This is another re-write of an old story which I wrote back in 2008. There are some parts which are descriptive about the war and some may find it a bit upsetting so I will warn you now.

I hope you enjoy this. I wrote it to signify the end of the Great War 11.11.1918 at the 11th hour.

The Great War

Chapter one: A Letter To Change Everything

May 14th 1917, New York City.

Her breath was caught in her throat and she felt as though she could no longer breathe. The world around her seemed to slip away, along with her consciousness.

Her chest tightened and her body weakened.

All because of a letter. One letter which would change her life forever.

A letter which would rip them apart.

A letter of conscription...

America had entered the war on the sixth of April, 1917. Up to that date, America had tried to keep out of World War One–though she had traded with nations involved in the war–but unrestricted submarine warfare, introduced by the Germans on January 9, 1917, was the first issue that caused Woodrow Wilson to ask Congress to declare war on Germany on April second. Four days later, America joined World War One on the side of the Allies.

The war in Europe had been raging since 1914. She had toured Europe in late 1913 with her husband, Jack on their honeymoon and they had returned just before the war had been declared. The horror of the war had kept her awake for weeks, not knowing whether her husband would be drafted and now, here she was, with the letter in her hand. The feelings the notice had given her were more wounding than she thought they could have been.

Rose Elizabeth Dawson was just twenty-two years old. She had met her husband, Jack Dawson, on board the Titanic almost five years before. She had defied her family and society to be with him and she had never regretted her decision. Therefore, her family and ex-fiancé believed her to be dead.

They had married in New York in September of 1912, just a quick and small ceremony at the smallest church they could find in the city. But the truth was, it was all they had dreamt of. They had worked for many months to be able to afford their marriage license, but once they married, all of the hard work was worth it.

They had continued to live in New York. Rose was a theatre actress, starring in many plays a year. The money was better than she had initially thought and so after just two months she had quit her job as a café waitress and threw herself into the profession and now she was considered one of the most talented actresses at the Electric Theatre. Jack was an artist there. He drew posters and did the promotional side of things at the theatre. It was convenient for them both and together they pulled in audiences larger than any other theatre. Their prices were low, due to the war, many people had cut back on what they spent, the theatre had reflected this and even occasionally they would put on a free performance for those less fortunate.

Life had been good for the couple. They had married young, but never regretted a thing. Their love for each other was stronger than most married couples twice their age.

It was only now that things started to boil over.

Jack was just twenty-five. He had a long life ahead of him. But now he had been conscripted into the war in Europe. The worst part was that he would actually be fighting on the front line, where all of the deaths were. He himself had read the horror stories in the newspapers, of the number of deaths and casualties in France alone.

The Battle of the Somme held the record for most number of deaths in a war. Held a record? As if it was some sort of contest of who killed the most. These were real people who were dying, who were in pain. Not just a figure on a piece of paper, like many people seemed to forget. General Haig had announced that morale in the trenches was high. How could that be? When many people were losing their families and friends?

His Rose had wept long hours once she had read the letter. He did everything he could to comfort her and reassure her, but he himself was just as scared of what the war held for him and yet he kept his own fear under wraps. He wasn't scared of death for he had faced that old enemy a fair few times in his short life. It was a fear of leaving Rose alone. That was the image which he just couldn't shake.

He had reassured her time after time that he would return to her. He reminded her that he was a survivor and that nothing on this earth would come between them. But he himself was having doubts. There were men out there younger than him, already fathers, who had been lost in the damned war. Why would God spare him? Just to return to his wife? His pickings were very slim.

The telegram had arrived that morning. It had been ever so normal in the way it had started until a young man stood outside of the apartment door, and in his hand, he had held the letter, he was unsure of himself as though he didn't know if this was the right address.

"Telegram for Jack Dawson." His young voice had cracked and Rose had found him amusing, not in a cruel way and so she had kept her smirk hidden.

"He isn't here right now."

"Are you his wife?"

"Yes."

With that, the boy had handed her the letter before hurrying away on his bicycle.

Rose had frowned and found the whole event odd, the way the boy scurried away, not even hinting for a tip.

She had set the letter on the counter, fighting the urge to open it herself, and carried on running through her lines for the play she was set to star in soon. It had watched her all afternoon, taunting her to be opened until Jack came home but she wasn't one to open his mail and usually she didn't have a care in the world but there was something about this one. The way it had been stamped so many times. She had tried to distinguish where they were from but to no avail she had left it.

Jack had returned from work in a rather good mood and had found the telegram on the counter addressed to him. He furrowed his brow; he rarely received mail.

As he sank into a chair to rest his back and to read the piece of paper, his face had paled.

The US Army wanted him to join the war, which had already torn the world apart. He placed two fingers on his forehead. Perhaps this was something he wasn't reading correctly and yet no matter how many times he read over the words. They still made perfect sense. He was a healthy young man and they needed him to fight for his country.

He glanced at the details on the card. They had everything from his town of birth, occupation, address and his wife. He sighed, there was no wrong information on there. On the other side there was an exemption form, in case he felt the need to appeal their decision to send him to war. He mentally listed any injuries, anything to keep him away but there was nothing. Why should there be? As much as he didn't want to go, he knew he shouldn't be the one to stay at home when other men fought so harshly and passionately for the country which he lived in.

How could he be separated from his Rose, even for a short time? When they had married, they had vowed to never be separated again, and now, here he was, about to be taken away from her again.

There wasn't anything either of them could do about the notice. The law required he go to war. If not, he could end up in prison. Which was something which neither of them could handle.

Rose's reaction to the notice had been worse than he initially thought it would be. She had let the letter slip from her delicate fingers and simply crumpled in his arms.

"I wish I could go with you," Rose had sniffled when she had calmed a little. It was as though suddenly her job and their home didn't matter. All she needed was him and where he was she would go.

"No, you don't. You don't want to see war. I don't want you to see the war. Reading about it is bad enough." He wiped her eyes and stroked her face.

"I don't want to witness the battle. Just be with you, Jack."

"I know."

"Maybe they will take me as a nurse?" Rose offered. Anything to keep her with Jack.

"I don't want you anywhere near the war, Rose."

''But I want to be with you.''

''I will always be with you. But you will stay here, in the safest place possible.''

With that, Rose had simply nodded before sobbing once again in her husband's arms. She knew she had to trust Jack's wishes. She couldn't go against them, that would be breaking a marriage vow.

Jack would do anything he could to protect her, and he knew she meant well by suggesting she join the effort, but he would never sleep, knowing Rose wasn't safe. At least if she was here, she would be safe. He hoped.