Thank you very much for your reviews and alerts! It means a lot to me! And thanks for your help, I corrected my mistake in the first chapter. The funny thing is, I knew both words quite well, but I confused these homophones anyway. I'm afraid I do it all the time)))
Well, let's pass to the next chapter) Please, read it and tell me about my mistakes. I have a feeling that I misused a LOT of words and phrases, though I tried to sound natural)))
I'm really nervous...
Now I think it's time for me to shut up and let you read it))) Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except that guy Robinson)
Chapter 2
Colonel Sherman T. Potter has always considered himself to be a man of action. He survived two wars and never regretted joining the army. There were of course doubts, hard times, so called "pressure points", but no regrets. He didn't want to leave his young wife alone; he also didn't want their children to grow up without their father teaching them what is good and what is bad. He missed telling his daughter all he knew about relationships and then nervously waiting for his little girl to return from her first date. It was not that he didn't love his family enough that he preferred to be a war dog rather than a good father and husband, he just needed action. What's the point to be a family physician in a small town when you can save lives on the battlefield? As long as his mind and body were strong, he would help people, he would give these young boys the chance to live, to make somebody happy. Sherman hated inaction. But what was his greatest fear? Among all this senseless destruction, this maelstrom of shellfire, blood and screams, a used to be Sergeant Potter, now Colonel Potter, but most of all, Doctor Potter was afraid of being useless. "Useless… useless…useless" that was the exact word he has been repeating like a mantra since he discovered Hawkeye's absence. "Useless, useless, useless damn it!" he stopped his pacing at the sound of his own angry voice which seemed to have escaped more from his chest than mouth. There was a slight knocking behind the double doors.
"Colonel" Potter heard Klinger's voice "are you alright?"
"Yes Klinger, thank you." he answered. Klinger hesitated not knowing what to add and it nearly made Potter laugh out loud, sure the sight of Klinger suffering from lack of words was really priceless. Finally he decided to ease the tension and bring them both some coffee. "Keep watch son" he said to his company clerk "I'll be right back."
"Yes sir." said the corporal taking his place at his desk.
Once outside, Potter headed in the direction of the mess tent but stopped abruptly hearing his own name being called.
"Colonel Potter, Colonel!" a tall lieutenant swiftly ran up to the startled man. Potter frowned trying to recall him. The man was a pilot and he looked strangely familiar. Suddenly it dawned on him under which circumstances he had met the lieutenant for the first time. The memories began flooding his mind, but he pushed them aside.
"Yes, lieutenant… Robinson?"
"Yes sir." said Robinson panting "It's good I found you…" the man clutched his chest and began to shiver "I was about to go to yo…your office when I…" he paused again "when I spotted you."
"Hold your horses son." Potter put his hands on the pilot's shoulders attempting to steady him "Well, Robinson, what's the matter?"
"Colonel, I need to tell you…, it's urgent… I saw… sorry, I'm too tired…I've just landed…the jeep…I saw him…" The young man struggled to catch his breath, but this feat was too much for him.
"Slow down boy! You're hyperventilating. Come with me and we'll speak."
The pilot didn't say anything, he just nodded and let the Colonel take him to the post-op. Potter could feel Robinson's body tremble under his hands. Everything seemed so strange and surreal that Potter shook his head trying to clear his fogged brain, all in vain of course. This was the second time when he met this young pilot, and the memories from the first one were not happy at all… just one perhaps was… Pierce and Robinson are in the post-op…Robinson isn't even trying to shed his tears, so also the smile…he's shaking Hawkeye's hand… then Robinson's getting into the ambulance bus…Robinson's helping the corpsmen to settle the stretcher... Potter woke from his thoughts when they finally reached the post-op.
The ward was quiet; the only sound was from the rustling of the papers BJ was filling in. Potter surveyed the room and his gaze fell on Margaret Houligan who immediately hurried to Robinson's side and helped the Colonel to settle the man on an empty cot. After that she handed him a glass of water.
"Thank you Major." said Potter.
"You are welcome sir. Do you need anything else?" she asked.
"No, just get Klinger to come here, and tell Hunnicutt also." he answered nodding in the direction of the surgeon.
"Yes Colonel." Margaret turned to the desk at the other end of the room, but she didn't even need to approach BJ because he was already standing up.
"What is it Margaret?" he whispered into her ear while Potter was forcing Robinson to drink.
"I don't know, it seems the Colonel needs your help, he also asked to fetch Klinger. Go and ask him yourself and I'll be right back." With these words she left the room.
"What's up sir?" BJ he asked the older man.
"I don't know son," said Potter quietly "Robinson said he had to tell us something and it was urgent, but then his nerves apparently let him down."
"I see, but why did you call for Klinger?" BJ looked at his CO with concern.
Potter looked at Robinson, whose breathing was much calmer than several minutes before. It was no use to hide it from Hunnicutt since the information was about to come out anyway.
"Do you know that a month ago Hawkeye saved his younger brother?" he asked BJ at last.
"No Colonel. I must have been in Seoul." he answered.
"Ah, yes… well, his injury was serious, but the boy pulled through. Hawkeye worked really well." said Potter.
"He always does." BJ nodded.
"Yes, he always does… and Robinson couldn't find the words to thank Hawkeye; the poor man was head over heels with worry… The guy is too sensitive I'm afraid." Potter paused "Do you understand the cause of my concern now?"
"I understand…you mean…" BJ murmured.
"It was my first guess, look here..." Potter leaned closer to the younger surgeon. "Robinson said that he owned Pierce and he'd told me before I brought him here that he'd seen a jeep. I'm sure the man could snap like this because of Hawk…" Potter was cut short by the arrival of his head nurse and his company clerk.
"Did you call for me sir?" asked the Lebanese corporal.
"Yes guys, I just hope that this is not what I think and fear of…" Potter didn't finish but turned to Robinson. "How do you feel son?" he asked.
"Better Colonel." the pilot answered. His gaze fell onto the people surrounding him and he began to sob.
"It's all my fault, I shouldn't have lost control… I should have done it fast… I should have done something else… I should have not wasted so much time…" Potter shook the man's shoulders. "If you don't want to waste more time, try to calm down and tell us everything."
Robinson took a deep breath, and passed his gaze to the silent listeners: "On my way here I saw an overturned jeep. That area was under heavy shelling so my first thought was that the driver had little chance to be alive, but… then I recognized that driver…"
"…Pierce" whispered Potter.
Robinson nodded: "My heart sank, I was about to report to you, but saw that the radio, and not only the radio, also my chopper…" he shuddered "I haven't checked it yet and don't know what might have happened. My radio was out of order and I began to lose altitude too, I was of no use for him at that moment. I managed to get a bit farther and find a space to land. The area was deserted and I had to run to the camp to tell you…" he finished without even trying to complete the sentence.
The stillness that had filled the room was unbearable but finally Potter managed to find his voice. "Klinger" he said "take a jeep, bring him here."
"Colonel, what if he is still alive?" asked BJ desperately trying to keep his own voice calm.
"Son, I don't want to disappoint you, but we must be realistic…" began Potter.
"You don't want to say so sir." said Margaret.
"You're right Major, but I am the CO here…"
"I'm sure that Hawk is alive," BJ interrupted the old man "he MUST be alive, and I'm going with Klinger. Why are you still here? Get the jeep for us" he addressed to the Corporal.
"Going captain!" shouted Klinger already leaving the post-op.
Potter stayed with Robinson to check him over while BJ and Margaret were gathering the supplies. At the end of the examination he was satisfied. The man's pulse was steady and the blood pressure was normal.
"You must sleep." he said hiding his stethoscope.
"Colonel, I want to do something…"
"No son, you are exhausted right now, you must rest." said Potter.
"But…"
"We'll inform you whatever happens to Pierce, son, now be a good boy and lie down." Having received a nod from the lieutenant, Potter went to see BJ and Klinger off.
To be continued...