Back In the World CH. 23
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"Blake…we tried to get a letter to you… your mother got sick while you were gone… cancer… she…she passed away a few days ago." Hawkeye finished searching his son's eyes for some sort of emotion. Nothing revealed on Blake's face and not a word was spoken. He just stared into nothingness.
Hawkeye then stood up, almost furious. "Damnit say something!" He almost yelled and stormed out of the kitchen.
BJ raced after him, Margaret taking a seat beside Blake.
"Hawk! Calm down." BJ attempted to stay calm himself.
"Calm down? Beej…I just told him his mom died…and not even a tear…NOTHING!...what the hell is wrong with him?!"
BJ sighed. "You know I don't have an answer for that. We never did."
"We? Dam nit Beej, we're not in Korea anymore! We can't just call up Sidney and have him come make a diagnosis"
"Easy Hawk, I never meant to take you back."
"Well you did." Hawkeye shot back.
BJ shrugged his shoulders. "Then I'm sorry." He spoke calmly, trying to relax the situation.
With that, the conversation ended. Days passed and Hawkeye had the best psychiatrist in Maine, come to see Blake. He was pretty booked up, being war time and all, but he made a special trip down for Hawkeye. After his diagnosis, Blake would be seeing him once a week for therapy. Hawkeye never questioned it.
About a week passed and BJ had to head back home.
"Guess this is goodbye…again." Hawkeye smiled.
"Ha, right. I'm sure I'll be getting a very interesting phone call soon enough." BJ said motioning over to Margaret.
"Don't get your hopes up; I still got Jen on the brain like you wouldn't believe."
BJ's smile lowered. "You stay strong buddy, I'm only a phone call away."
"Thanks Beej…I…I don't know what to say, I could never make it without you man."
BJ grinned big. "That's what old war buddies are for right?"
The two embraced, and Hawkeye watched as his tall friend crouched as low as he could to get into the taxi. Slightly hitting his head of course. Hawkeye smiled slightly then turned back into his home as the car drove out of sight.
He made his way into the kitchen to find Margaret rummaging through the liquor cabinet.
"Can I help you find something Major?" Hawkeye asked.
"Pierce, I was…uh…looking for the salt and pepper shakers." She said startled closing the cabinet.
Hawkeye stood right next to her and picked up the shakers sitting right in front of her.
"You mean these right here?" He handed them to her.
"Those exact ones…" She said taking them in hand.
"You alright Margaret?" Hawkeye asked curious.
"Of course I am, I should be the one asking you that." She replied.
"Sure, well you just let me know if you need any…" He couldn't finish.
"Oh that is just like you Pierce…always ignoring your own problems, and trying to pour your energy out on someone else…"
He shrugged. "Ignoring my problems? Ignoring my problems?...Margaret, it's impossible for me to ignore my problems…I'm in a house I moved into with my wife…who just died…and who my son is probably never going to talk again…but by all means, don't allow me to offer you any help, in fear that I may be…ignoring my problems…." He finished, making his way into the refrigerator.
Margaret felt a bit guilty. "I'm sorry Pierce…I was only…"
"You were just doing what you always do Major."
"And what is that!?" She said getting defensive.
He turned and smiled back at her. "Trying to help." He said simply.
She was taken off guard, expecting a snotty response. "Well that's what I'm here for isn't it?"
--
Months passed and Margaret still remained at the Pierce home, doing odd jobs and taking care of Blake. Hawkeye had started to work full time again. He sometimes pulled all nighters, which his body had grown accustomed to from the past.
But more than once he came home to an intoxicated Margaret. Who did her best to cover it up. He was a bit worried, but figured it was none of his affair.
Till he came one night to find the kitchen in shambles.
"Margaret!" He hollered out as he watched her through bottle after bottle braking them on the floor.
Blake stood at the kitchen entrance watching aimlessly.
"Pierce---I can 'splain…" she slurred as he attempted to get down from the counter.
Hawkeye moving to help her. "Major, this is--- it's -- what are you doing?"
"Waz it look like I'm doin'?" She replied grabbing for an almost empty bottle of scotch beside her. But as he made a grab she passed out into Hawkeye's arms. He stepped around the broken glass and motioned for his son to help.
The two laid her on the couch. Blake retreated to his room as his Father sat quietly watching Margaret.
He eyed his Father a moment as he reached the top of the stairs then continued into his room.
"Margaret---what's happened to you?" he said talking to himself, and shaking his head.
A few hours passed and Hawkeye hadn't gotten any sleep. Finally she started to come to, of course right when Hawkeye's eyes started to close.
"Pierce…" She began, grabbing her head. "Did you rescue me?"
Hawkeye was confused. "Rescue you?"
"My knight in shining armor." She replied, sitting herself upright.
"Margaret…I…you…" He didn't know what to say, he was so surprised.
"You were you know…no matter hot rotten I got you ,you always came to my rescue…"
"Major, what happened to you?" He asked.
"Remember my dad?"
"The General?" Hawkeye replied.
"That very one…" She pointed, then took a deep breath. "He died 2 months ago…and ya know what Pierce?"
"What?" He asked solemnly.
"I never got it." She replied.
"Never got what Margaret?" He asked earnestly.
"It…ya know…it…"
"No I don't know, really, what is 'it?"
"Of course you don't know what 'it' is…you never needed it, you're the knight in shining armor."
She was babbling and he knew it. "Major, lets get you to bed." He stood up.
"No listen…I never got his approval Pierce…now I'll never know if I was ever good enough."
He sighed. "Major, you saved more lives than he killed in his time." He stopped himself wondering if that was a good way to put it.
She looked up as if a light bulb had gone off. "You're right Pierce…you are absolutely right…I did, by God, I was the best damn nurse this army has ever seen!" She attempted to stand but fell back onto the couch.
Hawkeye nodded, and reached for her as she fell back.
"My knight in shining armor…" She said, pulling him in for a kiss. And Hawkeye complied.
As they kissed, Blake stood above the stairs, his mouth open to speak…furious…
THE END CH. 23
AN: What do ya think guys? Got a little bit longer for you this time. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures in the Pierce family saga…
Please review…it helps me…help you~ TLH †
AN #2: For Reviewer Question: Vietnam Veterans weren't given a great homage at their return to the States. The name "Baby Killer" was put on the Vets. That was until they were given the respect they finally deserved, although for a lot of them, who are still alive but not well, it was much too late.
--
"Blake…we tried to get a letter to you… your mother got sick while you were gone… cancer… she…she passed away a few days ago." Hawkeye finished searching his son's eyes for some sort of emotion. Nothing revealed on Blake's face and not a word was spoken. He just stared into nothingness.
Hawkeye then stood up, almost furious. "Damnit say something!" He almost yelled and stormed out of the kitchen.
BJ raced after him, Margaret taking a seat beside Blake.
"Hawk! Calm down." BJ attempted to stay calm himself.
"Calm down? Beej…I just told him his mom died…and not even a tear…NOTHING!...what the hell is wrong with him?!"
BJ sighed. "You know I don't have an answer for that. We never did."
"We? Dam nit Beej, we're not in Korea anymore! We can't just call up Sidney and have him come make a diagnosis"
"Easy Hawk, I never meant to take you back."
"Well you did." Hawkeye shot back.
BJ shrugged his shoulders. "Then I'm sorry." He spoke calmly, trying to relax the situation.
With that, the conversation ended. Days passed and Hawkeye had the best psychiatrist in Maine, come to see Blake. He was pretty booked up, being war time and all, but he made a special trip down for Hawkeye. After his diagnosis, Blake would be seeing him once a week for therapy. Hawkeye never questioned it.
About a week passed and BJ had to head back home.
"Guess this is goodbye…again." Hawkeye smiled.
"Ha, right. I'm sure I'll be getting a very interesting phone call soon enough." BJ said motioning over to Margaret.
"Don't get your hopes up; I still got Jen on the brain like you wouldn't believe."
BJ's smile lowered. "You stay strong buddy, I'm only a phone call away."
"Thanks Beej…I…I don't know what to say, I could never make it without you man."
BJ grinned big. "That's what old war buddies are for right?"
The two embraced, and Hawkeye watched as his tall friend crouched as low as he could to get into the taxi. Slightly hitting his head of course. Hawkeye smiled slightly then turned back into his home as the car drove out of sight.
He made his way into the kitchen to find Margaret rummaging through the liquor cabinet.
"Can I help you find something Major?" Hawkeye asked.
"Pierce, I was…uh…looking for the salt and pepper shakers." She said startled closing the cabinet.
Hawkeye stood right next to her and picked up the shakers sitting right in front of her.
"You mean these right here?" He handed them to her.
"Those exact ones…" She said taking them in hand.
"You alright Margaret?" Hawkeye asked curious.
"Of course I am, I should be the one asking you that." She replied.
"Sure, well you just let me know if you need any…" He couldn't finish.
"Oh that is just like you Pierce…always ignoring your own problems, and trying to pour your energy out on someone else…"
He shrugged. "Ignoring my problems? Ignoring my problems?...Margaret, it's impossible for me to ignore my problems…I'm in a house I moved into with my wife…who just died…and who my son is probably never going to talk again…but by all means, don't allow me to offer you any help, in fear that I may be…ignoring my problems…." He finished, making his way into the refrigerator.
Margaret felt a bit guilty. "I'm sorry Pierce…I was only…"
"You were just doing what you always do Major."
"And what is that!?" She said getting defensive.
He turned and smiled back at her. "Trying to help." He said simply.
She was taken off guard, expecting a snotty response. "Well that's what I'm here for isn't it?"
--
Months passed and Margaret still remained at the Pierce home, doing odd jobs and taking care of Blake. Hawkeye had started to work full time again. He sometimes pulled all nighters, which his body had grown accustomed to from the past.
But more than once he came home to an intoxicated Margaret. Who did her best to cover it up. He was a bit worried, but figured it was none of his affair.
Till he came one night to find the kitchen in shambles.
"Margaret!" He hollered out as he watched her through bottle after bottle braking them on the floor.
Blake stood at the kitchen entrance watching aimlessly.
"Pierce---I can 'splain…" she slurred as he attempted to get down from the counter.
Hawkeye moving to help her. "Major, this is--- it's -- what are you doing?"
"Waz it look like I'm doin'?" She replied grabbing for an almost empty bottle of scotch beside her. But as he made a grab she passed out into Hawkeye's arms. He stepped around the broken glass and motioned for his son to help.
The two laid her on the couch. Blake retreated to his room as his Father sat quietly watching Margaret.
He eyed his Father a moment as he reached the top of the stairs then continued into his room.
"Margaret---what's happened to you?" he said talking to himself, and shaking his head.
A few hours passed and Hawkeye hadn't gotten any sleep. Finally she started to come to, of course right when Hawkeye's eyes started to close.
"Pierce…" She began, grabbing her head. "Did you rescue me?"
Hawkeye was confused. "Rescue you?"
"My knight in shining armor." She replied, sitting herself upright.
"Margaret…I…you…" He didn't know what to say, he was so surprised.
"You were you know…no matter hot rotten I got you ,you always came to my rescue…"
"Major, what happened to you?" He asked.
"Remember my dad?"
"The General?" Hawkeye replied.
"That very one…" She pointed, then took a deep breath. "He died 2 months ago…and ya know what Pierce?"
"What?" He asked solemnly.
"I never got it." She replied.
"Never got what Margaret?" He asked earnestly.
"It…ya know…it…"
"No I don't know, really, what is 'it?"
"Of course you don't know what 'it' is…you never needed it, you're the knight in shining armor."
She was babbling and he knew it. "Major, lets get you to bed." He stood up.
"No listen…I never got his approval Pierce…now I'll never know if I was ever good enough."
He sighed. "Major, you saved more lives than he killed in his time." He stopped himself wondering if that was a good way to put it.
She looked up as if a light bulb had gone off. "You're right Pierce…you are absolutely right…I did, by God, I was the best damn nurse this army has ever seen!" She attempted to stand but fell back onto the couch.
Hawkeye nodded, and reached for her as she fell back.
"My knight in shining armor…" She said, pulling him in for a kiss. And Hawkeye complied.
As they kissed, Blake stood above the stairs, his mouth open to speak…furious…
THE END CH. 23
AN: What do ya think guys? Got a little bit longer for you this time. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures in the Pierce family saga…
Please review…it helps me…help you~ TLH †
AN #2: For Reviewer Question: Vietnam Veterans weren't given a great homage at their return to the States. The name "Baby Killer" was put on the Vets. That was until they were given the respect they finally deserved, although for a lot of them, who are still alive but not well, it was much too late.