Saint John glowered at the empty, dark sky ahead.

'You're scaring Airwolf with that face.' Mike Rivers noted as he adjusted their altitude.

His passenger turned the unhappy glower on him. 'Can't we go any faster?'

'We're at top speed now.' Mike pointed out. 'You're just lucky Airwolf's AI is handling the engineering console or we wouldn't be going as fast as we are.'

Saint John shuffled in his seat.

'Look, I know you're worried about your brother,' Mike said, 'and I'm worried too but there's nothing we can do until we get there.'

'I know I just…' Saint John sighed and squirmed in his seat. 'I'm sorry.'

'At least Caitlin confirmed this has nothing to do with the Cordelli's.' Mike muttered.

'Yeah, there is that.' Saint John glowered again.

Mike glanced across at the older man. 'I miss him too, Saint John.'

Saint John looked over at Mike and their gazes met for a moment before the Airwolf pilot returned his eyes to the front. Saint John crossed his arms over his chest. The loss of their former team-mate Jason Locke was still raw. If he closed his eyes he could hear the sound of the fatal gunshot again, feel Locke stumble beside him and see the African-American agent breathe his last breath. He hadn't deserved to die that way; he hadn't deserved to die. Giovanni Cordelli had used Locke in an attempt to kill both the Hawke brothers and Saint John was determined that his friend's death would not go without retribution.

But Mike was right, he mused; at least this latest situation wasn't related to the Cordelli's. String really didn't have the best of luck with bachelor parties or maybe it was simply the case that his younger brother had a penchant for finding trouble no matter where he went. He unzipped one of the pockets on his uniform and drew out a candy bar. He tore open the wrapper and was about to bite into the chocolate bar when Mike reached over and snagged it from him. 'Hey!'

Mike waved the confectionary at him. 'No candy in the cockpit! Your brother will kill me!'

'He's not going to know.' Saint John retorted.

Mike stared at him in disbelief. 'We're talking about your brother here.'

Saint John's eyes met his before they dropped. 'OK,' he admitted, 'so he'd know.'

'Exactly.' Mike said with relief.

'I'm the older brother.' Saint John grumbled. 'I should set the rules.'

Mike sighed and resumed the controls. 'You and Jo seem happy.'

The change of subject had the desired effect; Saint John nodded and smiled. 'Yeah, it's going really well at the moment.' His face softened imperceptibly. 'We've had a couple of rough moments but we're working through them.'

'You still annoyed at her for not giving Sarah the apartment?' Mike asked. He knew his friends had argued about it a couple of weeks before.

'It's not like she's living there anymore,' Saint John sighed, 'and it would save Sarah buying that place.'

'I get the impression Sarah wants to own her own place,' Mike murmured, 'and seeing as you and String have sorted out that trust for her and Chris, she finally has the chance to do that.'

'It's not like it's even in good repair.'

'So it needs a bit of work. Some good carpentry and a bit of paint and it'll fix right up.'

Saint John frowned suddenly realising how knowledgeable Mike was sounding about his sister and her new home. He turned his head, a little awkwardly given the Airwolf helmet. 'How do you know all this?'

'I went with her when she had the builder take a look at the place to give her a quote so she could negotiate the price down.' Mike said easily.

'Really?'

The edge to the other pilot's voice registered with Mike. He briefly glanced across the cockpit and his eyes widened at Saint John's furious face. 'What's up with you?'

'You stay away from my sister, Mike.' Saint John said heatedly.

'Stay away…' Mike's mouth gaped open and he snapped it shut before he turned back to face the windshield. 'I can't believe you just said that!'

'Look, Mike, it's nothing personal but Sarah's too vulnerable right now. She hasn't had a serious relationship for years and you're a lot older and experienced. I just think…' Saint John began.

' Saint John.' Mike broke into the rambling justification. 'Your brother is missing and you're worried so I'm going to give you a break and forget you said any of this.'

'Mike…'

'Do you really think I'm after your sister?' Mike demanded angrily. 'You're my best friend and your brother's my partner.'

'Then what were you doing with her?' Saint John retorted.

'Your brother asked me to go along with her because he got held up at Red Star.' Mike said furiously.

Saint John looked at him astonished. 'String asked you?'

'Yes.' Mike said. He took a deep breath. 'He was meant to go but then Larry called and…'

'String asked you.' Saint John repeated.

'It seems he trusts me,' Mike said huffily, 'and he didn't want Sarah to meet the builder on her own.'

'I'm sorry.' Saint John said contrite.

Mike harrumphed but a quick look over at Saint John assured him of his friend's sincerity.

'You said Sarah's place looked OK?' Saint John said trying to smooth Mike's feathers.

'Yeah. It needs a lot of work but she seems excited about it.' Mike said recognising that Saint John was making an attempt.

'Good, good.' Saint John sighed. 'I guess it is good she gets her own place.'

'Well, Jo's apartment would need work too.' Mike pointed out. 'She hasn't changed the place since her uncle died.'

'I know.' Saint John gestured. 'She's not ready to move on yet.'

'If you know that why were you so insistent on Sarah having the apartment?' Mike asked perplexed.

'Because I didn't realise it when we had the argument.' Saint John said exasperated.

'Ah.' Mike adjusted their balance a little and checked their course heading. He snuck a peek across the cockpit. 'You seem more at peace about Dom yourself.' He observed.

Saint John nodded. 'I am.'

'What happened?' Mike asked curious.

'I had a dream about him during the whole thing with Locke.' Saint John admitted his mind drifting to the dream he had experienced when he had thought he was dying.

'A dream?'

'Yeah.' Saint John said. 'I got to say some stuff to him in the dream and…'

'And it gave you closure.' Mike concluded. 'Have you told Jo about the dream?'

'She knows.' Saint John said without expanding.

Mike didn't press him. If he knew his two friends he figured the dream had become part of the argument over the apartment. 'Jo just needs time to come to terms with it, Saint John. I mean she did witness the explosion; that has to be tough on her.'

Saint John nodded. 'She has nightmares.' He sighed heavily. 'But more than that I think she just misses him.'

'Like your brother.' Mike noted.

'String?' Saint John found himself surprised for the second time. He shifted in his seat wondering if he should be jealous at how close the other two men were becoming.

'You haven't noticed?' Mike asked surprised.

'Of course I've noticed.' Saint John said defensively. 'It's…he never talks about it with me.' He looked over at Mike again. 'I have to say I'm surprised he talks about it with you.'

'He doesn't.' Mike admitted. 'But I notice things.'

'Like?' Saint John pressed.

'Like occasionally I'll be sitting where you are and he'll look over at me and for a millisecond it's like he's surprised to find me there and not Santini.'

'That's got to be tough.' Saint John sympathised.

'Nah.' Mike denied. 'I mean he and Dom Santini flew together for years and it's obvious that they had a very tight relationship. I'm never going to be able to replace someone who I imagine was a mentor, father figure and best friend all rolled into one.'

'And you're OK with that?'

'I'm OK with that.' Mike said firmly. 'We're building own relationship which is how it should be. I mean he isn't my best friend either.' He looked over at Saint John with a grin.

Saint John smiled and although he would never admit he was a little relieved to hear the other pilot say it. 'You wouldn't say that if he let you eat candy in the cockpit.' He quipped.

'You're right.' Mike agreed breezily. 'So, getting back to you and Jo,' he said diverting the conversation again, 'the two of you looked good together last night at the cabin; you, Jo, baby Nicky.' There was a hint of a question in Mike's voice.

'I know.' Saint John answered simply. 'It feels right.'

'So?' Mike prompted. 'When are you going to ask her to marry you?'

'Soon. Maybe.' Saint John admitted.

'Well, when you do ask her, can I offer you one piece of advice?' Mike asked as he banked left and sped across the ocean.

'Could I stop you?' Saint John asked dryly.

Mike grinned. 'Don't ask your brother to organise a bachelor party.'