It was the hangover from hell, a head throb that Hawkeye wouldn't have wished on his worst enemy. His vision was blurred and this insane ringing seem to run through his head.

"Ohhh......my head." Trapper moaned from his cot in the corner of The Swamp.

"Shut up Trapper, your talking to loud." Hawkeye moaned as he blinked away the blurry vision only to be greeted face to face with Radar holding a tray with two cups coffee on it.

"Morning Hawk! Morning trapper!" He said cheerily, though to Hawkeye and Trapper is was more of a yell then a normal talking voice. Both men groaned in agony, "I thought you could use some coffee, after last night you'll probably need it."

"Radar," Hawkeye began as he sat up in a struggle, "There isn't enough coffee in the world to make this hangover disappear, only you talking, breathing and over all walking quieter will help."

"Fair enough." Radar shrugged as Hawkeye picked up his cup of coffee and handed the other cup over to Trapper, "By the way, that kid's awake, she wont talk to anyone though. Maybe you outta go take a look at her."

For a moment Hawkeye and Trapper just stared at each other before jumping to their feet and racing out of The Swamp and towards the post-op. Once the reached the doors the entered mildly as if the situation at hand was nothing and walked idly down the row of patients until both men came to the last bef where Sara Howard lay. Beside her was Colonel Blake, Klinger dressed in a pink fashion, Major Houlihan and Major Burns. When Henry saw Trapper and Hawkeye walk in he quickly excused himself and made his way over to them.

"It's about time you two jokers showed up!" He hissed, "She wont talk to anyone, all I can say is that you had better get her talking because the general's coming down here to take her away."

"Well where's Sidney?" Trapper asked as he sipped his coffee some more, which somehow he had managed to avoid spilling in the race over to the post-op.

"Right here." Doctor Sidney Freedman said behind them, "I've been talking to her but she refuses to say anything."

"Oh of all the war stricken kids, SHE had to come to the 4077..." Hawkeye muttered darkly.

Sidney sighed, "You have to remember she's probably seen great tragedies. Chances are she's greatly traumatized."

"No kidding doc. How long did it take you to make that assessment?" Trapper asked sarcastically. The doctor gave him a stern stare before continuing, "I don't think we're going to get anything out of her, Hawkeye, you can make people laugh, you try!" Hawkeye shrugged and motioned for Trapper to follow him.

"Alright We're taking over here, nothing to see folks." Hawkeye told everyone as they approached Sara's bed, instead of protesting, everyone left quietly, even Frank and Margaret. Hawkeye and Trapper sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at each other and the girl nervously, trying to think of something to say.

"Hey kid," Hawkeye broke the silence, "Im doctor Pierce, I was the head of the surgeons who operated on you."

"I'm not sure that was the best thing to tell her Hawk," Trapper John pointed out, "She looks even more pale now that you've said it." Trapper laughed and Hawkeye gave him a dirty stare, still the girl smiled ever so slightly.

"What's your name?" Hawkeye asked.

No reply.

"Where are you from?" Trapper asked.

Once again there was no response.

"You almost didn't make it kiddo, you were really lucky someone brought you to us when they did." Hawkeye motioned to the glass full of shrapnel bits and dead bullets on a bed side table next to the girl, "We got all that out of you."

"There was enough metal in you to make a metal dinning room set with matching sporks." Trapper joked nervously, the girl smiled slightly but it quickly disappeared.

Hawkeye sighed and rubbed his eyes, "Listen kiddo, we're going to get breakfast, we'll come back after that and talk then if you feel ready."

"Then the General will come and you can go home." Trapper put in, both men stood up and began walking away from the girls bed when a weak voice stated something very plainly.

"I don't want to go home. I want to stay here."



It was war, no one wanted to stay here, both men turned around to look at the girl but she refused to meet their gaze.