Before the attack on Pearl Harbor, before Evelyn told me she was pregnant with Danny's child, I didn't know how things between Danny and I would ever be the same. How they would ever go back to how they used to be.
Danny was my best friend growing up. Now he had become more than that through out the years. He was my brother, my family. There wasn't anything I'd do for him. I'd die for him. But now with Evelyn things were different.
I knew Danny loved her. I knew I loved her. I knew she loved us both. I understood her reasoning for telling me that she was going to give her heart to Danny. She was pregnant with his child. But I still had a hard time coming to terms with their relationship. I felt betrayed by both of them.
All Danny was to do was tell her if I died. Yes, my plane went down and I was reported among the dead. But didn't mean for him to go and fall in love with my girl. I was hurt, I was angry, I was unforgiving.
When Pearl Harbor was attacked I did everything I could to ensure to get as many Japs as I could. But more than that, I did everything I could to protect the two people that ment everything to me, Evelyn and Danny.
Sitting on the ground looking off into the distance knowing what was to come now, the last thing I wanted was Danny to go on this raid. I was still angry and hurt by him, but he was still my best friend, my family. And my fear was that he would not come back alive. All our lives I looked out for him, but never more so than this did I think that I could lose him.
I wanted Danny to stay behind. I knew that if I told him about the baby he wouldn't go. But Evelyn had asked me not to and I respected that. Now as we were about to leave and I saw him approch me I knew none of the hurt and anger I had once had. All I knew was the love I felt for him.
As I watched Danny's plane fly overhead and crash a sense of panic washed over me. I no longer cared about the Japs that were in the field waiting for us to be in the open to shot at. Yes, they did but I fired back as I quickly ran towards Danny's plane.
Fear and panic washed over me again as I saw the Japs tie Danny up. I did the only thing I could think of. I took the gun and began to shoot. The last thing I expected was to run out of bullets. As I stared at the Jap pointing his gun at me I knew that this was it. But Danny once again saved the day, knocking the Japs out of the way, but taking two hits to the chest in duing so.
He seemed to stagger back in slow motion as I watched my best friend fall to the ground. I quickly snapped out of the shock of seeing Danny shot and ran to him. I untied him and took me in his arms. I knew that this would be goodbye, I just could get the words out that I really wanted to say.
I told Danny that he would make it. I told Danny that he was going to be a daddy. He looked at me and said that he wasn't going to make it and said I would be a daddy instead. I tried so hard not to let Danny see me cry, but I could no longer hold it it. I just held him close to me and begged him to live.
Danny then went limp in my arms. I looked down at him and shook him. He was gone. As I sat there with him in my arms and cried, a part of me died with Danny. I leaned into him close and whispered "I love you my brother. I'm so sorry that I couldn't save you this time."
Upon returning I knew that Evelyn would take it hard. I tried so hard to be strong for her. But I was hurting just as much if not more so.
When Evelyn gave birth to Danny's son I looked into his eyes and saw Danny. "He's Danny." I said. Evelyn looked at me with tears in her eyes and smiled. "In every way he is his fathers son." She agreed.
We had married shortly before the birth. It was both hard and wonderful to be Danny's father. Wonderful cause I still had a part of Danny, that in a way Danny would always be alive. But hard, because Danny should have been the one to raise him, not me.
Many years later, as I went to bed one night I had a vision, my last vision. I was back in the war sitting on the ground about to leave for the raid. Danny approched me.
"Rafe, you've raised my son well and with much more love than one can imagine. You've served your country and loved more deeply and whole heartly than anyone I've ever known. But it's over now. You can let go. Rafe, let's go flying." He smiled and held out his hand.
I reached up and took it. It must have broken Evelyn's heart to wake up and find me lying in bed no longer living. I kept my word to her though through out the years. I'd always love her and always be there for her.
Danny and I loved the same things growing up. I guess it should only make sense that we should have fallen in love with the same woman. And when it's her time to join us, I wouldn't be surprised if we both go and get her.
End