"Oh, hey Shadow. What's up?" Radar called back.
"Nothing much. Just walking waiting for dad and Trapper to finish eating." Shadow said falling into stride with Radar.
"Wanna go play with Pepper?"
"Yeah." Shadow and Radar walked over to the pen that contained Pepper. Radar took him out and handed him to Shadow. Shadow smiled and knelt down on the ground with him. Hawkeye and Trapper walked out of the Mess tent just then and saw Shadow hanging out with Radar.
"Look at that Trap. I think Radar likes having her around." Hawkeye said, pointing at Shadow and Radar.
"Yeah, doesn't it just get you right here?" Trapper said putting his hand over his heart.
"Well, they're the two closest in age. I think Radar enjoys not being the youngest anymore." Hawkeye said. Shadow looked so happy, sitting there playing with the rabbit. Radar looked happy too. It touched Hawkeye's heart to know that Shadow was his. Hawkeye couldn't remember ever being happier.
Just then one of the nurses ran up to Hawkeye. "Where's Shadow?" she asked urgently.
"Over there. Why?" Hawkeye pointed to where Shadow was playing with the rabbit.
"A patient wants to see her." The nurse replied. Hawkeye gave her a questioning look. "Don't ask me why, he just wants to." the nurse said.
"Alright, but I wanna go with her." Hawkeye said. The nurse nodded. Hawkeye and the nurse walked over to Shadow leaving Trapper to go into the swamp by himself. "Hey Shadow, come here."
Shadow looked over her shoulder and saw Hawkeye walking up to her with a nurse. Shadow jumped up and dusted off her pants. "Yeah?"
"There's a patient that wants to see you." Hawkeye said. Now it was Shadow who gave the questioning look. Hawkeye held up his hands as if defensivly. "Don't ask me. Let's go." Shadow nodded and followed Hawkeye to post-op. Radar put Pepper back in his hutch, and followed silently behind.
The nurse led them to a bed in the back of the room. It was the man with the holes in his leg and chest. Shadow tentativly sat by the bedside and said, "You wanted to see me?"
"Yeah. What's a little girl like you doing here?" The soldier asked. He had a little trouble speaking because of his chest wound. Shadow's eyes grew wide and glazed over. Hawkeye who was standing on the other side of the cot looked at Shadow.
"Are you sure you wanna answer that. Because you don't have to." Hawkeye said.
"It's alright. My dad was a reporter here, and we were on our way to this outfit when a sniper shot my dad. I came here and nearly died. Then that doctor standing over there saved me. And then earlier today he went to see the place where my dad got shot, and when he got back I was going to be sent to the orphanage, but he adopted me." Shadow explained.
"I just wanted to know. You look a lot like my little girl back home." Said the patient.
"What's your name?" asked Hawkeye. He was actually being serious for once.
"Nathan Barns." Replied Nathan.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Shadow." Shadow held out her hand. Nathan smiled and shook it. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm feelin' pretty good. Can't wait to go home. I've almost got all my points." Nathan said.
"That's good. Then you can see everyone back home." Shadow said. Just then Radar came in with an envelope for Nathan.
"Here this came for you today. Good news, You're going home." Radar said. Nathan's smile got bigger as he shook Radar's hand. "as soon as you get better you'll be on a chopper home."
"Hey thanks." Nathan said. Tears were running down his face he was so happy.
"Congratulations! You're goin' home sooner than you thought." Shadow said. Nathan smiled at her.
"Yeah I guess I am." Nathan said.
"C'mon. We gotta go." Hawkeye said. Shadow nodded. She and Hawkeye walked out together. They headd back to the swamp. night had just fallen, so the compound was pretty dark. As Hawkeye and Shadow neared the swamp, someone jumpe out at them. Shadow must have jumped ten feet into the air.
"Who goes there?" Kinger asked facing down Hawkeye and Shadow in his purple dress.
"Klinger it's us!" Hawkeye shouted at him. Klinger looked at him, then down at Shadow.
"Oh, sorry about that. Did I startle you?" Klinger apologized. Shadow nodded, still a little startled by what had happened. "Like I said, sorry about that."
"It's alright Klinger just let us through." Hawkeye said. Klinger nodded and stepped aside. Shadow and Hawkeye preceeded to the swamp. As they were walking Hawkeye looked down at Shadow and asked, "You ok?"
"Yeah, he just startled me that's all." Shadow replied. Hawkeye nodded and they walked into the swamp. There was a poker game going on, and everyone was gathered around the small round table. Everyone except Frank who was probably paying a visit to Margret. Henry was sitting closest to the door, and looked behind him as Hawkeye and Shadow walked in.
"Hey Hawk, care to join the game?" Asked not Henry, but Sidney Freedman. Hawkeye was sort of surprised. He hadn't expected to see the psychiatrist there.
"Hey Sid, I think I will play." Hawkeye sat next to Sidney, and beckoned Shadow over. "Sidney this is my daughter Shadow. Shadow this is Sidney Freedman. He's a psychiatrist." Shadow shook hands with Sidney.
"Nice to meet you." Shadow said remembering her manners.
"Henry told me that your dad died recently." Sidney said. Shadow looked down at the ground and nodded. "It must be very hard on you."
"It is." Shadow said, suddenly not so ready to talk.
"What happened?" Sidney pressed.
"He... He got shot by a sniper." Shadow said. She refused to lift her head. Sidney didn't ask anymore questions. Shadow went over and sat on Hawkeye's cot to watch the game in silence. Hawkeye cast Sidney a questioning glance.
"Sidney can I talk to you outside?" Hawkeye asked.
"Sure Hawk." Sidney said and got up from the table. Hawkeye got up too and followed him out. Hawkeye and Sidney walked over to the Mess tent.
"Why'd you ask her all those questions. She doesn't like to talk about it." Hawkeye said.
"Hawk, I think she's repressing. That can be very bad. You have to let me talk to her." Sidney said. Hawkeye looked down and scratched the back of his head thinking.
"Are you sure?" Hawkeye asked. he really didn't want to push Shadow too hard on such a sensitive subject.
"Very sure." Sidney confirmed.
"But what about her dad's death could she be repressing?" Hawkeye asked.
"I don't know Hawkeye, I just don't know."