I shouldn't be updating so fast but one, I promised somebody who reviewed and two, I want to be done with this. I cannot believe I have written over a 100,000 words. That number alone is daunting. Chapter 70 was received in a lukewarm fashion. I was hoping for some reviews on that but guess now I should get used to it.
Thanks to Ragni, NY Gal and Anime Soul for frequently reviewing!

Happy reading.

Chapter 72

Sometime during the night, I felt a hand on my shoulder that startled me. I was nodding off on the chair and the hand belonged to one Col. Sherman T. Potter.

"Pierce!" He spoke in a low voice.

"What does the 'T' in your name stand for, Colonel?" I spoke in the middle of a yawn, groaning at the crick in my neck.

"You are not needed here anymore, Pierce. These girls are more than capable of dealing if something comes up and if they need to, they can call you or me."

"You did not answer my question. And yeah, I will leave. Just need to check one of the kids who came with cracked ribs."

"Alright. But don't try to be heroic. Remember the 'T' stands for Terror!"

"Wow, is that what Mrs. Potter calls you?" I grinned mischievously before getting up from the chair, finding a few muscles and joints I was blissfully unaware of in an earlier life.

"Don't temp fate, Pierce!" He tried to be stern but did not pull it off as he grinned too. I watched him leave as I approached the kid with broken ribs. His lung was expanded. Chest drain was dry. Ordering a chest x-ray in the morning and breathing exercises when he woke up, I checked the patients once again and then headed to my cot, feeling good in a long, long time.

You're a masochistic freak, Hawkeye Pierce! I grinned as I hummed Habanera from Carmen.

My cot hadn't felt this good in a long time. Hoping for Frank to sleep in, I landed under the blankets and let out a silent sigh of relief. If I had to be here, might as well do what I knew how to rather than sit and watch from sidelines. My current portfolio wasn't exactly what I wanted but it was better than nothing. It was my first night of peace in a long time where nothing worried me and I slept the sleep of the just. It was also my last night of peace in the foreseeable future except, I was not aware of it at that time.

Next day started as a normal one, except the clouds which rained on us all day yesterday had now densed and there was a frequent downpour of icy rain and at times, some flurries. That did not mean the war was taking a day off. You could count on the muleheadedness of our benevolent leaders in delivering as many caskets back home for Christmas as their blood lust demanded. Those who were not so unfortunate landed with us, first casualties arriving around 5pm. Sidney left before the first casualties arrived.

Triage was something I could do half asleep, I had done it so many times. After prioritizing the patients according to their level of injuries, I went to do an encore of my yesterday's performance and also shifted the more stable ones from previous day into mess tent. That also meant ransacking first non residential tents for heaters followed by the residential ones.

Seeing the look of distaste, anger and frustration at our people's faces, I instantly hated the whole idea of command. They couldn't make me do that kinda work for this kinda money. During those hours, I realized, what if the war goes on so long, they make me a major and make me command a unit. What would happen? I knew what would happen. The whole unit would get a discharge at large and allowed to go home.

And my butt would be in a sling before its shipped off to Fort Leavenworth.

Jeez, its in Kansas!

What if I closed my eyes, clicked my heels three time and said 'there's no place like home' TiD? Would I land in Kansas? Or Maine?

Alright, so I wouldn't give them all a medical discharge, I decided as I realized my meanderings were really meandering lately.

That problem taken care of, I made sure there was a steady supply of food and coffee in the OR and pre- and post-op.

We had patients double parked ready for OR. Frank was not being very fast, understandably. That meant Potter was having a damned rough time.

Where the hell was BJ?

I decided to find out because in case we got more patients, we were bound to lose more than just a few. As it turned out, there was a snow storm around Seoul blocking almost all roads and except for essential traffic, everyone was told to stay put and that included BJ. There was also scuttlebutt about a bug out which was another reason for everyone to stay right where he was unless cleared to move.

Radar was scared as he relayed this information to me as if I would hit him. After hearing some choice words from me in return, he turned a deep shade of puce before leaving the office rambling something about making sure the mess was heated enough. Number of casualties wasn't high but between the severity of their injuries, small number of surgeons and Herr Frank Burns, the whole place was booked.

"Col. Potter!" I donned a mask and scrubs and entered the OR.

"Pierce! What are you doing here. You will infect our patients." That was Frank, of course.

"I know your Patron Saint is St. Anthony the Abbot but that does not mean everybody wants to impart your kind of charm on the patients. Colonel, I think you need to know this : BJ is held back in Seoul on account of bad weather and their desire to keep the roads free in case units at the front need to bug out. You need an extra hand because St. Abbot here cannot go faster though he can bungle up more patients if you force his hand."

"Pierce..." Frank started off heatedly but was cut off by an even more heated Potter.

"That's enough Pierce. How many parked outside?" I could feel his exasperation.

"You never say anything to him!" Frank whined to Potter who ignored him. I winked at Frank before updating Potter.

"Pierce! Go easy on him. And I don't think we need you right now. Burns and I can handle the fort for now." Potter spoke in a low volume.

"But Colonel..." I started and was cut off by Frank this time.

"Colonel Potter, he is right sir..." Frank sounded almost-sincere and I smiled behind my mask.

"About you bungling...Oh, sorry!" I stopped before Potter started yelling.

"I was going to say that you had a point. We could use another hand, even if its yours, right Colonel?" Frank could sound sincere and almost mature sometimes if one could ignore the sanctimonious patronization.

When his hide was at stake, of course.

"Wrong, Major! Pierce, you stay put. Your commander and second in command are more than capable of dealing with this small number of casualties. Now leave the OR before I ask one of them to gas you too!"

"You are making a mistake!" I told him matter of factly. He was just being an idiot and he was supposed to know that.

"PIERCE! OUT. NOW!" He bellowed at me as I heard Frank snickering.

I left the OR knowing he would need me back in no time.

It was a little late when our last intake came. I was looking and tagging a kid when he addressed me,

"Sir..."

"I'm not a knight, Corporal. You're gonna be alright. We have the best hands in the West, not to mention the ten best thumbs you can find..."

"Sir, my friend, Billy Johnson, how is he?"

"I have to see him yet but don't worry. All of you will be taken care of. You have my word." I started moving when he held my hand and looked me in the eye before speaking again,

"Sir, he was standing when one of my men's grenade exploded close to him. It shouldn't have happened. I need to know!"

"Let me go, Cpl. I will look at him and let you know when I can." With that I left to find this kid Johnson.

He had shrapnel wounds in his abdomen but was vitally stable. Not trusting the vitals, I ordered for crossmatched blood, plasma and an abdominal and a chest film to make sure diaphragm was intact. He looked so young, hardly seventeen. Who made him a corporal? And when did he enlist? In his crib?

Shaking my head, I marked him priority one before moving to next patient.

Either they were getting younger or I was getting too old too fast!

P.S. For those who don't know Anthony the Abbot, he was the Patron St. of gravediggers. Any other cultural references I mentioned and you are curious about, feel free to ask :p