Description: ~ Ellen Prescott, a Navy nurse, is stationed in Long Island where she meets a young Army pilot, who she is instantly drawn to in a way she can't explain. But when she and her fellow nurses are transferred to Pearl Harbor, a Army and Naval base in Hawaii, Ellen wonders if she'll ever see the pilot again.

Besides that, Ellen knows that the peace between America and Japan is short lived. With Hitler at war with all of Europe, and Japan backing him with full support, Ellen sees the writing on the wall. With the threat looming over all of them, Ellen daily faces the realization that no one is safe, especially at Pearl Harbor. War is coming, but when?

Disclaimer: I don't own Pearl Harbor. But I love the movie.

Chapter 1 ~ Wings...

It was an early morning in mid June of 1940, and Ellen Prescott looked into her bedroom mirror as she finished pinning on her nurses cap, just as she had done every morning for the past two years. She ran her slender hands along the front of her clean white uniform to smooth the wrinkles out.

She was, in all regards, a beautiful girl. Although she never thought that she was much too look at. Ellen was of average hight, standing just a little over five and a half feet tall. She had a oval face, with prominent rosy cheeks, and a refined nose. Her blue almond eyes were set against ivory skin - made slightly darker by the many hours she spent in the sun. Natural defined lips, tinted with a shade of bright red, stood out in a graceful manner against her wavy chestnut hair - brushed neatly back at the sides with hair combs. Ellen sighed at the reflection she saw gazing back at her. Walking over to the window, the sunlight shined through the lace curtains as she pulled them apart and pushed the window open. Ellen leaned her head out and faced heavenward. Closing her eyes, she let herself bask in the heat of the morning sun for a fleeting moment. Ellen joyfully thought about how she could stay there forever, taking in the vibrant perfume of the flowers in the box under her.

The clock on the wall chimed. It's sound awoke Ellen from her pleasant daydream, reminding her that there was work to be done. Drawing herself in, she shut the window and walked down stairs.

"Good Morning, Ellie!" A cheerful voice greeted her from the couch. It was Betty, a new nurse who had joined their little group a few weeks ago.

Ellen set her purse down on the coffee table. "Good Morning, Betty!" She responded with a bright smile. She looked around the modest living-room. "Where are the girls?" she questioned.

Betty glanced over the top of her book, "I think they're in the kitchen." She answered before returning to the intriguing novel in her hands, frantically turning the page over.

"Thanks!" She said and walked into the kitchen. Everyone was there sitting around the dinning table, drinking their coffee, and chatting. Something assuming caught their attention, causing them to burst into laughter as Ellen entered. "Good Morning girls!" She said reaching for the coffeepot on the stove.

Barbara turned to Ellen and said with a light chuckle in her voice. "Morning Toots!" The traces of her thick Boston accent less noticeable then usual.

"Morning Ellie!" The others said in unison as Ellen took a seat next to Martha, a heavyset, black haired girl from High Society Philadelphia.

Ellen drew the hot cup of coffee up to her lips. "What's so funny?" She questioned taking a sip.

"Oh!" Evelyn said, leaning her elbow on the table, and resting her hand under her chin. "It's nothing really, Martha was just telling us about the Pilots we'll be seeing today." She went on with a laugh still tainting her speech.

Ellen chortled softly and glanced over to Martha. "Why's that so comical?"

It took a moment for her to stop laughing long enough to respond. "I don't really know!" Martha answered breathlessly. Everyone, Ellen included, burst into an uncontrollable laughter again.

'It's such a silly thing for us to be sitting here giggling like school girls. Ellen thought. 'But isn't laughter the best way to make unforgettable memories?'

They enjoyed mornings like this, sitting with each other around the table - talking and laughing about silly and useless subjects. They had all become close friends in the two years they've spent together. First at nursing school, then at the Naval hospital in Virginia, and now here in New York. The six of them knew, with unspoken words, that each and every one of them would be there each other. They trusted each other. Counted on each other. And help one another. To Ellen, those girls weren't just fellow nurses and officers, they were her friends and family. But none of them were as close to her as Evelyn.

Ellen and Evelyn grew up in the same town in California, but they never met until the first day of High School. During those four short years, they had become inseparable. Ellen remembered the night when they decided that they were going to join the military, once they had graduated. Ellen had enlisted just before she turned eighteen. But she didn't tell her parents about it, because she knew they would try to sway her decision. It killed her when she left in the middle of the night so they wouldn't know. But Ellen was happy, she loved being in the Navy, and she loved her career. Everyone said that this life was suited for her, and it was. She was good at what she did. Ellen was top in her class at nursing school, and in her short two years in the service, Ellen had already been made a First Lieutenant. While Ellen believed the other girls should have been promoted instead of her, they simply told her the Navy knew what they were doing. So Ellen let the subject drop. After all, it was just a rank. But Ellen knew, if it hadn't been for Evelyn encouraging her to pursue nursing, she would never have found the courage to leave home.


It was a beautiful, warm summer day. All the coldness of the previous winter, that had lingered on through Spring disappeared. The flowers were in full bloom. And it seemed that the sun itself had come out to welcome the Doctors and Nurses that filed into the military hospital on the Air-Base in Long Island. It was going to be a busy day, regardless of the empty beds, save for a few enlisted men trying to sleep off their hangovers from the night before - or those who sustained minor injuries from around the base.

The beginning part of her shift at the hospital was slow. Today she and the others were assisting in giving the military enlisted men and officers testing and vaccinations. Basic physicals had to be done first before the inoculations could be administered. While the other nurses considered this task mundane, Ellen didn't mind it at all. She was happy to help. Four hours had passed when she closed the last file and handed to the nurse at the front desk.

"Rotate to Station 4." The middle aged woman said harshly as she pushed a stack of papers into Ellen's arms.

She turned to walk away and stopped. Slowly, she peered over her shoulder to the nurse and asked, "uhhh... where is station 4?"

The stern old woman eyed Ellen coldly from over the rims of her glasses, which rested on the end of her long pointed nose. Ellen felt her cheeks blush, suddenly becoming very embarrassed in not knowing where her next assignment was. And who could blame her? She had only been at the hospital for little over a month, and it had never been this busy before.

"Straight down this way and it's on the left side." She answered dully and pointed out the direction.

"Thank you!" said Ellen lowering her head and hurried off down the main stretch of the hospital. She took her place at the eye exams and began about her next task.

The hospital was bursting with people running from one place to another, trying to do two or more things at once. Times like this made her wonder if the Navy had enough nurses, or if maybe the Army had too many men.

Two more hours passed. For Ellen, it was slow, The whole exam process had become so mechanical that Ellen didn't even bother to look up anymore to see what the next person looked like. It was the same with one as it was with the other.

"Next!" She called holding out her free hand for his file while the other wrote information down on her paperwork. Opening the file, she glanced it over quickly. "Cover your left eye and read the bottom line." She ordered. A voice recited the letters off so quickly that, Ellen, couldn't even understand what he was saying. "Slow down Lieutenant. It's not a race," she said, "read the bottom line again please, but do it slowly." He did so, more to her liking, for the sheer fact she could hear it that time. Ellen looked up to the pilot standing in front of her and gave a quick half smile, but didn't say anything.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, becoming uneasy at her prolonged silence.

Ellen scoffed silently. "No. There's nothing wrong, Lieutenant. I've just never had anyone read the chart that fast." She reached for a stamp and pressed it to his paperwork. "May I suggest that you take your time to read it slowly when you take your final exam in six months?" She advised returning the file to the dark haired pilot.

"Yes Ma'am," he said as he turned and walked away.

Ellen watched his lean, yet muscular, figure disappear among the crowd of people. "Next!" she called.

Sandra came up beside her and patted her arm, making Ellen jerk in surprise. She looked up from her papers. "I've been told to relieve you. Doctor Matthews wants you to report to him in the North Ward right away."

"Did he say what he needed?"

Sandra shock her head. "No, only that I was to relieve you. And that you were to report to him immediately. He said it was very urgent."

"Okay." Ellen sighed as she rose from her seat. "Take over."

Sandra gave her a salute before taking Ellen's now empty chair, and carrying on with her duties.

As Ellen walked up the stairs and down the long corridor, she couldn't help but notice how she hated the thought of others, especially her friends, saluting her. It made her feel like something she wasn't, a hero. And in Ellen's mind, she was the farthest thing from one. She joined the Navy to help others, not command them. As she entered the ward, she found Captain Edward Matthews, sitting on the corner of the nurses desk, obviously discussing a patient with the girl on duty. "You asked to see me doctor?" She said walking up to him.

"Aah! Miss... sorry Nurse Prescott." The doctor acknowledged her. He stood up. "Remember that young officer that was brought in about a month or so ago with a leg injury?"

Ellen thought for a moment. She crossed her arms loosely in front of her. "Yes, Doctor. A Second Lieutenant George Wood. He's a pilot, I believe. What about him?"

The doctor urged her to walk with him down the long hall. "Well, turns out he is being transferred to Pearl Harbor. I know what your thinking Miss Prescott." He said at the sight of her surprised expression. "Well, theres been a small mistake. His bandages were removed about a week ago, and the wound has healed nicely - but Lieutenant Wood hasn't been cleared to return to active duty yet. I've spoken with his commanding officer, but he just swore up and down that the mistake is on our end. I need you to give the Lieutenant a complete check up. The only reason I am asking you is because you were his attending nurse. If you say he's fit to return to active duty, I'll write the order within the hour."

"Of course, Doctor. I'll take care of him right away."

"He's just over there." Matthews said pointing to the soldier sitting on the bed at the end of the hall. "I'll leave you to it then." He added walking away, leaving Ellen to face the pilot alone.

Taking a deep breath, Ellen went over to him. "Good Afternoon, Lieutenant!" She greeted as she glanced over his chart. "Could I please get your name, age, and serial number?"

"Lieutenant George Wood. 25. Serial number 856W-954XP." He huffed and added. "Is all this really necessary? I was stuck in bed here for two weeks, ma'am."

Ellen chuckled. "I'm sorry Lieutenant, but it's Army and Navy regulation. I'm just following orders. Now, lets begin." The whole check up, thankfully, took less then an hour. "Well Lieutenant Wood," she said in a calm tone of voice, as she took off her stethoscope and hung it around her neck. "You'll be happy to know that your more then fit and ready to return to your duties, and also to ride the waves of Hawaii."

The young officer chuckled. "Really?" He said sarcastically.

"But I want you to take it slow for the first couple of weeks. I don't want to hear from any of the nurses over at Pearl that you were in the hospital giving them trouble!" She said jokingly with her hands rested on her hips.

"Yes, ma'am!" He laughed as he finished buttoning his shirt. "Maybe I'll see you at Pearl one day?" He asked with a hint of curiosity.

"You never know," Ellen said thoughtfully looking down at the desk to hide her flushed cheeks. "As far as I know, the Navy is supposed to be shipping several nurses out in the near future, myself included. So you might just see me there one day." She glanced up and smiled. "You take care of your self second Lieutenant Wood." She watched him walk down the hall and around the corner before she returned to her former duties.


It was a cold December morning, and like always, Ellen, awoke before the others to get ready and cook breakfast. She dressed in her uniform silently, so as not to wake the girls, and she pulled her hair back at the sides, securing them place with a a hair comb. Ellen pulled a sweater tightly around her against the oncoming winter chill and walked downstairs. She opened the curtains, welcoming the sunlight into the room, hoping it's heat would warm the area.

Ellen rubbed her hands together in an attempt to produce some warmth in her cold fingertips. She would have gladly started a fire, if their fireplace didn't have a clogged chimney. And they didn't have a heater. It was the one downside to their cold house. It was too old. But, she wasn't going to let a little chill stop her from carrying on with her chores. Going into the kitchen, she went with her morning as usual. Except, something about this morning felt different. Maybe it was the hairs that stood up on the back of her neck. Or maybe it was the hunch she got about Evelyn. And when she got a hunch, she was rarely wrong. Naturally, she told everyone when they sat down to eat an hour later.

"Oh come on Ellie!" Evelyn said in disbelief, while the others laughed at her reaction. "You can't be serious! I'm going to meet a tall, dark stranger today." She mocked playfully.

"Now," Ellen protested, "I didn't say you'd meet a tall, dark stranger today. I said I have a feeling someone will need your help. Theres a big difference, Ev."

"Yeah! But doesn't everyone need our help?" Betty interjected innocently. She was so sweet, so naïve, and so young. Too young to be in the Navy. Betty was only sixteen years old. She had run away from home a few months ago and enlisted. She didn't tell the girls until recently, when Sandra kept asking when her birthday was. After sharing with them her story, they promised to keep her secret safe so she could stay with them. Betty was so grateful, she broke down and cried for a good hour that night. And to the world, she was a young woman of about nineteen years, but to the others, she was still a young girl. Thats why they always looked out for her and protected her. But none more so then Ellen.

"True, Betty." Ellen agreed. "But I meant someone who will need serious help."

"Oh my!" Exclaimed Evelyn, rushing to finish the last few sips of her coffee. "It's nine already. Our shift starts in a hour." She rose from her seat and reached for her empty cup and placed it in the sink. "Does anybody know what we're doing today thats so important they are calling us into the hospital an hour early?" She asked leaning her back against the counter.

Barbra sat buffing her nails. "I hear they're having us train the new nurses how to oversee the physicals exams for the Army and Navy." She said in her thick Boston accent.

"What, again?" Martha complained, "didn't we just do those?!"

"Yes... six months ago." Sandra shot back sarcastically. Martha gave her a dirty look. They never really got along.

"And since were you one to turn down seeing men in their underwear all day, Martha?" Ellen teased. Everyone laughed softly. "Besides, it must mean that we'll be moving out of here soon."

Barbra expelled her breath with a huff. "Good!" She exclaimed. "That means we'll get out of this drafty, old house before we freeze to death! I just hope they send us someplace warm." Everyone agreed in unison. They wanted to go someplace where the sun shined all day, and where the season of Winter was unknown. No Winter meant no cold. "Come on! I'll clean up, the rest of you finish getting ready." She went on, pushing them out of the kitchen.


Once again the hospital came alive with excitement. Ellen moved about fulfilling her duties, with the same usual dedication and focus she had always applied to her work. She moved from one responsibility to the other. Always giving it her best, always stopping to help others, regardless of how busy she was. In the past month, the hospital had become hectic and unpredictable. Life certainly had it's way of keep everyone on their toes when they least expected it. And Ellen was thankful for it. She liked to keep her mind sharp, even if it sometimes required a little help.

To the great surprise of the nurses, the exams were different compared to the ones given six moths before. Most of the same men had returned to receive a final medical pass before training had finished.

But, to these nurses, they would never remember them. They would merely become the faces of a passing moment in time. A duty that they would remember years later when they told their grandchildren stories of the old days.

Men lined the halls of the building. Some to have a physical. Others to get vaccines. They waiting silently, standing tall and straight as they were trained to do, waiting for their names to be called by a doctor or nurse. "Now remember, Rafe," one dark haired, brown eyed pilot said to the other in a deep, mild southern voice as they stood in line, "take it nice and slow. Think of it like flying a plane. Here!" He said passing him a folded piece of paper. "Take this! I copied the bottom line down last time I was here."

"Thanks Danny!" Rafe sighed with relief. "I don't know what I'd do without ya wingman!" He was a dirty blonde, tall standing man with ropey arms. Compared to Danny, who has a muscular baring, Rafe had a slim, yet strong and demanding poise. While Danny, carried himself with a more gently and quiet demeanor.

"Yeah... yeah! Just memorize it. And for Pete sacks, don't read it too fast. I did it last time, and that almost didn't end too well." He said thinking about the last time he took the test, and more especially the nurse he had seen that day.

"Eye exam number four!" A nurse called for them to follow her.

The color drained from Rafe's face. He tensed up suddenly when he passed a pilot, arguing with a doctor. "I have passed a dozen medical checks," the pilot said. "You write that they won't let me fly!" But it was of no use. In quick move, the doctor had taken his wings away.

"I'm gonna fail!" Rafe said with a lump in his throat as fear overtook him. "Their gonna take my wings away."

"No they won't!" Danny reassured patting Rafe on the back with the same brotherly confidence he had given him in school. "You'll do fine. Just relax!" Rafe stood behind a officer who was taking the eye test. "See, he's reading the bottom line." Danny pointed out, trying to calm Rafe's nerves.

"Next!" The nurse called Rafe, who was mumbling to himself the eye exam letters. "Next!" she repeated with slight impatiens.

Danny tapped Rafe on his shoulder, pushing him forward. "Ma'am," Rafe said with a nod as he passed her the file. "J...L...M...K...P...O...E...T...X..." He blurted out quickly, not even waiting for her say anything. "Eyes like an eagle ma'am." He added with a cocky smile. Danny looked down bringing his hand up to his eyes. This wasn't going to end well.

"Slow down FlyBoy!" The nurse said, her eyes still focused downward. "And instead of the bottom, read the very top, both eyes."

Rafe let out a nervous chuckle, struggling to discern the letters on the board. "Uhhh. C... sorry J... C... W... Q... Uhhhh... Q..." He stuttered.

The young girl, who knew the chart backwards and forwards, was intrigued. Weak vision or strained eyes, was often the cause of mistaking a letter for a similar one. Like turning Q into O - and R into P. But he wasn't mistaking letters, quite the opposite, he was completely rearranging their order. She flipped through his file, he had passed all the previous eye exams. She looked up suddenly and caught Rafe in her stare. Her mouth curved into a half smile. "Read the bottom line again, please," she said. "But read it right to left... and every other letter."

Rafe straightened, the muscles in his face tightening as he focused on the chart. He could see the letters just fine, he could read them perfectly in his head. But reading them out loud, that was a different story. "E..." he began slowly, "...X-"

Danny coughed and covered his mouth. "XE!" He corrected him from behind.

"XE..." Rafe said louder, "...XE, ma'am." He looked down to the nurse, and their eyes locked.

The nurse felt pity for the young man standing in front of her. She wanted to help, truly she did, but she also had to follow the rules. Her glance shifted to Danny, and she felt sorry for him as well. He was frozen and silent, his eyes cast to the ground. He knew that they had been caught. She realized that he was the only reason his friend had passed all the previous exams. She turned again to Rafe, her face said it all, the sheer pity was enough for him to know that she wasn't going to pass him. But Rafe wasn't a quitter, he wasn't going to lose his wings without a fight.

"Ma'am, I know how this looks..."

"I'm sorry Lieutenant, I really am," she cut him off. "But Army and Navy requires Twenty/Twenty vision."

"It's not a problem with my eyes. I... I can see. I mean, I can hit a running rabbit with a three dollar pistol. I got a problem with letters thats all."

"Well, maybe after some schooling you can come back and take the test again."

"No! I had schooling, I... I mean the teachers just never knew what to make of it. It's just letter. I... I mix 'em up sometimes, thats all. I just... get... get 'em backwards sometimes." He stuttered, trying to explain. She gave him a confused look. Rafe pointed to his open file in her hand. "Look here! My math, and special reasoning, and verbal scores are all excellent."

"But you barely passed the written exam."

Danny looked over Rafe's shoulder. "Yeah, but he did pass it. So it is my turn now?"

"No you'll wait your turn." She shot back quickly looking to Danny.

"Yes ma'am," he whispered in defeat.

"Ma'am. I'm never gonna be an english teacher. But I know why I'm here. To be a pilot. Now you don't dogfight with manuals. You don't fly with gauges. I mean, it's all about feelin' and speed and lettin' that plane become like a part of your body. And the manual that says a guy who's a slow reader can't be a good pilot. That file says I'm the best pilot in this room!" She made no answer. Rafe shock his head and let out a sigh. "Ma'am," he pleaded leaning forward on the desk. "please, don't take my wings." His eyes glistening in hers.

"Evelyn, rotate to station three," a nurse ordered from behind Rafe, before turning to leave abruptly.

Evelyn gazed at the young officer standing in front of her. He looked so lost and helpless. She could have easily gotten up and left him for the next nurse to deal with. But, she had seen from his written exam that he truly loved what he did. It was there in bold black letters - 'I love to fly! I feel the touch of heavens bliss when I'm in the air.'

But a voice inside screamed for her not to do what she wanted too, which was to pass him. But she had rules to follow, a manual to live and work by. It sat right there on her desk as a constant reminder of her duties and responsibilities. Evelyn couldn't pass one and reject the next, simply because she felt sorry for the first. If she could, she would pass him now and forget all about what just took place. As if it never happened. But there was still that loud voice, reminding her that she had rules to obey. People to protect. If she passed him and he had a serious eye problem, then she would be responsible for all the lives put at risk. But she could see from his flight scores that he was anything but an excellent pilot. Evelyn was torn between right and wrong. Rules and her own conscience. Her conversation with Ellen at breakfast came into her mind. She told her that someone would need her help today. And again, she was right. Evelyn reached for the stamp and smacked it down on Rafe's file. She handed it to him and left without another word or backward glance.

Nervously, Rafe turned the top page. A sigh escaped his lips. She had passed him. Rafe turned and playfully smacked Danny on the forearm and ran off in search of his angel of mercy.

"Next!" Evelyns replacement called Danny forward. She looked up at him and smiled. "Well, if it isn't the racer?" Ellen teased.