The Choice

A/N: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter 11

4:30 a.m.; Wednesday; The FIRM Clinic

Following the confrontation at the CHM Airline Hangar several hours earlier, Dom and Hawke had brought Caitlin directly to the The FIRM's clinic where she could be treated by the agency's best doctors. Archangel had been advised of what had happened and spent the last several hours cleaning up after Airwolf's mission, including having to do some fast talking trying to explain the aircraft that the LAX control tower swore they had seen entering and leaving the airport grounds on their radar. The explosion at the Hangar would be contributed to a gas leak from one of the jets and eventually everything would be swept under the rug and forgotten with nary a mention of the Moffets involvement to the general public.

Once he dropped Hawke and Cait off, Dom had headed back to The Lair with Airwolf while Hawke spent the next hour and a half pacing the waiting room floor at the Clinic. When he wasn't raving at the clinic staff wanting to know why he couldn't be with Caitlin, he spent the time reflecting over what had happened over the last couple of hours.

At the airport, Hawke had been so caught up in getting to Cailtin and then helping her away from the hangar that, at first, he hadn't realized how hurt she actually was. When she collapsed unexpectedly in his arms on the tarmac, he was so frightened that he had convinced himself that she was dead. He had fallen to the ground with her as he cradled her in his arms, tears falling, believing he had once again lost a woman he loved. It wasn't until Dom had knelt beside him, telling him that Cait was still alive and that they needed to get her to a hospital that Hawke was able to see that she really was still breathing.

By the time they had arrived at the clinic, it had taken Dom and a couple of orderlies to pry Hawke away from Cait long enough to allow the doctors to get a look at her. Dom kept insisting to the younger man that Caitlin would be okay but Hawke refused to believe it until he could see her with his own eyes. There had been too many times that the people he loved the most had left him stranded, even after making promises that they would always be there.

Finally after what had seemed like an eternity, a nurse came and told him that Caitlin was going to be fine. She had a severe concussion, a dislocated shoulder that had been reset and lots of bruising but with time, she would be okay. They would keep her in the hospital for a couple of days for observation but then she would be free to go home.

Upon hearing the report, Hawke had literally collapsed into a chair behind him. Returning from taking Airwolf back to The Lair, Dominic arrived just in time to see Hawke's collapse.

"String! What is it?" he asked in a panic praying that it wasn't bad news.

Looking up at the man he considered a father with tears in his eyes, Hawke could barely speak. "She's going to be okay, Dom. She's really going to be okay."

"Well of course she is, String. I told you that she was too stubborn to let anything happen!" Dom said with a relieved smile. "Listen, you're exhausted. Now that we know she's fine, why don't you go back to the hangar or your cabin and get some shut eye. I'll stay here and I'll call you as soon as she wakes up."

"No, I need to see her for myself. Even if she's just sleeping, I need to see her. I need to let her know that I'm here and I need to tell her some things I should have said a long time ago. You go. I'll stay with her for now."

Dom started to object but when he saw the look in Hawke's eyes, he knew it would be of no use. "Okay, kid, you do what you have to do. But give her a big kiss for me, will ya? I'll be back later this morning."

"Yeah, Dom. I'll do that," Hawke said as he regained his composure and stood back up. "And, Dom…"

"Yeah, kid?"

"Thanks. I don't say it enough but thanks for keeping my head on straight. I don't think I could make it through a day without knowing you were there."

"Aww heck, kid., sure you could," Dom said slightly embarrassed yet extremely happy to hear such things coming from Hawke. "Now go see our girl. The only thanks I need is to see you two happy."

Hawke walked over and gave Dom a hug. Both men had tears in their eyes as they headed in opposite directions.

AWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAW

9:10 a.m.; Wednesday; Caitlin's hospital room

Cait slowly awakened as she shielded her eyes from the sunlight streaming into her room. Looking around it took her a few minutes to orient herself to her surroundings but she smiled as soon as her eyes settled on Hawke who was sleeping in a chair with his head down on his folded arms on the side of her hospital bed. Reaching out she lightly ran her fingers through his hair causing him to stir.

"Hey, sleepy head," she said as he quickly raised his head in reaction to the touch.

"Caitlin? You're awake!"

"I know that," she said with a sly smile causing him to chuckle with the memory of the first time he had heard that retort from her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he got up from the chair and perched next to her on the bed. As he spoke, he took her hand in both of his.

"Like I've been hit by a truck but I'll be okay. I bet I look awful," she said as she reached up with her other hand and lightly touched some of the bruising Connor Moffet had left on her face.

"You look absolutely beautiful," Hawke answered back with a smile.

"Well, Stringfellow Hawke, just so you know, flattery and white lies will get you just about anything you want!" she answered with a laugh.

"I've already got everything I want, right here." Hawke said seriously as he reached up and lightly brushed a wisp of hair out of Cait's eyes. "That is, if you'll have me."

Caitlin's heart skipped a beat as she looked deep into Hawke's steel blue eyes. She could tell that something had definitely changed in him since this whole ordeal had started. Had he finally come to his senses about her? She hoped with all of her might that he had but there was something she had to know first.

"Hawke, what about Sinjin?" she asked delicately.

"Sinjin?" Hawke asked with a confused look on his face. She had thrown him for a loop with her question.

"Yeah. I'm still really not sure about what all happened but I figured out that whoever it was that had me was trying to make you decide between me and Sinjin. It's why I was trying to escape when I did. I knew that if I was able to get away, you wouldn't have to choose. I didn't want you to go through that. But I don't know what happened. Is Sinjin alive? Did you find him?"

Hawke stood up from the bed and walked over to the window where he stood and looked out at nothing in particular for a few minutes before answering. He needed time to decide exactly what Cait needed to know at this point. Deciding he could tell her about Moffet and his nephew later, he proceeded to answer her question. "No, Cait, I didn't find him. You're right, the people that had you had some things that made me believe that Sinjin was alive. They wanted Airwolf and they said if I handed it over I could either get you or Sinjin back in return, but not both."

"Oh, String!" Caitlin said with a gasp. She could tell by looking at him how hard the last 24 hours must have been for him.

Turning to look at Caitlin, Hawke continued. "I so wanted to believe he was alive, Cait and that I was finally going to find him but at the same time I realized that I couldn't stand the thought of losing you. I realized that I loved you Cait…no…that I was IN love with you and when I heard what was happening to you on the other end of that phone line I just couldn't handle it."

"String…" Caitlin started to speak but was at a loss for words realizing that the emotional turmoil he had been experiencing was a hundred times worse than any physical harm she had been caused.

Walking back across the room, Hawke took his seat back on the bed next to Caitlin. "Finally, Dom and I were able to find some information that led me to the conclusion that the 'evidence' I'd been sent on Sinjin was fake. And other things we found have also led me to believe that he is probably dead, and probably has been for a long time. It tore me up to admit that but then there was you. I knew you were still out there and I knew the only thing that would get me through all of this was to get you back home where you belonged...where I NEEDED you, Cait."

Reaching out, Caitlin gently stroked Hawke's cheek. "String, I wish things had been different. But maybe there's still a chance, right? There's no body to prove that he's gone. Maybe Sinjin's still out there. You can't stop looking, String, and I'll be there every step of the way to help you if you'll let me."

Leaning forward, Hawke gently took Cait in his arms and held her close enough that he could feel her heartbeat meld with his own. Finally letting go he leaned back and looked her in the eyes. "I'm not an easy man, Cait, you know that. I've got a lot of demons and with Airwolf you know there's always the prospect of danger close by. But I promise you, if you'll give me a chance, I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy. You and Dom are my family and no matter what happens with Sinjin, I need you in my life. No one has ever made me happy the way you do. So, I'll ask you again…will you have me?"

"String, don't you know? You've had me since the day you rescued me in Pope County. I've always loved you…sometimes I think I've loved you even before I met you. I've just been waiting for you to figure out that you loved me, too."

"Caitlin O'Shannessy, I love you!" he declared as he took her back in his arms.

"I know that!" Cait said with a chuckle just before she finally got the kiss she'd been waiting a lifetime for.

The END!

I hope you liked it! I'm already thinking of my next story, hoping I can get it started soon. Thanks for all of the follows, faves, and reviews