Birthday Series 2- Carter

…

Newkirk paced the barracks. Carter's birthday was that day and his party was that night. What if Carter didn't like it? They still had so much to do. They had to first of all keep Carter out of the barracks while they were planning. Unlike Hogan and Kinch who often went off on their own to handle business of some kind, Carter always hung around the other men, it was like a comfort zone for him or something.

Carter was pretty childish and Newkirk was trying to go off of Carter's interests to plan the party. Would the party be childish?

Lebeau had to make the cake. But Newkirk wasn't entirely sure what kind of cake Carter liked. And where was he going to get a bloody Pony? There would have to be fireworks or explosions of some kind, especially with Carter's pyromania.

Newkirk was standing by the table with his pad of paper and plans when the door opened. He swung around hiding his notes behind him.

Hogan and Lebeau walked in.

Newkirk sighed relieved. He relaxed and took out his notes.

Lebeau went to get his cake recipes. Hogan walked up to Newkirk.

Newkirk showed him his notes.

Hogan smiled. "I don't think it will be that hard to please Andrew."

Newkirk looked at the colonel seriously. "Sir, you can't mean that. Carter is like a child and children are very picky."

Hogan's smile broadened showing his teeth then he went over to the stove and got himself some coffee. He knew this but he also knew Carter. Newkirk was just being a worry wart.

The door opened again. Newkirk shoved the paper into his pocket.

Carter walked in cheerfully. "Hi guys!"

He was always close behind one or all of them. Newkirk found it another childish feature, not that it was necessarily bad, just childish. He was like a little shadow that always was tagging along. You didn't often find him alone and if you did it wasn't for very long. He was usually around the others.

"Hey Andrew." Hogan greeted casually. "What are you up to."

"Aww, nothing much." Carter took a seat at the table and gratefully took the cup of coffee offered to him by Lebeau. "Thanks Louis."

Newkirk took out his pad of paper. Carter was gullible and wasn't usually of suspicious nature. So… "'ey mate,"

Carter looked up and saw Newkirk with a pad of paper. "Yeah?"

"Since you're 'ere, I got a question to ask you." Newkirk knew what to do.

Carter smiled happily. "Okay, Shoot!"

"Well, first I must explain why I'm askin' this. You see the mates in the next barracks and I have an argument to be settled. They say that Chocolate is more widely liked than plain vanilla. I want to prove them wrong. Or at least see the proof that they are right. So what is your favorite flavor?"

Carter retained his smile. "Vanilla of course! Chocolate is okay, but sometimes its just too rich and besides Vanilla is traditional!"

Newkirk smiled and pretended to make a tally mark. "That's what I thought! Hmm." He pretended to study statistics that he didn't have.

"Something wrong?" Carter asked.

"Looks like it's a tie so far. I best go and get some more opinions!" Newkirk turned to leave. He looked at Lebeau who nodded. They got Carter's favorite flavor!

Carter looked at Lebeau and the Colonel who were smiling to themselves. "What did you guys vote?"

Hogan looked at Carter. "Vanilla." he said

"I like chocolate myself." Lebeau answered finding the right recipe for Carter's cake.

"I remember when I first had vanilla cake. I was five I think." Carter went into a tangent. The men let him , it would, not only keep him busy, but could help them come up with ideas for his party. "Yeah it was a vanilla cake with white frosting and sprinkles and candles all over it."

Lebeau looked at him incredulously. "You like sprinkles?"

"Yes I do!" Carter said half defensively.

Lebeau shrugged.

…

Newkirk pretended to take people's votes of their preferred flavor but was just writing in a bunch of tallies on a piece of paper. He came back shortly to the barracks to 'sort out his data'.

When he entered the barracks Lebeau was leaving. No doubt to make the cake. Lebeau gave him a wink and off he went.

Newkirk went into the barracks and found Hogan and Carter only.

Carter turned and smiled at the Englander. "Hi, did you get more votes?"

"Yes, I did, not everyone's yet though. I have to reorganize it a bit." Newkirk sat down at the table and with Carter leaning over him organized his 'data'.

Hogan turned and made his leave.

When Newkirk had gotten the 'data' organized. He stood up with new pieces of paper and went out to get more 'data'.

This would end up leaving Carter all alone in the barracks.

Newkirk shut the door behind him as he left.

Carter sat at the table alone. He looked around the barracks, down at his coffee then he jumped up and ran out the door and ran straight into Newkirk. "Oof!"

The two collapsed to the ground. "Ow!" Newkirk looked at Carter who laughed lightly. "Mate, watch it."

"Sorry, I didn't know you were just outside the door." Carter helped Newkirk to his feet.

Newkirk brushed himself off. "Well, be careful next time." Then he looked at Carter. "What's the rush anyway?"

Carter couldn't tell him he didn't want to be alone. "I wanted to help you with this." He pointed to the papers and 'data' that Newkirk had.

Newkirk looked at his hand. This was perfect. A perfect distraction for Carter. "Yeah, that would be a great help mate." He handed the younger man some paper. "Lets go ask Shultz!"

Carter smiled. "Are you sure he'll be able to make up his mind?"

Newkirk laughed.

They approached the large guard. "Hey Schultz!" Carter ran ahead.

Shultz turned. "Yah?"

"What's your favorite flavor; Chocolate or vanilla?" Carter had his pen ready.

Schultz thought for a bit. "Well, I think both are good!" He said so with much enthusiasm.

Carter turned to Newkirk with a smile. "See I told you!"

Newkirk shook his head. He had to be the aggressive one, Carter wasn't overly aggressive. "Mate, you can only pick one!" He told Schultz.

"Who says!" Schultz said seriously.

"Says me!" Newkirk said with a bossy tone. "We're taking a vote."

"Oh," Schultz thought between the flavors. Which one did he like more?

Carter stood there waiting.

Newkirk stepped back when he saw Hogan walk by and got his attention. He snuck off to speak with the colonel. "Sir,"

"What's up Newkirk?" Hogan asked.

"You know what's up!" Newkirk said in a harsh whisper. "Did you get the pony and the fire works?"

Hogan shook his head. "Klink wont let me have a pony." Then he started laughing at his last statement and immediately stopped when he heard a low growl from Newkirk. "And the fireworks will be a bit difficult, I don't know fire works. Why not ask Schultz?"

The two men looked back at the large sergeant and the small one, who was still standing there waiting.

"Well, I like chocolate but vanilla is more traditional, but chocolate is nice and sweet, but so is vanilla." Schultz couldn't make up his mind.

It wouldn't work, besides Schultz wouldn't have the fireworks until he had the balloons, which wouldn't be tonight anyway.

Newkirk went up to Carter. "Forget it mate, we'll never know."

Carter let out a sigh of relief. "Oh good, because I'm getting tired of standing here." He followed Newkirk over to where Hogan was walking away.

Without Carter hearing he whispered, "Get a bloody pony!" to the colonel before heading around to get more data.

…

Carter was sitting in the barracks reorganizing all the data that he and Newkirk gathered that day. Lebeau was finishing up the cake in the officer's mess. Kinch was there keeping Carter company while Hogan and Newkirk finished everything for the party.

Newkirk opened the door, "Hey you two get out here!"

Kinch stood and headed for the door.

Carter looked up and saw that he was going to be alone. He quickly put the papers together and put it in a spot where it wouldn't get lost and quickly followed Kinch and Newkirk out.

Carter was then led by both Kinch and Newkirk to a spot where there was a large gathering of prisoners. A big smile spread across his face. Carter then realized what this was. "A Party!"

Newkirk shook his head. "Not just any party, mate, your birthday party!"

"Really?" Carter asked happily. "For me?"

Newkirk could see the happiness on the young man's face. "Yeah…"

Then the crowd parted a bit confused. "Happy Birthday!" Shultz ran up in a clown suit.

Newkirk nearly wanted to punch the sergeant, until he saw that Andrew was excited over it.

"Wow! I even have a clown at my party? This is great!" Carter went up to Schultz admiring the clown before him.

Hogan walked up next to Newkirk. "We should have had Klink do this. He's more of a clown than Schultz don't you think? Especially with that stupid monocle." Hogan looked at Newkirk.

Newkirk could just shake his head. "What about the pony?" He asked half heartedly.

"Well…" Hogan looked up and in the crowd was one of the dogs dressed as a cowboy, with the hat, bandana, and gun holster.

Carter was really amused by it and really enjoyed it.

It wasn't exactly what Newkirk had in mind but if Carter liked it, then it was okay right? The only thing missing was the fire works. Newkirk looked to the colonel. "The fire works?"

Hogan shrugged. "I don't know how to make them."

Newkirk sighed. The fire works would have made all the difference. Newkirk looked around. "Where'd Kinch go?"

Hogan looked around. "Don't know." Then they heard the barracks door close. They turned and saw Kinch come out with something. Candles.

"Lebeau needed some candles for the cake so I went and grabbed these." He said running around the building to put the candles on the cake.

He then returned with the cake. It was put down in front of Carter who was nearly hopping around with joy. "Wow!"

The cake was covered in frosting and sprinkles, with the words: Happy Birthday Andrew!, on the face of it. Carter admired it a minute then allowed Hogan to light the candles.

All four candles where lit.

BANG! BANG!

The men dropped. Except Carter.

BANG! BANG!

The sound stopped, the men stood and found Carter looking at them with a puzzled look on his face. "Why are you guys on the ground? They were just exploding candles."

Newkirk looked at Kinch. "Where did you get those candles?"

"From Carter's foot locker." Kinch stated simply.

Of course. Who else had candles? Newkirk smiled and watched as Carter cheerfully cut the cake and distributed it.

Klink walked out with a cheerful grin on his face. "Hogan!"

Newkirk watched in horror as Klink showed up.

"Yes, Kommandant?" Hogan asked a bit concerned that the party might be broken up.

"I have a surprise for you and your men." Klink said cheerfully.

Carter walked up and handed him a plate with cake. "Here you are, Sir."

Klink was delighted. "Oh! Thank you!" He took it and took a bite. "Mmm, Vanilla my favorite."

Hogan smiled. "Sir, the surprise?"

Klink remembered mid mouthful. "Oh, yes!" He turned. "Schmitt!"

Hogan looked behind Klink. He couldn't se anything.

Klink took another bite.

SHOOOOOOO!

Everyone looked up.

BANG! POP! CRACKLE!

"FIREWORKS!" Carter yelled cheerfully.

Hogan looked at the Kommandant. "Sir, Thank you."

Klink looked at Hogan she shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. His mouth was full. "Not at all, I'd heard the Englander say that Sergeant Carter likes fireworks, I thought, since you've all been well behaved and haven't tried to escape lately I'd reward you a bit." Klink took another bite of his cake.

Hogan knew this meant a lot to his men.

More fire works went up and Carter just stared at the sky with pure happiness across his face.

Newkirk looked up at the sky as the others were. After a moment he felt a person come up beside him. Then they grabbed his arm. He looked and saw Carter lean in to whisper, "Thank you so much, Peter."

Newkirk smiled. "Sure mate." He patted Carter on the back and they watched the fire works.

Another party successfully planned. Now Louis was next.

…

[AN] Allllrightee this one is much longer than the first fic with Kinch. Hope you liked it! Please R&R!