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Father Mulcahy and Radar both hurried inside the O.R. to see what all the fuss was about.
"I didn't hear any helicopters." Radar told the Father as the went inside.
"Hawkeye what's going on?" Mulcahy asked Pierce who was standing in front of the crowded bed, almost as if he was frozen to the ground.
"Yeah, who got injured?" Radar added curiously, trying to see the body laying on the bed.
"What?" Hawkeye asked suddenly, as if realizing just now that people were asking him questions.
"Hawkeye are you all right?" Mulcahy asked kindly and worriedly.
"I'm fine Father." Hawkeye assured him. "You should be asking BJ that question."
"Oh 'cause he went to one of the Aid Stations?" Radar asked.
"No, because he's the patient." Hawkeye pointed to the bed.
"Oh my!" Mulcahy gasped as he realized what was going on. Radar's own eyes widened when he finally saw the image of the badly injured BJ Hunnicut.
"Pierce, what are you doing just standing there?" Potter shouted. "Come over and help!"
It took all of Hawkeye's strength to pick his feet up and move forward to the bed. He stared at his best friend, still in shock. This time instead of seeing a bloody faced BJ, when BJ flashed through his mind it was how he normally looked. In his pink shirt-before it was stained with blood-in his bathrobe. Even just playing poker or plotting the next prank. Or writing to his wife and child.
His wife and child. Hawkeye suddenly remembered Peg and Erin. He wasn't just about to lose a best friend. Peg was close on losing a husband, and Erin a father.
"No, I won't let that happen." He said firmly and unfortunately out loud. Everyone stopped and stared at him.
"Come again Pierce?" Winchester asked.
"Nothing." Hawkeye answered as he bent over Hunnicut. He looked up to see all of them still looking at him, puzzled and worried. "What are you all doing still staring at me? He's the one that's injured and needs our help!" He cried.
That got them to snap out of it.
"Have him prepped for OR." Said Potter. "There are pieces of shrapnel pretty deep in him. We need to get them out before infection starts spreading.
"I'm operating on him." Hawkeye said quickly.
"I don't think that's such a good idea." Radar said, and they turned to look at him.
"Why not?" Hawkeye shouted at him. "I'm one of the best surgeons here! He's my best friend!"
"Exactly!" Radar shouted back. "Remember what happened when I was injured?"
"That was a mistake." Hawkeye said quickly. "If I hadn't gotten drunk the night before..."
"The kids right you know." Potter told Hawkeye gently. "You don't do well under pressure."
"Under pressure? I'm always under pressure!" Hawkeye shouted angrily.
"I meant when it deals with people you know personally." Potter corrected himself. "Like when Radar was injured."
"Well I felt guilty." Hawkeye said, trying to excuse himself.
"Are you saying you wouldn't have gone to the bar or your gin machine to get drunk if you didn't feel guilty?" Potter asked wisely.
Hawkeye opened his mouth and then closed it.
"You're right." He sighed and sat on one of the stools.
"Someone else should do it."
"If you want Pierce, I'd be glad to help out." Winchester said, surprising everyone.
"Winchester are you volunteering for something?" Potter asked, shocked.
"If Pierce is all right with it, then yes." Winchester said.
"Well there's a first time for everything." Potter sighed. "Pierce?"
Pierce sat thinking. He knew Potter would bust his gut to save BJ but Winchester would too. In fact, he brought a man back to life once. And he knew more of the newer and more advanced procedures then Potter. But Potter was a damned good surgeon too. He didn't knew what to do.
"You decide Colonel. I can't choose." He said and watched as Margaret and Nurse. Kelley prepped BJ for surgery
"Winchester you take it." Potter didn't hesitate. "I've been getting tired a lot more lately. I don't want my old bones being the cause for Hunnicut's death."
"Why Colonel you're a terrific surgeon!" Mulcahy disagreed.
"Many thanks Padre but a good surgeon also knows when to step aside and let someone with a tad more energy then yourself take over." Potter replied.
"Well then it's settled." He added, turning to Winchester.
"You ready?"
"Well one of my colleague's life is on the line so other then the pressure, yes I am." Winchester said, trying to sound confidant. He couldn't help but thinking of his brother's death though. He pushed that incident out of his mind. He never allowed himself to think of that day while operating.
Suddenly Radar looked up.
"Uh oh." He said.
"Oh no." Potter groaned.
"Helicopters!" Radar shouted and hurried out to the front area of the MASH unite.
"Great, just what we need!" Potter shouted angrily as he hurried out with the rest of the group, Nurse. Kelley remained behind however to help Winchester out. Margaret would have but she was now needed to help the new triage of wounded.
Hawkeye was secretly glad for this. He knew he shouldn't be, he was just glad to keep busy. Otherwise he'd be sitting there staring at Winchester well like a Hawk. That would drive him crazy.
Winchester began to sweat. What had he gotten himself into? He stared at Hunnicut's body as he began to slowly cut it open. This was the surgery he couldn't make a single mistake in. One mistake and he could kill a best friend, a husband, and a father. This one had to be perfect. BJ Hunnicut's life depended on that.