Danny Walker sat on a crate on the runway, waiting; searching. A shadow came up from behind and sat down beside him. He didn't have to look up to know who it was. "I told her not to come."

Why you lookin' for her then? Rafe wanted to reply, but the words would not find his mouth. Instead he sat there silently. And then he saw her, walking down the runway with the sun on her face. He felt his heart go numb inside his chest, as he took a deep breath. Danny followed his gaze, and hesitated. Rafe put his hand on the shoulder of the younger man beside him and gave it a squeeze. Then he stood and boarded the nearby plane, never looking back.

Danny stood up from the crate and met her in the middle, his stomach full of butterflies. He reached her, and set his duffel bag on the ground.

"Don't be scared…" she whispered, taking him into her arms.

He looked down at her and ran his index finger down her smooth cheek. "The only thing that scares me…is that you might love him more than you love me."

Evelyn looked into his deep brown eyes and smiled, taking his hand and intertwining his fingers with her own. "I love you, Danny," she said confidently. "And I'll be waiting for you when you get back." She leaned up and brushed her lips against his in a passionate, heartfelt kiss.

Danny smiled, and slung his bag over his shoulder. After one last kiss from Evelyn, he whispered, "I love you."

"I love you, too, Danny…forever…" she replied, and watched with her hand on her stomach as he entered the plane.

--

The two stood at attention, unsure of what was to come. They just stared at the colonel sitting at the desk in front of them.

"I heard what you did," he finally spoke, not looking up from the papers he was reading.

"We can explain, Colonel," Rafe began.

"Explain what?"

"Whatever it is you heard about us," Danny finished.

"You mean the Hula shirts you boys were flyin' in? Or the six planes you shot down?" He finally said looking up; there was a glimmer of pride peering out from his eyes. "You're both being awarded the Silver Star, and promoted to Captain,"

"Is that the good news, sir, or…"

"You're just about the only pilots in the Army with actual combat experience, so you're volunteering for a mission I've been ordered to put together. Do you know what 'top secret' is?"

"Yes sir. It's the kind of mission you get medals for…but they send 'em home to your relatives," Rafe spoke truthfully.

Doolittle managed a small but brief chuckle. "'Top secret ' means you train for something never done before, and you go without knowing where you're going. And you do it on that basis alone."

"I'll go, sir," Rafe replied.

"Me too," Danny followed right away.

"Alright. Get some sleep then," Doolittle said, then returned to his paperwork. "By the way McCawley, the Brits sent this over; it's your personal effects," he said, tossing Rafe a small box.

"Thank you, sir," he replied, and turned to leave; Danny followed.

"Oh, and boys? You won't need your Hula shirts for this mission."