I am not going to apologize for the long wait; I spent a hella amount of time on this chapter just to make it extra long. Thanks to 4077Hawk for the very helpful constructive criticism it helped a lot and I really hope I help the story unfold a little in this chapter. Hey 2000words (give or take a few here and there)go me! I am excited for myself!
Chapter 23
Daddy's back
Dr. Daniel Pierce stood at the edge of the 4077th MASH camp where the jeep had dropped him off, recognizing things that have been described to him only through letters, from his son. It hadn't taken him as long to get here as he thought when he told the pilot at the San Francisco Air Port where he was going, he gave Daniel a first priority two way ticket and he was off on the some odd amount of hour flight to Seoul where he than hopped a jeep to the 4077th.
He walked into camp ignoring the odd looks that were sent his way. He stopped a short, very young man who was bustling around with a clipboard of what looked like army reports, "excuse me, are you Radar O'Reily?" he asked.
The boy, whom he was assuming Radar by the naïve look, started at this, "Yeah," the voice was just as he imagined it, "are you Daniel Pierce? Hawkeye's father, we've been waitin' for ya…sir," he quickly added on.
Daniel smiled, "care to show me where I could find a Colonel Sherman Potter,"
"Oh yeah, geez, right over there," he pointed to a building, "I show ya there myself," he trotted off and Daniel followed bemused.
………
Radar nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Dr. Pierce, if some one only knew Hawkeye by description he would be mistaken for him, they even sounded alike, down to the Italian accent and everything, but dressed in a casual brown suit.
"I'd offer to take your bags, sir, but…"
"No problem, O'Reily, I can handle it…you look a little young to be in the army,"
"Uh…yes sir, my family needed the money that's all," it was a short explanation and he didn't care to go into any more detail, "here we are, sir, Colonel Potter is right through that door."
………
Daniel let himself into the office and the office, the people inside anyway, froze to gawk. He smiled, "is it my ruggedly handsome looks…?"
"Dr. Pierce, right?" an elderly man, whom he was assuming was Colonel Potter asked, though he was sure the Colonel already knew the answer.
"Yes, you're Colonel Potter, I presume,"
Colonel Potter smiled, "yep, and since were already doing introductions," he pointed to the group that sat next to me, "Major Margaret Houlighan,"
"Ms. Houlighan, yes, 'amazingly stern but a damn good nurse' was how you were described," Major Houlighan blushed deeply.
Colonel Potter laughed, "Captain BJ Hunnicutt and Corporal…"
"Let me guess, Maxwell Klinger,"
"Yes, sir," the…err….man….dressed in a black and pink Italian strapless designed dress saluted him.
"And this," said Colonel Potter continuing, "is Sidney Freedman, an official Army Psychiatrist,"
He nodded at them all in greeting.
"You must be tired," said Major Houlighan standing abruptly, "I'll show you to the VIP tent,"
As they left Major Freedman called out to them, "Dr. Pierce, I would like to speak to you later, if possible,"
"Of course,"
"So what do you think, Sidney, can he help?" BJ asked first.
"I think so, uncanny the resemblance isn't it?"
Colonel Potter grunted his approval, "I hope he can,"
………
Margaret finished making the bed just as Daniel finished unpacking.
"Dr. Pierce, you can help Hawkeye, can't you?'
Daniel sat down on the freshly made bed with a heavy sigh and a yawn, the flight took more out of him then he thought, "yes I believe I can, Major,"
"Margaret, please," she corrected him, "it's just I'm worried about him, I don't know if...he….wants….to remember,"
"I wouldn't be surprised, if there is one thing I learned about Ben is, he's a fighter and if he's fighting these inner demons of his, he'll go down kicking,"
Margaret smiled, "he did tell me what happened, Dr. Pierce,"
"Daniel, please. And I'm not surprised," he looked tired as he said this, physically and emotionally.
"It must have been hard, what exactly happened? If you don't mind me asking," she said hurriedly so as not to seem rude.
Daniel leaned back, closing his eyes, humming slightly, "he was 13, three years after his mother died, that kid was obsessed with my medical books, it was almost impossible to find a picture of him without one of them nearby. Jackson, you met him correct?"
Margaret nodded.
"Ben never liked him, never. He and I got into so many fights about Ben disrespecting him it was amazing the temper on that boy, you must know what I mean," he opened his eyes and looked at her, "you know if you yell at a kid they look down and pretend to act all tough by ignoring you but really they are really upset,"
Margaret laughed and nodded again, "did it all the time,"
"Well with Ben you yelled at him and he wouldn't do that he just turn around and yell right back,"
Margaret laughed long and hard with Daniel about that, she could really picture Hawkeye doing that.
"Anyway, Jackson noticed this too, wish I listened to Ben when he tried to tell me what happened," his eyes flashed with guilt and he looked at his clasped hands, his smile fading, "Jackson said that since he was so into medical studies that he should take him down to South America to see the aid stations and get some 'hands on work', but that never happened.
"He was missing for 6 months, I was so afraid, as soon as he came up missing I knew what had happened and thought it was my fault for a long time," he rubbed his eyes, "the only reason we found him was because Jackson came back to the U.S, looking for another victim.
"Hawkeye was pretty beaten up when we finally got to him; the doctors weren't sure what was going to happen. When he finally woke up…he was afraid, of everyone, totally lost his trust in everyone, even me. Took him months to finally trust me again, and when he did it took him a couple of years before he would talk about what happened, but he never told me what happened while he was there, I still have no idea…"
"I was a prisoner's of Jackson for a couple of days and I thought I couldn't stand it, I have no idea what it must have been like for him, or for you, I hope he's found again." Margaret said softly
"Well, there is good news in all of this; he was a couple of days ago. Some elderly woman recognized him from the news. Normally it wouldn't have been a big deal, he was released after all, but he was outside my house, Lord knows why, but it was a violation to his probation, and then I told the police what I knew about what was happening in Korea and they proved he was there and he was sent back to jail for life," the more Daniel talk the wider the smile on Margaret's face got!
"That's amazing! I was so worried he was going to get away," she laughed and it felt as if part of the load on her mind was lifted, "look I should get going, you need your rest,"
Daniel smiled, "I probably won't be out long, I have an appointment with Dr. Freedman,"
"Oh right," she opened the door and turned to look at him again, "thank you Daniel, for telling me this,"
Daniel smiled softly and Margaret felt her heart grow heavy again, it was so much like Hawkeye's, "anytime,"
………
Later that night Dr. Freedman stood outside Daniel's door knocking softly.
"Come in," came the muffled Italian accented reply.
"Hello, Dr. Pierce,"
"Daniel, and Hello to you too, Dr. Freedman,"
"Sidney,"
"Have a good rest?" Sidney asked pulling up a chair.
"I've had better, they actually call these things beds?" he joked jerking his thumb over his shoulder at the so called "cot."
Sidney smiled, "yep, just wait till you have the 'food'."
"What can I do for you, Sidney?"
"Tell me anything that's going on, I am so lost right now, I appeared at camp before Hawkeye was missing, six hours later, poof, he and Margaret are swept away, (I don't even know the name of the man…or woman…who did it) I'm called away to Seoul and 3 hours later I have to come back because magically they reappeared again, though I have learned that BJ, Charles (whom you haven't had the 'pleasure' of meeting yet) and Sherman went boy scouting through the woods to find them, and then Hawkeye wakes up and he can't tell me a thing, and Margaret has been sworn to secrecy and Sherman says I have to wait till Hawkeye tells me!"
Daniel laughed, "Well, I can tell and then I have to kill you….or swear you to secrecy also,"
Sidney smiled, "go ahead,"
Daniel cleared his throat and began again telling him the same thing he told Margaret, a little more detailed because he wasn't aware of the situation at all, as he spoke a heavy blanket of realization fell on the tent and Sidney and Daniel grew somber.
"Has he scene a psychiatrist before?" was Sidney's first response.
"Yes, a number of times, but I don't think it ever really helped, just seemed to make him angry."
Sidney smiled, "one of the last steps of recovery." At Daniels raised eyebrow he continued, "First its physical recovery, which sort of speaks for itself then, learning to trust again, then anger. Anger can harbor for a long time and often disappears or reappears again, but the last to can often switch, or combine into one, depends on the person,"
"Do you think I'll be doing any good if I'm here?"
"Any good? It's a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself, you would be helping tremendously and I think we should start soon. As in now,"
"Now? Is he awake?" Daniel's eyes lit up at the idea of talking to his son, even if he doesn't remember him, now.
"Yes, come along," Daniel followed Sidney into post-op where Daniel's eyes grew grave again; "you work a lot here don't you?"
"Yep, though I have to say, even with the two replacement doctors, the survival rate has dropped tremendously." Daniel didn't respond just walked through ignoring the questioning eyes of the patients that happened to be awake.
"Hawkeye?" Sidney knocked on the door softly to the private ward and motioned for Daniel to stay back for a moment.
Daniel was trembling with anticipation and excitement; it had been so long since he'd seen his son.
"Yes COME IN!" came the slightly agitated sounding reply.
Sidney motioned for Daniel to enter, with a soft, "go ahead,"
Daniel opened the door.
………
Hawkeye knew Sidney wasn't the only one on the other side of the door, that's what agitated him. Why couldn't they just tell him some one else was there, he turned another page in the book. This should be very interesting.
Only when the door opened to he allow himself to glance up and his eyes widened at the sight.
"Ben," was the only word spoken at first, then: "long time no see, eh son?"
End Chapter 23
Daddy's Back
That should be a hella a lot longer!
For COMPLETE pages on word, I really would have gone on, but I'm not sure how I am going to write their first interaction, I am waiting for some advice from a friend and besides I really liked this ending, leaves ya on the edge, eh? wink, wink
So drop a review and tell me what you think. I really hope this one was longer. I tried my hardest and I couldn't help myself leaving a cliffy like this.
Ani