Prologue
It was 1861 when the war broke out; officially it was called ‘The American Civil War’ but most just referred to it as ‘The Civil War’. James signed up with his best friend Jonas almost immediately because of his rank in the military, he married his sweetheart and boarded the train a month later. The war was harsh, a lot worst then any had expected. Many of James’ squadron died in the heat of the battle. James suffered an injury to his leg and after 6 months in hospital he was back in the field, Jonas on the other hand fought throughout the whole war. He never once left the trenches or battlefield to seek medical help or to just have a break. He was commended greatly for it.
So when it ended in 1865, everyone was greatly excited and relieved. The families of the men that died were supported and cared for. Including James’ aunty whose son died in James’ arms.
The only thing James had to deal with after the war was his small limp and the nightmares he had. Jonas always told him it was god’s punishment for the mass killing they all did in the war, James simply nodded in neither agreement or disagreement.

James-
‘Bout time people celebrated us!’ James laugh to his second in command/ best friend, Jonas, as they walked off the train that had brought them home and people waved the American flag and cheered them
‘Well to be honest James, they are celebrating the long awaited end of the war, not us’ Jonas smiled
‘Well I’m celebrating us!’ James said with grin ‘Where’s your girl?’ he asked looking around
‘She couldn’t come out, but ill be seeing her at home’ He said with a large grin
‘Well, there is mine! See you later Joe’ James said pushing through the crowd to a girl with long brown hair and crystal blue eyes, who was looking casually around, not noticing James approaching her ‘Annabelle?’ James said looking at her
‘James?’ the girl laughed ‘James!’ she smiled, a tear going down her face, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close
‘My love, I've missed you’ he said kissing her lips tenderly
‘I have missed you too’ Annabelle said, releasing her arms and holding his hand, they walked through the crying and cheering crowd
‘What has kept you busy these few years?’ he asked with a grin, Annabelle looked away, slightly ashamed, she wiped a tear away and grinned
‘Worry for you’ She lied ‘Why did you stop writing to me?’
James’ grin dropped a little, he kissed the top of her head and put his arm around her shoulder’s ‘I was busy my love, I will make it up to you’ he said, his eyes true.
‘Well you better’ she smiled, pushing her conscience away
‘Now, I have 15 pounds for a beautiful new dress for the celebration tonight at Colonel Ludericks house’ he smiled ‘Let go buy you one then shall we?’ he smiled
‘Ooh you’re already paying me back quiet nicely’ she giggled as they walked towards the center of the town
‘I know’ he smiled, stopping outside a dress shop as she peered in the window, something was different about her, James tried not to let it worry him.

Jonas-
Jonas unlocked his house door, he peeked around the side of the door, he smiled when he saw all his letters and photo’s in a pile on the desk, opened and read. He walked into the house, put his gun and jacket on the hat stand, he walked through the entrance hall, inhaling his house smell and taking in the homey feeling.
‘Gracie?’ he called ‘I'm back’ he said, he heard muttering and clamouring
‘Jonas? Is that you?’ Gracie’s pure and sweet voice called back
‘No its your sister’ he laughed ‘Of course its me’ he said following her voice
‘Your home early my love, I didn’t think you were home till the 17th’ she called back, she was in her room, Jonas stood outside the door
‘May I come in?’ he asked
‘NO!’ Gracie called to soon, ‘Ill be out in a moment’ she said, and started whispering to herself, or someone.
‘Grace what’s going on?’ Jonas asked concerned ‘I'm coming in’ he said placing his hand on the door handle
‘No, please don’t’ she said too late as he opened the door and saw her doing up her dressing gown, and a man pulled up his pants over his underwear ‘Jonas, I…’ she began to explain to the shocked Jonas
‘You… You’re… Gracie… Please tell me I’m dreaming’ He said his eyes sung with tears and a pleading look on his face to Grace
‘I.. I cant, I was going to wait until you came home and settled in but…’ she inhaled ‘I want a divorce Jonas’ she said simply
‘Gracie, I, I love you, why?’ he asked, ager burning up inside of him
‘I got so lonely, and Mick, Mick comforted me’ she said her head hung low ‘Now I love him’ she said smiling to the man whose clothes were all on now
‘I will go then, I wish you happiness’ Jonas said through clenched teeth, he closed the door and walked towards the door again, he picked up the piled of letters and threw them in the bin, he grabbed his gun and jacket and left the house he brought for her, when he was out on the street he looked back to his window and started to cry, he turned away and walked tears fell down his grotty unshaved face.

James-
When James arrived home with Annabelle, Jonas was sitting at the door, his eyes were bloodshot and his face red and blotchy, James sped up and went to him
‘Jonas? What is it?’ he said crouching down
‘Gracie… Gracie…’ he said starting to cry again ‘She’s been cheating on me James. Now she wants a divorce’ he sobbed out ‘I went to war for her. Now what do I have? NOTHING!’ he said kicking is long leg towards the other side of the door frame
‘Oh, Jonas, I'm so sorry’ James said trying to comfort him ‘Come in side, you can stay here as long as you need, you can come in for a nice long shower and I’m sure Annabelle can help make up a nice soup and we can talk’ he said, his hand patting Jonas’ face, James helped him up and Annabelle unlocked the house quietly and she immediately went to the kitchen to make some soup, James and Jonas put their stuff by the door and James led Jonas to the bathroom ‘Take as much time as you need my friend’ he said handing him a towel from the cupboard, he was surprised he remembered where everything was. Jonas took the towel and nodded ‘Thankyou James’ he said with a small smile
James went to their room, he inhaled the lavender perfume Annabelle used, he undid his old war shirt and put it in the washing basket with his pants, singlet, socks and undergarment, he put his old dressing gown on and walked out to the kitchen, he wrapped his arms around Annabelle’s stomach, she gasped a little then laughed, ‘James?’ she started
‘Mmm’ he said with a smile kissing her cheek
‘Never mind’ she said with a little laugh
‘No what is it? Something is bothering you’ he said turning her around to face him
‘I have some news, and I’m sorry for not telling you’ she said softly, looking away ‘You have a son James’ she smiled at him
James stood, shocked, ‘I… I have a son?’ he gasped out ‘Is he mine?’ he said quickly
‘OF COURSE HE IS YOURS!’ Annabelle snapped, ‘He is at my mothers house now, he is 4 and a half years old’ she grinned, ‘He’s beautiful James, his name is Arthur, after your father’ she smiled
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ he asked smiling this time
‘I didn’t want you to worry, or die knowing you never met him, it was just easier to keep it a secret’ she laughed as he lifted her and spun her around ‘I'm a dad!’ he laughed, she squealed slightly as he lowered her back down to the ground ‘Arthur, I must meet him!’ He beamed, kissing her lips tenderly ‘He wants to meet you too’ she smiled, James heard the shower turn off ‘Jonas mustn’t know yet, let him get through this thing with Gracie’ James said softly, he smiled at Annabelle and kissed her fore head ‘Forget the party tonight, I’m taking you to dinner, just you and me’ he said with a grin ‘Then we can see Arthur’ he whispered, he pecked her lips once more and walked out of the kitchen towards the bathroom, he laughed when he heard Annabelle giggle to herself excitedly
‘Jonas, you can sleep in here’ he said opening the spare bedroom, and allowing Jonas to enter, closing the door behind him.  James noticed the name on one the other bedroom door with his son’s name on it, he quickly took it off and entered the room with the sign, he gasped when he looked around, the room was a pale blue, it had wooden toys all over the floor and 3 or 4 photo’s of him and Annabelle together before he left, there was a bed in the corner of the room and a desk and Chester drawers on the other side, James walked towards the desk and looked at the pencils and paper on the desk, messily he read out when was written ‘To daddy, welcome home’ although it was written more like ‘To Daddy. Wellcum hom’ he laughed to himself and wiped a tear away, he always had a feeling there was something other then Annabelle he had to get home too. Now he knew what it was.

James sat down, in his nice comfortable pyjamas, on the couch next to Jonas who was feeling numb now.
‘We aren’t going to go to the party tonight. I'm taking Annabelle out to dinner, Are you going to go?’ James asked
‘My as well’ Jonas smiled ‘Might meet a nice girl there’ he winked, even though James knew he was still sore from the news of Gracie
‘Good for you, my friend’ James said patting his back; Annabelle entered a grin on her face. She gave Jonas and James’ soup ‘Thankyou’ James smiled, Jonas nodded in appreciation as he took a sip of the hot soup, he closed his eyes and savoured every flavour in it.

Later that night- James

‘Oh that was the best meal I've eaten in years!’ James said walking with Annabelle back to her mother’s house. It was only 7pm at night and James was ready to meet his little son,
‘He is small, for his age, but gruff, he wont out up with bullying, he has your hair, thick and brown, he has green eyes, which is what made me think of your father, he has the sweetest personality and takes on the role of man of the house very well. He always speaks his mind, if he doesn’t like an outfit he will tell me, he loves animals and trains, um… and that’s all really’ Annabelle smiled as they reached the door, she knocked on the door, small running footsteps ran to the door, the door sung open and a small man stood there with a grin on his face
‘Mummy!’ he said hugging her around her legs
‘Hello my baby’ she said with a smiled ‘Look who this is’ Annabelle said pointing to James, who stood in awe of his little boy
‘Are you my daddy?’ the boy asked with a grin
‘I believe so’ James said with a massive grin
‘You’re a hero!’ Arthur said hugging his father ‘You smell just how I imagined!’ he said looking up at him ‘Welcome home daddy!’ he laughed, James lifted him up, and held him on one arm
‘I think we’re going to get along just fine, Arthur’ James smiled brightly
‘I think so too’ the boy agreed

Jonas-

Jonas sat at the drinks table at Colonel Ludericks party, he watched all the people he fought in the war with dance, laugh and talk with their friends always having their girl on their arms
‘Excuse me sir?’ a friendly voice asked, Jonas turned to see the prettiest woman he had ever seen looking at him, she wore a light pink dress with white polka dots scattered all over it, she had light blonde hair and crystal green eyes, her skin was pale white but not sickly, Jonas smiled ‘Yes?’ he said
‘You’re Lieutenant Jonas Bennet aren’t you?’ she asked with a smile and sitting down next to him
‘Yes, I am, I don’t believe we have met, who are you?’ he asked
‘I'm Serena, Serena Park, you served with my brother I believe, he always talked about you’ She gushed
‘Harold Park? Yes I remember him, nice lad, I’m sorry for your loss’ Jonas said, remembering the sweet boy who was always talking about his family, Jonas nursed him to death when he was hit by a bullet to his abdomen
‘Thankyou, for being with him when he died’ she said. Jonas smiled a small smile.
‘Where are you from?’ he asked, he didn’t want to lose conversation with this beautiful woman…

Two years later.

Two years after the war ended, and Jonas lost his wife, and James found out he had a son, Jonas got remarried to a close friend and love of his life~ Serena Park, and James was given a new title of General. James and Annabelle had another child; a little girl named Cassidy and Arthur became best friends with his father.
Jonas never heard from Gracie after the divorce papers were sent back, he didn’t care about her any more. He had the woman who truly loved him and he didn’t need anyone else.  

The End.