Back In the World – CH 18
"Agony so Pierce-ing"
AN: For 'FictionFan' ...BJ referred to him as brother, kind of like a really close friends, so BJ considers him a brother. I was going for the parallel b/w the brotherhood of the soldiers too. Hope that helps.
---
"He's doing much better Doctor." The nurse said handing his chart over to the taller man standing beside her.
"Good." He replied with a nod. Then saw the soldier was coming to. "Hey there kid...how do you feel?" He got no response. He took a crate and sat beside the soldiers bed. Glancing at the chart in his left hand he asked again. "Blake, how do you feel?" Again he got no reply. Just a blank stare in return.
"Alright, you just rest easy. You're going home soon." The Doctor said, starting to stand up. "You just rest easy." He patted him lightly on his shoulder and continued walking with the nurse.
'It's cold. Why is it so cold? Where am I? Dad? Mom? Where am I? Who are these people? It's so hot in here...I can't take this heat...will someone get me some water...Mom please get me some water...' All these thoughts raced through Blake's head as he knocked over the crate beside him to get someone's attention.
'Why can't I talk? I just want a cup of water!' he thought as the nurse raced over.
"At ease Soldier," the doctor said appearing at the nurse's side. "So I see you're feeling better, took a lot of energy to turn over that crate didn't it?" Again he got no reply. Not even a change in facial expression. "Well obviously you wanted something...what is it Blake?"
'Come on, say it Blake...cup...of...water... what are you a baby...TALK! Why can't I TALK??!?' Blake thought.
Still getting no reply or movement, the doctor became a bit concerned. "Put on his chart, traumatic stress, they'll know what it means at HQ...see if the Father here can talk to him, if not, mark him TS and send him stateside." He said to the nurse after stepping a few feet away from Blake's bed. "Get him a cup of water he's probably dying of thirst." He added as he walked away, peering in Blake's direction as he continued walking.
---
"Oh God, Hawk, I'm so sorry." BJ muttered through his shock. The two embraced and Hawkeye fell into a bit of tears.
"Gone...Beej...Gone." The agony tore at his heart. His wife for twenty years was gone forever. The thought had raced through his mind a thousand times these past months, but there was always some hope. At one point, his knees buckled as he lost the strength to stand, BJ's arms holding him steadily. Hawkeye Pierce had never cried so much in his life. Even when his parents passed, he still had Jen, but now his love was gone.
As he knelt to the ground in weakness, the tears hit floor, drop by drop. A couple nurses had gathered at the sound of weeping coming from the room. They nonchalantly grabbed each others hands as they watched at the door way, somehow feeling a part of Hawkeye's sadness. BJ had tried to keep his friend from falling to the floor, but decided to meet him there as well. He knelt to the ground, never letting go of his friend. As he sat on the ground, Hawkeye still leaned against his shoulder. It was now as if BJ was cradling his friend. His left arm around his waist, his other reaching over his friends face, bringing him closer. This was what friendship came down to, and at that moment they knew it.
As the nurses watched quietly, a few doctors began to gather as well. Both BJ and Hawk couldn't see them, as their backs were turned. But it was a serene moment. The agony and pain pierced through the air and the spirits of each person there felt sorrow. A man they knew to be a rock was shattered before them. Benjamin Franklin Pierce continued on his tears and at every thought of his wife through the years he let out a wailing sound that shattered the quietness of that night. BJ did his hearts best to stay composed, but no human can withstand seeing a friend in such pain without shedding a tear. BJ jumped slightly at the wailing sound, but later it caused him to reassure Hawkeye that he was there and wouldn't leave.
Hawkeye's thoughts were filled with finer days. The times of soccer in the backyard during neighborhood barbeques. The numerous times his wife had tried to make a cake and always ended up burning it. He thought of the day he fell to his knees, just as he was now, and committed his whole heart to her. He remembered the moment Blake was born and the miraculous power of a child's birth into the world. His heart ached more and more as he remembered... "Honey...No." He muttered as he continued his wailing of tears and anguish.
He had now hidden his face in BJ's chest and his body shook with each breath. BJ placed his hand on his friend's forehead. BJ found himself also reminiscing, and thinking of how much Hawk changed the moment him and Jen married. And how he rejoiced so much when he knew he would be a Father. But with another weep from his friend, he snapped back into the reality he was in. A tear soaked shirt, a cold hospital floor and a best friend's broken heart...
---
The unit's chaplain was making his normal round when he came across Blake's bedside.
"Hello my son, I'm the Father here, they tell me you don't have much to say?"
Blake looked away in frustration, yet with no hint of frustration on his face.
"I see...well...if you won't talk, I guess you'll have to listen...I mean unless you feel the need to tell me to be quiet...by all means..." He continued after a moment's hesitation.
"This war side stuff, isn't new to me you know....I actually just got here myself, I was running the CYO back home and had a disabilities ministry, but the darndest thing happened about a couple months ago...I was praying, like I normally do you know and I felt like God said he wasn't finished with me yet...and I didn't understand it ya see, so I continued praying, especially with all the news of the war, I was praying more often... anyhow I finally understood what he meant...he wasn't finished with my work with the wars of this world...even more so the spiritual wars we face....please stop me at any time if I'm boring you..." He peered over and saw or heard no response.
"Alright then...well...So I mentioned it to the Senior Father at my parish and he gave me his blessing, with the high need for clergy volunteers, the army allowed me back in the ranks, regardless of the red tape...I mean God Bless the army..." He chuckled to himself then continued. "So one thing led to another and now I'm here...I must tell you I'm quite experienced and I hope that will help you to trust me more...Oh silly me, in case you're wondering it was the Korean War that I was in, regardless of how old you may think I look." He chuckled again, but it turned to a slight frown as Blake turned his head back to look at the Father once more.
'You look so familiar...gosh why can't I say anything?' he stopped his thoughts.
"Something to say my son?" The priest inquired.
'Son...yeah that's it...you knew my dad...you were the guy with the hat in the pictures...ah forget it...I give up...' Blake stopped his thoughts once again.
The Priest sighed. "I see that you are tired, must have been my talking that put you to sleep..." he smiled slightly. "Well then, I'll be back in a few hours, I've got some doozies I'm sure you'll love to hear about." He got up and with the tip of his hat started to walk away. Blake could hear a nurse hollering for him, but the Priest kept walking. He watched as the nurse jogged over and tapped the Father on the shoulder startling him. The father smiled embarrassed and pointed gallantly to both his ears. And could hear the Father say quietly, 'forgive me; my ears aren't what they used to be'.
---
END CH. 18
AN: Okay I almost cried while writing the hospital scene; please tell me how it made you feel. And the Father is my favorite character you think I wouldn't bring him back for quite the cameo, wouldn't you say? Ah the wonder of fiction...... You take care, and please review, you know it helps me, help you. – TLH ‡
AN: For 'FictionFan' ...BJ referred to him as brother, kind of like a really close friends, so BJ considers him a brother. I was going for the parallel b/w the brotherhood of the soldiers too. Hope that helps.
---
"He's doing much better Doctor." The nurse said handing his chart over to the taller man standing beside her.
"Good." He replied with a nod. Then saw the soldier was coming to. "Hey there kid...how do you feel?" He got no response. He took a crate and sat beside the soldiers bed. Glancing at the chart in his left hand he asked again. "Blake, how do you feel?" Again he got no reply. Just a blank stare in return.
"Alright, you just rest easy. You're going home soon." The Doctor said, starting to stand up. "You just rest easy." He patted him lightly on his shoulder and continued walking with the nurse.
'It's cold. Why is it so cold? Where am I? Dad? Mom? Where am I? Who are these people? It's so hot in here...I can't take this heat...will someone get me some water...Mom please get me some water...' All these thoughts raced through Blake's head as he knocked over the crate beside him to get someone's attention.
'Why can't I talk? I just want a cup of water!' he thought as the nurse raced over.
"At ease Soldier," the doctor said appearing at the nurse's side. "So I see you're feeling better, took a lot of energy to turn over that crate didn't it?" Again he got no reply. Not even a change in facial expression. "Well obviously you wanted something...what is it Blake?"
'Come on, say it Blake...cup...of...water... what are you a baby...TALK! Why can't I TALK??!?' Blake thought.
Still getting no reply or movement, the doctor became a bit concerned. "Put on his chart, traumatic stress, they'll know what it means at HQ...see if the Father here can talk to him, if not, mark him TS and send him stateside." He said to the nurse after stepping a few feet away from Blake's bed. "Get him a cup of water he's probably dying of thirst." He added as he walked away, peering in Blake's direction as he continued walking.
---
"Oh God, Hawk, I'm so sorry." BJ muttered through his shock. The two embraced and Hawkeye fell into a bit of tears.
"Gone...Beej...Gone." The agony tore at his heart. His wife for twenty years was gone forever. The thought had raced through his mind a thousand times these past months, but there was always some hope. At one point, his knees buckled as he lost the strength to stand, BJ's arms holding him steadily. Hawkeye Pierce had never cried so much in his life. Even when his parents passed, he still had Jen, but now his love was gone.
As he knelt to the ground in weakness, the tears hit floor, drop by drop. A couple nurses had gathered at the sound of weeping coming from the room. They nonchalantly grabbed each others hands as they watched at the door way, somehow feeling a part of Hawkeye's sadness. BJ had tried to keep his friend from falling to the floor, but decided to meet him there as well. He knelt to the ground, never letting go of his friend. As he sat on the ground, Hawkeye still leaned against his shoulder. It was now as if BJ was cradling his friend. His left arm around his waist, his other reaching over his friends face, bringing him closer. This was what friendship came down to, and at that moment they knew it.
As the nurses watched quietly, a few doctors began to gather as well. Both BJ and Hawk couldn't see them, as their backs were turned. But it was a serene moment. The agony and pain pierced through the air and the spirits of each person there felt sorrow. A man they knew to be a rock was shattered before them. Benjamin Franklin Pierce continued on his tears and at every thought of his wife through the years he let out a wailing sound that shattered the quietness of that night. BJ did his hearts best to stay composed, but no human can withstand seeing a friend in such pain without shedding a tear. BJ jumped slightly at the wailing sound, but later it caused him to reassure Hawkeye that he was there and wouldn't leave.
Hawkeye's thoughts were filled with finer days. The times of soccer in the backyard during neighborhood barbeques. The numerous times his wife had tried to make a cake and always ended up burning it. He thought of the day he fell to his knees, just as he was now, and committed his whole heart to her. He remembered the moment Blake was born and the miraculous power of a child's birth into the world. His heart ached more and more as he remembered... "Honey...No." He muttered as he continued his wailing of tears and anguish.
He had now hidden his face in BJ's chest and his body shook with each breath. BJ placed his hand on his friend's forehead. BJ found himself also reminiscing, and thinking of how much Hawk changed the moment him and Jen married. And how he rejoiced so much when he knew he would be a Father. But with another weep from his friend, he snapped back into the reality he was in. A tear soaked shirt, a cold hospital floor and a best friend's broken heart...
---
The unit's chaplain was making his normal round when he came across Blake's bedside.
"Hello my son, I'm the Father here, they tell me you don't have much to say?"
Blake looked away in frustration, yet with no hint of frustration on his face.
"I see...well...if you won't talk, I guess you'll have to listen...I mean unless you feel the need to tell me to be quiet...by all means..." He continued after a moment's hesitation.
"This war side stuff, isn't new to me you know....I actually just got here myself, I was running the CYO back home and had a disabilities ministry, but the darndest thing happened about a couple months ago...I was praying, like I normally do you know and I felt like God said he wasn't finished with me yet...and I didn't understand it ya see, so I continued praying, especially with all the news of the war, I was praying more often... anyhow I finally understood what he meant...he wasn't finished with my work with the wars of this world...even more so the spiritual wars we face....please stop me at any time if I'm boring you..." He peered over and saw or heard no response.
"Alright then...well...So I mentioned it to the Senior Father at my parish and he gave me his blessing, with the high need for clergy volunteers, the army allowed me back in the ranks, regardless of the red tape...I mean God Bless the army..." He chuckled to himself then continued. "So one thing led to another and now I'm here...I must tell you I'm quite experienced and I hope that will help you to trust me more...Oh silly me, in case you're wondering it was the Korean War that I was in, regardless of how old you may think I look." He chuckled again, but it turned to a slight frown as Blake turned his head back to look at the Father once more.
'You look so familiar...gosh why can't I say anything?' he stopped his thoughts.
"Something to say my son?" The priest inquired.
'Son...yeah that's it...you knew my dad...you were the guy with the hat in the pictures...ah forget it...I give up...' Blake stopped his thoughts once again.
The Priest sighed. "I see that you are tired, must have been my talking that put you to sleep..." he smiled slightly. "Well then, I'll be back in a few hours, I've got some doozies I'm sure you'll love to hear about." He got up and with the tip of his hat started to walk away. Blake could hear a nurse hollering for him, but the Priest kept walking. He watched as the nurse jogged over and tapped the Father on the shoulder startling him. The father smiled embarrassed and pointed gallantly to both his ears. And could hear the Father say quietly, 'forgive me; my ears aren't what they used to be'.
---
END CH. 18
AN: Okay I almost cried while writing the hospital scene; please tell me how it made you feel. And the Father is my favorite character you think I wouldn't bring him back for quite the cameo, wouldn't you say? Ah the wonder of fiction...... You take care, and please review, you know it helps me, help you. – TLH ‡