Set after You've Got To Be Kitten Me

Enjoy

It's That Cat... Again...

'Papa, Papa, come see this-'

Hogan heard Maisie's excited cry from his office, placing his pen down with a chuckle. 'Coming, coming…' Could do with a break from this paperwork, anyway, he thought, as he got up from his desk and entered the barracks. Except for Carter seated on a bunk and Maisie sitting cross legged on the floor, the barracks was deserted. 'Alright, what have you got to show me, Maisie?'

Maisie glanced up, holding a squirming kitten in one hand, the other a small crumpled paper ball. 'Carter and I have taught Buttons to fetch.'

'You have, have you?'

'Watch-' She flicked the paper ball across the room, the kitten taking off after it. Buttons pounced on the ball, then took it between her paws, tossing it up again in the air. Another chase ensued, the kitten scampering beneath the bunk Carter was seated on before emerging again, this time with the ball in her mouth. 'Come here, Buttons, come here, sweetheart-' Maisie encouraged, a grin coming to her lips as the kitten trotted back to her. 'Good girl.' The kitten released the ball into her hand, purring loudly as her reward, a little sliver of cooked chicken, was given to her. 'See, Papa?'

Hogan could only smile and shake his head with amusement. 'I never thought I'd see the day when a cat learned to fetch.'

'It's really simple to teach them, Colonel,' Carter said. 'First, you get a little bit of paper, roll it up into a ball and put a little meat inside. They can smell it, but can't get to it, and so we pull it out and give it to them. Buttons caught on really quick. She's a smart cat.'

'Mmmhmmm.' He crossed his arms in front of his chest, not convinced. 'You do realize she's a cat. Not a dog, right, Carter?'

'Right, sir. That doesn't mean she's any less useful. No sir're, cats are just as smart as dogs.'

'If cats are that smart, when are you going to teach her something useful? Like retrieving messages.'

Maisie looked at Carter. 'Could we?'

Hogan rolled his eyes. You can't teach a cat to carry messages.

'Of course we can.' Carter replied enthusiastically. 'We've already taught her to come when she's called-' He clicked his fingers, gaining the kitten's attention. 'Here, Buttons, here puss puss.'

The colonel raised an eyebrow as the kitten ran to Carter, jumping up onto his lap. 'And what's next?'

'Associating the command with an action. Maisie, you got any chicken left?' The teen nodded, getting up to hand him some. 'Now-' He held the chicken in front of the kitten's nose to get her interested in it. 'Maisie, I'll hand this to you and when she comes to you, give it to her, okay?' She nodded again. 'Buttons, find Maisie.'

'Here, Buttons.' She encouraged her, as Carter passed the chicken to her. Buttons followed the food eagerly, hurrying back to her. 'Good girl.'

'See?' Carter turned back to the colonel. 'There's nothing to it.'

'When she can take a message from outside camp back in, then I'll believe it. Not before.'

'I think I detect a hint of a challenge there.' Maisie giggled, holding the kitten to her chest. She turned to Carter. 'What do you think? Shall we take Papa up on it?'

Hogan sighed, shaking his head. 'The day a cat becomes a carrier pigeon, I'll eat my cap.'

The teen grinned as the colonel disappeared back inside his office, and she looked back at Carter. 'I believe we have some training to get started.'

'Newkirk…'

The corporal glanced around at Maisie, getting the distinct feeling that she was up to something. 'I know when you take that tone, it involves me doing somethin' for you.' He placed down the German uniform jacket he'd been altering as she walked over to his workbench. 'What is it this time?'

'Can you help me make a collar for Buttons?'

'A collar for Buttons?' He repeated.

She nodded. 'But not any old collar. One that we can use to slip messages in. Like the ones we have on the dogs when Schnitzer wants to pass along a message to Papa.'

Newkirk raised an eyebrow. 'And why would you want to make one of those?'

'Uh, to carry messages in, Newkirk.' Maisie replied. 'Why else?'

'In case you hadn't noticed, that's a cat. Not a dog or a carrier pigeon, mate. Have you finally gone off your rocker?'

'I'm well aware of Buttons' species-' She gave the kitten on her shoulder a rub beneath her chin. 'But Carter and I have been training her as a little trick to go to people when we tell her to. That way, we can pass messages on.'

'So that's what the little exercise you've been doin with her in the Barracks each night is for.'

She nodded again. 'Mmmhmm. We've still got to work on distance and such, but she's slowly getting there, and besides; since she goes out of camp almost as much as you guys do, she's going to need some sort of identification in case someone picks her up. I don't want this little munchkin to go missing…'

'Don't give me those eyes, Maisie.' He sighed. 'I 'ave a lot of work to be gettin done.'

'Bitte.'

And she just had to put the charm on, didn't she?

'I'll even help you finish getting that uniform finished, Newkirk…'

'Alright, alright. I'll do it.'

'Danke.' She reached up, giving him a kiss on the cheek. 'You're the best.'

'Alright, cut out the compliments.'

She giggled as Buttons jumped from her shoulder onto the workbench. 'What do we need to do first.'

'Find some leather and a buckle, for starters…' The corporal began looking around in one of the boxes on a shelf. 'Here we are. What color do you want?'

'Hmmm.' She took a moment to choose. Brown, light tan or black. 'Black.' She decided. 'Cause she's black.'

'Black it is.' He returned the rest of the leather back in its storage space and handed the strap to her. 'We'll 'ave to cut it down, of course. It's too wide right now. Now, where on earth did I put those buckles…'

'Newkirk?'

'Yes?'

'Can we somehow have some kind of setup so the person she delivers a message to knows that there is a message? It's all well and good teaching her to go to Papa, but if he doesn't have a way of knowing if she's got a message or not, it'll be a waste of time.'

Newkirk thought for a moment. 'Her tags. We'll put two tags on her collar, one with her ID and the other with just a picture or somethin. If the picture one is missin, there's a message in the collar. Sound like a good idea?'

'Brilliant, Newkirk.' She smiled, Buttons padding over to rub her head against her chest. 'Papa might have to eat his cap yet.'

'You want to install what? Where?' Klink gasped.

'A cat door. For Barracks 2.' Maisie repeated. 'Like the one we have in our quarters. So Buttons can come and go as she pleases. It's not like the prisoners can escape out of a cat door. Besides, some nights she likes to sleep on Colonel Hogan's bunk.'

Klink just shook his head, looking back at his paperwork on his desk. 'Maisie, I am very busy, and you come and interrupt me about a cat door? Request denied.'

'I'll do it myself, Uncle. It's not that hard putting in a cat door-'

'Fine, fine.' He interrupted with a wave of his hand. 'If you want to put a cat door in for her at Barracks 2, go right ahead. Now, can I get back to my reports?'

'Of course. Danke, Uncle, Danke.'

'Yes, yes, out.'

'Going.'

Klink shook his head again after she'd left. A cat door into the barracks? Has being in camp finally sent her crazy… He stood, going over to the window and watched as she happily hurried into Barracks 2, the door closing behind her. If it hasn't sent her crazy, it's sending me crazy! A cat door, of all things…

Well, compared to some of Colonel Hogan's requests, a cat door was nothing. As long as she doesn't start asking for miniature golf courses...

'What have you been up to today?' Klink questioned, picking up his fork to begin eating his meal. 'I trust you got your school work completed?'

Maisie nodded. 'That's what I did first, like I always do. Then I cleaned up my room and in here. Carter showed me how to teach Buttons another trick this afternoon. She knows almost ten tricks now. We've just got to work on her jumping through a hoop.'

'Jumping through a hoop?' Klink repeated, in disbelief. 'Is that all the prisoners have to do, teach cats to jump through hoops?'

She giggled with amusement at the look on his face. 'No, they've got escape tunnels to dig in their spare time-'

'Maisie-'

She giggled again as the Kommandant glared at her. 'I'm only teasing you, Uncle Klink.'

'Have you heard of or seen any escape attempts?'

Hmmm… What would you consider an escape? Not a night out, if they return… 'Nothing at all. If I do, you'll be the first to know.'

'Danke, Maisie. I would like to know what happens in my own prison camp.'

No, no you don't… At that exact moment, Hogan and co were in a meeting plotting to blow up another railway bridge, their third for the month. 'I can show you some of Buttons' tricks after we finish eating, if you wish. We can put on a little show for you.'

'Well, I don't have anything else to do this evening.' He placed his utensils down, wiping his mouth with a napkin. 'I'd like to see what you've been teaching your cat.'

Maisie grinned as she finished off the remainder of her meal, drinking the rest of her water as she stood. 'I'll go fetch her. Buttons-'

Klink shook his head with amusement as the teen left the room, calling for her kitten. Wonders would never cease. If anyone was going to teach a cat tricks, he had a feeling that it would be Maisie. Picking up his wine glass, he made his way into the parlor and took a seat on the couch to wait.

Not long after, Maisie returned, Buttons running to keep step with her. 'We'll have to do a little show for Major Hochstetter the next time he returns to camp…'

Since the first meeting between the major and Buttons, he'd endeavored to do the best he could to keep the pair of them apart. 'I don't think that would be a wise idea, Maisie.'

'No, I don't think it would be, either.' She replied, with a smirk on her face, Buttons jumping up onto the coffee table. 'Up, Buttons, up-' With a flick of her wrist she guided the kitten to stand on her back legs, Buttons balancing on her haunches. 'Wave, wave-'

A smile was on Klink's face as he watched his niece show off the new skills she'd taught her kitten. In the moment of watching her, he was able to forget his troubles and just enjoy a little time to unwind while watching their little demonstration. He clapped as they finished, Maisie having gotten Buttons to jump up onto her back, the kitten settling down on her shoulder. 'Well done, Maisie.'

Her grin widened as she rubbed beneath Buttons' chin. 'Danke, Uncle. Next, Carter's going to show me how to teach her to jump through my arms. Once she's learned how to do the hoop properly, of course.'

Of all the… He just shook his head. 'And I believe you guys can do it, too.'

'Okay, girl, let's see what you can do,' Carter said, giving the kitten a pat before he removed the extra tag from her collar.

'You think she's ready for this?' Maisie questioned, a hint of worry in her voice. 'I mean, we haven't tried her over this distance before…'

He patted her shoulder kindly. 'She'll be just fine, Lil sis. And if she pulls it off, someone's going to have to eat his cap.'

'Alright…' she sighed, placing the half grown kitten on the ground. 'Find Papa. Go on.'

Buttons took a sniff around, then trotted off, disappearing into the undergrowth.

'Come on-' Carter placed a hand on her shoulder. 'Let's get back to camp to wait for her.'

Maisie nodded, and the two of them snuck back through the forest to the emergency tunnel, making their way back into the Barracks to wait for the kitten's arrival.

Time ticked by, the team and Maisie playing a card game to pass the time. Still, there was no sign of the kitten.

'I think my cap is pretty safe.' Hogan spoke up after it had been two hours, looking up from his watch. 'Perhaps you should get into the homing pigeon business instead.'

Maisie cast a worried look towards the cat door. 'I hope she isn't lost-'

'She's probably out chasing birds. I'm sure she's alright.'

Casting her cards back into the table, she stood. 'I'm out, I don't feel like playing anymore. I might go work on this assignment that's due next week.' Leaving the barracks, she took a look around the compound while she made her way to Klink's quarters. No sign of the kitten.

She sighed heavily as she closed the door behind her, then at the sound of loud purring, glanced over at the stove. Curled up in her favorite spot next to the stove was Buttons. A little smile touched her lips. Perhaps Hogan was right. Cats just weren't smart enough to carry messages….

Something cold and wet was pressed against his neck, Hogan blinking as he slowly regained his bearings. What… happened? He wondered, looking up into the darkness, soft flakes of snow falling down upon him. After a moment, he remembered. A meeting with an Underground agent had gone bad, the Gestapo having been given a tip off somehow-

He winced as he tried to sit up, but couldn't. Have to get back to camp…. He tried again, this time just able to pull himself up to a sitting position as he leaned against a tree. He held a hand to his side, trying to stop the blood flow from the wound he'd sustained. Must get back to camp…

Something brushed against him, something that sounded like it was… purring? Looking down, he could just make out the form of something small and black to the side of him. Reaching for his flashlight, he turned it on, Buttons blinking in the bright light.

'Come… to save… the day?' He chuckled hollowly. What a great way to go. A twisted ankle and a bullet wound stuck in a snowstorm with his adopted daughter's cat for company.

'Buttons… come here…'

The cat came over closer to him and climbed onto his lap, rubbing her head beneath his chin. His numb fingers struggled to get the extra tag off her collar, but after a moment, he finally managed it. With nothing to write a message on, his only choice was to run a bloodied finger on her collar and hope someone took notice.

'Find… Maisie…'

The cat purred, blinking at him.

'Go… home… find Maisie.'

Buttons climbed up his chest, rubbing her cold nose against his cheek.

'Go home… find Maisie.'

Finally, the command seemed to sink in, and the cat ran off into the darkness once more. His strength spent, he slumped back onto the ground, hoping that by some divine miracle, the cat actually managed to return to camp. If she didn't… He couldn't stay awake any longer, the colonel slipped back to sleep in a very precarious situation.

In Barracks 2, the men had gathered to play a game of cards around one of the oil lamps to pass the time. Hogan was out meeting with a member of the Underground and except for that, it had been a pretty quiet evening. Newkirk was doing especially well in the game of poker that was in process (namely because a certain teenage girl wasn't playing with them. He still couldn't figure out for the life of him how she'd gotten good enough to beat him at his own game) and had just placed down a winning hand when the bunk entrance opened up.

'Newkirk, you've gotta help Papa-'

'Steady on, lass-' The men hurried over to her, helping her over to a bunk. 'Looks like you've been running a marathon. Nightmare wake you?'

'No.' She replied, between catching her breath. 'Papa needs help.'

Kinch frowned, kneeling down beside her. 'Why do you say that?'

'This-' she pulled Buttons' collar from her pocket. 'It's missing her second tag, and there's blood on it.'

The sergeant looked it over before handing it to Newkirk. 'Buttons just came to you?'

She nodded. 'I was asleep when she came in and woke me up. Then I realized the extra tag was missing from her collar and saw the blood…. What if something's happened to him?'

'We'll find him, don't you worry.' Kinch looked at one of the men who'd been woken up by the commotion. 'Davis, would you stay with Maisie? We'll head out to go find the Colonel.'

The private nodded. 'Of course.'

'Thank you.'

'Be careful.' She cautioned, as they disappeared down the ladder. 'It's really starting to snow out there…'

A little while later, and with the help of one eager German Shepherd named Heidi, Hogan's crew and dog searched the forest surrounding the camp for any sign of their colonel. Maisie had been right. It had really started to snow, and as they continued looking, the temperature began to drop lower.

Heidi wasn't having much luck, the dog sneezing again as she tried to find a scent. LeBeau patted her, the dog whimpering softly. 'Come on, Heidi, find mon Colonel. You can do it.'

'Like lookin for a needle in a bloody haystack.' Newkirk commented, his face sober. They'd gone quite a distance from camp but still hadn't seen any sign of their colonel. There was no telling if they were even headed in the right direction. Maisie's cat could have come from any direction, there was just no way of knowing.

'If he's out here-' Carter spoke up, trying to encourage his teammates. 'Heidi's going to find him. Aren't you, girl?'

The German Shepherd wagged her tail at the mention of her name, sniffing the air again. After a moment, she started forward once more, LeBeau keeping a firm hold of her leash.

'I sure hope she picks up his scent soon,' Kinch said, as they ventured further into the forest. 'If Colonel Hogan is hurt, being out in this weather isn't going to do him much good.'

The group continued on in silence once more, the snow falling thicker as the snowstorm started to appear like it was turning into a blizzard.

Suddenly, with an urgent whine, Heidi surged forward.

LeBeau and the rest of the men hurried to keep up with her, the German Shepherd running decisively on into the undergrowth. When she came to a stop, she began to dig at the snow with her paws. The Frenchman dropped to his knees beside her and started brushing the snow away. 'She's found him.'

The men hurried over, helping LeBeau brush the rest of the snow off their colonel.

'Colonel, Colonel Hogan-' Concern was thick in Carter's voice, as they tried to rouse their commander. 'Wake up.'

'This ain't the place to be sleepin, Colonel.'

'Newkirk….?'

Heidi licked Hogan's gray cheek as he came around and whimpered softly, her tail wagging excitedly. With a grimace, Hogan tried to push the dog away.

'What happened, Colonel?' Kinch questioned, wondering what their next course of action should be. He didn't dare try looking for injuries while they were out in a blizzard, but he wouldn't have been out here in the snow in the first place if something hadn't happened.

'Gestapo… Got… shot…'

'Bloody brilliant.' Newkirk wasn't at all enthused by that answer. 'Don't worry now, G'vnor, we'll get your ruddy hide back to camp.'

'Thanks… Newkirk.'

As carefully and gently as they could, they helped Hogan to his feet, Kinch and Newkirk on either side to steady him. Heidi whined softly, the dog casting concerned glances back at the colonel as LeBeau led the way back to camp, lighting the way with his flashlight. Carter stayed back with Kinch and Newkirk, attempting to help in any way he could. It was slow, tedious going, and by the time they had finally managed to get Hogan back to camp, they were all thoroughly frozen through.

'LeBeau, return that dog to the kennel 'fore they realize she's missin,' Newkirk instructed, once they'd made it down into the safety of the tunnel. 'Then get Wilson.'

The Frenchman nodded and hurried away, taking the dog with him.

'Easy, Colonel-' the corporal said softly, as they helped him through the tunnel, making their way to the ladder leading into the barracks. 'Won't be much longer now.'

With the sound of the tunnel entrance opening, Maisie looked up, hurrying over as Kinch's head appeared up through the hole. 'Did you find him?'

'We found him.' Kinch replied, as he climbed out, turning back to help the others get Hogan up the ladder. Between the three of them, they managed to get him up and back into the barracks.

'Papa…'

'Let's get 'im to his room.'

Maisie hurried on ahead, opening the door to the colonel's office and hastily threw aside the blankets lying on his bed. Buttons was less than impressed at her sleep being disturbed, the cat stalking out of the room as the men lay their commanding officer down on his lower bunk.

Silently, the little group set to work. Maisie lit the lamps to supply the room with light, Newkirk and Kinch starting to get him out of his black camouflage gear, while Carter helped where he could. Newkirk and Kinch raised their eyebrows when they saw the nasty gash in the colonel's side, Maisie taking a sharp intake of air.

'He's been shot.'

'No kiddin.' Newkirk replied, wondering where LeBeau was with Wilson. Kinch handed him some gauze from the first aid kit in the colonel's locker, Maisie returning with a bowl of water and a rag. 'You'll be right as rain in a couple days. Nothin more than a scratch.'

Hogan didn't reply, his eyes half closed as he struggled to stay conscious.

'You'll be okay, Papa.' Maisie's face was blank, emotionless as Newkirk and Kinch did their best to stop him from losing any more blood. The wound had started to bleed again from the movement. His skin was frozen to touch, his lips a worrying shade of gray-

Wilson entered the room a little while later, much to their relief. 'What have you done to yourself now, Colonel?' He questioned, placing his bag down on the mattress as the men and Maisie moved aside to give him some room.

'Not… much…'

'I can see that.' He shook his head, then looked back at the group. 'Kinch, you'll need to stay and give me a hand. The rest of you, skedaddle. Get out of those damp clothes before I have five patients on my hands.'

Newkirk, Carter and Maisie left the room, the corporal closing the door behind them. 'I'll get some coffee on the stove.' The teen offered, going over to where the kettle was stored. 'You all look like you could do with some.'

'Appreciate it, little mate.' Newkirk stopped beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder as she filled the kettle from the sink. 'Don't you worry 'bout the colonel. He'll be okay. Guess it's a good thing he let you keep that kitten after all.'

The blizzard was still in full force when morning came around, Maisie having to ask Schultz to give her a hand to get to the barracks. After Wilson had emerged from the colonel's room earlier that night, she'd headed back through the tunnel to her room, though she didn't get a chance to get much sleep. With the storm, roll call had been canceled with the barracks guards carrying out a headcount instead. Everyone was accounted for, as usual, and as soon as Schutlz had left the barracks once more, the teen had hurried into Hogan's room.

Buttons was curled up beside the colonel, the two of them fast asleep when she walked in. Guess you are going to have to eat your cap now, Papa, she thought with a smirk, taking a seat beside him to wait for him to wake up. You owe my little cat big time.

Wilson had said Hogan's injuries weren't the worst he'd ever had (which was little comfort to someone as worried as Maisie was), and he expected him to make a full recovery. The snow, while having given him a mild case of frostbite and hypothermia, had also stopped him from bleeding to death. Luckily, he'd been found in time.

Time slipped by slowly, the men coming and going from time to time, but Maisie was content to curl up on Hogan's chair and read a book. Buttons stirred, the cat stretching as she woke up and padded softly over the covers towards her, jumping onto her lap. She smiled, giving her a pat, and her cat settled down to sleep once more on her lap. Glancing over at Hogan, she saw him starting to stir and gave him a smile. 'Welcome back, Papa.'

'Hey, Maisie…' He replied tiredly, looking at her for a moment before closing his eyes again. 'What's new?'

'Oh, you know, the usual. You getting yourself shot and stuck out in a snowstorm. That kind of thing.'

'So that's what happened, then? I thought for a moment I'd been hit by a freight train.'

'No-' She giggled, running her fingers through his black locks. 'No freight train.' Hogan thought for a moment, then tried to get up, Maisie pushing him back onto the bunk with a single finger. 'Ah ah ah, no you don't.'

'Plans-'

'Already decoded and sent to London, so there's no need for you to be getting out of bed. Wilson says you are to stay on your bunk for a few days, at least.'

He sighed, and the girl laughed. 'What's the time?'

'Almost three in the afternoon. You've been having a good sleep.'

'Mmm.'

Buttons got up from her lap, jumping back over onto Hogan's bunk, and she giggled as the cat began rubbing her head against his cheek. 'Someone else is happy that you're going to be okay, too.'

'Hello, Buttons.' Her whiskers tickled his cheek. 'I had the most unusual dream last night…'

'Oh?'

'Yeah… I was out in the forest, and your cat was there.'

'That… wasn't a dream, Papa.' She pulled the collar from her pocket, forgetting to clean it, and put it back on the kitten. He opened his eyes, a slight frown on his face as he looked at the collar. 'Her extra collar tag was in your hand, Papa. Somehow, this little one was out in the forest and found you. You took her collar tag and wiped the blood on her collar, and she came back to me. That's how we knew something was wrong. That's how they were able to find you, with Heidi's help.'

A slight smile came to his lips. 'Make sure Heidi gets a bone for dinner tonight-' Buttons had lain down on his chest, and he gave the cat a little scratch beneath her chin. 'And this one deserves a medal.'

'See, Papa? Cats can carry messages.'

'Yes… Yes, it would appear that they can.' He replied, after a pause, Buttons kneading the blanket with her paws, purring away happily.

'You know what that means?' She questioned, with a mischievous grin.

'What?'

She grabbed his cap off the dresser behind her, handing it to him with a twinkle in her eye. 'Bon appetit.'