Hello. I got my expectations high, thinking I might get more than 2 reviews. Thank you for helping me in character building by not living upto my expectations. Cannot thank you enough. Back to story, this is the beginning of the end. Don't ask me how long it would take because I did not know I would end up writing 100,000 words just to get to this point. I would like feedback if you think one/more of the characters are out of whack. Otherwise, we can both carry on in this respectful indifference.
I am grumpy and pissy and I will make Hawkeye that way too, I think.

Happy reading!

Chapter 63

Still grinning at Margaret's inability to hold her liquor, I returned to Swamp. Hoping not to see the lipless wonder ready to ruin my night, I treaded carefully. I was out of luck. He was sitting on his bed, polishing his boots.

"Hello Frank!"

"That will be the day, Pierce." Wondering once again at Frank's lack of understanding a simple greeting, I looked towards BJ's cot. He was lying there with his lights out though I doubted if he were asleep.

"Would you mind! I'm trying to sleep here!" As if on cue, his voice emanated from deep under covers and I smiled, hoping for a verbal sparring between the two of them. Sitting on my cot, I realized the still gurgling. I distinctly remembered turning it off earlier today and was not happy to see it on again, not after the binge drinking BJ had done earlier today.

"Why is it that you always yell at me, Hunnicut? What about your darling friend here? We had such peace when he was away." Frank attacked his boots with a vengeance while I waited for BJ to really tell him to shut up.

"Who do you think I was talking to, Frank? I did not even realize you were here till he came in."

Frank's snickering followed BJ's sour response but I knew BJ could act like a mean drunk sometimes so I let it slide. A man needed his peace and it was a fact that all Frank was doing really was polishing his boots, albeit with the ferocity and focus with which I knew some people made love. I did disturb the peace.

"Sorry Beej! I didn't know..."

I was cut off by him as he popped his head out from under the shroud.

"Another Damsel in Distress, as I saw it. You sure have a way with women, Hawk!" Again the slight hint of bitterness.

"It was Margaret, Beej!" I did not know why I needed to defend myself to him. He knew me pretty well, or so I thought.

"Yeah. I saw how you relinquished your position as the bartender to spend time with her." What the hell was he talking about? What difference did it make to him. And what was with the accusatory tone

"Yeah. What does it matter to you?" Now I was feeling a little angry. Ever since whatever happened to his personal life, all he did was take it out on me. I understood, well, part of me understood that he needed a friend and only a friend could be there for another in rough times but somehow, lately, all I heard in his words and tone was accusation. As if I was responsible for his domestic troubles.

"Oh nothing! I just wonder how you do it. Engaged, married, single, one, more, doesn't matter. Everything goes, right?"

"You got that one right, Hunnicut. I cannot believe Margaret could stoop this low, myself. But then, with her fiance not turning up and all..." Frank chimed in, letting his words hang in the air.

"Oh shove off, Frank! And you, Beej! Don't talk as if you know everything." I felt my good cheer from helping a ...friend? ebbing away. Why the hell was BJ so pissed? I could understand Frank's chagrin but BJ?

"I know enough, Hawk!" Still the surly tone.

"Oh yeah. So do I, so do I." Frank snickered knowingly. I got off my cot and moved threateningly towards Frank.

"So now big, brave Warrior Hawkeye is gonna beat up Frank because he cannot hear the truth?" BJ mocked me and I looked at him, wonderingly. It was not the alcohol talking. All I saw him drinking in the club was a beer. Yeah, he was not very talkative but I remembered he was not this bitter either. He seemed to have been having a good time, actually.

I just stopped, my eyes only for Frank as I saw him cower to the back of his cot, my ears straining for more of BJ's statements. Finally, I turned around and sat heavily on my cot, wishing for a drink. What had it been? four weeks? since I had a drink? Figuring the math to be too tenuous and futile an exercise, I turned my gaze towards BJ

"You really wanna know what happened?"

"I think we have a pretty good idea, Hawk! Your reputation is not exactly a secret." BJ spoke pointedly.

"I am still surprised what Margaret saw in him." Frank piped in, definitely egging BJ. He was having too much fun watching us argue.

"You stay out of this, Frank!" This was BJ and despite my urge to punch the daylights out of him, I felt slight reassurance. Maybe he hadn't gone to the dark side completely.

"Idea is not fact, Beej! Don't insult me or her, alright!" I firmly stated to BJ while shooting a killer glance at Frank who was still holding the brush in one hand and the boot in the other.

He did not say anything and all I could surmise was the fact that he was not interested in the fact and was just interested in seeing what he wanted to see.

"She needed a friend. To talk. Her fiance could not come here because of the weather and she was upset." I made up a little lie about the weather knowing to save her pride.

"LIES! All LIES. Damnit! I hate men like you who use that as an excuse! She needed a friend. The hell she needed a friend. Always the same story. He could not come. He could not ...She is engaged, you ..." BJ stopped himself and suddenly, everything fell into its place.

At an utter loss for words, I just lied down on my cot and looked at the canvas roof, its green color reminding me of my recent emetic excursions. Everything was green and everyone was blue. I knew there was a country song somewhere in there but could not, for the love of God, remember it. Or even make it. Not realizing that my silence only punctuated BJ's suspicions, I just let the feeling of extreme tiredness creep into my veins as I wondered, for a hundredth time in last few days, how I was gonna get out of this hell alive. Outside was bad enough, what with the war and the casualties and all the talk about peace talks.

Peace Talks!

They had just decided upon the 38th parallel being the line of demarcation. I could not see the end getting any closer. I was sure I would not be there to see this war end. I would end up in a looney bin long before that. Either that or I would probably become gunfodder for an overzealous commander. Either way, I was not gonna be there. And now, people I cared about, trusted...One person I believed could help me get out alive and relatively sane, he was spouting fire and venom at me. I felt the anxiety build up in me like the one which I was familiar with only during my visit to the first aid posts over at the front. Exposed, alone, scared.

"And I thought you were interested in Lt. Brendt, not that you stick to one woman at one time." Frank had rediscovered his death wish and was willing to play Russian Roulette.

"Oh yeah. Next on list is Cate. I have a hot date with her tomorrow. And I have you on my list too!" I winked at him lecherously. I wanted to remind him of his marital status but that would have meant another firestorm from my right and in all honesty, I was not ready for BJ's tirade right now. Faking what they did believe of me was easier right now.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Frank got off his cot in a huff.

"Well, you know my reputation among ladies and they all want to know what makes me such a ...hot commodity, to put it mildly." I grinned evilly at Frank though I was not feeling even a little bit funny right now.

"I know you turned Margaret against me and now you are...you are..."

"I am what, Frank?" I mocked Frank. Taking my frustrations out on him felt like the only thing I could do right now.

"Oh, go blow up yourself, Pierce!" He huffed again. I sat up menacingly, knowing full well the way Frank was grating on my nerves, it wouldn't be long before I lost it completely.

"What did I tell you about saying nasty things to me, Frank?" I did not try to hide the menace in my voice.

"I am a superior officer, Pierce! I can get you courtmartialed!"

"IF they find your body, Frank. I know how to hide a body, you know. Ever seen those latrines when they are dug? All I have to do is get one dug deeper. I can tell them its for you." I winked at him menacingly.

"Don't you dare, Pierce. Hunnicut, stop him." Frank squealed as I got off my cot. BJ just turned on his side, completely ignoring the current commotion.

Frank, seeing BJ, quicly sauntered out of the tent. I could hear his yelps before it went quiet. Sighing, I lied down on my cot again.

"Thank you! I thought he would never leave." I mumbled a thanks to the Big Guy upstairs before turning off my own light.