CHAPTER 6
The wait was nearly unbearable in the stuffy exam room. How long could a simple evaluation take? He sighed, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for his answer, and so help him if they didn't…. It'd take every ounce of strength he had left at the moment to refrain from slamming them against the wall, and that probably wouldn't do wonders for reinstating his license either, but it'd sure make him feel a heck of a lot better, at least until the police showed up…
At this rate though, he could start from scratch and build all the necessary hours all over again before they would get back to him. He was perfectly able to fly, did a beautiful job of proving that last night over the Valley in Airwolf, but he couldn't tell them that, for a couple reasons; so why couldn't they get back here and tell him what ha already knew so everyone could get on with their lives?
He leaned back in the chair against the wall, still restlessly tapping his foot. The exam had taken more out of him than he cared to admit and he still ached all over from the previous night's adventure, but he wasn't about to load up on painkillers and flunk the exam either; he'd just have to suck it up and live with it for a few hours. Besides, what would likely ease the pain most would be to have that official note in his hands marked with approval so he could get out of here. At the moment that'd make him happy enough to do death spirals, hammerhead stalls, barrel rolls and loops even, for just about any director on the planet, happy to do another take at his command even after he had already done it perfectly six times already instead of trying to restrain from going down there and strangling the him.
"Mr. Hawke," a plump man that looked every day of seventy addressed as he entered the room. "We have carefully evaluated the results of-"
"Can I fly or not?" Hawke interrupted irritable. "That's all I want to know."
"Well, technically you passed the examination, very easily actually."
"Then hand it over so I can get out of here and leave you alone."
The examiner held out the coveted piece of paper. "I would like to advise you though that even though you well exceeded the minimum requirements, compared to our records of your previous exams you didn't do nearly as well and should be aware of anything that could be impairing your abilities. And, sad as it is, there is a time when every pilot must face the reality of the age-old enemy of decline."
"And I think we've all heard about it enough. Thanks for your concern, but if I ever get grounded for good you can find me six feet under and I'll let you explain the cold, hard truths of age and decline all you want then."
The doctor chuckled at the comment but quickly returned to all seriousness. "I understand you have little concern, and so far as I can tell, with pretty good reasoning, but just keep in mind that it does eventually affect us all."
\A/
"So, how'd it go?" Caitlin queried as she set the recently fed and changed infant back into his makeshift crib.
"I gave 'em hell. What else?"
"But did you get your ticket reinstated?"
"Yeah. I am officially legal to fly again."
"That's great," she said, giving him a congratulatory kiss on the cheek, but there was something in the way he had said officially legal you've been up anyway though, haven't you?"to fly.
"Does it matter now?"
"I suppose not, but you did, didn't you?"
"Just please don't tell Dom. I know I shouldn't have, maybe that's what the whole accident's was last night - payback, karma, something like that. But yeah, I did take the Lady out, had to, it was just driving me crazy and I knew I was alright, they just didn't seem to understand that."
"And you could have lost your license," the redhead reasoned.
"If someone had caught me out in the Lady we'd have a lot bigger problems than me without a license. I shouldn't have been out there, I think we've established that. There isn't anything I can do to change the past though."
\A/
Dominic reached for the wrench to loosen the stubborn bolt and set it aside for future use. "String, would you hand me that screwdriver?" he requested. "String?"
Still no answer, or screwdriver.
He climbed down from his perch at the top of the ladder and rifled through the box of well used but reliable tools. No screwdriver. "Where is it?" he questioned, now beginning to get irritated,as he took a couple steps forward and nearly tripped over the younger man's legs that were sprawled out from underneath the belly of the Jet Ranger. When he received no answer after a third call, he took a look for himself and found the screwdriver loosely gripped in the sleeping pilot's hand.
"Hey kid," he said, nudging him awake. "If you're that tired why don't you set up a cot in the office?"
"Sorry Dom, just not very with it today, but I'll be okay,"he assured him. "I just didn't get much sleep last night."
"Can't imagine why," the Italian said sarcastically as noted the sour expression on String's face as he climbed out from under the helicopter. "There's some ibuprofen or Tylenol in the cabinet over there if you're due for more yet."
"Never had any to begin with."
"Why not? And don't give me one of your 'I'm alrights' or an 'I'm fine' because you sure don't look it."
"The appointment I had this morning, re-evaluation, I didn't want to be OD'd on painkillers and fail it. Last night wasn't that big of a deal and I can suck it up for a day or two."
"String, there is such a thing as pushing it too far. As kids I taught you and Saint John not to whine and cry about the little things, but if you are actually hurt then that's a whole 'nother story. You needed the break, that's why they didn't hand you license back first thing the last time."
"Well they've given me the okay now and obviously I was alright then since… never mind."
"Since what?"
"Never mind. It doesn't matter," he backpedaled, realizing he'd already said too much.
"It does matter to me. You and Cait are the only I've got around anymore and I care what happens to you."
"When I disappeared for a couple hours yesterday…"
"What?"
"Neither of us can change it, why does it matter?"
"String," he warned with that familiar stare from his teenage years and tone that left no room for negotiating.
"I took the Lady out for a while, can't say I even stuck to straight and level flight either."
The surrogate father nodded, not looking ecstatic nor the least bit surprised.
"You knew."
"I figured as much. But I knew nothing I said would change anything."