Guess I should just get it over with.

Here's the new chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 65

Mess tent was crowded when I got there for lunch. Maybe skipping breakfast ends up perking up some appetite, I figured. Getting one helping of mashed potatoes, some peas and carrots and a little bit of the brown goo, I got to the table where Potter, Sidney and Radar were sitting.

"Hello children. Hope nobody missed me!" I landed heavily next to Sidney.

"Hello Hawkeye!" Radar and Sidney greeted in return while Potter just gave me a smile.

Food was alright and we all ate in relative silence. Soon enough, Margaret joined the table as well. She was serious, somber and responded to me curtly when I tried to crack a joke. Knowing Margaret, I figured she was regretting her ... I could not find the right word for what I thought. For letting her vulnerability show? For being vulnerable? And since I was a witness, she was giving me the signal that she could take care of herself. Shaking my head and smiling at her childish behavior, I turned my attention towards Radar, bugging him for all the slop overflowing in his tray.

"Radar! I thought you were leaving some food behind for me to eat."

He just glared at me, not wanting to start in front of Potter and especially Sidney. I chuckled at his reluctance but stopped myself from pushing anymore of his buttons.

"Felling cheerful, Pierce?" Potter dryly commented, taking in the sour look Margaret had reserved only for me.
"Just peachy, Col." I ignored his dry tone, knowing there was a sermon hidden in there somewhere.

"I want to see you in my office after you are finished with lunch." He told me neutrally before getting off to leave.

Margaret rolled his eyes, Radar attacked his food and Sidney gave me another noncommittal smile.

"What did I do now?" I asked in genuine surprise this time.
"Hrmph." Margaret snorted before attacking her food as well. I looked quizzically at Sidney who shrugged, part amused, part curious.

"Why does it feel like yet another visit to the Principal's office?"

Margaret huffed yet again with another 'Hrmph'. The meat was unyielding and her attack was not appreciated as it slid out of that compartment and landed in pudding. I snorted as some of the pudding landed on Radar who was smirking.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Corporal!" She addressed Radar threateningly before leaving with her tray.

"What did just happen?" I laughed.

"Search me fella! I was wondering what I missed myself."

"Mavor Bunns tawt to er an set somepung avout yu." Radar started off with his mouth stuffed with what I did not want to imagine. I waved him to stop before requesting to first swallow then speak.

"Major Burns. He was in the office, talking to Col. Potter and then he left. He was looking, ya know that look on his face. Like when I give my raccoon the leftover lettuce? He looks kinda funny at me. And then Major Houlihan was coming to my office and he stopped her outside and talked about you."

"Wow. And you found all this sitting on that chair of yours? No physicals for walls? Maybe I should have given that steth to someone more deserving, Radar. You disappoint me!" I had a feeling Radar knew most everything that was being said behind either doors. I was disappointed.

"Before I could hear anything, Col. Potter called me in his office. Major Burns is giving him tough time because of you!" Despite earlier embarrassment and a red face, Radar achieved enough chagrin and accusatory tone before finishing his sentence.

"Me? What did I do now?" I asked him surprised.

"I don't know." Radar knew and he was not telling. Sidney was watching us closely but did not say anything about it.

"Where is BJ?" He asked to nobody in particular.

"Uejeongbu, I think. He is on RnR." I answered, looking at Radar questioningly.

"Seoul, actually. He is gone for the weekend." Radar told his tray.

Suddenly, the wariness I was getting uncomfortably well acquainted with recently descended on me again..

"Right! Seoul. Yeah." I repeated after Radar without much thinking.

"I will be in the Swamp, Hawkeye." Sidney informed me. For one second, I wondered about his motives. Not caring either way, I just nodded before getting up from the table.

"Turn the still on if you want some raw poison to drink. I am going to the Principal's office and if my luck beholds, I will get suspended from attending the war." And with that, I left the mess for Potter's office.

I knocked on the inner door.

"Come on in!" He bellowed from inside before I stepped in.

"You wanted to see me?" I asked him directly, not taking a chair myself. These visits were starting to grate on my nerves now. It was the same pattern. Frank whined and I was called in for reprimand. I could not remember visiting my Prinicpal's office so many times as I had been in this office for those reprimands. And to think I could not hate being in the Army more.

"Give me a minute." He waved at me, his head buried in some paperwork.

I silently stood there, waiting for him. I felt sorry for Frank's siblings. And his parents. Almost as much as I could feel sorry for Potter for having His Ineptness as his second in command.

"Not gonna sit?" He asked me, head still buried in the paper work.

"Thank you." I pulled a chair and settled on it,my feet resting on the ground for once, and not on his desk, another chair or anywhere else, for that matter.

He gave me a long hard look before leaning back in his chair.

"So Radar gave you the heads up?"

"Not really. He was unhappy."

"Because I called you here?"

"No. Because ...No. What is it now? I know Frank was here and for the love of God I cannot remember what I did this time."

"Radar did not tell you?" His eyes found me, the same hard stare, not letting anything up. I knew it was not affection he was feeling for me and the feeling was mutual. Or was it the absence of that feeling?

"Col. Potter! He was not interested in saving my neck back there. He was just...He wanted me to know the grief I cause you." I was getting tired and exasperated now. One time was fun, two times, OK. But this was happening a little too frequently and was getting old fast.

"Burns believes you will harm him. He said you threatened to kill him." Maybe Potter was getting tired of my piteous tone. I knew I was.

"Threatened to kill him?" I was incredulous. Lately, I was like that a LOT..

"Yes. Kill him. And hide the body. He said if I did not do something about you, he would file charges. He said that BJ saved him yesterday otherwise he was not sure what might have happened. This was his last warning to me to control you." I felt this urge to cackle out loud. Surely it was a joke. When did I threaten to kill him? But then, knowing Frank, it suddenly stopped being funny.

"Kill him? He knows I won't kill him. Why would I...? " And then I remembered.

"I know you won't, son. Sometimes, being the butt of a joke all the time makes people act funny."

"That was not a joke!" I heatedly spoke without thinking, wondering if I really meant what I said or was it really a joke?

"You tellin' me you threatened him, Pierce?" I could feel Potter's eyes piercing me. I just shook my head to clear it and got up from the chair. I could feel surge of blood to my head. As if everything else was not swell enough.

"If you will excuse me for a few minutes, Col. I have some important business to tend to!" I retorted dryly before pushing the chair away.

"Where are you going? PIERCE!" He bellowed.

"To pay him a visit, Colonel. I think the good Major and I have something important to discuss." I turned to leave.

"PIERCE!"

"I won't be long, Colonel. I am tired of all his accusations and troubles. I will take care of everything now and he can file whatever charges he deems fit after that."

"PIERCE! STOP," And I felt his hand on my arm, forcing me to turn around. For an old man, he sure was agile when he needed to be. "What has gotten into you, son?" I could hear the concern in Potter's voice and felt a pang of guilt go through me but I could not care. I did not care. Not anymore!

"Nothing. Nothing at all. I am tired. I am sick. And tired. Just tired!" I mumbled, the manic surge of energy I had felt boiling only moments ago left me just as suddenly. It felt like a long time before I raised my head again, surprised to find myself sitting in a chair. Hanging my head again, I rubbed my hands over my face.

"You OK?" I heard Potter's voice from a long distance.

I raised my head to look at him, his voice and face showing the concern. I mumbled something that sounded like gibberish to my own ears. I hung my head again, not sure what was happening anymore.

By the by, I felt a hand on my shoulder and I lifted my head to see Potter staring at me.

"What is happening, son? I have never seen you..." I cut him in the middle.

"Colonel! Tell Frank that I am going to file charges of assault and battery on him if he keeps this up."

"Assault and battery?" Potter was surprised.

"Yes. He pushed me yesterday...No, the day before, I think. One of the stitches was torn. BJ sutured it again." And with that, I went quiet.

"Burns pushed you?"

"Yeah. He did. BJ entered the redo in the log book. I am not making this up." I had enough of Frank. I hated doing this but if this got him off my back, so be it. I had bigger problems to mull over without having the this constant disruption of my mental peace. Potter looked deep in thought.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because it was nothing! I was joking. He did not appreciate the joke and got carried away. Happens!"

"Then why now?" He looked at me suspiciously.

"Because ...despite anything that I have said so far, I haven't done anything yet. I haven't attacked him whereas he did attack me and if I put it in right words and tone, same cannot be said about him. He will be in trouble."

"But you don't want him to be in trouble?"

"No. I don't think so. But I am tired now. And I am sure that this is something he will understand and leave me alone."

"What happened last night?"

"Nothing. You will tell him or I do it?" I was feeling drained and did not want to crash here in his office.

"I'll do it."

"Alright. It was nice meeting you again." And with that, I left his office.