Author's note: Hi there! Its been an extremely long time since I last uploaded, but recently I felt that push to write something again. Partly the fault of LavenderStorm I must say, haha, she uploads so frequently that I felt quite ashamed of myself. This story came as a random spark of inspiration, so its not going to be a long one. Its my first attempt at writing a one-shot story, so I hope its up to expectations. Reviews are much appreciated!
Rafe McCawley gazed aimlessly out of his window. The white curtains blew into his face and he brushed them aside irritably. It was a typical day in Tennessee, with the bright sun, blue sky, fluffy clouds. It was the sort of day when he would wish he could take Evelyn out on a date, and pick up the phone to call her workplace only to remember that he had something else to do on the farm. It was the sort of day when little Danny would insist on being taken out to fly, but little Danny was staying over at his friend's house today. It was the sort of day when he should be busy on the farm, taking care of the wheat and basically just enjoying the breeze.
But today he just did not feel up to it. And the look Evelyn gave him as he kissed her goodbye this morning showed all too well that she didn't feel like going to work either.
Because this was the day, twenty years ago, that Danny died for him. That day, he lost a brother, Evelyn lost a man she loved, and little Danny lost his father.
It didn't hurt any less after twenty years. Well, watching as little Danny grew up was somewhat of a comfort to him. Sometimes, hearing little Danny read aloud, talking excitedly about school, obsessing over how some of his classmates got into a fight and he had to break them up, it felt like he had Danny back with him again.
But he knew, there could never be another Danny Walker.
His best friend, his brother. He missed him so much, and all he had was a photo. A photo which Danny and Evelyn took together with him after the party in New York City many years ago, the last night he spent in America before going to the Eagle Squadron in England. He had insisted they take the photo, and despite Danny's usual habit of avoiding the camera, that night he had been exceptionally co-operative.
Perhaps Danny had sensed that deep down, Rafe was scared that he wouldn't make it back, and wanted to leave them something to remember him by. So Danny had obligingly taken that photo without making a fuss.
How ironic, then, that the photo he wanted Danny to have as a souvenir became the only photo he had of his friend.
Maybe, if he hadn't gone on the Doolittle Raid, Danny might not have died. After all, his plane went down first, and Danny's plane crashed because he decided to turn back round to save him from being surrounded by Japanese soldiers, absolutely forgetting that his own fuel tank is almost empty.
And if he hadn't decided to pull that trigger on the Japanese soldiers around Danny when they were being captured, they might have ended up captured, yes, but Danny might still be alive.
Annoyed at the direction his thoughts were taking, Rafe stood up suddenly from his window seat.
Heck about all that, he should get on with his life. Its been twenty years, for goodness sake.
Well, to be exact, it has been twenty years and two months and 4 days.
Rafe walked towards the doorway, and stood there, taking a deep breath of fresh air. The small slab of stone in the front yard was the first thing that greeted him, and despite his dark thoughts, Rafe couldn't help walking over and giving the stone a pat. "Afternoon, Danny. It's a great day, huh?"
The inscription on the stone looked back at him.
Captain Danny Walker
15.4.1916 - 15.4.1942
Forever in our hearts
The fact that Danny died on his own birthday just made it that much harder to forget.
Honestly Danny, I miss you so much.
Just then, the postman, or rather postboy (if there's such a term), came by on his bicycle. "Mail, sir!" he called, tossing a bundle over the gate, waving before rushing off to the next house.
Rafe couldn't help but grin. That Jimmy's cheerfulness was just contagious somehow.
Picking up the bundle, he walked back into the house, sorting quickly through the envelopes.
Bills, bills, bills. Oh, and little Danny's school fees were due. Right, these could wait.
Just as he was about to toss the pile onto the table, an envelope he hadn't noticed slid to the floor. Grunting, Rafe bent down to retrieve it. He frowned as he looked at the sender. That looked like the address of another post office. Why was the post office sending letters to him?
Opening the envelope, he raised his eyebrow. There was a short letter inside, along with yet another envelope, a really old, brown one at that. Taking out the letter, he grabbed his reading glasses from the shelf and scanned through the words.
"Dear Mr McCawley,
Over the past few years, we have been trying to sort out letters which got lost in the mail during the war. Attached is a letter addressed to you in 1941. We contacted the address stated and was told that you had returned to America, and it took a while to trace back to your current address. We apologize for the delay in delivery and for causing any distress on your part."
A letter from 1941? The war hadn't even started yet! Was this a joke of some kind?
Squinting at the half-faded handwriting, Rafe managed to make out the address written on the once white envelope.
Whatton Road, Eagle Squadron, London.
Eagle Squadron? LONDON?
All the lethargy and melancholy disappeared. Rafe felt fully awake now. What's this?
The handwriting looked seriously familiar though. That looked like…Rafe's eyes widened. Could it be?
Hands trembling, Rafe opened the letter carefully, and started to read.
"Dear Rafe,
Its been ages since I last wrote to you, and I really sorry about that. Its just that I have been quite busy lately, packing up and settling down in my new home. Have I told you? I got transferred from Long Island to Pearl Harbor, and I've been here for quite a while now. I'm doing fine here, so don't worry about me.
I haven't heard from you for a while either. I do hope everything over there is doing fine. Everyday I hear of planes being shot down somewhere over in England and my heart would skip a beat. Because for all I know, that could have been you, and goodness knows what I am going to do if it was you.
Every day, Rafe. You know how hard it is?
I know I promised to be the one to tell Evelyn if anything happened to you, but for goodness sake don't make me do it. Honestly, I have no idea how I am going to do it if I had to, and I am pretty well not going to start planning my speech now. Don't make me do it, Rafe.
Talking about that, you remember the day Doolittle told you about your assignment to England? He was talking about how America might be involved in the war sooner or later. Yeah, I met him in the corridor the other day, before I came to Pearl, and he asked me that question as well, whether I was ready for war.
So I told him that I was, and I mean it. If war did come to America, I would join in the fight, and I won't regret that decision either. Even if it would cost me my life, I am willing to fight to protect my country. Its my decision Rafe, so don't you go all protective on me again.
It's what you would do as well, isn't it? You have been fighting in the war for months now, and you've seen what war can do to people and the countries involved. I'm not letting that happen to my home, not if I can help it.
The other day Red, Billy and Anthony barged into my room to drag me out to the pub, and they saw that photo we took the night before you left for England. Guess what? They decided to send you a photo of us as well, just to make you jealous of the fun we are having here. I really regret letting you persuade me into taking a photo that day Rafe, because now I had no reason not to take another one.
So, here it is then. Hope it makes you jealous enough to come back sooner. If you do decide to come back, make sure it is in one piece, and a live one at that.
Home of the Brave,
Danny Walker"
A letter from Danny, after all these years.
Reaching back into the envelope, he brought out a somewhat tattered photo.
There they were, Red, Anthony, Billy and Danny. Seeing the evil grins on the three faces and the awkward smile on the last one almost made Rafe laugh out loud. Yes, that was exactly how they were back then.
Strange enough, Rafe did not feel sad at all. He could visualize Danny writing that letter, even saying those words. Telling him that he didn't regret his decisions, and Rafe should get on with his life.
And seeing Danny's handwriting again meant the world to him. The photo too. Even though the letter came twenty years late, Rafe felt like kissing every single person in the post office right now. Because they had brought his best friend back to him, even if it was only in the form of a letter.
Clutching the photo and letter tightly in his hand, Rafe hurriedly slapped on his hat and bounded out of the house towards his car. He couldn't wait to share these with Evelyn.
On his way, he waved happily to the small stone in the front yard, and called "Thanks a lot, Danny!"
And he was pretty sure the inscription on the stone smiled back at him.
How was it?