It was time to say goodbye to each other again.

The week in Hawaii had passed so quickly and it was time for everyone to go home. It was particularly hard on Rafe because the closer it got to going back to Tennessee, the more he wanted to stay. He'd gotten a chance to fly when he and Gooz had met Danny and Red at the air base and it was like old times, flying with his best friend off of his wing.

They were having dinner at Danny and Sandra's with the others and a new addition. Red had brought the young nurse from the hospital and he looked happier than he'd looked in a long time. Wherever she was, Betty had to be smiling.

Danny had fired up the barbeque for one last dinner together and he was showing Rafe what to do. What Rafe hadn't told him was that he'd been on the phone to his commander about returning to active duty and seeing if it would be possible to request a posting to Hawaii. He was told it would take some time, but there should be some news by the time he got home.

He hadn't told Danny about it because if being sent to Hawaii wasn't possible, Rafe didn't want him to be disappointed. Truth to tell, neither did he.

He had talked about it with Evelyn and she said whatever would make him happy would be all right with her. He'd just have to wait until he got home before he could make a decision.

"Hey Rafe, keep an eye on the steaks will you?" Danny's voice brought him back. "Where were you?"

He grinned. "Just thinkin'."

"Well, you can't think and barbeque at the same time." He smiled at his distracted friend.

"Walker, are you sure you want to trust our dinner to this guy?" Gooz commented. "I'd rather not have my last dinner in Hawaii be burned to a crisp."

"I ain't goin' to burn 'em, so stop worryin'." Rafe answered. "And if you make one more comment like that, I will make sure to burn yours."

Gooz grinned. "That's fair." And he got up and started into the house. "Anyone else want a beer?"'

"I'll take one." Rafe and Danny said almost in unison. They looked at each other and laughed because some things really didn't change.

Gooz shook his head in amusement and went inside.

Somewhere inside the house the phone rang. Sandra came out a moment later and looked at Amy. "The hospital is calling for you. The telephone is on the table by the front door."

"Thank you." And she went into the house.

All eyes were on Red and Barbara was the first to speak. "All right Red, give. How are things going?" She asked him quietly, so Amy wouldn't hear them talking.

It was so nice for all of them to see a smile on his face as he looked at Barbara. "Fine." He said simply. "We're getting to know each other and I've told her about Betty. She let's me talk about her and doesn't seem to mind."

Martha sighed. "If we ever made you feel like you couldn't talk about her, we are sorry."

Red shook his head. "It's all right Martha, really. It was hard for any of us to talk about her or Tony or Billy because we all lost them."

"She seems to make you happy Red and that's all we care about." Evelyn told him.

When Amy came back out, she looked upset. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to say goodnight. I've been called in to work at the hospital."

Martha shook her head. "We remember that happening more than once."

Amy smiled in relief because they understood.

Red stood up and pulled his car keys out of his pocket. "I'll drive you over."

She put her hand on his arm. "That's all right Red, you stay here with your friends. After all, they'll be leaving tomorrow and it may be awhile before you see them again. I can walk."

Barbara spoke up. "Take her to the hospital Red, we'll be here when you get back."

Red grinned at Amy. "See all the bossing I had to put up with?" And he took her by the arm and went into the house.

"I'll be back in a minute." Sandra said and followed them inside.

Gooz passed her in the doorway as he came out with the beers and put one down on the side table before he took the other two to Rafe and Danny. "Where's Red going?"

"Amy got called into work and Red's drivin' her to the hospital." Danny told him. "He'll be back."

"He really likes her, doesn't he?" He asked.

"Looks that way." Danny commented as he took a sip. "Maybe we'll get him hitched yet."

Rafe grinned. "This comin' from the guy who didn't want to get rushed into gettin' married himself."

"That was different." They said in perfect unison and everyone laughed.

"I get your point Rafe." And he grinned before he looked at Gooz. "All right Gooz, Rafe's had his chance how 'bout you?"

"Are you kidding? Why would I want to burn my own dinner?"

Danny shook his head. "Just don't say I never gave you a chance."

"Trust me Walker, I won't." And he went back up on the porch to sit down with his beer.

Rafe and Danny stood together in the yard and looked at their friends sitting on the porch, talking and laughing. It really was too often between visits and Danny knew it was going to be harder than usual saying good bye to everyone here, but especially to his best friend. Flying together again was something he never expected to happen. That son of a gun hadn't told him he'd been training in Tennessee and could fly. It took him back to their days at Mitchell when they were young and in Rafe's case, cocky, pilots. It really was like old times.

Danny had said he would come pick Rafe and Evelyn up and take them to Hickam. Red was going to get Gooz, Martha and Barbara and they would all meet at the air base.

Evelyn could see Rafe looking around, almost as though he was trying to memorize the room. She knew he was uncertain about what would happen as to where he would end up. He'd told his commander if it weren't possible for him to go to Hawaii, he'd leave things as they were. It meant so much for him to be able to come back here and Evelyn hoped with all of her heart it would be possible.

He hadn't been so animated in a long time. When he'd told Evelyn about the jets he saw and how it felt to fly again it almost made her cry. They never should have gone to Tennessee and she prayed they would be able to come back to Hawaii.

She finished packing their bags while Rafe made the bed. "Did you get everything out of the bathroom?" She asked him.

"I'll take a last look." He told her and went in to check. When he came back out, he assured her they had everything.

She sighed as she closed the bags and put them by the door. "We're ready to go." She saw Rafe looking so uncertain and went over to where he was standing to put her arms around his waist. "Are we ready to go?"

He put his arms around her and smiled. "As ready as I'm goin' to be I guess."

Danny appeared at the open door and knocked. "All ready to go McCawley's?"

"We're ready Danny." Evelyn told him.

"We're goin' to make one stop before we go to the base. Sandra had a real nice idea last night about somethin' we could do for Anthony and Billy and Betty before ya'll go home."

"What is it?" Evelyn asked him.

"You'll find out." He told her and picked up their bags and went out to the car.

Rafe and Evelyn stood in the small room looking around and she put her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for bringing me back here Rafe. Our trip wouldn't have been the same if we'd stayed anywhere else."

He smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. "I do somethin' romantic every once in a while."

She looked at him. "That you do Rafe McCawley." And she took her arm from around his waist and headed out the door.

Danny stopped the car at the beach a few minutes later. They were met by the others who had three leis with them. When Rafe, Evelyn and Danny joined them, Sandra told them what she had planned. "It seems that we never really got to say goodbye to any of them. We saw their coffins and there was a service, but we had a war to win at the time and never really talked about them. I thought it would be a good thing for all of us to have that chance, if we wanted to take it. So I got a lei for each of them to throw into the water and let them know how much we miss them."

Evelyn smiled. "I think that's a wonderful idea Sandra. We should have thought of that before we left four years ago."

Danny put his arm around Sandra. "My wife is a genius." He smiled proudly.

"So, who wants to do the honors?" Sandra asked as she smiled back at her husband.

"I think it's only fair that Red takes one for Betty." Martha said.

"Barbara should take one for Billy." Evelyn added.

They all looked at each other not knowing who should take the lei for Anthony. Danny looked at Sandra, "Why don't you do it honey? I think Anthony would appreciate it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yea, I'm sure."

With that decided, Red, Barbara and Sandra took the leis as they all walked down to the surf.

"Red, why don't you go first?" Martha prompted him.

He stepped forward and took a deep breath. "Betty we were going to spend the rest of our lives together, but the Japs made sure we wouldn't. But I know you want me to move on with my life and I'm going to try and do that. I will always love you and no matter what happens in my life, that will never change." And he kissed the lei before he threw it into the surf and watched it as it was carried in the outgoing tide.

He stepped back and wiped a tear from his eye as Barbara stepped forward. "I don't know what would have happened with us if you hadn't been killed, but I did care about you. I hope you knew that." And she followed Red's lead and kissed the lei before she threw it into the water. She took a deep breath before she stepped back.

Sandra looked at Danny unsure of what to say. He took her arm and smiled, "Just speak for the rest of us honey, that'll do."

And with that encouragement from him she stepped forward. "You were a good friend to my husband and to the rest of the pilots. I always thought you were a nice boy and I hope you're at peace wherever you are and with Betty and Billy." And she threw the last lei into the water before she stepped back.

"That was real nice honey." Danny told her and kissed her cheek.

They all stood close together and watched the three leis make their way out to sea. It was a bittersweet moment for them because it was the first time they'd all felt they were able to say goodbye to their friends. As they turned and made their way back up the beach, Gooz stayed behind for just a moment. He'd lost a friend that day too, but he was not as well known to the others. His buddy Joe had been shot down as he was trying to get in the air and Gooz had never had a chance to say goodbye to him. He sighed, "If it weren't for you being such a pain in the ass, I never would have learned how to surf. I'll never forget that for the rest of my life. Thanks buddy." And he turned around and caught up with the others.

Rafe and Evelyn were the last to board the transport. He wasn't sure what was going to happen and hoped he and Danny would be back together flying soon.

Evelyn had hugged Sandra and Danny before she took Rafe's hand. "Come on Rafe. It's time to go." And she boarded.

"We had a hell of a good time and it was great bein' back here."

They grabbed each other into a bear hug and pounded the others' back . "I'm glad you came Rafe, it was like old times."

"That it was Danny, that it was." He looked at Sandra. "Take care of this guy, will you?" And kissed her cheek.

"I will. You better get going, that transport won't wait forever."

Rafe boarded the flight and before he went in, turned and waved. Danny and Sandra waved back before he went inside and found his seat next to Evelyn. She took his hand and smiled. "Are you going to be all right?"

"If we get to come back here, I'll be fine." He assured her as they fastened their seatbelts just before the plane started to roll down the runway and head into the Hawaiian sky.