Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! Hope you enjoy this chapter as well. :P

Chapter 12

It felt like an eternity waiting for help to arrive. The Japanese soldiers could come back anytime. By then, the American soldiers would not have enough ammunition to defend themselves. There wasn't much talk, and they just huddled next to each other, seeking what little bit of warmth they could from each other. Rafe slipped in and out of consciousness, and the anxiety was almost driving Danny mad. He had to get Rafe back to Evelyn. He owed them that much.

When Rafe was unconscious, Danny tried hard not to think about how much paler he looked, how much blood he was losing despite Danny and the others' best efforts, and how much longer it might take for the Chinese to find them. However, his mind refused to cooperate. It kept reverting back to the current situation, and when he tried to force it away, it turned to another topic that he had buried deep in his heart for quite some time now. Evelyn, and their baby. His baby.

What was he going to do? He did not want to make Rafe and Evelyn miserable for the rest of their lives because of him. But he could not possibly leave his child. And he still loved Evelyn, no matter how hard he tried to deceive himself to think otherwise. It was not easy giving up someone he loved, but to give up both Evelyn and his son…that made things harder. He could not let Rafe and Evelyn bring up his son for him. That was an irresponsible thing to do, and he was never irresponsible when he could help it. What's more, he wanted to be his child's father. The child was…part of him.

If he left Rafe and Evelyn to look after the child, wouldn't it serve as a constant reminder to them of the events that they tried so hard to forget? How could they be happy together if they were continually reminded of his existence in their relationship?

Danny closed his eyes. Things were getting so complicated. What he should focus on now should be taking care of Rafe and bringing him back to Evelyn. The rest could wait. When they got back, he would find a chance to talk to Evelyn. Get her opinion on what should be done. When they get back, that is.

Suddenly, Gooz, who was currently on sentry duty, whispered a warning. "There are people coming."

Heart sinking, Danny scrambled to his feet softly along with the others, and they formed a barrier between the oncoming people and Rafe. They had nowhere to hide. Perhaps the only reason they were not being attacked at the moment was because they had not come within shooting range. That did not mean that they would not be attacked later on. It was a silent consensus that they protect their injured friend as best as they can. Whatever happens, they would not surrender. Please, let it be help coming, Danny prayed fervently.

The pilots aimed their guns, waiting for the advancing party to come within shooting range. Try as he may, Danny could not identify the small group of people. Were they more Japanese soldiers? Or were they the Chinese soldiers? When the group gave no sign as to their identity, the pilots prepared to shoot.

"Hold your fire!" a familiar voice commanded. "We have come to help." The pilots gaped at each other. That sounded a lot like Colonel Doolittle. Then, relief replaced their surprise and they almost whooped in relief. Help was here, at last.

Bending down, Danny whispered to Rafe, who was semi-conscious by now. "Hang on a while more, Rafe. We're getting out of here soon."

Evelyn stretched as she got out of bed. Eyeing the alarm clock, she gasped. "It's 8 o'clock already! I am supposed to be there at 8.45!" How could she have overslept! She had argued for such a long time with Major Jackson just to get him to allow her to be there when the news came in about Rafe and Danny. They were going to carry out the raid today, and she had wanted to get wind of their news as soon as possible. It was such an important date, and she overslept!

Hurrying to the bathroom, she washed up and dragged a comb hastily through her curly brown hair. She pulled out a random dress in her wardrobe, dressed and was out of the door in record time. Walking as fast as she could manage, Evelyn headed towards the main road to flag a cab. She was so focused on getting to her destination as fast as she could that she did not notice the bicycle coming in her direction.

The cyclist rang the bell furiously, stepping hard on the brakes in an attempt to avoid banging into Evelyn. Right at the last moment, Evelyn realized that she was in the way of the bicycle, but there was not much she could have done. The cyclist swerved hard to avoid her, and Evelyn's own attempt to avoid the bicycle put her in the path of the cyclist, again. Amid curses and screams, the bicycle hit Evelyn hard, and crashed to the ground a few metres away. Evelyn fell to the ground, and came in contact with the rough ground, hard.

The shock of the hit made Evelyn numb to any sensation at first. Then pain started to get hold of her, coming from every part of her body, but more strongly from her stomach area. She felt something warm flow down the insides of her legs, and a sense of fear gripped her. Her baby! Forgetting her pain, she struggled to sit up, tried to get a look on what was happening, but her vision swam, and somehow she could not get any strength into her arms. Groggily, she registered the look of guilt and shock on the face of the cyclist as he bent over her. Before she passed out, she thought, this can't be happening. My baby, my child…Danny's child. Oh please…