Despite swearing he’d never serve the same country that took his father, Jack eventually found himself in uniform, heading off to fight in the Great War. He couldn’t quite explain what pushed him to do it, if it was a weird kind of patriotism, guilt, anger, maybe all of it. Whatever it was, he left you behind with nothing but a kiss and a promise that he would come back as soon as possible.

That promise is the only thing that kept him sane for a long time. He may be a little hardened by the war, but his heart still belongs to you.

Now, a year later, he stands at the door of your shared ranch house, hat clutched to his chest, heart thudding louder. Waiting for you to open it. Waiting to see if you can still recognize him.