Chapter One

Smiling to myself, I watched as my mother flitted around the kitchen. She had no idea what to do with herself, but she couldn't just sit still. Richard was coming home. It would only be for a day or two, but that didn't matter to her. She was just happy to see his face and crush him in her arms one more time before he shipped out to Italy and he was truly going to be away from home. "Clara!" I jolted forward, nearly knocking the lemonade pitcher to the tile floor. Ma sighed as I steadied the pitcher and shot her a smile. Shaking her head, she moved over to the oven, getting ready to take out her apple pie, "I need you to fetch your father from the corner store. He's been in there much too long and he still needs to make himself presentable."

I giggled, "I'll go get him, but you know what he's going to say if you try to make him look presentable." She scoffed and shooed me from the kitchen, swatting her dish towel at me. I hurried from the kitchen and out the front door, taking the front steps two at a time. The sidewalk buzzed as always, causing me to sidestep the neighbors and the unfamiliar faces. Bumping shoulders with someone, I turned to mutter an apology, but they were gone, already halfway down the sidewalk. I smiled. Everyone here moved so fast that they sometimes don't see what's around them. I could hear my pops's raucous laughter from the sidewalk and I knew it was gonna be near impossible to get him back home. I was going to have to turn on all my daughterly charm for this one. Grabbing hold of the store's door frame, I swung my self around and into the shop, my skirt swishing side to side and my dark hair swaying around my shoulders. I gave my brightest smile to the small group of men that my pops was laughing with and stepped closer to my father. His back was to me, so I was able to catch his surprise when I threw my arms around his neck and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. He looked over at me, startled, but his face softened when he saw me.

"Clara! Don't go giving your old man a scare like tha'." He looked around before turning back to me with a grin, "Your ma send you?"

I nodded as I detached myself from his broad shoulders, "She wants you looking presentable for when Richard gets home." He grimaced, and I laughed, "Told her you'd react like that." He sighed, and I knew I had to get him out of here before he could argue. Smiling, I put my hand on his shoulder, "Come on, Pops. Make Ma happy." Another sigh left his lips before he hauled himself to his feet and looped his arm with mine. My smile grew as he muttered his goodbyes and led me out of the corner shop and back down to our building. When we reached the front stoop, he let go of my arm and held tightly to the brick banister as he limped up the steps. I watched him, a tight smile gracing my lips. His knee had been bothering him more and more and he refused to see the doctor about it, no matter how much Ma nagged him about it.

"Well come on, Clara."

I snapped out of my daze and hopped up the steps behind him. Pushing the door open, I called out, "Ma! We're back!" There was a clattering in the kitchen, followed by a very irritated voice, directing its nagging at my father.

He sighed and patted my shoulder, "You go on and get ready. I'll deal with this." He nodded to the kitchen and grinned. I smiled back and made my way into my bedroom. Even with the door closed, I could hear my mother going off on my father about how important this day was and how she would never understand how he could spend so much time at the corner store. The only time she paused in her rant was one my father's deep voice cut through, telling her how he would never understand how she got more beautiful each day. I admired his attempts, unfortunately they didn't work. She continued and all he could do was listen until she released him, and he had the chance to change into the clothes she had picked out for him. At this point the nagging had faded and turned into my mother's excited chatter. That was easy enough to tune out as I changed into the dress my mother had all but commanded me to wear for Richard's welcome home dinner. After smoothing down the dress, I sat at my small vanity to touch up my makeup. Deeming everything okay, I picked up my comb and began to smooth some sections of hair. I was so excited about seeing my brother again, but I knew that it wouldn't last long. The fear had already started to grow in the back of my mind and I knew it was only going to get worse. When he had gone off to basic training, I knew I was going to miss him, but the fear of losing him hadn't entered my mind; he was still here in America and he was safe. Now he's going overseas and he's going to be fighting for real. I could lose him.

"Clara!" The comb fell from my hands and I spun around to face my still closed bedroom door. "Clara!" I jumped to my feet and rushed to the front hall where my mother was fussing over my father's clothes while he tried to swat her away. At my approach, she stopped what she was doing and turned to me, "He's here." She grinned and fussed over me for a minute until she pulled back at the sound of the front door opening. The three of us stood completely still as the door hit the wall behind it and Richard stepped inside. He dropped his bag to the floor while muttering to someone behind him, before turning again, "Ma! I'm home!" He looked up to see us and he grinned. I was the first to move as I ran down the hall and launched myself into Richard's open arms. He spun me once as we both laughed, and set me back on my feet, pulling away to look down at me, "Well, baby sister, I didn't think it was possible, but you have become more beautiful than the last time I saw you."

I rolled my eyes and pushed his chest, "You're ridiculous." I looked up at him, "Have you gotten taller?"

Richard smirked, "Nah, this uniform just looks so good on me that it seems that way." He ran his hands over the front of his jacket and I rolled my eyes once again. He only chuckled in response. Ma seemed to have found herself because she rushed forward (I only just got out of her way) and wrapped her arms around her only son. He chuckled and hugged her back, "Hey, Ma." She hugged him tighter as Pops limped forward. I stepped to the side and grabbed Richard's bag from the floor. Ma finally pulled back and wiped under her eyes quickly. I knew she didn't want anyone to see her cry, but it was too late. We all knew. I stepped closer to her and her hand quickly found mine. She gave it a squeeze and I gave one back.

Pops stepped forward and took Richard's hand in a firm shake, "Son."

Richard nodded back to him, "Hey, Pops." They dropped their hands back to their sides and that's when my eyes drifted to the stranger that had stood behind Richard the entire time we had been hugging him. He was a tall, young man (he couldn't have been much older than Richard himself) with light hair and dark eyes and he wore a uniform identical to Richard's. I didn't recognize his face, so I knew he couldn't have been a neighborhood boy. My brother must have noticed my gaze because he stepped to the side and slapped the stranger on the shoulder, "This is Bumpkin," the man turned his eyes to Richard, who chuckled, "sorry, I mean Daniel Jackson." He looked to our father and grinned, "Sharpshooter." Pops's eyes lit up at that and he stepped forward.

"No kidding."

Daniel Jackson nodded, "Yes, sir." Pops held out his hand and Daniel took it, "Thank you for allowing me to stay in your home." He looked over to Ma and nodded to her. My gaze flickered to her also. She did not inform me that we would be having a house guest.

She smiled at him, "Of course, dear. Any friend of Richard's is welcome here." She gestured over to me, "This is our daughter and Richard's sister, Clara." Our gazes met, and I held out my hand.

He took it in his own, shaking it gently, "Pleasure to meet you." I smiled as he let go of my hand and we turned to my mother when she cleared her throat.

"Let me show you where you'll be staying." Daniel nodded and followed after her, Richard and Pops following behind him. I lingered in the doorway for another minute before closing the front door and dragging Richard's bag into his bedroom.

Thank you for reading. I do not own any of the plot, dialogue, or characters from Saving Private Ryan. I only own Clara, her parents, Mae, and my original plot points.