Danny could see that Red had something on his mind. But he also knew that his friend would tell him when he was ready.

Since they returned from California, he and Red had been reactivated as pilots and were now flying the jets that they had been instructing other pilots to fly only a few short months before. Danny had forgotten the difference between teaching and training and he felt very much like he did when he and Rafe were at Mitchell. But he had a leg up on his best friend because he had at least been able to fly and familiarize himself with the aircraft as an instructor.

The week flew by as Danny, Sandra and their friends spent the week together visiting old haunts and spending time with Ann and Shelby. Rafe and Gooz couldn't seem to get enough of the activity on base, though Gooz said he wasn't about to follow in Rafe's footsteps and rejoin the military. As he explained it to Danny, he'd put in his time and served his country with pride. But unless he was drafted into the war that had begun in June, he felt that it was time to leave it to the younger fellows.

During that week, Danny never tried to talk him into rejoining but instead told him that he'd been honored to have him as his co-pilot on the Doolittle Raid. That seemed to ease the defensiveness that he'd displayed when Danny, Rafe and Red would talk about the conflict the military was now engaged in.

As for Red's preoccupation, he finally talked to Danny about it when they were getting ready to leave for the day. Sandra and the other girls had put together a big picnic feast and as Sandra had told him, they were going to take it down to the beach that afternoon. She told Danny that he and Red could meet them there when they were finished with their shift.

Red was staring into his locker and Danny couldn't help but notice the picture of Betty that had been posted there since the two pilots had been given their instructor's assignments in 1945. Before that it had been in his locker when they lived in the barracks. It was a picture one of the nightclub photographers had taken of her that night in New York City. He kept staring at it and to Danny's utter astonishment he very gently peeled it off of his locker door. After he rolled the adhesive off the back he carefully tucked it inside one of his old instructor's manuals. Danny didn't say anything, but sat down on the bench that ran between the row of lockers and waited.

Red sat down next to him and sighed. "It's time to let her go." He said simply.

"What brought this on?" Danny asked him quietly.

"If I tell you something, will you promise me not to tell anyone? Not even Sandra."

"I can promise not to tell anyone else except for Sandra. We've never kept secrets from each other and it's not somethin' that I want to start now." He answered his friend.

He nodded. "Understood. Danny, do you believe in ghosts?"

Danny frowned in confusion. "Ghosts?"

He sighed again. "A couple of days ago, you came to my quarters to check up on me and I told you that maybe it was time to give that Navy nurse a chance."

"I remember."

Red looked a little hesitant. "Betty came to see me that night and told me that it was time to move on and it was her idea to go talk to Amy."

"You saw Betty?"

He looked embarrassed. "I don't know if it was really her or if it was just a dream, but I know now that it's time let go of her."

Danny smiled at him. "Well it seems to me that whether it was a dream or not, you seem to have a real nice reason to finally let her go."

"I think Betty would have liked her." Red admitted.

A warning flag went up. "Red, have you been seein' her?"

His face colored. "The morning after I had that dream, or vision I went to go see her before I reported in. We went for coffee that afternoon and we had lunch together yesterday."

Danny's smile turned to a grin. "We ain't goin' to have another secret relationship goin' now, are we?"

Red finally smiled. "No. If this turns into anything, we'll let you know."

"I think it already has. You've already said we and have made it sound as though this might be it."

"I just don't want things to move too fast."

He nodded. "Understandable, but you also don't want things to go too slowly either. If she's the girl you think she is, you'll find a pace that works for the both of you."

"Like you and Sandra?" He laughed.

Danny laughed as well. "That is not a course of action that I would recommend for most people, but it was what worked for Sandra and me. Say Red, why don't you ask her if she'd like to join us at the beach."

Red shook his head. "And subject her to that mob? Not on your life."

"I don't think they would take too kindly to bein' referred to as a mob." He pointed out.

"You know what I mean Danny. They'll grill her and cross-examine her and make her wish she'd never had anything to do with me."

"They ain't that bad."

Red smiled at him again. "Says you. Or have you forgotten how you and Sandra were constantly grilled about what was going on?"

He grinned. "You got a point there Red. All right, I won't push. And maybe after everyone has left at the end of the week you can bring her to Sunday night supper. That way it'll just be the four of us."

"I'll keep that in mind." He said and stood up. "You know Danny, I haven't felt this good since before Betty died and it's nice being able to start looking forward again instead of back."

Danny stood up next to him and put a hand on his shoulder for a moment. "Sandra's goin' to be real happy to hear that. She's always worried about you."

"I know she has. And I appreciate it more than I can say to know that the two of you care so much. But I think that maybe you can stop worrying about me now."

"That will be music to her ears. If you're all set I think there's a picnic waitin' for us at the beach."

"Well then let's go, I'm starved." He answered as he closed his locker door and followed Danny out.