Not Very Magnetic Ch. 2
By: TLH
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"The Father is back."
"Is he hurt? Where is he?" Hawkeye jumped up.
"He's not hurt." Radar replied.
"Good, cuz I'm gonna kill him. Where is he?"
"In his tent."
Hawkeye and Trapper raced over to his tent, and quickly made their way in.
"You have a lot of explaining to do Mister."
"You've been waiting up for me all this time, have you?" The father replied with a slight smile.
Trapper couldn't help but notice that most of his things had been taken down from his shelves, no Bible, no rosaries or statues. Then finally saw that the Fathers Clergy pins were no longer on his hat or collar.
Hawkeye had been reaming into him with questions, when Trapper tried to slow him down.
"Hawk."
"Wait your turn Trapper"
"Hawk!"
"I'm talking to the Father!"
"He's not a Father any more…are you Father?"
Hawkeye's mouth closed and they both looked at their friend.
"It would appear so, Trapper." He lifted his hands, and then slid them back into his pockets.
"So that's where you went…you…Father…why?" Hawkeye managed through his shock.
"Many reasons, too many to get into before I have to go."
"Go? You just got back…you…"
"I'm of no use to the Army anymore my son, I returned for my things, I need to get to Tokyo in an hour to go back home." He handed Hawkeye a piece of paper, zipped up his luggage and started out of the tent.
"I will miss you both very much, I will write. I'm sure they will send someone much better at this than I. Will be more helpful to all of you. So long."
Trapper and Hawkeye stood in silence before stepping out to see the Father shake hands with Henry before driving off. They waved as he drove past, not saying a word.
"What just happened?" Trapper asked as he was out of seeing distance.
Hawkeye didn't answer and started to walk towards Henry who was still standing outside.
"He went to de-priest his priesthood and we didn't know about it?"
Henry shrugged. "I suppose if you're going to be secretive about something that would be one of the things to be secretive about. The army had no choice but to send him back, he signed a bunch of papers, sitting on my desk, practically signed his life away."
Hawkeye looked down at the paper in his hand as Trapper arrived beside him.
"We'll be getting a new clergy men in a couple days…look guys these things happen…people lose their faith."
"Not this people Henry, not him." Trapper replied.
Hawkeye looked up. "It's true then."
"What is?"
"War is Hell." He crumbled up the paper, and walked off.
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Two days later
"He's here." Trapper peered out of the tent. "Look's nice enough."
"Uh huh." Hawkeye replied.
"We should go introduce ourselves."
ATTENTION INCOMING WOUNDED! AMBULANCES ON THE COMPOUND! GONNA BE A BIG ONE FOLKS! OH AND UH WELCOME TO OUR NEW FATHER!
Hawkeye smiled as he remembered how he had first met Father Mulcahy. Same circumstance as this.
He looked up to the sky. "It's probably because of this he left you, but please don't leave us."
He raced towards an ambulance, hastily shaking the new Chaplains hand. "Welcome to the 4077th Father…names Hawkeye… and you'll get used to this don't worry."
The priest nodded.
"First assignment over here Father." Trapper hollered pulling a sheet over a soldier.
"God help us." He whispered to himself and knelt beside his first of sadly, many more.
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AN: Please review, it helps me, help you.
(See "First Night" for first intro of Father and Hawk)