February 6, 1918

"I got a letter from him yesterday." Rose said nonchalantly. She and Maggie were downstairs in the kitchen. Maggie was washing beans in the sink while Rose peeled potatoes at the counter. She smiled brightly at Andrew. He laughed excitedly at her and picked up one of his toys. Rose was astonished by him. Today he was exactly nine months old. He could sit up all by himself now. He could grab things. He had started to respond to everything. She watched him stare intently at his mother as he sat on the floor. Rose touched her stomach. She was five months along. Whatever that baby was she hoped it would be like Andrew. He was the sweetest, happiest, most well-behaved child she had ever come in contact with.

She could help but feel sad though. Everyday Andrew did something new. And Brian had missed all of it. Andrew knew who Maggie and Rose were. he even knew Erik. She knew that when Brian came home Andrew would have no idea who he was. That pained Rose too because she thought about her child. How old would he or she be when Jack came home? She didn't even want to think about it.

"What did the letter say?" Maggie asked.

"Well.....he asked how I was doing. And he said how much he missed me. He talked about the war. The usual." Rose acted like a letter from him was no big deal. They meant the world to her though. She didn't make a big fuss about them though because Jack always poured his heart and soul out in the letters. She wanted to keep that to herself. Those were the words nobody else in the world heard.

The letters scared her too. Every time he wrote how it was getting worse. There were letters that broke her heart when Jack wrote of loosing a friend. He would go without food and sleep for days. It gave her nightmares thinking of him having to live like that. He always reassured her though that soon it would be over.

"What about you did you get a response?" She was referring to the letter Maggie had written to Brian, but he had never sent a reply. She saw Maggie grow more worried everyday that the mail came and there was no letter from Brian.

"No, nothing yet. But I'm sure I'll get one soon." She sounded as confident as she could, but the sorrow in her voice was unmistakable. She smiled sadly at Rose.

Rose saw her look down at Andrew. There were tears in her eyes but in a quick moment they disappeared.

"You will get one soon, Maggie, I know you will." Rose smiled reassuringly at her.

"Thank you." Maggie said gently.

The two friends finished preparing dinner. They had been eating together since Jack left. Rose enjoyed it. She learned new recipes. Maggie loved it because Rose always had a story from the theater. Sometimes Maggie wished she worked there too, but of course she has Andrew so it was impossible.

Rose set the table and Maggie put the food out. She lifted Andrew into his high chair. He waved his arms up and down and smiled wildly at Rose. Maggie watched. She had been noticing how close Andrew was to Rose. She thought it was adorable. Rose was so good with him. Maggie knew her friend would be a fantastic mother.

They ate dinner and then went into the living room. Andrew played on the floor while Maggie and Rose just talked. At around 7:00 there was a knock at the door.

"Who could that be?" Maggie asked. She got up and walked to the door. She noticed that someone had slipped a letter through the door.

Rose walked in holding Andrew. She looked down at the letter. "Open it." She said to Maggie.

Maggie studied the envelope. It was from the war department, and it was from Brian. "It's from Brian."

Rose smiled. "See, I told you he would write."

Maggie ripped the envelope open and pulled out the paper. She gasped.

Rose was overcome with fear. She knew the news was bad. "What does is say?" Her voice was fearful.

Maggie's eyes filled with tears. "It says: I'm at the door." Before she had even finished what she was saying, she opened the door and Brian's arms were around her.

"Brian, Brian, Brian, Brian." She said his name over and over and kissed his face repeatedly.

They were both crying. He kissed her too. "I'm home. I'm here." He said quietly. She cradled her head on his shoulder. But the he put her face in his hands. "This face. I've been waiting to see this face for nine months." He kissed her again and again.

Roses eyes were teary. She smiled, she was so happy he was home. The Fagins were a complete family again. Rose looked at Andrew and kissed his forehead. He laughed with delight.

Brian's head immediately turned when he heard the sound. He completely stopped moving. There was his son. The last time he had seen him he couldn't do much. He now saw a bright eyed young boy who was laughing, and grabbing at Roses curls. He could hold his head up all by himself. Brian slowly walked towards Rose. He stared at Andrew for a moment. "Can I hold him?" He asked quietly.

Rose laughed. "Of course. He's your son."

He started to take him but Andrew pulled back and grabbed on to Roses neck. Brian looked like he had just been slapped in the face. He put his hands down. "he doesn't know who I am." His voice made Rose want to cry.

"He'll get to know who you are." Rose said reassuringly. She pried Andrew's arms off her and placed him in Brian's arms.

He squirmed and cried at first, but Brian calmed him down. Maggie walked over and rested her chin on Brian's shoulder. Andrew smiled at her. After a while they all sat down in the living room. Brian explained that he had been released from his duties. Everything he needed to do had been done so he could go home. He wanted to surprise Maggie. Maggie said she had been terrified that something had happened.

Brian was still holding Andrew. He smiled over at Rose but then his eyes grew wide with shock. "My God! You're pregnant!"

Rose smiled and patted her stomach. "Five months. I'm half way there."

"When did you find out?"

"About a month after Jack left." Her voice grew sad by the end.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I know he would want to be here." His voice was full of compassion.

"I know. But we've both agreed I need to stay happy and strong. So that's what I'm doing." She smiled.

"Well, that's wonderful. I know you will be the best parents."

"Thank you."

They talked and talked and talked. Maggie went over every detail of Andrew's growing. Brian was happy that as the night went on Andrew was more comfortable with him. Brain talked about the war. He left a lot of details out, for Rose. He was glad to hear Jack was still alive. Even though Brian hadn't been fighting he saw some horrible things. Things he would never forget. Men died right in front of him. His biggest fear was that one day one of those men would be Jack. After a while Rose decided she was tired.

"I'm going up stairs for the night." She stood up. "You know what?" She took Andrew from Brian. "I'll take him for the night."

"We couldn't...."

"No, no, no, I need the practice. And you need the time alone." She smiled and walked upstairs with him.

Brian looked over at Maggie. She smiled. "Did you miss me any whereas much as I missed you?"

"You have no idea." He pulled her too him and kissed her passionately. "I've been waiting to do that forever."

"Brian...let's go to our room."

"I'm two steps ahead of you." Brain pulled Maggie off the couch and started walking her to their room.

Upstairs Rose sat on her bed with Andrew. He was starting to drift off to sleep. She smiled at him and rocked him gently. After a few minutes when she felt he was in a deep enough sleep. She laid him in the bed that Rose had in her room. Maggie and Rose had decided to put one in there because Rose would often watch Andrew and he needed a place to sleep.

Rose climbed into her bed and thought about Brian coming home and Andrew getting so big. She started to cry. She wanted that to be her life. She missed Jack so much. Rose pulled the sheets tighter to herself. After almost an hour she fell asleep. She just wanted things to back the way they were.