"When I was in that water, I made a deal with God. I told Him I was a fool for leavin' you, tryin' to go over there and be a hero and if I could just see you one more time, I wouldn't ask for anything else. And you know what? It was worth it."

Rafe was suddenly awake. He'd had the dream before but it still scared the hell out of him. He thought that maybe it was an omen he wasn't going to survive the war. He remembered when he had said that to Evelyn. He had come to Pearl Harbor after being rescued to find her and it was the same night they'd finally made love.

He wasn't aware he'd wakened Evelyn until he felt her hand brush the hair back from his forehead. "Rafe, are you all right?"

He stared at her trying to decide if she was really there. His heart was pounding hard in his chest and he couldn't stop shaking.

Evelyn brushed back his hair again in an attempt to calm him. "Rafe, what is it?"

He sat up and shook his head.

She sat up with him and put her arms around him to reassure him she was there. "What is it?" She asked him again.

"It was just a dream." He didn't know how to explain it to her.

"It wasn't just a dream if it woke you out of a sound sleep. Please tell me."

He put his head in his hands and sighed. "I don't know how to explain it because it don't sound like much."

"Let me decide that."

He sighed again. "It's a memory more than anything. It was when I got to Pearl Harbor and I told you I shouldn't have gone to try and be a hero."

She frowned in thought trying to think what he meant. "Do you have any regrets about going to England?"

He looked at her and didn't say anything for a moment. "I don't know. Lookin' back on it, I went for all the wrong reasons. They needed help over there, but I went because I wanted to get into the action. I couldn't wait for war, so I went lookin' for it."

Evelyn didn't know what to say so she said nothing.

"I used to take it as a point of pride to be called a cocky pilot and it nearly got me killed. Now there's so much more at stake because there's you and Danny. I love you and I always have to think about how what I do affects you two. Bein' a husband and a father changes your perspective."

"But Rafe, you're also a pilot and you can't let Danny and I stop you from doing what you were trained for."

Rafe nodded, knowing what Evelyn said was true. "I know that, but you should have seen those pilots today. All they kept talkin' about was gettin' into the fight and how they wanted to really give it to the Japs. Those boys have no idea what they're in for."

"So, it's your job to tell them." She reasoned.

He kissed her cheek. "I don't know why I was so afraid to tell you. Everything always makes more sense after I talk it out with you."

She smiled at him. "That's the way it should be. If you can't talk to me about what's bothering you, what kind of marriage do we have?"

That got Rafe to grin. "A marriage that needs a baby sister for Danny."

Evelyn shook her head. "The way your mind works."

His grin got wider. "What do you say Mrs. McCawley?" And he kissed her.

She could feel a flush creep up her neck and her cheeks got warm. "How can I say no to a request like that?" And she kissed him back.

___________________________

It was with a sense of deja vu that Rafe sat in General Doolittle's office. He remembered being in the very seat he sat in now, after he and Danny had been reprimanded for playing chicken in their P-40's.

This time though he was there not to be reprimanded as a cocky pilot, but at the request of a man he respected. The door to the office opened and Rafe stood at attention as General Doolittle entered. He came around the desk and indicated for Rafe to take a seat. He looked through the records of the pilots in training and then looked over at Rafe. "So what do you think, Captain?"

"I think they're well trained, sir."

"That's not what I meant. Do you think they're prepared to face combat?"

Rafe sighed. "I tried to impress on them it's nothin' like trainin'. All they could see was that I'd flown with the Eagle Squadron and Danny and I had shot down Zeros at Pearl Harbor."

"Did you tell them about Billy and Anthony?"

"Yes sir, I did. I told them what happened and how they died and they told me they'd be more careful. They remind me so much of me when I was here." And he shook his head.

General Doolittle smiled at his former student. "That's why I wanted you here. These boys need to have an idea of what they're in for, but unfortunately they'll have to learn that first hand."

"Yes, sir."

"There's another reason I wanted you and Captain Walker here. I wanted to see how you would deal with the pilots, how you talked to them. Unfortunately he's not here."

Rafe frowned. "I don't understand sir."

"I'm being transferred to Washington and everyone on the training staff is moving up. I'm going to need flight instructors to take over the open slots. Would you be interested?"

"A flight instructor?"

"Son, I told you once that when we got into this thing I was going to need all of my best pilots. I can't think of a better candidate for a flight instructor than a pilot who has actually seen combat. You can give these boys a perspective that most of our instructors can't."

"Will I still be able to fly?"

He smiled at Rafe's hesitation. "I'm depending on it."

"I don't know what to say. Part of me hates the idea because I was trained for combat. The other part of me says I almost got killed bein' in combat and I've paid my dues."

"Well you're here for a couple of more days, so take that time to spend with your wife and think about this. Report to me here Friday morning and give me your decision."

"Yes, sir."

General Doolittle stood up and Rafe followed suit with a salute and the General answered. "You're dismissed until Friday morning. Report back here at 0800."

"Yes, sir." He started to leave the office, then turned around. "General, will Danny still be given the opportunity to be an instructor?"

"Captain, I said all of my best pilots and that includes Captain Walker."

Rafe smiled in relief. "Thank you, sir." And he left the office.

General Doolittle looked at the closed door and smiled. "A couple of hedgehoppers for instructors." And shook his head in amusement before he went back to reading the latest reports on the newest crop of pilots.