Chapter Three

When BJ caught up with Hawkeye, the darker haired man was in the officers club, nursing a drink seemingly untouched on his table. His elbow was resting on the table, his hand supporting his head and a clear look of worry etched into his features.

BJ wasted no time in sitting beside his friend. "He has no pulse," BJ said straight away. "We've all checked him over and none of us can explain it, but from all accounts, that kid seems dead."

Hawkeye looked at BJ for the longest moment, almost like he was trying to decide if this was BJ's most elaborate prank yet, before he seemed to pick up on the sincerity BJ displayed. "I thought I was losing my mind, Beej..." Hawk said, eyes closing in relief for the longest moment.

"I think I'd have thought the same if it had happened to me, Hawk. Trust me, it's not you." BJ could see the weight it lifted off his friends shoulders.

"So what's happening to the kid now?"

"Potter wants us to get him in the privacy of the VIP tent and resting, then try and decide what to do about it. We can't feel a heartbeat either. I'm wondering if this is something no one's seen before. I've never heard of something like this. No sign of a heartbeat or pulse but moving under his own power? That's some crazy stuff."

"You're telling me," Hawkeye replied. "Maybe it's worth going through some of those medical journals, Beej. See if we can find any mentions of it anywhere else."

"It can't hurt," BJ agreed.

oOo

A dozen wounded men came into the compound a few hours into Hawkeye and BJ's research. They beat the weather by ten minutes as a heavy snow began to fall.

By the time the doctors were finished in surgery, the ground was white from snow, the frigid air chilling them all after the warmth from O.R.

"Well, I think I've had enough excitement for one day. I shall be heading back to the tent to indulge in some Beethoven before turning in for the night. Gentlemen."

"Wanna hit the books some more?" Hawkeye enquired.

"As much as it pains me to do so, I need to refuel first. Rest stop in the Mess first?"

"We might as well take the journals in there. If Charles is listening to his music well never be able to concentrate."

"Might as well, at least we'll have a constant coffee supply to keep us going." BJ mused. Hawkeye yawned and BJ had to suppress his own. "You sure you don't need some rest first, Hawk? You look beat."

"I'm in post-op in a few hours so research, post-op then sleep."

"Don't forget we need to work out some shifts for me you and Winchester to sit with Steiner."

"Right. Who's with him now?"

"Kelly and Margaret's taking over a little later."

Hawkeye nodded before yawning again. "I'll go get the research. Make some strong coffee for me, will you? I'm just going to check on our patient first."

BJ nodded as he headed off.

oOo

It was near the end of Hawkeye's post-op shift and he was tired.

The research and given them nothing and he'd bought the journals with him into post-op to continue while BJ headed back to the Swamp to get some rest. He was going to take a turn sitting with Steiner to let the nurses have a rest.

Hawkeye found himself wishing Mulcahy was around. He was a good listener, always some sound advice to offer and right now, Hawkeye needed to hear it. Hawkeye picked up the tin of beans that BJ had bought over earlier off of the stove. The can had warmed up enough that he'd be able to enjoy something warm to combat the coldness of the room. "Damn," he muttered loudly.

"Everything okay?" Nurse Able asked him quietly.

"Yeah, I just caught my hand on the side of the can."

"You need me to get a doctor?" she asked with a smile.

"I think I'll live," Hawkeye replied, grabbing a tissue to absorb the blood that had sprung from the cut.

"Cap'n Pierce?" Klinger said as he came over to the doctor. "Message from Major Houlihan, she said did you want her to take a double shift with Steiner?"

"No, why'd I want her to do that?"

"I don't know, Sir, do you want me to relay the message back to her?" Klinger asked.

"No need for a middle man, Klinger. Able? Keep an eye on things here. I'm just going to the VIP tent. Send someone for me if you need me, okay?"

"Yes Doctor."

Hawkeye pulled on his coat and hat and quickly headed over to the VIP tent.

"How's he doing, Margaret?" Hawkeye asked as soon as he stepped inside, heading towards the stove to warm himself up.

"No change," she replied.

"I wasn't expecting one, I was just kinda hoping..."

"Me too. Did Klinger pass on my message?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it. BJ's taking over from you and I'll take over from BJ."

"I hope you're planning on getting some rest before then."

"Straight after post-op."

"You're hurt!" Margaret exclaimed, suddenly noticing the blood on Hawkeye's hand. She went over to him straight away, inspecting the wound while he told her it was nothing serious and how he'd acquired it. She fussed over it nonetheless, ignoring his slight protests. A small spot of blood dripped onto her hand while she was tending to him which she didn't even notice.

"I best get back to post-op. Come and get me if there's any changes."

"If there are any changes while you're asleep I'll tell BJ."

Hawkeye smiled at her warmly, before heading back out into the cold.

Margaret sat back in the chair and sighed. She wished the cold snap would end so they could get this soldier transferred to somewhere more equipped than a M*A*S*H to deal with him. "Do you need anything?" she asked him, as she did frequently, hoping to get some words from him.

He jerked slightly. He hadn't done that before. She sat forward, poised to move. Another jerk of his body and Margaret was sat on the edge of the bed beside him. She touched his head with her hand, he was icy cold still. His eyes looked more clouded than she remembered them, the whites of his eyes looking bloodshot. "Shall I get the doctor for you?" she asked, shaking her head as she locked eyes with him, hoping to encourage some sort of communication from him.

He raised his hand slowly, stretching his cold fingers until they brushed against her skin. She shuddered at the cold touch but let him grip her. He was trying to tell her something.
A feeble groan escaped his lips as he pulled her hand towards him, up towards his mouth. She knew what he was going to do, a gentlemanly gesture she'd received before, a quick kiss on the hand as a thank you. She smiled, started too until she felt the scraping of his sharp teeth against her skin, enough to draw blood. She snatched her hand back away, looked at him in disgust and shock at what he'd done.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, voice sounding weaker than she'd have cared for.

When he moved slightly, as though he were to attempt to get up, Margaret rushed for the door, knocking the chair over in her haste.

She raced into post-op, knowing Hawkeye would still be in there. She did her best to pull herself together, knowing that she'd frighten her nurses or the patients if she were hysterical. She rationalised it as she'd made her way out into the snow. He was a very sick man, who knew what could be wrong with his mind when his body was a mystery to them.

It was late in the evening now and Colonel Potter had left his office some time ago. It gave them the perfect place to talk privately. "Pierce, I need to speak to you about Private Steiner she said. Meet me in the Colonel's office as soon as you're finished," she said, never slowing her stride through the room.

Hawkeye finished up talking to one of his patients and followed after Margaret. She was helping herself to a drink from Potter's cabinet when he got there. "What's wrong?"

Margaret spun around a little surprised by Hawkeye's presence. She seemed agitated and now Hawkeye was able to see her properly, he could see how shaken she looked. "Margaret?" he bellowed at her.

She closed her eyes against his loudness, knew that she was scaring him with her prolonged silence. "Private Steiner... made some movement."

Hawkeye looked confused by her words and she held her hand out to show the area of skin where his teeth had grazed against her. "What is that?"

"I think he tried to bite me,"

"Bite you? Why would he bite you, Margaret? Did he say anything?"

"No... he erm... he was moving, his body was jerking a little bit and I thought he was going to have a fit, so I went over to him. I tried to get him to talk but he didn't say anything. And then he took my hand and he made a noise, a moan, he might have been in pain and then the next thing I know his trying to bite me.

Hawkeye looked dumbfounded at her. "Okay so he bit you and then what did you do? Did you sedate him, reason with him, make sure someone stayed with him, watched him?" his voice was raising with every word in that typical way of his.

"No, I came straight here," Margaret said, slightly ashamed. Hawkeye seemed to dismiss the incident as anything serious and now she'd said the words out loud to him, she wasn't sure that she reacted the right way. He cheeks reddened a little as Hawkeye stared at her a little too long before he snapped himself out of it and paced the room. "Okay, okay. You stay here, I'll go over and check on Steiner."

"No! You can't go over there, what if he tries to attack you?"

"Look, he caught you by surprise, maybe he even caught himself by surprise. It'll be fine, okay?"

"Okay, just be careful?"

"I will."