The coastline of Japan was almost invisible behind them. Rafe looked down at his fuel gage; China couldn't have been more than 100 miles away. But could they make it that far? He looked out his window at Danny, who was flying on his left. It was too dark to see his face, but just knowing that he was there, and that he was safe put Rafe at ease. But they weren't safe; they were running out of fuel.

"Rafe…" Danny's voice crackled over the radio. "Rafe, we're on empty. We've gotta bail."

Rafe felt a sudden panic. Not over water. Oh please, God! Not over water. "No!" he snapped back, "Not over water, Danny. Do you hear me? You can make it! Just a little bit more!" He encouraged.

Danny stomach lurched, "Okay," he said back, glancing at the picture of Evelyn stuck in the dashboard. He ran his fingers over her smiling face. Okay.

Suddenly he heard Rafe's voice over the static of the radio, "Coast! Twelve o'clock! China!" The boys in his plane let out a whoop. "Stay close. I'll lead us down."

As the B-25s began their decent, Rafe looked out his window. "Damn, we got Japs! Danny! Get outta there! We got Jap patrol on the beach!" Rafe tried to stay in the air as long as he could, but he was coming in too fast. Just before the nose of his plane meet the ground, he thought he saw Danny's bomber fly over the hills, escaping. The nose collided with the earth, sending glass and metal flying in all directions. Rafe's harness held him, and he and the surviving members of his crew, climbed out of the demolished aircraft. No sooner had they escaped, then the sound of gunfire filled their ears.

Rafe slowly stood, and looked around, only to see a half a dozen Japanese patrolmen raising their weapons and firing. He ducked back down, and reached into his pocket, pulling out a .45. "We've go to get into those hills and find the Chinese!"

Just as he spoke, Danny's plane came roaring into view, dangerously close to the ground. With one final burst of energy, it plummeted to the land taking out the Japanese patrol. Rafe's heart caught in his throat, as he watched it happen in slow motion. He got to his feet and ran over to the crashed bomber.

"Danny! DANNY!" he screamed, searching for his friend. He found him, propped up against the mangled plane. His eyes were closed. Was he alive? Was he dead? "Danny!" he tried again.

His eyes fluttered open, and he smiled. "I've had better landings," he mumbled, his voice soft and raspy. "There's… there's something in my neck."

Rafe looked in horror to see a jagged piece of metal protruding from the middle of his friend's neck. "Okay. Just hold on, hold on," he coaxed, grabbing the metal and pulling. It would hardly budge, and Rafe was afraid he would inflict more pain. Grasping his pistol, he tried to pry the metal; it worked, the jagged metal free from Danny's throbbing neck. "You hang on, Danny! You're gonna make it!" he said throwing the pistol aside.

Suddenly, Rafe's head snapped forward, hit from behind by the butt of a Japanese rifle. As he watched him slump to the ground, Danny saw four more Japonese approaching. They grabbed him, and bound his wrists to a tree branch they managed to find, tying a wire around his neck to pin him down even more. Rafe lay at their feet, drifting in and out of consciousness, unaware of the events unfolding around him. Until he heard Danny groan. His eyes snapped open, and he became completely aware of everything. He locked eyes with Danny, and for an instant, he thought he saw Danny as a boy, being pulled along the dusty fields by his father. He felt around on the ground behind him, finally finding it. Rafe gripped the .45 pistol and aimed at the men carrying Danny and pulled the trigger, firing two shots. Leave him alone! I'll bust you open, you dirty German! The Jap officer turned quickly, pulling out his rifle, and took aim; the remaining soldier did the same. The officer pulled the trigger, just as Danny lunged towards him, knocking him down from behind with the branch strapped to his arms. The soldier turned to Danny, and pulled the trigger, then aimed for Rafe. An unexpected bullet appeared out of nowhere and buried itself into his Japanese heart. The officer rose to his feet, but he too was shot down by Chinese peasant soldiers, who had just arrived.

Rafe rushed to Danny's side, removing the wire from his neck and wrists. He looked down at the gunshot wound on his chest, and closed his eyes; then opened them again, tears trickling down his cheeks. "Danny…" he whispered.

"I'm…not…not…gonna…I'm so cold…not gonna make it," Danny choked, his words coming in short gasps.

"Yes you are, Danny. Yes you ARE!"

"Do me a favor," he said softly, "Let somebody else…spell my name…on the tombstone." He tried to smile, his dying body quivering uncontrollably.

"Danny…"

"You were…always trying…to protect…to protect me," he gasped, "I thought I…could return…the favor…"

"Danny…Danny, please!" Rafe exclaimed, filled with panic and fear. "Please don't leave me."

"You're my best friend," he whispered, repeating the childhood vow he had made so many years ago.

"You can't die! You can't!" Rafe sobbed, "You're gonna be a father." Danny looked up at him, tears filling his eyes. "You're gonna be a daddy, and I wasn't supposed to tell you…" he cried, his words barely distinguishable.

Danny lifted his head up, and Rafe cradled it in his arms. "No…" he whispered, "No… you are…"

The words cut through him like a knife, "She loves you," Rafe told him frantically, "She loves you so much!"

"Take care of h…" his voice faded, but his eyes stayed open.

"Danny! Danny…Land of the free…Land of the free, Danny! Land of the free…" Rafe wept, awaiting an answer, that would never come.

--

Evelyn just stood there, anxiously waiting as the doors to the transport plane opened. Colonel Doolittle was the first to step off, followed by a few others; she raised her hands to her mouth. Evelyn's breath caught in the back of her throat, as she saw Rafe emerge. She formed a small smile; he did not return it. Instead, he stepped forward, carrying the end of a flag-draped box. A coffin. She rushed over to him, her heart beating faster than she ever thought possible. It can't be true. No, it isn't true! He's still on the plane! When she reached him, Rafe looked down at the ground, a tear trickling down his stitched cheek. He looked up at her, his brown eyes filled more pain and sadness than she had ever seen before. With a trembling hand, Evelyn reached out and touched the jacket that belonged to her love off the top of the coffin, and she hugged it to her chest. All her body lost weight, as she toppled into Rafe's arms… and wept.

--

On a farm in the heart of Tennessee, a small boy placed a few yellow flowers next to a small headstone. The boy stood back and stared curiously at the picture sitting beside it, turning his head to the side.

A pair arms scooped him up, and twirled him around, setting him free in the newly cut grass. "That's your daddy," he said, pointing to the handsome man in the picture. Rafe stepped back for a moment, and watched as the spitting image of his best friend crept over to the grave again, fascinated with the man in the picture who had his same brown eyes, same chestnut hair, and same smile full of wonder.

"Hey Danny!" Rafe called to him, "You wanna go up?"

Little Danny Walker, Jr. nodded, and pointed to the red crop-dusting biplane that sat near the barn.

Evelyn stood beside Danny's grave, and smiled at the site in front of her, smiled at the family she had. But she looked down at the headstone by her side, and a wave of sadness passed over her. She ran her fingers lovingly over the name etched in stone. Daniel Walker. When her eyes drifted further down, she could not help but smile. Engraved below was the poem he had written for her.

I soared above the songbirds

And never heard them sing

I lived my life in winter

And then you brought the spring.

Evelyn looked up at the sky, and at the setting sun, and she knew that he was up there somewhere. Flying forever above the sky, and forever in her heart.



well, i know it wasn't much of a twist; just a few extra scenes and things stressing Evelyn's relationship with Danny, making it more true love, rather than an obligation (the pregnancy) as suggested in the movie. and also, i tried to emphasize Danny and Rafe's strong friendship. i dunno...to me, it seemed like a happier sad ending. lol. please let me know what ya think!! thanks!