Night had fallen, the sky hung above littered with star as the night was cloudless. River lay asleep in her cot, as did the others in the tent, all except Sergeant Steinway. He'd taken a blow to his leg and the doctors had patched him up well, given him some of this and some of that and in no time, he'd be shipped back home to his family. His sister waited for him. But he couldn't get any sleep tonight. He tossed and turned, trying to find a more comfortable position but nothing seemed to work. He felt his leg throbbing and stinging but the doctor had said it was normal; some of his closer nerves had been severed, but he would still be able to walk.

He sighed, rolling over again, feeling sore all over. Looking around the room, his eyes caught sight of the pale girl in another cot. She lay still, he could barley see the rise and fall of her chest she was so tiny. His doctor, whom she had had an argument with, had slipped something into her IV so she would sleep. It was not in his nature to question or ask, so he said nothing. He gripped his chest and gave another painful heap-full of air into his lungs. He quivered, feeling the sensation that something was working its was up into his heart. Deciding he best lye still, he closed his eyes, trying to picture home.

River was walking silently through a field of red poppies, their petals turning to her as she passed by. She knew she was dreaming, even though she could hear the voices of wounded soldiers, ready to give their life not far from her. She breathed deeply, her lungs filling with a painful breath of air. She clutched her chest, her head blank and confused.

"Steinway." She whispered.

Turning to the sound of the shouting, her dress sweeping behind her, the scenery changed. She was outside the post-op, there were people running and yelling, shouting orders and dashing about. She could hear rumbling, as the ground trembled and the shouting became more urgent. Something was coming, something that was there to kill them.

At that moment she shot up right, gasping her breath as though she had been held under water. Her eyes quickly scanned the room, and upon seeing the sign of not only her own discomfort, but that of Sergeant Steinway. He sat rigid, his eyes tightly closed in the obvious sign of pain. Moving her legs off the cot, making sure it didn't squeak, she lightly pulled the IV from her arm and made her way silently over to the man. Kneeling down she looked at him, her eyes not moving from his face, waiting for him to open them. He did so when he felt her breathing.

Gasping and pulling back he looked at her in shock. "Wha?... You scared the hell outta me." He coughed. River said nothing and at that moment he could see something in her eyes. Like she knew he hurt and why. He drew in another shaking breath. "Where'd the doc go?"

"Sleeping." She answered barley above a whisper. "He knows you tried."

Steinway almost stopped breathing there and then. "What?" He himself was whispering now.

"Father was proud. Mother was too. Soon you'll know." River closed her eyes, standing again.

"Wait…" He called to her, but something was wrong, something was horribly wrong. Sucking in another breath he pulled at his chest, trying to get at what ever was squeezing his heart, stopping the blood from flowing to where it needed to go. At that moment he understood what the girl had meant, at that moment he was going to die.

River stood in the middle of the MASH units field, the darkness engulfing her completely. She could feel the vibrations underneath her bare feet, as the earth was beaten and destroyed. Sucking all the air around her, she let a scream force its way out, echoing through the tents and the eardrums of all those asleep.

She slipped to her knees, letting the anguish go, it was a matter of seconds before she heard the rush of boots in her direction.

BJ reached River, his mind half awake, being the early time of 2.47 in the morning. Hawkeye was close behind him along with others from all over the camp. When he reached her side, he tried soothing her in a quiet voice, rubbing her arms from the cold. Still she screamed.

"What in the blazes……….?" Colonel Potter had come trampling from his tent, wrapped in his cream coloured dressing gown.

River stopped, needing air. She closed her eyes, tensing her muscles.

At that moment, there was the blinding sight of headlights as a jeep pulled around the corner, stopping before it came into contact of anyone. From the passenger seat jumped a familiar face BJ was glad to see.

"What did I miss?" Physiatrist Sydney Freedman asked, looking at them huddling around someone in the middle of the night.