James was startled out of a dead sleep by the distant sound of explosions. Looking out his window, he saw flashes of light cutting through the trees. He quietly slid the out of his bed, being careful not to wake his sister, and walked out of the room. The old floor creaked as he padded down the hallway and moonlit shadows played on the walls. James was just about to step onto the staircase, when he heard a stern voice say, "stop right there, young man." Turning around, he saw his mother standing a few feet behind him, her face stern.
"What are you doing up at this time of night, James?" she asked, "you should be sleeping."
"I keep hearing noises outside and seeing flashes of light in the distance. I'm scared, mommy."
"Oh James," Peggy said gently, taking the boy in her arms. "There is nothing to be afraid of, mommy and daddy are here. We won't let anything happen to you or your sister. Now, come along, let's get you back to bed."
"I don't want to go back into my room," James said, "can I sleep with you and daddy?"
"Alright," Peggy sighed, "just for one night."
Steve opened his eyes when he heard the door open. Turning, he saw Peggy holding James in her arms.
"What happened?" he asked, concerned.
"I found him out of his bed," Peggy whispered, laying the boy on the bed between them "I think he heard or saw something outside that must have scared him. He wouldn't go back into his own room, so I let him sleep with us."
"Do you think we are doing the right thing?" Steve asked, suddenly, "you know, bringing the kids up on an army base?"
"We didn't have a choice," Peggy said, "we will talk about this more in the morning, for now let's try and get some sleep."