Hi loves,

I just wanted to say a quick thank you for the review and the follows/favourites. It means alot to me to know that you are enjoying this idea as much as me :) - SM

The rain didn't seem to stop that October just like her tears, it felt like years since the letter had arrived but it has only been a couple of months. She had been so excited, bouncing up and down with her sister as they saw the post man walk down the street. Anna had run towards him, as he left the next house. She knew he was alive, her gut was right! She had squealed with excitement when he had handed it her, a smile on the old mans face. Anna ran straight past her sister and up the stairs to her room, she wanted to be alone; She needed to be alone with him for just a moment.

Martha had heard the scream from the kitchen, she was making tea in preparation for the break down of his letter. Her heart fell into her stomach as she froze, dropping the tea pot onto the floor, it shattered a shard going into her toe. "Anna, what is it!" She didn't need to ask, she knew as soon as she saw her little sisters face, tears cascading down her cheeks, her big blue eyes like slits from crying.

"He- He's." Anna spluttered, Martha didn't need anymore words, both girls held onto each other as they sobbed.

It had taken Anna a day before she could face his Mother, and even then Martha had been the one to drag her out of her bed to his Mothers house. In the end it had been Martha that had spoken, her voice calm and collected as she passed the letter across to her. The old woman did not cry, she did not get angry she took Anna into her arms and whispered that it would be okay, that she would find another great love, that her world was not ending but Anna did not believe her, no comfort coming from the old ladies words. She didn't want another great love, she wanted her Freddie back but nothing would bring that.

Anna sat on her bed looking out of the window at the rain, her tears had stopped- she was all cried out now. Whenever she did dry heaves would come from her throat. A quite knock came to the door, Martha entered without asking, Anna didn't even look up at her. She placed the small tray in front of her sister, sitting down gently next to it she brushes a piece of Anna's matted hair behind her hair. "You have to eat something Anna." She pleaded, Anna ignored her and continued to stare at the rain drops racing down the window, she wondered which one would win. "This has to stop Anna!" Martha shouted, that got her attention, a frown appearing on Anna's frail features. "He wouldn't want you to be like this! You have to take care of yourself!"

"How would you fucking know! Your husband is alive and well!" Anna spat back, Martha shook her head, she wouldn't be spoken to like this. "I don't know how to live without him, Martha." Anna whispers, she felt like the world was about to swallow her in one.

"I know." She places a hand on Anna's cheek and strokes her face gently. "You will get through this Anna." Martha gives Anna small smile and leans forward and kisses her forehead. "I think you should write to the man who told you." Anna raises an eyebrow at her sister, watching the cogs turning in her head. "I have asked around about him Anna, him and his brothers are there but he doesn't have anyone writing to him, no girl at home you see." Anna almost laughed, was her sister suggesting that she pick up another man? "Do not look at me like that Anna, I just mean I think you should thank him." Martha stands and moves away to the door. "He's alone just like you."

Anna lies back on the bed sighing, should she write to him? He had not asked her too and just because he had no one at home didn't mean he was alone, he had so many men around him but then again so did she and how alone she felt in this moment. Anna leans over to her bed side table and picks up and pen and paper, without thinking she sprays it with perfume, like she would with Freddie.

Dear Thomas,

I was not sure I would write to you but my sister said you are alone and being lonely is hard. I want to thank you for your letter. It came two days before the letter from the crown. It gave me some comfort that Freddie was buried and was not left alone. He was terrified to die, he told me many times his biggest fear was going missing in action and I appreciate that you stopped his fear from happening.

What was he like before his death? In his letters he seemed different almost distant from me. When he left for war he was so happy and laughed all the time. He wanted to work with children but then the war began and he could not refuse, I am sure you all have similar stories. He always said that the one thing that kept him holding to the future was that one day he would come home and do the things he was born to do. He never did tell me what those things where but I imagine they where great just like him.

Do you have something to hold on to Thomas? I think that every one should have something to hold on to, the papers tell us stories of the war but I imagine they are much worse than they read.

Once again, I wanted to thank you for your kind letter.

Kind Regards,

Anna.