It was one of those things that a person couldn't explain.

And until Danny had married Sandra, he couldn't possibly have understood what Rafe had tried to tell him about how a relationship changed after two people had made love.

It had never been his intention to skip the preliminaries with his new bride, but by the time they had gotten to their room at the end of the day, she seemed to be just as anxious as he had been to finally be together. He made it up to her afterwards though when he had held her and they talked. He had worried a little, too because at some point she had started to cry and it crossed his mind that he may have rushed her into something that she had wanted to take more time with.

He needn't have worried. He'd forgotten that Sandra could read his mind because she assured him that if she had wanted to slow things down she would have. She explained that she had begun to cry because she was so happy. Danny had thought it a bit strange that someone would cry when they were happy, but she explained that there were such things as happy tears.

They had finished with their breakfast and had debated whether to venture out of the room but had decided against it. Danny got up from the table and held out his hand to Sandra.

She smiled and he saw her face turn a pretty shade of pink. "Should I ask what you've got in mind?" She asked him.

"This is our honeymoon Sandra, what do you think I have in mind?" He grinned at her.

"I don't know about this side of you Daniel Walker." Sandra commented as she sat at the table and tried not to smile.

"What side is that honey?" His grin got wider.

That did make her smile as her face turned a little redder. "You really want me to say it?"

"I do."

"You said that yesterday." She remarked with a laugh.

"You ain't answered my question." He wouldn't be sidetracked.

"I never thought you would be this amorous." She admitted.

He held his hand out to her again. "That's because we weren't married."

She took his hand and stood up next to him. "Will it always be like this?"

"I sure as hell hope so." He laughed as they walked back to the bedroom. Along the way he saw Sandra look down at their discarded clothes and her face turned a deeper shade of red.

"We really should pick all that up." She said as he pulled her gently behind him.

"Later." Was all he said as he pulled her back into the bedroom.

It was much later that afternoon when the Walker's finally decided it was time to face the world.

After they'd gotten dressed, Danny had helped Sandra pick their clothes up off the floor and lay everything out on the bed. "It really was a wonderful day, wasn't it?" She asked him as she looked at her wedding dress.

He stood behind her with his chin on her shoulder and his arms around her waist. "It was the happiest day of my life."

"Even better than getting your pilot's wings?" She teased him.

"Much better." He answered. "That was somethin' that I'd worked real hard for but didn't have anyone to share it with except for Rafe and his folks."

"I wish I'd known you then so I could have seen you get your wings."

"So do I, but you did get to see somethin' better than that." Danny said to her.

"What would that be?"

"Me." He laughed.

She turned in his arms and smiled at him. "Oh, honestly Danny."

He pulled her to him and held her for a moment before he kissed her cheek. He released her long enough to take her hand and smiled. "I knew you would say that." And they walked out to the sitting room.

When they got there they stood at the door and Danny looked at her. "Are you ready for this?"

"Are you?"

He grinned at her. "I'd rather stay here and make love to my wife, but we've been in this room for almost a whole day."

Her laugh was soft. "Complaining already?"

"You know me better than that Sandra." He said as he opened the door. She stepped out ahead of him and after he closed the door behind her and pocketed the room key, they stood in the hallway.

"This is the first time we've ever been anywhere as a married couple." Sandra observed with a smile.

"How does it feel so far?"

"I like it."

Danny smiled at her. "Where would you like to go first? I've got a whole week's leave and we've never really had the chance to take a look around this island."

"I'd like to take a walk on the beach." She told him without hesitation.

He looked at her and smiled. "Are you sure about that? We always go to the beach."

She took his hand in hers and smiled. "That's true, but this would be our first walk on the beach since we got married."

"A walk it is then." He told her and they strolled to the elevator at the end of the hall and stepped on.

Danny kept a hold on her hand as they stepped off and headed through the lobby to the front door. "Captain and Mrs. Walker."

He and Sandra turned around to see an older gentleman in a suit that stood behind the front desk. "Yes, sir?"

"It is my understanding that you were married yesterday."

Danny looked at his bride and smiled. "Yes, sir we were."

He looked down at the reservation book. "I also understand that you'll be staying with us for the week."

Danny nodded and was slightly confused. "We'll be checkin' out next Saturday."

The man smiled. "Very good then. We have a tradition here with our newlyweds that we cater to all of their hearts desires. We like to pamper them and start their married lives on as happy a path as we can and we would like to do that for the two of you."

The new Captain and Mrs. looked at each other and smiled.

"I think we already did that." Danny told him. He knew without a glance in her direction that Sandra's face had probably turned ten shades of red. It hadn't been his intention to embarrass her, but his happiness at finally being married to her knew no bounds and he squeezed her hand. "Sorry honey."

The concierge for his part was almost masterful in the way he contained his amusement and for that Danny was grateful.

"I noticed you were on your way out and that was why I wanted to detain you for a moment. Do you have any plans at this time?"

"We were going to take a walk on the beach." Sandra told him.

"Might I suggest then, when you return that you join our other newlyweds for a luau this evening? It's always been something that we've enjoyed to do and we would be honored if you would be there."

"Count us in." Danny told him and Sandra nodded.

"Very good then. The luau starts at six thirty and we'll all meet here in the lobby and go down to the beach."

"Thank you."

"It's our pleasure Captain, enjoy your stay."

"We will." Danny told him as he took Sandra's hand again and they walked outside. The hotel was right near the beach and they strolled across the road and took off their sandals. The sand shifted under their feet and sifted through their toes as they walked. A gentle breeze blew as they walked down to the water's edge and let the warm water of the Pacific wash over their feet.

Sandra stayed close to him and held his hand as they walked and watched the surfers ride the waves that came inland. He watched parents with their children as they built sandcastles or played in the sand. He thought about the McCawley's and their ritual of Sunday at the beach. Rafe would always help his son build sandcastles near the water while Sarah stayed close to her mother on a blanket farther up the beach.

It was his honeymoon but he couldn't stop the thought that suddenly crept in; Rafe and Evelyn would leave Hawaii very soon. He and Rafe had had so little time to enjoy the peace with those that they loved. And while he had no regrets or qualms about his choice to stay and start his life with Sandra in Hawaii, he couldn't help but think that his best friend had made a mistake when he had decided to leave the Air Corps and go back to Tennessee.

His thoughts were brought up short by a squeeze on his hand. He looked over to see Sandra with a smile on her face. "I lost you there for a moment. What had you in such deep thought?"

He stopped and put his arm around her before he continued to walk. "I was thinkin' how happy I am to be startin' my life with you here and worried that Rafe is makin' a mistake by goin' home."

"Even if it's what he wants?"

"I'm not sure that he does, honey. He just got it into his mind that he wanted to go home and nothin' was goin' to change it. I don't know what he's goin' to do without the Air Corps."

"Danny, he does have a wife and children to consider." She remarked gently.

"I know he does and I think he believes that what he's doin' is what's best for them. I just can't think of a nicer place to stay and raise a family." And he grinned. "Speakin' of a family, we never did talk about when we were goin' to start ours."

"I don't know that we'll have much say in the matter, Danny. When it happens it happens."

"And there's only one way I know of to make that happen." He said and took his arm from around her shoulders to grab her hand. "Let's go."

"Oh, honestly Danny." She smiled at him as they ran up the beach and back to the hotel.