"But I just want to know why!" The young pilot exclaimed, his voice weak, raspy, and barely audible except to girl standing beside him with her eyes cast to the pavement. "Just tell me that, will you please? Just tell me why!"

She brought her head up, her shining orbs meeting his. Tiny droplets of water gathered in the corners, before sliding down her cheeks, each leaving a trail behind. She looked at him, obviously hating what she so needed to tell him. "Rafe I'm pregnant." Evelyn said softly, her eyes swimming with tears. She drew in an unstable breath and looked away again.

The color drained out of his face and his eyes began to flood with tears as the words sank in. Rafe turned away. 'I'm pregnant.' Those two words rang in his ears like the echo of a canon blast. She was going to have a child, but it wasn't his. No, it was Danny's. Evelyn was going to be a mother, but he wasn't going to be a father. A life of happiness, filled with love and children. A home. All that Rafe longed to give her. Everything he wanted to share with her, passed before his minds eye. He saw all this, but the life he saw, was for her and Danny.

'I'm pregnant.' Those two words which brought joy and sorrow in equal measure to his heart. They drilled into his mind. They carved and burned themselves into his memory forever. To Rafe, it was the final and irrefutable evidence that she would never be his. Up to now, Rafe had held onto a small ray of hope. Now, it was gone. Even if Evelyn chose him, a part of her heart would always belong to Danny. They were each others first. And now, she was having his baby. Rafe wanted to speak, but the words were lodged in his throat. He turned to look at her, his eyes saying a million words. Regret and sorrow rushed in like the opening of a flood gate.

'If only,' he thought, 'if only I hadn't left. If only I had stayed here instead of going to join a war that I was so eager to fight in, then she would still be mine.' But Evelyn's heart belonged to Danny now. He felt hurt, rejected, and betrayed, even though he knew he wasn't. Rafe realized that he couldn't be angry. They thought he had died. And in their grief, they found solace and comfort in each other. But the pain would always remain with him. It would always sting and hurt when ever he thought of this place. The memories would flood him with happiness and torment at the same time.

This place... so much had happened here in the last few days, Rafe couldn't make sense of it. His return. Finding Evelyn. Seeing her with Danny. The bitter rift that was driven between Danny and himself, his best friend and brother. The attack. All of it. His mind was so confused with the events of the past few days, that he didn't know how to sort it all out. His eyes searched Evelyn's face, he could see her pain as well. But he knew she loved Danny. Rafe surrendered. He looked away from her again and leaned against the door frame.

Evelyn walked closer to him. "I didn't even know until the day you turned up alive," she began. Her tears now freely streaming down her face. "And then all this happened. I haven't told Danny. I don't want him to know. All he needs to think about is how to do this mission and get back alive." She took a deep and shaky breath. "Rafe," she breathed, her voice starting to break. "Please understand, when we thought you had died it killed us inside. I lost the man I loved. Danny lost his best friend... his brother. For months we grieved. But Danny helped me heal, as I helped him. We never intended for any of this to happen." Evelyn stopped to wipe the tears from her face. "Oh Rafe, all I ever wanted was for us to have a home and grow old together. But life never asked me what I wanted. Now I'm going to give Danny my whole heart. But I don't think I'll ever look at another sunset without thinking of you. You will always have a place in my heart, and I will always love you." Evelyn walked away to find Danny.

"Wait!" Rafe called back to her. "Evelyn wait!" She stopped, but didn't turn around to face him. She couldn't bear to see him again. "Do you..." he began, sorrow tainting his voice, "do you... love him... I mean, are you in love with him?"

Evelyn turned her head slowly and wiped a tear on her cheek with the palm of her hand. "I am," she answered. Rafe glanced down at the pavement. "I can't explain how it happened, it just did. But yes, I do love Danny, very much."

It wasn't a lie, Evelyn loved Danny with her whole heart. Just as she had loved Rafe. What she felt for Rafe was different from what she felt for Danny. Evelyn couldn't explain it. Her love for Rafe, was the first she had ever experienced. It was new and exciting. First loves never leave you. They remain in your memory, and sometimes in your heart throughout your life. Rafe would always have a place in her heart. Evelyn knew that, and so did Danny. She loved him, and always would. But what she felt for Danny was so much more. Danny had healed her broken heart. He had carefully gathered and put all the pieces back together. Danny loved her wholly and unconditionally. And she loved the feeling of someone caring for her again. But despite everything, Evelyn had told herself that she couldn't fall for Rafe's best friend. It wouldn't be right. But when did the heart ever listen? When did it ever reason or discern who you could or couldn't love? It was fickle and spontaneous. Like her love for Danny. She knew it when they went flying over Pearl. And then, after that night, everything became clear again. It was a passionate love. It was a love born like the last flower of spring. Slow to bloom, but when it does, it's vibrant, and beautiful.

The words of Danny's poem came into her mind. It seemed like the perfect description of her love for him. Of their love for each other.

'I soared above the song birds...
And never heard them sing...
I lived my life in Winter...
And then you brought the Spring!'

Rafe didn't look up "I suppose that a guy like me could never keep a girl like you. I'm too much of a daredevil. Always searching for danger. For a fight. Danny... he's stable. He knows where he wants to go. What he wants to do. And once he sets his mind to something, there's no stopping him. I wouldn't be surprised if he hasn't already begun looking for rings." He chuckled softly. "I know that he's gonna be a good father."

Evelyn smiled sadly. "Rafe, I did love you. I still do and always will. But Danny was there for me durning the hardest times in my life. I didn't mean to fall in love, in fact I fought so hard against it. I didn't want to, but I found myself loving again, and being loved. I couldn't deny what I felt for him. I couldn't help it. I'm so sorry Rafe if I have hurt you. Believe me, it was never my intention. I would never do anything deliberately to cause you pain and sorrow."

Rafe glanced up, and Evelyn saw that his eyes were red from trying to fight back tears. He looked at her for a long moment. "Danny's my best friend, more like my brother. He's a good guy. And I know that he'll take care of you." Rafe walked back inside and closed the door.

Evelyn walked across the airfield to where Danny sat waiting for her. Together, they walked to the plane. There was little exchange of words. Worry and sorrow hung over both of their hearts. Danny stopped and set his bags on the ground. Evelyn gazed at him, her eyes saying everything that was in her heart. He could see it, the worry and reluctance to part. He felt the same way.

Days before they had been happy. They had healed and moved on from the loss of Rafe. Then he returned. Danny of course was happy that he was alive, but now there was a cloud between them. Evelyn. There was no denying that they both loved her, but neither of them was going to step aside and walk away peacefully. But now, none of that seemed to matter. After that morning when Japan attacked. An attack which claimed so many lives, Danny and Rafe forced themselves to put aside all differences. There was so much more at stake then a personal feud.

Days ago they were happy... It felt like a whole lifetime had passed since Danny held Evelyn in his arms. And for all he knew, this could be his last chance to do so. But there was something clouding Danny's mind, and he had to tell her. "You know," Danny said with a shaky breath, "the only thing that scares me, is that you might love him more then you love me." He didn't mean it in a jealous way. No, Danny was scared of making Evelyn unhappy. He loved her too much to see her suffer again. If she wanted to be with Rafe, then he would step aside and walk away, no matter how much it hurt him. All Danny ever wanted was for her to be happy.

Evelyn dropped her head to the ground and sighed. Her eyes found Danny again, tears shimmered in them. "I love you, Danny!" She said trying to force a smile. "You know I do! Danny, when I thought Rafe was dead, a part of me died too. And if it wasn't for you, I never would have survived. You taught me how to love again." Evelyn reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her finger ran through the hair at the base of his neck. She looked into his deep brown eyes, her own searching every inch of his face. So many times Evelyn had looked at him and studied every little detail of his features. The way his face would frown when he thought. The way he would cock a toothy grin when he was asleep, or telling a story. She knew every little detail, every little curve. And Evelyn looked carefully once more, painting for herself a mental picture. "You are the love of my life, Daniel Walker! I love you! And I'll be waiting right here for you to come back." It was a longer speech then she should have given. But Evelyn needed him to know that she loved him with all her heart. Danny smiled. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. They're lips remained locked for a long moment before he pulled away and held her in a tight embrace. "Just come back to me," Evelyn pleaded in hushed tones. "Just come back to me."

Danny buried his face in her hair. "I promise," he whispered. "I will come home to you!" He kissed her again, savoring the taste of her lips. Their sweetness and warmth. "I love you!"

"I love you to!" Evelyn tried to force a smile, but it was of no use. "Now get going Lieutenant!" She said chocked up.

Danny nodded and looked over to Billy, who was saying his own goodbyes to Barbra. She cried and sobbed into his chest, begging him not to leave. Danny didn't want to say anything, but he had too. "Hey Red!" He called. "It's time to go!"

Billy turned his head to Danny. "Coming!" He looked back to Barbra, kissing her one more time. "I'll see you in a few weeks!" He turned and ran to the plane.

Danny kissed Evelyn once more and boarded the aircraft. He waved at her sadly from the window where he sat. Evelyn wanted nothing more then to able to go with him as she watched the aircraft take off down the runway.

Already, she could feel the absence of his presence in her heart. Her eyes searched the sky, and small droplets began to form. How could she have any tears left? She had shed enough already to fill the sea. Her heart longed for Danny to return, and Rafe with him. Evelyn's heart broke. In a matter of a few short days, Rafe had been returned to her, only to lose him again, and Danny with him. She couldn't lose Danny. Losing Rafe had broken her heart. But the thought of losing Danny, was unthinkable. Evelyn breathed a silent prayer for courage and forced herself to turn away and leave the airfield with Barbra beside her.