Danny watched his best friend as they returned from their latest mission.

Rafe had been a wreck from the time they had left Pearl Harbor and was in worse shape on the way home. He'd told Danny that Evelyn didn't look too good when he'd left her and then on their way home he'd gotten an emergency cable from Wheeler. Evelyn had gone into labor a week ago and the baby had arrived.

It frustrated Danny because he didn't know how to help and there was nothing he could say. Rafe had missed the birth of his first child and he knew it was killing his friend not to be with Evelyn. So he sat next to him and read the book he'd packed, knowing Rafe would talk when he was ready.

Danny heard him sigh and he put his book down. He was running a hand through his hair and Danny could see the tears in his eyes. He sighed himself and put a hand on Rafe's shoulder. "If there was a way I could get you there faster, you know I would."

"I know that Danny. I just wish I could be there." And he took an angry swipe at his damp cheeks.

"You can't beat yourself up over this. We're at war Rafe and we don't have a lot of say about our lives right now and Evelyn understands that."

He nodded. "But this is our first and I'll never have that again."

"That's true, but we're on our way home now and you will get to see the baby." He reasoned.

Rafe nodded again. "I just love her so much and I should have been there with her."

"I know you do Rafe but try to look at it this way. All you would have done was sit around a waitin' room until a nurse came in to tell you what you got." Danny joked, trying to lift his spirits.

Rafe seemed to understand was his friend was trying to do and smiled. "I can't argue with that."

Evelyn had received a cable from Rafe and she had asked Sandra to meet the incoming transport and bring her husband home.

So she stood there and watched as the plane rolled to a stop and after a few anxious moments saw Danny and then Rafe. He came jogging from the plane. "How is she?" Was his first question.

"She's fine Rafe and so is the baby. She asked me to get you home when you got here."

"What is it?"

She shook her head. "Ev needs to tell you that."

As Rafe hurried to the car, she looked at Danny. "How is he?"

"He was real upset to not be here, so what do you say we get him back to the house? Then I can get a proper hello." He grinned at her.

She flushed. "Fair enough."

He put his arm around her and walked her to the car and she handed him the car keys. Rafe was in the back and looked anxious.

After Sandra had gotten in the car and sat down she turned to look at Rafe. "She's fine, really and she's anxious to see you so you can see the baby."

"Did everythin' go all right?"

"Everything went fine, why?" She looked puzzled.

"All the cable said was that she'd gone into labor and had the baby."

Sandra sighed, wondering how much Evelyn wanted him to know, but knew she needed to tell him something. "She went into labor a few days ago when she was getting dinner ready and her water broke." She glanced at Danny who looked at her and then his friend in concern.

"It all happened pretty fast then." Rafe stated.

Sandra tried to lighten the mood. "I don't know if Ev would agree with that, but for a first baby it came fairly quickly." She had almost slipped and revealed what Evelyn had had so she decided to stop talking. She turned around in her seat as Danny started up the car and headed to Rafe and Evelyn's.

When they got there, Rafe was the first out of the car and ran up the front walk. He disappeared into the house and Danny came around to help Sandra out of the car. They stood by the door and he shook his head. "He's been a bear to be with since he got that cable." And then he grinned. "But then I suppose I would be too if I was in his situation."

She flushed before Danny put his arms around her and pulled her close. She put her arms around his neck and sighed. "Honestly Danny."

"I love it when you say that honey." And he kissed her.

"Honestly." And she laughed as he let her go and they followed Rafe into the house.

Barbara and Martha were in the kitchen sterilizing bottles and mixing formula and Sandra joined them after Rafe had come out from the bedroom and asked Danny to follow him back.

When he got there, Evelyn was sitting in a rocking chair by the bed and holding the baby. She looked really tired but happy too. "Hello Danny. It's nice to have you home again."

"Thanks Evelyn. You look well."

"Considering I just had a baby?" She smiled.

He grinned. "I ain't touchin' that one."

"Good move Danny." Rafe grinned back at him. "Evelyn and I just wanted you to meet your godson."

He was stunned. "My what?"

"Your godson. You didn't really think I'd ask anyone else did you?"

"I hadn't really thought about it, but I'd be honored." And he grinned. "So have you come up with a name?"

He saw Evelyn look at Rafe. "We're still discussin' it because we hadn't decided on a name before I shipped out." Rafe told him.

"Danny, would you like to hold him?" Evelyn asked him.

"I ain't ever held a baby Evelyn, I might drop him."

She laughed softly. "You won't drop him Danny, just come here."

He stepped over to the rocker and Evelyn instructed him on how to pick the baby up out of her arms. "He's so little." He commented as he held the baby and then glanced at Rafe. "He looks like you."

"That's what I keep trying to tell him and all he says is he wished the baby looked like me."

"There's always next time Evelyn." And he laughed.

"Oh, honestly." She said and shook her head and Rafe laughed too.

It's nice to be home, Danny thought and rocked his godson to sleep.