Saint John woke up slowly. He stared at the tiles in the ceiling for a long moment before he turned his head to look at the woman holding his hand. Jo was asleep. She had pushed a chair right up to the side of the hospital bed, her head pillowed on one hand while the other clutched his good hand tightly, his other arm was in plaster and in a sling. His gaze softened. He guessed getting abducted and almost dying had helped her forgive him for their argument a little quicker than she would have done otherwise. His eyes drifted from Jo to the other side of the bed and he smiled. Sarah was curled up in a chair fast asleep, her hand enfolded into String's. His brother smiled back at him.

Hawke nudged Sarah. She woke with a start, her blue eyes glaring at him questioning. He jerked his head at Saint John. She smiled broadly and stood up to reach over and cup his cheek with her hand.

'I'm glad you're OK.' Sarah said in a whisper. 'I've just found you. You can't go leaving me yet.' She leaned over and kissed his cheek before she stepped back.

Hawke gestured at the door. 'We'll leave you to it.'

Saint John nodded his thanks and he watched his siblings skirt the edge of the bed and quietly exit. The sound of the door clicking shut disturbed Jo and her head jerked upwards sharply. He squeezed her hand to get her attention. 'Hey, you.'

Jo smiled at Saint John. 'Hey.'

For a moment they gazed at each other in silence.

'I'm sorry.'

They had spoken in unison and at the simultaneous apology had them both grinning inanely.

'I guess we're both thinking the same thing for once.' Saint John said ruefully.

'We haven't done a lot of that lately.' Jo admitted. She rubbed his fingers with hers, tears springing to her eyes. 'I thought I'd lost you.'

He raised his hand and brushed her tears away; she leaned her cheek into the palm of his hand. 'I'm OK.' His jaw clenched. 'Which is more than I can say for Locke.'

'I know.' Jo swiped at her face. 'But I'm so glad it was him and not you.'

Saint John smiled sadly. 'Me too.' His thumb stroked over her cheekbone. 'I had the strangest dream when I was being held captive.'

'Oh?' Jo asked.

'I dreamed Uncle Dom came to look after me.' Saint John said.

'Uncle Dom?'

Saint John nodded. 'He told me that we'd work it out.'

'He did?' Jo smiled tearfully.

'I love you.' Saint John held her gaze with his. 'I'm not used to loving someone though.'

'Me either.' Jo confessed. 'It's harder than I thought.'

Saint John smiled sympathetically. 'I haven't meant to push you away.'

Jo shook her head. 'It was me.' She laid a finger across his lips when he would have argued. 'I was worried that it wasn't me you really wanted especially when you shut me out.' She said. 'I thought you had this dream but that it wasn't really me who you wanted to fulfil it with.'

'You're the only one I want to fulfil it with.' Saint John said forcefully.

'I got scared and tried to hold onto you too tightly.' Jo admitted.

'It wasn't just you.' Saint John followed her example and laid a finger across her lips. 'My turn.' He sighed. 'I'm so used to being on my own that I forgot that in a couple you need to make joint decisions. I'll try to do better but you're going to have to help me. If you think I'm agreeing to something without consulting you or taking you into consideration, you have to tell me.'

'Deal.' Jo said. She wrapped her hands around his and kissed his knuckles. 'I love you too.' She smiled. 'I guess Uncle Dom was right; we did work this out.'

'He always was right.' Saint John said dryly. He sighed. 'What's happening?'

Jo sighed. 'They're not telling me much.' She complained. 'Mike told me about Michael's rescue.'

'Oh?'

'Apparently, Michael's eye patch contains an electronic tracer.' Jo said wryly. 'They managed to track it before they got the call giving them the choice between the two of you. Caitlin and Mike took the real Airwolf and rescued Michael while Hawke hit your location with some version they'd just liberated from Russia.'

'It must have been a quick rescue if they got away so quickly to get to us.'

'It was.' Jo said. 'Michael had already dealt with the two men holding him hostage when they arrived. He was sat waiting for them.'

'He killed his captors?' Saint John asked.

Jo nodded. 'I think so. Mike was pretty vague but it sounded like it was either Michael or them so…' she gave an awkward shrug. 'Mike said it was the artificial intelligence was flying the helicopter when she took that missile.'

'She saved our lives.' Saint John murmured. 'We would have been toast if she hadn't.'

'Well, I'm going to be eternally grateful to her, I know that much.' Jo said fervently.

'What's happening with Jason?' Saint John asked.

Jo sighed, her face saddening. 'They recovered the body. Mike went to deliver the news to Jason's parents. That's why he's not here. He said they've decided against a military funeral; they're having a small private affair. We're invited.'

Saint John nodded. 'We'll go.'

'Yes, we will.' Jo promised.

The funeral took place a week later in Jason's hometown. It was a small ceremony with Jason's family, friends and the Airwolf team. Saint John stood by the grave and watched as the polished coffin was lowered slowly into the ground; the sound of his mother weeping filled the air.

Jo was stood on one side of Saint John, her hand securely in his; Mike was on the other side of her, dressed smartly in his dress blues, his usual humour absent. On Saint John's other side was Hawke; his hand holding Caitlin's tightly. Michael and Marella were lined up next to her. Sarah had eschewed the funeral; she hadn't known Locke. She was holding the fort at Santini Air along with Hannah who Michael had assigned as protection while they were all absent.

Eventually, the service was over and people started to drift away as they followed the family back to the house a short walk away for drinks. Saint John excused himself after a while to get some air. He walked the distance back to the grave and stood silently beside it grieving for his friend. He wasn't surprised when he felt his brother settle in beside him a few minutes later.

'Checking up on me?' Saint John asked.

Hawke shrugged.

'Cordelli's going to pay for this.' He said angrily.

'You're damn right.' Hawke agreed.

His older brother took a step toward the marble headstone and placed a hand on it. 'I swear to you, Jason. Your sacrifice will not be in vain.' He closed his eyes briefly on a silent prayer before he turned back to his brother. 'I know you didn't like him much but he was a good man.' He said, his eyes glued to the marble that marked the spot. 'A good friend.'

Hawke placed a hand on Saint John's shoulder. 'You should remember that.'

'It was my fault.' Saint John said.

'This wasn't anyone's fault, Saint John. You can't blame yourself.' Hawke said brusquely.

'No, not this.' Saint John swallowed and turned to look at his brother squarely. 'When we were kids…on the boat…I tied your line; it was my fault it came loose and swept you overboard.'

Hawke blinked bemused. 'You've been blaming yourself for that all these years?' He asked incredulous.

Saint John nodded.

'That's why you looked out for me so much when it was just the two of us.' Hawke surmised.

'After I got taken prisoner in ' Nam, I realised that there would come a time when I couldn't keep you safe…' Saint John sighed and shook his head. 'It was easier to run away then keep trying.'

'And that's why you stayed away for so long?' Hawke sighed. ' Saint John…'

'I'm so sorry, String.' The words were barely audible but Hawke heard them.

'I forgive you.' Hawke said softly.

Saint John's gaze snapped back to his brother.

Hawke looked at him evenly. 'I forgave you a while back and I should have said it sooner…'

'But I just told you about the line…'

Hawke waved his words away. 'You didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, Saint John.' He smiled at the stunned look on his brother's face. 'I've always remembered that it was you who tied the line and I never blamed you for that.' He sighed again. 'I was too busy blaming myself.'

'It wasn't your fault.' Saint John said.

'No, just like it wasn't yours, or Mom's, or Dad's.' Hawke said. 'It was just a lousy rotten accident.' He squeezed his brother's shoulder. 'Let it go, Saint John.'

Saint John pulled his brother to him with his good arm and hugged him. 'I love you, you know that right?'

'I love you too.' Hawke patted his back gently before he pulled away. 'Come on. We'd better get back before Cait and Jo send out a search party.'

Saint John gave Jason Locke's grave one final glance and nodded. They walked out of the churchyard together; their arms slung carelessly around each other's shoulders; brothers united again.