As some of my stories do, this one took a slight different direction than originally planned. I had planned a little darker story. We'll see what comes next. :)

Chapter 7

Caitlin awoke to a strong breeze blowing her hair in her face. She looked up to see the cabin door wide open.

"Hawke?" she called out but got no answer. Slowly she got up and hobbled out to the porch. The wind was picking up and she could see the storm rolling in.

"Hawke!" she yelled out again. There was still no answer.

Suddenly the wind grew fierce and she felt herself being knocked off the porch by a strong gust.

She screamed before hitting the ground and having the breath knocked out of her.

"Caitlin!" Hawke yelled as he ran to her. When he reached her, the rain began to fall, pelting them both with large drops of water and hail.

"Caitlin?" he called out to her before picking her up and carrying her back inside the cabin just as the storm grew stronger. He laid her on the couch before shutting and locking the door behind him.

He was out of breath by the time he reached her side again. To his surprise she was looking up at him.

"Your head is bleeding," he told her as he quickly grabbed a first aid kit from the kitchen and took care of her wound. "You seem to be quite accident prone lately."

"I can't seem to keep dry clothes on either," she joked once he was finished.

"What were you doing outside?" he asked. "You scared the hell out of me."

"Looking for you?" she replied. "I couldn't find you and I got worried."

Hawke smiled at her as he brushed the wet hair out of her eyes. "Oh, I was tying down some stuff out back," he told her. I saw the storm coming and I figured there might be a lot of wind."

Hawke helped her sit up. "How about we go and get you some dry clothes on," he told her.

"I can manage," she assured him. "Just help me stand up."

Hawke helped her stand and then to her surprise, wrapped his arms around her waist from the back.

"Hawke, what are you doing?" she asked.

"You'll see," told her as he grabbed the bottom of her shirt and lifted it up and off of her.

Caitlin shivered. "Hawke, come on now," she said. "I thought we discussed this last night."

"We did," he replied as he pushed her wet jeans down. "But that was last night and this is now."

"What has changed?" she asked while standing there in her underwear.

"Nothing, yet everything," he admitted.

Caitlin pulled away from him. "Let me go up and get my dry clothes," she said. "Stay here, I'll be back down."

Caitlin started up the steps but her ankle slowed her down. Hawke came up from behind, picked her up, and carried her the rest of the way.

Slowly he placed her on the bed and sat down beside her.

"Hawke I….." she started to say but he put his finger on her lips.

"I was afraid of losing you," he said softly. "Hell, I still am."

"What?" she asked confused.

Hawke leaned over, grabbed her arm and pulled her to him before kissing her softly.

Afterwards he smiled at her and handed her a robe.

She stared at him a moment as she put the robe on and tried to stand.

"Whoa there," he said after seeing her waver a bit. "Take it easy."

Caitlin sat back down on the bed and sighed. "It sure has been a rough weekend. Poor Dom's birthday didn't quite turn out as planned."

Hawke climbed over to the other side of the bed and lay down. He gestured for Caitlin to do the same.

"I won't bite, I promise," he told her. "Just lay beside me."

Caitlin swung her legs back up on the bed and lay down. Hawke turned to his side and propped his head up with one arm. He reached over and let his other hand rest on her stomach.

"I thought you said you weren't going to bite?" Caitlin joked.

Hawke laughed. "I take it I'm making you nervous," he said. "You always make jokes when you're nervous. I guess that's one of the things I love about you."

Caitlin shifted to her side and looked at him quizzically. "How do you know that?" she asked. "Did Dom tell you that?"

"No, he didn't have to," Hawke replied softly as he brushed her cheek with his hand and moved closer to her. "When I woke up this morning, I realized that I remembered everything."

"If that's true, then what are you doing?" she whispered.

Hawke shot her a serious look. "Something I should have done a long time ago but was too afraid."

Caitlin pulled away but he reached over and pulled her back to him. "Just hear me out," he said. "Please."

"Fine," she said giving in. She felt her heartbeat getting faster at the feel of his touch. She wanted more than anything for him to be telling her the truth but the events of the previous night gave her doubts.

"The thing that bugged me the most when I couldn't remember you was why we were just friends," he admitted. "When I finally remembered it all, I realized the reasons. Or at least the reasons I told myself."

"What was that?" she asked sadly.

"That you deserved better," he replied. "That if I got involved with you, I'd lose you just like I've lost nearly everyone else in my life. I held you at arm's length because I was afraid of taking that chance."

Caitlin laid her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes. "That's what Dom always told me," she replied "I'm sure that's what he told you as well."

Hawke sighed. "What is it that I need to say to make you believe that I remember everything now?" he asked.

Caitlin propped her head up again and looked at him. Okay," She replied. "Maybe there isn't anything you can say but something you can do."

"What's that?" he asked.

"Well, when we first met," she replied with a slight smile. "Dom had gotten me a job on the set. Show me what I told you that you had better not do."

Hawke smiled at her and then laughed.

"What's so funny" she asked.

"I took that warning pretty seriously you know," he replied.

"Don't remember do you?" she asked sarcastically.

"Promise not to hurt me?" he asked in a near whisper as he moved closer to her.

"Nope," she whispered back.

Hawke leaned in and began kissing her. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, exploring as much of her mouth as he could.

To her own surprise, Caitlin relaxed and let herself go. When he finished, he pulled away and smiled at her.

"Thanks for not biting," he told her with a slight chuckle.

Caitlin laughed. "I wouldn't have," she replied. "Even back then I wouldn't have. I was just scared."

"Me too," he whispered.

"Right," she replied sarcastically. "Mr. Confident with women never seems scared to me."

Hawke smiled. "Then my facade works then." He mused.

Caitlin sighed. "Well, now that everything is nearly back to normal," she replied. "I guess I should get dressed now."

Hawke leaned over and untied the belt of her robe before sliding closer to her again.

"Hawke, what are you doing?" she asked surprised.

"What I should have done a long time ago," he replied, pushing the robe off of her. "Tell me to stop and I will."

Caitlin reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him to her. He kissed her again, this time even more passionately than the last. Her pulse quickened as he slowly removed the rest of the robe.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The next morning, Caitlin awoke once again, in Hawke's bed. She smiled as she felt his arms wrapped around her from behind.

"Now this is how I wanted to wake up naked and in your bed," she whispered to herself.

"Yeah, this is how I wanted it too," to her surprise, he whispered back.

She turned and looked up at him with a smile. "Last night was amazing," she replied. "It was definitely worth waiting for."

"I agree," he replied softly. "And it's a night I'll never forget."

(End)