You Should Hear How She Talks About You, Chap. 2

Disclaimer—Don't own the characters, just the idea.

A/N: This story just wouldn't leave me alone, and so I'm bringing it back for a final chapter, set about three months after the end of Chapter 1. Enjoy!-Robert

I never thought life could be this good, Stringfellow Hawke thought as he glanced over at Caitlin O'Shannessy as they drove to the center where Caitlin volunteered on her days off from the hangar. On impulse, he reached over with his right hand and gave Caitlin's left hand a squeeze. "Penny for your thoughts, beautiful?"

"Just thinking about everything that's happened in the last three months," Caitlin said, smiling at String. "You've seemed happier these past three months than you've been since I've known you, String."

"Well, Cait," Hawke gave her hand another loving squeeze, "I am happier these days, especially since I admitted my feelings about you."

"So I've noticed, String," Caitlin said, smiling at him. "That was probably the happiest day of my life." Caitlin beamed as she remembered the day three months ago, after Hawke had taken Caitlin's friend Cindy Mason for a ride in one of Dom's helicopters, when String told her he loved her.

"Mine too," Hawke said honestly. "I wish I'd met Cindy a lot sooner—it might have gotten me to admit my feelings about you sooner, and we'd both be a lot happier."

"Well, I dunno about that, String. I don't think I could be any happier than I am right now!" Caitlin giggled slightly as Hawke squeezed her hand again, then reluctantly let go of her hand as they turned into the parking lot of the center. They climbed out of the Jeep and String immediately grabbed Caitlin's hand as they walked inside.

"Hey, Christie," Caitlin said as they met the receptionist, "is Cindy around?" Before Christie could answer, a familiar voice shouted, "Hiya, Cait!"

"Never mind," Caitlin said as she and String turned to the sound of Cindy's voice. "Here she comes now." Caitlin grinned as Cindy ran up to her and hugged her around the legs. "I didn't expect to see you here today! What are you doing here?" Then, Cindy noticed Hawke was with her friend.

"Hi, Hawke! You're here with Cait? Um, uh-oh. Cait, what's going on here? Am I in trouble or somethin'?" Cindy still remembered what had happened three months ago, when she and Hawke had their little conversation in the helicopter, and she was worried that she might be in some kind of trouble over what she had told Hawke that day. I sure hope not, she thought. I mean, I apologized to Cait, and to Hawke, so I hope they're not mad at me.

"Well, Cindy," Caitlin said, grinning, "first of all, we wanted to tell you somethin'. You're not in trouble or anything. Hawke and I took the afternoon off to come and see you. You remember the last time you saw String, when you two took that helicopter ride and you told him all those things?"

"Yeah," Cindy said, suddenly embarrassed. "And I apologized for everything, Cait. To both you and String. You remember, right? Does-does this mean you're not gonna talk with me anymore?"

"Oh, heck no," Caitlin said. "And we're not mad at you. We just had somethin' important to tell you, Cindy."

Cindy's eyes brightened when Caitlin said, 'We just had something important to tell you, Cindy.' "Wait a second, Cait, you said 'we'. Does this mean that String got smart, finally?"

Glancing at Hawke, Caitlin's eyes brightened. "Yeah, Cindy," she said, beaming. "After you left that day, Hawke and I had a good, long talk, and now, Hawke is my boyfriend." She looked down at her friend and was not surprised when Cindy began jumping up and down and clapping her hands.

"Yay!" Cindy shouted, hugging Caitlin, then Hawke, "I'm glad you decided to listen to me, Hawke! That makes me happy!"

"Not as happy as it makes Caitlin and me, Cindy," Hawke said, smiling, "and, that's why we're here. Cait and I wanted to do somethin' special for you today, to say thanks for your help. Anything you want to do, we'll do together, okay?"

"Okay! Well, I haven't been to the zoo for a long time," Cindy said. "Mom takes me there every now and then, but we haven't gone for a long time. And I'd kinda like to go flyin' again sometime, too," Cindy said.

"Well, c'mon then," Hawke said, "we've got a lot to do."

"Is that okay?" Cindy asked hesitantly.

"Sure it's okay, Cindy," Christie said as she came up behind Hawke and Caitlin. "Cait always takes care of you, so you three have lots of fun, okay? I'll call Cindy's mom and let her know what's going on. You want her to pick Cindy up at the hangar later?"

"Yeah," Hawke said, "that'd be fine, Christie."

"Okay," Christie said. "Like I said, you guys have a lot of fun."

"Okay!" Cindy said, beaming. She grabbed Caitlin's free hand as the three friends walked out to the Jeep. "So what do you want to do first, Cindy?" Hawke asked.

"Can, can we go flyin' again? All three of us?" Cindy asked as Hawke buckled her into the Jeep.

"Sure," Hawke said, grinning.

"You smile more," Cindy said. "I like that!"

"Not as much as I do, Cindy," Caitlin said, grinning back at her young friend. "String is so much happier since that day you two talked. It might have been the best thing that ever happened to him. Well," she said, noticing Hawke's glare, "other than meeting me, that is."

"I'm glad to hear that," Cindy said as the Jeep started up and they drove back to the hangar, "Even though I apologized to you both, I was still worried when I left that day. Mom asked me all the way home if I was in trouble. I kept sayin' I wasn't, but I'm not sure she believed me."

"Well, Cindy," Caitlin said, "when we see your mom today, I'll make sure and tell her that we're all okay, and that you weren't in any trouble for what you said."

"That makes me happy," Cindy said. "And it really makes me happy that you're Cait's boyfriend now, Hawke. You think you two might get married?"

"Cindy!" Caitlin said, more sharply than she intended to, "Have a little patience, why don't you? We just started dating three months ago!"

"Okay, okay," Cindy said. "I-I'm sorry, Cait."

"Oh, that's okay, Cindy," Caitlin replied. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. It's just that we're kind of taking it slow, y'know?"

"Yeah, I know," Cindy said.

"Still," Caitlin grinned at Hawke as they pulled up in front of the hangar, "Now that you mention it, Cindy, I kinda think Caitlin Hawke has a nice ring to it, don't you, String?"

"H mm," Hawke said teasingly, "Let me think about that. 'Caitlin Hawke.' Yeah, I guess it does have a nice ring to it at that." And it'll happen, Cait, he thought. Soon, I hope. A few minutes later, they had all boarded a helicopter and went into the sky. Hawke was flying, and Cindy was in the passenger seat, just like the day they had their conversation. Caitlin decided to take the forward-facing passenger seat behind Cindy, even though she would have preferred to sit in the co-pilot's seat. But there'll be time for that another day, Caitlin thought as they flew over the city. Today's about Cindy, sayin' thanks for everything she did.

"So what I said really helped you, String?" Cindy asked. "Oops. You don't mind if I call you 'String,' do ya?"

"Nah, Cindy," Hawke replied. "That is my first name, after all. Heck, Caitlin's even calling me String more often since that day."

"I just figure 'Hawke' sounds like I'm mad at you or something, String," Caitlin said from her seat behind Cindy.

"I know, Cait," Hawke glanced over his shoulder and smiled at her.

"He does have a real nice smile, Cait, just like you said he did!" Cindy gushed.

"Well, I'm sure seein' that smile a lot more often, thanks to you, Cindy," Caitlin replied. "You two having fun up there?"

"Oh, yeah!" Cindy said. "I think I see my house again! I wish I could stay up here with you guys forever, 'cause I love flyin', especially with you and String, Cait!"

"Well, that might be kinda hard," Hawke said. "I mean, we'll have to eat sometime, and your mom would get worried if you didn't come home, y'know."

"Oh, I know," Cindy said, "but Christie said she'd tell Mom where I am, so Mom wouldn't worry, especially since she'll know I'm with you guys."

"I know, Cindy," Caitlin said, "but you said you want to go to the zoo, right? We can't very well go to the zoo if we stay up here forever. Besides, this helicopter's gonna run out of gas long before forever."

"Not to mention how worried Dom gets," Hawke replied. "He treats these helicopters just like they were his kids."

"I know," Caitlin replied. "Just another reason why we can't stay up here forever."

"I get it," Cindy said. "Besides, I wanna go see the monkeys and the tigers, and everything at the zoo."

"I figured as much," Caitlin said. Hawke grinned over his shoulder at her and turned the helicopter back toward the hangar. When they set down, Hawke and Caitlin helped Cindy get unstrapped, then the three of them climbed into a Jeep and headed off to the zoo.

They spent the afternoon walking around and looking at the different animals. Hawke delighted in Cindy's happy expression, and his imagination allowed him to picture himself and Caitlin with another little girl, this one with Caitlin's red hair and String's eyes, walking around the zoo together. Someday, he thought, just as Caitlin squeezed his arm.

"Hey, String," she said, worried, "you awake?"

"Huh?" Hawke quickly brought himself back to the present. "Yeah, Cait, I'm awake. I was, I was just thinking."

"About me, I hope," Caitlin teased.

"Yeah," Hawke smiled at her, "it was about you, and about us, and the future. I was imagining that you and I were married, and came here with our own little girl—one with your red hair, and my eyes."

"String," Caitlin whispered, shocked, "how did you know?"

"Know what?"

"How did you know that for the past few days, that's all I've thought about? I've, I've been thinkin' that someday, you and I might have a little girl of our own," she paused for a minute and glanced at Cindy, who was intently watching the monkeys cavorting around in their cages, "with your eyes, and my red hair, just like you said." And I could see that little girl charging into the sleeping loft at some ungodly hour on Christmas morning to wake us up so we can open presents.

"Guess I've gotten smarter, and a lot better at reading you. And it'll happen, Cait."

"I'm sure glad to hear that," Caitlin said and leaned forward in Hawke's arms, kissing him tenderly but passionately just as Cindy turned around. "Hey, guys, can we—eww, gross! Kissing!"

Hawke immediately separated himself and Caitlin, and he noticed her face turning a familiar shade of red. "Sorry about that, Cindy," Caitlin said. "But didn't your mom and dad kiss in front of you?"

"Yeah, and I thought that was gross, too," Cindy said.

"Well, you're only twelve," Caitlin said, grabbing Cindy's hand, "I thought people kissing was gross when I was twelve, too. But trust me, Cindy. Someday, you won't think kissing is gross. In fact, someday, I'll bet you'll want some boy to kiss you."

"I doubt that," Cindy replied, grinning at her friends. "Anyway, I was gonna ask if we could get somethin' to eat. I'm starving!"

"Good idea," Caitlin replied, and the three friends left to go find a restaurant, pausing to get their hands stamped at the front gate so they could come back later.

A few minutes later, Hawke, Cindy and Cait were seated in a restaurant, Caitlin and Cindy enjoying burgers and fries, and Hawke having a fish platter. The conversation was light and fun until Cindy said, "String, I hope you're not mad that I asked if you and Cait would ever get married."

Hawke glanced up, then looked at Caitlin sitting next to him, and said, "Nah, I'm not mad, Cindy. I mean, I can't speak for Cait, of course, but I dunno. Personally, I can't see her wanting to spend the next forty or fifty years with somebody like me. But, I can't think of anybody I'd rather spend them with than Caitlin."

"Oh, I dunno," Cait replied. "I always did enjoy a challenge. And spendin' forty or fifty years with you, String, would definitely be a challenge. But I sure dunno anybody else I'd rather spend that time with than you, String." And I'd enjoy every danged minute of it, Caitlin thought. "But I'm not mad at you, Cindy. Why would I be?"

"Oh, I dunno. I was just worried about that, y'know? I mean, Mom sometimes tells me I talk too much, and I know I did the last time I saw you, String, and I just don't want you guys to be mad at me."

"We understand, Cindy," Hawke said, and Caitlin nodded her agreement. "But don't worry—if either one of us was really mad at you, you'd know it. And besides, if you hadn't said everything you did the last time I saw you, Cindy, I probably never would've admitted my feelings about Caitlin." Caitlin's grin at Hawke's words told him just how right he was.

"That's good, 'cause I really like you two. And especially, I like that you're together, y'know?" Cindy said.

"I seem to remember hearing something about that," Caitlin replied, recalling Cindy's reaction when Caitlin told her that she and String were a couple.

"So do I," Hawke said, picturing Cindy bouncing around and clapping her hands after she heard about Hawke's decision. After they finished lunch, Caitlin, Cindy and Hawke went back to the zoo and spent the rest of the afternoon strolling around looking at the different animals. Finally, Hawke looked at his watch and said, "It's getting late. Your mom's probably waitin' for us at the hangar, Cindy. You ready?"

"Oh," Cindy sighed, "I suppose. But I've sure loved spendin' this time with you and Cait, String."

"Well then," Hawke said as he wrapped his arm around Caitlin's shoulders, "I guess we're gonna have to do it again."

"Definitely," Caitlin said.

"All right!" Cindy said, then added, "but next time without the kissing, okay?"

"Well, Cindy," Caitlin said, "I can't promise you that String and I aren't gonna kiss each other when we're around you, y'know. That's what people do when they're in love."

"I know, I know," Cindy said, "I remember Mom and Dad used to kiss each other a lot, too. But that doesn't mean I can't still think it's gross, y'know."

"Yeah," Hawke said as they reached the Jeep, "we know." Sinj and I both thought kissing was gross when we were that age, too. Even when it was Mom and Dad, he thought as he helped Cindy get buckled in. A few minutes later, they were on their way back to the hangar.

When Hawke pulled up in front of the hangar, he noticed Cindy's mom talking to Dominic. "Cindy, your mom's here," he said as he turned off the Jeep and they climbed out.

"Hello again, Hawke, Cait," Cindy's mother said. "Christie told me what you had done, and let me just say that I hope Cindy wasn't a bother again today."

"No, Ms. Mason," Hawke replied, "she wasn't. In fact," he said, "I wanted to tell you more about what happened with Cindy and me the last time she was here. She told me a lot of things that I really needed to hear, and because of her, Caitlin and I are together."

"Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that," Cindy's mother said. "So you and Caitlin weren't upset about what Cindy did before? I remember when Caitlin called me that day, she was really upset."

"No, Ms. Mason," Caitlin replied. "We're not upset at Cindy. In fact, that's why we spent the afternoon together—it was our way of sayin' thanks to Cindy for what she did. And I was upset that day when I called you because I wasn't sure how String felt about me, until later in the day. But now," she smiled at Hawke, "we know how we feel about each other, and things are great."

"That's a relief," Cindy's mom said. "Well, Cindy, are you ready to go home?"

"I guess so," Cindy said. She turned to Caitlin. "I'll see you and String later, right, Cait?"

"Yeah," Hawke said. "You'll probably see us together a lot more often." He walked over to Cindy and gave her a huge hug. "And, once again, thanks for everything you did."

"String's right," Caitlin said, smiling at her young friend, "we'll probably be doing a lot more together from now on." Caitlin hugged Cindy and said, "And, thanks again for all your help before."

"You're both welcome, and that makes me really happy!" Cindy said, jumping up and down and clapping her hands, just like she did earlier in the day when String and Caitlin picked her up. "G'bye, Cait! G'bye, String! Thanks for a great day! See ya later!"

"'Bye, Cindy," Caitlin said, moving closer to String. They waved as Cindy climbed into her mom's car, and they drove away.

"Well," Caitlin said, "I suppose I'll be headin' home myself." Even though I wish like heck I didn't have to go home and be alone the rest of the night, she thought sadly.

The sadness in Caitlin's voice wasn't lost on Hawke. You don't get away from me that easy, Cait, he thought. "Not so fast, Cait," Hawke said, gently taking hold of her arm, "this day's not over yet-at least, not for you and me. I was kinda thinking I'd take you to dinner, or we could go up to the cabin and have dinner there, if you'd like."

"Well," Caitlin said, shyly smiling at Hawke, "I was hopin' that our day wasn't over yet." Her eyes gleamed as she glanced up at String. "I'd love to go out to dinner with you tonight." Any chance to spend more time with you, String, I'll take, Caitlin thought.

"I kinda thought so," Hawke said as they walked over to her car, "so shall we go?" He opened Caitlin's door for her, just like Dom and his father had taught him, and Caitlin smiled at him as she climbed into the car.

"Thanks, String," she said. Hawke walked around and got in the passenger seat of the car, and they headed off to the restaurant.

"I have to tell you, String, this has been a wonderful day," Caitlin said. "Especially since we spent it together, and didn't have to worry about anything with the Lady."

"Yeah," Hawke replied, "it's kinda nice to spend time together with you and not have to worry about Michael."

"Not to mention I'm not worryin' about getting kidnapped, shot at, arrested, knocked out, or anything like that," Caitlin grinned, then something she had meant to tell Hawke crossed her mind. "Which reminds me. Did you notice what happened the night you told me you loved me?"

"What are you talkin' about, Cait?" Hawke asked. "Nothing happened. At least, nothing bad."

"Exactly, String," Caitlin said as they pulled into the restaurant parking lot. Nothing happened. Nobody shot at the cabin, or stormed it and took me hostage. And nobody was waitin' in my car that night, or this afternoon when I got in my car to come out to the hangar, to hold a knife to my throat and kidnap me, or anything like that."

"You're right, Cait," Hawke said, smiling as they got out of the car and immediately wrapped their arms around each other. "You're absolutely right." He smiled at Caitlin as they walked into the restaurant.

Once they had received their meals a few minutes later, Caitlin said, "String, I hope you weren't upset when Cindy asked about us getting married. I mean, I know you told Cindy you weren't upset, but I also know you, Stringfellow Hawke, and I know that sometimes you hide your feelings. After all," she added, grinning at Hawke, "you hid them from me for long enough!"

"Caitlin, if you know me the way you say you do, then you know I never say things I don't mean. As for hiding my feelings about you, you're right, I did. I don't deny it, and I'm gonna spend the rest of our lives tryin' to make up for that. Heck, I was hidin' my feelings from myself, almost as much as I hid them from you. But I wasn't upset when Cindy said what she did. In fact," Hawke said, "I kinda liked it. I mean, be honest, Cait. Would it be so bad to be married to me?"

"Heck, no," Caitlin smiled happily at him. "I'd love to be married to you. But," she said, "I think we need to get to know each other a little better, first."

"I agree wholeheartedly," Hawke said. "And I don't know about you, Cait, but I'm going to enjoy every minute of it. Besides, I want to do things right with us, and I know you're an old-fashioned Southern gal, and like to be courted. But I meant what I said earlier, Cait—I can't think of anybody I'd rather spend my life with than you."

"String," Caitlin whispered, not trusting her voice completely as she felt tears come to her eyes, "I feel exactly the same way about you."

"Cait, what did I say?" If you feel the same way I do, then why are you crying, Cait? Hawke thought, suddenly anxious that he'd done something, or said something, that upset Caitlin. Which is the last thing I want to do, he thought, suddenly becoming anxious.

"String, these tears aren't because I'm sad, for Pete's sake. They're because I'm happy. I'm happy that you finally figured out your feelings about me, and that we're together, okay?" Caitlin replied as she smiled at him. "And they're also because I can't believe that you want us to spend the rest of our lives together."

"Okay, Cait. I was just concerned, you know. I don't want to do anything, or say anything, to upset you or ruin what we're starting here." Hawke breathed a sigh of relief.

"Me neither. And I appreciate you sayin' that, String. But, it's like I told you when we got together, I have loved you since the day I met you, and I'll never stop. So quit worryin' so much, okay? Remember what Dom said worryin' like that'll get you." But all these sweet things you're sayin' will get you just about anything you want, String! Caitlin thought as she felt a wave of hormones rush through her body.

"Well, that's something we've got in common, Cait, because I'll never stop loving you, either. And, I'll try not to worry so much, 'cause I don't need any more bills." He smiled happily at Caitlin, then they went back to their dinners.

As they drove back to the hangar later, Caitlin said, "String, did you really mean it when you said you hoped that someday we'd have a little girl, with your eyes and my red hair?"

"Of course I meant that, Cait. When we get married, I certainly hope we have that little girl."

"When?" Caitlin said, incredulous. "Did you really mean to say 'when' we get married?"

"Yeah, Cait. I really meant to say 'when' we get married. That's how much I love you, and I'm going to spend the rest of our lives proving that to you. I promise you that. I figure it's the least I can do after ignoring my feelings and pushing you away for as long as I did."

Caitlin caught her breath when Hawke said 'the rest of our lives.' God in heaven! Caitlin thought as they pulled up in front of the hangar, he must be even more serious than I thought! Caitlin felt herself daring to hope that everything Hawke had said would happen just the way he talked about. And soon, I hope, Caitlin thought excitedly when he kissed her good-night, more passionately than she had ever been kissed before. "Well," Caitlin said after they separated and she had caught her breath, "G'night, String. And, I love you."

"'Night, Caitlin," Hawke said, smiling at her before he gave her one last kiss. "I love you, too." He watched her car drive away with a newly found optimism in his mind and heart. Who would have thought that all it would take to get through my thick skull would be a twelve-year-old girl with a big mouth and a heart of gold? I'll bet if Cait had known that, she would've met Cindy months ago, Hawke thought as Dom flew him back to the cabin. I mean, Cait gets me. She gets all my little idiosyncrasies, even more than Kelly, or even Gabrielle did. So why wouldn't I want us to be together forever? I mean, I know she's my best friend, but Saint John and Dom told me Dad and Mom were each other's best friend, so why not? I know one thing for sure—like I told her, I wouldn't want to be with anybody else.

When he fell asleep that night, Hawke couldn't keep a vision of his wedding day to Caitlin out of his head. We'll get married here, out on the dock. Just Cait, me, and Dom, with a justice of the peace, and Cait's mother, maybe her older sister, and Michael and Marella. Oh, and Cindy and her mother—if Cindy and her mom aren't here when we get married, Cait probably wouldn't go through with it! I hope it happens just that way, Hawke thought with a smile, real soon. And if I have anything to say about it, it will. Hawke finally felt sleep overtaking him, and felt happier than he could remember being in a long time. And as he fell asleep, Hawke wasn't surprised when he saw Caitlin's smiling face at the forefront of his thoughts.

Caitlin could hardly believe how she felt when Hawke kissed her good-night back at the hangar. That's what love is supposed to feel like, she thought excitedly. She remembered how she'd felt when Robert Villers and Ken Sawyer both dated her, and the few times either man had kissed her. I never felt any love when they kissed me, she thought. It just felt like, like somethin' they were doin' 'cause they had to do it. Especially with Sawyer. There wasn't any love there at all, Caitlin thought, becoming sad for a moment when she remembered how much she thought Ken had loved her, and how much she thought she had loved him. Then, she remembered how it felt when String kissed her before she left the hangar, and her mood immediately brightened again. Now when String kisses me, on the other hand, I know it's 'cause he wants to. Because he loves me, the way a man is supposed to love a woman. I feel all the love he says he has for me every time we kiss, and I'll never get tired of feelin' like that!And all I can say, God, is that if I'm dreamin', don't you dare wake me up! Oh, yeah, there is one other thing. I've decided that if heaven doesn't feel like I felt when String put his arms around me, then I'm not comin'! Feelin' Hawke hold me like that is the greatest feeling in the world! She recalled the emotions that ran through her when she felt her body mold itself against Hawke. We fit together so well—it's, it's like we're made for each other.

As Caitlin fell asleep that night, she thought about everything String had told her that day. He wants us to spend the rest of our lives together, and he wants us to have that little girl I thought about, Caitlin thought excitedly. God, how did I ever get so lucky, to find a friend like String, and have him tell me he wants to marry me? And I feel the same way String does—I can't think of anybody I'd rather spend the rest of my life with than him, 'cause I love him that much. And he was right—I do know that Stringfellow Hawke never says anything he doesn't mean. She felt happy tears in her eyes as she fell asleep, thinking of the day she and Hawke finally got married. Back at the cabin, on the dock, she thought excitedly, Hawke and me in front of a judge with Erin, Mom, and maybe Michael and Marella with us. Oh, and Dom, Cindy and her mother, of course. I can't forget them! Especially Cindy. 'Cause if it wasn't for her, String might never have admitted that he loves me, so she and her mom will have to come to the wedding! I hope it happens just that way, Caitlin thought, completely unaware that Hawke was having almost identical thoughts to her own, and real soon. Caitlin felt a new optimism in her heart for the first time since she left Texas to come looking for String. And I owe it all to Cindy. I'll never be able to completely pay her back for what she did, Caitlin thought, 'cause thanks to her, String and I are together. And soon, hopefully, we'll be together forever. Caitlin was not surprised to see Hawke's smiling face foremost in her thoughts as she fell asleep smiling, anticipating their future. Together, she thought with a contented sigh. Our future, together.

THE END.