Monday December 8, 1941

Nathan and Kristin sat curled up together on the swing that sat at the far end of the lanai. The windows were open and the warm breeze ruffled the curtains… the wind bringing with it the smell of smoke and burning fuel. From inside the house the radio played. The music was abruptly cut off to be replaced by the announcer reporting that President Roosevelt would be addressing the nation.

Several minutes later the address began.

"Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with the government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleagues delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

This morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire."

As Roosevelt concluded his speech and the station resumed its regular programming Nathan pulled Kristin onto his lap and she buried her face in the crook of his neck and shoulder.

"So it begins." He whispered against her hair and felt the shiver that ran through her body. "Marry me."

"I've already said yes." She replied, tilting her head back so she could meet his eyes.

"No I mean marry me now before I'm called away… tomorrow or the next day. Unless you would rather wait until we can have a large church wedding."

"Now I don't want to wait either. A small intimate wedding will be fine. In fact I'd like nothing better than to marry you down on the beach at sunset with only a chaplain, Benjamin and Katherine and your friends the Noyces. That would be perfect."

"Then that's what you shall have." He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her.

Tuesday, December 9, 1941

Nathan's orders had come through the previous evening. He had been ordered to take command of a newly commissioned submarine, the USS Agamemnon. He was supposed to report at 6 pm on the 9th but when he had explained that he was to be married on the very same day his superiors had given him an additional 24 hours.

The ceremony was a quiet affair attended only by Katie - acting as Kristin's maid of honor, Ben and Bill and Janet Noyce with Bill standing in as best man. The base chaplain was more than happy to officiate in this celebration of life and love after having to deal with all the death of the last day.

Afterwards they all had dinner together in Honolulu and then the newly married couple slipped away to spend their last few hours together.

The house was dark and quiet. Shafts of moonlight shone in through the bedroom window and cast its silvery glow over the couple on the bed. Their bodies were intimately entwined, the sheet that had covered them lay down at the foot of the bed.

While Nathan slept soundly beside her, Kristin found that she couldn't sleep and in all honesty she had no real desire to.  A few precious hours remained before Nathan would be forced to leave her and she wanted to savor every second of the time that remained.

She looked down at the hand that rested on his chest and the gold wedding band he had slipped on her finger hours earlier. A soft smile graced her lips at the sight and the knowledge that no matter what happened… now they truly were part of one another.

Nathan shifted beside her. "Can't sleep?" he questioned, lips brushing her hair.

"Don't really want to." She replied nuzzling against him, breathing in his scent.

He responded by wrapping his arms more tightly around her and pulling her more closely against him. "You should sleep."

"There'll be plenty of time for that later. Right now I just don't want to waste the few hours we have left together on sleep."

"I know." He replied and kissed her forehead.

"Nathan?"

"Hmm?"

"There's something we should discuss before you leave."

"And what's that?"

"Children. We've never talked about whether that's something we both want."

"Why? Are you pregnant?" he questioned softly, reaching down to cup her face and draw her eyes to his.

"I'm not sure… I think so and with all the insanity in the world and you being called away…."

"Do you want to get rid of it if you are?"

"No not that… never that. I just have concerns about bringing a child into this world during a war when there's every possibility you might not come home to me - and yet if, God forbid that should ever happen then having your child, having a part of you would be the only thing that would make me want to go on… oh God I don't know what I'm saying…" she finished and dropped her head to his chest.

"Kris?" he said quietly and rolled onto his side, looking down at her. "Honey, I understand what you're saying and like I said before I can't promise you that I won't die. Death is a part of war and we can't escape that fact as much as we might want to. As for having a child while there's a war on, well I too have some of the same concerns but like you, if the worst should happen and I don't come back I'll be comforted to know that you won't be alone." He finished and tenderly brushed back her hair. "So what do you say we take each moment as it comes and whatever happens… happens?"

Kristin nodded, smiling up at him then her eyes followed his hand as it slid down to rest against her flat stomach, fingers gently caressing the warm skin. His eyes lifted to meet hers. "And to answer your question - yes, I'd love to have children with you."

"Good," she replied and threaded her fingers through his hair. "Then let's have no more talk and certainly no more sleep…" she smiled "and make sure that by the time we say goodbye that I'm carrying your child."

"I love you so much." He whispered then kissed her passionately.

They made love again and again until the first rays of sunlight peeked through the curtains. Then after sharing a light breakfast they showered together, making love one final time on the bathroom rug.

They dressed in silence --- Kristin watching his every move as he pulled on his uniform and began packing his bag --- wanting to commit to memory as much minutiae about him as she could. Pulling her gaze away she crossed to her bureau and opened the top drawer. From beneath her scarves she pulled out a photograph.

Moving to his side she held it out. "I'll send you a copy of our wedding photo just as soon as I get them back from the photographer but until then I thought you might want to have this."

Nathan took the picture from her and looked at it a soft smile creasing his features when he recognized it as one he'd taken himself with her camera. In it she was dressed in one of his favorite of her sundresses and was leaning against a palm tree. A flower was tucked behind one ear and she wore her hair loose about her shoulders --- and the smile she was giving him was one that would be forever burned into his memory.

"Thank you, Baby." he said quietly then leaned down to kiss her softly. He tucked the photo into his bag and then said. "I have one for you too."

Since all of his belongings had been moved over from his quarters on the base the day before the wedding, he crossed to a still unpacked box and opened it. He reached inside and pulled out a picture. "This was taken just after I was assigned here a year ago." He told her as he closed the distance between them and held it out. She took it from him and looked down at it. He was wearing his dress uniform and though he was smiling there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. Wordlessly she leaned forward and kissed him before moving to her dresser and setting the photo on the top.

Well." He said quietly as he closed his bag. "I guess we'd better get going."

"I guess we'd better." She added as she picked up her purse from the dresser top.

Nathan lifted his bag and slung it over his shoulder following her from the room.

The guard at the gate passed them through and Kristin drove straight to the dock where Nathan's sub was waiting. As she got out of the car her eyes turned to the harbor in front of her. She had yet to see up close, the devastation from the attack and she shuddered at seeing it now. The air was still heavy with the smells of smoke, and burning fuel and some of the structures still smouldered - the capsized and destroyed remains of battleships still visible.

She closed her eyes to the horror and composed herself before moving around the front of the car.

Lt. Jg. Timothy O'Neil and Lt. Miguel Ortiz stood on the top deck of the Agamemnon waiting for their new captain to arrive.

"So any word on what the old man is like?" Miguel asked.

"Nah, not really. The XO says he's worked with him before and that he's a pretty good Captain."

"Well I guess we'll find out."

"Yep, I guess so."

Looking down onto the dock they watched as a car drew near and then parked just before the gangway.

"Must be him now" Ortiz observed.

"Hey what are you looking at?" questioned one of their ship mates as he and another man came up on deck.

"The new captain just arrived." O'Neil offered in reply without turning around.

"And this is interesting, because?" the second man asked and O'Neil spun around to find the boat's XO

"Uhm… we're just curious, Commander."

"Understandable" the Commander agreed.

Nathan met Kristin around the front of the car. Reaching out he took one of her hands in his. "Try not to worry too much."

"You're going to war, asking me to do that would be like asking me not to love you… I can't do that." She told him softly as she idly played with his wedding band.

"All right, then promise me you'll take care of yourself… no burying yourself in your work."

"Only if you promise me the same."

"I'll try." He replied and then pulled her into his arms. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and shoulder. "Love you wife." He whispered into her hair.

She pulled back and met his ocean blue gaze. "Love you too, husband." She murmured, caressing his cheek with her hand.

With a bittersweet smile he pulled her lips to his for a passionate goodbye kiss.

The small group on the deck of the Agamemnon watched the unfolding scene below with growing interest.

"Damn." Ortiz whistled turning his eyes away from the passionate embrace.

"You can say that again," Tim agreed "Who'da thought."

The XO smiled "Go easy on him boys, he just got married yesterday."

"Yesterday?! Damn he's a better man than I am. If I had a wife that looked like that I certainly wouldn't leave her… especially just after getting married."

"Yes, well none of us have that choice now, do we?" the XO supplied. "All right guys enough gawking let's leave the Captain to his goodbye in private. He'll be on board in a few minutes. Get below and prepare to shove off."

"Aye sir." They all replied and climbed down the ladder into the sub.

Nathan and Kristin broke apart slowly and he looked down into her sable eyes, seeing the tears brimming just below the surface. "Never forget how much I love you and no matter what happens that will never change."

"And I love you too, more than I have words to tell you. Be careful and come back to me," she told him and gave him one last kiss then she took a step back from him. "You'd better go because if you stay any longer I'll lose my courage and won't let you go."

Nathan nodded. He looked at her one last time, eyes drinking in every detail and then he turned away. He found his XO waiting at the bottom of the gangway.

"Welcome, Sir." The commander saluted "I'm honored to be serving with you again."

"Thank you, Commander." Nathan replied and returned the gesture. "Are we ready to get underway?"

"Aye sir we were just waiting for you."

"Very good then let's get going."

"Aye Captain." The XO replied and as he turned he saw Kristin standing a few feet away. "Ma'am" he saluted her.

Kristin gave him a nod and moved closer stopping at the gangway and resting her hands on the railing.

"Commander?"

"Yes Ma'am?"

"I'd like you to do something for me."

"If I can Ma'am."

"Promise me…." She began, her voice catching a little as her eyes moved from the commander to lock once more with Nathan's "Promise me you'll take care of my husband --- watch out for him for me."

"I'll do my best ma'am."

"Thank you."

"My pleasure, Mrs. Bridger." He added saluting her one last time before turning and striding back up the gangway.

Nathan reached out and took her hand from the railing and squeezed it. When he would have released it she refused to let go and held his tightly as he moved up the gangway following beside him and it was only when she was physically prevented, by the edge of the dock and the height of the gangway, from going any further that she allowed her fingers to slip from his. She kept her eyes on him as he moved to the top and paused there. He turned back to look at her tossing her a wink and blowing her a kiss. She returned the latter gesture gave him a wave and her eyes followed him until he moved out of sight.

Moments later a loud metal clang told her the top hatch had been closed and sealed.

Kristin stood on the same spot watching as the sub finally moved out of its berth and was still there long after it had disappeared from sight. Then she turned quietly and moved back to the car and what remained of her life. Instead of days and nights filled with joy and passion and wonder she now faced long lonely empty nights and endless days spent waiting for word. Every waking moment of her life, while Nathan was away, would be spent worrying if fate had another cruel twist in store for her.

Fate in her life had most often been kind and had brought untold joy and pleasure and yet in a heartbeat it had been cruel, snipping those threads and bringing pain and heartache. Fate was always twisting one way and then another… always changing.

Such had been the moments of her life - she had faced pain and death only to be given joy and love and passion and wonderful beautiful moments. Moments that could at any time become bittersweet memories if fate decreed she should lose it all again.

The future ahead seemed dark and uncertain and yet there was still a ray of hope shining on that road ahead and while hope remained - anything was possible.

~*~*~*~*~

"The lights of Honolulu went dark Sunday night December 7, 1941. They were to stay dark for a thousand nights and in that time many others died and many lived. But among the living none was ever quite the same again."

~*~*~*~*~

Fin