She didn't know if she should feel disappointed or relieved because he wasn't there to say goodbye to her. But Ann's parents, her sister and brother and the McCawley's were there and she was grateful to see so many familiar faces.

Hank wanted to be there as well, but he'd been sent back to Okinawa a couple of days earlier and would be stationed there temporarily with the rest of his squadron. The Air Force wanted them closer to Vietnam to serve in relief to the other squadron's already assigned there, so Evelyn was at the airport for the both of them. Joe hadn't been able to make it either because he was out on assignment for the Advertiser.

"I called Mom and Dad this morning and told them to expect you sometime this evening." Mama told her and Ann could see that she was trying valiantly not to cry.

"I talked to the weather boys this mornin' and they told me that it looks like you'll have a good tail wind to San Francisco, so that should cut some of your flyin' time." Dad added as he tried to keep himself pulled together. "So you shouldn't have any trouble catchin' your connectin' flight to Ohio."

"Don't worry Dad. If we're late, I'll call Grandma and Grandpa to let them know and I'll just have to wait for another flight." Ann tried to reassure him.

"You've done this plenty of times, I know." He grinned, with what seemed a lot of effort. "But you ain't makin' a return trip this time and I just want everythin' to go all right."

"Everything is going to be fine Dad." She hugged him and his answering embrace was firm and reassuring. She could never let on to her parents that she was scared out of her wits to be leaving home and her family behind. It wasn't lost on her at that moment how hard it must have been for Sarah and now she fully understood what a brave thing her friend had done by leaving Oahu.

"Is Sarah going to be able to get down to San Francisco to see you?" Mrs. McCawley asked and she seemed to be leaning on Major McCawley. Her pregnancy was just starting to show and Ann regretted that she wouldn't be home to see the newest McCawley born. She also looked tired and that wasn't lost on the major.

"I talked to her last night and she said she'd be waiting for me. She called the airport and they told her there would be a layover of at least an hour and we could have something to eat while I waited for my flight to Ohio."

"If you could give this to her, I would appreciate it." Mrs. McCawley handed her a package. "Tell her I did the best I could, she'll understand."

"Yes, ma'am."

Major McCawley had his arm around his wife's shoulders as she leaned into him. "I'm sorry Danny wasn't here to see you off, but he felt it was probably best. He did want me to tell you good luck with school and if you want to write to him, he'd like to hear from you."

She didn't know what to say and it must have been written all over her face.

"It's all right Annie. If you don't want to write to him for awhile he understands. And frankly if you don't write to him at all, I understand." He added with a slight frown. "That boy of mine made some mistakes with you."

"It isn't all of his fault Major; I encouraged some of it even though I knew better. I've already talked to my parents about all of it and got a well-deserved lecture. The truth is, things just happened too fast and I don't think either of us handled it particularly well." Ann admitted with some embarrassment.

"Thank you for sayin' so honey, but Danny is older and should have known better." The major gave her a small smile as he sighed. "His mother and I had words with him too and he understands how unhappy we are in the way things happened. Nevertheless, I appreciate your honesty and Mrs. McCawley and I hope you're happy bein' able to spend this time with your grandparents and finish school."

Ann couldn't help but smile. "With all due respect Major, I actually need to start school before I can finish."

"Ann." Her parents voiced their disapproval in unison.

"It's all right." The major smiled back. "I understand what she meant."

"Thank you."

"Just make your parents proud and do your best." He added.

"I'll do that sir." She answered.

"Good girl." He nodded his approval. "We will expect an invitation to your graduation when you finish up."

"That's a given Major." Ann told him. "And I will expect you to be there."

"Ann." Her parents chastised her again

"That's a given Annie." He answered her with a laugh. "You know, I can't help but remember how happy your folks were when you came into the world because your mama had a worrisome time during those months she was carryin' you. But when you were finally born, they couldn't have asked for a more healthy and happy baby. You've been a real joy to them Ann."

"Thank you Major." Ann replied with a smile of her own. "I couldn't have asked for better parents or a better place to grow up."

The small group was interrupted with the approach of the stewardess. "Which one of you is flying with us today?"

Ann glanced at her parents and the overwhelming feeling of wanting to stay overcame her, which Dad seemed to sense. "This young lady right here."

She smiled at Ann. "Well then; we're getting ready for takeoff. So if you'll give me your ticket, you can go ahead and get into line with the other passengers."

"Thank you." Ann nodded and turned back to her parents. "I guess this is it."

"Call us when you get into San Francisco." Dad told her. "Let us know if your connectin' flight is late so we can call your grandparents and tell them so you won't have to do it."

"I will." She promised.

"Take care, honey and let us know if you need anythin'." He added.

She nodded and suddenly didn't trust her own voice, then Mama's arms were around her and Ann didn't want her to let go. "Call us when you get settled with your grandparents."

She found herself in her father's embrace and it felt as though he didn't want to let her go. "You'll always be my baby girl."

"It's all for the best Dad, you know that." Ann sighed.

"All of the chicks are leavin' the nest." Was all he said before he kissed her cheek and let her go. "That line seems to be movin', so you should too."

She picked up the travel bag that had everything she would need to keep her occupied on the long flight and Sarah's package was tucked under her arm. "I may not be able to make it home for Thanksgiving, but I will be here for Christmas."

"Don't worry about that honey." Mama reassured her. "We'll be seeing you and my folks for Thanksgiving in Tennessee, remember?"

The thought of it eased her mind because it wouldn't be as long as she thought before she would be able to see her family again. "I'll see you then."

He didn't know how she would feel if she knew he was there, so Danny stayed back where Ann couldn't see him. He watched as she hugged her parents, her brother and sister, the McCawley's and Evelyn. She suddenly looked so grown up, leaving her family and her home and Danny remembered how scared he was when he left Oahu, not sure if he would ever be able to come home again.

The engines were beginning to rev up and he knew her time on Oahu was coming to a close. The stewardess approached the small group again, said something to Ann and he saw her nod. She stepped back and then turned to follow the stewardess to the back of the passenger line.

Her family, his parents and Evelyn stayed while the line slowly moved. In no time it all it seemed, Ann was headed up the stairs and just before she boarded, turned and waved. Everyone waved back and then she disappeared inside.

The last person on board was the stewardess who had come for Ann and after a few minutes, the stairs were rolled away and the door was closed. Mrs. Walker's head dropped to Major Walker's shoulder and he ran his hand across her shoulders as his head came to rest on hers. It was something he and Ann had done and not for the first time, mentally kicked himself for his behavior.

The engines continued to rev and when Danny saw the flaps on the wings drop, he knew it was only a matter of time before the pilot would push the throttle forward and the plane would begin to roll away from the terminal and head toward the runway.

It felt as though a hand were squeezing his heart as he watched the jumbo jet roll away and take Ann away from Oahu, and him. But she really wasn't leaving him because he wasn't hers to leave anymore. He didn't know if he would ever be able to make up to her what had happened between them and wasn't sure if she would ever let him. It was best for now to let her go and get through school and he could concentrate on finally getting back into the air, where he belonged.

"It wasn't easy for her to leave, you know." Danny heard the gentle voice of Hank's bride and looked up. "Her mother and father are having a rough time of it too, even though they try to let on that they aren't."

"Did she get off all right?" He asked, trying to make her believe that he'd just arrived.

"You know that she did, Dan. I know you well enough to know that you were here the entire time because you didn't want her to leave without seeing her."

"I really blew this." He admitted, knowing that he wouldn't get any sympathy from Evelyn.

"Yes you did. But she's gone now and you have to get on with your life. And without Ann to use as a distraction, it's time that you put your full attention on flying again. You said yourself that there isn't any reason why you can't."

"I have to go talk to someone before the Air Force will reassess my psych evaluation. My doctor says it's past time that I talk about what happened to me when I was shot down. He thinks that it's the one thing that's stopping me from fully healing."

"Then that's what you have to do, Dan. You need to heal and as long as Ann was here, that wasn't going to happen." Evelyn chided him. "She knew that before you did."

"I know."

"Well since you know that, why don't you walk me to my car so I can get home. Henry said that he'd try to call me a couple of days after he got to Okinawa." She said with a flush.

"How does a lowly Lieutenant rate something like that?" Danny couldn't help but smile.

"He doesn't." Evelyn admitted with a laugh. "But a couple of the boys in the Communications unit owe him a favor and he couldn't think of a better way to call it in."

"Only for you Evelyn, only for you." He grinned as she took his arm and he walked her through the terminal and out to her car.

"I never thought Henry Metcalf would make much of a husband and remember feeling sorry for any girl who ended up with him." She confided as they walked. "But in the short time we've been married, he's proved me wrong. Maybe part of it is because he knew our time together would be short before he had to leave and wanted to start things out on the right foot."

"Or maybe it's because he loves you and doesn't want you to ever regret marrying him." Danny answered. "Once Hank made up his mind to pursue you, he knew that he would have to serious up if you were going to take him seriously. And you've discovered by now that he's not always the squadron clown and can be sincere when he needs to be."

"He can." She nodded. "I watched him take off when he left the other day. I'd never done it before we began dating because I didn't want him getting the wrong idea if he heard about it. Then after we did, I didn't want to because it was too hard to watch him leave. I still didn't want to this time around, but I thought that as his wife it was important that I be there for his first flight after our marriage."

"Did he know you'd be there?" Danny asked and then grinned at her reaction when she answered because she flushed again.

"He told me that if I didn't promise to be there, he wouldn't get out of bed and when he'd been declared AWOL, the Air Force would have to come looking for him. And he didn't think that I'd want them to find us in such close quarters."

He laughed. "Forget what I just said about that bonehead being serious."

Evelyn smiled and for some reason seemed to be holding back a laugh. "My answer to that was to tell him that not only would I be there, but he would have to kiss me goodbye in front of your squadron and have to endure the razzing he was sure to get."

"That couldn't have been too difficult."

She sighed. "I said it all in fun, but when it came time for us to really say goodbye I'm not sure whom it was harder on to do so. Maybe now that we're married, things seem so much more urgent than they did before and he kissed me in a way he never had before either."

"That's not too hard to figure out Evelyn." Danny reasoned. "It was the first time he was saying goodbye to his wife and not his girlfriend. I'm sure it's how Dad felt the first time he had to say goodbye to Mama after they got married."

"It was a little different for them Dan because your mother was pregnant with you."

"That's true." He agreed. "But they still had to say goodbye just the same."

"I guess I have to start getting used to that." Evelyn mused. "We don't know how much longer this war is going to go on and means that I may not get much of a chance to see my groom."

"But you knew that before you married him and decided to go through with it anyway."

She smiled. "I'm not complaining Dan, honestly I'm not; I'm just facing life as a new Air Force wife. And that new life means that my husband is going to be gone more often than I would like."

Danny couldn't help but think.

Evelyn seemed to sense what he was thinking because she put a hand on his arm. "If you and Ann are meant to be, it will happen. But for now you have to let her go and concentrate on getting back where you were always meant to be."

"Hank's wingman?" He grinned.

"That too, but you have to get back in the air before that can happen." She smiled back as they reached her car and she opened the driver's door. "And it won't be soon enough for Henry."

"For me either." He answered as Evelyn got into her car and when she was settled, Danny closed her door. "It's time to get things back on track."

"Henry will be glad to hear that." She put the key in the ignition and as the engine turned over she raised her voice. "Do you want me to tell him anything?"

"Tell him to get his sorry butt back here as soon as he can."

"I'll do that." She raised her hand in farewell before she drove away, leaving him alone in the lot.

It was ironic how her life had changed since coming to Oahu for the better and his had changed for the worse since he'd returned. But everything always happened for a reason and his failed relationship with Ann happened for a reason he couldn't understand yet.

But now that she was gone, he had to look ahead to the future and it didn't include her.

THE END. Of this story.