Family Ties

"Whoa. Looks like Jake got injured," Hermione said to the empty room. It was midnight, and Harry had gone to bed. She had taken to calling her war torn hero Jake for some unknown reason.

"I wonder if I should go deeper into his history," she wondered," It seems very interesting." She shuffled some of her papers. She came across another letter...

///

"Ah shit! What the hell was that!" Jacob fell and clutched his shoulder. The next man in line moved up like nothing had happened, assuming Jacob's role.

Jacob crawled back behind the lines, towards the hospital. Then, away from the raging battle, he saw the gray mound again. Hey, that isn't a rock! It's a man! I have to see if he's still alive.

With that thought Jacob started crawling across the field. As he can closer, he realized the man was still alive. Fwack! Damn, hit by another bullet. God, give me strength, this hurts, hurts like hell. But Jacob pressed on, trying to save the man.

Oh Lord! This isn't any old man; it's a young one. Jacob realized, inching closer. Oh my God! It's--it's Jacob Junior.

With that Jacob called out to his son, "Jacob! I'm coming! Hold on son!" Another bullet whizzing by.

Jacob junior looked up, and smiled, weakly. He tried to say something but his father yelled back, "Don't do anything! You'll just weaken yourself even more!"

Rushing towards his son, Jacob thought, How am I supposed to get him back, I have a bullet in each of my arms and am weakening myself. But maybe my will as a father can get it done. Jacob finally reached his son.

"Son, how are you?" he asked.

"Well I got a bullet in my side, but not too deep, and I got two bullets in one leg. I think that's it," he tried to smile weakly, "Thank you Father, for coming in after me. I was foolish going out last night." He scanned his father, "Lord, you have a bullet in each arm! Why did you keep coming--to get me?"

"It's my duty as a father. Now let's go."

Jacob Junior pulled himself with his arms, while Jacob Senior slithered with his legs. Eventually, they made it back to the Confederate lines, and were taken to the hospital.

When he and his son had been taken care of, Jacob pulled out paper and a pencil and started yet another letter.

Dear Mary,

I love you now, more than ever. It seems that I have been wounded. Well, not seems, but I AM wounded.

Two shots. One in my right shoulder, the other in my left arm, near my wrist.

Jacob Junior was wounded too, last night, going after the wounded. The shoulder shot was from the front lines; the wrist shot was from going to get Jacob.

Jacob's wounds seem more severe than mine. He has a minnieball lodged in his side. So much for his 'scratch'. He also was shot in the right leg. That was amputated.

The Union has withdrawn. I suppose we have won the battle.

///

"'...but to me, it seems like a loss.

Always and forever, faithfully yours,

Jacob'"

"I wish that I could love my wife half as much as Jacob did his," Harry said from the doorway, "Even though I love my wife with all of my heart, it still couldn't match his love."

"Well Harry, I guess that war does that to you. You realize who is dearest to you, and how you might never see them again."

"I know."

Hermione and Harry both paused to think back to the war with Voldemort. Thank God that it's over, they thought simultaneously.