Disclaimer: The characters in this story do not belong to me, they belong
to M*A*S*H and its associated companies. I am borrowing these characters
and I am not making a profit from my use of them.
A/N: I finally saw a M*A*S*H episode with BJ in it! So I should have a more accurate portrayal of him. (Slight aside point: I managed to write the third Against All Odds before the second, and I wrote it before I saw any series 4 shows, so it'll be slightly off in that.) Anyway. enjoy!
Against All Odds 2: The Journey
Chapter 1
The OR. No one gets used to it. So many lives hang in balance, so much emotion, not to mention the ever-bitter stench of blood that filters through the air.
Of course, when the lives are dealt with as best as they can be, the doctors are free for a precious few hours. BJ Hunnicutt's last patient was taken away, but he just stood there.
"Hey, Beej," Hawkeye Pierce called from the other side of the room.
"My patient's gone," BJ murmured.
Trapper John McIntyre strolled over to the exhausted doctor, just in time to catch him when his knees buckled beneath him. Hawkeye hurried over to assist.
"He's totally worn out," Hawkeye mumbled, trying to take some of his weight.
"Hey, put him on a gurney," Trapper suggested. "We'll get him back to the Swamp that way."
As the two struggled with BJ's sleeping form, Hawkeye asked, "How long has he been up?"
"Well, we just had thirteen hours in here, he did four hours of Post-Op duty before that, I think he got an hour of sleep before the Post-Op duty, and that was after that sixteen hour long session of surgery."
"So," Hawkeye began, adding up the figures in his head. "In the last thirty-four hours, he's had one hour of sleep?"
"And we've had at least five," Trapper said. "You could look at it this way ad say that he hasn't had any sleep in seventeen hours."
Hawkeye and Trapper laid BJ onto the cot, and adjusted him into a fairly comfortable position. "Our turn," Hawkeye said, laying down on his own bed and closing his eyes.
Trapper decided not to sleep, but instead to meander over to the Mess Tent to see if there was anything to cease the growling form within his stomach. The term 'food' was used lightly in the Mess Tent of the 4077th M*A*S*H.
The concept of a normal routine was slowly fitting back into the camp members lives at the 4077th M*A*S*H unit, particularly the life of Trapper John McIntyre. It was not too long ago that life was disrupted for him. Of course, the war in itself was a disruption with no routine, but nothing compared to losing his family, being in a jeep crash and being bombed whilst in the Supply Tent. Bad luck comes in threes, Hawkeye had told him, and he had certainly not been wrong.
Although there had been three pieces of bad luck, Trapper had also had three pieces of good luck. Firstly, Frank Burns had left, which had given the camp the pleasurable company of BJ Hunnicutt. The second was that after the accident, Trapper found the value of the friendly, almost family- like atmosphere of the members of the unit, particularly Hawkeye, who was the best friend he could ever ask for.
The third was that he had found love in the camp, in the form of Major Margaret Houlihan. The two fell for each other after seeing the nicer sides of each other. From then on, their romance just fell into place.
Margaret, whom had had an affair with Frank previous to being with Trapper, felt that there was a big difference between the two. With Frank, she had seen just the physical side of love, but being with Trapper she felt more than that. She knew it sounded like the inside of a greeting card or something, but their souls were in the relationship and she could see the emotional side of love, and it felt good.
In the Swamp, BJ and Hawkeye were still fast asleep when Radar O'Reilly scurried in. "Sir," he said as he shook Hawkeye awake.
"Radar," Hawkeye mumbled, still half asleep, "Tell the wounded to take a seat in the waiting room whilst the doctor sleeps. Tell them to feel free to look at the five-year-old magazines."
"Sir, it's important," Radar persisted.
"When is it not important?"
"Colonel Blake needs two doctors, one nurse and one corpsman to go somewhere near the front. Two choppers collided and six wounded are there. They can't transport them back by chopper because of the conditions there, loads of trees and stuff. They wouldn't make it by road, so instead of them coming to us, you have to go to them." He paused for breath. "Aid stations are packed full, so no hope there, either."
Hawkeye had fully woken up during the speech. "Guess it is important. No," he halted Radar, who was about to wake up BJ. "No point. He's sleep deprived and wasn't fit to work through the last session as it was."
"So, you and Trapper will go?"
Hawkeye sighed. No one ever wanted to go, him well included, but sometimes you have to do things you really never want to do. "Looks that way, I guess. I'll find him, and you round up the nurse, corpsman and bus, and don't forget any equipment we'll need." Radar was out of the door even before Hawkeye had finished.
Hawkeye poked his head into Margaret's tent and was surprised to find that only Margaret was there, asleep in her bed. "Hmm," he pondered. "If he's not here, and not in the Swamp, where could he be?" He strode past the Mess Tent, and this question in his mind was over when he saw Trapper inside, head in his arms on a table, inches away from half a sandwich.
Hawkeye entered the tent and sat on the bench beside the sleeping form. "Trap?" he asked softly. He tapped him on the shoulder and Trapper sat bolt upright ready to attack, causing Hawkeye to jump back in surprise.
"Don't do that!" Both scolded at the same time, before breaking into laughter.
"What'd you wake me up for?" Trapper eventually asked.
"We got a bus to catch," Hawkeye told him. "Six wounded, choppers collided somewhere close to the front."
"Collided?" Trapper asked, not quite believing his ears.
"You heard right. Come on, let's get going."
Radar had to wake Major Houlihan; to confirm that one of her nurses was leaving.
"Ma'am," Radar called softly.
"Hmm? Radar?"
"Sorry to disturb you, Major, but we need one of your nurses tonight, that is, Hawkeye and Trapper need a nurse tonight."
"Need a nurse? For what?"
"To get on the bus to go to the front and rescue six wounded," Radar blurted out in one breath.
"Well, why didn't you say so? I'll go," the Major said, getting out of bed.
"Colonel Blake says it can't be you, in case we get wounded while they're away. You'd pose as a surgeon."
Margaret saw his point. "Okay, give me five minutes and I'll get you a nurse."
Radar next went off in search of a corpsman and was surprised to find that Klinger instantly volunteered. "Klinger? You? You hate the war."
"Exactly. They'll think I've totally cracked when they know I've volunteered for this."
Radar looked at the strapped red sequin dress. "I don't think they'd want you in that. They'll want you in khaki."
Klinger sighed. "A small price to pay. I'll be done in a second."
Radar left the tent and drove the bus to the middle part of the compound. Hawkeye and Trapper assembled by the door, being briefed by Henry.
"Sir?"
"Rad. do we have a nurse and a corpsman?"
"Klinger has volunteered to be the corpsman."
"I thought he'd be the nurse," Trapper cut in with humour.
". And he's just getting into his army fatigues. Major Houlihan is about to supply a nurse."
"I'm hoping for a tall blonde," Hawkeye murmured.
Klinger then marched into the compound. "Corporal Klinger SIR! Reporting for duty SIR!" He gave two salutes, each on the word 'sir.'
Henry rolled his eyes. "All right, Klinger. Into the bus you go. You're driving."
A moment later, the nurse showed up. "Lieutenant Bayliss, sir." She also saluted, though not as dramatically as Klinger.
"Guess you got the short straw, Ginger," Hawkeye said, helping her onto the bus.
"I volunteered to go," she replied simply.
"All right, are you all ready to go?"
"Miss, Trapper forgot his permission note," Hawkeye joked in a high-pitched voice.
"Radar."
"Maps, sir," Radar replied, giving them to him.
Margaret had hurried out into the compound to find Trapper before he left. "I love you," she whispered when she found him.
"I love you too," he replied, drawing her into a kiss whilst ignoring the cheers and whistles from those standing around the bus.
"Drive, Klinger," Henry commanded once everyone was on the bus.
"Yes, sir!" Klinger replied, speeding away into the evening.
A/N: I finally saw a M*A*S*H episode with BJ in it! So I should have a more accurate portrayal of him. (Slight aside point: I managed to write the third Against All Odds before the second, and I wrote it before I saw any series 4 shows, so it'll be slightly off in that.) Anyway. enjoy!
Against All Odds 2: The Journey
Chapter 1
The OR. No one gets used to it. So many lives hang in balance, so much emotion, not to mention the ever-bitter stench of blood that filters through the air.
Of course, when the lives are dealt with as best as they can be, the doctors are free for a precious few hours. BJ Hunnicutt's last patient was taken away, but he just stood there.
"Hey, Beej," Hawkeye Pierce called from the other side of the room.
"My patient's gone," BJ murmured.
Trapper John McIntyre strolled over to the exhausted doctor, just in time to catch him when his knees buckled beneath him. Hawkeye hurried over to assist.
"He's totally worn out," Hawkeye mumbled, trying to take some of his weight.
"Hey, put him on a gurney," Trapper suggested. "We'll get him back to the Swamp that way."
As the two struggled with BJ's sleeping form, Hawkeye asked, "How long has he been up?"
"Well, we just had thirteen hours in here, he did four hours of Post-Op duty before that, I think he got an hour of sleep before the Post-Op duty, and that was after that sixteen hour long session of surgery."
"So," Hawkeye began, adding up the figures in his head. "In the last thirty-four hours, he's had one hour of sleep?"
"And we've had at least five," Trapper said. "You could look at it this way ad say that he hasn't had any sleep in seventeen hours."
Hawkeye and Trapper laid BJ onto the cot, and adjusted him into a fairly comfortable position. "Our turn," Hawkeye said, laying down on his own bed and closing his eyes.
Trapper decided not to sleep, but instead to meander over to the Mess Tent to see if there was anything to cease the growling form within his stomach. The term 'food' was used lightly in the Mess Tent of the 4077th M*A*S*H.
The concept of a normal routine was slowly fitting back into the camp members lives at the 4077th M*A*S*H unit, particularly the life of Trapper John McIntyre. It was not too long ago that life was disrupted for him. Of course, the war in itself was a disruption with no routine, but nothing compared to losing his family, being in a jeep crash and being bombed whilst in the Supply Tent. Bad luck comes in threes, Hawkeye had told him, and he had certainly not been wrong.
Although there had been three pieces of bad luck, Trapper had also had three pieces of good luck. Firstly, Frank Burns had left, which had given the camp the pleasurable company of BJ Hunnicutt. The second was that after the accident, Trapper found the value of the friendly, almost family- like atmosphere of the members of the unit, particularly Hawkeye, who was the best friend he could ever ask for.
The third was that he had found love in the camp, in the form of Major Margaret Houlihan. The two fell for each other after seeing the nicer sides of each other. From then on, their romance just fell into place.
Margaret, whom had had an affair with Frank previous to being with Trapper, felt that there was a big difference between the two. With Frank, she had seen just the physical side of love, but being with Trapper she felt more than that. She knew it sounded like the inside of a greeting card or something, but their souls were in the relationship and she could see the emotional side of love, and it felt good.
In the Swamp, BJ and Hawkeye were still fast asleep when Radar O'Reilly scurried in. "Sir," he said as he shook Hawkeye awake.
"Radar," Hawkeye mumbled, still half asleep, "Tell the wounded to take a seat in the waiting room whilst the doctor sleeps. Tell them to feel free to look at the five-year-old magazines."
"Sir, it's important," Radar persisted.
"When is it not important?"
"Colonel Blake needs two doctors, one nurse and one corpsman to go somewhere near the front. Two choppers collided and six wounded are there. They can't transport them back by chopper because of the conditions there, loads of trees and stuff. They wouldn't make it by road, so instead of them coming to us, you have to go to them." He paused for breath. "Aid stations are packed full, so no hope there, either."
Hawkeye had fully woken up during the speech. "Guess it is important. No," he halted Radar, who was about to wake up BJ. "No point. He's sleep deprived and wasn't fit to work through the last session as it was."
"So, you and Trapper will go?"
Hawkeye sighed. No one ever wanted to go, him well included, but sometimes you have to do things you really never want to do. "Looks that way, I guess. I'll find him, and you round up the nurse, corpsman and bus, and don't forget any equipment we'll need." Radar was out of the door even before Hawkeye had finished.
Hawkeye poked his head into Margaret's tent and was surprised to find that only Margaret was there, asleep in her bed. "Hmm," he pondered. "If he's not here, and not in the Swamp, where could he be?" He strode past the Mess Tent, and this question in his mind was over when he saw Trapper inside, head in his arms on a table, inches away from half a sandwich.
Hawkeye entered the tent and sat on the bench beside the sleeping form. "Trap?" he asked softly. He tapped him on the shoulder and Trapper sat bolt upright ready to attack, causing Hawkeye to jump back in surprise.
"Don't do that!" Both scolded at the same time, before breaking into laughter.
"What'd you wake me up for?" Trapper eventually asked.
"We got a bus to catch," Hawkeye told him. "Six wounded, choppers collided somewhere close to the front."
"Collided?" Trapper asked, not quite believing his ears.
"You heard right. Come on, let's get going."
Radar had to wake Major Houlihan; to confirm that one of her nurses was leaving.
"Ma'am," Radar called softly.
"Hmm? Radar?"
"Sorry to disturb you, Major, but we need one of your nurses tonight, that is, Hawkeye and Trapper need a nurse tonight."
"Need a nurse? For what?"
"To get on the bus to go to the front and rescue six wounded," Radar blurted out in one breath.
"Well, why didn't you say so? I'll go," the Major said, getting out of bed.
"Colonel Blake says it can't be you, in case we get wounded while they're away. You'd pose as a surgeon."
Margaret saw his point. "Okay, give me five minutes and I'll get you a nurse."
Radar next went off in search of a corpsman and was surprised to find that Klinger instantly volunteered. "Klinger? You? You hate the war."
"Exactly. They'll think I've totally cracked when they know I've volunteered for this."
Radar looked at the strapped red sequin dress. "I don't think they'd want you in that. They'll want you in khaki."
Klinger sighed. "A small price to pay. I'll be done in a second."
Radar left the tent and drove the bus to the middle part of the compound. Hawkeye and Trapper assembled by the door, being briefed by Henry.
"Sir?"
"Rad. do we have a nurse and a corpsman?"
"Klinger has volunteered to be the corpsman."
"I thought he'd be the nurse," Trapper cut in with humour.
". And he's just getting into his army fatigues. Major Houlihan is about to supply a nurse."
"I'm hoping for a tall blonde," Hawkeye murmured.
Klinger then marched into the compound. "Corporal Klinger SIR! Reporting for duty SIR!" He gave two salutes, each on the word 'sir.'
Henry rolled his eyes. "All right, Klinger. Into the bus you go. You're driving."
A moment later, the nurse showed up. "Lieutenant Bayliss, sir." She also saluted, though not as dramatically as Klinger.
"Guess you got the short straw, Ginger," Hawkeye said, helping her onto the bus.
"I volunteered to go," she replied simply.
"All right, are you all ready to go?"
"Miss, Trapper forgot his permission note," Hawkeye joked in a high-pitched voice.
"Radar."
"Maps, sir," Radar replied, giving them to him.
Margaret had hurried out into the compound to find Trapper before he left. "I love you," she whispered when she found him.
"I love you too," he replied, drawing her into a kiss whilst ignoring the cheers and whistles from those standing around the bus.
"Drive, Klinger," Henry commanded once everyone was on the bus.
"Yes, sir!" Klinger replied, speeding away into the evening.