I made a point when I started writing my Rafe and Evelyn stories that it was to tell the story the way I wished it had been. I'm going to switch gears on this one story to follow the movie. There have been so many good stories written and a few that just didn't ring true. This is my take on what happened when Rafe returned to Pearl Harbor after the raid.

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He couldn't believe that Danny wasn't there.

Since they were boys, Danny Walker had always been a part of Rafe McCawley's life and he'd given it without a second thought to save his best friend.

He now understood fully how Danny must have felt when he'd gone to England and been shot down. He was absolutely lost and didn't know what he was going to do. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair and could feel tears flooding his eyes. His best friend, hell, his brother was gone and he was going to have to tell Evelyn that the father of her child was dead.

The transport he was on that was carrying the bodies of not only Danny, but Anthony as well was coming in for a final approach to Pearl Harbor. His stomach was in knots and he had the sudden feeling he was going to throw up. He stared out the window and wished he didn't have to go back and tell Evelyn.

"Captain?"

Rafe looked up and saw Colonel Doolittle standing next to his seat. "Please have a seat Colonel."

"Thank you Captain." And he sat down and sighed. "I'm very sorry about Captain Walker son. I know you were friends."

A tear finally escaped and he looked at the Colonel. "It should have been me sir."

"It shouldn't have been anyone Captain."

Rafe thought about it for a moment before he confided in his commander. "You don't understand sir. Danny has a baby on the way and he needed to be here for that, not me."

"Lieutenant Johnson?"

"Yes sir." And another tear rolled down his cheek.

"There is nothing I can say to make this better for you and I wish I could. But you did mend your fences before we went on the mission, so that should be of some comfort."

"It is sir." He sighed. "He wants me to be the baby's father."

Colonel Doolittle smiled. "That's quite an honor son. He must've known that you'd take care of his child as if it were your own."

"I will sir that's a guarantee. It's the least I can do for him."

"Captain, you seem to be forgetting something or should I say someone." He said quietly.

"Evelyn." Rafe said her name on a sigh.

"That's right. It's none of my business, but I'm going to ask anyway. Do you love her?"

"With all my heart sir." Rafe seemed surprised by the question.

"Even after everything that's happened?"

He'd been thinking a lot about it since the surviving pilots had boarded the transport for home and he'd had to face some facts. Evelyn and Danny had thought he was dead and had grieved together. She had told him she hadn't been looking for Danny and he did believe her. What hurt the most he realized was not so much that Evelyn had been with Danny, it was that she hadn't been with him even though they'd had the opportunity. But that had been Rafe's decision before he'd left for England.

Not for the first time did he have some regrets about going to England and leaving her just when their courtship was really starting. If he hadn't left her, the baby she was carrying might very well be his because they would probably be married.

But as his daddy had always told him, you can't look back because it's already done. What you have to do is look forward and make the most of it.

"Captain?"

Rafe gave himself a metal shake. "Yes sir. Even after everything."

"That's good son because she's going to need you now."

"And I'm goin' to be there for her and for the baby too."

"I wish you all the best Captain." The Colonel told him before he got up. "She's a very lucky girl to have someone like you."

"I'm the one who's lucky sir."

He returned to his seat and strapped himself in as the plane started it's decent. Rafe did the same before he looked out the window again wondering how he was going to tell Evelyn.

Colonel Doolittle was the first off the transport followed by Red and Gooz. Rafe stayed in his seat for as long as he possibly could before he got up. The Red Cross had come aboard to help with the coffins and Rafe made sure he was by Danny's side. He wanted to do this one last thing for his best friend.

When he finally got to the door of the transport he could see Evelyn standing at the gate, smiling. He couldn't smile back because his heart was weighted with grief. After he stepped off he waited for Danny's coffin to be brought down and he, Red and Gooz carried it off.

Rafe saw the smile fade from her face when she realized that Danny was not coming out behind him. She grasped his jacket in her hand as she put an arm around Rafe's neck and she cried. Rafe had no more tears left as he put his free arm around her waist to hold her.

He had to leave her for a few minutes to load Danny's coffin into a waiting hearse which would take it back to Wheeler, with the others and he asked her to wait for him.

When he returned, he could see that she looked absolutely exhausted and put a tentative arm around her. She looked at him and put her head down on his shoulder as they walked to her car. "You look real tired Evelyn, I'll get you home."

"I'd rather stay with you."

He had no idea how to respond. "Honey, you really should get some rest."

Evelyn stopped mid stride and looked at Rafe, she looked stunned at the endearment.

He hadn't realized he's said it, it had just slipped out.

"Could we go for a walk? I'd really like to talk, I think we need to." She asked before she put her head back on his shoulder.

"All right Evelyn." He agreed.

When they got to the car, she took the keys out of her purse and handed them to Rafe. He helped her to sit down before he went around to the driver's side and got in. He started the car before he looked at her. "Is there a place you have in mind?"

"Yes. I'll direct you there."

Rafe nodded before he drove away from the airfield and to the spot Evelyn had picked, so they could talk.