"What the hell is going on in here?" Henry blustered.
Frank turned his eyes wild. Out of pure reflex he fired, nailing Henry in the chest. Henry fell to the ground. Hawkeye sprinted over to Frank, grabbing the arm with the gun, trying desperately to get the gun away. Trapper dashed to Henry, "Can you hear me?"
"Trap, tell my family I love them more than anything in the whole world. Look after Radar for me."
"Do it your self." Trapper started applying pressure to the wound.
Hawkeye finally managed to wrench the gun out of Frank's grip. Frank collapsed on the ground sobbing. By this stage the entire camp had gathered, someone had a stretcher. Hawkeye and Trapper gently lifted Henry onto it and rushed him to Pre-Op, leaving Sidney, Margaret and the MP's to deal with Frank. Radar grabbed their clothes and followed. The surgeons threw on they're scrubs as fast as possible before scrubbing up. Hawkeye kept repeating, "Oh God, not Henry."
Trapper didn't say anything, focussing entirely on what they were about to do. Hotlips and Nurse Able joined them. It wasn't until they got into the OR that they spoke to each other. Trapper looked at Hawkeye and saw his hands were shaking. "Hawk, are you gunna be alright. We can get Sidney to assist me, and you walk me through."
"No, can't leave Henry. I am the best cutter here."
"Not if you're shaking you're not." Trapper was almost yelling. Henry was brought in and placed on the table before them. That silenced them both, it seemed surreal. Hawkeye went instantly into surgeon mode, the ultimate professional. "Scalpel."
They were up to their elbows in Henry for 6 hours. When they finally emerged it was dawn. Trapper looked at Hawkeye, relief etched on his face, "We did it."
Hawkeye was to exhausted to care. Radar, who had watched the entire operation through the door, grabbed a wheel chair. Hawkeye sat down, to tired to walk back to the Swamp. On the way he peppered Trapper with questions about Henry. Trapper explained as simply as he could what damage Frank had done and what they and done to fix it. "Radar, he's going to be okay. Henry is stronger than he looks."
"I know. But, but it was so scary watching you guys. I thought I was going to lose him, the only Dad I've ever known."
"Speaking of Dad's, how's Frank?"
"His being held in the VIP tent until we know what's going to happen."
"The poor guy."
Radar arked up, "The poor guy, THE POOR GUY! He shot Henry for heck's sake."
Trapper just smiled a sad smile. "You don't know the half of it."
They reached the Swamp. Trapper woke Hawkeye gently, "Come on, come to bed."
Hawkeye stirred. Trapper pulled him up and walked him to his cot. He tucked him in. Radar turned and left. Trapper gently stroked Hawk's cheek, "Good night."
He walked over to his cot and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
It was lunchtime before Hawkeye woke. He sat up and looked around as the events from the previous night filled his head. Frank, his father, the gun, Henry. Oh God, Henry. As he got up and threw on his robe Trapper woke. Trapper was still tired, his sleep had been broken, haunted by nightmares. In silence he got up and went with Hawkeye to Post-Op to check in on Henry.
When they saw their CO they stopped dead. He was pale and lifeless, a mere shadow of Dr Henry Blake. Hawkeye reached for the chart. "How is he?" Trapper asked, the worry clear in his voice.
"He hasn't fallen back anywhere."
"But he hasn't gotten any better either?"
"No."
Trapper monaed softly, "This is our fault."
Hawkeye voice was void of emotion, "No, it's Frank's father's fault."
"Poor Frank."
"I know." An uncomfortable silence filled the air.
Radar entered the room, he was like an old man.
Hawkeye was filled with concern for the young corporal, "Radar, have you slept?"
"No sir," he mumbled, "I've been in here with Henry, I just needed the latrine."
"Radar, you need to sleep. You'll make yourself sick otherwise. That won't help Henry."
"But it's Henry." He was to tired to speak above a mumble.
"Radar, go to bed. That's an order," Hawkeye knew this would be the only way to get Radar away from Henry. He relented slightly, "Look, the bed next to him is free, sleep there."
"Yessir." Radar crawled into the bed and was asleep almost instantly.
Trapper watched him for a moment, "The poor kid."
The PA sounded, "Would doctors Pierce and McIntyre report to the Mess Tent for questioning."
Hawkeye just stood staring at Henry. Trapper grabbed his arm and gently led him away. When they got there Sidney and some army brass were waiting for them. "Hi Hawkeye, Trapper. This is Colonel Banks and this is Major Carrick."
"Good afternoon, Sidney," Trapper said, "Now where are these guys from?"
Colonel Banks looked stern, "That doesn't really matter son, now does it?"
Trapper narrowed his eyes, "Apparently not."
The Major spoke up, "In your own words, what happened last night?"
Trapper sat down and sighed heavily. "I don't remember all of it. Most, but not all," he warned. "We were playing poker, and Dr Pierce and myself got called to the lab. When we got there it was dark. When Frank turned the light on he had the gun pointing at us. He accused us of being homosexuals. Henry showed up and Frank turned to see who it was. He fired out of reflex."
"Now why would Major Burns think you were homosexuals?"
Trapper looked to Hawkeye, but he was staring into space, his mind somewhere far away, so he continued, "The other night, I was comforting Dr Pierce and he fell asleep, rather than wake him, I made myself as comfortable as possible and did the same. Frank walked in and assumed the worst."
Colonel Banks looked rather shocked, "Why wasn't the incident reported?"
Trapper was barely keeping control of his temper, "Because there was no freaking incident," he said through gritted teeth.
Sidney intertupted, "Calm down Trap. Hawkeye, why were you so upset?"
He got no response. "Trapper, why was Hawkeye so upset?"
"A huge shift. He had saved them all up until the last kid. . . He tried everything, absolutely everything, but he lost him."
Major Carrick spoke up, "Back to last night, hy didn't you have any clothes on?"
"Huh?"
"Trap, when everyone got there you and Hawkeye were naked. He was trying to get the gun, you were helping Henry."
"Really? I don't remember. I don't remember much after Henry got shot."
"Why did Major Burns have such a problem with gay men?" the Major asked.
Trapper looked down at the table and muttered something. Colonel Banks was losing patience fast, "Speak up."
"Look, he was abused as a kid. His dad. . ." he trailed off.
Even Sidney looked shocked, "The poor guy."
"Look, can I go now? I need sleep and I need it soon."
Major Carrick took pity on them, "Yes, but you'll be required again sometime today."
"Fine, I just need to sleep."
Frank turned his eyes wild. Out of pure reflex he fired, nailing Henry in the chest. Henry fell to the ground. Hawkeye sprinted over to Frank, grabbing the arm with the gun, trying desperately to get the gun away. Trapper dashed to Henry, "Can you hear me?"
"Trap, tell my family I love them more than anything in the whole world. Look after Radar for me."
"Do it your self." Trapper started applying pressure to the wound.
Hawkeye finally managed to wrench the gun out of Frank's grip. Frank collapsed on the ground sobbing. By this stage the entire camp had gathered, someone had a stretcher. Hawkeye and Trapper gently lifted Henry onto it and rushed him to Pre-Op, leaving Sidney, Margaret and the MP's to deal with Frank. Radar grabbed their clothes and followed. The surgeons threw on they're scrubs as fast as possible before scrubbing up. Hawkeye kept repeating, "Oh God, not Henry."
Trapper didn't say anything, focussing entirely on what they were about to do. Hotlips and Nurse Able joined them. It wasn't until they got into the OR that they spoke to each other. Trapper looked at Hawkeye and saw his hands were shaking. "Hawk, are you gunna be alright. We can get Sidney to assist me, and you walk me through."
"No, can't leave Henry. I am the best cutter here."
"Not if you're shaking you're not." Trapper was almost yelling. Henry was brought in and placed on the table before them. That silenced them both, it seemed surreal. Hawkeye went instantly into surgeon mode, the ultimate professional. "Scalpel."
They were up to their elbows in Henry for 6 hours. When they finally emerged it was dawn. Trapper looked at Hawkeye, relief etched on his face, "We did it."
Hawkeye was to exhausted to care. Radar, who had watched the entire operation through the door, grabbed a wheel chair. Hawkeye sat down, to tired to walk back to the Swamp. On the way he peppered Trapper with questions about Henry. Trapper explained as simply as he could what damage Frank had done and what they and done to fix it. "Radar, he's going to be okay. Henry is stronger than he looks."
"I know. But, but it was so scary watching you guys. I thought I was going to lose him, the only Dad I've ever known."
"Speaking of Dad's, how's Frank?"
"His being held in the VIP tent until we know what's going to happen."
"The poor guy."
Radar arked up, "The poor guy, THE POOR GUY! He shot Henry for heck's sake."
Trapper just smiled a sad smile. "You don't know the half of it."
They reached the Swamp. Trapper woke Hawkeye gently, "Come on, come to bed."
Hawkeye stirred. Trapper pulled him up and walked him to his cot. He tucked him in. Radar turned and left. Trapper gently stroked Hawk's cheek, "Good night."
He walked over to his cot and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
It was lunchtime before Hawkeye woke. He sat up and looked around as the events from the previous night filled his head. Frank, his father, the gun, Henry. Oh God, Henry. As he got up and threw on his robe Trapper woke. Trapper was still tired, his sleep had been broken, haunted by nightmares. In silence he got up and went with Hawkeye to Post-Op to check in on Henry.
When they saw their CO they stopped dead. He was pale and lifeless, a mere shadow of Dr Henry Blake. Hawkeye reached for the chart. "How is he?" Trapper asked, the worry clear in his voice.
"He hasn't fallen back anywhere."
"But he hasn't gotten any better either?"
"No."
Trapper monaed softly, "This is our fault."
Hawkeye voice was void of emotion, "No, it's Frank's father's fault."
"Poor Frank."
"I know." An uncomfortable silence filled the air.
Radar entered the room, he was like an old man.
Hawkeye was filled with concern for the young corporal, "Radar, have you slept?"
"No sir," he mumbled, "I've been in here with Henry, I just needed the latrine."
"Radar, you need to sleep. You'll make yourself sick otherwise. That won't help Henry."
"But it's Henry." He was to tired to speak above a mumble.
"Radar, go to bed. That's an order," Hawkeye knew this would be the only way to get Radar away from Henry. He relented slightly, "Look, the bed next to him is free, sleep there."
"Yessir." Radar crawled into the bed and was asleep almost instantly.
Trapper watched him for a moment, "The poor kid."
The PA sounded, "Would doctors Pierce and McIntyre report to the Mess Tent for questioning."
Hawkeye just stood staring at Henry. Trapper grabbed his arm and gently led him away. When they got there Sidney and some army brass were waiting for them. "Hi Hawkeye, Trapper. This is Colonel Banks and this is Major Carrick."
"Good afternoon, Sidney," Trapper said, "Now where are these guys from?"
Colonel Banks looked stern, "That doesn't really matter son, now does it?"
Trapper narrowed his eyes, "Apparently not."
The Major spoke up, "In your own words, what happened last night?"
Trapper sat down and sighed heavily. "I don't remember all of it. Most, but not all," he warned. "We were playing poker, and Dr Pierce and myself got called to the lab. When we got there it was dark. When Frank turned the light on he had the gun pointing at us. He accused us of being homosexuals. Henry showed up and Frank turned to see who it was. He fired out of reflex."
"Now why would Major Burns think you were homosexuals?"
Trapper looked to Hawkeye, but he was staring into space, his mind somewhere far away, so he continued, "The other night, I was comforting Dr Pierce and he fell asleep, rather than wake him, I made myself as comfortable as possible and did the same. Frank walked in and assumed the worst."
Colonel Banks looked rather shocked, "Why wasn't the incident reported?"
Trapper was barely keeping control of his temper, "Because there was no freaking incident," he said through gritted teeth.
Sidney intertupted, "Calm down Trap. Hawkeye, why were you so upset?"
He got no response. "Trapper, why was Hawkeye so upset?"
"A huge shift. He had saved them all up until the last kid. . . He tried everything, absolutely everything, but he lost him."
Major Carrick spoke up, "Back to last night, hy didn't you have any clothes on?"
"Huh?"
"Trap, when everyone got there you and Hawkeye were naked. He was trying to get the gun, you were helping Henry."
"Really? I don't remember. I don't remember much after Henry got shot."
"Why did Major Burns have such a problem with gay men?" the Major asked.
Trapper looked down at the table and muttered something. Colonel Banks was losing patience fast, "Speak up."
"Look, he was abused as a kid. His dad. . ." he trailed off.
Even Sidney looked shocked, "The poor guy."
"Look, can I go now? I need sleep and I need it soon."
Major Carrick took pity on them, "Yes, but you'll be required again sometime today."
"Fine, I just need to sleep."