Dr. Siegfried was exhausted, having had little sleep since Newkirk's arrival at the hospital. He considered it his personal responsibility to ensure the Englishman's safety…not for his profession's sake, but for the sake of Papa Bear's entire outfit.

He'd dragged a cot into the room to lie on, and wasn't surprised at all when the door opened just after eleven pm.

"Doc?"

Opening his eyes, he found Colonel Hogan standing in the room, wearing a doctor's lab coat. He was looking at Newkirk.

"Is he okay?"

Siegfried sat up, and sighed. "He woke once, but not for long, and was not very aware."

Hogan nodded and went back to the door, opening it and letting in the other three 'doctors'. It seemed apparent that the colonel had told the others to control themselves, for they walked in slowly and quietly, even as intense worry showed in their eyes.

"Will he be all right?" Carter asked, sitting on the side of Newkirk's bed.

"I believe so," Siegfried told them. "The overdose depressed his breathing further, and lowered his blood pressure a little too much, but both have slightly improved since then, since some of the drug has vorn off by now. I vill not be giving him anymore morphine."

Hogan looked at him. "What do you have in mind?"

Dr. Siegfried hesitated. "Possibly releasing him tomorrow," he said, with obvious reluctance.

Hogan was surprised. "So soon, after this?"

Siegfried sighed. "I do not think he should still be here, in case Major Hochstetter comes back, or those two men."

"But will he be recovered enough, especially after the overdose?"

"Vhen the rest of the morphine vears off, there vill only be a residual amount left in his system, and so he vill no longer require the oxygen. He vill need to rest for a few days, but should be fine after that."

"But what if he still has his migraine?" Carter asked.

"If he still does after the morphine vears off, I vill try aspirin. The pain should be sufficiently improved enough by then for a milder drug to handle."

Everyone nodded. While they were glad that Newkirk might be coming 'home' the next day, none of his friends could deny that he looked helpless and frail lying in that hospital bed.

Hogan's gaze shifted, and he suddenly noticed something. Reaching out, he put his hand on Newkirk's right arm, touching his finger to tiny wound that was surrounded by a small bruise. Looking at the doctor, he asked a silent question.

Siegfried nodded.

Hogan's anger nearly boiled over, at the visible proof of what Hochstetter had so ruthlessly done. He clasped Newkirk's wrist and held on tightly, as if to lend support to his friend, but it unexpectedly backfired when he became aware of the Englishman's pulse: racing, due to the unsafe level of morphine rushing through his bloodstream.

Newkirk's hand suddenly twitched, and Hogan realized that his grip on the corporal's wrist had tightened uncomfortably, in response to his anger at Hochstetter. He loosened his hold and leaned closer. "Newkirk?" he said, hoping that he was awake.

Newkirk made no sound, but his eyes fluttered.

Siegfried came closer and listened to his patient's heartbeat. "Peter? If you are awake, ve vould like to see you."

Newkirk seemed to hear him, moving his head slightly.

Carter and LeBeau threw in their own pleas, and were eventually rewarded with a glimpse of their friend's green eyes.

"Hey buddy!" Carter exclaimed. "How do you feel?"

Newkirk blinked up at him, with a puzzled look. "Huh?"

"How do you feel?"

"Feel what?"

Carter smiled. "No no, not something you're feeling, how are you feeling?"

"Huh?"

Hogan looked up at Siegfried. "Is this how he was with Hochstetter?"

Siegfried looked at him with a smile. "Yes."

Hogan had to cover his mouth with one hand to stop himself from laughing. It must've driven Hochstetter insane! He suddenly realized that Newkirk's nonsensical answers must've been the reason why Hochstetter had given him the extra morphine, and his smile vanished.

Everyone suddenly turned quiet, as Newkirk's eyes roamed around the room. He seemed to be seeing everything, but nothing. "Where am I?" he asked, though it sounded more like "Where'my?"

"At the hospital in Hammelberg, mon ami," LeBeau said, smiling comfortingly, though it unnerved him to see Newkirk so out-of-it.

Newkirk opened his mouth to ask 'why', before seeming to remember.

"Does your head hurt?" Carter asked.

"No."

Everyone was relieved to hear that.

Newkirk closed his eyes for a few seconds, before they popped open and he craned his neck to see beyond his friends. "Did 'e take it?"

Everyone turned to look behind themselves, before moving aside so Newkirk could see whatever it was he was trying to find. "Take what?"

"The tree!"

Everyone looked back at Newkirk, dumbfounded. "Tree?" Kinch asked.

Newkirk pointed with an unsteady hand. "The ruddy thing 'as been standin' there all day! I told Hof—Hos—Hopsteffer to take it wit' 'im when 'e left."

Carter let loose a loud giggle, before slapping both hands across his mouth.

Everyone stared at Newkirk for a few seconds, using all the willpower they contained to not let themselves openly react to the unexpected comment.

Hogan stood from his chair and walked towards the wall, in the direction where Newkirk was still pointing. "That one?" he said, gesturing to the empty space beside the door.

"Yeah," said Newkirk. "I'm sick of it starin' at me."

Carter almost lost it there, and had to turn his head so Newkirk wouldn't notice his face turning red from suppressed laughter.

Hogan bent down and pretended that he was lifting the 'tree', before heading out the door and coming back in a second later. "There, Newkirk. It's gone."

The Englishman smiled. "Thanks, guv, what a relief." He laid his head back down and closed his eyes.

A couple of minutes passed, and they realized that Newkirk had fallen asleep again.

Something suddenly occurred to Hogan. "After he gets back to the Stalag, will he need any special care?" he whispered.

"There vill still be some morphine in his bloodstream," Siegfried whispered back. "So he should drink a lot of water, and eat good meals. He has not been avake long enough to eat or drink much at all." He pointed to the IV. "The majority of his nourishment has come from zat."

Hogan nodded, and gestured towards LeBeau. "Our resident chef will make sure he eats like a king."

"Oui, that I will!" the Frenchman replied.

A couple of hours passed, before Hogan stood, to leave. "I know you'd all like to stay," he said. "But we need to get back. Newkirk might be coming home tomorrow, so it won't be much longer before you see him again."

Everyone nodded, reluctantly.

Hogan shook the doctor's hand, before everyone silently filed out the door.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

During roll call the next morning, Carter and LeBeau couldn't stay still, fidgeting in their excitement to get Newkirk back from the hospital.

Hogan followed Klink into his office, the Kommandant not even noticing that he was behind him. Klink walked around his desk and sat down, jumping in his chair when he found Hogan seated on the other side.

"Can you call the hospital?" Hogan asked.

Klink sighed and picked up the phone, obediently dialing. They informed him that Newkirk would be released at noon, and both Hogan and Klink were relieved to hear that.

"Hochstetter didn't succeed!" Klink happily exclaimed.

Hogan nodded, snatching a cigar. "Glad I thought of it!"

Klink opened his mouth to take back the credit, before he realized that Hogan was right.

TBC

Nope, it's not over yet! ;)