"Radar, I'm a little busy." He opened his eyes and saw Nancy had drawn away from him and was innocently fixing her hair. He smiled his most charming smile at her, and she smiled back.
"Sorry, sir, but you're needed in OR. It's urgent."
He looked again at Nurse Griffin, who smiled and raised a hand to wave him off. "Just give me a second," he said, kissing her lips. "And a third," he added, kissing her again. Then he stepped out of the tent and headed toward the OR, Radar following on his heels.
"What's it about this time, Radar?" he asked.
"Sleeping Beauty, sir," came the answer. Immediately Hawkeye kicked up into a fast jog. Sleeping Beauty had been walking the thin line between survival and death for several days now.
He had hardly arrived at the changing rooms when Colonel Potter, followed by B.J., stepped out of OR. B.J. wouldn't meet his gaze. Colonel Potter, removing his surgical gloves with a snap, shook his head when he saw Hawkeye picking up a surgical gown. "Don't bother, son. We already lost her."
Hawkeye froze for a moment, then discarded the white gown in a heap in the corner. "What do you mean, lost her?" he demanded. He stepped up to the door and peered into OR. On the middle table lay a small shape, a motionless body covered completely by a deathly white sheet. He turned back to face Colonel Potter, half-convinced it was all a mistake and she was really still alive. "What do you mean, lost her?" he repeated.
It was B.J. who answered, sinking onto a nearby bench. "We just . . . lost her. One moment she was there, doing okay, and the next she was gone. We couldn't bring her back, Hawk." He drew off his surgical mask and glumly tossed it aside.
Hawkeyed flopped onto the bench next to him. Gone. He felt the tears gathering in his eyes as the reality struck home. Sleeping Beauty was gone. "Whatever happened to 'happily ever after?'" he asked.
Colonel Potter came and stood in front of him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "We don't always get those in war, son. I know. I've lived through enough, in my time. People die or they disappear. You never hear from them again. Sometimes folks make it home and live happily ever after. Other times, you've just gotta settle for 'the end.'"
The End.