- Jamie remembers back to when TJ came home from basic training: It was like he was a different person.
- Suddenly he was all serious, like he was a real soldier already. (Hmm… maybe because he was? Just saying…)
- She thinks about how close they were when TJ was twelve and she was seven.
- They'd play army every afternoon, sometimes against the Kerner brothers from school. It didn't really matter if they won or lost; they were soldiers together, and that was the important part.
- TJ was only home for a weekend before he shipped out.
- One night at dinner, TJ told the Colonel that he needs his dad to be proud of him.
- The Colonel was stunned. Of course he's proud of his son. No question. Why would he even ask?
- Okay, okay, TJ knows he's not all warm and fuzzy, but it seems like his dad thinks he's making a mistake by joining the army.
- That's when the Colonel tells him that TJ reminds him a lot of himself at that age.
- Bonus: the Colonel was always popular with the ladies. Wink, wink.
- He tells a familiar story about how he met their mom, and she was smitten with him right away.
- TJ and Jamie have heard the story a zillion times, but it's still nice to hear.
- When the whole family takes TJ to the airport to report for duty, Jamie's mom tears up a little.
- There are a bunch of hugs and kisses.
- The Colonel tells TJ not to be a hero, to just do his job and keep his head down.
- TJ salutes them and leaves.
- Under his breath, the Colonel mutters something about the only way out of the war being "through." Um, okay.
- Jamie revels in the moment. Her brother is going to war, just like they always dreamed of. She almost jumps up and down with excitement.