(I didn't read through this, so there may be some gramatical errors, and odd pauses and scene skipping from where the chapters would end before. Sorry!)
Without You
"Aww listen to this Hawk," BJ said from his cot as Hawkeye read from a magazine, "Erin is able to point out the different body parts as Peg says them."
"A handy skill when she gets older," Hawkeye noted.
BJ rolled his eyes and continued to read the letter. A few moments went by before the small tent erupted with a loud cry.
"Beej!" Hawkeye was sitting straight up his bare feet against the cool floor.
"What?" BJ looked over, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Hawkeye's eyes were wide and a grin was plastered on his face, "but, you'll never believe this!"
BJ sighed and leaned back, "Lemme guess, they're coming out with a new nudist calendar?"
"Even better," Hawkeye's face reflected that of a little kid at Christmas, "They're having a beauty contest in Soles this weekend!"
"Yeah," BJ stared at him blankly, "So?"
"So?" Hawkeye jumped off his cot and went over to BJ's, "This is our opportunity to see tons of gorgeous women in practically nothing without having to do a physical on them!"
"Hawk I'm a married man," BJ said glancing up from a crayon coloured picture in his hand, "I have a two and a half year old daughter at home."
"True," Hawkeye looked disappointed as he moved back and sat on his cot, "But that doesn't mean you can't come with me, for, ohh, medical reasons."
BJ laughed as he sat up, "Why is it so important that I go Hawk? I'm sure you'll droll over them just fine if I'm not there."
"Yeah, but who will clean it up?" Hawkeye smirked as he twisted his head awkwardly to get the full effect of 'Miss. June'.
BJ laughed just as Charles came in.
"What attempt at humour I dare ask are you attempting?" Charles asked as he studied the two men.
"Nothing Charles," Hawkeye grinned.
Charles shook his head and turned on his music.
"Aww c'mon Charles, can't you just sleep now like any other normal human being?" BJ moaned.
"In comparison to yourselves I much more superior than normal," Charles said off handily, "And besides which I need this music to calm me down."
"This would work much better," Hawkeye said as he poured himself some of the clear liquid.
"So," BJ said breaking off the tension, "I'm not going to, but are you still going to Hawk?"
"Sure," Hawkeye shrugged, "I'm sure the war will still be here when I come back."
--------
"Alright Pierce," Colonel Potter said as he approached Hawkeye, "I'll give you the go ahead for this trip. But that means your out your R&R for next month, you realize that?"
"Yeah," Hawkeye nodded his head eagerly, "No problem."
Hawkeye grabbed his bag and threw it in the back. He jumped in and started the engine.
"Oh, and Pierce," Colonel Potter put his hand on the door and grinned as Hawkeye looked up, "I want details."
Hawkeye laughed and drove off out of the camp.
"Yes Sir, that's my baby! No Sir, I don't mean maybe!" Hawkeye sang loudly as he bumped along the dusty Korean road, "Ahh," he smiled, "all I need now is a beautiful hitch hiker."
Only a few seconds after saying that a small little girl came running onto the road waving her hands wildly. Hawkeye slammed on the breaks and stopped just inches away from the girl-- who couldn't have been more than five.
"What's wrong?" Hawkeye asked as the girl came running to him.
"Mama, Mama!" the girl cried pointing to the left.
Hawkeye jumped out of the jeep and bent down to the girls level.
"What, what is it?" Hawkeye asked anxiously.
"Mama," the girl said again and then pointed to the back of the jeep, "please."
Only a brief look was needed for Hawkeye to realize that the girl was pointing to the medical bag, "A doctor?"
"Yes, yes!" she nodded her head and pointed again.
Hawkeye grabbed the bag and ran after the girl--- who'd already started down a small embankment to the left. It took five minutes, but finally they made it to a small broken down shack. The girl ran to a petite women laying on the ground-- burns and blood all over her.
"Yang, Yang," the lady whispered to the girl.
"Mama," Yang said, "Doctor."
The lady looked at Hawkeye and moaned through tears of pain, "Help Son-Lu and Ye-Sing."
Hawkeye looked in the direction the lady was looking and saw two blankets fully covering two small figures. Slowly he pulled off the blanket from the first one. There lay a small baby-- looking to be a newborn-- totally burnt.
"Oh my God," Hawkeye whispered looking down.
The baby was so burnt that Hawkeye could barely distinguish the different features on his small face. With a shaking hand he checked the baby's pulse point. He found himself breathing a sigh of relief as he found he was dead. That badly burnt, Hawkeye didn't even want to imagine the pain he would be in at that moment if he was alive. As he removed the next blanket tears trickled down his face and he started to find it hard to hold in his stomach contents. A small girl lay there-- around one and a half years old. She seemed to be burnt just slightly less than her brother-- but still bad enough that Hawkeye wondered what could have caused such pain and hurt. Hawkeye didn't even have to check to see if she was alive. A small whimpering sound coming from who Hawkeye assumed was Ye-Sing showed that she indeed was still living. Just barely. Hawkeye shook as he could only star at her. Her eyes were burnt shut and tremors went through her body. He looked at the mother-- though who was burnt, he knew would live. As carefully as possible Hawkeye wrapped up little Ye-Sing in the blanket and picked her up. He brought her over to the mother.
"All you can do," Hawkeye choked as he placed Ye-Sing in her lap, "is love her."
The mother started crying as she moved the blanket from the girl's face and brushed her hand across the small red face, "Son-Lu?"
Hawkeye shook his head, and the mother looked over at the blanket which was covering her youngest child. She started to cry harder as she clung onto Ye-Sing as Yang watched on silently. Five minutes went by before the mother finally handed over a lifeless Ye-Sing to Hawkeye. Immediately he went to work on her. About forty-five minutes later Hawkeye slowly left up the embankment. He had found out that they had been burnt by fire set by the enemies in a small shack about half a mile away. The mother and Yang had been bathing in a small creek while Ye-Sing and Son-Lu were sleeping in the shack. An enemy had come and burnt down it and the mother ran in to save her children. They'd gotten to as far as their house before they could go no further.
Hawkeye got into his jeep and started the engine. He slowly made his way down the road, a solemn atmosphere hung around him as he inched his way to Sole. Suddenly, the pageant didn't seem so important.
The beauty pageant had been great. Fifty beauties later he had three phone numbers and one date. The lady who had asked him to go to a bar with him was named Ariel Lapel. Her red shimmering hair and slimming body drew Hawkeye's eyes to her. And now, as the clock came to ten o'clock he sat beside her at a small table at the back of the pub.
"You seem down Hawkeye," Ariel said, "You've been like this all evening. Is there something wrong."
"Huh?" Hawkeye looked up, "Oh, sorry. I- I guess I'm a little pre-occupied."
"By what?" Ariel asked curiously as she took a sip of her drink.
"Well," Hawkeye said looking at the yellowish liquid in his cup, "I couldn't save two little kids today. I watched as one of them died in her mothers arms. And there was nothing I could do about it. The other one was already dead when I got there, but- but, I felt I should still be able to do something, anything about it. But I couldn't. So many times back at camp, I'd save someone. And then later in post-op, they'd look at me, and say I was a miracle worker. I did miracles on them. But, back in the field I felt like I did anything but that."
"Did you help at all?" Ariel looked at him.
"Yeah," Hawkeye nodded his head, "the mother. But, still. The two kids. So young."
Hawkeye's voice cracked at the end as he took a deep, shaking breath. He looked up to see Ariel smiling nervously at him.
"Uhh, I'm really sorry about that," she said, "But-- uhh. I think I see someone calling me." She smiled again and slowly got up, "Bye Hawkeye, it was nice to meet you."
Hawkeye sat there for a few moments. Everything seemed to be collapsing around him, and his body was pulled into an endless eternity of hurt. The people, and the voices that echoed through the bar seemed to mesh together, and time stopped in Hawkeye's mind. Whether is was day or night, hot or cold, he didn't know. And didn't care.
"Maybe," Hawkeye whispered as a tear trickled down his cheek, "I can't help anyone anymore."
It was at that point that a man with a thick beard and large biceps came charging into the room-- a large gun in hand.
"Alright!" the guy yelled, "Who's ready to die!"
The room erupted in a chorus of screams and yells. The man shot wildly in the air, and then started to turn his gun on people. He shot three men and one women before Hawkeye got over there.
"Hey!" Hawkeye yelled.
"Ahh," the man smiled, "an Army man. You're the reason this bloody war is going on! You're the reason my brother died! Now-- it's your turn."
Before Hawkeye could do anything the gun was pointed at him, and a loud shot rang through the suddenly silent bar.
--------
"Sir?" Radar poked his head into Colonel Potters office, "Sir? Colonel Potter?" Colonel Potter pulled his head up from his resting arms, "Huh? What is it Radar?"
"Have a nice nap Sir?" Radar held back a smile.
"Yes, but I don't think that's what you came in here to ask me," Colonel Potter sat up fully, "Now what is it you'd like Radar?"
"General Wilkinson is on the phone Sir. He said it was urgent," Radar said.
Colonel Potter made his way to the phone and picked it up, "Colonel Potter speaking, General Wilkinson?….yes, I'm doing fine, how about yourself….that's good… yes, we have a Captain Benjamin Pierce at our camp, but he's away at Soul for R&R right now…what!…what the hell are you talking about!…. Well, it he alright?… Oh dear God….yes, y-yes, I will be… Captain BJ Hunnicut was a good friend of his… yes… o-ok… tomorrow morning, right…. T-thank you General… y-yes…. Bye."
Colonel Potter stood frozen in place. Finally his limbs moved and he fumbled to put the phone back. His chest tightened, and his eyes looked around for a place to sit-- before his body totally gave way. He collapsed in a near by chair and only then did he notice Radar was still standing there. His hands were covering his mouth, his eyes wide.
"Please Sir," Radar croaked, "Please. He-he isn't. Please."
Colonel Potter started to shake slightly as tears came down his face. He numbly nodded his head.
"No," Radar cried quietly before erupting, "No! It can't be! Not Captain Pierce!"
Radar slowly backed up as he shook his head sobbing. Finally he crashed into the wall and collapsed onto his bed.
"No," he cried, "No."
Colonel Potters face had paled, and he seemed much older now than he really was. He walked over to Radar and put a hand on his shoulder.
"C-" he cleared his throat, "Come on. We-we have to tell the others."
Colonel Potter took a deep breath before going to the intercom, "All personnel gather at the central platform."
It took all his might to keep his voice from wavering. But he knew, that the hardest part was yet to come. He walked again over to Radar's bed and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Come on Son," he whispered and helped him to his feet.
Radar stood up, and took off his glasses. With a quick wipe of the eyes he took a deep breath and looked at his commanding officer.
"Ok Sir," he said in a soft voice, "I'm ready."
--------
Colonel Potter looked out at the crowd of people standing before him. Radar stood beside him-- his face red. That in itself gave people the clue that something was wrong-- never mind the fact that they were all called here in the middle of the afternoon on a Sunday. Among the people Colonel Potter saw Charles, who was standing there, trying to look disinterested-- though in fact was himself scanning around at everyone. There was Margaret who was in just a bathrobe. She was talking with Klinger who was looking around for some sort of clue as to what was going on. Then Colonel Potter caught sight of BJ. He was standing there. His head was slightly down and he didn't seem to be looking anywhere in particular. A shiver ran down Colonel Potters back-- he knew BJ and Hawkeye were good friends-- but could he really know?
"Attention," Colonel Potter's voice again began to crack as he spoke, "Attention everyone!"
Little of the noise stopped and the Colonel looked at Radar. Immediately Radar grabbed the whistle that was around his neck and blew it loudly. Everyone came to a calm.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Colonel Potter spoke to the crowd of people that lived, for a few precious moments, in ignorance, "I-I have some terrible news that you all need to know," he took a deep breath, "Someone from our camp personnel has been killed," a pause in time washed through everyone and Colonel Potter saw all eyes on him, "Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce of the 4077th Mash died last night in a bar shooting in Soul."
Those were the hardest words Colonel Potter knew he'd have to speak, and as he looked out on everyone, he knew they couldn't believe it. Everyone was silent. Not a sound could be heard from anywhere as everyone stood stock still. Then, like an eruption from a volcano, everyone started screaming or crying or talking at once. Charles, Margaret, Klinger and Father Mulcahy immediately ran up to the front to ask questions.
"How did it happen?" sobbed Margaret, completely engulfed in tears.
"It can't be," Klinger said in a daze, "Hawk could never be killed."
Father Mulcahy held tight to a cross on his neck, "Dear God," he whispered, "please, oh please, this can't be true."
Charles' eyes were wide, as a few select tears trickled down, "How-how did it happen Colonel? Who shot him?"
"Where is he now?" Margaret jumped in again before Colonel Potter got in a word.
"Please," Colonel Potter choked out, "not now. I'll answer all questions in-in my office in fifteen minutes."
Margaret burst into tears, and Klinger held onto her tightly. Charles held his hands to hid face-- unsuccessfully hiding his tears as Father Mulcahy sat on the ground, his head in his hands. Colonel Potter looked around the grounds. There were many people crying as he they hugged each other, and tried their bests to console. Then Colonel Potter spotted him. BJ. He was sitting in a heap on the ground, his knees pulled up to cover his face. Slowly Colonel Potter walked over to him, once there, crouching down beside him he put a hand on his shoulder.
"BJ?" Colonel Potter whispered.
BJ looked up. His face was red and the tears that were falling down this face left marks on his dirty skin. His breathing came in gasps as he looked at Colonel Potter in the eyes.
"I knew," BJ choked, "I knew some-something would happen. I should have tried to stop him."
"No," Colonel Potter shook his head, "Hunnicut, no. You didn't know. You had no idea that this would happen. No one did. No one but the bastard who shot him. Everyone. Everyone thinks they could have done something to stop a loved one from getting hurt. And Hawkeye was a loved one. I don't think there was one person in this camp who he didn't make smile. BJ. You-you have to understand."
"But why?" BJ's voice shone with desperation, "Why him. Why of everyone did it have to be Hawkeye?"
"I don't know," Colonel Potter whispered, "I'm sorry Son."
"No!" a sudden cry came from the left and everyone looked over.
The cry echoed through the camp, and all eyes were on the person that bellowed it-- Nurse Kelley. She had first sank to the ground and now was running off towards the nurses tent-- another nurse running after her.
Colonel Potter looked at Radar, "I want to know what's wrong with her-- make sure she's ok."
Radar nodded.
Slowly Colonel Potter made his way back to his office after that. Nothing seemed real to him. He went through the doors he'd went through hundreds of times, and sat in the chair he'd sat in for hours before. And yet none of it was real to him. He was sure he'd just wake up, and it'd all be a dream. He'd wake up and Hawkeye would be there laughing and making some joke about the food or the way war was hell. But this wasn't a dream. Hawkeye was dead and there was nothing anybody could do about it. Colonel Potter realized now, how everyone must have felt when they found out that Henry had died. And now they had to go through it again.
"Colonel?" Radar quietly stepped into the room.
Colonel Potter looked up, "Radar, is-"
"Nurse Kelly is ok," Radar quickly intercepted, "she's, uhh, really upset. She was whispering and mumbling about how Hawkeye meant so much to her, and how he made her feel special."
"He made everyone feel special," Colonel Potters voice became husky again as he cleared it to continue, "Are the officers ready to come in?"
Radar silently nodded his head as some fresh tears rolled down his cheek. He then went outside and told everyone to come inside. Margaret, Charles, Klinger, BJ and Father Mulcahy slowly walked into the office, each taking a seat or standing in any available areas. Radar stood beside Colonel Potter and looked at everyone. It seemed, to him, that everyone had instantly aged at least ten years. BJ looked the worse, and yet looked the least upset. Margaret was sitting in a chair, he hands covering her face. Charles had his hand on her back, rubbing it gently. Klinger sat in a small shelf behind Margaret while Father Mulcahy stood beside Charles.
"I-I'm sure you all have many questions." Colonel Potter started, "I'll see how many I can answer now. Captain Pierce was on his way to Soul, and on the way he tried to help a family of severely burned people. He was only able to save one of the three people-- two children died. Once in Soul he hooked up with one of the beauty contestants, and tried to drink away his troubles at a local bar. That-that's where the man, one Jo Son, came into the bar and shot. He killed six- six people. One of them, one of them being Hawkeye."
The only sounds in the room were small sobs that came from people. Charles stood there, is eyes were closed, his mouth clenched shut as if mentally killing the man. Klinger sat staring at his feet, tears falling onto the army green shirt. Margaret's breathing was wracked by sobs as her whole body seemed to convulse. Father Mulcahy stood there staring straight ahead as tears came down his face. Then Colonel Potter caught site of BJ. He was standing there, a large grin on his face.
"BJ-" Colonel Potter whispered as everyone looked over.
BJ then burst into a fit of laughter. His face turned red as tears rolled down his face.
"BJ," again Colonel Potter spoke softly as he moved forward to him, "What's wrong? Why are you laughing."
"I get it," BJ said through fits of laughter, "it's a joke. This is all some sortta big elaborate joke of Hawkeye's."
Colonel Potter looked down, "BJ, no-"
"Ok!" BJ yelled as loud as he could as he looked around, "you can come out now Hawk! The jokes over! Hawkeye!"
"BJ, this is no joke," Colonel Potter could barely croak out the words between sobs of tears.
"No!" BJ now directed his yelling towards Colonel Potter, "it is a joke. You-you don't understand! This is Hawkeye's thing. He likes to draw attention to himself. HAWKEYE! Damn it, Hawkeye get you're ass out here!"
Crying was more visible from everyone else as they could only watch their friend crumble before their very eyes.
"Son-" Colonel Potter hushed as he put a hand on BJ's shoulder.
"No," BJ whispered as he slowly backed out of the room, "No. It's- it's a joke. You'll, you'll all see."
Before anyone could say anything else he was gone….
--------
Night had fallen and the camp grew cold and quiet. It had taken five hours, but finally Igor had found BJ. He was passed out in a corner of the supply room-- completely surrounded by alcohol bottles and such. As the stars twinkled above, Klinger walked on guard duty.
"Man," he said to himself, "I can't believe it. Hawkeye's really gone. He left, without me even saying how much he meant to me. Without anyone saying how much he meant to them. I just, just wish-"
Just then an ambulance came squealing up the compound. A man jumped out.
"How many?" Klinger asked as enlisted men and nurses seemed to come from the shadows to help.
"Six," the soldier said, "They were caught in a mine field."
"How bad are they?" Klinger then asked.
"Three of them are stable," the man reported, "and another two are pretty bad, but there's one guy-- we didn't think he'd even make the trip."
Klinger looked beside him to see that Margaret had been standing there listening. She walked over to the man that the solder had been talking about. He couldn't have been more than eighteen, maybe nineteen. It was hard to tell through all the blood. Margaret's heart sank as she saw that is was a bad chest wound. Hawkeye was the main expert on that.
"Klinger wake Charles pronto, and then get Colonel Potter over here," Margaret said just before asking one of the nurses to get two units of whole blood.
"What about Captain Hunnicut?" Klinger asked.
Margaret paused for a moment before answering, "Let him sleep. If it gets bad we'll call for him. Besides, I don't think he'd be much good in the state he's in right now."
"Yes Ma'am," Klinger said before running off as fast as he could in his blue high heels.
It took only a few minutes before the surgery room was bustling with nurses and doctors. Both Charles and Colonel Potter were working on the chest wound patient-- who's name, frighteningly, was Benjamin L. Franklin. That, and the fact that it was very complicated chest surgery that only Hawkeye really knew how to do well, left a quiet and tense feeling in the air. Four and a half hours later Charles and Colonel Potter were sitting out on the bench in the scrub room.
"Don't beat yourself up over it Major," Colonel Potter said as he pulled off his scrubs, "there was nothing you could have done."
"I-I could have tried harder," Charles mumbled before stating much more loudly, "I could have paid more attention to Captain Pierce when he was doing these surgeries!"
"You didn't know that Hawkeye would die," Colonel Potter stated bluntly, "there was no reason for you to think that you needed to learn such a complicated surgery. It would be the same thing, if, God forbid, you passed away, and one of us had to quickly adjust to the surgeries in which you specialize in."
Charles still shook his head in defeat, "No. Hunnicut just last week preformed a surgery that I thought only I was skilled to do. But, but Pierce. He was different. His hands seemed to swim through a persons chest. Finding all hiding shrapnel with ease, and repairing even the minuets nicks. His hands were miracle workers, and now, now because of some, some, jack-ass man who's brother was killed. Hawkeye can no longer help those in need."
By the end of this rant, Charles was in tears and Colonel Potter had his hand on his back-- gently rubbing it, "It's ok Son, let it out, let it out."
Just then, a single gunshot echoed throughout the camp.
"What in sam hell?" cried Colonel Potter, the ringing of the gunshot still in his ears, "What in blazes was that?"
"It sounded like a gunshot from just outside," Charles said, panic stricken.
Immediately Colonel Potter and Charles ran as fast as they could out of the scrub room-- Charles still wearing a white shirt with blood splatters on it. Once out Colonel Potter look around.
"C-Colonel," both Charles and Colonel Potter heard the quiet voice.
Looking to his left, Colonel Potter saw it. He ran over with Charles in tale and could only star. There stood Klinger, gun in hand-- and Margaret laying on the ground-- blood all around her, and a bullet hole coming from her hip.
--------
The bumpy roads were like a roller coaster. The shelling like fireworks. And the twinkling of the stars seemed like tiny flashlights. BJ was completely drunk. So much so that he could hardly keep his eyes open as he bumped along the dusty Korean road. But he had to keep going. He had to do something.
"I gotta- got-gotta find," he slurred to himself, "that guy can't-can't, k-kill my best-best friend!"
BJ's voice had grown increasingly louder as he spoke, and as it did so, he used his hands. Therefore causing his jeep to veer of course. It only took a few moments, but before BJ knew it, his jeep had crash landed in a small ditch at the side of the road. After a few moment BJ crawled out of the jeep. Blood dripped down his face from a deep gash in his forehead.
"Stupid j-jeep," BJ mumbled as stumbled around, "Does-doesn't know wh-where we-we were go'n."
It took BJ a few moments to get his bearings, but when he did he started to realize where he was.
"I-I'm on a road. This is Korea!" the panic rose in his voice as if before that moment he hadn't realized where he was, "W-wh-where the hell is-is Peg! PEG! Erin-- oh-oh my God, Erin. Sh-She c-could get-get hurt! Erin! Baby come here!"
The world was swimming around him and just as darkness was going to envelop him a hand grabbed him.
"T-Take it easy Sir," it was a female voice, "Please."
BJ managed to force his eyes open. He made his eyes focus and before him he saw a beautiful woman, with what he figured were the most beautiful eyes.
"P-Peg?" BJ squinted in his drunken state.
"Umm," the lady heisted, "N-No Sir. My name is Kate Sir."
"Kate?" BJ managed to pull himself into a fully upright position, "You-You're not my wife. A-Are you the-the man that-that k-killed my b-be-best friend?"
His accusation came out loud and Kate backed away nervously.
"No," she spoke, "I'm sorry Sir. I don't know what you mean."
"Oh," BJ said calmly before dropping to the ground.
"Sir!" Kate cried as she bent down, "Sir!"
Figuring that he may answer better to his name, she took a look at his dog tags.
"Captain BJ Hunnicut," she put a hand on his shoulder, "Captain, can you hear me?"
BJ opened his eyes and stared at her, "Not now Mom. Five-five more minutes."
"Captain," Kate spoke carefully, "Please. Let me help you. I'm a nurse from the 8063rd. I've been stranded out here for almost twenty-four hours when my jeep stalled and wouldn't start again. You're hurt and I can help."
"Nurse," BJ said focusing, "Nurse! I know you."
"I don't think you do," she said as she took out some cleaning solution from her bag that she had with you.
"Sure I-I do," slurred BJ, "W-We got plenty a nurses back home."
Kate could only smile as she bandaged up his wounds as best she could.
"I have a small shelter down there a ways," she finally said, "We could go down there for the night. Then tomorrow we can try and get you back to a doctor. You need some professional help."
"Oww," BJ moaned as he got to his feet, "Damn."
Kate scrunched her brow, "How bad does it hurt?"
"Bad," BJ said quietly-- the effects of the alcohol obviously wearing off.
"Ok," Kate said as she rummaged around in her bag, "Ah ha, I knew I had some," she pulled out a bottle which contained some blue pills, "here, take one of these. They're very powerful pain killers. They should help you sleep too."
BJ took it and dropped it in his mouth. With the help of Kate, the two of them managed to get down the hill, and too a small abandoned house. Half of it's walls were blown off, there were no glass in windows, and only parts of the roof remained.
"It's not much," Kate said as she sat him down inside it, "But it keeps the enemies from noticing us. "
BJ just nodded as he attempted to curl up against a corner.
"So," Kate said awkwardly, "Why-why were you traveling along the road in the middle of the night-- in the-- ehh state you were in?"
It took a few minutes for the question to register in BJ's mind, and even longer for him to figure out an answer, "My-my best friend," as soon as the words were out of his mouth tears began to come down his face, "He was killed the other day. He-he was the g-g-greatest guy in the-the whole world! Th-then some guy shot him. Right in a bar. Wounded came in tonight. A-A man. He had a really b-bad chest-chest wound. He died. Th-the man that killed Hawk killed two people! And-and it's m-my fault…"
BJ's voice was so quiet and wracked with sobs by the end that Kate had a hard time understanding him. It took her a moment to put together what he told her.
"How," Kate found her own voice quivering, "How was it your fault?"
BJ took a deep sobbing breath as he continued in a quiet strained voice, "He-he wanted me to come. Hawk asked me to. B-But I said no. I said NO! If- if I were there, I could-could have helped. I could have st-stopped him from getting killed," BJ was full out crying as he buried his hands into head, "I could have saved him. I could have saved my best friend, but I didn't."
"Shhh," Kate put her arms around BJ's bundled body, "shh, it's ok. It's going to be ok."
It was all she could do to keep herself from crying just as hard along with him, but she felt the need to be strong. She barely knew this man, and didn't know his friend at all, but she could tell that they were close.
Time ticked by slowly, and soon both Kate and BJ were asleep on the floor of the drafty room. BJ woke up with a start in the middle of the night.
"What the hell?" he mumbled thickly.
His head pounded so hard that it felt like his brain was going to burst out. Suddenly memories flashed back to everything that had happened and a feeling of guilt, depression and pain flooded back to him.
"Where did she put 'em?" BJ mumbled absent minded as he ripped through her medical bag, "Ah ha!"
He pulled out the bottle in which had the pills in them. BJ opened the bottle and stared at the blue pill for a few moments. Again the guilt, hurt and pain washed through his body and fresh tears ran down his face. He looked over at the still sleeping Kate. Distant shelling could be heard and BJ felt a lump form at the pit of his stomach. With a deep shaking breath BJ emptied the contents of the bottle into his hand and shoved them into his mouth.
"Klinger!" Colonel Potters voice blasted, "What the hell happened?"
In a flash Colonel Potter was at Margaret's side along with Charles.
"It's going to be ok Margaret," Colonel Potter soothed, not even waiting for an answer from Klinger, "it'll be ok."
"It hurts," moaned Margaret squeezing her eyes shut.
"I know," Colonel Potter said, his voice cracking as he brushed the hair from her face.
By that point many people were crowded around.
"Help me get her on a stretcher," Charles barked out orders, "And for God's sake be careful, I don't know exactly where the bullet went."
It took just a few moments for Margaret to be carted off-- Charles talking loudly the whole way. All that was left in the semi dark pathway was Klinger-- who was standing stock still with a terrified look on his face, and Colonel Potter.
"What happened?" Colonel Potter asked, trying to conceal the anger in his voice, "and no galley wagging around it, I want exactly what happened."
His voice was eerie mono tone, and Klinger took a step back before speaking, "I-I didn't do it," his voice whispered out, "I t-told her not to w-walk around. That-that we'd been told th-that there was-was a sniper around h-here. But-but she s-said that she was-was too upset a-about Hawkeye, and-and that sh-she needed some fresh air. I-I tried to stop her," Klinger's breath came out in sobbed gasps as he spoke, "she wouldn't listen. Then-then the shot c-came a-and-"
Klinger was totally dissolved in tears. All Colonel Potter could do was put his arms around him.
"It's ok Son," he spoke quietly, "it's ok. This camp needs a real miracle to pull it together, but it'll be ok. I promise."
--------
Kate awoke to the sound of gagging. She looked around frantically in the dark and saw BJ laying on the ground-- his face red, and lips blue.
"BJ!" she cried running over, "BJ, what's wrong!"
BJ didn't answer as his eyes locked into space.
Kate saw the empty bottle laying on the ground, "Oh God no."
Immediately her mind raced as to what to do. She knew she had to make him throw up-- but how. Her mind raced as time seemed to slow down. Her world paused around her as a memory flashed into her mind. When she had been back at the 8063rd, there had been a nurse who had a problem. After much denying, she had finally gone to their CO and explained how she would stick her finger down her throat after eating-- and it was making her sick.
"That's it!" Kate cried suddenly as her life seemed to speed back to fast forward and time was of the essence, "I-I need to get my finger down his throat to make him throw up."
She looked around quickly for her bag. Inside was a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Kate quickly bit off the end of her finger nail so it wasn't long, then poured alcohol over her finger.
"The effects of the damn pills is bad enough, I don't need to slice his throat and infect it," she mumbled as she wiped off the excess rubbing alcohol on a cloth.
Then, mustering all her courage up she turned BJ over to face her. His face was now becoming an ashen colour-- though his eyes looking at her now proved he was conscious.
"I'm sorry BJ," Kate whispered.
She took her finger and plunged it into his mouth. Kate had done many things back at her camp. Everything from assisting doctors to changing and cleaning bed pans. But this was different. She found herself praying that he would live. For the first time ever a person's life was in her hands. It took a moment but finally Kate saw BJ's stomach scrunch up. She quickly moved her finger and BJ turned over and threw up on the ground. As gross as it was, it was one of the most wonderful things Kate had seen in a long time. BJ continued to throw up for almost fifteen minutes and he was laying on his back. Kate was relieved to see his face had returned to a more normal colour-- though he looked very weak and knew he even more needed a doctor.
"What were you thinking?" Kate finally whispered.
"Sorry," was all BJ managed out.
"You're-you're damn right you're sorry," Kate said feeling apprehensive about talking to a higher ranking officer like that.
BJ tried to sit up, but a wash of dizziness came over him which forced him to lay back down.
"Why?" Kate asked again in a softer voice.
"I-I don't know," BJ's voice was thick, "I just--couldn't take it. Hawk. It was-was too much, and-"
This time instead of breaking off because of tears, he had drifted off to sleep.
"At daybreak," Kate mumbled to no one in particular, "we'll leave at daybreak."
She took a deep shaking breath and soon found herself asleep too.
--------
"Wipe," Charles said as sweat began to find its way down his face.
A nurse beside him sponged it up.
"Suction," he suddenly said, "I need more suction."
"Easy Winchester," Colonel Potter cautioned, "Just take it easy."
"I am trying Colonel," Charles spoke, "This is very difficult."
Colonel Potter looked at Klinger, who was hovering around awaiting news of how Margaret was doing.
"Klinger?" Colonel Potter said looking at him, "Go and wake BJ. Tell him it's urgent and we really need him. I know he won't be in the best of shape but we really need another pair of hands here, this more complex than I'd have hoped."
"Yes Sir," Klinger said eager to do something.
Once Klinger was gone Colonel Potter took his eyes off of the work he was doing on Margaret to look at Charles, "You know, it wasn't Klinger's fault. It was a sniper."
Charles nodded under his mask, "Yes, I am aware of that."
"Try not to worry too much," Colonel Potter said after a pause.
"Do you realize what will happen if something goes wrong on this operation?" Charles snapped before he could catch himself, "Sorry Sir."
"No," Colonel Potter brushed it aside, "It's ok. Everyone has a right to be mad and upset around now. And yes, I do realize what will happen. She-"
Colonel Potter paused and Charles finished, "She could never walk again."
"How's she doing?" Father Mulcahy asked as he walked over to them, "is there anything I can do?"
"Pray," Colonel Potter said bluntly.
"I can do that," Father Mulcahy said sadly.
"Sirs!" the yell came from the entrance and Klinger came running in, "Sirs, you won't believe this!"
"What now," moaned Charles as he attempted to stop a large bleed.
"It's BJ," Klinger said- his voice clearly still in shock, "He-he's gone!"
"Blast it!" shouted Colonel Potter as he backed from the table, "What the hell is going on?" everyone looked over, "That Pierce seemed to hold this whole camp together, and now it's going to hell!"
--------
Father Mulcahy , Charles, and Colonel Potter were all crowded around Margaret-- who was laying in a cot. As her eyes slowly opened Colonel Potter forced a smile onto his face.
"How are you feeling Margaret?" he asked.
"What happened?" whispered Margaret.
Colonel Potter paused a moment before he answered, "You were shot. A sniper. Do you remember?"
"Yeah," Margaret nodded her head, "Klinger-- where's Klinger? He tried to save me."
"He's off looking for BJ," Colonel Potter stated-- deciding to spare the details.
Margaret nodded her head, then, with a panic stricken face her eyes widened in horror as she whispered, "Colonel?"
"What, what is it?" Colonel Potter asked moving in closer.
"Colonel!" Margaret screeched, "I can't move my legs!"
The pin was slowly run along the base of Margaret's foot.
"Well?" Colonel Potter asked, knowing full out what the answer would be.
Margaret silently shook her head, and Colonel Potter forced a reassuring smile onto his face.
"Try not to worry too much Margaret," he spoke softly- like a father would, "It could just be temporary. You're pretty swollen all throughout the area of the gun shot, and it could be pressing against some nerves. Give it time."
"Ok," Margaret whispered in a sad voice and then pulled herself up a little with her arms.
"Easy, easy," Charles said coming over just as Colonel Potter put his hand under one arm of Margaret's to help, "You don't want to strain anything."
"How's Klinger?" Margaret then asked- decided it best to keep the attention off of her for a moment.
Colonel Potter nodded, "Ok. He was really scared, and I was a jack-ass to him."
"He-he saved me Colonel," Margaret hesitated looking around at Colonel Potter, and now Charles who had taken up seat at an empty cot beside her, "I-I owe him my life."
Colonel Potter nodded, "I know. He's getting an award for it too. That boy is really something."
Just at that Klinger walked over and mumbled a quick 'hello' before sitting on the cot beside Charles. An awkward silence fell over them, when all of a sudden Colonel Potter spoke.
"Heard anything about BJ?"
Klinger shook his head, "No Sir. 8063rd lost one of their nurses when she went out for some supplies. Her jeep was found, but not her. So, the search team has been advised to look out for BJ too."
"Damn it," Colonel Potter muttered, "That damn man was in so much pain. We should have had someone watching over him. He was drunk, and probably went out in that jeep we found missing.. Pain, drunk and keys aren't a good combination on any day."
--------
The light was bright. Far too bright for BJ's taste as he struggled to get into a sitting position. That movement got the attention of the other person in the run-down shack.
"Hi," Kate smiled almost nervously, "Uhh, how are you feeling BJ?"
"Fine," mumbled BJ, his head throbbing as he struggled to remember the previous nights events, "I-I--"
"Don't remember?" Kate filled in as she sat in a crouched position next to him as BJ numbly nodded his head, "It's ok. I didn't think you'd remember too much what with you're– ehh– state of mind last night, the bump on the head and the pills."
"Pills," BJ groaned as he remember what he'd tried to do, "I'm- I'm really sorry, ehh– Kate?"
"Yeah," Kate nodded and suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of admiration and sympathy towards him, "From what I understood you've been through a lot. Something about you're best friend being killed. I-I just wish you hadn't have tried to kill yourself as the answer."
"I'm sorry," BJ whispered again sadly.
Kate sighed and decided then that it was the right time to change the subject, "We should start heading out soon, someone is sure to find us today– especially if they have people from both of our camps out looking."
"Yeah," BJ nodded, not quite sure what she was talking about.
It took only a few moments for Kate to finish picking up all of her things which were sprawled carelessly about the place, and then just a few more minutes for BJ to get his bearings well enough to be able to get into an upright position and walk on his own free will. They'd been walking only about ten minutes at the side of the road before BJ spoke.
"Thank you Kate," BJ's voice was soft and quiet, "Really. Thanks."
"Don't worry about it," Kate shrugged it off– though her cheeks turned a few shades redder, "It scared me though. I'd- I'd never had to save a person before."
"You do a good job," BJ smiled slightly, "I was just- really upset," he paused before saying with a half laugh, "really upset. And drunk."
"Tell me," Kate said as she kicked a small pebble across the road, "What was you're friend like?"
BJ paused a moment, and Kate feared that maybe she shouldn't have asked. But with a quick glance at his face, she saw his smile, and knew that he had to have been really good friends with him to be able to smile at the memory.
"His name," BJ finally spoke, "Was Benjamin Franklin Pierce. But, everyone called him Hawkeye. It was like in our camp, we were all a deck of cards. Colonel Potter was that one card that you'd get that explains the rules to the game," Kate laughed softly as she grinned, "Our aces, Major's Margaret and Charles– always there– even at times you don't want them. The King– Radar, our company clerk. He isn't always noticed, but our camp could never run without him. Our Queens would without a doubt be our nurses– just like you Kate, they made the saving of lives possible everyday," Kate blushed, "Our Jack would defiantly have to be Klinger. And just like the card, sometimes being one-eyed and sometimes not, you never knew what Klinger would do next to try and get out of the army. Then– deuces through ten– are enlisted men– couldn't have a full deck without them," BJ paused, and Kate was just about to ask a question when he continued– his voice slightly more husky, "Finally. There was me and Hawk. The jokers of the pack. There was never a day that went by that Hawkeye wouldn't make everyone laugh, or pull some practical joke. He was always there– a wild card, always- always trying to embarrass Charles, or get one of the nurses to go out with him," BJ suddenly laughed, "then there'd be all the times that me and him would do things to other people. I remember getting in a lot of trouble when we toe-tagged our old roomy Frank. And-and now he's gone. Our deck is broken."
Kate looked over sympathetically- lost as to what to say other than a small whisper that escaped her lips, "I'm sorry BJ. It-it sounds like you two were really close."
"He was my best friend," BJ mumbled as a tear came down his cheek, "I just-just wish I could have said good-bye. How much he meant to me. He was a little bit of Heaven on this hell on earth."
The two walked on quietly after that, the soft silence lingering between them until the distinct sound of a vehicle on the gravel road was heard. It took just a few moments for it to come into view and skid to a stop beside them.
"Angie!" Kate cried as she ran the few feet to the jeep.
Inside the jeep was a medium height nurse with dark brown, almost black hair that fell to just past her shoulders. She had a huge grin on her face which reflected not only Kate's, but also that of soldier that was driving the jeep.
"RON!" Kate screeched as she caught sight of the soldier.
As quick as BJ had ever seen anyone move, Kate ran around to the other side of the jeep as Ron jumped out. The two were immediately locked in a tight embrace and BJ could only grin.
"Been dating for about a month," Angie supplied as she too looked at them, "My God, I can't believe she's ok," only then did Angie really see what BJ looked like, and her eyes widened slightly, "Are-are you Captain BJ Hunnicut?"
"One and only," BJ gave a half smile, "How'd you know?"
"You're CO has been having people looking all over for you!" Angie squealed excitedly, "Oh my Gosh, I can't believe this! You two are both alive. We-we have to get you back to your camp!"
BJ nodded and jumped into the jeep. By then Kate and Ron had both gotten in too. Ron seemed to be going even faster than BJ could remember Hawkeye ever driving, and it only took about forty minutes before they arrived at the camp. BJ jumped out of the jeep, and seemingly as soon as his feet touched the ground he heard the yell.
"BJ Hunnicut!"
Colonel Potter ran up to BJ, his eyes bulging from his eye sockets.
"Hunnicut, are you ok?" he asked as slowly inched closer to him.
"Yeah," BJ nodded his head and spoke quietly.
"Good," Colonel Potter smiled before exploding, "Now what the hell were you thinking?"
BJ glanced over at Angie, Ron and Kate, who all had apprehensive looks on their faces, "Ummm, sorry."
"You're going to have to do better than that," Colonel Potter's voice showed a mixture of fear, relief and anger, and his face seemed to have aged since the last time BJ had seen him, "This camp is going to hell, and you running off-- and completely drunk at that-- did not help!"
"Umm, Colonel Sir?" Kate had stepped out of the jeep-- followed closely behind by Ron and Angie.
Colonel Potter turned his attention to the ruffed up nurse, "And what part do you play in this drunken escapade lieutenant?"
"Umm," Kate bit her lip nervously, "My-my name is Kate Miller."
"Kate Miller?" Colonel Potters face softened for a moment before exclaiming, "Kate Miller! You're the nurse that went missing from the 8063rd right?"
Kate nodded, "Yes Sir. Myself and Captain Hunnicut were picked up by officers Sergeant Angie Kratt and Lieutenant Ronald Alexander."
A small smile came across Colonel Potters face before he turned his attention back to BJ, "I want you to report to pre-op, and have Charles look you over. If he gives the go-ahead I want you to take a shower, and have a nice long nap-- I'm going to want to talk to you when you wake up. Sergeant, Lieutenants, I'd like a word with you in my office.
--------
BJ laid on the cot in post-op. It wasn't that he had to be there-- Charles said that he had a small infection in the cut on his head, a sprained wrist, and a few side effects from the drugs that would take a while to wear off-- but BJ didn't want to go back to the Swamp, in fear of what memories would drag their way through his brain. Instead he's decided to take up residency in the post-op ward-- taking advantage off the still silence that enveloped him, and forced him to think about nothing except for the pain that would occasionally stab through his stomach or the small hum of the nurses talking quietly over a patient. BJ knew that Colonel Potter would soon be in to speak to him. He knew that he was really going to get it this time. Charles had told him about Margaret, and he couldn't help but feel that if he hadn't been drunk to the bones he could have helped her. BJ's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the swinging of the door open, and clump of boots coming over to him.
"Sit up Son," it was Colonel Potter.
BJ sat up into more of a sitting position, and looked at the grey haired Colonel.
"I talked to Ron, Angie and Kate," Colonel Potter said in a much more calmer voice than what he had had out in the compound, "they explained everything to me Hunnicut, and I've decided that no charges are going to be put against you. You've slipped through this one through the skin of your teeth, you understand that don't you?"
"Yes Colonel," BJ spoke quietly, "I'm- I'm really sorry."
"I know," Colonel Potter put a hand on BJ's shoulder, "It's been really hard on everyone lately-- I should have known that you wouldn't have been able to handle it all on your own. So- so much is going on here, I don't know how much more we can take. That Pierce really was a miracle worker."
BJ closed his eyes slightly before speaking, "So, umm, how's Margaret? Can I see her?"
"Sure," Colonel Potter said as he stood up from his previously sitting position at the foot of the cot, "She still has no movement below her waist."
BJ sighed sympathetically as Colonel Potter held out a helping hand for him to get up. As soon as to his feet BJ felt a huge rush of dizziness and almost toppled backwards.
"Kelley get a wheelchair," Colonel Potter quickly said, and the short, dark haired nurse came running up with one.
Gently easing BJ down, Colonel Potter proceeded to push him outside the post-op and into the bright Korean sun. It only took a few moments for BJ to realize that he was being taken to Margaret's tent. Before he could ask why, Colonel Potter spoke.
"We decided to bring her to her own room," he explained, "she's more comfortable there, and since she's not in too much pain, she insisted on not taking up room in the post-op."
BJ nodded in understanding just as Colonel Potter knocked on the wooden door. "Come in," came the familiar voice of Margaret.
"Hi," Colonel Potter smiled cheerfully as he stepped in, "I brought someone who wants to see you."
Colonel Potter pulled BJ in through the door backwards, and Margaret squealed when she saw him.
"Oh my God BJ!" she cried out happily, "You're back!"
"Yeah," BJ nodded, guilt filling through him again at the sight of Margaret sitting on her bed, a small pile of pill bottles sitting on her end table, "So, how are you feeling?"
"I think I'll go get some coffee," Colonel Potter grinned, "I could use something to eat. I'll be back in a little while to take you back Hunnicut."
BJ nodded his head and Colonel Potter left, leaving BJ and Margaret alone in the tent.
"I'm doing ok," Margaret said with a small smile, "I still can't move my legs, but Colonel Potter said that that could be just from swelling."
"Yeah," BJ nodded and moved closer, "Do you mind if I take a look?"
Margaret shook her head, and BJ pulled the covers back, and took a look at the wound. It took a few moments before he finally placed back down the covers and moved back.
"Well?" Margaret asked, "What do you think?"
"Well," BJ shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "the-the swelling looks like it's down already. Are you sure you can't feel anything?"
BJ quickly ran his fingers down her feet, pinching slightly at the toes.
"No," a small sense of panic came to Margaret's voice, "No, I feel nothing. Do-do you think that means I'll never get feeling back?"
"No," BJ said slowly as if thinking hard about something, "No, not necessarily. There could be still some nerve damage that needs time to heal. Give it time Margaret, I'm sure someday you'll be out running the back forty."
"I hope so," was all Margaret said in a hushed voice.
That evening BJ laid fast asleep in the post-op. The room was quiet and the only person there was Kelley-- who was quietly checking all the peoples charts, and marking on them. She was just a few cots away from BJ when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. BJ was laying in the bed, suddenly convulsing violently.
"No!" Kelley cried as she ran over and ripped open his shirt, "Doctor! Doctor come quick!"
Charles came running out from the other room, and went over to BJ. It took only a moment for him to assess what was happening.
"He's going into cardiac arrest!"
It was three hours later, and Charles heart rate still hadn't returned to normal. He was sitting, very quietly at a small table in the corner of the officers club. He was sure any minute now different people were going to be running up to him and asking him about BJ. He was sure of it. And yet he had no idea what to tell them. Sure enough two minutes after sitting down Radar came running up to him.
"How is he?" Radar immediately asked as he sat his small frame down, "How's BJ?"
Charles looked down solemnly at the floor.
"No," Charles more heard than saw Radar skid back in the chair, "Sir please no. Don't say he-he's-- no."
"No," Charles spoke quietly still not looking Radar in the eyes, "No, he's not dead."
Radar smiled and sighed happily. He continued then to look at Charles, and his smile quickly vanished as he saw Charles rubbing his eyes.
"What?" Radar's voice was small.
"He- he," Charles took a deep breath and finally looked up-- Radar noticed his face was red, "He had a massive heart attack."
Radar's hands were immediately to his mouth as he slowly shook his head, "No. No. H-How bad?"
"Bad," Charles took another deep breath to try and calm himself, "H-he won't make it."
Before Charles could say another word Radar had jumped to his feet and bolted out the door. Charles' insides were doing roll-overs as he continued to just sit there, not sure what to think or do. This was it. The 4077th MASH was in big trouble. Two surgeons gone, the head nurse immobilized, and everyone else going, in his opinion, crazy. Things, in his opinion, couldn't get worse. It was about ten minutes before the next person came bounding through the door.
"Charles!" the person was totally hysterical, "Charles come quick!"
Charles looked up to see Father Mulcahy running in.
"What is it?" Charles asked getting up, "What happened?"
"It's Radar," Father Mulcahy whipped tears from his face, "He's- he's-- there's something wrong."
"What?" again Charles' heart started to pound, "What happened?"
"He's flipped," was all Father Mulcahy could think to say, "He-he's got all the mess tent at gunpoint."
"What!" cried Charles as he bolted to the door-- the rest of the bar becoming a blur of colours and noise, "What the hell is he thinking?"
"I don't know," Father Mulcahy whispered as he struggled to keep up, "I was in there, but managed to escape."
"Who else is in the mess tent?" Charles asked as he finally stopped outside the Swamp.
"There are about a dozen enlisted men," Father Mulcahy said ticking off them in his fingers, "Around six or seven nurses. There's Klinger, Colonel Potter, and then a few more people that I'm not sure about."
"Oh my God," Charles whispered pulling his hands once again over his face.
--------
It was very dark outside as the lady walked down the dusty Korean road, her young daughter beside her. The only source of light was the lightening bolts that jot out of the sky, briefly illuminating it, and brining their world to life. As they continued on, the lady smiled as she realized that she was almost there.
"How much further Mama?" the young girl struggled with her English.
"Almost there," the lady smiled, "Almost."
"Nice people?" the little one asked.
"Very nice," the woman smiled fondly.
It wasn't long before they made their way up to the large sign that red in bold white lettering 'Welcome to 4077th MASH-- Best Care Anywhere'.
"This is Mama?" the girl asked.
The lady just smiled. But as soon as they'd made it onto the camp, they knew something was wrong. There was screaming and shouting coming from everywhere, and people were running around like mad. One particular heavy person was running towards her screaming at the top of his lungs 'He's gone crazy! Run for your life!'. Wondering what was going on, the lady walked up to the next man he saw-- the young girl's hand tightly gripped in her own.
"What's going on?" she asked the solider that was standing stock still staring at the large tent in front of him.
"He-he has a gun," was all the man managed to whisper, "there has- has b-been one shot already. We d-don't know what's going on."
"Who?" the lady asked, "who has gun?"
"The umm, C-Company Clerk," the solider finally took his gaze of the tent to look at her, "Why?"
"Who are you?" the lady asked stubborn to answer his questions.
"P-Private Ash Hayward," Ash said slowly, "What's your name Ma'am, why are you here?"
"I came to see one Doctor Pierce," the lady stated, the young girl staring wide-eyed at all the people running by-- most screaming or yelling.
Ash's face grew dim as he looked at the lady, "Listen lady," he finally said rather harshly, "I don't know who you are, or what business you have being here, but Captain Pierce has been dead for some time now, and it's not funny coming around here asking for him."
"Oh no!" the lady covered her mouth, "That can't be so! I-I talked to him."
"Pierce?" Ash suddenly looked excited, "Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce?"
"Yes," the lady nodded, "Doctor."
"That's impossible," Ash now seemed, to the lady, in a state of pure shock, "He was killed in a bar over a month ago. This Mash unit has gone to hell since then. If he was still alive than he would be here-- where is he lady?"
"Oh," the lady shook her head, "I spoke to him much over a month ago."
"Oh," Ash mumbled, his spirits plummeting.
"How did you say he died?" the lady questioned, "When?"
"It was just over a month ago," Ash repeated, "He umm, he was on his way to the Capitol for some beauty contest-- heh, just like Pierce. He was in a bar that night and was shot by some bastard who decided that all army men were bad."
"Oh," the lady suddenly had a determined look on her face, "May I speak with this company clerk please?"
"What?" Ash stared at her for a moment, "Are you crazy lady? I told you he has a gun in there. He's already shot it and could kill everyone!"
"I realize that," she said, "Now, if you please, can you watch my daughter and make sure no harm comes to her?"
"Yeah," Ash nodded and looked down at the now frightened looking girl, "N-No problem."
The lady then walked, with every ounce of nerve in her to the doorway to the mess tent. Slowly the door creaked open as she pushed it. Once inside everyone looked over at her. As the lady looked around the room she saw most of the occupants hidden under tables or behind chairs. One man near the front had a bullet wound to his left leg, and there was an older man crouching beside him, trying to make him as comfortable as possible.
"W-Who are you?" Radar then called out.
"I," the lady walked up to the front of the room towards Radar, "Would like to speak with the man that is causing this terror. Is that you Sir?"
"Yeah that's me," Radar shoved out his chest and tried to sound and act tough, "Wadda ya want?"
"Captain Pierce helped me," the lady spoke gently, "And I would like to share this with you."
"Really?" Radar looked sceptically at her, "What's your name lady?"
"My name," the lady smiled politely, "Is Milieu Lee, and my daughter outside. Is Yang Lee."
"Milieu Lee!" it was Colonel Potter who spoke up from the floor beside the wounded solider, "I think I know you-- was your husband's name Sam Lee?"
"Yes," Milieu nodded, "He was killed some time ago. Just before out baby was born."
"I know," Colonel Potter looked sympathetically at her, "He was brought in to the camp here. It was too late to save him, but we were able to save a young girl though that had been wounded in a mine blast with him."
Milieu nodded again, "Ye-Sing."
"What-what's all this have to do with Hawkeye?" Radar asked cautiously.
"Well," Milieu began to explain, "Just over a month ago myself and my family were caught by enemy. The solider that came burnt down a small hut where my two month old baby boy Son-Lu and one and a half year old girl Ye-Sing were sleeping. Myself and oldest daughter Yang were bathing when it happened. I rushed into save my babies, and ran back to our home. Yang got the doctor, and he came to help. Son-Lu and Ye-Sing died that day, but the doctor never left my or Yang's side until he was certain that I was alright along with Yang. I may have lost my babies that summer day, but the doctor truly preformed a miracle-- the miracle of life, and of death."
Everyone in the tent was silent, and many of the people from outside had stopped screaming and were now staring in awe at Milieu.
"I never knew," Radar whispered, "One of the people from the bar said that Hawkeye was upset-- Ariel I think her name was. But she didn't know why."
"He need not have been upset," Milieu shook her head, "He was the kindest man that I knew."
Suddenly Radar's face twisted in anger and he glared at everyone before turning his face-- and gun-- towards Milieu.
"Than why didn't you tell him that?"
--------
Charles walked out of the Swamp, a small pistol in his hand. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with it, or whether he was even going to do anything with it. Just outside the door Father Mulcahy looked at him.
"What are you doing with that gun my Son?" he whispered in a barely audible voice.
"I-I have to stop him," Charles mumbled half to himself, "I can't let any more people die. They don't deserve it. No one deserves any of this."
"I know," Father Mulcahy quickly agreed, "But think about it. Is brining more guns into the equation really a smart thing to do Major?"
"Maybe not!" Charles exploded, "But something has to be done! Pierce is dead, Margaret is paralysed, and Captain Hunnicut is going to die! This world may not need war and killing to live peacefully, but to live peacefully we have to kill off the war!"
"But Radar is not the source of this," Father Mulcahy said, panic rising in his voice, "If you kill him, you will only be adding to the madness. We must calm the boy. If you shoot him, he will die, and never know the true feeling of peace."
"There is no peace," Charles spoke in a forced calmed voice which put Father Mulcahy on edge, "Not at this camp."
With that Charles pushed past Father Mulcahy and headed towards the mess tent. He had made it just past Margaret's tent when a nurse came running up to him.
"Doctor!" she cried, "Doctor come quick!"
"What is it Mary?" Charles asked quickly hiding his gun, "What's going on?"
"You have to come quickly!" Mary cried out again, "It's Captain Hunnicut!"
Just as the words escaped her mouth a gun-shot echoed through the 4077-- sending a new stream of screaming, panicking people running around.
--------
Milieu lay dead on the floor as everyone looked on.
"Oh my God Kid," Klinger whispered from the corner by Colonel Potter and the heavily bleeding solider, "Y-You killed her."
"Radar it's over," Colonel Potter was angry, "You've killed someone Son, there's no way out of it now. If you go quietly, maybe they can just send you to a hospital, and you won't have to be put in prison. It's going to be ok."
"No!" screamed Radar, "No! I am not going to prison, and no one in this room can make me."
"Mamma!" Yang suddenly came running followed closely by Ash-- who skidded to a stop at the doorway, "Mamma, wake up! Mamma please! No….mamma…."
Yang grabbed onto the limp form of her mother, shaking her gently, trying to wake her up.
"Doctor," Yang suddenly looked excited, as spotted Colonel Potter in the corner-- who was still wearing his scrubs, and ran over to him, "Doctor, help Mamma."
"I-I'm sorry," Colonel Potter choked out as he glanced over and saw the bullet whole clean through her head, "I can't."
"Yes," Yang nodded, "Yes. She asleep. Wake her. Please Doctor. Please."
Tears were coming down Colonel Potter's face as all he could do was shake his head.
"No!" sobbed Yang as she ran back to her mother, "Mamma no! Wake up. Please Mamma. Mamma…."
Radar stared on in silent, and Klinger caught sight of some tears coming down his face. Maybe, maybe, this was what he needed to snap out of it.
"No!" Radar suddenly exploded and Klinger's hopes fell, "Shut-up! Just shut-up!"
At that Charles came running into the tent, Father Mulcahy at his heels.
"Major get out!" cried Colonel Potter from the corner, "Get out now! Run and get help!"
Radar turned to them.
"Clam down Son," Father Mulcahy tried to sooth, "just calm down, everything is going to be ok," he caught glance of Milieu on the ground, and taking a deep breath continued, "There is no need to kill anybody else. Would you like to talk to me."
"What are you to doing here?" Radar suddenly asked, looking accusingly at Charles.
"I-I have to tell you something," Charles stumbled, closing his eyes slightly to regain his nerve, "Please, let me talk to you."
"What do you want?" Radar eyes him suspiciously.
"I-I was called into post-op by Nurse Mary on my way down here--" Charles staled for a moment.
"Yeah!" barked Radar, "Yeah, so what!"
"And," nerved Charles before continuing in a more calm voice, "It was Captain BJ Hunnicut. He- he's died Radar. He had died and nothing you have done had stopped that. Don't you see, you are only bringing harm to people here. No good is coming out of this, and--"
"No!" yelled Radar, "No, he can't be dead!"
It took only a moment, but Radar had pointed his gun at Charles and pulled the trigger-- landing a bullet right in his stomach.
"Radar NO!" Colonel Potter screamed as he jumped to his feet and dashed as fast as he could to the company clerk.
"You can't stop me!" Radar shouted hysterically as he pointed the gun at Colonel Potter, landing a bullet right in the centre of his head.
People were screaming and running as Radar continued to shoot wildly at anything, or anyone that moved. Then, with his last ounce of strength Charles pulled out his pistol and, with one pull of the trigger, stopped the madness. Radar fell, heavily to the ground. Dead.
The black swished slowly to white, and soon to colours. His eternal darkness was releasing its grip on him, and soon the wash of colours turned into shapes, and as the shapes gave way to faces, voices joined his world which he'd feared would never be his again.
"Hey Hawkeye," the voice was spoken softly but Hawkeye still recognized it as Radar's.
"Can you move you're feet for us Son," Colonel's Potter's voice was the next to seep its way into Hawkeye's brain like sweat sugar.
It took a few moments but Hawkeye moved his feet, and fully opened his eyes. He was laying down on a cot in what he assumed was the post-op ward. Right in front of him was Colonel Potter, to his right sitting on the parallel cot was Margaret, standing beside her was Radar. To his left sitting on a small crate was Father Mulcahy, standing beside him was Charles, and finally with his eyes to the floor, was BJ standing at the end of the bed. All were smiling brightly. Hawkeye then tried to get up but a quick hand from both Charles and Colonel Potter stopped him from doing the task.
"Easy Pierce," Charles stated.
"You have to take it easy," Colonel Potter repeated, "You had us all scared there for a while-- we thought we'd lost you."
"How are you feeling?" Margaret asked as she whipped the hair from Hawkeye's face.
"I had the strangest dream," Hawkeye's voice was thick as he spoke, "You were in it," he pointed to Margaret, and processed to point at everyone else, "And you were in it, and you, and you, and even you," he pointed to Charles.
"Don't worry Dorothy," BJ spoke up with a smile on his face, "You're back in Korea now."
Hawkeye smiled weakly at BJ-- whose gaze immediately went back to the floor.
"How are you feeling?" Father Mulcahy asked gently as Charles took his wrist and went on to check his pulse.
"Tiered," admitted Hawkeye.
"Yes," Colonel Potter immediately jumped to his feet, "You need your rest Son. Alright, everyone who's not checking vital signs, it's time to check out. He needs his rest."
BJ grabbed Hawkeye's chart and pretended to be looking at it as everyone else stood up. With many 'I'm glad you're ok' and 'good to have you back', everyone else departed. Colonel Potter paused at BJ, patted him on the shoulder, and left.
"Well," BJ finally spoke up after a moment, "Charts show good improvement, you're alive."
"Yeah," Hawkeye whispered more to himself, as he strained to get into more of a comfortable sitting position.
"Take it easy Hawk," BJ glared at him, and, after Hawkeye was comfortable, he sat down on the crate that Father Mulcahy had been sitting on, "So. How are you feeling?"
"Ok," lied Hawkeye.
"No you're not," BJ shook his head simply, "I know you, you're not ok. You scared the hell out of a lot of people this past month. You're heart stopped three times, you got a good half dozen infections, ran a fever of, at the highest, 105, and seemed to insist on being in a comatose state the rest of the time. If wasn't for the much insisting of Colonel Potter, and a lot of false paperwork from Radar you'd be in Seoul right now. So, I know you are not ok."
"Wise one aren't you," joked Hawkeye.
"Concerned one," BJ said in a hushed voice, "Hawk, I was scared. Really scared. You-you're my best friend, and--"
"What happened?" Hawkeye decided to stop BJ, "I mean, I can't remember too much."
"That's not too surprising," BJ smiled slightly, glad for the interruption, as he went on to explain, "Just over a month ago you went to Seoul for a beauty pageant. From what we've heard you went to a bar with one of the contestants after named Ariel. A man went into the bar and shot around. Witnesses say that you tried to stop him, and he shot you in the head."
Hawkeye moved his hand up and found, sure enough, a bandage going around his head.
"I-I remember going there," Hawkeye said, pained memories of the Korean family flashing into his head, "But-- I remember other things after that."
BJ smiled, "A lot of stuff has happened since you were gone."
"Like what?" Hawkeye eyed his best friend.
BJ took a deep breath, "Well, for one, I got to know the still very well, and ran off. I was going to go out on the jeep, but, I don't know, I went by and saw you on the way, and just realized, that, if you got well, you'd kill me if I went and got myself killed. A girl named Kate came by the compound. She was a nurse from the 8063rd who's jeep broke down. She was a big help here until her unit came and got her. Then there was the sniper. Almost got Klinger right in the gut, but missed him by half an inch. And then just yesterday Radar got really upset about you not coming out of it, and some of us feared that he might be dangerous to himself and possibly others. It was great though when Charles came into the mess tent last night at dinner and told everyone that you were coming around."
Hawkeye just sat there. Everything that BJ had said sounded familiar, except in his 'dream' all the situations had turned out bad. BJ was supposed to have gone out, crashed the jeep, taken some pills, and then died from a heart attack. Margaret was supposed the be out there the night of the sniper and have gotten shot then paralysed. And Radar was supposed to go berserk and kill a lot of people while Charles came in and said that BJ had died. But none of that happened. Because Hawkeye was still alive.
"Hawk?" BJ put his hand on Hawkeye's shoulder, "You ok?"
"Yeah," Hawkeye said slowly, then a huge grin came to his face, "Yeah, I'm ok."
--------
A week had passed and finally Colonel Potter let Hawkeye go back to the Swamp, with strict orders to stay away from alcohol and any type of strenuous exercises.
"Guess that leaves out my new calendar," Hawkeye winked at BJ as settled in his cot.
"Or you're special visits from the nurses," BJ added with a grin.
The day was uneventful as was the next week. Casualties were low, and a lot of free time in the camp was spent on preparing for Halloween.
"What are you being?" BJ asked as he fixed on some last buttons to his 'Frankenstein' costume.
"I haven't decided yet," Hawkeye shrugged, "What do you think I should be Charles?" he shoot a mischievous look at his Bunkie.
"Quiet," Charles bluntly answered.
"Ohh good idea Charles," Hawkeye nodded, "But I was that last month."
"Really," Charles headed to the door, "I never noticed."
"Don't mind him," BJ spoke up, "He just grouchy because he doesn't have the tent to himself anymore."
"How you feeling Pierce?" Colonel Potter asked as he entered the room just then, "It's been about two weeks now."
"And I was fine two weeks ago," Hawkeye replied stubbornly, "Have you got word back whether I'm staying here or going back?"
Colonel Potter sat down on the end of Hawkeye's bed, "I told them that you're amazingly back to almost full health, and they agreed that if you still wanted to, you could stay here and continue your work as chief surgeon. But, on the other hand, if you want to go home, you may."
There was a still silence that filled the air for almost a minute before BJ spoke up with a clap to Hawkeye's shoulder, "Congratulations buddy, you're going home! Say hi to Peg for me, and give a hug to E--"
"Wait," Hawkeye put up hand, "Not so fast Beej."
"What?" BJ exclaimed, "You are going home Hawkeye! Only a moron would stay here!"
"Don't put it past him," Colonel Potter smiled, "Well, I'll give you some time Pierce, but they want to know by tomorrow morning."
Hawkeye silently nodded and Colonel Potter left.
"Hawkeye go home!" cried BJ, tears welding in his eyes, "Go see your Dad, see Peg and Erin, have a normal life!"
"BJ what would you have done if I'd died?" Hawkeye abruptly asked.
"What do you mean?" BJ stopped his rant and looked at his friend.
Hawkeye smiled slightly, "I mean, what would you have done if I'd died?"
BJ looked at his feet for a moment before replying, "I don't know."
"I think I do," Hawkeye whispered, "And I don't want that to happen if I leave."
"Nothing bad will happen if you leave," BJ grabbed a picture of his wife and daughter, "You'll be doing what all of us want to do. Go home to your family."
"Excuse me," a small knock came at the door.
"Doors unlocked," BJ grinned and a small Korean lady came in.
"Milieu!" cried Hawkeye right away jumping up out of his bed and wrapping her in a hug.
"Doctor!" Milieu grinned hugging her back, "I am so glad you are ok. I had dream that you died. I had to come and thank you for your help."
"No problem," Hawkeye had tears coming down his face as BJ looked on in confusion, "Please, come in."
"Ok," Milieu smiled and looked behind her, "Yang, Yang come in."
Hawkeye grinned once more as he saw the little girl coming in. Immediately he bent down and hugged her-- and was greatly surprised to feel her hug tightly back.
"Thank you Doctor," the girl said slowly-- stumbling over her English, "You make sister and brother happy. Make Mamma good."
"Beej," Hawkeye finally smiled and looked at his friend, "I'd like you to meet Milieu Lee and Yang Lee. This is the family I helped on my way to Seoul."
"Hi," BJ smiled shaking their hands, "How are you."
"Good," Milieu smiled, "Doctors here at camp really are miracle workers."
"Thank you," BJ could only smile.
It was about three hours before Milieu and Yang left back to their small house down the road. The rest of the evening was spent quietly in the swamp for Hawkeye-- thinking on what he should do. Before he knew it he'd fallen asleep and BJ was gently waking him.
"Hawk, hey Hawk, Colonel Potter beckons you."
"Tell him I died," Hawkeye mumbled rolling over and pulling the covers over his head.
"Nahh," grinned BJ, "You tried that last month remember?"
Slowly Hawkeye pulled the covers back, and, finding that the sun was too bright, he attempted to move in one swift movement to his feet so as to not be tempted to go back into hibernation.
"Well, have you decided yet?" BJ asked casually as they got dressed.
Hawkeye just smiled at him as they left the Swamp and headed towards Colonel Potter's office.
"You know this camp really isn't the same without you," BJ spoke suddenly, "I don't know what would have happened if you had died. You hold this whole place, some like master miracle worker."
Hawkeye laughed, "Taste testing that still a little early there Beej."
BJ laughed as they walked into the office.
"Umm, Hunnicut," Colonel Potter gave the brown haired Captain a look, "Can we have a moment alone."
"Oh," BJ looked startled for a moment but quickly regained himself, "Yeah, sure."
BJ waited anxiously out in Radar's office/sleeping quarters for what seemed like forever. The quiet morning air was only interrupted by the laughter and voices outside the doors of the people going to and from breakfast. But the only thought on BJ's mind was Hawkeye-- and whether he was still going to be around. Finally after about half an hour Hawkeye came out with a grin on his face.
"Breakfast?" he looked at BJ.
"Sure," BJ smiled, "I could use a drink," they headed towards the Swamp and BJ looked at Hawkeye, "So-- what'd you guys talk about."
A quick glance was shared between the two friends before Hawkeye grinned and responded, "When I get to continue my work here as chief surgeon."
"Ah haa!" BJ yelled triumphantly as he grabbed Hawkeye in a half hug. "I knew it! Now I really do believe in miracles."
There was a pause in the air before Hawkeye whispered, more to himself than anyone else, "So do I Beej. So do I."
THE END