I do not own any of the characters and am just taking them out to play.

Chapter 22

A few weeks later, Hawke found himself in Michael's office waiting for Michael to come back from his meeting. He smiled as he thought about the past month he'd spent with Cait and Nicky. She had manipulated him into making progress towards his recovery! But he didn't mind. In fact he was grateful.

Just then Michael walked into his office.

"Hawke, to what do I owe this honor?" he asked as he went to his desk and sat down.

"Michael, I want to get Connor to help me with my rehab," Hawke stated matter of factly.

Michael was surprised by the request because he thought that Hawke had been happy with Cait's help, but he didn't want to show his surprise. "Why?"

"Cait has helped me as much as she can. I just need someone else who's stronger for a while," Hawke said back to Michael a little impatiently.

"What about the fact that Connor won't want to come back out to the cabin to help you after how you behaved before when he was out there?" Michael asked.

"I'll make it worth his while. He'll come," Hawke replied confidently.

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Cait was confused when Dom told her that he had already taken String back up to the cabin. She was even more confused when he told her that he had also taken Connor.

"Wasn't Connor one of the nurses who worked with String before I went up there," Cait asked Dom.

"Yup," Dom answered. "I don't know why he was going back with String, but he was."

"Okay, when are you going to take Nicky and me out to the cabin?" Cait asked next.

She looked at Dom when he didn't answer her right away. After a couple of minutes, she asked, "What's up?"

"Uh, String doesn't want you to come out for about two weeks." Dom then quickly added, "I don't know what's up so I can't tell you. I'm sorry, Cait."

Cait stared at Dom for a minute before turning and walking away. The tears started falling as soon as she was out of his sight. For some reason, String didn't want her out at the cabin and she didn't know why. Had she done something to make him mad? Was he done with her?

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The two weeks crawled by for Cait as she tended to Nicky and work at the hangar.

It seemed like forever before Dom came up to her and asked, "Cait, you ready to go out to the cabin tonight?"

Cait turned away from Dom so he couldn't see her face, "I don't think that I'll go, Dom. I really don't feel like Hawke wants me out there."

Dom was shocked that she would say that. "Cait, he asked me when I spoke to him an hour ago if you were coming and I told him yes."

"He was probably just checking and hoping that I wasn't coming," Cait said.

"No, Cait, he said he was really looking forward to you and Nicky coming out for the weekend," Dom said as he was puzzled by Cait's reaction. "Come on, Cait, just ride out with me at least. Then when you get out there you can decide whether or not to stay."

"All right, Dom."

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Dom brought the helicopter in to land on the dock. He saw Connor coming down to meet them.

When Connor reached the helicopter, he opened the door and reached in to take Cait's hand. Cait pulled her hand back and Connor gave Dom a quizzical look.

"Cait, Hawke's waiting up in the cabin for you. He's been very excited about you and Nicky coming, but he pulled a muscle in his shoulder and knew that he wouldn't be able to make it back up to the cabin after I left," Connor said.

Cait didn't know what to do. She wanted to stay and she wanted to go back with Dom.

Finally, Dom said, "Cait, go and see what he has to say. If you don't like it, then call me and I'll come pick you up."

"Okay. I'll call you later if I want you to come back."

Dom watched as she got Nicky out of the helicopter and put her suitcases on the dock. Connor helped her carry everything up to the cabin and then left her.

"Okay, Nicky, this is it. Let's get this over with," she said as she opened the door to the cabin.

Hawke was right inside the door waiting for her. He took Nicky from her as soon as she stepped across the threshold. "Come on in. It seems like I've been waiting for you two forever," he said as he smiled.

They spent the next hour playing with Nicky on the floor. Hawke finally picked him up and sat him on his lap in the wheelchair. "I think it's time for you to go to bed," Hawke said as he looked at Cait. "Can I put him down to bed tonight?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure, why not?"

Cait watched Hawke maneuver the wheelchair down the hallway to Nicky's room with Nicky balanced on his lap. Dreading what was coming, she decided to relax while he was putting Nicky to bed. Stretching out on the couch, she kept wondering what Hawke had to say to her.

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Hawke took Nicky into his bedroom to read him a night time story and get him to sleep. When he came back out into the living room, he found Cait asleep on the couch.

'Well, I'll let you sleep for a little bit while I get things ready,' Hawke thought. He would have liked to have kissed Cait, but he knew that he might wake her up, so he didn't.

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An hour and a half later, Hawke went over to where Cait was still sleeping on the couch and woke her up with a kiss. Cait slowly woke up, confused about where she was.

When she realized she was at the cabin, she asked, "What time is it?"

"Around 8:30."

"I must have really needed to sleep," Cait said as she sat up on the couch. "I need to go and check on Nicky."

"Go and check on Nicky, then freshen yourself up because supper's almost ready," Hawke said with a smile.

Cait got up and went down the hallway to check on Nicky. He was sound asleep cuddled up with his Teddy Bear. Cait walked over to him, pulled the covers up over him, and kissed him goodnight. "Sleep well."

Cait then went next door to her room. She opened the door and went into the bathroom. There she was surprised to find a dress hanging on the shower rod with a note. 'I know that you will look beautiful in this dress! Please wear it!'

Cait smiled as she fingered the beautiful dress. "Well, I guess I know what I'll be wearing to dinner tonight, though I don't know why!"

Cait quickly changed and went back to the dining room. She stopped when she got to the door because the room was lighted by just candles and the fireplace. It was filled with white carnations and looked very romantic.

Hawke came up beside her and asked, "You ready to eat?"

Not being able to speak, Cait just nodded her head. Hawke led her to the table and got her seated. He then rolled the wheelchair over to the stove to get supper. Hawke poured each of them a glass of champagne and picked his up, "To you, Cait. You are absolutely beautiful tonight."

Cait tipped her glass to meet his and drank some champagne.

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When the meal was over, Hawke took Cait's hand and turned it over. "Cait, we need to talk."

"Yes, we do," she responded not really wanting to hear what he had to say to her. She closed her eyes dreading what he would say.

Hawke took a deep breath and then he surprised her when he said, "Cait, will you marry me?"

Cait had been expecting many things, but not this. She opened her eyes and just stared at him with her mouth hanging open.

"Well?"

"Oh my gosh, did you just ask me to marry you?" Cait gasped out.

"Yes, and if you're concerned how Nicky feels about it, I already asked him when I put him down to bed," Hawke said with a smile. "He was fine with it."

Hawke paused again and asked nervously, "So, will you? Marry me?"

"Yes! Oh yes, I will!" Cait exclaimed as the tears started flowing down her cheeks.

Hawke reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small box. He opened the box and took out a ring. Taking Cait's hand again, he put the ring on her left hand, then kissed her hand.

"It's lovely!" she said as she stared at her hand. "It's so unique!"

"Yeah, I designed it for us and had it made up. I was hoping that you'd say yes!"

Cait reached for Hawke and pulled him in for a kiss.

"Is all forgiven?" Hawke asked with a mischievous grin.

"Yes!"

"Good. Let's go to bed!" he suggested, "And not go to sleep!"

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The next morning when Nicky came into his mother's bedroom, he wasn't surprised to find Hawke there. He crawled up on Hawke and his mother, and wiggled his way down between them.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Hawke teased Nicky.

Nicky reached over and kissed Hawke, then turned and kissed his mother.

"I think that he's okay with everything," Hawke commented as he looked at Cait smiling.

"Yeah, he's okay with everything," Cait agreed.

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On Monday morning when Hawke was seeing Cait down to the helicopter that Dom had just landed on the dock, he kissed her and Nicky good-bye. "Remember, you only have two weeks to get everything ready," he said calmly. "You invite whomever you want and plan whatever you want. You got that?"

Cait nodded as she kissed him again before getting into the helicopter. Hawke waved good-bye as Dom lifted the helicopter up into the air.

Hawke then turned to Connor who had gotten out of the helicopter, "We've got a lot to get done in two weeks," he said as he watched the helicopter flying away.

Connor started pushing the wheelchair up the hill to the cabin. "Yup. So we'd better get started!"

I promise that this next chapter will be the last one!