Okay, this is my first MASH fanfic. I haven't been watching the show for that long so sorry if there are a few mistakes and if the characters aren't completely right. Please review and let me know what you think!
Enjoy!
Bombshell
Colonel Potter was hovering outside of the OR when Charles emerged. "How'd it go?"
"Perfectly, as per usual," Charles replied, pulling off his gloves.
"He'll keep the leg?"
"Is there any doubt?"
Potter sighed; he was not in the mood for Winchester's arrogance. "And the other kid?"
"As far as I know, he's going to be fine," Charles answered. "Pierce is just closing up."
"Good..."
"Colonel, is there something going on?" Charles questioned, getting a vibe that not all was right with Potter.
"Once Pierce is done, I want the two of you and Margaret in my office."
"Oh god, please Colonel, if this is about Marilyn Monroe, I really don't care..."
"We have more important going on here, Major," Potter snapped before turning and walking away.
Charlie sighed loudly and dropped onto the bench.
XxXxX
15 minutes later, Hawkeye entered the Colonel's office, followed by Charles and Margaret. Father Mulcahy was stood at the side of the desk.
"Colonel, before you say anything..." Hawkeye started – sure that Potter knew it was Charles and him who had started the rumour about Marilyn.
"Pierce, just..." Potter held up a hand to stop him and sighed tiredly. "Sit down, all of you."
"What's going on?" Margaret questioned as she lowered herself into a chair.
"The chopper, that brought in the two boys, you just operated on...It was flown by a Lieutenant Priore..."
They all stared back at the Colonel, none of them recognising the man's name.
"He's the pilot that B.J went fishing with this morning."
Margaret and Charles exchanged looks while Hawkeye never took his eyes off his C.O; suddenly overwhelmed with a sickening feeling of dread, deep down in his stomach.
"What happened?" He asked. "Where's B.J?"
"According to Priore, on their way to the fishing hole, they spotted two soldiers. One was injured, so they landed to help..." Potter explained. "Then coming back here, they spotted another solider, Corporal Willis, with the leg wound... There was no where to land so they threw down a rope... The boy couldn't secure it around him...So, B.J went down to help."
"He climbed down the rope?" Father Mulcahy questioned.
"Yes but the rope wasn't strong enough to lift the two of them...There was a field near by so Priore was going to lift the solider out and then land." Potter informed them, his voice calm but he felt anything but calm inside. "B.J was meant to meet them in the field."
Hawkeye pushed himself to his feet, taking a few steps away from everyone and then turned back again. "Meant to?"
"Priore got Willis loaded up in the chopper and..." He paused, slowly looking at his officers; Margaret was staring at him, eyes wide and glistening. Charles had his head titled downwards but looked up after a few seconds of silence. Father Mulcahy, was fingering the cross that hung around his neck, already praying.
Then there was Pierce; his hands were firmly on his hips, eyes frantically searching the Colonel's face for answers.
"What happened to B.J, Colonel?" Hawkeye asked in a steady voice.
"Priore never saw him again..." Potter said quietly. "He had to take off as soon as Willis was secure..."
"He left him?" Hawkeye exclaimed.
"He had no choice, son..." Potter replied. "He was under enemy fire."
Hawkeye paced for a few seconds, while the rest of the room was silent...All of them trying to digest what they had just heard.
"What's the location?" Hawkeye stopped moving to look at Potter again.
"I'm sorry?"
"I'm driving out there..." He stated. "I'll find him."
"You can't, it's too dangerous!"
"I don't care!" He yelled. "That's my best friend out there!"
"Hawkeye..." Father Mulcahy placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder.
"Klinger is already on to I-Corps, to get them out there to look for him."
Hawkeye started pacing again while Potter stood up and moved to his drinks cabinet; pulling out a bottle of scotch.
"He'll be fine..." Margaret stated. "This is B.J..."
"You're right," Father Mulcahy added. "He's smart guy, he'll know what to do."
Hawkeye glared at them. "He's unarmed and he's a doctor not a solider..."
"Here, drink this." Potter shoved a glass into his hand and then passed one to everyone else.
Hawkeye placed it down, untouched but before he could say or do any more, the door opened and Klinger slowly walked in.
"What's the news?" Potter asked as everyone turned their attention to the clerk.
"I-Corps say the area is now completely occupied my Chinese forces...They're not sending any more troops out there."
"No!" Pierce shouted. "No! Call them back! Call them back right now and tell them that's not good enough!"
"They told me there were some injuries in the area..." Klinger continued but looked past Hawkeye to Colonel Potter. "But they've all been sent to the 7099th, I'm waiting to hear back from them to see if Captain Hunnicutt is there."
"Well, get on the phone!" Hawkeye ordered.
"Captain, they're a little busy at the moment," Klinger replied gently. "They're going to let me know as soon as they have any information."
"I'll go over there, myself..." Hawkeye started for the door.
"Pierce!" Potter moved quickly to block the younger man leaving. "Just hold tight."
"Colonel, he's my best friend."
"I know, son but you won't be doing B.J or yourself any good running out of here," Potter
told him. "Lets just see what we hear from the 7099th."
"I'm just meant to wait?" Hawkeye asked.
"I'm sure there is enough work to be done that will keep you distracted...Someone needs to check on those boys you just operated on."
"I'll be post-op," he said after a few seconds. "Klinger..."
"As soon as I hear anything, you'll know..." The clerk promised.
"I keep thinking of that little girl," Margaret whispered once Hawkeye had left. "If B.J is....that little girl is going to lose her father."
"Lets not think about anything like that," Father Mulcahy said. "We got to have faith that B.J will be okay."
"Predre, you're right..." Potter replied. "I think the best thing for us all to do is get back to work."
Charles was the first one to stand up. "Yes, well, I have a letter to my father to finish so that's where I'll be if you need me."
Margaret stood up next. "I should get back to Post-Op, too."
"Coronal, is there anything I can do other then pray?"
"Not at the moment, Predre," Potter replied. "But I'll let you know if anything comes up."
Father Mulcahy gave a small nod and then followed the two Majors out the officer.
"Klinger..."
"I'll get back on the phones, Sir..." Klinger finished off the sentence that he knew was coming.
Potter sighed and leaned back in his chair, once he was alone. The photo of his wife on the corner of the desk, caught his eye. He couldn't help but think of Peg Hunnicutt...They hadn't been married that long before B.J had been drafted...They had barley begun a marriage.
XxXxX
"I'm not hungry."
"Pierce, there is no point in starving yourself," Margaret stated as she dragged Hawkeye into the Mess tent. There was nothing she could do for B.J, so she decided to take it upon herself to look at Hawkeye, whether he liked it or not.
"Margaret, I'm not starving myself..." He tried to shrug off her hand, that gripped his arm tightly. "I'd just rather not force myself to eat this slop unless absolutely necessary!"
Margaret opened her mouth to argue but stopped herself when she saw what was actually being served. "Maybe you have a point."
"I knew, you'd come around to my way of thinking," he smirked and then walked over the table that occupied Charles and Father Mulcahy.
"Hawkeye, any news?"
"Not yet, Father," he replied as he sat down. He had been worried earlier when they were in the Coronal's office but that was three hours ago. What he felt now, made him sick the the stomach. His best friend was out in a war zone with no protection. The longer it went without news, the chance of B.J walking through the door, lowered.
"Here you all are," Coronal Potter said as he made his way towards them with Klinger following.
"What do you know?" Hawkeye asked, jumping from his seat.
"He hasn't been taken to the 7099th..." Potter informed them.
"Are they sure?" Margaret questioned. "I mean, if they're busy maybe they don't realise it's him."
"He wasn't in complete uniform," Klinger answered. "He was wearing his pink shirt, so he'd kind of stand out."
There was silence as they all thought about what it could mean.
"What happens now?" Mulcahy broke the silence.
"I'm contacting some of the other MASH units just to be sure," Klinger said. "It's a long shot but you never know."
"And if he's not at any of them?"
Klinger glanced at Potter, unsure how to answer but the Coronal had no idea how to either.
The sickening feeling in Hawkeye's stomach got worse and it was suddenly hard to breath. He pushed past Klinger and then through the door, taking a deep breath of fresh air but it didn't make him feel any better. He quickly crossed the compound and entered the swamp. Part of him, was expecting B.J to be there. That he had somehow manage to find his way back and would be sat on his cot, moaning about how he had missed his fishing trip but the tent was empty.
Sighing, he walked over to the still and pour himself a drink before sitting down on B.J's cot. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to work out what to do. Should he just stay here and wait for news. Should go out and look for him. The Coronal would never approve that but that has never stop him before. Should he call Peg...
His eyes moved to the picture of his best friend's wife and baby daughter. He should be the one to tell her...B.J would want it to be him...Just like he'd want it to be B.J to talk to his father if anything happened to him...But not yet... he couldn't make that phone call right now...Not until they knew something. If the worst did happen, it would be hard enough for Peg...She didn't need to live through the nightmare of not knowing before hand unless she had to.
A knock on the door broke his chain of thoughts and Nurse Able poked her head into the tent.
"Uh, Hawkeye."
"Yeah?"
"Corporal Willis' temperature is raising."
"Okay, I'm coming," he muttered, closing his briefly before setting down his drink and followed the nurse towards post-op.
XxXxX
The next morning, Father Mulcahy walked into post-op but stopped in the doorway when he saw Hawkeye asleep at the desk.
"Has he been here all night?" He asked the nurse on duty, nodding towards the captain.
"Yes, Corporal Willis' temperature got a bit high," she replied. "Major Winchester was meant to be on the night shift but when Captain Pierce didn't want to leave, he left to get some sleep about 3am."
"How is Corporal Willis now?"
"He's fine." She gave him a small smile before carrying on with her duties.
Father Mulcahy walked over to Hawkeye and placed a hand on his shoulder gently. "Hawkeye."
Hawkeye jerked away and turned around quickly.
"Why don't you head back to the swamp and get some proper rest."
"I'm fine," he rubbed his blurry eyes and then stretched his arms forwards. "Has there been any more news?"
"Unfortunately, no."
Hawkeye fell back against the chair; B.J had left camp 21 hours ago and had been missing for 19 hours now.
"Good morning." Charles walked in. "Have we heard anything..."
"Not yet." Father Mulcahy shook his head.
Charles let out a sigh and then looked at Hawkeye. "Pierce, since you took my shift last night...I will relieve you of yours this morning."
"There's no need..."
"There is a need." He cut in. "I will not have people believing that Charles Emerson Winchester does not do his duty."
Hawkeye rolled his eyes and stood. "Whatever, you say Charles."
Father Mulcahy followed him out of post-op. "Hawkeye, if you would like to talk..."
"I appreciate it, Father...I really do but... I wouldn't know what to say," he replied only stopping when they reached the swamp.
"Well, if you change you're mind..." Father Mulcahy started but then realised that the captain didn't seemed to be listening. "Hawkeye?"
When he got no response, he reached out and touched the younger man's arm.
"Uh, what?" Hawkeye jumped turning his attention back to the priest. "I'm sorry, Father...What was you saying?"
"Are you sure you wouldn't like to talk?"
He sighed and ran a hand down his face. "I stayed in Post-op last night because I couldn't face coming back here."
"That's understandable..." Father Mulcahy reassured him.
"Well, I've got to get it over with sometimes," he stated, pushing open the door.
Father Mulcahy waited a few seconds before entering himself. Hawkeye was sat on his cot, his head bowed and his hands covering his face.
"Y'know..." He started as he sat up straight again, after a minute of silence. "Trapper never left a note."
"Trapper?" Father Mulcahy repeated, surprised by the mention of their old colleague.
"Yeah, when he got sent home...I was on R&R and when I got back all there was a message via Radar," he explained. "I raced to try and catch him before he left."
"I remember."
"That's when I first met B.J..." He said quietly. "At first, I didn't really care...I mean, he seemed like a nice guy but my best friend had just left..I was upset....Then somewhere between being shot at, the shelling and arriving at the camp, I stopped feeling so upset..."
Father Mulcahy didn't replied, instead he just let Hawkeye say what he needed to say.
"Trapper was my best friend, we went through a lot together and I'd love to see him again but with B.J...things were different," he continued. "He's more then a friend...I don't know, maybe he's more like a brother, I don't know what I'd do if he wasn't here."
"Hawkeye, you got to stay positive," Father Mulcahy said softly. "Just remember, it wasn't that long ago when you and Major Houihan were missing for the night."
"I know, there's a chance that he could walk back in here any minute with some story about how he managed to stay alive..." He continued. "But I also know that he....that he might not...ever."
He pushed himself to his feet and started to pace around in the space at the end of the bunk.
"You see, the thing is Father...I don't know if I could handle it if..." he trailed off but then started again. "I could deal with Radar leaving...he belonged at home... and Trapper, he was my best friend and he left without saying goodbye but I got past that...Hell, I carried on after Henry, even though his death tore me apart...but this...this, I don't think I can keep going if B.J dies..."
"Hawkeye..." Father Mulcahy stood up.
"Captain, Captain!" Klinger ran through the door.
"What is it?" Pierce stopped pacing and turned to face the Clerk. "Have you heard something?"
"The Coronal just got done with someone over at I-Corps...They've sent our troops back out and we're winning... If Captain Hunnicutt is out there...They'll find him."
Hawkeye's shoulders slump a little. Yes, it was good news but it wasn't what he was hoping to hear.
"Listen, I've got to get back on the phone...I'm calling the other MASH units again...Telling them to keep a look out for him."
"Thanks, Klinger.." Father Mulcahy called after the Clerk as he left as quickly as he came.
"So, now we wait..." Hawkeye sighed and dropped back down onto his bed. "Y'know, it's the waiting that tortures you."
Father Mulcahy didn't replied... Instead, he just said a silent pray for B.J's safe and quick return.
XxXxX
"Yes, General, I appreciate that, we could do with all the help we can get." Potter leaned back in his chair as he spoke on the phone. "Well, Sir, I'm hoping that won't be necessary....Even so, I think it would be bad for morale if we just assume...Yes, General, of course...Thank you, Sir."
Potter slammed the phone down and hit his hand on the desk in frustration.
"Coronal, we need to talk..." Margaret walked into the office but stopped when she saw the look on his face. "What is it? Have you heard something."
"I-Corps is sending us another surgeon," he answered. "He's on his way."
"Isn't that a good thing? Normally, we shout until we're blue in the face but they never send anyone to help take the strain," she replied. "That was actually what I came in to talk to you about..."
"They're not sending him to take the strain, Major," he informed her. "He's staying."
"I don't understand."
"They're replacing B.J."
"What?" She paled and slowly sat down. "Have they found him?"
"No but they've stopped looking...They've search the area where he was last seen and there's nothing there..."
"They think he's dead?"
"That or been taken as a prisoner."
"But...but they can't just decide that!" She exclaimed and got to her feet again. "He has a wife and daughter at home...They can't just decide that he's never going home to them again just because he hasn't turned up yet!"
"Margaret, as much as I hate to admit it...He's been missing for over 24 hours now in a zone that was occupied by enemy forces and he's not some GI who has a load of experience in sort of thing..."
"That doesn't mean anything!"
"I know and I pray to God that he somehow found some kind of shelter to hide but..." Potter paused, trying to get a hold of his emotions. He spent too much of his life in Wars. He had met many friends during them and seen many people die because of them...But this was different. This group of people were different. They had became his family. "But maybe we should prepare ourselves in case the worst happens."
"Coronal, this is B.J," she said quietly. "This isn't someone we barely...This is a man we've seen everyday...someone we work with...There's no one in this camp that has a bad word to say about him..."
She had always seen B.J as Pierce's partner in crime; both of them always up to no good but after her divorce she had gotten to know the two captain a bit more. She learnt that nothing mattered more to B.J then his family back in the states and that he'd help anyone out if he was able to; even if it meant bending the rules.
Potter let out a loud sigh. "I know, Margaret, I know...It breaks my heart, just thinking about it."
She stood up, trying to regain her composure. "I should get back to work...When does the new surgeon arrive?"
"He should be here sometime this evening."
She nodded. "I'll get someone to set him in the swamp."
"No...put him in the VIP tent."
"But, Coronal you just said..."
"I know what I just said but I think if we put the new guy in the swamp then it'll be liking giving up...I don't think any of us is ready to do that just yet...It's only been a day..." He answered. "Maybe, we can wait to prepare ourselves until we know some more news."
The army part, inside of him, knew the chances of B.J's safe return were slim. He also knew, that for the benefit of the camp and the soldiers that came through here, they needed the new surgeon but then there was part of him couldn't accept that B.J was gone. They were a family, they had become so closed. While he felt like a father figure to a lot of the people in the camp, there was something special about B.J and Hawkeye. With Radar and Klinger, he always felt the need to protect them and guide them; sure there were times when he felt the same about the two captains but he relied on them more. He relied on them to make him laugh, to be the camp's conscious and do what's right, even if it meant breaking the rules. They were there when he was having a bad and knew exactly what he needed; whether it was talking or a belt from their still. It wouldn't be the same if one of them wasn't here. He didn't even know if Hawkeye would be the same again if B.J never came back.
"Klinger?" He called out, startling Margaret a little.
"Yes, Sir?" The clerk appeared immediately.
"Put a call into Sidney...I have a feeling, we might be needing him."
"Yes, Sir..." Klinger repeated, sadly and then went back to his desk.
"I'll head back to post-op," Margaret turned for the door.
Potter leaned back in his chair. The worse part was not knowing. Even if it was bad news, at least they could attempt to move on but he doubted that anyone would be willing to accept this until they had proof.
XxXxX
"How you feeling, Corporal?" Winchester asked, reading the clipboard in his hand.
"Better," Corporal Willis said quietly.
"Good, well everything looks fine and your temperature is down." Charles hung the chart back up.
"Uh, Doctor?" Willis called out as Charles started walking away.
"Hmm?"
"What happened to the guy?" He asked. "The one that climbed down the rope? The pilot said he was a doctor but I haven't seen him around anywhere."
"Yes, well, he hasn't made it back yet."
"Hasn't made it back?" Willis repeated. "But they were shooting at us."
"That's why the pilot had to leave."
"But...but that means, he was left there...On his own..."
"Corporal..."
"Oh my god, he's dead..."
"Corporal!"
"Because of me..." He continued to rumble. "He died trying to save me!"
"Corporal!" Charles said loudly causing the younger man to stop and look at him. He slowly sat down next to his bed. "Listen, Corporal, I know you must be feeling a tremendous amount of guilt right now but please keep your voice down."
"But Doctor..."
"There is a lot of people in this camp that are friends with Captain Hunnicutt and while I'm not one of them, I think they'd appreciate it if didn't presume about his current condition."
"I begged him...I begged to get me out of there." Willis whispered. "When the rope wouldn't hold the both of us...I begged him to let me go instead of him."
Charles sighed. "Corporal, I may not be one of Hunnicutt's best friends but I do know that he would have let you go instead of him even if you beg him not to."
"But..."
"You need to rest," Charles told him. "I'll be back later, to check on you."
Charles walked over to the desk, sat down and started some paperwork but he couldn't concentrate. He spent most of his time during this war, fighting with Pierce and Hunnicutt. He'd never admit it but he was worried about what had happened to Hunnicutt. He worried about where he was now and what, if anything was happening to him. He had meant what he said to Willis; he truly believed that Hunnicutt would put his own life at risk to save another and Charles wondered whether, he'd have the courage to do that himself.
XxXxX
"Are you sure?" Klinger spoke into the phone and sighed at the reply he got. "Well, if he turns up there, can you please let us know...he's one of us."
He hung up the phone and let his head drop down onto the desk. He had called every MASH unit in the area but B.J was at none of them.
He hated this war...He hated his place... but he loved the people. The people was what made it bearable.
B.J had disappeared; no one knew where he was and no one was doing anything about finding him either. How was he meant to tell the rest of the camp that?
TBC
