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Hawkeye returned to the swamp feeling more at peace then ha had in days. Well, it did help that he no longer had a headache peircing at his skull anymore. He suddenly stood frozen though in front of the tent, fully awhere of the guards glaring at him. He just didn't wnat to go in there again. It was filled with too many memories. Happy yes, but he still wasn't sure if he could muster up the courage to enter that place again. That place wher he and BJ had hung out in boredome so many times. But knowing that he had no choice he slowly walked inside the tent.
An hour later Winchester came in, looking absolutly exhausted.
"Overcrowded with unneccessary wounded!" He snarled, his voice filled with digust. "We are a hopstial not a dumping spot!"
"Try telling that to the other side." Hawkeye replied with an agreeing nod as he settled back down to his attempts at reading the newspaper. The Major grunted in response as he almost collapsed onto the bed. He looked at Hawkeye unsure of what to say. He was never sure what to say to Pierce anymore. He finally decided to apologize, which he rarely felt the need to do so. A new feeling for him, this guilt of losing his temper. One he wasn't used to and didn't like.
"I'm sorry for losing my patience with you earlier." He finally said to fill the creeping silence and hoping to rid of his growing guilt. "I know you are going through a difficult time. I should have been less harsh with you."
Hawkeye looked up with sudden interest then.
"Why Charles, I believe that is the first time I ever heard you apoligze before!" He declared, shock clearly in his voice as he tried to hide his true emotions to the repsonse.
"Yes well, don't let it happen again." Winchester retored, quickly resorting back to his older self.
Hawkeye smiled at that. He was glad that some things never change.
"I'm sorry about that day in surgery." He instead said quietly. "With the little girl...I just lost it. I kept on seeing him..."
Winchester frowned.
"Who?" He asked though he had a good idea who.
"BJ...Beej's face." Hawkeye looked to the ground. "bleeding, like it was when that corpesman first drove up with him wounded. For a moment it looked like you were operating on him."
The Major sat silently on his bunk unsure of how to proceed with this conversation.
"Yes, well that was all in the past." He finally said. "Just don't repeat that little incident again and everything is forgiven and forgotten."
Hawkeye nodded but he couldn't let the silence come. Letting silence come was letting the memories flood into him. He had to keep the conversation going somehow. He looked at Winchester, unsure of what to say to the Major. He was never close with him like he was with BJ. Though they were closer then he was with Frank. Hell, a rat would make a better friend then Frank Burns would. He smiled at that.
"What could possibly be so funny?" Winchester frowned, curiousty getting the better of him. Hawkeye shook his head.
"Nothing, I was just going down memory laine. Thinking about how a rat would be a better friend then Frank Burns."
Winchester looked insulted.
"Are you, my good sir, referring me to some rodent?" He looked disgusted by the very idea. Hawkeye's eyes opened wide.
"What? No! I was just realizing that you and I were a lot closer then I was with Frank Burns. But that it didn't surprise me for a rat makes a better friend then Burns...not that I am comparing you to a rat or saying you're easy or..." He slumped his shoulders in defeat. "You know what I mean." He said defenisvly.
Not allowing himself to smile Winchester threw him a disgusted look.
"Indeed I don't. It seems to me that you are indeed comparing me to a rat. That if a rat could make a better friend then Frank Burns, then it isn't a surprise that I could as well."
"No," Hawkeye growled, getting frusterated. "I'm comparing Burns to a rat. Not you." He was about to throw an insult saying that a rat was too good for Winchester to be compared too but thought better of it. He couldn't handle someone hating him at the moment.
"Humph." Charles grunted. "You should be careful on how you word things. That mouth of yours has gotten you into trouble before." He remarked, the anger that was never really there already faded.
"Don't remind me." Hawkeye chuckled and then looked at the broken still on the floor and groaned. "I guess if I want something to drink I should start fixing this." He remarked, dreading the work.
Winchester looked up from the book he had just picked up and sighed.
"And I suppose you want me to help you?" He asked, already knowing the answer. Hawkeye gave a hopeful smile.
"I never actually built one completly by myself." He admitted. "I always had Trapper or...or Beej's help." Even saying his name at that moment was a difficult thing to do. Sensing that Winchester nodded and quickly stood up.
"Well, why not break tradition?" He asked calmly and one look at Hawkeye told him not to thank the man.
The major bent down, careful not to have his knees touch the dirt as Hawkeye started to explain what to do but then that was when Winchester snapped
"I may not hold to liqour Captain, but please do not insult my intellegence. I am quiet capable of figuring out to rebuild this simple minded structure, thank you very much."
Hawkeye surpressed a grin and wisely lapsed into silence as they started to rebuild the still that held so many memories in itself.
Trapper slowly walked inside the mash unit again, strange feelings consuming him. This all seemed so familiar, and so strange. Like an old dream he had mixed with nightmares. Quickly he collected himself as he headed towards the office, looking forward to seeing Radar O'Rielly again.
"Radar you old rascal!" He exclaimed as he walked into the room. "You haven't changed a bit, especially your hieght." He added with a grin.
Radar turned around quickly, startled by the voice, and then dropped the folders he was holding.
"Trapper?!"
"The one and only." He spread out his arms. "Didjya miss me?" He grinned.
"Wow...I mean...gee wiz...when they were getting a surgean I didn't think it would be you. Not in a million years! Wow." Radar sat down in shock. Trapper frowned.
"I know that it's strange to see me again but what's really going on? You seemed more shocked then you should."
"Well it's just a coincidence is all. I mean, gee didn't they tell ya who you were replacing?"
Trapper shrugged.
"Some Captain Hunnicut that was killed in action. Why?"
Radar frowned.
"Didn't Hawkeye ever tell you about his roommate in his letters?"
Trapper nodded.
"Yeah, his name was BJ. Hawk likes him a lot. Better replacment then he thought you would get. Why?"
"Didn't he tell you his last name?"
Trapper shrugged again.
"Once I think, in his first letter. I forgot it though."
Radar sighed.
"His full name was Captain BJ Hunnicut." He said slowly. "And he and Hawkeye were more then just roommates. They got to be really close. Like you and Hawk were once. Really close." His voice trailed off. "Hawkeye's taking his death really hard." He added. "Harder then Henry Blakes even."
Trapper's face fell. He began to feel sick. No way did he want to replace one of Hawkeye's friends even if was just as a surgean. And he knew just how hard Pierce would take a close friend's death. It seemed like Hawkeye hated death more then anyone he knew. He swallowed.
"How long ago was this?" He asked slowly, his tone and face was changed instantly to be completly serious.
"A few weeks ago." Radar shrugged sadly. "I... I really miss him too." He admitted, his voice was starting to shake. Something Trapper didn't see since Radar do since he delevered the news on Henry's death. It unnerved him. "You would have liked him." He added. "Really good guy, good family man..good friend. Good person to talk to." He sighed. "The camp seems so lonely without him, everyone took the news really hard."
"I'm sorry I never got a chance to know him. Sounds like a great man." Trapper said slowly, an ache forming in his throat. He decided he needed to change the subject. "What's the Colonel like?" He questioned warily. "Anything like Henry?"
Radar shook his head.
"Nope, regular army."
Trapper groaned.
"But it's not that bad!" Radar insisted. "I really like him and respect him a lot. So does Hawkeye. In fact he's the only person that I know that Hawkeye actually calls 'sir'."
Trapper looked impressed. He never knew Hawk to say sir to anyone.
"I think he even saluted him once." Radar frowned causing Trapper's eyes to grow wide. "I'm not sure if that's true." Radar quickly added.
"I've never seen Hawk salute to anyone." He said clearly impressed. Radar looked rather pleased then.
"Well he did salute to me once." He admitted proudly. "When I got my purple heart after being wounded."
"You were wounded?" Trapper looked horrified and even more impressed that Hawkeye saluted Radar but not surprised. Radar would be one of the few people that Trapper would salute to as well.
"Lot's of stuff has happened since you've been gone Trap." Radar replied gently.
"I'm begining to see that." Trapper shook his head, it was swarming with new information. Now he felt guilty for even being here, for even thinking that he was replacing BJ Hunnicut.
"Radar who are you talking to out there?" A voice called from inside the office.
"That's Colonel Potter." Radar told Trapper quickly. "The new surgean is here Colonel!" He shouted.
"Hot diggidy dog!" The Colonel yelped from the office causing Radar to break into a grin. Even Trapper had to smile at that. "It's about time! We've been up in our knees for nearly the past month with wounded!"
The Colonel came out eagerly
"What's your name Captain?" Was the first thing he asked.
"Captain John MacIntyre. Otherwise known as Trapper." Trapper held out his hand and Potter quickly shook it.
"He's been here once before sir." Radar added. "He...er...the situation's kind of ironic actually. Not good ironic though" He quickly added. Potter frowned.
"How is it ironic?"
"He was um the one Captain Hunnicut replaced actually, when Trap was allowed back home."
Potter stared at MacIntyre, shocked.
"And they sent you back?"
"I was just as shocked as you were sir." He sighed. "I thought I was done with this place for good when they sent me home."
The Colonel shook his head.
"That is irony. Cruel irony." It was his turn to sigh. "I guess desperate times calls for desperate measures though."
"I guess so sir." Trapper agreed rather glumly. He could feel the depression begining to build in the room, like a bomb about ready to explode.
"Well." Colonel Potter said as brightly as he could muster. "Seeing how you've been here before I don't really need to show you the ropes of this place or introduce you to people now do I?"
Trapper grinned.
"No sir." He recoginzed immediatly that this wasn't a Colonel you could be completly loose with like he could with Henry. Sensing what he was thinking Potter added.
"I guess I should just explaine how I like to run things. I like to run a tight but fair shift. I don't care what you do after hours but when you are in surgery you better be sharp and on your toes and not hungover. Is that clear?"
Trapper nodded and the Colonel continued.
"Good. I know that you are probably used to things being run by Colonel Blake." He spoke in a gentler tone. "But I am not another Blake, nor to I want to be. Just like you aren't another Captain Hunnicut. We just can't replace men like that with just anybody."
Trapper nodded again with a growing respect of the Colonel and was slowly begining to understand why Hawkeye and Radar liked Potter.
"Sir?" Radar spoke up rather tentavily, unsure on whether to talk yet.
"What is it son?" Potter asked in a kind and gentle tone that somewhat surprised Trap. It wasn't how Henry used to speak to Radar but it wasn't how a normal Colonel would speak to his company clerk normally, especially one who's regular army.
"Well there is someone who Trapper doesn't know. Dr. Winchester." He turned to Trapper. "Major Frank Burn's replacment." He grinned.
"Frank's gone?!" Shouted Trapper and Potter chuckled.
"Not a fan of the man Captain?" He smiled. "Neither was I though the Lord knows I tried."
"He went crazy after Major Houlihan got married to Penobscot." Radar added.
"Hotlip's married?" Trapper looked like he was about to have a heart attack.
"Now divorced." Radar replied. "But she and Frank split up a few years ago and then after a year of seperation she married Donald Penobscot."
"One of the worse things the Major could have done, if I do say so myself." Muttered Potter.
Trapper shook his head.
"Boy on top of having an new Colonel Frank's gone and Hotlips was married." He let out a whistle. "I was expecting changes but not all at once."
"I guess I should take him to the swamp soon?" Radar suggested to Colonel Potter who nodded.
"Yes, that would be best." He said."I am glad you've come though Captain." He added seriously. " I just wish it was under better circumstances."
"So do I." MacIntyre agreed. Potter continued then.
"We sure need you. And I think Hawkeye does too, now more then ever."
Trapper nodded.
"He's pretty bad?" He asked as casually as he could. Potter nodded.
"He's become almost a broken man." He said slowly. "Though in the last couple of days he has looked more alive, probably because Sidney Freedman came to help him. Before he didn't do anything expect drinking. I have him under house arrest for the moment, more for his saftey as well as the saftey of the patients then anything else."
Trapper frowned at that and seeing this Potter quickly explained the incident with the little girl. Trap sucked in his breath.
"Sound's pretty bad all right." He shook his head in dismay.
"I called Dr. Freedman up when he punched young Radar here, nearly breaking his nose. I should have put him under house arrest then." Sighed the Colonel. "When he first lost it instead of waiting for how long he could pull off insanity and get away with it."
MacIntyre looked shocked at that more then anything else.
"He hit Radar?!"
"It was a mistake." The corporal said quickly. "He just found out about Beej and he was really drunk, at Rosie's. I came to get him and I guess I bugged him enough that he well you know..." His voice trailed off and he shrugged.
"Yeah." Unfortunatly Trapper could imagine the situation perfectly. "I'm afraid I do know." He sighed as he sat down. "I'm not sure if I should see him so soon, and be sleeping in Captain Hunnicut's bed and all that. Maybe this replacement thing would be too much for him,"
All excitment of seeing Hawkeye had drained from Trap for now intense worry occupied his mind instead.
Radar looked at the Colonel.
"I guess I should take Trapper to the swamp?" He suggested, the same thing he asked five minutes ago and Potter nodded quickly.
"Yes, of course. I'll fill you in on everything else later and I'm sure Radar will mention any other change."
Trapper nodded, still in shock with the situation.
Quietly Radar helped carry his bags as they headed towards the swamp with both of them wondering how Hawkeye was going to take the news...
This took me a couple of days to write and put together so please review!