A/N- I'm not that familiar with positions on aircraft carriers, but she is being trained to be one of those people who hold the flags and duck under the wings of the planes that are taking off, but that's not really going to matter to the story.

Navy Girl

Chapter Twelve

          Miranda stood on the deck of the USS Hornet, looking around the ship. She clutched her bags in her hands as she viewed the vastness of the boat. The battleships had looked smaller than this.

          Towards one end of the ship was a big, fat tower. Planes were parked down that end. The other, longer end of the ship was just a big runway. Miranda, in a brief moment of humor, noted that there was not a mopping sailor in sight. Way to go.

          One of the officers assigned her to a small bunk in the corner, and she threw her bags on the lowest tier. The officer, who introduced himself as Officer Donavan, began speaking as she looked around the long room. "You will be trained in a crash course for your position," he said in an official sounding voice. "Usually it takes years to fulfill the training but the officer"- here Officer Donovan coughed-"the officer had some complications and"-

          "That's okay," Miranda said. "If they can train a girl to use a gun, I think I can handle it."

          "Very well," said Officer Donovan, standing straight and saluting her, and then walked away. Miranda had no idea why she had been saluted, but she had more important matters on her mind. A redheaded, freckled sailor was smiling and waving her over.

          "Hi," he said, shaking her hand. "I'm Austin."

          "Hi, Austin," Miranda said. "I'm Miranda."

          "I'm going to teach you how to do your job and then how to avoid getting killed."

          "That's comforting," said Miranda, following Austin out of the bunks and out into the sunlight. The Pacific Ocean stretched in all directions, with not a dot of land in sight. It gave Miranda an unsettled, nervous feeling. She was standing in the middle of nothing and she did not like it.

          "Freaky, huh?" said Austin, following her gaze. "You'll get used to it." He walked over to the side of the runway, where a plane was about to take off. "Watch him," he said, pointing to a man kneeling by the side of the runway. "He's going to retire, and the other man left, so that leaves just me and that's why we need you. Two people do this job, or else it's too dangerous."

          Well, at least there's one person on this boat that thinks I can do it, Miranda thought.

***

          A few weeks later, Miranda stood in her nightgown, leaning over a toilet. Her stomach lurched and she threw up, feeling awful. What the hell is wrong with me? Miranda thought. Then it dawned on her.

          "Mommy, why were you throwing up in there? Mommy, what's wrong?" "I'm pregnant, baby! You're going to have a new brother or sister. Are you happy?" "Yes, Mommy!"

          Miranda remembered that day, the day she had learned that she was going to be a big sister. It stood out more prominently than ever in her mind.

          She was pregnant.

***

          Miranda decided not to tell Danny- he had other things on his mind and frankly Miranda was still in denial. She didn't go see the doctor and she didn't tell anyone because she didn't want to lose her job on the carrier and leave the Navy. She vowed to take it easy and to tell the doctor when it was necessary.

          The months passed by, and she felt the baby kick more than once. Her belly rounded out but she did not show as much as other women did. This worried her but the baby seemed to be fine. Miranda knew she was being stupid and even endangering another life but she had always done things on her own and if people in medieval times could to it, so could she.

          Soon came the month of November. Miranda stood on the deck of the ship, feeling the baby kick inside of her. Around the carrier she had noticed a few things. The planes that were parked on the ship were bombers, and people were acting nervous, like skittish hoses. They shied at every noise and spent a lot of their time looking over their shoulder.

          Then came the day that it was all explained to Miranda.

          "Danny!" she shrieked, seeing him walking around with Rafe on the deck. She sprinted down the side of the runway towards him. He swept her up in his arms and they kissed. Rafe smiled and walked over to them. "Danny, what are you doing here?" she asked.

          "Miranda, what are you doing here?" he said.

          "I work here! This is my carrier!" she said, touching his face and his hair and running her hands over his shoulders to make sure he was really there. Danny buried his face in her neck, kissing it passionately. Miranda touched her nose to the top of Danny's head, smiling contentedly.

          "Hey, pilots! Doolittle wants ya!" someone called from over by the tower. Danny looped his arm around Miranda's waist and they walked over to them, Rafe trailing behind. Rafe leaned against one of the planes and Danny and Miranda stood next to him. A man of medium-height with brown hair and blue eyes and an aura of authority paced around in front of the assembled pilots. "Now I can tell you what we're here for," he said, looking at the pilots. Miranda recognized a number of familiar faces in the crowd. "We're going to Tokyo, and we're going to bomb it."

          The pilots digested this news, sitting in silence for a second. Then Rafe yelled and tossed his hat in the air, Danny kissed Miranda happily, and the rest of the pilots cheered.

          Later, Miranda stood next to Danny contentedly in a meeting for the pilots, contentedly running her hand through Danny's hair. Danny's arm was around her waist and she leaned against his shoulder. The war talk seemed so far away.

          "But how're we going to land?"

          "You're not going to. As soon as the planes are airborne, the carrier turns around and leaves."

          Miranda was rudely pulled back to earth as she heard this last. Not going to land?

          Colonel Doolittle explained how they were to crash land the planes and hope for the best. Miranda's stomach lurched and she hoped that she wouldn't throw up. She looked into Danny's face. He took her face in her hands and they touched noses. "It's going to be all right," he said, looking into her eyes. Miranda's heart felt heavy.

          Later on Miranda lay in bed, facing the wall. She heard Danny climb under the sheets with her and snuggle his body up against hers. She turned around to face him, and her heart fell. The last time they had been like this…

          Now would be the perfect time to tell him. He deserved to know. Miranda opened her mouth to speak but nothing would come out. She felt nauseous again. She closed her mouth up. If she told Danny then he would send her back to Hawaii and now they needed her more than ever. I'm just serving my country, Miranda told herself. It's okay.

          Danny kissed her goodnight and in moments was asleep. Miranda looked into his peaceful face and cried softly, knowing what her child's father didn't.