I do not own The Winds of War/ War and Remembrance. All rights belong to Herman Wouk, who wrote an amazing story.

Chapter Four

Going back inside the house, Pug looked around for his son. "Warren?"

Warren, like a little boy in a tirade, had not left his own room since his father's departure. Sitting there, sitting on the bed, he tried to figure out what had happened, how all of this could be true.

Finding him there, Pug entered the room, paused for a moment as he looked at his son. "Warren..."

Sticking his hand up again, pointing toward the door, he said, "No...just...No."

"Warren." Pug spoke firmly this time. "We need to talk. And I have a lot that I need to do. I've got to try and talk to your mother about that letter she wrote. I'm not sure that she knows what she wants, or what she's asking for."

"Oh, and it's really that simply, now isn't it?" Warren looked up at his father, began to stand. "Let's just forget what I saw down there, alright? You always think you can do that, treat everything like a military objective, move from one assignment to another... that's not life, Victor, that's hiding from life." Warren was angry, to say the least, still refusing to call his own father "dad".

It took Pug a moment to gather his thoughts. "Warren, listen to me. Pam's a wonderful woman, and I love her but she isn't your mother. If I have a choice, I am going to stay with. That's why I need to talk to her. I don't want this family to be torn apart."

"She's the one that needs talking to? What kind of hypocrite are you? How long have you been seeing that woman, hmmm? How long were you planning to stay were her? Mom's affair ruin your own?"

"It's not like that Warren..." His sons words stung. He'd never wanted Warren to see what he'd seen, hadn't meant for anything to happen like it was happening.

"Oh, it's not? Well then what's it like, then? Please, explain to me. Please, tell me that it's not like you having an affair and thinking that mom's affair should be fixed."

was silent for a moment, not liking where the conversation was going. "I'm not having an affair with Pamela," he said, "I love her, but I want to stay with your mother. That's why I'm going to talk to her."

"You're...You're not having an affair with her?" Warren gave his father a very blank expression. "Oh, I'm sorry, guess I mistook that kiss." He stood, went to close the door, was done with Pug at the moment.

He stared at his son, no other words coming to mind. Turning, Pug left the house again and stared to walk towards the town. Everything felt like it was falling apart.

A few minutes after Pug left, Janice came into the room without any idea what was happening. She paused, and watching him for a moment. "Honey? Is everything alright?"

"No... Everything's not alright..." He shook his head, stood there for a moment.

Janice came into the room and wrapped an arm around him. "What's wrong Warren?"

"A lot of things..." He shook his head, walked over to the couch and sat down.

"Tell me." She followed him to the couch and wrapped her arm around him again.

"You know the letter? The one you read to me?" He sat there, breathing slowly and trying to think the conversation through.

She nodded. "Yes, how's your father taking it?"

"He... He didn't take it well... Took it a lot better, later, though... He's...he's having an affair."

"He is?" Janice stared at him in surprise. Of all the people for that to happen to, she'd never pictured Warren's father the type that would do something like that.

"Yeah, he is..." Warren nodded several times, didn't look up.

Janice wasn't really sure what to say. "With who?"

"Some woman... Pam, or something like that... I don't know..."

"Did you talk to him?" Janice asked, "Maybe you're making a mistake. I can't see your father doing that..."

"I saw him kiss her, Janice. I saw him kiss her right here in our house..."

She was silent, put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure it'll all work out... Did he say anything about your mother?"

"He said he would talk to her... I don't know, Janice. Frankly... frankly I'm not even sure I care."

"Of course you care," Janice said, "They're your parents. You care what they do."

"I don't know anymore, Janice," He looked over at her, sighed. "They...they both aren't acting like they care about each other."

"Then you should hope that no matter what happens," Janice said, "That they are both happy. That's the most important thing, right?"

He looked over at her, stared blankly. Honestly, that's exactly how he should feel, but that's not how it felt. The feelings were angry, fear, confusing... the thought of them being happy had not entered his mind.

She looked back at him, then hugged and kissed him. "I'm sure it'll all work out Warren," She said softly.

He kissed her back, didn't say anything. The entire situation made him very confused, and he didn't wish to discuss it, really. However, he did love his wife and cared deeply for her. "I love you, Janice."

"I love you too, Warren."

Down in the town, Pug looked around for a sign of Pamela Tudsbury. Since the discussion with his son hadn't gone very well, he wasn't sure what to think. He hadn't been planning on his son to think such things of him, didn't want him too and wished that he could take that one moment back. He didn't regret kissing Pam, but he wished Warren had not chosen that moment to return.

Pam saw him, walked over. "Pug...how'd it go?"

"Not very well," Pug said. "I'm going to go to Washington and talk to Rhoda, I've got a short leave. When I get back I'm going to see about getting another command."

"Alright." She nodded, watched him. "What...what'd he say, Pug? What did Warren say?"

He gave his head a small shake, didn't really want to talk about it. "What will you do, Pam?"

"What do you mean?" She gave him a rather confused look.

"Will you stay here while I go to Washington?" Pug asked.

"Well...I imagine I'll get a flight back to the mainland. I don't really have a reason to stay here."

"I'll write to you then," Pug said, "When I know."

He took her hand, stared into her eyes for a moment, before gently kissing it. Out on the street where there could be people he knew, he didn't want to kiss her on the lips. Not yet at least.

She looked up at him, smiled, nodded. "Alright, Pug... I love you."

"I love you too."

With those words he let go of her hand and turned around before walking away, in the direction of the airport and the plane that would take him to Washington D.C.