Disclaimer: I dont own the characters. I dont profit and no infringement is intended.
Cream In The Oreo
Radar wasn't happy about having the inspecting colonel in camp. She took up everyone's time and made everyone call her Lil. Of course Colonel Potter was with her now and as much as he didn't like her, Radar didn't want to interrupt them either. He knocked on the door of the VIP tent and heard a soft come in.
"Sorry to interrupt sir, ma'am, but Colonel sir, I thought you would want to know that Captain O'Hara is here." Radar said in his normal quick way.
"How is she Radar?" The Colonel asked. Lil still hadn't said anything.
"Well sir, I did manage to get her out of the jeep sir, but I couldn't get her any farther, so I thought you could help me sir."
"Sure thing Radar. Why don't you go tell Hawkeye and BJ she's here?" Radar nodded and was out the door. "Well Lil, care to lend a shoulder to a comrade in need?" Colonel Potter asked.
"Sure, let's go." She answered. They found the captain leaning against the jeep almost asleep.
"Rhett" Colonel Potter called. She waved a hand at him but didn't open her eyes. "Come on lets get you into bed. Put your arm around me. Rhett stood and almost fell but caught herself. She was taller than the colonel but threw an arm across his shoulder anyway. "Lil, grab her other side."
"Thanks Colonel. Sorry I'm so tired." Rhett mumbled. They were half way to the 'swamp' when Hawkeye and BJ joined them.
"It seems you have a rag doll." Hawkeye joked. Rhett opened her eyes slightly and half fell on him.
"No you have one, Hawk." BJ said with a chuckle. Rhett gave BJ a wave and blew him a sleep kiss.
"Well BJ, shall we each take a side?" Hawkeye suggested, but Rhett just tightened her grip on him.
"Looks like you get all. I'm jealous." BJ teased. Hawkeye just rolled his eyes and gently scooped her up. BJ opened the door to the 'swamp'. The two Colonels followed. Lil folded down a quilt on the spare cot. Hawkeye laid Rhett down while BJ and Colonel Potter pulled off her boots. Hawkeye pulled her coat off as well as the belt on her pants. Lil brushed a stray lock of Rhett's almost white hair away from her face. Rhett herself was almost out of it. Hawkeye and BJ tucked her in and made to go to their own bunks, when she grabbed their hands and whimpered. Hawkeye and BJ just looked at each other for a moment with the same expression. Colonel Potter picked up Hawkeye's cot first and moved it over, then BJ's. They crawled into their beds, close enough that Rhett could keep a hand on each of them.
"Goodnight gentlemen." Colonel Potter said quietly.
"Goodnight Colonel's" Hawkeye and BJ chorused. Colonel Potter led Lil out.
"May I ask what's going on there?" Lil questioned once they were outside and far enough away.
"Her name is Captain Scarlett O'Hara. We call her Rhett because she's nothing like a Scarlett. She is in love with both Hawkeye and BJ. Hawkeye and BJ love each other and Rhett. They were together before she came along, but they wouldn't have made it without her. She's they cream filling in their Oreo, what holds them together. The three of them are better for it too." Colonel Potter explained.
"I see." Lil nodded approvingly. You had to take love where you could find it these days. Colonel Potter escorted Lil back to her tent. "And you don't mind that they're together?" She questioned as she poured them drinks from the bottle that had been set aside only moments ago.
"No. Hawkeye and BJ keep it out of the 'office' and Rhett well she's technically civilian with and honorary rank, so I can't say anything to her. She does supply runs and a few other things, she cant talk about without proper security clearance, for the Army, so they gave her a pick of a base post. Well she was wounded and ended up here. Half the male population was in love with her and so was half the female population. You just can't be mad at her or jealous. She's too sweet. Anyway, she wakes up from surgery and only has eyes for BJ. Well Hawk walks in and though he's devoted to BJ, Hawk wouldn't be Hawk without jokes. So she fell head over heals for Hawkeye too and couldn't make a decision on who to pursue. Meanwhile she's as sweet as BJ, as funny as Hawkeye, serious like Major Houlihan when she has too. So she's making jokes with Hawkeye and being sweet as summer rain and both our guys fall for her, which starts an argument between them. They end up with a black eye and a split lip between them. Now I knew what was going on and had a sit down with Rhett and told her to choose one or the other or put both of them out of our misery because there was no living with them. By then she was almost healed and helping out around camp – mostly in the mess tent. Well Rhett took them both aside and told them to get back together because they were miserable without each other despite her. She told them she wanted both of them together or not at all and so they worked it out." Colonel Potter finished.
"That's some story. I'm happy for them. Now does that mean the food will be better since she's here?" Lil asked jokingly.
"Actually yes. She'll make it but doesn't serve it. So we'll have to pull her out of hiding in the morning."
"Sounds like a plan." Lil said with a yawn.
"I'll let you get your rest now. Goodnight." Colonel Potter said as he rose to leave.
"Goodnight." She replied.
Rhett woke around 3 AM feeling a little more refreshed and very warm. She saw BJ was as close as he could get without being in her cot, in front and felt Hawkeye behind her, with the quilt over all of them. It was no wonder she was warm. Rhett, an expert at exiting the cot without waking either man, wriggled her way out. She made a quick trip to the latrine before coming back to bed. Hawkeye had rolled into her cot, looking for a warm body. BJ had draped his arm over Hawkeye, so she climbed into Hawkeye's cot. It was something she was thankful for, as Hawkeye was always cold. It only took a moment and she was asleep again.
Out of habit Rhett woke at 5 Am and dressed. She didn't wake Hawkeye or BJ, knowing they needed more sleep than she did. She went to the mess tent and met up with the cook on the way. He was more than happy to dodge the morning complaints about the food. He sat at one of the tables and waited while she cooked. When there was enough for everyone, it was creeping up on 7 AM. Rhett started coffee and then went back to bed. The cook was left to fend for himself, as was the morning ritual when she was around.
When Rhett entered the tent BJ and Hawkeye were still holding each other tightly in their sleep. She was over come with love for them both. She kicked off her boots and managed to wedge herself between them. This however woke BJ who was a lighter sleeper than Hawkeye. He pushed Hawkeye back so that Rhett could have a little more room. However Hawkeye wrapped an around her waist and snuggled into her back. BJ chuckled softly.
"You're up early. Did you make breakfast?" BJ asked after a moment.
"Yeah. You better go get some before the pigs eat it all." She answered with a small smile.
"Do you want me to bring some for you while I'm bringing some for the leech." BJ asked.
"Hey I heard that and I know you're talking about food." Hawkeye said sleepily from Rhett's neck.
"Well since you're awake, you can get it yourself. Come on." BJ said as he leaned over and gave Hawkeye a poke in the ribs.
"I'd rather not. Its so much more comfortable right here." Hawkeye answered.
"Fine then, more for me." With that BJ began whistling as he pulled on his boots and headed out the door. Hawkeye took a second to kiss Rhett's cheek and darted out the door after BJ. A second later she heard a laugh. BJ had waited for Hawkeye just outside the door. Rhett just shook her head and got up again. She gathered up clean clothing and headed to the showers. No one was inside so she took the first stall. She took a moment to wash her long blonde hair and condition it. Then she finished her shower and brushed her teeth while she was there. She dried off quickly so she could wrap her towel around her hair. She dressed in black riding pants and a black t-shirt, and then pulled on her knee boots. She topped it all off with a green zip sweatshirt with O'Hara printed across the back. As she was combing her hair, there was a knock on the door to the showers.
"I'm decent" She called. Colonel Potter cracked open the door and peeked before he finished opening it. "Good morning Colonel. Sorry about last night. I was exhausted."
"It's alright. I understand. Hawkeye, BJ, Radar, and Lil are having breakfast in my office, and we were hoping you would join us." Colonel Potter answered.
"Sure. Give me a minute to stow my gear." Rhett said as she rose. She had finished brushing her hair and it gleamed even in the shadows.
"Of course, come in when you're done." The Colonel open the door for her and they both stepped out. Sunlight hit Rhett's hair making it glow like a halo. A few people stopped and stared, then shook themselves and moved on. She quickly dumped her dirty clothes and towels on her cot, and then headed for the Colonel's office. Even though she hadn't answered him, BJ had made a tray for her.
"Good morning everyone." Rhett said as she took a seat between Hawkeye and BJ. She kissed each one on the cheek as BJ handed her a tray. Hawkeye ran a finger through her hair out of habit. She always left it loose until it dried.
"Everybody's here, now we can dig in." Colonel Potter stated. There was silence for a couple of minutes as everyone took their first bites.
"This is great Rhett." Lil said after a moment. "Where did you learn to cook?" Rhett face went a little pale and she swallowed hard before answering.
"My parents taught me to cook. They owned a restaurant. I was only a child and they had me cooking and cleaning and everything when I was big enough to do it so that I would be able to take care of myself if anything happened to them which it did."
"I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to bring back bad memories." Lil responded softly.
"Its alright. You didn't know. It was a long time ago." Rhett went back to eating. The rest of them morning meal passed in silence.
That afternoon Colonel Potter took Lil on a picnic. Rhett made it for them then spent her time curled up with BJ until he had Post Op and Hawkeye was off. That night after both had completed their shifts, they lay mostly on Rhett's cot, curled up together.
"I'm happy you're back. We've missed you. Rhett, I love you. I want you to know that. It's not easy to say those words, but I needed to tell you. It's easier for BJ and I know you know what I mean when I say 'me too', but I wanted you to hear the words at least once." Hawkeye said seriously. It was probably only the second time she had heard him say that. BJ always said he loved her. Rhett hugged him.
"I know Hawk, I know. I love you too."
"Hawk's right. We have missed you, hon. I love you both so much. You need to stick around longer or visit more often, because the two of us, we're a couple of loose marbles." BJ said trying to lighten the mood.
"Don't you mean cannons?' Rhett asked.
"No, I meant marbles." She laughed.
"My two crazy guys. I love you both. Now lets get some sleep." Hawkeye turned out the light and they all nodded off one by one.
Lil couldn't sleep, so she went for a walk. Her wandering brought her to the 'swamp', so she peeked in. Not seeing any movement, she crept closer to the three. They were all fast asleep. Two darker haired men, and one light haired woman, they made the perfect Oreo cookie.