Carter drained the tub and hummed as he dressed. It was amazing how little things that he'd taken for granted back home – like lazing in a warm bath – had taken on a whole new meaning here. It was too bad that the Kommandant had disconnected the phone and taken the radio or they could all pretend they were in a fancy hotel. Still, it was nice just being with his friends again. And having the Colonel back where he belonged.
He yawned as he slipped into the living room. He was debating with himself if he'd rather play a game of gin with Newkirk or grab a nap on the floor by the fireplace when he realized that his friends were all staring at him. "Something wrong?"
"You could say that." Kinch suppressed a grin. "The Colonel's awake. He wants to see Private Carter ASAP."
"Private?" Carter couldn't help glancing at the stripes on his shoulder. "He must still have a fever."
"I don't think so." Kinch nodded towards Hogan's door. "Better get going while you still have any rank left."
"Jeez." Carter ran his fingers through his wet hair. "Do you think this is about me and Major Anders?"
Newkirk laughed. LeBeau rolled his eyes. Kinch shoved him towards the Colonel's room. He cautiously knocked on the door. With any luck at all Colonel Hogan had fallen back to sleep.
"Come."
"Colonel?" Carter peeked into the room. "You wanted to see me, sir?"
"Come in and close the door."
"Oh, jeez." Carter knew he'd screwed up really bad this time. "Colonel, I can explain…"
"Not while you're standing at attention, you can't."
"But…" Carter took one look at Hogan's expression and snapped into his best military stance.
"Now then, Private." Hogan stood carefully, and strode up to Carter. "I hear you've been insubordinate."
"Well, I…"
"I hear you disobeyed a direct order from a superior officer."
"I…"
"I hear you're going to be spending the rest of your life in Leavenworth. If you manage to avoid a firing squad."
"A firing squad?" Carter swallowed hard. "Jeez, Colonel, you gotta help me."
Hogan shook his head, paced in a tight circle around the sergeant. "An army runs on a chain of command, Carter. Forget that and you deserve to be shot."
"But, Colonel…."
"If I can't trust you to follow orders, I'm going to have to replace you." Hogan leaned against the wall as casually as he could. "I think I'll talk to Sasha. He strikes me as a man who would like setting off explosives."
"Sasha?! But you said we could never show him the tunnel because he'd lead a mass escape."
"You haven't left me any choice, have you? I won't have an insubordinate team member."
"Please, Colonel. Give me another chance. I would never disobey one of your orders. But Major Anders isn't like you. He doesn't care who my bombs kill."
"You don't seem to understand how the military works, Sgt. You have to obey anyone who outranks you."
"But not if they order you to do things that are wrong. You said that Hitler couldn't stay in power if his generals didn't support him. You said…."
"Anders isn't Hitler. And I never said you should take on every racist bastard that crawls into camp."
"It's not right how he treats Kinch. You gave orders that all Allied prisoners get treated the same. You said we're here to fight the Master Race, not to be the Master Race."
"Carter…"
"I know I was out of line, sir, but sometimes you have to be wrong to be right. That's what my mom always says, anyway." Carter took a deep breath. "I understand if you have to court martial me, sir, but I hope you don't hate me now. I don't think I could stand that."
"Carter…" Hogan threw his hands up in surrender, retreated to his bed. "I give up. I'm giving you to the Navy. Maybe a good flogging will straighten you out."
"I'm really, really sorry, Colonel. I promise it'll never happen again."
"You promise that the next time I get slapped around by the Gestapo and Klink ships me across the country, you'll obey your new commanding officer? That's certainly a comfort." Hogan laughed dryly. "Alright, Carter. I won't turn you over to Anders for disciplinary measures this time, but screw up again and I'll make you wish Anders was your commander."
"Thank you, sir. I won't cause any more trouble. You have my word. "
"At ease, Sgt." Hogan leaned against the headboard and massaged his temples.
Carter took the chair next to the bed and studied his commander with concern. The Colonel had never let him off this easily before and the officer could generally be heard back in London when he was disciplining someone – at least, that was the joke among the guys.
"Think you'll recognize me next time you see me?"
"Huh?"
"Why are you staring at me?"
"Oh. I don't know. I just wondered if you felt ok."
"I'm just tired." Hogan playfully slapped the younger man. "Give me a few more days to rest up and I'll give you a proper dressing down."
"Oh, good." Carter lost his smile. "Really, Colonel – Are you ok? The guys say…"
"What?" Hogan bristled. "That I broke?"
"Oh no, sir." Carter shook his head vigorously. "No one would ever say that. Honest."
"Sorry." Hogan closed his eyes while he regained control. "What do the fellas say?"
"Just that everyone has trouble after they've been with the Gestapo." Carter leaned forward nervously. "I guess it was pretty bad, huh? What they did?"
"It wasn't exactly a cake walk, but I'll be ok. I just have to get all the balls back in the air again."
"Huh?"
"Luftwaffe, Gestapo, Underground, Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill, DeGaulle…." Hogan pantomimed juggling. " Once you let the balls drop, it's hard to get them all going again."
"Oh, yeah." Carter grinned. "I get it."
"Good. Now, do you want to do something to help me?"
"You got it, boy. Sir. I'll do anything you want."
"Anything?" Hogan grinned as Carter nodded. "I want you to keep Sgt Carter from irritating Major Anders. Do you think you can do that for me? Just until I'm back on my feet?"
Carter colored. "Oh, right sir. Can do."
"Great." Hogan winked. "I'll see what I can do to keep Anders from putting you up against the wall."
"Thanks, Colonel." Carter was tempted to hug the officer, but he knew that wouldn't go over well. Instead he saluted.
"Kinch!" Hogan shouted, bringing his adjutant a moment later. "Little Deer's on KP for ninety days."
"Ninety days!" Carter glanced to Kinch, saw no help there. "Ah, jeez."
"And if he gives you anymore trouble, feel free to take him out back and shoot him."
"Yes, sir." Kinch did his best to keep a straight face. "Do you want that to be a clean shot to the head or a slow, agonizing one to the gut?"
"Your choice." Hogan gestured towards the door. "Now, everyone out. It's time for my nap."
"Right." Kinch tugged Carter to his feet and started him for the door.
"Oh, Carter."
"Sir?" Carter glanced back, hoping he wasn't going to end up with latrine duty on top of KP.
"I heard about you and Hochstetter. Good job."
"Gee, thanks. You know I was afraid…" Carter didn't get a chance to finish before he was summarily yanked into the next room.
"So?" Newkirk looked up from a game of solitaire.
"Ninety days KP." Carter kicked a wayward pair of boots out of his way.
"That's all?" LeBeau scoffed.
"You could have gotten a lot worse." Kinch slapped Carter on the back. "I'd say you should count your blessings."
"I guess so." Carter glanced from his friends to Hogan's door. "I don't think he feels good enough to do a lot of yelling."
"Lucky for you." Newkirk stretched. " I'm going out on the porch for a smoke."
"It's after curfew." Kinch went to the window. "Who's on duty tonight?"
"Just old Schultzie." Newkirk slapped on his cap. "Nothing to worry about."
Kinch made a noncommittal sound and joined LeBeau in front of the fireplace.
Carter slipped outside behind Newkirk.
"Don't you have dishes to wash?"
"I will." Carter leaned against the railing beside the Briton.
"Don't shoot, Schultz." Newkirk waved his arms before the half-asleep guard. "It's just us."
"What?" Schultz shook himself awake. "You boys should be inside."
"We're on the porch. That's part of the building."
"You're on the porch and you're outside and…" Schultz shook his head. "Just see that there's no monkey business."
"You have my solemn word." Newkirk crossed his heart.
"The stars are sure pretty tonight." Carter stared at the winter sky. "Sometimes it's hard to remember there's a war going on."
"Are you balmy? We're surrounded by barbed wire and guards. Where do you think we are? At church camp?"
Carter couldn't explain how he felt. Everything just seemed right again. Especially now that he didn't have to worry about being shot.
"Ninety days KP. Anders is gonna blow his cork."
"I didn't mean to cause so much trouble. I hope the Major isn't going to be too mad."
"Don't worry. The governor'll sort him out." Newkirk chuckled. "The way things are going, the war may end while you're still washing dishes."
"Really? You think we're that close?"
"Look what's going on – you Yanks are bombing all day, the RAF all night… the Reds have broken through to Poland…." Newkirk flicked his cigarette butt over the railing. "Then there's the really big signs."
"Like what?"
"Like the Bald Eagle letting Sasha and Major Anders out of the cooler. And ordering the Russian barracks to be fixed up. Not to mention sending Schultz to bring the governor back here." Newkirk scowled in the direction of the Kommandant's quarters. "You don't think he's letting Colonel Hogan stay in the guest quarters just to be nice, do you?"
Carter shrugged. "The Kommandant's not so bad. He follows the Geneva Convention."
Newkirk rolled his eyes.
Carter decided to drop the subject. His mouth had gotten him into enough trouble lately. "So what are you gonna do after the war?"
"Me? Oh, I don't know. I'll have my back pay. I'm thinking of starting a pool hall or a pub. Maybe I'll hire Louie to cook fish and chips."
"But Louie hates English food."
"That's why it's such a good joke, you bloody oaf." Newkirk swatted Carter with his cap. "What about you? Is there much call for sabotage experts in Bullfrog?"
"Not really. I was kind of hoping…." Carter broke off with a sigh. " Kinch says it won't happen."
"What won't?"
"Nothing. I just thought…" Carter glanced wistfully at the door.
"You want to work for the governor? Is that it?" Newkirk shook his head, just as Kinch always did. "He'll have bright young lieutenants to run his errands for him once he's home."
"Yeah, I know. Kinch says things will be different after the war."
"Right, but if it's a military post you want, I'm sure the Colonel will help you find a good one." Newkirk nudged him. "One with plenty of sun and lots of pretty birds."
"Maybe." Carter watched Schultz struggling to stay alert. "What do you think will happen to poor Schultz after the war? And the Kommandant?"
"Schultz won't have any trouble. He's just a lowly sergeant obeying orders. But the Bald Eagle…." Newkirk grinned. "He'll be going to a POW camp. Or to prison. And it'll be good riddance to him, I say."
"I don't know. He's not so bad."
Newkirk rolled his eyes.
"I just mean…." Carter was interrupted by an air raid siren.
"What'd I tell you? Hitler'll be on his knees any day now." Newkirk had to raise his voice above the drone of approaching RAF planes.
"Shouldn't we get inside?"
"And miss the show?" Newkirk waved at the planes, undaunted by the fact that the pilots couldn't possibly see him. He growled as the guards shot their rifles at the passing formation. "Bloody bastards."
"Why do they do always do that?" Carter considered the guard tower. "They'll never hit anyone."
"Hope springs eternal, I suppose."
"You boys get inside." Schultz gestured excitedly at Klink's quarters. "The Kommandant will see you."
Klink was standing on his porch, looking not at the sky, but at them. Carter was amazed when the German executed a quick salute and went back into his quarters.
"Why'd he salute us?"
Newkirk laughed and turned Carter around until he was face-to-face with Hogan.
"Oh." Carter grinned. "I get it."
"Don't you guys have enough sense to come in out of an air raid?" Hogan shooed them towards the door. "You've got a stack of dishes waiting for you, Carter."
"Right, sir. On my way." Carter headed for the kitchen. LeBeau had cooked a really great meal and had left a really great mess behind him. Carter suspected that the Colonel had given the Frenchman advance notice of who would be cleaning up. He shrugged and cracked open the window above the sink a bit. He could hear the Colonel joking with Schultz on the porch and Newkirk starting a card game in the living room. He couldn't keep from whistling as he tackled the stack of dishes.
* * * *
