CHAPTER 5.…….SHADOW OF DEATH
His warning came too late. The Sikorsky didn't hesitate to fire a missile at the ground where String had been standing. The game was already lost for them, what was one more dead person?
Automatically, Dom climbed into the pilot's seat and took out the other helicopter. It too was reduced to a burning fireball. Then he connected a call to Michael.
"What is it?"
"You can forget about picking up your guy," Dom told him frankly.
"What do you mean forget about it?" Michael inquired.
"He's dead."
Michael started to ask another question, but Dom ignored it. "I'm coming home. I'll be at the Lair in an hour, if you're lucky maybe you'll get some answers out of me then."
Dissatisfied with the answer, Michael asked to speak with Hawke, hoping somehow to get something out of him. "Goodbye, Michael," Dom ended the call and started back toward the hangar.
\A/
When he arrived there an hour later, everybody was waiting. He silently the helmet off and climbed out of the left door, still in shock. Saint John and Caitlin looked pleased to have him back. Le came to give him a hug then worry rushed into him when his uncle didn't get out of Airwolf.
"Where's uncle String?"
Dom shook his silently. "I'm sorry kid." Tears ran down his cheeks. "He's not coming back."
"Isn't there any chance he could still be alive?" Saint John asked. His brother had searched for him for half his life and he was willing to do the same if it came down to it.
"I wish there was. I couldn't warn him in time…" his voice trailed off for a few moments, "but the missile hit. Even in Airwolf he wouldn't have survived."
"Come on," Caitlin tried to be comforting, you need some rest. I think we all do."
\A/
Dom walked down the hallway toward his bedroom like so many other times, but this time was different. On his way, he passed the bedroom that had once belong to the Hawke brothers after their parents deaths. He remembered the small figure huddled up on his brother's bed. String was crying after loosing Saint John in Vietnam. After Nam, String never was the same, but their had always been the glimmer of hope that somewhere, somehow Saint John was still alive. This time, to his own horror, he had seen it happen. Nothing was left, not even a body to give a proper burial to. He would give just about anything to have String back, but it simply wasn't possible.
Saint John couldn't bring himself to stay at his brother's cabin. Although it had been given to both of them before their grandfather's death in so many ways it had always really been String's. He was the one that had lived there for years. He was the one that had renovated it so he could continue living after and have his brother and nephew live there too. Eve n though he didn't have the memories his brother had he couldn't sleep in their old bedroom either. He took the sofa in the loving room and curled up trying to fall asleep.
\A/
At the cabin, Caitlin stirred restlessly in the silent night, too silent. Screaming from upstairs awakened her senses and sent her rushing up to the loft. Hawke was having a nightmare, no not the Hawke she was thinking of, she mentally corrected herself, Le van Hawke. Despite everyone else's efforts to avoid the cabin, he'd insisted that was where he wanted to spend the night. He'd even chosen to sleep in String's bed.
Caitlin rushed into the bedroom. Le sat bolt upright in the large bed. "Sorry, I had a nightmare."
"It's alright. I couldn't sleep anyway."
He followed her downstairs and she started to make him a glass of warm milk.
"Uh, Cait, could I have some hot cocoa?"
"Hot cocoa?"
"Yeah, that's what Uncle String always made if I had a nightmare."
"Sure, I can do that." She doubted he'd get anymore sleep anyway.
\A/
Arrangements were made and the memorial service was to be held the next day. Only a few were expected to come, but the friends he did have were usually close ones.
Many tears were shed, understandably the most by what he had come to know as his family. Dom had been more than and employer, more than a friend, he'd been like a father for many years; Saint John cried for all the lost time he had-so many years only hoping and praying he'd get to see his brother again. Caitlin would miss him immensely too. Even though she had only known him for three years, they had become good friends and finally they had started becoming more than just friends, but now their relationship was cut short because she was missing him; she was afraid she'd never be able to love again, not the way she'd loved him. Le, too, cried. He had known String the least out of all of them, but they had become like a second father to him and he had brought his real father home to him.
Caitlin stood next to the monument dedicated to String, tears still filling her eyes. "At least he fulfilled his goal of finding his brother," she tried to console herself, "he even go the bonus of a nephew."
"And he found love with a beautiful woman," Saint John's sudden presence startled her.
"It just won't be the same without him," she sobbed.
I know, believe me I know."