Disclaimer: Read the previous chapter...I wanna say thanks to Nicci, Kekelina, and everyone else for reviewing my story. Ah, I realized that I made a mistake on a name so I fixed it. Enjoy and keep reviewing!
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1941 - January
Doolittle walked over to Rafe. "After two years of training, you believe that a $45,000 airplane is there for your amusement?"
Rafe looked straight ahead. "No Sir. I was just tryin' to keep my edge, Major."
"And when you did the outside loop last week, what did you think that was? Honing your skills? That's not training McCawley, that's a stunt. And I personally consider it to be reckless and irresponsible."
"Major," he looked at Doolittle's trophies. "How can that be, when you're famous for being the first man in the world ever to do it."
"Don't get cute with me son."
"No Sir. I don't mean to be disrespectful. I just think, well, it is reckless and irresponsible if you're just doing it to be a show off, but I was trying to inspire the men Sir. In the way that you've inspired me. I believe the French even have a word for it. When the men get together to honor their leader. They call it an homage."
"A what?"
"An homage Sir."
"That's bullshit, McCawley! But it's very, very good bullshit..."
Rafe tried not to smile. "Thank you Sir." Doolittle clenched his teeth and walked over to his desk.
"McCawley, you remind me of myself 15 years ago. Which is why we need to discuss this." He held up an envelope. "Have a seat son. The British have accepted you into the Eagle Squadron. You're on your way to England, tomorrow if you still want to go."
"Wow."
"Just a few British pilots are all that stand between Hitler and total victory in Europe. They need all the help they can get."
"Yes Sir. Well I'm on my way."
"Just for the record, I'm s'posed to ask you to reconsider."
"Sir?"
Doolittle shows him a newspaper with the headline 'Germany Advances All Fronts.' "Sooner or later we're gonna be in this war whether we like it or not. And I'm gonna need all of my best pilots. So it's my duty to ask you to stay."
"Major, what would you do?"
He looked out the window. "If it were me, I'd go."
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The past few weeks had been hell for him and on top of that Rafe was going to England to join a war that he didn't need to be in. He didn't understand that he could get seriously injured or killed. It's not like playing chicken with crop dusters. It's the real deal. He also didn't understand how he could be assigned to go there... Then there was Michelle. He knew that he had feelings for her, but he also knew that Rafe would kill him if he found out. It's harder than you think to not touch something that you want so badly...
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She sighed again. She was racking her brain trying to think of a way to be with Danny, but they all ended up in the same way. Rafe being pissed off. She didn't know what Rafe would do to him and frankly she didn't want to find out. She was just thankful that she didn't do something stupid to ruin their friendship. I don't know if explaining it to Rafe would help. Why am I even thinking about this? We're not even together... She came back to reality and heard something about going to a dance. She sighed again and followed the rest of the group to the trendy dance club down the street.
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Everyone left the table to dance except for Danny and Michelle. They were talking about the planes in the Air Corps until Rafe came over and said he needed to talk to Michelle. He walked her out to the balcony.
He took a deep breath and began, "Michelle. There's something I need to tell you. But you hafta promise that you won't be mad at me or hit me."
She looked at him. This must be something serious, "I promise."
"Good," he sighed. "I'm leaving tomorrow for England. I was accepted into the Eagle Squadron. I don't know when I'll be back. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, but I just didn't know how to tell ya..."
She looked at him with sadness in her eyes, "Why Rafe?" Confusion spread through his features. "Why are you leaving me again?" Tears began to pour from her eyes as Rafe took her in an embrace. "Last time you left I didn't hear from you for years and I don't want to feel like I've lost you again. Just promise me you'll come back." He was silent. "Please Rafe, please promise me that you'll come back.
"Chelle," he began. "I will come back. I promise that to you with all my heart and soul."
She tried so hard to hold it back but she couldn't anymore. The tears fell down her cheeks one after the other, "Thank you Rafe and be safe." He held her tighter and rubbed her back soothingly.
"Chelle, I hafta go and tell Ev now. I'll see you tomorrow before I leave ok?" She nodded her response as he walked back inside. She could hear the loud swing music. She heard someone else come on to the balcony. He sobbed into his shirt.
"It'll be ok Michelle. I promise. Rafe will come back..." he whispered.
She sniffled, "Thanks Danny."
"Why don't I walk you back to the hotel?" She nodded and they both walked out of the club her clinging to him like he was her oxygen. In reality they did need each other, but they needed each other now more than ever.
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The next day...
Danny, Rafe, Michelle, and Evelyn were at the train station saying their last goodbyes. Rafe went to Michelle first. He gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek with the promise that he'd be back. Then came Evelyn he gave her a hug and a heated kiss that made Danny and Michelle roll their eyes.
"Danny, I need to talk to ya real quick," Rafe said pulling him aside. "If I don't come back I want you to tell them ok?"
He nodded, "Rafe please come back. For all of us."
"I will and Danny, please watch over Michelle for me will ya?"
"Sure thing Rafe," he replied.
He boarded his train giving a last wave and he blew a kiss to Evelyn. Tears cascaded down their cheeks. The best brother, friend, and boyfriend had left their lives with the promise of coming back. But could he keep his promise?
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A/N: Well, that's the second chapter. I told ya I'd have it up! Anyways, today is my last day of spring break but I will try my best to get the next chapter going as soon as possible. Well I hafta finish my World War Two letter for school so please review and thanks for reading!!! And have you ever noticed how in all movies they say 'you remind me of myself 10 years ago' or whatever? What's up with that? Ha, people who saw the commentary know what I'm talking about... Until next time!
-Greenfairie
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1941 - January
Doolittle walked over to Rafe. "After two years of training, you believe that a $45,000 airplane is there for your amusement?"
Rafe looked straight ahead. "No Sir. I was just tryin' to keep my edge, Major."
"And when you did the outside loop last week, what did you think that was? Honing your skills? That's not training McCawley, that's a stunt. And I personally consider it to be reckless and irresponsible."
"Major," he looked at Doolittle's trophies. "How can that be, when you're famous for being the first man in the world ever to do it."
"Don't get cute with me son."
"No Sir. I don't mean to be disrespectful. I just think, well, it is reckless and irresponsible if you're just doing it to be a show off, but I was trying to inspire the men Sir. In the way that you've inspired me. I believe the French even have a word for it. When the men get together to honor their leader. They call it an homage."
"A what?"
"An homage Sir."
"That's bullshit, McCawley! But it's very, very good bullshit..."
Rafe tried not to smile. "Thank you Sir." Doolittle clenched his teeth and walked over to his desk.
"McCawley, you remind me of myself 15 years ago. Which is why we need to discuss this." He held up an envelope. "Have a seat son. The British have accepted you into the Eagle Squadron. You're on your way to England, tomorrow if you still want to go."
"Wow."
"Just a few British pilots are all that stand between Hitler and total victory in Europe. They need all the help they can get."
"Yes Sir. Well I'm on my way."
"Just for the record, I'm s'posed to ask you to reconsider."
"Sir?"
Doolittle shows him a newspaper with the headline 'Germany Advances All Fronts.' "Sooner or later we're gonna be in this war whether we like it or not. And I'm gonna need all of my best pilots. So it's my duty to ask you to stay."
"Major, what would you do?"
He looked out the window. "If it were me, I'd go."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The past few weeks had been hell for him and on top of that Rafe was going to England to join a war that he didn't need to be in. He didn't understand that he could get seriously injured or killed. It's not like playing chicken with crop dusters. It's the real deal. He also didn't understand how he could be assigned to go there... Then there was Michelle. He knew that he had feelings for her, but he also knew that Rafe would kill him if he found out. It's harder than you think to not touch something that you want so badly...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She sighed again. She was racking her brain trying to think of a way to be with Danny, but they all ended up in the same way. Rafe being pissed off. She didn't know what Rafe would do to him and frankly she didn't want to find out. She was just thankful that she didn't do something stupid to ruin their friendship. I don't know if explaining it to Rafe would help. Why am I even thinking about this? We're not even together... She came back to reality and heard something about going to a dance. She sighed again and followed the rest of the group to the trendy dance club down the street.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everyone left the table to dance except for Danny and Michelle. They were talking about the planes in the Air Corps until Rafe came over and said he needed to talk to Michelle. He walked her out to the balcony.
He took a deep breath and began, "Michelle. There's something I need to tell you. But you hafta promise that you won't be mad at me or hit me."
She looked at him. This must be something serious, "I promise."
"Good," he sighed. "I'm leaving tomorrow for England. I was accepted into the Eagle Squadron. I don't know when I'll be back. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, but I just didn't know how to tell ya..."
She looked at him with sadness in her eyes, "Why Rafe?" Confusion spread through his features. "Why are you leaving me again?" Tears began to pour from her eyes as Rafe took her in an embrace. "Last time you left I didn't hear from you for years and I don't want to feel like I've lost you again. Just promise me you'll come back." He was silent. "Please Rafe, please promise me that you'll come back.
"Chelle," he began. "I will come back. I promise that to you with all my heart and soul."
She tried so hard to hold it back but she couldn't anymore. The tears fell down her cheeks one after the other, "Thank you Rafe and be safe." He held her tighter and rubbed her back soothingly.
"Chelle, I hafta go and tell Ev now. I'll see you tomorrow before I leave ok?" She nodded her response as he walked back inside. She could hear the loud swing music. She heard someone else come on to the balcony. He sobbed into his shirt.
"It'll be ok Michelle. I promise. Rafe will come back..." he whispered.
She sniffled, "Thanks Danny."
"Why don't I walk you back to the hotel?" She nodded and they both walked out of the club her clinging to him like he was her oxygen. In reality they did need each other, but they needed each other now more than ever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day...
Danny, Rafe, Michelle, and Evelyn were at the train station saying their last goodbyes. Rafe went to Michelle first. He gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek with the promise that he'd be back. Then came Evelyn he gave her a hug and a heated kiss that made Danny and Michelle roll their eyes.
"Danny, I need to talk to ya real quick," Rafe said pulling him aside. "If I don't come back I want you to tell them ok?"
He nodded, "Rafe please come back. For all of us."
"I will and Danny, please watch over Michelle for me will ya?"
"Sure thing Rafe," he replied.
He boarded his train giving a last wave and he blew a kiss to Evelyn. Tears cascaded down their cheeks. The best brother, friend, and boyfriend had left their lives with the promise of coming back. But could he keep his promise?
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A/N: Well, that's the second chapter. I told ya I'd have it up! Anyways, today is my last day of spring break but I will try my best to get the next chapter going as soon as possible. Well I hafta finish my World War Two letter for school so please review and thanks for reading!!! And have you ever noticed how in all movies they say 'you remind me of myself 10 years ago' or whatever? What's up with that? Ha, people who saw the commentary know what I'm talking about... Until next time!
-Greenfairie