Neverhome - Pg 53

   I had had it in mind that morning of my leaving that despite our troubles of the past year he would give me some fine Bartholomew word of parting, then wave at me as he wiped away a tear. Would stand tall and wave. Instead, he had looked one last time at me, wrapped his arms hard around his chest like he was afraid his lungs might leave him, and sat down.
   "You had better get to marching because I can't stand it to see you any longer when you are already gone," he said when I came over...
   "I am here," I whispered, bending close.
   "Off to war with you, Ash Thompson," he said.
   He said, "I will stay behind and guard this life we don't have and this family we don't got."