Ann was sitting up in bed, unable to sleep even though she wore Danny's Academy sweatshirt as she so often did since he'd given it to her. It gave her little comfort that early morning because he was flying out in less than an hour and she didn't want to have to consider that he might not be coming home. It didn't help matters that she'd very nearly given herself to him the previous afternoon and he nearly let her do it.

"Ann?" She looked up to see her mother in her bedroom doorway with a look of surprise on her face. "I thought you'd still be asleep."

"Well, in order for me to still be asleep means that I would actually have slept last night." She babbled because she was so tired.

Mama came into the room and sat down on the edge of her bed. "It's hard to rest when you know someone that you care about is going into harm's way. During the last two wars, especially Korea because we were married by then I didn't sleep when your dad was gone. I always worried something might happen until I saw him step off his transport and I could see for myself that he was all right."

"I don't know if I can do this." She looked at her mother and felt the tears start to roll down her cheeks.

Mama took her hands in a firm grasp and her soft voice was soothing. "You can do this Ann because of what you feel for Danny."

"You think so?"

"I know so. I came in here to wake you because Danny's here and he didn't want to leave without seeing you." She stood up and put her hand under Ann's chin and tilted it up so they were eye to eye. "So splash some cold water on your face, run a brush through your hair and go give him a proper goodbye."

Ann stood up next to her mother. "Did it ever get any easier?"

"It never did. But I knew how much your dad loved me and if something happened to him I would always have had the knowledge of that. Danny cares a great deal for you and that's something that you need to remember as well." Mama added as she headed to the door. "Don't take too long now, he needs to leave for the field in a few minutes."

"I won't." She promised as she followed her mother out of her room and walked to the bathroom. Without bothering to turn on the light she turned on the tap and let the cold water pool in her cupped hands before she splashed some on her face. The feel of it woke her completely and she reached for her hairbrush. She couldn't help but remember running Danny's brush through her hair the previous afternoon and she smiled.

When she got out to the living room Danny and her father were sitting at the dining room table and talking over a cup of coffee. They were discussing the base on Okinawa and the Spartan conditions for the pilots temporarily stationed there.

Dad saw her first and stood up with the cup in his hand. "I think I'll heat this up. Would you care for any more?"

He held up his hand to indicate that he was fine. "No thank you Sir. Too much coffee and that flight to Okinawa gets too long."

"Well then why don't you say goodbye to Ann so you won't be late." And he walked into the kitchen, giving them some privacy.

Danny stood up and smiled. "That sweatshirt really does look better on you."

"That is a matter of opinion." She smiled back at him and before she knew it, she was in his arms and his lips were on hers. She put her arms around his neck as his hands roamed up her back before they stilled.

"You're not wearing anything under this, are you?" His voice was low and husky.

Ann could have kicked herself for being so careless and she answered quietly. "I'm sorry, I didn't think about that."

He laughed softly and held her close. "I'm not because I stopped you yesterday."

"Yes you did." She held him as tightly as she could, wanting to remember how it felt to have his arms around her holding her so close to him. "But we both know you had to."

"I want to touch you so much." He whispered. "But with your parent's in the kitchen I really shouldn't."

She ran her hands down his back and wished that she could feel more than his flight jacket. "Your back is to the kitchen so they'll never know."

"Are you sure?" He seemed uncertain.

"I'm sure that you're running out of time because Dad's going to be out here in a minute." She looked into his eyes and saw something in them that hadn't been there before, just as his hands slipped under her sweatshirt and she got a shock because they were cold.

"Sorry." He apologized just before he kissed her. His hands warmed as they caressed her back and began to travel downward before she leaned back in his arms.

"Not a good idea." She shook her head before they returned to safe territory and he pulled her against him.

"I wish I didn't have to let you go, but Hank's outside waiting for me." His breath was soft against her hair.

She gave him a kiss and it was the kind of deep, passionate kiss that he would often give her. When she let him go, he looked absolutely floored and thoroughly pleased. "As soon as I come home, I'll have to outdo that one."

"I'm sure you'll try." She smiled back at him. He took her hand to walk her to the door and seemed reluctant to let it go.

"Don't forget that we have a date the night I get back."

"I won't forget." She couldn't take her eyes off of him because she was so afraid that this might be the last time she would see him.

He seemed to sense her worry and pulled a key out of his jacket pocket before he handed it to her. "This is the key to my quarters. If you could water the plants while I'm gone I'd appreciate it and if you need a quiet place to be by yourself it's yours to use."

"Take care out there." She could feel the tears begin to pool behind her eyes and was determined to keep them to herself.

"I will." He opened the door and waved a hand toward the street then checked his watch. "I need to push off now."

"Look after each other."

"We will Annie." And he gave her a quick kiss before he opened the screen door and ran down the walk toward Hank's car. He stopped again and waved as Hank waved to her as well and then they were gone.

She didn't hear her father come up behind her until she felt his hands on her shoulders. "Go get dressed honey and I'll take you over to the field so you can watch him take off."

"Really?" She turned and looked at her father. "Can you do that?"

"Of course I can do that, I work there. As long as you stay with me there won't be a problem, so go get dressed. We ain't got time to waste."

"Thanks Dad." She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too, now move." He grinned at her and then she ran down the hall.

Twenty minutes later her father parked in the lot next to the field where Danny was scheduled to fly out and made sure that she had her identification badge on. He took her hand as they approached the entrance to the field and were stopped by an MP. "Good morning Major. What's your business here?"

"We've come to see the 93rd Squadron take off. Lieutenant Daniel McCawley is one of the pilots bein' deployed this mornin'."

"Yes Sir. Just follow the signs to the observation deck and you'll be able to see the whole thing."

"Are they on time?"

"The last word I got was that they were slightly ahead of schedule. So you might want to hurry if you want to catch them." He advised as he handed a clipboard to Major Walker to sign in and in turn handed it to Ann so that she could as well. "Keep your badges on at all times and make sure that they're clearly visible."

"Thank you Sergeant, we'll do that." And they were let through the gate.

Ann started to get a little anxious because with Danny's squadron leaving sooner than they'd planned, she didn't want to miss it.

"Calm down honey, we ain't goin' to miss him." Her father tried to reassure her as they walked into the main building and as the sergeant advised them, followed the signs. When they finally reached the observation room Major McCawley was already there. His hands were shoved in his pockets and she saw so much of Danny in his stance as he stood and waited.

"I guess I don't need to ask why you're here." Dad laughed as they approached the major.

"The same reason you've brought your daughter is my guess." He smiled but Ann could see the tension in his face. "I've watched that boy of mine take off and land every day since he's been home and I was here the mornin' he flew out for his first mission. It may be a little superstitious but I figure that if I'm here when he takes off then he's got to come home."

"That ain't bein' superstitious Rafe, that's bein' a father." He put a hand on Major McCawley's shoulder. "Danny's a damn fine pilot and he proved that durin' his first mission. He came home last time and he'll come home this next time too."

He nodded and then pointed toward a group of planes that began to roll out of their hangars. "Here they come."

Dad got her in front of him so that she would have a better view and his hands were on her shoulders in a gesture of support. "Where is Danny?"

"He'll be the third one out."

She looked up at Major McCawley. "How can you know?"

"He told me it was where he was placed in the order. So keep your eye on the third jet rollin' down toward the runway because that's Danny." Ann could hear the pride in his voice, but she heard his worry as well.

Ann moved closer to the window and put her hands up on the glass because she wanted to get as close to him as she could. She felt the vibrations as the jets revved up their engines and she watched intently as he prepared to take his spot at the start of the runway. Ann had never seen him in the cockpit of his jet and it gave her more than a little thrill to see him at that moment. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the aircraft bounce forward and stop again when he became the second in line as the jet ahead of his began to roll down the runway and quickly gain speed. The next thing she knew it was in the air and disappeared in a matter of seconds.

Then he was first.

Ann watched as he made ready to take off and rolled toward the start line. The vibrations became stronger as the twin jets gathered strength and she watched as he snapped a salute to the officers in the tower and then looked toward the observation deck and saluted again. Major McCawley stood at attention and returned the salute to his son. She felt such pride in Danny for acknowledging his father and she'd have to tell him so when he came home.

His jet began to roll down the runway and her heart beat furiously as she watched the aircraft gain speed. She leaned into the window and nearly pressed her nose to the glass as it suddenly lifted into the air. She followed his ascent as best she could before he climbed out of her line of sight.

She turned away from the window thinking that they were leaving when Major McCawley stopped her. "Hank's about to take off if you want to watch."

She turned around in time to see him roll up to the start line. As Danny did before him, Hank snapped a salute to the tower and a few seconds later, he rolled down the runway and then climbed into the sky. She didn't know how Major McCawley could do it on a regular basis. Ann's heart was in her throat the entire time she watched Danny and she couldn't imagine how his father felt. With Danny and Hank safely in the air Ann turned around and started to walk toward the door.

"Ann." The sound of Major McCawley's voice got her to stop and turn back around. "I just thought you should know that I ain't ever seen my son happier since he's been with you. You've been able to show him that there's more to life then flyin' and no other girl he's known has ever been able to do that."

"That's because I've never tried to change the man he is. As long as I can remember all Danny wanted was to get in to the Air Force Academy and be a pilot like you. It's part of who he is and if I had tried to change that, it would have changed him and he wouldn't be the man I care about so much."

He grinned at her and for a moment, she saw Danny. "That's why he cares for you as much as he does."

"But he makes it so easy." Ann smiled at Danny's father and felt her face begin to warm. It was the first time that she'd voiced any feelings for Danny to anyone other than her parents.

"He's got a good heart and you couldn't do better."

"Spoken like a proud daddy." Dad laughed and clapped his old friend on the shoulder. "Well now that you got that boy of yours in the air, why don't we get this girl of mine home. As I recall, she's got some things to do today to get ready for school."

"So it's the University of Hawaii for you too?" The Major asked her.

"Yes Sir. To be honest, I never considered going anywhere else." Ann told him.

"It's a good school Ann, you made a good choice."

"Thank you Sir. My parents seem to think so too."

"We do because it's goin' to keep you closer to home." Dad smiled. "Come on Rafe, let's get on out of here."

Ann glanced behind her toward the runway Danny had just taken off from and then rushed to catch up with her father and Danny's as they left the observation deck to head toward home.