Winchester stood still in the crowded room of the Mess tent, unsure of how to break this news. Potter was conversing with Father Mulchay while Radar was feeding his rabbit while Klinger was painting his fingernails. There were several nurses there as well chatting amongst themselves. The only one who wasn't there was Hawkeye.
"Oh I wish we didn't have to tell them." Margaret whispered tearfully. "They all seem so happy and relaxed."
"They are going to find out sometime Margaret." Winchester replied. "It's best they find out sooner then later."
"I know." Margaret sighed. "I still can't believe BJ's gone." Tears sprang from her eyes.
"Neither can I." Came Winchester's soft and kind response. "Now, shall we get on with it?" Margaret nodded.
"Tell them now, before I lose it completely." She agreed, her voice trembling as she thought of Erin and Peg.
"Please, please well everyone be quiet?" Charles then begged over the chatter. "Please . . . " He looked at Radar helplessly who was also looking around.
"Quiet!" Radar yelled and everyone subdued into complete silence.
"Well Major, what's all this about you dragging us out to an emergency meeting?" Potter demanded. "As commanding officer I thought that I was the only one who called those."
"Beg your pardon Colonel but I figured that you would forgive me under the circumstances." Winchester replied. Potter frowned suspiciously.
"What circumstances?"
Winchester cleared his throat.
"I am not sure on how to tell everyone this so I'll just go on and say it." He finally replied, forcing his voice to stay calm. "Early this morning I am afraid that Captain BJ Hunnicut died in his sleep from an infection that one of his shell wounds caused."
Finally Margaret let tears run down her cheeks as the news went into everyone's systems. Radar dropped his rabbit in shock and Klinger did the same with his nail polish, spelling red polish all over his white dress, but his eyes never left the Major. Mulchay just stared at Winchester and Houlihan as if they were speaking a foreign language. The few nurses that were there instantly gasped and started murmuring the horrors of it to themselves.
"That can't be true!" Kelly managed to say as Potter stood up angrily.
"What game is this Major?" He demanded. "This better not be some sick joke!"
"I only wish it were Colonel." Winchester answered. "It was Hawkeye who first felt that something was wrong. He came stumbling into the OR as if he was sleepwalking, insisted that we check on Hunnicut. I was sure he was acting crazy, both Houlihan and I were until..."His voice chocked and then he quickly cleared it. "Until we didn't feel a pulse."
By then Margaret had sank to a chair while sobbing as Potter stood as if frozen in time.
"I don't believe it." Mulchay whispered. "BJ...dead?" At the corner of the table Radar was silently crying as he remembered reading the letter saying that Henry Blake's plane crashed and that there were no survivors as well as saying goodbye to him before he left. He needed Hawkeye and BJ, and before that Hawkeye and Trapper, as badly as he needed Blake. And now two of them were gone, just like that.
Potter finally sank into his chair, his face clearly showed that he was stunned. He closed his eyes and breathed heavily.
"Was...,was he in any pain?" He finally managed to ask. Winchester shook his head.
"I do not believe so Colonel. He died peacefully in his sleep."
"but he was doing so well!" Klinger protested. "I spoke to Hawkeye after he visited BJ I...I was going to see Hunnicut today cause Hawkeye said he was sleeping..." He hung his head in despair. "Now I'll never see him again."
"It's hard to believe that a man of Hunnicut's calabur is gone just like that." The Father managed to say. "It just doesn't seem right...or fair."
"Since when is war fair Father?" Winchester asked simply and Mulchay nodded.
"Yes of course Major. It is never fair in war or any other time. The good always seems to die and the evil live. It is only the thought that the good is rewarded for their deeds that gives me comfort."
"It gives all of us comfort Padre." Potter spoke softly. "Where . . . where is Hawkeye?" He then asked causing the others to look up as well.
"We don't know." Margaret was finally able to speak through her tears. "After we found out about BJ's death he just walked out and we haven't seen him sense."
"I am worried about Piece." Winchester admitted. "It may be awful for us but I fear he will take Hunnicut's death the worst of all of us."
Potter nodded solemnly.
"That I agree with you Major. It's not going to be easy, that's for sure."
"'Nother drink waiter!" Hawkeye barely raised his head to look at Rosie a few hours after Winchester broke the news of Hunnicut's death to the camp.
"I think you've had enough to drink for tonight Hawkeye." She said firmly while wiping the counter.
"Nonsense, I'm still awake aren't I? Drinks are on me!" He slurred to the room that was occupied by a small handful of drunk soldiers. He was answered by a few slurred cheers.
"But Hawkeye," Rosie protested. "You barely have enough to pay for these drinks."
"Oh yeah, sorry guys. Another time okay?"
That response recieved a few groans.
Radar opened the door then and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Hawkeye at the bar.
"Hawkeye there you are!" He exclaimed.
"Hello Radar!" Rosie smiled fondly at the boy who grinned back.
"Hi Rosie, Hawkeye listen I heard about what happened to Captain Hunnicut and I'm really sorry."
"Who isn't?" Hawkeye asked as he stared at the wall in front of him and gulped down another drink in a shot glass.
Rosie and Radar shared a knowing look.
"Come on Hawkeye." He said gently as he touched Pierce's shoulders. "Let's get you home."
"Why should I go home?" Hawkeye shrugged Radar's hands off him. "Nothing's there for me anymore except for a still, which I don't need since I'm here."
"Please Hawk?" Radar begged worriedly. "You've had enough to drink."
"Why does everyone keep telling me that?" Hawkeye demanded. "I should be able to drink as much as I want to."
"Come on Hawk. Let's go and sleep it off. You'll feel better in the morning."
Hawkeye shook his head.
"No I won't. Unless this has all been a dream. It'll never be better again 'cause Beej isn't there... won't be there no more..." His voice began to slurr and stumble over words.
"No more drink." Rosie said firmly and grabbed the bottle away from him. "Drink bad for you."
"Coming from the women who owns this bar." Hawkeye muttered sarcatically.
"Please Hawkeye, everyone's worried about you."
Radar touched Hawkeye on the shoulders again and when he did Hawkeye for some reason pictured Peg and Erin. It was then he realized that Erin would be now fatherless thanks to this God forsaken war.
"Get your hands off me Radar, I'm warning you." Hawkeye's voice grew darker.
"Not until you stop drinking and leave, now come on and let's go back to the camp, please?" Radar tried to pull Pierce off the stool.Without thinking Hawkeye stood up quickly and swung his arm in anger at Radar.
"I said take your hands off of me!" He shouted and then stared at shock as Radar fell backwards and covered his almost broken nose in pain.
"PIERCE!" Potter's voice roared from the doorway as Hawkeye stood in shock. "What the hell is the matter with you?!" The Colonel hurred over to Radar. "Son are you all right?" He asked gently. Radar nodded but stared at Hawkeye with wide and almost fearful eyes.
"Radar..." Hawkeye's voice trailed off. "I..."
"Well Pierce, what do you have to say for yourself?" Potter demanded as Winchester, Houlihan, and Mulchay came in in time to see Potter rushing to Radar.
"I...I..." Hawkeye couldn't believe what he just did. He didn't mean to hit Radar. He wasn't thinking. He was really hitting in anger. He just needed a punching bag and Radar ended up being exactly that. "I...Radar I...Colonel I don't know what to say."
"Well you better think of something fast." Growled Potter. "Apologizing to the lad is a good place to start."
"Radar I'm sorry." Hawkeye managed to say. Radar was to shocked to say anything. He just nodded, his body still shaking a bit by the punch. Hawkeye couldn't look at Radar's face.
"I...I'm sorry everyone." He then managed to say. "I...I've got to get out of here."
"No one's going anywhere." Potter said firmly.
"I have to Colonel, I'm sorry I can't stare here I just can't." Hawkeye said and hurried out of the bar before
"Is your nose broken son?" Potter turned to O'Rielly who shook his head.
"I don't think so sir." He said, trying to calm himself. Potter nodded.
"Well when you can go to the phone and get Sidney Freedman. It seems that Hawkeye's going to need a lot more help then we counted on."
"Yes sir." Radar mumbled and scurried out of the bar to do just that...
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