The Man Behind the Smile

Chapter 11

Set Into Action

The 4077MASH was solemn, O.R sessions were unusually quiet, without Hawkeye's jokes and passes at the nurses, the mess tent was no different. Some of the nurses even admitted that they missed Hawkeye chasing them. Their percentage rate dropped as a whole, they were loosing more patients and it had come to a point where they needed replacement doctors, something they hoped to avoid.

Radar was refraining from calling the General so he was calling individual doctors. After hours on the telephone they had secured two young surgeons, who weren't interested in why they needed a replacement only what they were going to be doing and the pay.

Colonel Potter than called another meeting. After everyone was assembled in the SWAMP, he began, "I know the past few days have been hard on you, hell it's been hard on me,"

"Colonel," Charles said, interrupting, "if we are planning to go after Hawkeye and Margaret than we need to go soon, who knows what torture they have had to endure, we can't postpone this any longer."

"Charles is right, Colonel, we have to find them,"

Colonel Potter smiled sadly, "we can't all go," he said.

"I can stay behind," Radar said, "I would only slow you down anyway,"

"I will too," Father Mulcany, seconded, "I am not one for violence and some one will need to be here to talk to the rest of the camp."

"Yeah, what are we going to tell them?" Klinger said; he was actually in uniform.

"I have thought of that, BJ and Charles had an emotional breakdown and I am escorting them to see a psychiatrist,"

"What!" Charles and BJ exclaimed.

"I can think of a hundred questions they would ask,"

"Don't worry, Hunnicut, I called to an old friend, Sidney Freeman, he's going to come down here, proclaim you unstable and send you to a hospital for further treatment, he will stay here to talk to the other personal."

"I'll stay behind too," Klinger said, "a lady shouldn't be trekking through wilderness,"

Hawkeye had either passed out or fallen asleep, cuddled next to Margaret who was wide awake, still in somewhat of a shock. He was the little boy who was kidnapped and taken as a slave trade to Africa….

How could he do it? She wondered how he could be so happy, joking and teasing and yet have this horrible nightmare haunting him. That's it….she thought, that's why he was distant….everything at that moment seemed to click. The nightmares he was having, why he was so upset. Donny Jackson escaped; he read it in the letter he got from his father. He always had nightmares, so he was always bothered by it, but he never let it show. He hid himself behind his jokes and womanizing ways…so was this the real Hawkeye?

Do they really know him after all? Is he really, a womanizer, who jokes all the time and can't take anything serious? She remembered times when she thought she saw the real, emotional Hawkeye. When Tommy Gillis died at his table. Hawkeye didn't know she was there, but she saw everything, or when BJ had a break down about his wife and daughter, he was there to comfort him, or even when they were in the cave, he was claustrophobic, he let his fear show through his jokes, even if he tried to hide it.

Hawkeye stirred slightly in his sleep, was he having another nightmare? Was he reliving his kidnapping or his beatings in Africa…..? She tightened her grasp on him and he snuggled in closer.

"Hawkeye," she said softly, more to herself, "I know you can't here me, but I want to apologize. All those nasty things I ever said about you, all the things you had to survive through, I don't think you would believe me….but…" She trailed off, "Hawkeye…..I…..love you….."

Hawkeye stirred slightly, "Margaret," he muttered softly.

"Hawkeye, you're awake,"

"Margaret….." he didn't open his eyes, just snuggled in even closer, trembling slightly, from the cold cell, "I love you too,"

Minutes passed in silence before a soft knocked interrupted it. A sliver of light appeared behind them, some one was pealing away a piece of wood that was used to cover a whole, a familiar face appeared and a gruff voice said, "Well, I hate to disturb such a lovely moment,"

Margaret's face darkened……Jackson was back.

"Well, hello there Sherman, long time no see, eh?"

"Good to see you Sidney!" Sherman and Sidney Freedman stood in front of the Officers tent, making it a point for him to be seen for the benefit of their ruse,

"I'm sorry about what's happened Sherman, so where are my patients,"

Sherman's face fell, "in the Officers Club, drinking away, things just aren't the same, Sidney,"

Sidney and Sherman made there way to the Officer's Club where they found BJ and Charles in their positions, "Well, Charley Chester, he's gone,"

"Right as always, B….Hunnnhuck…" Charles took another swig of whiskey, "an he back…..jusss…the two of us, now," his worlds were unusually slurred and he looked disoriented.

"Well 'ello Sidnnnaaa……hey Charlie looks a like uhh…..Potta got ussss a shwink."

After a few minutes of this rambling Sherman and Sidney managed to usher them out of the club and into the SWAMP.

"I have never, in my entire life," Charles spat out dropping the act, "felt so disgusted, degraded, publicly humiliated,"

"Careful, Charles, you're bald spots going red with anger,"

Charles rounded on him, "Charley Chester? If you even think of calling me that again I will personally see that you are ground into a dust,"

"Not now, boys, we have to start this." Sherman said, "I am going to go out their in a few minutes and tell everyone that you are going to be sent to a hospital and Sidney is going to stay to talk to some of the others. Don't worry though, you won't be sent home because of this,"

After about five minutes of small talk Sherman put on a grim face and made his way outside a moment later an announcement came on, "Attention all personnel, Captain BJ Hunnicut and Major Charles Winchester III will be escorted to Tokyo for extensive clinical depression taking there place will be…." And then he went on to list 3 young doctors ready to work.

"Well," Sidney said, "put on those drunk faces as I escort you to the truck,"

Charles sent them a sour look as they staggered out arm and arm.

End