Disclaimer: They ain't mine.

AN: I've uploaded a revised chapter again. This time it was chapter 3. I just poked at it a bit, added some stuff. Nothing earth shattering. You might want to check the revisions, because a teeny tiny, itty-bitty of this chapter makes reference.

In this chapter, you might notice a little similarity between Danny/Elizabeth and Danny/Evelyn. It's supposed to be there.

I suppose I'm about done my little note. Thanks, as always, for the wonderful reviews. And enjoy!

Tennessee 1934

Tennessee was unquestionably hot in the summer. The air was thick and muggy, even as the heat of the sun had began to slowly descend below the horizon. Lizzie lay cradled in Danny's lap, under the shade of one tree's generous branches. Her head rested upon his chest, his hand lying ever so teasingly on her stomach. A cool, gentle breeze flitted through the air, causing Elizabeth to shiver. Danny pulled her closer.

"What are we doing here Danny?" Elizabeth asked, her bright, blue eyes gazing up at him.

"I never pegged you as a philosophizing type Lizzie," Danny remarked.

"No," she frowned. Elizabeth bit her lip and drew in a deep breath. "I mean us Danny. If there is an us."

"Of course there's an us," he assured her, his lips pressing into her hair. Elizabeth shifted her position, so she was now sitting beside him, removing Danny's hand in the process.

"Danny, this last month I've been nothing but confused," she stated. At his probing look she continued. "I mean, everything is going too fast. Rafe wanting to go away flying in New York—"

"But he's staying Lizzie," he gently reminded her.

"I know that Danny. That's just the beginning is all. Then there's you and me. Well, I guess mostly you. Maybe it's us…I just don't know!" Elizabeth threw her hands up in frustration. Picking herself up she began to pace uncomfortably. Danny too stood, but he remained still. "Danny, when you kissed me that night, everything changed."

"I thought that was a good thing," Danny said, with a noticeable edge to his voice.

"Me too," she smiled softly. "And I think everything changed again when your father died Danny. You're the same, but different."

"You don't know what that's like," he countered.

"You're right Danny. I don't, but you won't tell me."

Tears began to well up in her eyes. Danny instinctively wrapped his arms around her, drawing her near. He quickly wiped away the tears that never had a chance to roll down her rosy cheeks, kissing her softly in the process.

"Stop," Elizabeth suddenly pulled out of the embrace. Danny tried to suppress the look of hurt from gracing his face. "This, Danny, this is what I'm talking about."

"What?" he questioned in an even tone, although he was quivering inside.

"I want to know what's going on with us. Are we friends? Is it more than that? What?" Elizabeth paused, trying to steady her now trembling hands. Danny took them in his own "Why do I feel that every time you kiss me, I'm doing something wrong? Why haven't we told anyone?"

"I don't know why you think that kissing me is wrong, but that's not the way I feel Lizzie. You are much more than a friend to me. And maybe that's the reason that I don't want to tell anybody about us. I want to keep you all to myself," he explained slowly.

Elizabeth remained silent. Partially because she didn't know how to react to what Danny had just told her, but also because she felt ashamed. As if she should have known to have faith in him.

"I'm sorry," she began, Danny's arms once again holding her. "I just don't know what to do. I mean, we never really talked, about what we mean to each other. One day you were my brother's best friend, the next we're…"

"Listen to me Elizabeth. Remember that night, when you said that you might love me?" Danny asked her, as she nodded meekly. "Well I, Daniel Simon Walker, am completely in love with you."

Lizzie's face stretched out into a smile. She threw her arms around Danny's neck and kissed him soundly.

"Answer all those questions that were floating around in that head of yours?" he asked, devilishly.

"All except one." A mischievous grin appeared on her lips. "Simon?" she inquired, a giggle forming at the back of her throat. Danny just shook his head at the sometimes silliness of the girl who was very much on her way to becoming a woman.

"I do too, you know," Elizabeth whispered. "I think I always have."

"I suppose that settles it then," Danny replied with a faint laugh. "If you want," he offered. "We can tell everyone…about us I mean."

"Are you kidding?" Lizzie giggled as realization hit her hard. "Rafe would kill you."

"I bet he would," he agreed with a chuckle.

"You laugh," said Elizabeth. "But there's a shotgun out back."

"Seriously?" Danny's eyes darted around nervously. Elizabeth cocked her head to one side, leaning into him and pulled both of them onto the grass.

"Danny," she told him, "do you really think Rafe would get all upset like that? Enough to shoot you?" It was her turn to shake her head.

"If Rafe knew that I was in love with his sister? Little Lizzie Grace McCawley?" Danny raked back his tousled hair with his fingers, only to have Elizabeth brush it lovingly back into place. "Honestly? No."

"See?" she teased. She grinned again. Was it only moments ago that she had unshed tears in her eyes?

"Rafe wouldn't go for the gun Elizabeth. He'd ring my neck with his bare hands," Danny said in response.

"Danny," Elizabeth sighed, her fingers drawing lazy circles upon his chest. He stopped her roaming hand with his own. Danny's fingers intertwined with hers gently, but firmly.

"Elizabeth," his free hand found its way to her waist, where it sat holding her near. "The reason I don't talk about my father is that I want to forget. I just want to shut it out, like it never happened. It's not that I don't want to—"

"Shh," Elizabeth soothed.

"You're everything to me Lizzie," Danny whispered.

"And you to me," she murmured into his chest.

Danny tilted her chin towards his and kissed her softly. She smiled up to him, pressing her lips to his again. Lacing her fingers at the nape of his neck, Elizabeth made herself comfortable in his arms.

"Remember," he began, tugging the ends of her golden curls, "that promise I made you two years ago? That I'd—"

"Take me flying," Elizabeth finished, resting her cheek against his. She traced an imaginary line down the contour of his jaw, the tips of her fingers rubbing his chin and his lips.

"You were so mad, that you dad wouldn't let you. And Rafe was mad that I said I would take you," Danny let out a low chuckle.

"I remember," she said. "And I told you that I'd hold you to your promise."

"Why didn't you?" he asked, shifting so she was looking at him.

"Why didn't I what?" Elizabeth's lips twitched into a questioning grin.

"Hold me to my promise. You never once asked about it. Told me to take you flying because I said I would."

"Because," she shrugged simply, a gesture so innocent that it drove him wild. "I knew you that you wouldn't break that promise."

"How can you be so sure?" the corners of Danny's mouth upturned into a grin.

"Will you?" she inquired.

"No," he answered. "In fact, what do you say to right now?"

"Go flying, right now?" Elizabeth drew back to look at him.

"Sure, why not?" Danny swiftly pulled her to her feet.

"In what?" Elizabeth glanced around the sparse field, dotted with trees, the McCawley house and barn behind them.

"Your dad's old duster," he answered, grabbing her hand as he excitedly ran down the path.

"Daniel Walker, are you crazy?" she shouted at him. "And don't you dare say 'I'm crazy about you'!" Elizabeth warned.

"But I am," Danny responded, stopping to give her a quick peck on the lips. "C'mon," he tugged at arm.

"You are crazy," she groaned.

"I promised to take you flying, so I'm taking you flying," he replied, hoisting her into the plane.

"Danny," she sputtered, as he too hopped in beside her. He looked at her with a reckless smile on his face as he started the engine.

"What was that?" he yelled over the loud roar that had now filled the air.

"Danny," Elizabeth said once more. "I was saying—"

"Hmm?" Danny cupped his hand over his ear, leaning in jest to hear what she was telling him.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms across her chest with a huff. It was unbelievably amusing. Danny winked at her, the plane now beginning to ascend into the sky and with a rash movement scooped her up onto his lap.

"I was saying," she repeated, placing a slender hand on his chest. "That even though you've completely lost your marbles. I love you."

"Good thing then," he picked up her hand and lightly kissed the inside of her palm. "So?" Danny asked, his free hand gesturing to the ground below them.

"It's beautiful," Elizabeth peered over the edge, her mouth quirked in half-smile.

Danny laughed as she took in the sights with fascination. Her hand still set firmly against his heart as she watched the golden sun begin to descend. She looked at Danny and sighed. "No wonder you love to fly."

"Why?" he smirked.

"Because up here it's so free, so far from the world," she moved closer to him. "Far from everything."

She was right. There was a certain thrill to being so removed from the earth and all it's problems that drifted beneath him. But there was also a peace, a calm as he soared through the clouds. It was the same way he felt when he was with Elizabeth, just like he was flying.