The atmosphere in the plane was thick with anxiety and dread- it felt like a lightning storm- Ray was in the midst of it all, he glanced around at the all of the men. Some were smoking, sleeping- or trying to- some read and others prayed. Ray noticed Bill with a string of beads in his hands- a rosary- he instantly assumed that Guarnere was a catholic like himself. Although the Winters family was lutheran, Ray was born in a catholic family and kept their catholic faith. The blonde reached in his pocket and pulled out a violet colored rosary and dangled it around in his fingers, he decided to pray as well- if everyone was going to die why not pray for them to die in a less brutal and painful way?- what was he thinking? They weren't going to die, they were soldiers, they knew how to fight. Bill looked up from the 43 bead of his rosary- the third bead in the 4th decade of Jesus' life- and saw the small violet rosary in Ray's hands.

"You catholic?" Bill motioned to the rosary as he asked Ray.

"Yeah," Ray gently but quickly shoved his rosary back in his pocket, "Although I don't talk about it much, although it is a part of me it doesn't specify who I am completely."

"So you're that kind of catholic."

"What?"

"Nevermind..." Bill sighed before he went back to his rosary. Ray shrugged and pulled out his journal, everyone would be stuck in their planes for about 7 hours- it was already 6:30 in the evening- it was going to be a long trip...

Joey's POV

I was sitting next to a guy named Webster on the plane, he wasn't very talkative he just had his nose in a book. I ignored him and tried to get some sleep, I couldn't help but take one last peek at him before closing my eyes- I couldn't help it, he was handsome. As I slept my mind was making up theories about little Ray, could he possibly be a girl? If so then Ray has some guts to go into war with us, but female or not I will still respect the kid... I'm just scared that they won't see the other side of the rainbow after this war... As I was finally drifting off the plane suddenly shook, "Jesus Christ!" I hissed, "The hell was that?"

"Most likely turbulence, private," Lt. Winters replied calmly, damn how can he stay so calm? "Go back to sleep."

"Yes sir." I groaned before pulling my helmet over my eyes to block out some light. I just hopped that we wouldn't die before we got to Normandy.

back to third person

Ray began to sketch a morning glory in his journal, the sporadic shaking and jolting of the plane caused him to mess it up, "Augh," he groaned, "Can't a guy draw in peace?" he hissed to himself as he frantically erased the sorry excuse of a flower petal, he noticed Winters' gaze on him. Ray looked up to the ginger with a smile, Winters grinned back.

"You nervous son?" Winters asked, even though he didn't know the truth he kept on babying Ray.

"I'll be fine," Ray replied modestly, "I'm just tired." Dick chuckled.

"It seems like you're always tired, Ray."

"It seems you may be right sir." Ray giggled. He glanced at the ceiling of the plane, he was bored but at least this would bw the last time he'd be bored for a while...

"Racer!" a 16 year old Richard called angrily, "Race what in heaven's sake are you doing up there?! You could get yourself killed!" He looked up to see his little sister in an old, wheeless, red wagon on top of a mound of scrap metal in a junkyard. Rachel wore denim overalls over a bright pink tshirt, she held a telescope in her hand and had a pirate's hat atop her golden head.

"I'm a pirate, Richie!" she beamed happily, "And don't worry, I've climbed up here many a time!" she pulled out a wooden toy sword and shouted with glee. She was only 9 at this time, but she acted like a six year old, Richard began getting worked up when he saw the wagon wobbling- he almost had a heart attack- and he whimpered loudly.

"Racer!" he shouted once more, "Get. Down. Now."

"You'll never take me alive, landlubber!" Rachel laughed, but soon that laughter turned into shocked screaming when the wagon slid down the metallic slope. "Oh no." was all she could say in the most calm voice she could muster.

"RACER!" Richard quickly ran over, "Hang on!" Rachel gripped the sides of the wagon as it accelerated down the hill, it was a bumpy ride but she managed to stay calm, Richard jumped in front of the wagon's way in hopes to stop it. Richard then realized that inertia and force were stronger than him, but his sister knew exactly what to do. Rachel took a pipe she had in the wagon and jabbed it into the mound, using it as a brake, the wagon stopped but the child was launched into the air.

"RICHIE," she screeched as her brother ran below her, "HELP!"

"I'M TRYING TO OKAY?!" he jumped and caught the girl, both of them suffering from small scrapes.

Ray drifted off to sleep in his spot, the turbulence became ineffective now as he began to dream...

Hours later

The plane shook violently, causing Ray to jolt awake. Everyone was panicking and explosions could be heard outside, they were being shot at! Must have reached Normandy.

"WE GOTTA JUMP LIEUTENANT," a soldier screamed, "OR WE'LL BE BLOWN OUTTA THE SKY!"

"DOES THAT LIGHT LOOK GREEN TO YOU, PRIVATE?!" Richard scolded back. Yes, they were only allowed to jump when the light was green but if they stayed any longer then they'd surly be dead! There was a shout from the cockpit, the pilot had been hit and the copilot began to speak over the PA system.

"The engines have been hit! You fellas gotta jump now!" and with that the light changed green. Richard stood up and stood before the men.

"Gentlemen!" he yelled over the gunshots and the sounds of the failing engines, "Stand up!" he motioned with his hands and began to shout out directions. Everyone began checking their comrades bags and counting off.

"7 okay!" a soldier called as he patted the bag of the man in front of him.

"6 okay!" said another. and it continued until it reached Ray.

"Th-three okay!" the blonde stuttered nervously. He could feel his heart beating rapidly as he saw the flashes from anti-aircraft bullets tearing through the night sky.

"1 okay!" Richard called, "Let's go! Let's go, let's go!" and one by one men lept out of the plane, some were hesitant but eventually jumped anyways. Soon enough it was Ray's turn, he sucked in a breath and looked down at the mess of the earth. He was scared, he couldn't do it, he didn't have the courage.

"Jump, Ray!" Richard yelled, snapping the boy from his thoughts, "Jump!!" and with that Ray shut his eyes and plummeted down from the sky, his chute opened aand he floated down as the sounds of explosions and gunshots surrounded him. Ray took one last glance up at the plane, Richard was the last to jump out, before it burst into a disastrous fireball. The enemies were shooting at the paratroopers floating down to the ground, this was when Ray knew that he lost all his hope. This was it, this was the end...