"All men from the age 18 to 60 are to be drafted into the US military due to the declaring of war against the United States, taking effect on this day of April 10, 1905."

That is what had gotten everybody to go crazy at town yesterday. That small newspaper print had caused so much stress and drama that no one stood around for the rest of the fair as planned. My father, being a retired Military General had to stay behind and speak with the mayor and one of his colleagues, leaving My brothers and I to find a way home by ourselves.

It wasn’t till late at night when Papa finally came home looking worn out. He did not speak to any of us, not even Dan, he just walked into his room and left us in the kitchen with millions of questions in our minds.

The Next day was no better. It started off with Papa telling James and Dan at breakfast that they were of course signed up for duty and that they all will be leaving home on Monday. That was two days from now.

"Papa what will happen to me then if you are all going off to war?" I asked after he finished explaining the schedule.

Papa looked down at me for a moment lost in thought. I knew I couldn’t join the military since I was only a fifteen year old girl, but since that was the case, I couldn’t be left alone at home either, and we had no other living relatives that would ever take me in.

"Why you’re going to join the Nurses Group, helping the wounded and the younger children" Papa finally said after a long pause.

"Nurses Group? Why a Nurse? I have never taken care of anybody before nor do I know how." I exclaimed

"That’s the closest I will be able to get you toward a battle field Alex. Its either that or I will ship you off to etiquette school" Papa said while taking a sip of his tea.

That shut me up. No way was I going to an Etiquette school.

"Why doesn’t Alex just stay at the house Papa and be like normal kids her age?" James said looking up from his breakfast plate that he had barely touched.

"Come on James, you know Alex is getting too old to have a governess looking after her. Anyway its better to have Alex become a nurse, she is growing up after all. We should make her use her time well. I don’t want her wasting her time playing board games and reading kid books like she is still a child." Papa said with a grim look on his face

"When will I leave to go become a nurse papa?" I asked quietly

"Tomorrow, you will be driven to the group out in New York. So why don’t you make sure you pack and get yourself ready right now." Papa said hastily.

I was shocked. Tomorrow?! That means I would lose the little amount of time I had left to be with my brothers and my father.

Why would he ship me off a day early? I looked around to find James looking angry, as If what Papa had just said was not right or not fair. I stood up and left the room.

The Last thing I needed was to watch a fight go off between Papa and James.

The rest of the day was more of blur. Papa left again for town but he had a list of things that he wanted my brothers and I to do while he was gone. Dan and James were to go down to town in the afternoon to get their names signed up for duty while I had to help Lacy clean the house since we will not be staying here for a while.

Dinner was semi sweet. Maria, Our cook, decided that we should have at least one happy memory of today before we all departed, so she cooked up our favorite meal that mama used to make for us when we were all little. Of course I don’t remember mama cooking, or even her presence what so ever. But James and Dan did, and so when Maria brought out a cooked turkey we all seemed to relax and enjoy ourselves. But it didn’t last.

"Have you finished packing Alex?" Papa said half way through dinner

"Yes Papa, but do I have to go tomorrow?" I asked

"Yea Papa, why can’t she stay with us until we leave?" Dan asked

"Oh you know the answer to that one guys. He doesn’t want Alex to waste any time with us but instead work like crazy because that seems to be so much more important than being with her family." Said James looking right at Papa.

There was a silence. Everyone stared at James as if he had gone crazy.

"You can leave now James." Papa finally said. James didn’t even argue. He just stood up and walked off.

I thought that was the last time I was going to see James that night but again I was wrong. I was placing my bag by the door when James walked up the stairs into my little room. He carried a book in his hands and when he entered my room he closed the door quietly.

"I've got something for you Pip. " He said handing me the book.

Children’s Fairytales It said on the cover.

It was a thick book with leather bonding and gold outlining. It looked like a really fancy book. What would James have such a thing for I thought.

"Why are you giving this to me James?" I asked examining the book

"So you could have something to cheer you up when we are gone." James said smiling.

"I know you normally don’t read all the time, but Miss. June, the lady I bought this from in town said that you might actually like this one."

"But James I’m not a kid anymore" I said.

"Oh come on Pip! Everyone is still a kid until they have stopped believing. And I know you still have a strong imagination somewhere in your brain."  James said knocking on my head

I chuckled. "What about you James?" I said. "What do you have for comfort when you’re at war?"

"Well I will have Dan and maybe even Papa and hopefully I will have letters from you every once and awhile." James said with a small smile.

"And Angie?" I said with a smirk. "Angie will definitely be writing to you."

Angie was James girlfriend. She was a pretty little thing. She was tall and thin with long brown hair that she always put up in a braid with a little bow at the end. Her family lived in town at the general store where James met her. She was probably the only girl in town that I could stand.

James Chuckled, "Yes I guess you’re right. But I do hope you will send me and Dan letters too." James said.

"Maybe you can even tell me what you think of the book from time to time. You do know that I love a good fairy tale."

"Yes all right James" I said laughing.

"Now good night" I said pushing him out of my room.

"Night Night Pip!" James said and with that he left my room.

I left home early the next morning. Even though it was so early in the morning, everyone was up. Even Lacy the maid was up.

"I will see you soon alright Alex?" Dan said hugging me good bye.

"I will be counting on it" I said in return. Then Papa came up with a small smile.

"You be good Alex. And please stay out of trouble in New York, I don’t think the nurses there will be that pleased if they find out they are training a mini assassin" Papa said

"Don’t worry Papa I will be good." I said. Finally it was just James by the Door.

"You will cause trouble for the nurses sometimes right?" asked James with an anxious look. I laughed.

"You know me to well James." I replied.

"You've got your book Pip?"

"Of course silly. And don’t worry, I will make sure to send you a letter every once and awhile." I said with a grin.

"You better!" He said.

I then turned and climbed into the car. The car almost pulled onto the road when James came to the window.

"Oh and Pip One last thing. One of the stories in that book... Be careful which ones you read." James said a little hastily.

"What do you mean?" I asked

"Well, just don’t get yourself caught up in one those stories. You might cause a little too much trouble" James said with a smirk.

"What??" I said

James Just laughed.

"Have fun being a Nurse Pip!" James said and with that last sentence, the car took off and I was off to New York.

--

Hello there!

So heres another chapter for you all :)

Again this story is a work in progress, Im not really sure if I like this twist with the war and all of that because its making this back story for Alex be a little long. But dont worry, She is going to meet peter pan pretty soon. Next chapter has alot  going down so Im pretty excited :)

Also make sure you remember what James said at the end of this chapter with Alex. Its going to be importent later on in the story.

Anyway I dont know again when I will be able to post another chapter since school starts soon and all that crap but dont worry, If worest comes to worest I wont post something until saterday of this next week.

Lots of Love

Wintergirl08