You Were the Hero
A M*A*S*H Fic
A/N: Hey there! This is my first M*A*S*H fic, so please be easy on me. I hope you like my OC. This is an eventual OC/Father Mulcahy fic, but the romance won't show up right away. Mostly it's about good old sibling bonding and friendships with all the M*A*S*H members. Please enjoy and review! P.S. The title of the fic will make sense in the end.
"Will you stop twitching?" A nurse turned to Sparrow, sneering in disdain.
"It's a condition," Sparrow shrugged, continuing to bounce her knees, clutching her leather-bound notebook tightly in her hands.
"Ladies, ladies," a hairy man in a dress shushed the girls, "we're almost at the camp."
Sparrow was full of nervous energy, and kept her eyes on the path ahead of them. She had never been an army jeep before now, but her stomach was not doing backflips for that reason.
A different nurse leaned forward, smirking at Sparrow.
"You got a fella here or something?" She had deep red lipstick and her lips smacked together as she talked.
"Nah," Sparrow shook her head, wishing the nurses would leave her alone.
"Then why are you so nervous?"
"Just something I read about a Korean War, you wouldn't have heard of it, would you?" Sparrow brushed the nurse off, frowning.
All the nurses glared at her and turned back to their idle gossip.
Good to know Sparrow was making friends.
The driver made a final turn into camp and lurched into a stop.
"Welcome to the 4077th M*A*S*H!" The driver smirked and opened the doors for the girls.
"Colonel Blake, sir?"
Sparrow stepped out of the jeep, still holding tight to her book, and saw a short young man in glasses tailing behind the man she presumed was the Colonel.
"Yooo?" The Colonel was reading a letter while he walked.
"Uh sir, the new shipment of nurses are here."
"Eh? Don't tell Pierce and McIntyre, then," The Colonel chuckled and gave the short man his letter.
"Welcome, ladies," The Colonel smiled politely, if not a bit nervously.
He opened his mouth as if to say more, but stopped, frowning.
"Klinger!" He shook his head at the driver, "what did I tell you about those get-ups?"
He gestured to Klinger's yellow dress. A bit too frilly for Sparrow's taste, but not bad.
"But, sir," Klinger defended, "these girls need to see what's tasteful to wear around camp."
"Then it that case, puh-lease put your uniform on."
"How come he's got to wear uniform and you don't, sir?" Sparrow spoke up, unable to help herself.
The Colonel clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and walked over to inspect the nurses.
"Klinger, Radar, get these ladies settled in, will ya?" The Colonel shook his head at Sparrow, extending his hand.
"Colonel Henry Blake. And you are?"
Sparrow grabbed the man's hand, shaking it firmly.
"Lieutenant Pierce, sir."
"Pierce, eh?" Henry took his hand back and adjusted his fisherman's hat, "any relation to a Benjamin Franklin?"
"Sure, I have a little bit of relation to all the founding fathers, sir."
"You've got a sharp tongue, girl. Shall I fetch your brother for you?"
Sparrow grinned.
"No, sir. I'm hoping he doesn't found out too soon."
"And why's that?"
"Well, sir, I think he might very well kill me for being here."
"I'm afraid, for now, you'll be bunking with Major Houlihan. We've got a few more nurses than we have tents, it seems," Henry shrugged apologetically.
He was walking with Sparrow across the camp, hands snug in his pant pockets.
"A female Major?" Sparrow's ears perked, "now that's neat."
"Yeah, real neat, except she's a real-," Henry stopped himself, looking at Sparrow nervously, "well...let's say a real piece of work."
"You know you don't have to watch your language around me, sir. Not on account of me being a woman, or anything," Sparrow crossed her arms.
Her mousey brown hair was in two tight braids, and was swinging against her shoulders.
"Aw, it's not like that, Pierce. I just don't want to get in any trouble with your big brother."
"Just call me Sparrow, to save the confusion. Anyway, is my brother like the big bully around here, or what?"
"More like the class clown," Henry snorted.
"Good to know some things haven't changed."
"And here's you," Henry stopped gesturing to the tent.
"Say...this Houlihan- the real piece of work- does she know I'm going to be bunking with her?"
"Uh," Henry tugged at his collar, "not presently at present," he muttered.
"Well, I think I can take it from here, sir."
"Uh, right," Henry tipped his head and walked off.
Sparrow took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
"I have a headache, Frank!" Houlihan shouted through the door.
"Do you call all your roommates 'Frank'?" Sparrow snickered.
Houlihan threw open the door, looking rather flustered. She was a gorgeous woman, with curly blonde hair, and a frown like Sparrow had never seen before.
"Excuse me, who are you?"
"Lieutenant Pierce, ma'am. But you can just call me Sparrow."
"Pierce?!" Houlihan's eyes doubled in size, "you're Pierce's sister?"
"The one and only," Sparrow dipped her head.
"You're so young, what are you doing here?"
"School project. I get a lollypop if I don't get blown up," Sparrow shrugged, "can I come in?"
"You're about as reckless as your brother," Houlihan tutted.
"Only in my wildest dreams."
"Why do you want in my quarters?"
"Colonel Blake says I'm bunking with you for now."
Sparrow saw the life drawn out of the Major's eyes.
"Don't worry, I won't bother you. You and this Frank guy can have all the time you need."
"I don't believe I know what you're talking about!" Houlihan snapped.
"Alright," Sparrow shrugged, "I'm going to go shower. I suppose you can talk to Henry about all this if it bothers you so much."
"I will do just that," Houlihan glared at the younger nurse.
What a beautiful start to a beautiful friendship, Sparrow smiled to herself.
"Klinger, if you're the only friend I meet while I'm in Korea," Sparrow mused, "well then, I think I'll be alright."
"Aw, thanks ma'am."
Corporal Klinger had been ordered to show Sparrow around, and she'd told her story about encountering Major Houlihan. Margaret, she learned, was her first name. Suited her.
"Really, Klinger, I'm barely twenty. I don't think I fit the title of ma'am."
"Hey, me neither," Klinger nodded, looping his arm through Sparrow's.
"And here's the mess tent."
"It sure is," Sparrow eyed it in distaste.
"It's almost dinner, actually. Why don't you get a seat before everyone gets here?"
"Oh, uh," Sparrow grimaced, "I better not. Say, Klinger, you think you could get me whatever's edible and bring it to me?"
"Sure thing, Sparrow. Where will you be?"
"I dunno. Just going to have a look around."
"Oh, sorry," Sparrow babbled, backing herself out of the tent she'd entered.
"Not at all, my dear," the man replied, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Need some help?" Sparrow realized that she was speaking with the camp chaplain.
A young man, probably around her brother's age. Not bad looking either, though, none of the men here were, it seemed.
"Well actually, I'm not-," Sparrow stopped herself, seeing the chaplain's beady eyes.
"...Catholic, but I suppose I could use some advice."
The chaplain looked overjoyed.
"Well then come, my child! Sit down," he gestured to an empty bench.
"I'm Sparrow Pierce, sir," Sparrow extended her hand, sitting down.
"Pierce? Are you-"
"Yeah Hawk's my brother," Sparrow nodded, "we come from a long line of birds."
The chaplain smiled fondly, "you are your brother's sister."
"So I'm a sister, Hawk's a brother, and are you a father, Father?"
"Why yes," the Father sat down across from Sparrow, "I'm Father Mulcahy."
"An honor," Sparrow stood up and bowed.
"What can I help you with, my dear?"
"Well, Father...," Sparrow sighed, "I'm avoiding my brother, and I'm not sure how much longer I can keep it up."
"Oh, and why is that?" Mulcahy narrowed his eyes, but they were still kind and empathetic.
"Well, Father, I don't think he will be very happy to see me here. He...," Sparrow bit her lip, "he wrote my letters, constantly, on what this place is like. I know it's no picnic, but I had to see it for myself."
The Father gapped, trying to collect himself.
"My dear, your devotion to your brother is commendable, but, if you don't mind me saying so, a little foolish..."
"I know, Father. It's not just my brother, though I swear I was going mad without him. It's just that I...," Sparrow gulped, "aw I'm going to sound really dumb if I tell you."
Mulcahy raised his eyebrows.
"My dear, I will not judge anything you have to say."
"Well, the truth is, Father...I'm not a nurse. I mean, I took the courses and all. But my heart's not in it. I'm a writer, you see."
Sparrow fingered the leather-bound book she carried with her at all times.
"And I couldn't resist the opportunity to see what was really going on here."
The Father was lost for words.
"I know, I'm foolish, immature, selfish even. I guess I didn't really think it through. It's just, our mom passed away a few years ago, and it's been tough ever since for me. I got kicked out of so many boarding schools, and my father never talked to me."
The Father clasped his hands together, listening patiently.
"The only time I could feel any comfort, away from Hawk, was when I wrote stories. But stories stopped being good enough when I got older."
Sparrow paused, staring at the tent floor. It was covered in a sparse layer of dirt and dust.
"I wanted something real to write about. I know that this could be it. This could be the book of a life time, or at least I already know the story is."
"My dear. I do agree that your actions were a little immature, and maybe even reckless. Much like your brother. But, you shouldn't apologize for your passions. And I think your brother will understand if you explain it to him the way you did to me."
"Thank you, Father," Sparrow smiled faintly, standing up, "I'll see you around."
"Is that gravy?" A blonde curly-haired man asked Hawkeye, picking at his food.
"Nah, it's yesterday's coffee, and tomorrow's pudding," Hawkeye replied with a yawn.
Sparrow smiled to herself. That was her brother, there was no doubt there.
She entered the mess hall, standing in line, trying to think of what she could say to her brother.
"Hey Hawk," Hawkeye's companion muttered, "check out the braided nurse over there. Real young, but sharp looking."
Hawkeye turned to where his sister was standing and frowned, straining his eyes.
"Now, I get first dibs," the curly-haired man added, "because I saw her first."
"SPARROW?!" Hawkeye stood up, knocking his tray to the ground.
"Now listen here, Pierce," a snarling man sitting next to Margaret shouted, "we won't have any of that monkeying around in here."
"Catherine Pierce, is that you?!" Hawkeye walked over to Sparrow and tilted her hat up.
"I heard the food here's terrific," Sparrow smiled nervously.
"You're dead meat, Chickadee."
A/N: So there it was! Chapter One! I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry if it was a little dialogue-heavy, but I was trying to keep up with the fast paced witty quips M*A*S*H specializes in. Anyway, advice or comments would be excellent. Do you want a chapter two?