"Scout, someone's here to see you!" I heard my name being called out from my bedroom as I read from my book. I closed the book gently, placing it on my desk gently and looking our my window to see a man on a horse riding over to the front of my house. I got up and walked out of the room and down the stairs, picking up my dress as I walked and my black boots making the floor board creak.

I lived in a small town called LIberty, Missouri. We were in a state of Civil War at that time, and I was nearly 23 years old. My father was a farmer as well as my twin brother Rocky. We had a younger sister named Iris who just turned 4, just as much as a free spirit as my mother Jenny. My brother and father grew corn, a fair trade for us as a family. But my life was just as interesting at home than it was when the James and Younger brothers were around.

My father was friends with their fathers, making us almost family with them. I grew up around them, learning how to ride a horse from Jesse and how to rope cattle from Bob Younger. Cole was acting more like the big brother to me when Rocky wasn't around, making sure to give death glares when other boys would look at me funny. But something was different with Frank, Jesse's older brother. We were the same age practically, if not he was a bit older than me. When Jesse would play pirates with Cole and Bob, Frank would be reading Shakespeare and helping keep the farm in a stable condition. He was more serious than Jesse was, even when they were young and restless. He taught me how to pick a battle, how to stay calm in difficult situations, and even how to shoot a gun. It was against my mother and father's wishes, but I enjoyed it non the less. Frank even introduced me to Shakespeare before he went off to the war with the rest of the gang.

When he went off to the war I was heartbroken, hoping nothing would happen to him. It was a odd feeling to have about someone I grew up with, but I was having romantic feelings towards him. How he was more protective of me than the other boys, even Cole. We would read together every once in awhile and talk to each other and what we liked or disliked. But I would get the feeling of confusion whenever I was around him, would he ever like me back? I doubted it for awhile, knowing how we grew up together and how other girls would flock to him and his brother Jesse. As for me, I grew up riding with the boys as just as tough, just as silly and just as naive. How would he think of me now as I got older?

I opened the door and saw the man get off his horse, walking over to me by the front door. I felt a hand on my shoulder, looking over and up at my father who looked over as well. His eyes showed wisdom and intelligence, yet they were fading with age and years. They were bright blue with his brown hair on his head tossed away from his middle aged face. l moved my warm chocolate brown hair from my bright blue eyes to see since the wind came through our land. As he came close I smiled, feeling my heart soar as I knew who it was. His dark eyes under his hat, though they were warm when I looked in them. His facial hair and hat couldn't hide who he was, not in a million years.

"Frank?" I asked in a gasp as I saw him come closer. His face didn't change one bit when I saw him last, but he was now a handsome young man. He smiled, and I felt my heart drop to my core as he did that simple gesture. I ran down the porch and over to Frank, who held out his arms for me to run into. As soon as I was into his arms he lifted me up with ease as he swung me around, laughing a deep but meaningful laugh. I hugged him closely to me, my arms around his neck as he placed me back down. I moved away immediately to see how he changed. He got taller, bigger in muscle size, but his eyes never changed.

"Hello Scout." he said in a deep voice, how his soothing voice never changed since he left for the war. I smiled, hearing his voice was like our childhood all over again. I then felt a tear coming down my cheek and hitting my shirt, why I was crying I didn't know. But it was so good to see Frank in front of me, alive and in one piece. Frank's face changed to a concerned one, seeing my tear fall and placed his hands on my shoulders gently.

"Scout? What's wrong?" He asked me, concern was in his tone of voice. But I shook my head, hating being such a girl in front of him. I couldn't help it though, thinking how it might be a dream to see him in front of me and being able to feel him again.

"I'm just glad you're home." I replied back to him in a smile and he pulled me into his arms, gentler this time. I rest my head on his chest, breathing in the dust he was carrying and the tobacco he used. I felt his arm go around my waist as he took off his hat and held it at his side, resting his forehead against my head in my hair. We stayed like that for what seemed like hours, not moving nor talking. It was a moment of remembering, a moment of joy and a moment of thankfulness.

"I'm glad to be home too." he murmured in my hair as I smiled into his chest, finally glad to be holding him once more.

He was home, he was safe and he was holding me. I was beyond happy, for now at least.