The Friends
A M*A*S*H Fan Fic
I don't own the M*A*S*H characters, Fox does.
The 1 character I do own is the main one, so don't complain or copy me.
Any factual errors aren't my fault. I wasn't actually around for the Korean war!
This fits in somewhere after Frank leaves. But there is no Charles, 'cos then there would be no story!
From the moment that I stepped off the jeep that brought me to the 4077th, I knew we would be friends. He was standing there in his red dressing gown at roll call.
It was just finishing so I waited before going up to the commanding officer. After going to the C.O.'s office, Colonel Sherman Potter told me just to see a Captain Pierce after giving Corporal Radar O'Reilly my details. The tiny Corporal wanted the usual answers so I told him
"Captain Jennifer McDuff, BAMC202217818, blood group O." He said nothing and wandered off which seemed a little odd, with the formalities over I headed outside.
I wanted to find that guy with the red dressing gown. But it seemed that I didn't have to bother since he was outside the office waiting for me.
"Captain Hawkeye Pierce. You must be my new nurse." he said with a drop dead gorgeous smile.
"Captain Jennifer McDuff. Most call me Duster. Your nurse? You are so far out the ball park, you're outside in the parking lot." I may be Scottish but I've spent a lot of time with Americans.
"Well, the old nurse went home, so…"
"You assumed that I'm her replacement? I'm not. I'm the new surgeon. I think you're the person I was to report to."
"So you're the new surgeon. Fancy a drink?"
"I suppose you can't get a good martini around here?"
"Good no. Strong yes."
"The kind that puts hair on your chest?"
"And some places I'd rather not mention in the presence of a lady."
"Me? A lady? You are kidding."
"I meant Major Margaret Houlihan, head nurse. Hotlips, that's what most call her. Only once though." he said in a whisper as we passed a rather important blonde woman.
As we reached a tent, he opened the door that read the "Swamp" and announced loudly
"BJ, we've got a new surgeon!"
I spoke to Margaret on my first day of "meatball" surgery. She told me all the ways of the camp's most vibrant personalities; Hawkeye the womaniser, BJ's love for his wife, Radar's premonitions, Potter and Sophie (his horse) and his wife, Klinger (after a section 8 via women's dresses), Father "Padre" Mulcahy (camp Priest), herself and Donald Penobscott (newly weds) and not forgetting my predecessor Frank Burns. Frank went nuts after Margaret and Donald got married (he was cheating on his wife with Margaret). I think she was waiting for a woman that wasn't a nurse to gossip with. We sparked a few arguments in the operating theatre with some of the things we said.
While Hawkeye was there, Margaret, the nurses and I started talking about his womanising. We had a little help BJ and Colonel Potter, who seemed to think it was time Hawkeye got what was coming to him from the women at camp.
From then on Hawk, BJ and I spent all the free time we had in one another's company. BJ and I got on but I had the feeling that he thought I was getting in the way of him and Hawk. Like I could split up that pair. Hawk never came on to me. We were friends, brother and sister, we shared a lot; practical jokes, working 14 hour shifts, all night drinking sessions, working for 14 hours then having an all night drinking session (I could drink the two of them under the table) and turning up for roll call in dressing gowns (mine is green). Klinger said that if we did that too often he would never get his section 8 because we would get them first.
I initially stayed with the nurses, but it became clear that their tent is crowded and I spend all my time in the "Swamp". I moved in after about 5 weeks at camp. Hawk and BJ threw me a tent warming. They must have been hard up for entertainment, it was their tent and the still was working over time anyway, but it was a good time. (I was the last man standing.) Margaret complained, Potter shot her down saying nothing was going to happen between any of us.
I hate to say it but Sherm was wrong……
It all started with Hawk and his nightmares. I don't want to think about what might have happened if they hadn't come back. (BJ told me they happened before Frank left too.)
On a rather too warm night, Hawkeye work screaming, drenched in a cold sweat. BJ and I sat bolt upright in our cots. I went over to calm Hawk down, He looked just like a small frightened child. I scooped him into my arms, rocking him back to sleep with a lullaby used on me as a child when I woke up in the night. BJ had gone back to sleep and Hawk was dropping off, I found myself wide awake, waiting in case Hawk woke up again.
Next morning Hawk refused to mention it so I had a shower and went on post-op duty.
That night the same thing happened again. I couldn't sleep so I read a little of my book. I thought no one noticed, I didn't think that BJ was awake too.
The pattern continued for another week. With me getting no sleep what so ever. BJ came over and asked what was wrong with me. Well I was sitting in the mess tent with my 6th cup of mud/coffee (it's the same thing) and it was only 1000 hours.
"How much sleep have you gotten since the nightmares started?" he said quietly, which was pointless since the tent was full and most can't hear themselves think at this time in the morning (that's a good thing).
"None. I sleep till he wakes me then I can't get seem to drop off again."
"I'll deal with it. Don't get up tonight. I will." he left as suddenly as he had arrived.
As BJ had promised, he calmed Hawk down and took him for a walk. Well, less of the took, more dragged. I only heard one thing BJ said to Hawkeye.
"You're having problems? Who is calming Jennifer, when she's worried and losing sleep over you?"
When I woke the next morning, BJ had gone on duty and Hawkeye was sitting on his cot, crying.
"Hawk, what is it?"
"I couldn't tell you. I can't tell you."
"What is this about? I'm sorry I didn't get up last night but BJ told me not to."
"I don't mind that you didn't get up. BJ told me that the real reason that I had nightmares is because….because I'm not telling you something I should."
I got up and went over. Sitting on his cot he stared in to my eyes. His bright blue eyes shining with tears made my heart jump into my throat. It stayed there as he continued.
"I love you."
For a moment I couldn't reply.
"All this time. That red dressing gown. I thought we'd just be friends. Like brother and sister."
I wasn't making a lot of sense. Tears ran down my face and Hawk brushed them aside. He slowly pulled me close and kissed all the tiredness and worry from me.
As we parted I managed to say, in no more than a whisper.
"I love you too, Hawkeye."
"Call me Benjamin, please. Every one calls me Hawkeye, you're the only one I love."
"O.K. I love you too, Benjamin." The smile on my face was a mile wide.
"Finally, you've told her. Can we all go back to normal service?" After the quiet, BJ seemed to be shouting. Destroying the moment Benjamin and I had.
"Normal? In this war? Could you give us another few minutes?" Ben said, never taking his blue eyes off mine.
"Nope, Duster's on duty now." Replied BJ.
"Wait for me." I said as I changed and left.
"Always."
I had only been on duty for an hour or so when BJ came in.
"There's a new patient, I think you should take a look at." He was using his poker face (the one where he has a good hand and has to hide it) I could tell.
"What patient? I didn't hear any choppers. Can't you deal with it?"
"It needs you, not me and he stays here."
I let him lead me to the mess tent. I wondered what the two of them were up to.
The tent was unusually empty, at this time of day it should be packed but the only people there were Ben, Potter, BJ, Margaret, Radar and now me.
"This is the worst case of woman trouble I've ever seen," Stated Potter, "Could I get an explanation Jennifer?"
"BJ you do the honours. While I try to wake Hawk up."
"I think you should do the explaining." Retorted BJ
Ben was sitting opposite Sherm with an empty mug half-way to his mouth, staring straight ahead, wearing a goofy grin on his face. Even like that I still thought he was the most wonderful guy in the world.
"Benjamin?" I said as I gave him a gentle shake.
I ignored the "did she just call him Benjamin?" remarks that followed. As he came back to life, I sank onto the bench next to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. He looked into my eyes giving me the smile that made my legs turn to mush on the first day. His arms found their way to my back and pulled me close, so we were a hair's breadth apart.
"Are you O.K.? BJ brought me here, you zoned out." I only had to breathe the words for him to hear them.
"I'm fine. I was thinking," He moved closer to my ear, "about us getting a little R&R some time."
"Good idea but could it actually happen?"
"It'll happen. Trust me."
As we broke apart, Sherm cut in.
"I guess that answered my question. BJ, do you want Jennifer's shift?"
"I don't think I want to be in the "Swamp" right now anyway." BJ answered
"It's O.K. BJ. I'll finish my shift. Ben, I'll see you later." I got up to leave and Ben caught my wrist, pulling me back for one last kiss.
"Ben," I mumbled through his soft lips, "I've got to go. I'll see you tonight."
When I finally got away and back to the work I should be doing, I forgot about any R&R at least until the war was over. When BJ took over he mentioned that Ben had been in conference with Potter for most of the afternoon.
Walking back to the "Swamp", I wondered if there was a possibility that he wasn't joking about R&R. There's no privacy in camp. Margaret has her own tent but she is a Major and I did choose to sleep in the "Swamp", but it wasn't sleeping I was thinking about. I crashed out on my cot without getting changed. Ben coming in late put a blanket over me and whispered "Good night, you'll need your sleep." as he slipped the 6 day pass into my hand.
"ATTENTION, ATTENTION ALL OFFICERS TO REPORT TO COLONEL POTTER'S OFFICE IMEDATLEY THAT WILL BE ALL"
"WHAT was that?" I groaned, "The sun shouldn't be that bright surely?"
As we got up I realised that there was paper stuck to my face. I know that I fell asleep with my clothes on but I didn't think I was holding anything. I looked at it.
"A SIX DAY PASS!?!"
"Don't shout, please." Groaned BJ
"Ben, did you get this for me?"
"Yep. I got one for me too." Came the reply from under a pile of blankets. I ran over and gave the bundle a hug. Ben unwrapped himself from the bed clothes and pulled me under. We snuggled close, whispering things we would do on leave together.
"We've got to go, people. Sorry to break up the party." BJ butted in.
As we walked to Potter's office, the space between Ben and I closed up till you couldn't get a sheet of paper between us.
"No wonder they execute people at dawn. Who wants to live at 6 AM?" Commentated Ben
"It's 9 AM, Hawkeye!" BJ corrected him as we reached the office.
"Good. You're all here. An aid station needs our help. I'm not sending Jennifer." Boomed Potter
"Why not?" All three of us asked at the same time. We settled into our seats. Margaret and Padre had already arrived.
"Because they are under heavy fire. I don't want to send a woman to the front if I can. Hawkeye you're it."
"Sexist." Margaret and I muttered as Ben nodded and walked out. I ran after him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just hate going to the front."
"It'll only be a day. You'll be fine. You have that R&R to look forward to."
"O.K. I'll go. I'll see you tonight."
He left in a jeep stocked with supplies after I had to go into the O.R. So I didn't get to see him go.
I only started to get worried later on that night. Sitting in the O. Club isn't a lot of fun without him. Father Mulcahy tried some new tunes, usually I tried to help when they didn't sound right but my heart wasn't in it. Radar jumped up looking worried.
"Choppers?" Asked BJ
"No it's Hawkeye. He's…..he's hurt."