Today is gonna be the day that
They're gonna throw it back to you.
By now, you should've somehow
Realized what you gotta do.
I don't believe that anybody feels
The way I do, about you now.

Backbeat, the word was on the street
That the fire in your heart is out.
I'm sure you've heard it all before,
But you never really had a doubt.
I don't believe that anybody feels
The way I do, about you now.

And all the roads we have
To walk are winding.
And all the lights that lead
Us there are blinding.
There are many things that I would
Like to say to you, but I don't know how.

Because maybe, you're gonna be
The one that saves me and
After all, you're my wonderwall.

Getting Hawkeye out of the trap was somewhat tricky. While Charles directed his staff to keep the four little ones away (and pretended that he was the manager of the situation), BJ and I had to somehow pull Hawkeye to shore. With a borrowed rope and some help from a valet, we managed to get Hawkeye out of trouble. Granted, he nearly lost his pants (they were half down and soaked) and the rest of his clothes were muddy, but his spirits were panicked until I was holding him tightly against me.

"Hawk, you all right?" BJ demanded.

As a response, as his pants were pulled up, Hawkeye reached down and kissed me hard on the lips. I was taken aback. I tasted more than stale beer and this morning's coffee. There was a grittiness to the touch that stunk of suffocation and lungs filled with water. When he pulled back, he wiped his mouth before trying again. This time, I was happier with the taste. Only a chunk of the muddy substance slipped from his black and white head and splashed at our feet.

When he had the chance, Hawkeye replied, "Yeah, sure." He smiled at me. "A good smooch will make a day brighter."

"Well, if the wife is happy, why not you?" BJ sighed.

"Is the calamity over?" Charles approached us.

"Without a shot fired," Hawkeye told him. He broke from me and met Charles. "But it seems you've got the easy job."

"Isn't that the way?" BJ added. "Become the master, crack the whip?"

"Gentlemen and lady, I present your ringmaster." Charles bowed. "For without me, the rambunctious little demons would have seen such a disordered scene. They would have witnessed the possible death of their obtuse father and the breakdown of their sneaky little mother." He snickered. "Gentlemen and lady, I shall meet you in the Sun Room for some more tea. I hope your four companions are well-dressed and behaved. I wouldn't like them to act the dogs you are."

BJ and Hawkeye growled like hapless canines in response. As Love continued his snarls at Charles, Jenkins wrapped a blanket from behind him and tried distracting him from Charles. Love waved him away. When Charles had disappeared, he laughed. It was a relief that he took this accident so well after the fact. Rolling out of the car and landing in quicksand was not my idea of waking up, but it sure was heartening to hear Hawkeye be somewhat positive about it.

I was feeling the total opposite. As we walked back to the house together, I hoped to hell that nothing else happened for the rest of the day. Granted, grabbing one child and then another afterward was tiring. That was a chore I hoped to never have to do again (and knew would happen either way). As I ordered them to dress nicely and to listen to me, I shook from the efforts.

I expected the unexpected to happen, between pulling Hawkeye out of a quicksand pit and chasing the children back into a more restricted area to appear their cleanest. Even in the hours that passed, every sudden movement caused my heart to race faster. I was always on edge, even in the haunted eeriness of the Winchester house. Finally, when bedtime came and it was calm and quiet, I took a breath. We were at peace and no other disaster had befallen us.

Hawkeye and I had our own rooms, with the children in adjoining ones. Not that it mattered though. Charles insisted that the nanny remain with them unless we require their presence (mostly because dinner was a joke for all four of them and they acted like Hawkeye, with his instigation). Charles was oddly not fond of seeing them, although he had complained during his Korean exile how he wished for his line to continue. I could not tell what had bothered him so much, but I guessed it had to do with Korea.

When I crawled into the super comfortable bed, Hawkeye curled up closer to me. All the while, my mind went to the past few years. I pictured myself as an utter bitch. I checked my behavior and saw that I was no better than him. I thought about how much I had hurt Hawkeye too. He had been a wild jackass in the past few years.

As a wife, I was worse. Dad didn't make many things better. I had kept secrets from Hawkeye. I conspired without telling him. I acted like I was in charge and talked about him to others. I complained and was never grateful for him making room for me. It was all about me and the children and working to make him a human being.

"I am a horrible wife to you," I randomly told Hawkeye as he nibbled on my earlobe.

"What? No." Hawkeye stopped and sat up a little. "Jeanie, what are you talking about?"

"Don't you ever wonder when my charade is going to end? When I will tell you everything?" I asked him. "You are so eager to know the whole Jeanette Morrison."

"So? At least she's easy to eat out, whether she's Jeanette Morrison or Jeanette Pierce. They're all and the same."

"Hawkeye! I am serious."

"So am I. What Charles and his army of cleaners don't know won't hurt them."

I blushed. His mind was on pulling my pants down. This seemed like a good sign. Hawkeye was always the revenge kind of guy when he felt he was slighted. This didn't seem like he was out to get me. It was not like stealing Frank's wedding film or replacing his real gun every time he turned around. Hawkeye had one thing on his mind and that was pleasuring us.

He tugged at my pajama pants. I was not relenting, but soon gave up. Trying to forget what I said to him, I decided that some playtime was in order. I popped off my top and let Hawkeye strip me clean of the rest of fabric. He copied me soon enough and was on top of me. My arms were pinned down.

"Hmm, I love to get stuck in quicksand of my own making," he said.

I giggled. I tried licking his arms to be released, but Hawkeye was stronger. He laughed harder and moved around to avoid my tongue. Soon, his full weight was on my legs.

"Daddy, what are you doing?" It was Shannon.

Hawkeye swore under his breath and was soon covering us up with the blankets faster than the speed of light. I sat up, swathed enough that my eldest daughter could not tell I was naked. I eyed her and motioned for her to come closer.

"What is it, sweetie?" I asked her.

Shannon came over and leaned against the bed, her head in my lap. "What's wrong with Tuncle? He's not the same."

"What do you mean?" Hawkeye was confused.

"Daddy, Tuncle isn't happy. He lost everything."

"Honey, Tuncle has everything. He has Becky and Kathy and all of us."

"But I'm not there anymore, Daddy. He's sad without me."

This stopped us both. We exchanged looks. We figured, when Shannon was reunited with Trapper and Louise, that she had some recollection of her time with them. She had called Trapper "Tuncle" for so long now and encouraged her sisters and brother to do the same thing. She was also very close to him, more so than Trapper's own daughters, and never liked hearing negative talk about him.

There was bond between them that had broken when Shannon was taken out of Trapper's custody. Somehow, in the childlike mind that revolved around making art and protecting her siblings, Shannon had remembered the short time she was in Boston. She had heard and seen too much already and had to know if the man who cared for her was going to be fine.

Thank God she doesn't remember my mother and Clarence.

"I am sure Tuncle is sad you're not around anymore," I soothed her. "Once he sees you more often, he'll be better."

"You promise me, Mommy?" Shannon's grey eyes met mine. "Will Tuncle be better when he sees me?"

"Very much," Hawkeye said, reaching over to ruffle her hair. "Now, is that what you came in here for?"

"I want to go with him," Shannon announced. "I want to go on an adventure, Daddy. We have to save everyone."

"Not yet," I quickly ordered. "When you are older, you will have plenty of them. Right now, we have to have Tuncle do something for us. He has to go alone. You have to go back to school the day after tomorrow."

Shannon pouted first at me. When it didn't work, she tried it on Hawkeye. Love's face changed and he was going to cave in. Irritated, I nudged him with my elbow and took charge.

"Off to bed with you," I cut in. "Go to sleep. Tuncle will be ok."

Shannon didn't seem so sure. Cynically, she glanced at us, one slow backwards step at a time drawing her closer to her room. When the door clicked behind her with a huff, we were relieved. We waited a few minutes, just in case another child arrived, but nothing happened. All was still.

Hawkeye pinned me down fast. "Now, where were we?"

"In anticipation of another interruption," I replied. "Now, make me scream through the pillow."

~00~

Today was going to be the day,
But they'll never throw it back to you.
By now, you should've somehow
Realized what you're not to do.
I don't believe that anybody feels
The way I do, about you now.

And all the roads that lead
You there are winding.
And all the lights that light
The way are blinding.
There are many things that I would
Like to say to you, but I don't know how.

Because maybe, you're gonna be
The one that saves me and
After all, you're my wonderwall.

I said, maybe, you're gonna be
The one that saves me and
After all, you're my wonderwall.

I said maybe, you're gonna be
The one that saves me.
You're gonna be
The one that saves me…

The stillness of the day before was interrupted by the bustle of a typical Wednesday in Boston. Pressed for time (and aiming to be home before nightfall this very day), I hoped against insanity that Trapper will be lucid and agreeable. As soon as humanly possible (during breakfast actually), I called his home. When nobody answered (since the girls were most likely in school), I tried his workplace. It took some finagling and pretending that I was someone else or another, but I somehow reached his floor. A nurse promised to fetch him for me. Luckily, Trapper was on break and sober.

Trapper laughed to hear my voice. "Jeanie, how did you find me?"

"I know my way around a hospital," I suggested. "Listen, when are you having lunch?"

"I am out of here by eleven," he promised. "What do you have in mind? Bored of Hawkeye?"

"Not yet." I glanced over at Hawkeye next to me and smiled. I held his hand. "I am in town. I was hoping you'd like to see the children and we'd spent time together."

For a moment, I thought I lost Trapper. The silence was deafening. I repeated his name a few times, hoping that he'd answer. I was nervous. I didn't think a surprise visit would shock Trapper so much. I mean, it wasn't like I was stripped naked and coaxing Hawkeye into sex right in public. Granted, he'd probably find that somewhat entertaining, but the general population would not.

"Yeah, that sounds great," Trapper finally said. "Eleven-thirty ok? I mean, I'm sure Shannon would be hungry and –"

"The kids will be fine," I reassured him. "BJ and Hawkeye will be coming along."

"Not that snobby chap?"

"I can make certain that Charles isn't around. Is he really that bad?"

"Chief of Thoracic is no laughing matter, but I prefer mine to always eat humble pie."

I laughed. "I get your point. It's a date!"

I felt somewhat cheered when I hung up. There was some hope with Trapper helping out. I wished that the announcement of being in Boston did not throw him off completely. Thinking about Shannon might be the killer. Trapper seemed pretty damned worried about her.

"Anything bad?" BJ asked me.

"Well, his mind is occupied," I revealed weakly. "It might be nothing."

"But it might be something," Hawkeye continued.

I nodded. "We'll find out later."

From there, we made our plans. While Charles was not pleased to be left behind, he agreed to be out of sight and mind. He decided that a trip to the library was in order. With him out of the way and safely tucked into the quiet of academia, Hawkeye, BJ and I schemed away. This was supposed to be a normal excursion. It was going to be like we were seeing an old friend from the war. All of us were going to present our case. Depending on how Trapper swayed was how we were going to argue the evidence. Then, we will go for the grab – get him packed up and driving away.

It seemed too perfect, although we knew there were flaws that Trapper was going pick apart and BJ was the largest doubter. With that in mind, we assembled our things and packed the car (or, at least Charles' servants did). Once this was completed, it was almost time to go. We scandalously walked out the front gates of the house and found public transportation. The bus BJ flagged down took us downtown. We trekked on foot the rest of the way to the Public Gardens.

It wasn't hard to find Trapper. He was waited by a water fountain, arms crossed as his eyes remained peeled for us. As soon as the children saw him, they were pulling at us to let go. Tuncle was there and he was smiling widely! They had to be the first to say hi and get the initial hug and kiss on the head.

It was best to let them, Hawkeye and I agreed. The stampede was swift. Trapper almost toppled into the water by the weight of the four. He tried keeping the older girls and the twins in his arms at the same time, telling them that he loved them and was so happy to see them. He gave so many kisses that I thought his lips and reassurances were going to fall off.

"Ok, ok," Hawkeye announced as we drew closer to the group. "I think Tuncle needs some air."

BJ held out his hand. Trapper took it and stood up, brushing imaginary dirt from his sides. He looked from one adult to the next – from BJ to me and then Hawkeye – and then from the oldest to the youngest child. Nobody moved or said anything. He expected to be taken somewhere, for a walk maybe. What he felt was much different.

"Well, this is a welcoming committee," Trapper said nervously.

I moved forward. "Let's talk."

"I knew this was coming. What now? Am I not supporting my girls enough?"

"What are you talking about, Trapper?"

"Did you think Louise called us?" Hawkeye interjected. He sounded incredulous and hurt.

"Well, did she?" Trapper accused. "I am sure she did."

"We don't talk with her, Trap," BJ reassured him. "She doesn't talk with us either."

"Yeah, well, she likes telling everyone how horrible I am," Trapper retorted. "Pretty damned sure she went through my full phonebook and dragged on about our divorce."

Trapper would have gone on in great detail about his misery had not BJ interrupted. "Trapper, stop. We didn't come here to stick pins in your damned voodoo doll. We came here to enlist you to help us."

"Henry needs our help," Hawkeye pleaded. "So does Lorraine."

Trapper froze. "Henry Blake is dead. He doesn't need help now."

I would have said something, but Hawkeye stopped me. He put his hand out and slowly inched towards Trapper, almost like he was closing in on a child in the middle of a minefield. Gently, he put his arm around Trapper's shoulders and guided him around the fountain, down a pathway lined with roses. They began talking. First, it was about the little things around them.

Then, I heard mention about Korea. While Hawkeye hardly uttered a peep about that faraway place, this time he reminded Trapper of how they met and why they bonded. He painted a tale of two doctors, out on their first Army assignment and finding their footing in a foreign country. Trapper picked up on when they moved into the Swamp together and began to dirty the place up, enough that when Frank arrived, it was almost unlivable.

BJ and I were stunned. We stood there as other people walked around us. It was absolutely amazing that, after all of these years, Hawkeye bonded with Trapper. It was like their last meeting overseas had not happened. It was leaping with the nurses, planting petunias in Frank's helmet and riling up the enlisted personnel. It was also stealing Henry's oak desk, running away to Tokyo and creating a political disaster asking for an incubator.

Eventually, the pair came back our way. They stopped a few feet away from me and BJ, still engrossed in their discussion. Their eyes also watched the children. Shannon had her brother and sisters playing like they were a football team. Someone had given her the odd-shaped ball and she had to pretend to play. Somehow, other boys and girls joined in. Patrick, Danielle and other smaller children were on shoulders, giggling and they urged their rider to tackle.

"See that little girl over there?" Hawkeye pointed Shannon out. "She's been worried about you."

"Has she now?" Trapper was soon transfixed upon Shannon.

It was too easy to be. Shannon was an alarmingly enchanting little girl. She easily drew attention and desired her audience to notice her every move. Even when she ruined her dress and undid her hair, not one person batted an eyelash. She was a mirror of perfection that nobody wanted to break.

"She said that Tuncle was unhappy without her," Hawkeye continued.

"She is like a daughter to me, Hawkeye," Trapper told him. "All of your children are like my own, but Shannon is next to my heart after Kathy and Becky."

"I understand, Trap. But did you know this? Shannon has a sense of adventure. She interrupted Jeanie and I for a special bulletin. She figured you were going out west to rescue Henry Blake and wanted to go with you."

"Huh, she must have inherited something from her uncle and father."

"What's that?"

"She has an idea of where there needs to be trouble."

Hawkeye faced Trapper, dubious. "You'll do it?"

"Oh, why the hell not?" Trapper replied. "It's not like Louise is letting me see Kathy and Becky anytime soon."

Hawkeye was spontaneous. Copying Trapper's goodbye message given by Radar, he kissed Trapper. And this time, a cheek was not peeked. Hawkeye went for the lips.

A lot of people gave strange looks and glanced away. Hawkeye and Trapper didn't seem to care. They clasp each other in a mark of true friendship and started laughing. It was almost like they were back in Margaret's cot or preventing Frank from entering the OR on the presumption he had hepatitis. Their relationship struck a new chapter.

BJ eyed the scene without jealousy. To be honest, he had been working towards this for the past three years. He had taken the role of moderator with glee when the pair bickered. He heard so much about Trapper and, upon meeting him, had to make it his mission to mend fences. He also understood that, like most of us, Trapper was damaged by Korea and might never recover.

Hawkeye and Trapper returned to us, arms still tangled together. They tried to stop laughing, but it was tough. They were still reminiscing about their antics. Hawkeye even mentioned a few he and BJ did.

"So, how are we going to work this?" Trapper finally asked.

"Dress like a soldier," I told him. "Take a right out west and go to Illinois."

"Why there?" Trapper was confused.

"That's where the camp records are," BJ explained.

"Hawkeye told me some of what is going on," Trapper said carefully, "and said h Henry is up for the chopping block."

"And considered unamerican," I reminded him.

Trapper whistled. "No, it can't be!"

"So is his wife," Hawkeye added. "We, as knights of the finest order, cannot allow a lady to suffer."

"And we cannot allow a fine man laid to rest to be tarnished," BJ added.

Trapper thought about it for a moment. He nodded. "What will I need to do?"

We called the children over for a walk. While Shannon was disappointed that her game was interrupted, she was enthused about staying with Tuncle. Her siblings followed her. The football was given back to them and their many new friends waved goodbye.

Then, while the four ran around us in circles, we told Trapper what we were looking to do and why. I spoke about how we got Greg preoccupied and the answers we gave him. Then, BJ relayed our night at Rosie's and how we met Jack Scully. This continued into how Margaret's call came to be and how Greg is now involved with the search.

"Hot Lips must have loved him," Trapper observed with a snicker.

"Let's just say it was short," I said, "and pretty damned steamy."

Trapper agreed to do what we asked of me and then some. He could still act military, more so than Hawkeye and BJ. But he thought some legitimacy was required. He had a friend in the reserves who was always up for some trip. He could use him as backup.

"You don't know how much this means to us," I said, when everything was set in stone. "This will save a lot of people."

"Don't I know it," Trapper replied. "This is a dangerous place, Jeanie. Nobody can understand the politics, don't question authority and run with what's on the news. I hope this will change soon. Good men like Henry Blake don't deserve this."

Following lyrics are from the Oasis song "Wonderwall". And I hope everyone is doing ok! We are safe here.