Hawkeye was banging on the front door before BJ and Erin were even out of the car. It had been a while since BJ had seen him this outraged, and his heart broke at the reason behind his anger, but Hawkeye's instantaneous reaction warmed him. BJ had still been trying to think how to explain things to Erin to keep her from worrying when Hawkeye had grabbed the car keys, throwing an invite over his shoulder. "Well, are you two coming for the Mexican stand off or not?"
Erin had giggled through the tears still making her eyes shine and BJ had not been able to stay home. He wasn't too sure what Hawkeye had planned, but he knew it would be good for Erin to see this confrontation. For her to see that it was simply a belief, not a fact, and one that Hawkeye and BJ did not share with others.
A petite woman in her late twenties answered the door with a frown. "I'm sorry sir, can I help you?" she asked, frown still in place.
Hawkeye nodded tensely. "If you're the ignorant mother of Tommy Jamieson, you sure can." He forced his tone to be polite, not wanting to make this whole issue worse, though he couldn't hide the anger. The woman gave a small confused nod. "I'd like to know if you feel proud of yourself for filling your son full of hatred that has no business being there in a six year old child. And I'd like to ask if you are, in fact, God, because I'm fairly certain he's the only one with the qualifications to be deciding on who goes to hell and who doesn't." he bit out angrily.
Her eyes widened and she took a step back from the anger she could see. Relaxing only slightly when she saw BJ coming up the stairs holding Erin, her little face still shiny with tears. "I'm sorry, what…?"
Hawkeye glared, crossing his arms and starting to pace on her porch. "I always knew we'd have to sit Erin down and explain to her the hatred some people have for what they don't understand. That some people think me and her daddy will go to hell just because of love. But imagine my surprise when I pick her up from school to find her crying her heart out, worrying that her daddy and I are going back to Korea, because that's the only hell she knows of and understands, and knows we've already been to. And all because a classmate talked to his mom about how Erin has two dads and that mom sat him down to fill his head full of hatred for two people neither of them have ever met."
The woman's eyes widened as understanding dawned. "Sir, I don't think you have any right to speak to me in such a tone-"
Hawkeye cut her off before she could continue. "I have every right when I collect a heartbroken six year old girl from school because she thinks her daddies are going back to hell, going back to war. What did Erin Honeycutt ever do to you that you saw fit to inflict such fear on her? Has she not suffered enough already for one so young as her? I thought all you folk were supposed to be kind and loving of others, not spreading fear and hatred, not attacking children where they ought to be safe." He spit out angrily.
"Hon, what's happening? Is everything alright?" a male voice asked from inside the house, concern tinging his words. He could obviously hear the anger in Hawkeyes voice, though not the words from back in the house. A moment later a young man stepped up behind the woman to see who was at his door, a split second later the door slammed open with a crash and the man was staring at Hawkeye. "Captain Pierce!" he turned stunned eyes to BJ. "Captain Honeycutt! What…what are you both doing here?" Then he noticed Erin and her tear stained face. "I don't understand, is everything alright?"
Hawkeye took two steps back from the young man; he had not been ready to be confronted with someone from the war when he went knocking on this door. BJ had learnt since they'd gotten back that Hawkeye had several different reactions to seeing people from Korea in their home life. This was one of the times stress would win out. BJ stepped up onto the porch, offering his hand to the young man.
"I'm sorry…it's uh…Jamieson, right?" he asked uncertainly. He and Hawkeye had both operated on so many young men over there that it was often more than difficult to put a name to a face. Especially under such short notice. This time, however, the name that came to mind seemed to be correct as the young man smiled and nodded, shaking his hand eagerly. "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to show up on your doorstep, it's just…well, Hawk picked Erin up from school this afternoon to find Erin crying her heart out because she thought we were going back to Korea." He explained slowly with a grimace. He and Hawkeye both had nothing against the young man, were both actually quite fond of him from when they had known him before, but this would no doubt be awkward.
Jamieson glanced between Hawkeye and BJ several times before turning confused eyes to Hawkeye. "Captain Pierce…I don't understand…?" it had been Hawkeye who was his surgeon at the 4077th and so he had always been closer to him than BJ.
Hawkeye bit out a curse under his breath before turning to face the young man, now that he had gotten his initial reaction under control, and now that BJ had stepped close and was rubbing circles on his back he could handle it. "Sorry Donnie, uh, it seems your son told your wife about how Erin Honeycutt has two daddies, and your wife saw fit to…fill his head with hate. I don't care what adults say to each other and to us, but I expect our daughter to be left out of the abuse."
Donnie shook his head and started to pace before finally turning to his wife. "I've asked you, repeatedly, not to teach him to hate. I've seen plenty of what comes of that kind of education and I'll not have it, not for my own kids. Besides, that man you're always praising when you talk to folks about how lucky you are I came home from the war, the man you're always thanking God for?" he tilted his head toward Hawkeye. "Meet Hawkeye Pierce, the man who saved my life, and his partner BJ Honeycutt who helped him save my life."