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Colonel Potter sighed and closed his eyes in dismay. Here was one letter he thought he'd never have to write.
"Dear Mrs. Hunnicut, I am sorry to have to announce that your husband..."
"Dear Mrs. Hunnicut, I regret to inform you that your husband..."
"Dear Mrs. Hunnicut..."
"You need any help sir?" Radar asked as he came in the office to file a few things. Potter looked up.
"I never know what to say." He replied crossly. "Writing to her seems so cold...it doesn't seem to do his memory justice"
"I can write it for you if you want sir." Radar volunteered. "You have so much stuff to do right now..."
"Right, like finding a new surgean. Two perhaps if Pierce keeps waking up with those hang overs and acting out like he has been. I've hate having to take him off the shifts perminatly and put him under house arrest but I didn't know what else to do. Would have let the army taken control of the situation if I didn't know what a hard time he was going through. Lost a best friend myself when I was Hawkeye's age. Nearly broke me." Potter told O'Rielly who nodded and took the paper from his desk.
"Dr. Freedman's on his way." He added and Potter nodded.
"Let's hope that he can help Hawkeye better we can." Potter said to as Radar left and folded his hands while closing his eyes, praying that all this death would disappear and he'd wake up in the arms of Mrs. Potter. He opened his eyes hopefully. No such luck.
Sidney walked slowly in the camp still not believing what he had heard over the phone. That Captain Hunnicut was wounded and killed. Of all the people that had to go. He closed his eyes and sighed. He had visited and helped Hawkeye before in the past but he felt that this would be his hardest task for one never truly got over losing a best friend, especially one like Hawkeye who hated death with a passion.
When he walked into the main building Radar was just leaving.
"Oh Dr. Freedman you're here!" He exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes I'm here Radar." Sidney smiled but then it faded. "I wish it was on better terms though, my visit."
Radar hung his head in dismay.
"I know, me too sir. Well Colonel Potter's in his office if you wish to see him."
"Thank you Corporal, I'll do just that." Sidney nodded and left quickly so he didn't have to discuss BJ's death any sooner then he head to.
"Dr. Freedman, are you a sight for sore eyes." Potter stood up and smiled.
"Yes, well I came as soon as I could." Sidney shook his hand. "How's Hawkeye handling it?"
Potter shook his head.
"He's out of control that's what he is." He said with a hint of anger in his voice. "I had to put him under house arrest. For his own safety for the most part as well as for others."
"Others? That doesn't sound like him Colonel."
"He isn't him for the most part. He's become nothing more then a drunk." Potter told him sternly. "The last straw was when he came into the OR and flipped out at Winchester when he was putting a little girl under aniesethia. He wrestled with the Major claiming that he was trying to kill the patient, smothering her."
"That's outrageous!" Sydney looked shocked by that discription.
"That's why you're here. Sydney this man needs help. Immediatly. I can't afford to watch him all the time. That's why he's confinded to the swamp, so he doesn't damage himself or anyone else."
"Did you remove the still?" Sidney couldn't help but ask and Potter shook his head.
"That almost seems too cruel, to make him quiet cold turkey when he's been drinking so much. No the still's there all right but the guards are making sure that he stays there as well. And Winchester also keeps an eye on him."
"Sounds like I came just in time Colonel." Dr. Freedman stood up, rather shaken by what he had heard.
"That you did Doctor. It's not just Hawkeye that needs help though." Potter sighed. "It seems like we all need a bit of saving right now."
"I'll try my best." Sidney smiled reassuredly.
"Colonel I finished the letter to Mrs. Hunnicut." Radar came in slowly and looked unsure of himself. "I'm not sure how it is..."
"Go on son, read it anyway." Potter replied gently and Radar nodded and cleared his throat, his mind for a second was drifting back to when he read about Henry Blake's plane crash.
"Dear Mrs. Hunnicut,
I am truly sorry to inform you that your husband, Captain BJ Hunnicut died from an infection he recieved from a wound that he got at an Aid Station. While it breaks me to have to write this you should be proud of your husband like we all are. He died saving lives while not caring about his own and it was that selflessness that killed him at the end. Your husband was a real gentle soul ma'am and a true gift to the camp. Already it seems darker without him and there's a sadness floating around now that we know we won't hear him bragging about his family anymore. He spoke of you and your little girl, Erin, often to everyone. Captain Hunnicut was a friend to all, no matter their rank. Why your company clerk felt a very close bond to him and his roommate Captain Pierce whom I'm sure you heard about. In fact writing this almost seems cruel to his memory though I know of no other way to tell you of his death.
I hope one day I'll be able to meet his little girl and tell him the kind of hero her father was. The kind who would do anything just to make you smile. I fear I must close now for I can think of no more words that is able to express the kind of man your husband was and how deeply, deeply sorry we truly are for your loss.
Sincerely,
Colonel Potter."
Radar looked up worriedly.
"Was uh..was that any good sir?" He asked with uncertianty in his voice. Potter had tears in his eyes and Sidney felt his coming as well.
"That was very good Corporal." Potter cleared his throat. "Much better then I could do. Just send it off exactly like that and don't you dare change it."
"Yes sir." Radar nodded.
"It was a wonderful letter Radar. One of the best I've heard." Sidney agreed and the boy smiled at him and quickly scurried out of the room.
"That boy amazes me." Dr. Freedman suddenly said as he left. "He seems to have hardly any education beyond the bare minnimum and yet he is able to write like that."
"Yes, the boy is a constant wonder to me as well." Potter nodded.
"Well I guess I should be off to see my patient." Sidney stood up and Potter shook his hand.
"Good luck, and I mean it."
"Thanks, I think I'll take all the luck I can get." Sidney smiled at the Colonel before heading out wondering how different Hawkeye Pierce would be now that his best friend was taken so cruelly from him...
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