Colonel Potter crashed into post-op, searching for their head nurse and chief surgeon. He was surprised that post-op had survived the shelling. When they had first arrived back in camp, it was in shambles. All the tents but one was completely demolished. Potter walked into the OR and saw the young soldier still on the operating table. Potter's blood ran cold when he realized that Pierce and Houlihan had never finished the surgery.
"Klinger!" he shouted loudly as he stormed outside. "Klinger, form a search party. We need to find…"
"Colonel Potter!" Radar's high-pitched voice echoed from across the compound. "Colonel Potter, Captain Hunnicut, come quick!"
Both doctors rushed to the Swamp, where Radar was standing.
"What is it Radar?" BJ asked surveying the pile of rubbish.
"There's a person in that mess!" he moaned, putting his hand over his mouth.
"Calm down son," Potter said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "How do you know there's someone in there?"
"I heard 'em." Radar said frantically, he felt like he was going to be sick, he did not see how anyone could still be alive in that pile of rubbish.
Several men began tossing aside broken beams, and piles of ripped canvas, Charles was the first to reach the body. He winced as he saw the bruises and cuts covering the body.
"It's Margaret," he announced as he attempted to pick up her near naked body. He felt warm liquid on his arm, and he groaned as he realized it was blood.
"Colonel Potter," he called to the older man. "Her back is injured." Potter hurriedly climbed over the debris to see for himself.
He looked at the woman's back and shook his head. "Get her in OR now!" he commanded sternly. Charles nodded and rushed her into the one building that, miraculously, had survived the shelling.
Margaret woke up to the sound of hammering. She kept her eyes tightly closed, terrified of who might be making the noise. She quickly became aware of the pain surging through her body. Her back felt as if it were on fire. Still she tried her best to remain perfectly still. A cool hand touched her shoulder and she cringed away.
"Margaret, are you awake?" Her eyes flew open; she would recognize that sweet voice anywhere.
"Colonel," she sobbed, clutching at his hand.
"Hey, calm down sweetheart." He said, stroking herhand soothingly. Margaret searched the room for any sign of Hawkeye.
"Where's Hawkeye?" she asked frantically, trying to sit up.
Colonel Potter pushed her back gently and sighed. "I was hoping you could tell me." Margaret closed her eyes and choked back a sob. She had suspected it was true but she didn't want to believe it. Margaret thought back to the last second she had seen him. The calm, loving look in his eyes had calmed her and made her able to remain silent under the cot. Margaret gasped suddenly and opened her eyes, not caring about the tears that were sliding down her cheeks.
"He saved my life," she whispered. Margaret had not understood at the time, but she had climbed under the cot just to please him. Now she knew that if he had not done that she would have been dragged off with Hawkeye. Colonel Potter squeezed her hand and left to check on the other patients. Margaret stared at the ceiling and a small memory from her childhood entered her mind.
Her mother kept a small tapestry hanging in the hallway. As a child, Margaret was never sure what it meant but now she understood it with perfect clarity. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay one's life down for a friend.