A/N: Happy Memorial Day, everyone. In light of the episode I just watched, it's Col. Potter's birthday and a certain Specialist (I'll explain below) has a special present for him. I only own the Dawson (again, I'll explain below) family and their nicknames. Rated T for implied themes and mild language.
The Colonel's Gift
(Third person P.O.V.)
Colonel Potter was about to cut the cake when he noticed someone was missing.
"What's the matter, Colonel?" Hawkeye asked.
The colonel looked around the room. He saw Radar, Maj. Winchester, Maj. Houlihan, Capt. Hunnicutt, Cpl. Klinger, and Fr. Mulcahy but where was the latest addition?
"Major Houlihan, have you seen my pumpkin around lately?" he addressed the major. Pumpkin was a nickname for someone dear to his heart.
"No sir, I haven't. Come to think of it, wasn't she with you, Klinger?" the blonde asked.
"If she were with me, nothing happened between us," Klinger joked. He then took on a serious expression before sighing. "Not since this morning."
"I'll go find her, sir," Radar volunteered.
No one even stopped him.
"So we aren't cutting the cake because she's not here?" Winchester asked, confused.
"That and we don't have a clean knife. I refuse to clean a scalpel to cut my own birthday cake," the colonel said calmly. He sighed and sat down, opening a drawer in his desk.
"Family photo, Col.?" Hunnicutt asked.
"Sort of. I can remember when they were little. Innocent and wide-eyed," the colonel said fondly. "Pass it around," he said, starting with Hawkeye.
'All in the family, right Old Iron Head?' the colonel thought nostalgically as he looked up.
(Maj. Houlihan's quarters)
Radar approached the quarters of the major and heard the sound of pen hitting paper. He knocked.
"It's open and I'm decent," was the witty response from the other side of the door.
Radar opened the door. "Spec, everyone's in the colonel's office. He won't cut the cake without you," the corporal said.
The black-haired young woman scrawling a note stopped and looked at the corporal. "Damn. Really?" she asked, her bright green eyes staring into his own blue ones. She parted her hair as her dog tags jingled. (1)
"Mmhm. What're you doing?" he asked.
"Signing the card. I was trying to wrap the gift up for the colonel. I had to include all of us, even him," she said, emphasizing that last part.
Radar sat down next to her. "They were real close, huh?" he asked.
She nodded. "Grandpa said that he and the colonel were boyhood friends and even got kidnapped together. Ten grandkids and half of us ended up in some sort of the army," she said fondly. "Course I'm only including my siblings."
Radar nodded in understanding. "You're really like Maj. Houlihan," he said.
She finished writing and stared at the card. "So I've been told. I've really come to like it here, Radar."
"Why don't we head back to the colonel?" Radar suggested.
The specialist nodded.
(Back with Col. Potter and the others; Col. Potter's P.O.V.)
"You don't think Radar got lost, do you?" Hawkeye joked as Margaret sighed.
"I doubt it," Klinger said. Just then, the doors opened.
"Sorry it took me so long, sir," Radar said with a salute. I saluted back.
"I don't remember this, but I was there when it happened," Spec said, holding a box. "You can take a look, Radar." I knew she was referring to the picture.
She walked up to my desk and also had a knife. "It's clean. I was working on the card. I got it when we last got together and it's signed from all of us," she said, handing me a card.
"Open the box, first," BJ insisted and I decided to.
"Oh man. He must've really taught you kids well," I said to Angel.
She nodded. "You can read it out loud if you want," she said. She handed me the card and I opened it.
"Dear Col. Potter," I began and cast her a glance.
"I only wrote a part of it," she said.
"Thanks for being there for all of us. You'll always be in our hearts. Watch over my angel, as Iron Head himself would say," I said, stifling a chuckle. "With much love, our salutes and hugs to you. Happy birthday, colonel. Your pal, Col. Iron Head Dawson. PS This was a combined effort." I wiped the tear as it came down my eye.
Angel cracked a slight smile. "Aren't you gonna read the rest of it?" she asked.
"Corporal Swift Dawson, Staff Sgt. Cardinal Dawson, Lt. Marina Dawson, Corporal Blaze Dawson and Spec Angel Dawson," I read. It was evident that all of them put their branch, except for Angel.
"When did you all get together and how?" Hawkeye asked.
"After we won that little Olympics competition. We were are able to meet up and get the wine. We've actually had it since my mom died; Nana saved it for a special occasion," Angel said.
I cut the cake and we passed it around. Margaret gave her protégé a hug and Klinger a pat on the back. She's one of the youngest in the family, but she's bright and has been through her own Hell.
(Later that night, back in Maj. Houlihan's quarters. Maj. Houlihan's P.O.V.)
"That was a very sweet gift from you and the family," I said to Bekah.
She gave another rare smile. "The colonel's done so much for us. I guess I ain't your typical army brat," she said. I sat beside her.
"No, you aren't," I said sincerely. There was a knock and I easily could tell it was Radar.
"Col. Potter wants to know if you'll join us at the bar. Will you?" he asked.
"We'll be right there," I said and helped Bekah up.
"I just went numb again." I looked at her and she said, "I meant emotionally numb, dammit." It was silent then, "I won't drink too fucking much," she said dryly. We both knew how hard it was. We walked out and made our way to the bar. Usually, we'd stay in our quarters and talk. I'd tell her stories from when she was alive and she would tell me her childhood tales.
"I miss her every day. Em was the closest I had to a mom and then there were the boys. Everyone else is younger than me because I fall in the middle," Bekah said as she closed the door.
We make it to the bar and she sits next to Klinger and I take a place on the other side next to BJ.
"I'd like to toast, to Col. Potter," Hawkeye said after Bekah and I were served.
"Cheers," BJ said with a smile.
It was an awkward pause, then Bekah spoke up. "C-could I make a toast?" she asked nervously.
"Of course," Colonel said.
Bekah stood up cautiously. "When I first came here, I was just passing through. I didn't expect I'd actually stay and not just because of orders. Y'all are like a second family to me. You especially, Col. I call a toast to MASH 4077: to my army family," she said. We clanked glasses and she drank before giving the colonel a hug.
"Happy birthday, Col. Potter. I hope your wish came true," I heard her say. I smiled at her. She still had some innocence in her.
(1) I don't know if Radar has blue eyes or bluish gray. It's hard to tell.
A/N: So that's the end of that. This is my first M*A*S*H story and it won't be my last. I've been watching the show with my dad. I'll really go in depth more in the future, but the Hamilton family is an army-based family, with the following nicknames and branches. Col. Iron Head Dawson: Army. Cpl. Swift: Navy. SSgt. (Staff Sergeant) Cardinal: Air Force. Lt. Marina: Coast Guard. Cpl. Blaze: Marine Corps. Spec. Angel: Army. Their first names (except Angel's; to a degree) will come in the future, I promise. Expect some updates over the summer. I enjoyed this one-shot. I thank all of those who fought in any of our 5 branches and those currently fighting. To those reading this and you're in training, thank you for preparing to fight for our country. Happy Memorial Day (one day late) and yes, I support all 5 branches, but if I had to pick, it's Army and Navy.
``Eagle
PS Why the colonel calls Bekah his pumpkin is going to be mentioned in the future. I will give insight on the character's nicknames probably on my dA before I get it on FFN. So as always, R and R, F and F, vote and ask!