Where Angels Fear to Tread
Pairing: Hawkeye/BJ, other
Rating: Captain
Warnings: Slash, crossover with Hogan's Heroes
What happens when Hawkeye and BJ meet a very unusual reporter and a different kind of General?
Author's note: Those sentences that start and end with # are conversations in German.
Where Angels Fear to Tread
Hawkeye Pierce stretched his hands after finishing his patient. "How you doing, Beej?"
"Just fine. How many we have left?"
"You're on the last. Bad?"
"Not horrendously. Shrapnel in the leg. And some odd burns." BJ shook his head.
"Colonel Potter, aren't these people supposed to be catching our snipers?" Charles sniffed. "I thought they were supposed to be trained."
"This unit ran into a Chinese battlion. Be glad they got away as fast as they did. And I am well aware of our snipers, Winchester."
"I would just like to be able to cross the compound without being shot at," Charles snapped.
"So would the wounded, Charles." Hawkeye looked at BJ. "Beej?"
"You should see this guy, Hawk. He's nothing but scar tissue."
Hawkeye stepped over to the table. "Holy cow," he exclaimed. The lean man on BJ's table was indeed severely scarred. Hawkeye whistled. "He's been shot how many times?"
"Bullet wounds, knife scars, burns--who is this guy?"
"He doesn't have dog tags," Hawkeye said, checking the man's neck.
"He must be the war correspondent," Potter commented, coming over. "Attached to the British unit. Peter Newkirk from the London Sun Times."
BJ snorted. "All these scars from reporting?"
Potter shrugged. "You can ask him later. I have to get ready for that General's visit." Potter snorted. "He has great timing, I'll say that."
"Isn't that some major general?" Winchester asked, finishing his patient.
"Yes," Major Houlihan said. "An air force general. He hasn't been to Korea before. His name is Hogan. Major General Hogan."
"Of course Margaret knows," Hawkeye said. "Look at these odd scars across his chest." He tapped the man's chest. Long, fine lines of scar tissue criss crossed the man's chest.
"Looks like knife wounds," Potter said. "Or wire."
BJ shook his head as he stitched. "I feel like I'm darning an old sock. I'm not even sewing skin. I'm sewing scar tissue." He touched his patient's leg. "Pure muscle, though. Whipcord and bone."
"Will he be all right?" Margaret asked.
"Should be fine," BJ said. "He's tough." He gave one last stitch. "There we go."
"Did you see his back?" Hawkeye asked, moving the patient's shoulder. "He's been torn apart!" Faded lashmarks coated the patient's back. Major Houlihan gasped.
"Makes me glad I didn't become a journalist," Winchester said. He touched the marks. "Whipmarks?"
"Who knows?" BJ asked. "Klinger!"
"You bellowed?"
"Post op," BJ said. Klinger nodded.
Potter left the OR and went to the shower. After a long shower and quick check of the office, he met Pierce and Hunnicutt at the Mess Tent, each picking at their food. "Hey boys," he greeted.
"Hey, Colonel." Hawkeye pushed his pork chop around the tray. "How's the General?"
"Wouldn't know, he's not here yet."
BJ and Hawkeye exchanged looks. "He was in here a few minutes ago," BJ said.
"He what?"
"Tall guy, greying dark hair." Hawkeye nibbled his chop. "Kinda young for a general."
"Seems decent enough," BJ added. "Not a stuffed shirt. Said Klinger looked lovely in his spring hat."
Potter rolled his eyes. "There he is," Hawkeye said. Potter looked up. A taller than average man with rich black hair sprinkled with silver and dark eyes strolled into the tent. He wore an immaculate air force uniform and a seemingly genuine smile. Potter stood and walked to him. "Major General Hogan?"
"Colonel Potter," the man grinned wider. "Pleasure to meet you." They shook hands.
"I didn't know you were here," he said.
"It's all right. Your camp is fascinating. Corporal Klinger showed me the VIP tent."
Potter nodded. "Come meet my crack staff."
He led the general to Pierce and Hunnicutt. "Captains Pierce and Hunnicutt, this is Major General Hogan. General, these are two of my cutters."
"Hi," Hawkeye greeted. "Care to join us for dinner? I know it's not what you're used to but we don't get steak up here. Unless someone hits a cow, that is."
"Pierce," Potter warned.
"Actually, it's better than what I've eaten before." The general eyed Hawkeye with what could only be interpeted as amusement.
"You'll have to be careful, General. We have a sniper problem."
Klinger swept into the tent. "Dr. Hunnicutt, Major Houlihan needs you in Post Op," he said.
"Hell." BJ stood up. "Which one?"
"The war correspondent."
Hunnicutt nodded and left, Pierce following. In Post Op, Houlihan bent over a patient's bed, talking softly. "Major?" BJ questioned.
"Dr. Hunnicutt, this is Peter Newkirk. He's a bit erratic."
Blazing green eyes met BJ's gaze. "I'm not erratic. I just want to know 'ow bad my wounds are."
"You'll be fine if you rest. Basically your leg's held together with surgical thread. I'm impressed you're awake already."
"I'm used to this."
"From all your scars, I'd say so," Hawkeye commented.
"Who are you?"
"Dr. Pierce. What kind of reporting do you do? I haven't seen so many scars on anyone, not even the Marines."
"Just part of the job, Doc. When can I leave?"
"Relax, pal, it'll be awhile." Hunnicutt studied his patient. "Get some rest."
Hawkeye shook his head as they walked off. "Beej, you've got to figure out what's going on with that man. He's going to kill himself."
"Tomorrow, Hawk, I'm exhausted."
"All right." Hawkeye touched his friend's shoulder. They walked to the Swamp and BJ fell into his bunk. Hawkeye handed him a drink. He looked around the tent and then kissed BJ quickly. He and BJ had been lovers for almost six months and he was still on cloud nine. He'd never thought the younger surgeon would have feelings for him until one night, in a semi drunken mood, he'd dared kiss BJ and then found himself fending off a passionate response. BJ threaded his fingers through Hawkeye's hair and pulled him close. After a long kiss, BJ finally let Hawkeye go and the older surgeon sat back on his bunk. "Wow," Hawkeye said. He smiled into the dark.
"Just wait until I'm actually alive."
Hawkeye fell asleep almost immediately. BJ listened to his lover sleep and tried to sleep as well. He woke to Hawkeye tapping his shoulder as bullets whined into the compound. "What?" BJ mumbled.
"Come on, Beej. Time to get up."
BJ dragged himself up. They waited. As the sniper fire didn't return, they hurried to the Mess Tent. At breakfast, they spotted Major Houlihan flirting with Major General Hogan. "Margaret is looking to fly," Hawkeye said.
"I hope he has good takeoff," BJ retorted.
"Powerful thrust."
"And can keep his flaps up."
Hawkeye chuckled. Charles sauntered in and sat beside them. "I see Major Houlihan has a new friend," Charles commented.
"He is a Major General," Hawkeye said.
"Decorated flyboy," Charles snorted. "What is it with intelligent women and pilots?"
"He's successful and high ranking. He's probably younger than you, Charles, and he's a Major General."
"And has hair," BJ added. Charles narrowed his eyes and BJ grinned. BJ looked over at Hogan again. The Major General was extremely handsome and had a charming smile. BJ blinked, realized he was staring. He rarely looked at men save Hawkeye. Hawkeye, whose incredible eyes and hands drew his attention from the first time they'd met. BJ swallowed hard. Hawkeye had fast replaced Peg in his heart although he kept that to himself. He'd seen how his lover avoided commitment like the plague and he had no intention of losing what little sanity he had.
"Hunnicutt, please." Charles' voice drew BJ back to the present. "I save lives. The most that man has done is create jet trails."
"BJ?"
BJ turned his head. Nurse Kellye stood beside him. "Newkirk?" BJ groaned, instinctively knowing the reporter was awake. Kellye nodded and BJ sighed. "On my way."
"Is that the General?" Kellye asked.
"That's him," Hawkeye said.
Kellye smiled, scanning Hogan. "Wow, he's a lot handsomer than I thought he'd be."
Winchester rolled his eyes. BJ stood and headed for Post OP, glancing at Hogan again. Hawkeye followed him. "What was that for?" Hawkeye asked as they entered Post Op.
"What?"
"That look."
"What are you talking about?"
"You gave Hogan a look."
"So?" BJ grabbed Newkirk's chart.
"You were sizing him up," Hawkeye hissed.
BJ stared at Hawkeye. "Are you jealous?" he whispered, stifling a giggle.
"Please," Hawkeye scoffed. Yet the tiny edge to his soft voice told BJ Hawkeye was jealous. BJ hid a smile and looked at his patient.
"Is there a problem, Newkirk?"
"I just want to move and the nurses 'ere won't let me."
"You had surgery yesterday," BJ sighed. "Can you relax?"
"It's ruddy boring. 'Aven't you any books, something? And what's all the shooting for?"
"Snipers. We'll try to find you something to do," BJ said.
"Maybe you can interview our visiting General." Hawkeye checked Newkirk's dressings.
"And who's that?"
"An Air Force General."
"Yank?"
"If you mean American, yes," BJ said. "Major General Hogan."
The war correspondent lunged upright. "Robert E. Hogan? US Air Force?" he blurted.
"Easy, easy!" BJ ordered.
"I 'ave to see him." Newkirk struggled to his feet.
"Hey, lay down!" Hawkeye said in alarm.
"No! I have to see him!"
I'll bring him here," BJ said, grabbing the man. Hard muscle shifted under his hands. "Just give me a minute."
"'E can't leave!"
"We'll get him, I promise!" BJ eased Newkirk down. "Give me ten minutes."
"Ten," Newkirk repeated, eyes glittering. "I'll 'old you to that, doc."
BJ nodded. "I'll find him now."