Author's note: This is a new chapter too! Please review and tell me how you like it! I would be most grateful.

Chapter 7

Rafe finally caught up with Danny just before they reached their room. Yanking on Danny's arm, Rafe asked urgently, "Danny, we have to talk, alright?"

Danny turned back around. "I don't see a reason why."

Rafe retorted angrily. "What on earth were you thinking? You just volunteered for a top secret mission! You know what that means?"

Danny shot back, "I am old enough to know what a top secret mission involves, Rafe. I know what I am doing."

"You are avoiding me, Danny." Rafe said simply.

Danny remained silent. He really did not want to talk about this now. It made him feel horrible every time he remembered the tears on both Evelyn's and Rafe's faces. He felt so guilty every time he was reminded of the hurt that he had caused them. He had felt at a loss, and the only way he could think of to avoid confronting Rafe was just to avoid Rafe. It was silly, and most likely Rafe would get suspicious, but Danny really could not think of any other way to avoid hurting his best friend again.

"Danny, we need a proper talk. Come on." Rafe walked off in the direction of the beach. Danny sighed wearily. It seemed like Rafe was not about to let him off easily. He had no choice but to follow.

The two friends sat down on a spot at the beach. For a moment, both of them just stared aimlessly at the sea. Rafe was puzzled at Danny's abnormal behaviour, and he was busy ransacking his brain for something to put Danny off the mission. Anything would do. If only his brain would function properly. He could not afford to lose Danny again. Finally, Rafe broke the silence. "Danny, listen. Evelyn already lost the man she loved once, and I just don't want to see it happen to her again. You cannot go on this mission."

Danny rolled his eyes. "You know this is a war, Rafe. We don't have a choice. If I don't go, someone else would, and who knows? That someone might have an entire family. This is not a matter of whether we want to or not. It is my duty, and I am not going to shrink from what I am supposed to do."

"But you have to think of Evelyn! If something happened to you, how do you expect her to cope? It is hard to lose someone once, but twice is even harder." And I do not want to lose you again.

"Rafe." Danny said quietly. "What were you thinking when you volunteered to go to England? That it was your duty, right? This is what I am doing now. Simple as that. I am just doing my duty. "

"That was different…"

"It was not." Danny interrupted. "You said so yourself. You felt that it was your duty to go. Well now I've got that feeling. I feel that it is my duty to go on this mission, and I am going to do it."

"But…"

"You said it was hard to lose someone once without having to lose that person again. How do you expect Evelyn to cope if something happened to you on the mission? She already lost you once, isn't it?"

Rafe could not believe what Danny had just said. If he had remembered correctly, Danny had wanted to stay with Evelyn the last time. He had gotten into a fight with Rafe just to protect his relationship with Evelyn. Danny loved Evelyn and wanted to be with her. But now, Rafe had a nagging feeling that Danny was trying to reconcile matters between him and Evelyn, maybe even attempting to bring the both of them together again.

"Did…Evelyn say something to you? The both of you quarreled or something?" Rafe asked, concerned. Evelyn had seemed upset when she came to see him. And now Danny was acting strangely. Did something happen between the both of them?

Danny hesitated. "No. Nothing happened." There was an awkward pause. "Come on, Rafe. It is not possible to foresee what is going to happen. Why are you so pessimistic all of a sudden, as if you are sure something is going to happen to me?" Danny glanced at Rafe and saw his friend's worried expression. He knew that Rafe was looking out for him, just like he always did. The more Rafe looked out for Danny, the guiltier Danny felt. His friend genuinely cared for him, and what did he give Rafe in return? Betrayal. Danny's heart sank as he thought of what his relationship with Evelyn had done to their friendship. Rafe had said that things would not be the same again. Danny agreed too. Perhaps it was too late to try anything to save things, but the least he could do was to try. He had a duty to try.

Rafe thought hard. How on earth could he convince Danny not to go on the mission? Why was Danny acting so strangely? If Danny really went on the mission, how was he going to ensure that Danny came back safely? Rafe hadn't had a good night's sleep in days, and gradually he fell asleep, still thinking about those questions, and Danny didn't interrupt him. He just wanted to treasure these last peaceful moments they had together. Once they entered training, they were going to be busy, and after the mission…no matter the outcome, they were not going to have the same chance again.