Everyone was laughing and crying, hugging and cheering and bidding their farewells to Sara, who just stood their unhappily and cried very lightly. General Hammond had indeed come to get her, they were going to Seoul where in a few days after questioning, Sara would be shipped home. Little did the young girl know but Hawkeye had gone to the expense of collecting over half the signatures on a petition to let Sara stay at the 4077 with them. Of course the only two officers who didn't sign the petition were Majors Houlihan and Burns, who were quite disgusted by the thought of keeping a "child" so near the front.
Frank of course called Hawkeye a pedophile for trying to keep the young girl around, but Hawkeye just brushed off his comments with a laugh, deep in his heart though, Hawkeye knew something else. He felt some kind of strange connection with this young girl, this broken spirit.
"She's like a pony that's been whipped to life's very edge," Hawkeye once described to Trapper, "She has to be coxed back into civilization slowly, after all the pain she's gone through you can't expect anything more." And now, all the officers and enlisted personnel had to keep in their excitement of the petition, everyone had to hold in this surprise for a few more days when Hawkeye, Trapper, Henry Blake, and Radar would go down to Seoul for the appeal.
Everyone was laughing and crying, this could be the last time they would see the broken soul of a child, the last they would hear of her voice and the last they would be able to see her bright smile. At the time though, no one thought of that, everyone's trust in Hawkeye was too strong, they had full faith that he would bring her back.
"Be good kiddo." Hawkeye said quietly as he hugged Sara and choked back tears, Sara on the other hand had no intention of choking back anything. Tears flowed slowly down her face, her blue green eyes shone in the early morning sunlight.
"Thank you," She whispered, "For everything." He hugged her tightly one more time before stepping back and letting Henry step forward.
Henry cleared his throat and tried not to cry, "Be good kid, maybe I'll see you back in the good ol' US of A." Sara nodded and looked around at the 4077th MASH, smiling slightly she stepped into the jeep and buckled up.
"I'll see you in a few days" General Hammond whispered to Henry before getting into the jeep beside Sara, "Alright corporal, let's go!" The corporal saluted and started the engine, Sara turned around in her seat to face the small crowed from the MASH, as the jeep drove down the dusty road she waved them what she thought would be her last goodbye. Hawkeye didn't stay to watch her leave, instead he made his way rather quickly back to the Swamp and poured himself a martini.
A few minutes later Trapper entered the tent, his eye's were filled with sorrow and he slouched slightly trying not to look at Hawkeye. For a few minutes both men said nothing, Trapper was sitting on his cot staring blankly out into the camp where everything seemed eerily quiet. Hawkeye continued to sip his martini, his mind wandered in different directions, something just didn't fee right.
Everything was too quiet. Then at last Hawkeye spoke.
"I miss her already."
"I know what you mean, she's brought a lot of cheer to this dismal place." Trapper sighed and picked up a dirty magazine, but that didn't consol Hawkeye, something inside of him felt empty, like he was missing a piece of himself, he began to pace the tent.
"Jeezus Hawk!" Trapper exclaimed, "What's wrong? We'll see her in a few days!"
Hawkeye sighed and sat down on his cot, "I know that! I just....just... oh never mind."
Sorry this is a short chapter, I've just gotten into an enrichment english program at school and my teacher wants me to write more to the novel Im working on, so Im a bit preoccupied. Dont worry, chapters will keep coming!