Evelyn stood in the doorway of her son's room and watched him. He'd started to cry after Rafe had put him to bed and it was he who had gone back into the room. He sat on the edge of the bed and stroked his son's sandy hair. "It's all right son, I'm right here." Rafe told him softly.

"Don't go away Daddy." Evelyn heard his voice tremble and it broke her heart. It had been hard on her youngest to have Rafe away so much and it was compounded by the fact that his big brother and sister were in Tennessee with his grandparents.

"I ain't goin' anywhere Joseph and I'll stay here as long as you want me too." His father assured him.

"Stay here with me and Mama, please."

Evelyn suddenly understood what her son really meant and she stepped into the room. She walked over to the bed and put a hand on Rafe's shoulder before she knelt down at the edge, took her son's small hand in hers and tried to smile. "I know you miss Daddy when he goes away and so do I. But one of the reasons we came back here was that your daddy has a very important job to do. Do you remember what that is?"

He nodded.

Rafe continued to stroke his hair. "I miss you and your mama somethin' fierce when I have to go away. But right now there are some people who want somethin' that ain't theirs to have and it's up to others like me and your Uncle Danny to make sure they don't get it. Do you understand?"

He nodded again. "Why do they want it Daddy?"

Rafe looked down at Evelyn and sighed. "I don't really know son."

The boy lay still and it seemed to Evelyn that he tried to make sense of what she and Rafe had told him. "How much longer?"

"I don't really know that either." He admitted and he sighed as Joseph closed his eyes and relaxed. Rafe hadn't been happy with the answer he'd given, but it seemed to calm his son because he fell asleep. He sat for a few moments more and continued to brush the hair off of his forehead. It seemed to have the same effect on his son as it did on him when Evelyn did it.

He finally got up and offered a hand to Evelyn to help her stand. He kept a hold on her hand as they stopped at the door and he sighed. "This is a lot harder than the last time we went through this." He told her quietly and closed the bedroom door before he put his arm around Evelyn's shoulders.

They walked down the hall and headed to the back porch. When they got outside he sat down on the sofa and Evelyn curled up next to him. "Rafe, you're where you need to be and we both know that. We also knew that when we came back that it was going to be a big adjustment for him. He's luckier than Danny and Sarah were because he always had you around for the first few years of his life and this is something he'll have to adjust to."

He looked at her and frowned. "How are you doin' with this?"

She smiled and put her arms around his waist. "I've been through this before and I'll be fine."

"That ain't an answer Evelyn."

"But it is, don't you see? I always knew that you loved to fly and I also knew how much it meant to you to be an officer in the Air Corps." She sighed. "We went to Tennessee after the war because you said you were ready to go home, so we went. But it wasn't where we were meant to be and you knew that almost from the start. The Air Corps is in your blood Rafe McCawley, and we're back in a place that we both know we should never have left."

"I just worry about him that's all."

"I know you do Rafe and I would never tell you that you shouldn't. There has always been something special between the two of you and I know you tend to worry about him a little more than the other kids."

"I worry about all my kids." He sounded a little defensive.

"But you didn't deliver all of them. I know how much you love Danny and Sarah, but you brought Joseph into the world and that created a bond that can't ever be matched."

He nodded.

"He'll be all right Rafe and once we get Danny and Sarah here that will help."

His frown deepened. "I've been thinkin' about that Evelyn and I'm wonderin' if we shouldn't leave them in Shelby for the time bein'."

Her heart stopped and she looked at him. "Please don't tell me you're serious about that."

"I'm not sayin' permanently, but at least until the war is over." He reasoned.

She sat up and shook her head emphatically. "No. Now I wasn't thrilled with the idea of leaving the kids behind when we came back here, but since school had already started we didn't have much of a choice. The plan was that when school was out, they would come out here to live and that is what is going to happen."

Her insistence surprised him and he was quiet for a moment. "We're at war honey and if Joseph is havin' a hard time with it, the other kids will too."

"They're having a hard time as it is because they're in Tennessee with their grandparents and not here with us. Rafe, they want to come home and I want them here."

"I want them here too, but..."

"No buts Rafe. We made a decision about this before we came back and that's the end of it."

He sat next to her absolutely stunned. Evelyn had always been supportive of whatever he wanted to do and she had never put her foot down as she did at that moment. He also knew that any further discussion would be useless because once his wife made up her mind, nothing would change it.

"You're sure about this?"

She nodded. "I want them here with me and with their brother. He misses them terribly and I think it would help him feel better to have them here."

"All right Evelyn, they'll come home." He said.

"Thank you." And she kissed his cheek.

"Speakin' of comin' home, has there been any word on if the girls are comin' back?"

Evelyn shook her head. "I haven't heard from Barbara or Martha so I don't know if that means they're going to stay in New York."

"I know you'd be real happy if they were able to come back." He smiled at her.

"That I would but I'm happy too about Red and Amy." She smiled back at him.

"I was wonderin' when we would get around to that." His smile turned into a grin. "You were right about that Evelyn, they are goin' to have a baby."

"I haven't seen Red this happy since he and Amy got married."

Rafe nodded. "It was a real nice day today and I think we should do it again before we have to fly out again."

"Are you back on rotation?"

He shook his head. "Not yet, but you know that we don't get a whole lot of notice before we are."

"That's always the worst part."

"I know honey."

Evelyn sighed before she stood up. "It's been a long day and I think I'm going to go to bed."

"It's still early." He told her.

She smiled. "I never said anything about going to sleep."

"What have you got in mind Mrs. McCawley?" He grinned.

She held out her hand to him. "Come with me Captain McCawley and find out."

He grin widened as he stood up, took her hand and followed her into the house.