Back In the World – CH 25
"Back to Normal?"
AN: I didn't forget about Frank don't worry…everything will wrap up nicely…I hope…I'm off the brace, but still a bit tense. But the chiropractor has worked wonders.
I must admit, I was a bit stuck on how to move on with the story…but here we go…
--
Margaret and Hawkeye's goodbye wasn't like the last two. It came with only a tight hug and a small kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks for everything Margaret…"
"It was my pleasure Pierce… I'm sorry again if I caused any trouble."
Hawkeye shook his head. "Oh no, I mean hey, it got Blake to talk right? Look, you take care of yourself okay? And you can come visit whenever you want."
"Thanks Pierce. I will." She smiled and headed for the gate door.
Hawkeye knew he would miss her, but right now, the most important person in his life was his son. And he had lost time to make up for.
In the next few months, Blake was able to wrap up high school and caught up with a lot of his old buddies. He'd gotten his old job back and things started to move along smoothly. Finally. He still saw the psychiatrist when he needed to, but the episodes of depression were happening less and less.
Hawkeye got the first good news in a long while, when BJ called and told him Erin had eloped and got married. Though BJ wasn't too excited, Hawkeye was. But besides that news, things were finally starting to get back to normal at the Pierce home.
"Dad, I'm going to work, then out with Brenda…be back late, don't wait up." Blake said grabbing the door knob.
"Who's this Brenda?" He asked as his son was half way out the door.
"Just a friend." He barely said as he closed the door shut behind him.
Hawkeye nodded. "Uh huh, just a friend." He said to himself. Just then the phone rang.
"Hello….hey Beej…how are ya buddy?"
"Hey Hawk, I'm good."
"How's Peg…and how's Erin enjoying married life?"
"Peg is just fine…and Erin's doing well."
"You warmed up to the hubby yet?"
"A little, I figure Pegs dad was hard on me, I deserve to return the favor…at least half fold."
Hawkeye chuckled a bit. "I still can't believe she did it. I mean you have to admit it was pretty exciting."
BJ shrugged. "I still would have liked a big wedding, but whatchya gonna do ya know?"
"Yeah really…kids."
"Kids." BJ replied simply. "Speaking of which, how's Blake?"
"Good, he just left for work…I think he's got a lady friend now too."
"Uh oh, take it from me, watch out, they just might run away and elope on ya."
Hawkeye smiled. "I'm just so glad to see him happy."
"That's great, but uh, how are you?" BJ asked fiddling through his mail.
Hawkeye sifted through his mail as well. "I'm doing okay...work has lightened up a bit."
"Good, same around here, the hospitals was jumping a couple weeks ago, now its slowed a bit."
"I do miss Margaret though. It was so great yet odd having her around here ya know."
"I bet…"
Hawkeye lifted a letter and read the address, interrupting his friend. "BJ! I got another letter from Frank."
"Wow, took him long enough…how come the guy doesn't write me any letters?"
Hawkeye ignored his friends question and read the letter intently. "Beej, you're not gonna believe this."
"Try me."
"It's a letter from Frank's wife…she said that ever since Frank sent that letter to me, he started to completely change."
"Wow…incredible." BJ replied surprised.
Hawkeye read down the letter quickly. But when it ended, his heart struck a cord.
He collected himself and continued. "Beej…Frank died last month."
BJ almost dropped phone. "What? How?"
"Well it doesn't say exactly, her exact words were…. "It's been about a month since Franks passing, and I've been meaning to write to you, to thank you for whatever it was you did or said. It changed my husband, and we got to see him in a new light before he left us."
"Aw, Hawk, that's beautiful." BJ replied, still coming to terms with the fact that Frank Burns was no longer.
"I can't believe it…he's gone…Frank's dead." He could barely speak the last word.
"What else did she write Hawk?"
"Just more about how he changed, that he started to see the real truth in the Bible and gave his life to God."
"It's a miracle man. We should be happy for him." BJ said solemnly.
"Yeah, then why do I feel so crummy?"
"Crummy…Hawk you were one of the main reasons he changed. I mean you saved him….kind of."
"Beej, we're gonna have to stop these phone calls…every time you call or I call, someone either dies or gets sent away to war."
BJ smiled slightly. "It's weird huh?"
"Too weird. But hey listen…I got tons more mail and bills to go through, let me call ya back after I let this sink in." Hawkeye said rushing his hand through his hair.
"Alright Hawk…but be happy for him."
"Why?" Hawkeye asked confused.
"Heavens a wonderful place." BJ replied simply.
The two exchanged goodbyes and Hawkeye glanced to only picture of Jen he left out next to the sugar.
"I bet it is honey…I bet it is." He said to himself. As he re read the letter in his hand. Still astonished.
Hawkeye called him back later than night, and decided not to wait up for Blake, just as eh asked. The next morning was more than interesting to say the least. Blake hardly ever mentioned 'Nam to his dad, but this story was for some reason itching to be told…
"Burns? Really…I'm sorry dad; I know you were war buddies and all."
Hawkeye smiled. "Well I wouldn't say we ere buddies, we kind of had this love—hate, hate relationship."
Blake smirked. "Yeah I bet…but the name Burns really struck a nerve Dad, I was just thinking about this Major that was at the camp I was at…"
"Blake you don't have to talk about…"
"No, Dad, I really feel like I need to tell you this…I don't know why, but I just do…this Major…well they were about to finish me off, and this Major took my place, he pissed off the guards so bad, they killed him instead of me. Basically he died for me. And now I'm here with you."
Hawkeye almost started to cry as his son finished. "Why are you telling me this?"
"It just struck something in me, hearing his name, I mean his last name was Burns too. And he was a Major."
"Burns huh? Well Burns is a very common name…it couldn't possibly…" Hawkeye stopped himself and thought… 'Could that be why Frank had really written the letter?'
"Blake what was his first name, do you remember?"
"Uh…Lance. Why?"
"Just gonna make sure of something."
He grabbed a notepad and a pen, and began to write...
"Dear Mrs. Burns…
END CH. 25
AN: There was a few days there, after the Major died and Franks letter. So bear with me on this. It may not be his son. I apologize if this seemed rushed at all, I am hoping to move it through smoothly, but not be too rushed.
But yeah…Erin got married, just a little trick for you writers, if you want to not drag on, have people elope ha-ha…
Please review, it helps me…help you…Take care – TLH †
"Back to Normal?"
AN: I didn't forget about Frank don't worry…everything will wrap up nicely…I hope…I'm off the brace, but still a bit tense. But the chiropractor has worked wonders.
I must admit, I was a bit stuck on how to move on with the story…but here we go…
--
Margaret and Hawkeye's goodbye wasn't like the last two. It came with only a tight hug and a small kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks for everything Margaret…"
"It was my pleasure Pierce… I'm sorry again if I caused any trouble."
Hawkeye shook his head. "Oh no, I mean hey, it got Blake to talk right? Look, you take care of yourself okay? And you can come visit whenever you want."
"Thanks Pierce. I will." She smiled and headed for the gate door.
Hawkeye knew he would miss her, but right now, the most important person in his life was his son. And he had lost time to make up for.
In the next few months, Blake was able to wrap up high school and caught up with a lot of his old buddies. He'd gotten his old job back and things started to move along smoothly. Finally. He still saw the psychiatrist when he needed to, but the episodes of depression were happening less and less.
Hawkeye got the first good news in a long while, when BJ called and told him Erin had eloped and got married. Though BJ wasn't too excited, Hawkeye was. But besides that news, things were finally starting to get back to normal at the Pierce home.
"Dad, I'm going to work, then out with Brenda…be back late, don't wait up." Blake said grabbing the door knob.
"Who's this Brenda?" He asked as his son was half way out the door.
"Just a friend." He barely said as he closed the door shut behind him.
Hawkeye nodded. "Uh huh, just a friend." He said to himself. Just then the phone rang.
"Hello….hey Beej…how are ya buddy?"
"Hey Hawk, I'm good."
"How's Peg…and how's Erin enjoying married life?"
"Peg is just fine…and Erin's doing well."
"You warmed up to the hubby yet?"
"A little, I figure Pegs dad was hard on me, I deserve to return the favor…at least half fold."
Hawkeye chuckled a bit. "I still can't believe she did it. I mean you have to admit it was pretty exciting."
BJ shrugged. "I still would have liked a big wedding, but whatchya gonna do ya know?"
"Yeah really…kids."
"Kids." BJ replied simply. "Speaking of which, how's Blake?"
"Good, he just left for work…I think he's got a lady friend now too."
"Uh oh, take it from me, watch out, they just might run away and elope on ya."
Hawkeye smiled. "I'm just so glad to see him happy."
"That's great, but uh, how are you?" BJ asked fiddling through his mail.
Hawkeye sifted through his mail as well. "I'm doing okay...work has lightened up a bit."
"Good, same around here, the hospitals was jumping a couple weeks ago, now its slowed a bit."
"I do miss Margaret though. It was so great yet odd having her around here ya know."
"I bet…"
Hawkeye lifted a letter and read the address, interrupting his friend. "BJ! I got another letter from Frank."
"Wow, took him long enough…how come the guy doesn't write me any letters?"
Hawkeye ignored his friends question and read the letter intently. "Beej, you're not gonna believe this."
"Try me."
"It's a letter from Frank's wife…she said that ever since Frank sent that letter to me, he started to completely change."
"Wow…incredible." BJ replied surprised.
Hawkeye read down the letter quickly. But when it ended, his heart struck a cord.
He collected himself and continued. "Beej…Frank died last month."
BJ almost dropped phone. "What? How?"
"Well it doesn't say exactly, her exact words were…. "It's been about a month since Franks passing, and I've been meaning to write to you, to thank you for whatever it was you did or said. It changed my husband, and we got to see him in a new light before he left us."
"Aw, Hawk, that's beautiful." BJ replied, still coming to terms with the fact that Frank Burns was no longer.
"I can't believe it…he's gone…Frank's dead." He could barely speak the last word.
"What else did she write Hawk?"
"Just more about how he changed, that he started to see the real truth in the Bible and gave his life to God."
"It's a miracle man. We should be happy for him." BJ said solemnly.
"Yeah, then why do I feel so crummy?"
"Crummy…Hawk you were one of the main reasons he changed. I mean you saved him….kind of."
"Beej, we're gonna have to stop these phone calls…every time you call or I call, someone either dies or gets sent away to war."
BJ smiled slightly. "It's weird huh?"
"Too weird. But hey listen…I got tons more mail and bills to go through, let me call ya back after I let this sink in." Hawkeye said rushing his hand through his hair.
"Alright Hawk…but be happy for him."
"Why?" Hawkeye asked confused.
"Heavens a wonderful place." BJ replied simply.
The two exchanged goodbyes and Hawkeye glanced to only picture of Jen he left out next to the sugar.
"I bet it is honey…I bet it is." He said to himself. As he re read the letter in his hand. Still astonished.
Hawkeye called him back later than night, and decided not to wait up for Blake, just as eh asked. The next morning was more than interesting to say the least. Blake hardly ever mentioned 'Nam to his dad, but this story was for some reason itching to be told…
"Burns? Really…I'm sorry dad; I know you were war buddies and all."
Hawkeye smiled. "Well I wouldn't say we ere buddies, we kind of had this love—hate, hate relationship."
Blake smirked. "Yeah I bet…but the name Burns really struck a nerve Dad, I was just thinking about this Major that was at the camp I was at…"
"Blake you don't have to talk about…"
"No, Dad, I really feel like I need to tell you this…I don't know why, but I just do…this Major…well they were about to finish me off, and this Major took my place, he pissed off the guards so bad, they killed him instead of me. Basically he died for me. And now I'm here with you."
Hawkeye almost started to cry as his son finished. "Why are you telling me this?"
"It just struck something in me, hearing his name, I mean his last name was Burns too. And he was a Major."
"Burns huh? Well Burns is a very common name…it couldn't possibly…" Hawkeye stopped himself and thought… 'Could that be why Frank had really written the letter?'
"Blake what was his first name, do you remember?"
"Uh…Lance. Why?"
"Just gonna make sure of something."
He grabbed a notepad and a pen, and began to write...
"Dear Mrs. Burns…
END CH. 25
AN: There was a few days there, after the Major died and Franks letter. So bear with me on this. It may not be his son. I apologize if this seemed rushed at all, I am hoping to move it through smoothly, but not be too rushed.
But yeah…Erin got married, just a little trick for you writers, if you want to not drag on, have people elope ha-ha…
Please review, it helps me…help you…Take care – TLH †