Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story. They are not my own. I only cherish them.

My stories are set in real-time. Dom is a Vietnam vet and String and St. John were in Iraq post 9/11.

Chapter 1: He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Valentines Day

As Cait pushed the broom through the hanger trying to tidy up before the studio executives showed up to meet with Dom she was trying to decide if she should go out with her friends or go home and spend Valentines day alone with leftovers. She was pathetic. Twenty-six years old and Dom had a better love life than she did. It wasn't like she couldn't get a date. A lot of men asked her out. Just not the men she was interested in. A few short months from now she will have been with Dom and String for two years. In that time she had a few relationships but nothing serious. She thought back to a conversation Dom had with her last week. Although it was less of a conversation and more of a lecture. He accused her of passing up some good men while waiting for mister right. He didn't come out and say it but she knew he was referring to String. She long suspected that Dom was aware she was pretty much in love with String. She also knew he was aware that String did not feel the same towards her. For her it started out as a crush. The first time she laid eyes on him in the Pope County jail she was a goner. His piercing steel blue eyes and his fierce loyalty to his missing friend drew him to her like no other man she had ever met. Seeing him in that big black battleship with roters sealed the deal. Since the first day she arrived here she has loved him from afar. Never daring to hope for more. His friendship was all she would ever have. At one time she thought that would be enough. Now that she was getting older watching her friends get married and have children she wondered if Dom was right. As she was putting the broom away a delivery truck pulled up. The driver opened the back retrieving a dozen beautiful red roses in a cut glass vase. Being the only woman who worked there she figured they had to be for her. Her heart was beating faster as the man approached.

" Is this Santini Air?" Cait nodded yes as the man sat the flowers on the work bench. She was excited to read the card but first had to tip the driver. She reached into her pocket pulling out a few bills. "Thank you" the driver replied as he turned to leave. Cait was giddy as a school girl. She took the flowers into the office to read the card.

It read:

" Thank you for helping me learn to love once more. I never thought I would feel this way again." String

Cait sat in her chair before her legs gave out. String loved her? She read the card again making sure she read it right. She was so lost in the moment that she didn't hear String come in. Not knowing what to say she threw her arms around him and kissed him deeply. " I love you too String. What a beautiful way to tell me" she said as she pointed to the flowers. Her smile quickly left her lips as she noticed that String looked not only confused but horrified.

"String say something. Didn't you send these flowers to me with this note?"

String took the note from her hand and read it. Cait saw the compassion in his eyes as he met hers. This wasn't going to be good.

" Cait, I'm so sorry. This was meant for someone else. They must have mixed up the billing address with the delivery address."

Cait felt her cheeks go hot. Her face was flushed and she felt like the room was spinning. Then it hit her full force what had just taken place. She thought the flowers were for her, she kissed him and oh lord,she told him she loved him.

She fumbled around for her purse. All she wanted to do was leave and never come back. Who was she fooling, what she really wanted to do was fall off the face of the earth and never be seen again. String saw the panic in her eyes and knew she was about to bolt out of there.

"Cait, wait. Talk to me. This was just a misunderstanding between friends. No harm done."

Cait was trying not to cry. That was the last thing she wanted to do. He went to hug her. Cait moved away from him towards the door. "Please String, let me go before I make an even bigger fool of myself."

String reached for her again. "Cait you didn't make a fool of yourself." She again pulled away and headed for her car. "Please String, if you care about me you will let me leave. "

"Ok" he said softly as he moved aside to let her leave with what pride she had left.