Goodbye is not the End
Sandra sank into the chair. Danny's words rang through her head.
"I have been assigned to Colonel Doolittle for a top secret mission. I fly out in two hours."
Of course Sandra knew what 'top secret' meant…something with a large chance Danny wouldn't be coming back.
Danny crouched in front of her, leveling his face with hers.
"You understand why I have to go Sandy?" He lay his hands on her knees. She put her hands on top of his. She nodded, only then bringing her eyes to his. Her eyes glazed over as she tried to hold back tears that were fighting their way out.
"You…you just promise to come back to me. PROMISE me that Danny." Her eyes pleaded with him.
He smiled tenderly at her. "Wild horses couldn't keep me from you, let alone some Japs."
She smiled sadly at him and brushed her hand over the collar of his shirt. "Its not horses I'm worried about."
~*~
Rafe held Evelyn in his arms. Their plane would be boarding soon.
"Be careful Rafe…I don't want to lose you again." She whispered.
"Hey, don't you worry about me. I can't very well die when we have a wedding to plan!" He smiled and she grinned back. He kissed her, taking in every scent, breath, and feeling of her he could.
Danny's eyes scanned the field, he still hadn't seen Sandra. He had told her not to come. He shook his head, taking Rafe's advice again…He turned and nodded to his friends Gooze and Anthony as they boarded the plane. Red still held Betty in his arms. Danny nodded to himself, he picked his bag up and started walking towards the plane.
"DANNY!" Sandra ran up to him, half out of breath. He turned and she threw her arms around him, pulling him close. "I couldn't let you go, I couldn't let you go without seeing you one more time…and telling you how much I love you."
Danny smiled and put his hands on her waist. He leaned his forehead against hers. She grimaced.
"Danny, I don't know how I can let you go…not knowing…if…" Danny cut her off.
"Sandra…listen to me…whether I come back with one leg, or two, or…or even in a wooden box, I'll always be with you. I'll always love you…no matter where I am…or what I am." He put his hand on hers and touched their hands to her heart, then to his. "We will always be together…because you have my heart. I'll never stop loving you…ever."
Sandra smiled, tears spilling down her cheeks. "You have mine." She wrapped her arms around him, breathing in the scent of his cologne.
He ran his fingers through her hair, and what he next said surprised him as much as it did her.
"Marry me Sandy?" He said it almost like a fact, rather than a question. Even if he could take it back, he knew he wouldn't want to.
She looked into his eyes, searching his face. "Are you serious?" she asked.
He smiled. "Yea…I am." She smiled. He went on. "I know its awfully sudden, and it comes at not the most romantic time…and, and I don't even have a ring…" Sandra put her fingers on his lips, silencing him. "Yes Danny." She grinned. "Yes!"
He smiled back at her. He kissed her and picked her up, twirling her around. He grinned and put her down. He pulled off one of the small pins he had earned from his uniform and put it in her hand.
"Keep this. Put a chain on it and wear it next to your heart. It will have to do for a ring…for now."
She smiled at him and closed her fingers around it. "I will."
"Danny Come on!" Rafe yelled from a few feet away.
Danny turned his head and nodded. He turned back to Sandra and kissed her, holding her tightly as if it would be the last time he would hold her.
"I swear I'll marry you Sandra. I love you." He hugged her tightly.
Sandra smiled and hugged him back. "I'm going to hold you to that." She smiled at him, giving him that smile that she only gave him, the smile that he knew he had to come back to.
Rafe ran up to Danny and grabbed his shoulder. "Danny, come on, we have to get on board now." He smiled apologetically to Sandra. She smiled sadly at him.
"See you when we get back Sandy." Rafe said and took off to kiss Evelyn one last time before boarding.
Danny took Sandra in his arms one last time. He buried his face in her neck and whispered, "I will come back." He kissed her.
"I love you Danny."
Danny had to literally pull himself from her arms. "I love you back!" He grined at her and turned to walk up the steps of the plane.
Sandra walked over to Evelyn and Betty and stood in the middle of them. Both wrapped an arm around Sandra, and she put her arms around each of them, pulling them closer together as they watched the plane until they couldn't see it anymore, each silently saying a prayer for the man they loved.