I finally rewrote this after deletion. Now, if only I could remember the best parts of my original...anyway, if anyone wants to write one of my fics with me I'd like that.
Hawkeye Pierce sat at his desk in his Crabapple cove office. He had been home for three months and was eager to get back in the swing of things, but now, once there, he didn't feel up to much. Hawkeye was happy and much relieved to be home again, with his friends, his private practice, his dad. But the thoughts of Korea kept pulling at his brain.
He reached for the telephone, and a few inches above touching it, retrieved his hand. He had done this for a week, unsure whether to call his friend. There had been emptiness while in Korea, which Hawkeye had hoped would disappear upon his return home, and it had, except now there was a new, different one. He sighed. "It's still too soon."
Just then, the telephone started ringing. It was snatched up so fast Hawkeye almost dropped it. "Beej?" he yelled expectantly.
"Calm down, Hawk. It's just me."
He let out his breath. "Hey, Trap. How's it goin'?"
"Fine, but are you? You sound disappointed."
"I'm still having these bouts of depression."
"Ya figured out what it's from?"
"I dunno, I guess I, I just miss everybody. You know, from the 4077th. I mean, I spent years over there with those people!"
"You really miss that B.J. guy, don't you?" Trapper asked, somewhat sadly, thinking of all the times he couldn't be the one playing pranks, bailing out, and comforting his best friend, rather, someone else, someone taking his place."Yeah. Well, everyone."
"Hey, why don't you have him come up here sometime? I'd like to meet him, too," Trapper suggested.
Hawkeye thought a moment before responding. "He's with his wife and daughter. I don't want to bring thoughts of the war back to him, not just yet."
"Listen, Hawk! From what I've heard of the guy, he'll want you to give him a ring."
"Yeah, well, tomorrow."
"Hawk, go ahead. You won't feel better unless you do."
"O.K. Well see ya."
"That's the spirit! Bah now," Trapper said in a Southern accent like he used to do.
Hawkeye laughed, gently replaced the receiver and slowly stood up, paced the room, then sat down again. He lifted the telephone and began to dial a number he new very well but had never gotten around to calling B.J.'s home.
He could hear the faint ringing. Once. Twice. Finally, as he was about to hang up, he heard the click of someone answering.
"Hello?"
A pause. "Beej?"
"Yeah, who...Hawk!?"
"Yep."
"It's great to hear from you!"
Hawkeye could hear Peg in the background. "Who're you talking to, honey?"
B.J. only half covered the receiver. "It's Hawkeye!"
"Good!" Hawkeye heard her say. "I'm about sick of your moping and Hawkeye stories."
When B.J. put the telephone back up to his ear, he could hear Hawkeye laughing on the other end.
"Could you hear that?" he asked.
"Yep."
"Well, I have missed you."
"I thought it might be too soon."
"Aww, c'mon, Hawk! It's been, what, three months? Sometimes it feels like more, sometimes less... Anyway, we should have spoken at least, two months ago!"
"Yeah, well...say, do you want to come up here for, say, two weeks this summer? With Peg and Erin of course. Trapper wants to come up and meet you too. He convinced me to call you finally."
"Sure, why not?" B.J. said, after a brief pause. "Hey, Honey, Hawk wants us to come up to his place this summer. Can we?" Hawkeye could almost see Peg looking at him whining. "Please? Maybe the second week in July. C'mon, Hon. Yes!"
"I heard ya Beej. That's great. Here's my address."
After they figured out the times and wheres, Hawkeye hung up triumphantly and proceeded to call his dad and inform him of his plans. Then he called Trapper back and told him the information.
"Thanks Trap."
"No problem. That's why I'm here. Where would you be without me?"