Disclaimer: I have never and will never own any of the 4077th MASH if I did Trapper would have stayed and BJ would have replaced frerit face, enjoy!
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"Dr. Elizabeth Walker, Nice to meet you." She smiled
"I'm Nurse Beverly Parker, Call me Bev."
"Liz, so you volunteer or they recruit you?" They climbed out of the Jeep lifting their luggage out with them.
"Recruit." Nurse Parker laughed "They dragged me out on my wedding night, Finks."The two laughed
"Radar O'Reilly, Nice to meet you. Welcome to the 4077th. "
"Radar?" Nurse Parker asked questioningly.
He blushed "Sometimes I know things are going to happen, ya know before it does." The two nodded. His face froze. "Choppers," he held up his hand. "Wait for it." Low and behold the sound of chopper blades followed. "CHOPPERS!" Radar shouted "In coming wounded!" Suddenly People burst from every tent. Ambulances loaded with wounded loaded the compound, doctors and nurses streamed out of every tent shouting for a doctor or plasma. Liz Walker froze when she saw an all too familiar face.
"Benjamin-Franklin Peirce." A smile broke free of her lips.
"You know him?"Beverly asked smiling as Radar led them to their new living quarters. Liz nodded.
"Nice war you got here Radar, it for sale or you plan to keep it?" Elizabeth chuckled.
"Just renting." Radar smiled.
They both laughed and began unpacking their things as Radar left, finishing in no time at all, the two decided to take a tour of their new MASH community. Passing by a Tent with a sign above it saying 'the Swamp' they found the mess tent that had been set up as a blood bank. With a nod both of them walked into the mess tent. When they bumped into Corporal Max Klinger in his usual attire, a floor length silver gown, pump heals, and a tiara.
"Corporal Maxwell Klinger at your service ladies, textbook section eight." He wiggled his eyebrows and gave them one of his famous smiles.
"The infamous corporal Klinger, Dr. Liz Walker, this is Nurse Beverly Parker." Klinger's face lit up, he was famous! That's when the shelling started.
"RADAR! Were being shelled!" The three now stood near the back of the tent Radar was to Liz's left, grabbing coffee for one of the doctors, Beverly and Klinger to her right and a man who had introduced himself as Father
"The Cornel needs more B positive STAT!" Radar yelled over the shelling. Klinger Grabbed a glass jar of B positive and sprinted out the front mess tent doors, just as a shell hit 2 feet left of the mess tent.
"Everybody down!" someone shouted, a split second later a shell demolished the mess tent flinging Klinger into the compound. Klinger hit the compound hard, shattering the glass jar spilling blood all over him and knocking Klinger unconscious. Just then it began to snow.
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Meanwhile the OR was bustling with patients moving in and out like clockwork, the one case however that needed B positive blood was moving at a slower pace. "Where is that confounded corporal?" Cornel Potter muttered to himself.
"Doctor we're nearly out of B positive." The nurse reminded him drawing him back to the present needs.
"I'm B positive take it out of me, hurry up he's not going to stop bleeding for us." The surgery team continued on for minutes more before worry started to etch into each face.
"Kelly go get Klinger in here see what's taking so long." Hawkeye sighed finishing up his last patient.
Moments later Kelly came sprinting in covered in snow, "Doctor! The mess tent's been hit! Klinger's on the compound covered in blood." She shuddered. Hawkeye sprinted out the door with B.J and other able bodied helpers in a race to recover the trapped and injured.
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Dr. Elizabeth Walker was pinned face down under a beam of wood, moving her head slightly to the left she saw Radar; eyes closed breathing shakily the beam also pinning him down. "Radar? Radar are you alright?" He stirred and opened his eyes. The Cold hit her then it was snowing, god it was cold.
After Radar realized he couldn't move, Liz noticed his hand and grasped it. "I can't move."
"Either can I," reading his expression she said "They will find us, don't worry." Before he could respond she cleared her through and began to sing, her alto voice carried strong over the cold to father Mulcahy. Stirring him from his cold educed coma, "Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I'm found was blind but now I see... Sing with me Radar..." she contined. Radar joined to the best of his ability, and soon other voices could be heard and people who could move fought their way free. Just as Hawkeye and the other OR staff arrived. Seeing Klinger struck fear is to several hearts until they realized almost none of the blood was his.
Hawkeye was the first to hear the singing picking out a few distinct voices, Radar, The Father and one that he hadn't heard since high school, Elisabeth Walker. "Liz? That you?" he shouted over the wind and shells.
"Hawkeye! I'm here!" She shouted squeezing Radars hand "I told you they would find us Radar." She noticed how utterly still he had become. "Radar, come on kid, there coming we'll get out of this." She checked his pulse barely there, His breathing was shallow, She listened Father Mulcahy had stopped
singing. "Hawk, Radar's not breathing!" She shouted although she had only know him for a while she feared for his life.
"Radar!" Hawkeye shouted "Where are you?"
"Under the big beam we can't move! Hurry!" She shouted suddenly the pressure on her back and ribs lessened and the beam was listened off her, she sprang up and moved over to Radar. "Come on kid breath." She whispered. Hawkeye materialized on his other side and behind him B.J helped the father move.
"Let's get him inside and warmed up!" Hawkeye shouted. Two orderlies quickly moved Radar, to the hospital. With ease Hawkeye stood to follow, Liz went to stand but noticed the increasingly sharp pain in her side and nearly fell over Hawkeye quickly caught her and once again they two were incredibly close. "You alright?" He asked concern written all over his face.
"I think I cracked a few ribs." She winced as the two slowly made their way into the hospital with all the other refugees.
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A few hours later they got a call from the orphanage saying they were being shelled and needed a place to go Cornell Potter agreed here may be better but also warned they may need to move in the near future. Keeping that in mind nurse Craddy brought the orphans to the MASH 4077th. Struggling to find cots, blankets, and room for the orphaned children the hospital trudged through another crowded night with barley enough to go around. The morning however would bring new challenges excitement and danger.
Cornel Potter stayed up all night trying to stop the shelling it was early morning before he discovered the truth, "What I don't think I caught that!" The cornel dropped the phone, "Klinger! Get Majors Hullahan, Walker, and Captain's Honeycutt and Peirce on the double!"
"Yes sir right away sir!" Klinger raced out of the outer office in search of the requested parties. Finding all of them in the Swamp he barged in. "Sir's!"
"What is it Corporal?" Margret demanded clearly annoyed by his interruption.
"Cornel Potter wants you in his office right away. It sounded urgent." The group followed Klinger out across the compound passing Father Mulcahy, Hawkeye grabbed him saying.
"Gossip group meeting with the Cornel, Father you better come along." Father Mulcahy nodded and followed the rather large group to the cornel's office. After the group settled Cornel Potter gave it to them strait.
"The MASH 4077 is bugging out! The front is being pushed back by the Chinese, in an hour we will be it." His eyes darted from person to person gauging their reactions before he continued. "We don't have time to take down the tents or buildings so each of you will be in charge of a specific task." For the first
few moments they seemed to be letting the news sink in, now that it had each mind settled on a different worry. Hawkeye voiced his first.
"We can't move Radar," He looked up from the floor that he had seemed to have been fascinated by moments before. "Someone will have to stay." His words brought down cold knives of fear into every heart. "I'll stay."
"So will I." Klinger opened the adjoining door to the outer office. "He's my best friend Sir's." At that moment The Cornel couldn't have been more proud.
"Klinger when you make it out of this I will personally sign your section eight." The cornel looked dead serious when he said it. Klinger left to the outer office. "Hawkeye be careful. When you can move him meet us at the cave two miles from here." Hawkeye left to prepare for his extended stay. The second concern was voiced by Elizabeth.
"What about the orphans?" Having a child back home that had been the first concern to jump to her mind followed by several others including Hawkeye's safety.
"You'll be in charge of getting them on a truck with as many beds and blankets as you can gather, to take them to the cave. Get them out first, and then I want all the nurses out with as many medical supplies as you can gather Margret." Both Margret and Elizabeth heard the dismissive tone in his voice and sprinted out of the office each in her own separate direction.
"The wounded?" Father Mulcahy asked
"You and BJ handle the wounded I am going to get the rest of the supplies, hurry." The rest of the group Sprinted out of the office gathering men to help with their tasks. Elizabeth had the orphans ready and loaded within a half an hour with the help of Meg Craddy, she set them off to somewhere safe. Quickly running to the tent she shared with Beverly Parker she grabbed a letter, one which she should have sent years ago, opening it quickly she scrawled a quick note on the bottom and ran out. The shelling and the sound of gunfire closer than she remembered she saw Hawkeye bidding farewell to the last Jeep that held Father Mulcahy, B.J and Margret. Tossing her duffle with her prised possessions crammed inside in the back of the jeep she turned to Hawkeye. She pulled him into a Full mouth kiss leaving them both gasping for air.
"In case I don't see you again, here read this after I leave." She thrust the letter into his hands and leapt onto the back of the jeep. Only the Father seemed to notice she was nearly crying. "Be careful Hawk," She looked at him her Emerald eyes intense with emotion, "I love you." The jeep pulled away fast leaving Hawkeye to gape in their dust before ducking out of site into the Hospital. Klinger sat to one side of Radar's Cot the remainder of the medical supplies and food in boxes on his other side. Hawkeye sat beside him and opened the letter, it read;
My dreariest Hawkeye,
It's been a year since you left Crab Apple Cove, do you remember the night before you left, I do. Down by the lake the moon reflecting in the water at our feet. When you traveled to Boston, I couldn't stop thinking about you, couldn't even go out with another guy. Although I assume you went on to many other women. That doesn't bother me especially since you never really left, not for me. Two months after you left I found out I was pregnant; I left Crab Apple Cove in fear of my father. You know his feelings on Marriage and such. I got various jobs while I was on the road. Supporting myself and Catherine, our little girl. I wish I had the courage to tell you earlier but I was afraid, I didn't want to ruin your chance to become a Doctor or everything else you had worked so hard for. Every day I thought about writing you to tell you, and now that I have written this I know I will never send it. I want you to know I told Catherine her Father is in the army, so if you decide we are what you want she will accept you willingly, she always asks about you. I always tell her she looks just like you and she will see when she meets you. My parents still don't know, all they know is I ran off. I also want you to know I've always loved you and always will whatever you decide.
Yours Always,
Elizabeth Walker
Tears stained the bottom of the note as a section had been added recently it read;
Catherine is with my mother, when I finally went back I found Dad had died weeks earlier, mom was overjoyed and knew she was yours right off. She insisted this be taken.
Luv, Liz
A picture was in the envelope, Liz sat on a chair, a small girl, Catherine sat on her knee, Elizabeth's mother stood behind them. He drew his attention back to Catherine, shiny black hair cascaded down her shoulders it was slightly wavy, Elizabeth's intelligent green eyes stared back at him, her dress was pink with cream lace on it and her shoes were a bit gruff suggesting she was a bit wild. But her Grin is what shocked him the most it was like looking in a mirror. If he had known all these years, how different his life would have been. Hawkeye tucked the letter in his pocket but continued to look at the picture. For the first time in several minutes Klinger spoke.
"Who's in the picture?" Klinger had to shout over the shelling and gunfire.
"Liz, her mother and..." He paused "I'm a father," he whispered
"What?" Klinger shouted
"THAT'S MY LITTLE GIRL!" Hawkeye jumped up and shouted "My Catherine." He thrust the letter at Klinger who read it surprisingly fast.
"Congrats Sir!" He shouted again as he handed the letter back to Hawkeye.
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Elizabeth turned and looked behind her as BJ drove the jeep out of camp she watched Hawkeye sprint onto the hospital, thirty seconds later a shell hit where he had been standing, Liz was relieved he hadn't stopped and opened her letter. When she turned around BJ shouted a question back at her.
"There must be a story behind that! Spill!" He laughed
Liz hesitated, but noticed the sideways glance from Father Mulcahy, she sighed. "Long story."
"We've got time."
Again she sighed before continuing "You know Hawkeye and I grew up together, what we didn't tell you is we started dating in high school, after Hawk left for Boston I found out I was pregnant, so I left Crabapple Cove because I knew my father would be furious if he found out. I got various jobs to support myself until Catherine was born; I never went to Hawkeye for so many reasons. I was afraid he would deny that Catherine was his or he would drop everything he had worked so hard for to take care of us. When I was drafted I went home to tell my parents and ask them to take care of Catherine, I found out my father had died weeks earlier. My mother knew Catherine was Hawkeye's the moment she set eyes on her." Elizabeth chuckled "Could never hide anything from mom." She fished a copy of the picture she had given Hawkeye out and they passed it around.
"She is beautiful!" Margret exclaimed she showed it to BJ who smiled and shouted,
"She looks Just like Hawkeye how old is she?" Margret handed the picture to the Father who beamed.
"Three and a half four this September." Elizabeth shouted.
"He will be such a wonderful father." Just as he said this an explosion rocked the ground from behind them, Elizabeth and Father Mulcahy spun around to see a huge plume of black smoke where the 4077th had been. "My lord." The Father exclaimed crossing his hand over his chest. Elizabeth's hand flew to her mouth and she let out a choked sob for Hawkeye, Klinger and Radar.
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Moments earlier; A shell exploded far too close for Hawkeye's comfort, his blood chilled when he heard approaching gunfire. Klinger was beside him begging Radar to wake up under his breath. Suddenly one set of doors leading into Post-op flung open and an American soldier rushed in wide eyed and injured he hit the ground when he heard Chinese shouts. "Kid, over here. " Klinger whispered ushering the American to their side. "What's your name kid?"
"They all call me Sparky."
"Sparky, Jesus! Klinger nice to finally meet ya!" Klinger shook his hand vigorously. Just then Radar started to stir.
"Radar!" Hawkeye whispered they heard Chinese shouts. "How do you feel?"
"Like I was run over by Uncle Ed's tractor." He mumbled Hawkeye gave him a quick once over and Okayed him for movement. After he explained the situation to Radar, and Sparky told them how many Chinese awaited their movement, the group felt utterly trapped. And once again their minds flew to home and seeing it again a new determination set in Hawkeye's mind and heart, he would see his little girl.
"Alright here's the plan..."
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The four reached the new 4077th their hearts heavy, not only for the loss of their friends but for the loss of the place they called home for so long. And the love some lost. Elizabeth walked towards the cave her body and mind in a numb fog, he was gone. When she entered the cave she felt BJ's arm around her shoulders but didn't acknowledge him. Colonel Potter saw his officers come in grief stricken, shocked and in pain. It was the padre who spoke, "Colonel, the Chinese blew up the camp, they didn't make it." His voice echoed off the walls of the cave reaching the ears of many.
Potter felt like he had been sucker punched, the thought of them dead was unnerving, Radar he thought of like a son, Hawkeye always good for a laugh bringing the moral of everyone around him through the roof, and a good surgeon to boot. Klinger was married, and a colourful soul, if he tried half as hard to be a soldier as he did to get out, his potential would be limitless. He heaved a heavy sigh and looked around the room his eyes landed on every shocked and tearful face. BJ held Margret in his arms as she sobbed, The Padre stood off to the side praying, Liz sat staring at the ground, no tears formed in her eyes, no pain showed on her face just utter disbelief and denial in her eyes. He started to walk towards her when he stopped, her lips where moving she was singing.
Softly at first but then he could hear her, "Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream: 'T is the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!" When she went to continue, her voice was cracking and tears streamed down her cheeks but it still sounded breath taking. Slowly others joined in to finish the song. "And where is that band who so vauntingly swore, That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, A home and a country should leave us no more? Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave, From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand, Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation; Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us as a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause. it is just, And this be our motto: "In God is our trust" And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!" The Padre took Potter aside and told him what she had told them, tears still fresh in his eyes. When they had finished not a single dry eye was left in the room.
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Hawkeye's plan sounded like a practical joke, and it had little chance of success, but the most troubling part was it would leave them without a jeep. Klinger and Sparky helped Radar get to the getaway point which was hard to do considering the amount of Chinese now in the camp, but they made it. Hawkeye had dressed the skeleton from the Colonel's office and dressed it in a uniform using a patch of hair he cut from his gorilla suit to stuffed in the hat to hide the skull he placed it in the jeep tied the gloved hands to the wheel with surgical thread. He quickly turned the jeep on and dropped a rock on the gas pedal. By now the Chinese had heard the jeep start and where racing to the compound the jeep shot forward and hit a few men it continued to run on a straight course out of camp. Hawkeye doubled back and helped the other three move fast in the direction of the caves.
"We did it." Sparky whispered amazed cradling his injured arm.
"Were not out of trouble yet Sparky." Hawkeye whispered knowing it would take at least three hours on foot to reach the cave. He just prayed there weren't any more surprises waiting for them along the way.
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Silence had elapsed the group since the singing of the star spangled banner, no one talked. Every one of them emotionally worn out as well as physically. Every mind whirling with possibilities, the orphans and wounded slept. Liz stood in the door way of the cave watching the Thunder storm begin, the weather here was strange but the storm was exactly how she felt right then. It was starting to get dark; it had been nearly two hours since they watched the camp explode. BJ walked up behind her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"You should get some rest."
"So should you." She turned to him the regular sparkle and energy in her deep green eyes gone and she sighed.
"I'm on watch. Get some rest I'll wake you in an hour." She nodded and went inside, crawled into her makeshift bed, and found it hard to sleep she knew the only thing she would dream about was Hawkeye.
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For the past half hour they had been moving out of sight of the camp but they could just barely see it suddenly an explosion shook the ground, the four frightened men hit the ground running after several moments they stood to see smouldering black smoke coming from a pit that was formerly the MASH 4077th. However if they had looked up and two their right they would have seen the jeep BJ was driving stopped at the top of the hill watching the smoke plume horrified to think that they were dead.
"So Sparky what brings you up here anyway?" Radar asked leaning up on his stretcher to look at his friend carrying his feet. In fact this was the first time he had seen Sparky and he looked just as he described himself only he had a sprained wrist. Tall and lanky with dark curly hair cut short, because he was regular army he had his rifle strapped to his back and a hand gun on his hip, his eyes looked darkly determined the color reminded Radar of pictures of the Caribbean ocean. Sparky smiled his slightly crooked smile and said. "Actually Radar I was sent because of you, I'm your replacement."
Radar's eyes opened wide "You mean I'm going home!"
"Yea the letters on the next mail truck!" Sparky laughed smiling wide.
"Congrats Radar you lucky duck! We're gunna miss you around here." Klinger smiled secretly wishing he could go too.
"Congratulations Radar, write us will you?" Hawkeye said keeping an eye out for Chinese.
"Every day Hawk- chopper sounds like... Dangerous Dan!" Moments later the chopper swept into view all four of them started waving and screaming, by a fluke of luck Dan looked down and landed a few yards away. The group sprinted along to the copper Radar holding tight to the stretcher so he wouldn't bounce off.
"Hey! Your alive, I heard, never mind what I heard you guys need a lift?" Dan shouted over the copper.
"You can't take all of us you won't be able to get out of range the Chinese are right on our butt's." Klinger shouted
"I've taken five from the front under heavy fire I'll manage." What he didn't mention was two where small children not four adults. Sparky and Radar where loaded on to the sides and Hawkeye and Klinger squeezed into the cab. Fighting to take off the Chinese appeared over the hill just behind them.
MASH/MASHMASH/MASH/MASH/MASH/MASH/MASH/MASH
Will the chopper take off before the enemy pounce? Will Liz find out Hawkeye wants to be part of the family? Will Radar make it home? Will Hawkeye ever write Dear Dad again? To find out I'll need five- I mean three more reviews!
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