AN: It's been quite a while since my last update, and I do apologize for that. I know how frustrating it can be when stories aren't updated. To put it plainly I lost my muse for this story, it's taken me months to even think about this story. It's a bit short, but I liked where it ends. Please review and let me know what you think.
Living Through the Past
Chapter 14: Promise in the Night
I fidgeted nervously beside Sandra as we waited the guys return. The ship had docked about a half hour ago, but it took time for the men to emerge off of it. I swore I was visibly shaking, but Sandra had simply rolled her eyes at me. She thought I was one for dramatics at times.
Evelyn stood a few feet away from us with Barb and R.J.. I tried my best to ignore the tension that fizzled between us, but I was having a bit of a rough time doing so. What would happen now that the boys were home? Danny and Raif were best friends, despite everything that had transpired between the two of them. Raif was right, we'd be stuck with one another for quite some time.
I couldn't help but think she was being the childish one, but I knew that was wrong she didn't know the story about my brother. She had no idea how much I blamed myself for his death... I shook my head of those thoughts in favor to stare at the metal ship.
"Are you going to kiss him?" Sandra asked with a wry smirk. I huffed feeling my cheeks warm with embarrassment. They all loved to tease me about my farewell to Raif. It was bold, not to mention scandalise because of my less then proper night gown.
"What is taking so long?" I complained though I knew, from experience, the answer. It was a few moments later that the men started to trickle down the ramp.
People cheered as our heroes finally touched home land. Well...relatively home land since Hawaii didn't become a state until the late fifties. My eyes scanned the crowd of men for my group of friends. I missed all of them in the three months they were gone. It felt wrong not to be fighting beside them.
I first spotted Gooz talking animatedly to the Kid, or Tommy. My gaze wandered again to find the others. Red was talking to one of the other men from the base, looking as happy as everyone else to be back. I frowned, wondering where could Raif and Danny be.
"Hey Sandra, do you see them?" I asked lowering my gaze, "Holy shit!" I squealed stumbling back a bit. Raif stood with a cheesy grin on his face about a foot in front of me. "How the-what the-you are-" I breathed out roughly through my nose in annoyance. I had officially lost the capability to form coherent sentences. Sandra was practically crying from her laughter.
"Hi." Raif's smile softened.
"Hey." My eyes flickered momentarily to his lips, a blush growing on my face as I remembered the last time I had seen him. There was a brief flash of indesiciveness before he dropped his bag and pulled me into a tight embrace. I sighed audibly, wrapping my warms around his waist, how many nights had I missed his arms around me? I turned my face into his chest as my eyes began to sting. "I missed you."
"I missed you too..." He murmured, pressing a kiss into my hair. We pulled away from one another a few moments later. He looked...different slightly, older in the way he held himself. War did that to people...it had changed all of us. "You're hairs gotten longer." I fingered it gingerly, Sandra spent at least an hour getting it in the complicated up-do it was in.
"I'm thinking of cutting it again." I shrugged, chewing on my lip nervously. He looked at me inquisitvely, but before he could comment Danny and Evelyn walked up to us. Sandra had conviently disappeared.
"Hey Sky, great to see you again." Danny greeted me warmly. I smiled back at him, his letter at the forefront of my mind. I gave a small nod, letting him know that we were on the same page now.
"Raif I'm glad to see you're okay." Evelyn gave a small smile to her ex. It became undeniably obvious that we were ignoring one another. I had already tried to talk to her, and I was done for the moment.
"Why're we still standing here? Let's drop off your guys stuff then we can grab a drink at the bar." I cleared my throat awkwardly. "You can tell me all the embarrassing stuff the others did on the ship."
Hours later found my entire regiment loaded into the bar, all talking loudly about their time at sea. I was seated inbetween Raif and Red, laughing my ass off about all the fun stories they had to tell. We skirted around the battles, and Gooz's near death experience easily. Focusing on the good things would help keep everyone sane, from thinking to hard that we were in the middle of a war.
"How'd you fair wi'hou' us S'y?" Gooz slurred leaning heavily into Danny.
"Great! I didn't hafta deal with all y'all knuckle heads in the hanger!" I grinned goodnaturedly at them all. It was wonderful to have them all back on base.
"Prolly put the radio on a girrrrrllllyyyy," At this Gooz leaned in closely to Danny, who nearly choked from the man's terrible alcohol breath, "station."
"What's the matter Danny?" Raif asked rhetorically with a shit eating grin. Danny gave him a glare that could murder, as he tried unsuccessfully to push Gooz away.
"N-no one gave you t-trouble right Sky?" Red asked quietly, somehow managing to push through the din of the men.
"No, but thanks for asking." I quickly pecked him on the cheek. I knew it had to be hard for him to get over Betty, especially with how she died. I only hoped that after the war red would find a good wife.
"Uh-oh better watch out Raif, or Red'll swipe Sky right out of your hands." Tommy joked easily. It would appear he'd grown closer to everyone as well. Raif's arm snaked around my waist, pulling me ever so slightly closer to him.
"I trust 'er." I rolled my eyes at him, but didn't move away from his touch.
"I think I should be getting back to Evelyn." Danny murmured, his eyes focused on the lone clock in the bar. It was getting rather late, and he did have a girlfriend and kid at home. "Mind giving me a lift?" He looked to Raif.
"You comin'?" Raif looked over at me questioningly. I nodded sliding off the stool. We ignored the cat calls and whistles as we made it outside to the car. Of course a sailors dream, though they were pilots, after coming home from war is to have a woman in their bed.
"I'm happy you guys are back...the base is...terrible without you two." I was sitting in the back seat, with Raif driving and Danny in the passenger.
"Not seeing you bunking with us was...an odd experience." Danny said, his way of saying I'd been missed as well.
"Do you guys know if you're leaving again?" I asked quietly praying that they wouldn't have to leave again, but you never knew in times of war.
"No idea, though I hope if we do have to go it's no anytime soon." Raif was the one to speak up. I felt a weight lift off my shoulders at his words. We pulled up to Danny and Evelyn's house, and after saying goodbye Danny went into the house. I climbed over the seat despite wearing a skirt. "You wanna go back to the house?" He asked cordially as we drove away. I shook my head sinking into the familiar leather of the car.
We drove in comfortable silence for a little while, simply enjoying being in one another's company. It was a companionable silence, one that had developed over the long years I'd known Raif. It had been such a long time since I had first met him...since I'd been back in my time. We stopped in the same parking lot we had before when Raif found out I was from the future.
"Thought you could use the quiet." He explained when I looked at him questionably. I tilted my head in understanding, and sank further into the seat cushions. Raif's arm curled around my shoulders, and I moved closer to him, laying my head on his shoulder.
I was still amazed at how clear the sky was in this time. There were no harsh lights illuminating the night, no skyscrapers to block the view. It was simply the night sky... It might be because I'm a pilot, but I had always felt a deeper connection to the air then anything else I did.
"I miss flying..." I murmured quietly, sighing as I lowered my gaze away from the heavens.
"When we get back home, I'll let you drive the crop duster." I stole a quick look at him, seeing him staring warmly down at me.
"Really?" I practically squeaked with excitement. He snorted amusedly with a nod. "I love you!" I leaned upward kissing him lightly on the lips. When his lips didn't respond, I realized what I had said. "Uh-" My mouth opened, but no words escaped. I don't think my face felt so hot in my life. "I'm...Um...I..." I swallowed hard and started to pull away from Raif.
"Wait." his voice stopped me, I hesitantly looked at him. So it wasn't my finest moment...but I'd had a lot of time to think about him and us...if there was an us. "What about Danny?" I blinked, I hadn't been expecting that one.
"I'll always love him Raif, but he's not the one for me. N-not that I'm saying you're the one for me-or that I'm ruling you out-I...I'm just going to shut up now." I muttered with a shake of my head. A half smirk grew on his face at my ramblings. His hand rose to softly caress my cheek, my skin tingling from his touch.
"You're cute when yer flustered." Raif smirked, drawing nearer until our lips touched. It was slow and passionate, unlike the other kisses we had shared. Though he hadn't said it out loud, his kiss was enough to convey everything else.
My arms wrapped around his shoulders pulling our bodies closer. His hand cupped the back of my neck, fingers playing with some stray hairs making me shiver. Soon the kiss grew in intensity, our tongues engaging in a fiery dance. I felt as if I was on cloud nine. Unfortunately for us, a car passed, the sound of the engine reminding us both that we were out in the open.
I settled comfortably into Raif's side, breathing deeply in an attempt to quell the racing of my heart. Kissing Danny had always felt surreal...like it wasn't actually happening, but when Raif kissed me... I felt more alive than when I was flying. He awakened something in me that I'd never felt before.
"I don't want to go back." I mumbled, my eyes closing on their own accord.
"We don't have to go just yet." I frowned, turning my face into his shirt.
"I mean my home time..." He gave a soft 'oh'. "In the beginning I use to try, but now...I care about more people here then where I come from...I...have family here." I willed the tears away, "I don't want to leave."
"You won't Sky..." he held me tighter, "I'll make sure of it." We both knew it was a promise he couldn't keep.