. She slumped against the helicopter and watched the vehicle disappear.

'Who was that?'

Jo jerked upright at the sound of Sarah's voice just behind her. 'Jason. Jason Locke. He's a friend of ours.' She said returning to her task of cleaning the chopper.

'Is it usual for them to take off like that?' Sarah asked frowning. She could feel a tug between her shoulder blades; an itch that nagged at her that something was wrong.

' Saint John believes in helping his friends.' Jo said shortly.

Sarah looked at the other woman who was studiously keeping her attention on the helicopter. 'Jo, I couldn't help but overhear your argument before…'

'It's none of your business!' Jo snapped.

Sarah took a deep breath. 'I know that. What I'm trying to say is…'

'That's my lesson now.' Jo said pointing at the car pulling up in front of the Santini Air hangar. 'Finish this for me, will you? And when you're done, watch the office.'

Sarah completed removing the rubbish from the helicopter. She watched Jo leave with her student before she headed into the hangar. She reached into her pocket and drew out a piece of paper. It had a number that Hawke had scribbled down for her if there was an emergency. She bit her lip and hesitated. Maybe she was over-reacting. She'd wait, she decided. After all, Saint John had said he'd only be gone a couple of hours. She sighed and hoped she'd made the right decision.