Katherine did something she hadn't genuinely done in three months: she smiled.

The thin, yellowed envelope was held firmly in her hand, with an address from West Point, New York, and the name she was elated to see: Jack Kelly.

She instantly tore into the envelope and withdrew the letter. It was fairly thin, putting the realization in Katherine's mind that Jack was both writing quickly and attempting to save as much money from the price to send the letter. None of that mattered to her, though, for she finally received a letter from him.

She quickly read through it, looking past the typical misspellings and grammar errors so she could feel her happiness swelling to an inexcusable size at the sight of Jack's messy handwriting. She desperately missed him. She missed him to the point that even the sight of his loopy w made her feel as if he was there at her side.

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Three months of extensive training took its toll on Jack, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. After years of running in the streets and an active lifestyle with the newsboys, why would there be the reason that he couldn't keep up with simple exercises such as push-ups?

It was Katherine.

Jack had pushed himself in the beginning. He was determined to complete the training as diligently as he could in hopes that he may be allowed to return home early and see his family once again. It didn't seem like that would be happening very soon.

"Are you okay, Jack?"

Fortunately for the two of them, Davey and Jack were sent to the same camp for training. Jack was glad to have such a trusted friend with him during the months of training, especially now that the time had been elongated for the trainees. Jack heaved a sigh, leaning in front of the washbasin where he had splashed the cold water onto his face. "I don't know."

Davey exhaled deeply, sitting on a rotting bench by the water basin and peering up at Jack. "I know... I miss home, too."

Jack only grunted in response, peeling himself away from the wash basin and to the crowded quarters where men of every age clambered onto old, metal bunk beds situated in every occasional spot. Davey followed close on his friend's heels, concern evident in both his eyes and tone of voice.

"Talk to me, Jack."

"There's nothin' ta talk about," Jack responded, lifting himself onto the top bunk he shared with Davey. It was moments like these where he wished there was an escape from his old friend. But there was none; he'd have to face Davey.

"You're doing it again," Davey told his friend, leaning against the mattress of the top bunk and peering at Jack's face.

"I'm doin' what again?"

"Where you push everyone away because you don't have Katherine here." At Davey's words, Jack clenched his jaw and turned his head to face him. "You know I'm right."

"I don't have a clue what you're talkin' about."

"Oh, but you do," Davey grinned crookedly. "Take the strike, for example. You were a pretty bad mess towards the end of it. Who was there to pick you back up? Hm?"

Jack turned his head away from Davey, knowing exactly what he was trying to do. Davey was trying to get into his mind and encourage him to push forward. Of course, that was what Jack wanted, but the thought didn't seem welcoming at the moment.

Davey continued despite Jack's silence. "And when you found out Katherine was pregnant with Velma, you freaked out. You practically even dropped off the face of the earth for a day and scared everyone to death. But when you returned, who reassured you that you'd get through it together?

"And I'll never forget the moment when you had a panic attack because you were terrified as to what Mr. Pulitzer would think to you getting his daughter pregnant. And when Katherine discovered these concerns of yours, she told you that there was no reason to be afraid; that she wouldn't let him intimidate you."

Davey sighed deeply, pushing himself away from the bunk bed for a moment, looking at Jack's tense back for even the slightest hint of a reaction out of him. "Katherine is being strong for you. You owe it to her to be strong for yourself."

Jack was silent for a long moment. He stared down at the moth-eaten mattress beneath him for what seemed like an eternity to Davey before he turned his head. "The country could go ta war. I can't leave her. I can't leave my kids."

"You think I want to?" Davey chuckled weakly, but pushed himself to make it appear as encouraging as possible. "I'm probably going to have my first child when I return from training, but that's why we have to fight, Jack. We have to fight to protect our families; to protect our loved ones. It's in times like these that we have to face our fears."

Jack bit harshly on the inside of his cheek, swinging his legs over the side of the bed so he could face Davey. "How am I supposed ta just leave for God knows how long? And knowin' that I may never return?"

"Fate is a nuisance, bud," Davey responded nonchalantly. "But it sure as hell is inevitable. If the country goes to war, so be it. We not only owe it to our families to fight, but we owe it to our country. We have to be brave and fearless. We have to be hopeful."