Finding The 4077th

Dark Nights

It was a dark and cold night when Hawkeye got woken up by Radar. It was time to start his midnight duty in post-op.

The doctor groaned, it was freezing.

“I give you 10 bucks for 10 more minutes, ” the doctor told the clerk. But Radar didn't listen and tried to convince the man to get up as he started to pull the blankets off before he pulled Hawkeye up to a sitting position.

“5 for 5 minutes?” Hawkeye tried again but Radar kept telling him people were waiting as he was dressing the man in his coat.

“I give you 2 dollars to smother me with this pillow.”

A very cold and tired BJ entered, desperately trying to warm himself on the heater.

Chris was fast asleep, he was wrapped like a burrito with a mop of unruly blond hair sticking out. Hawkeye sleepy chuckled at the sight.

BJ dropped on his cot, dead tired.

“You wanna go over there into first-class and tuck him in?” Hawkeye asked Radar.

The man agreed, walked over, and started pulling BJ's boots off.

“You know, after this war is over, you're going to make somebody a fine mother. ” Hawkeye told the clerk as he was about to leave.

“Aw, cut it out!” Radar gave the man a grumpy look but Hawkeye just laughed as he headed out.

It's freezing outside and enemy artillery has brought blackout conditions. The wind was blasting against his face as he walked to the post-op.

Hawkeye yawned as he entered and immediately got greeted by an angry Frank, as he was ten minutes late.

Ignoring the other man Hawkeye went to do his rounds, he was just at the last one when he noticed the door open softly in the corner of his eye.

He looked up and saw his kid now frozen at the spot looking back with big wide eyes.

Hawkeye put on his stern face as he said “Christopher! What are you doing out of bed! It's freezing!” the boy was wearing his long johns under his PJs with a coat on top, but he wasn't wearing any shoes, only a pair of socks.

“I h-had a bad dream?” Chris said, but it sounded more like a question and the child didn't look upset or looked like he's been crying. He rather looked a bit guilty. He could read his kid like a book and right now Chris was lying.

“Come here,” Hawkeye motions his son closer. Chris walked toward him looking anxious.

Hawkeye put his hands on the boy's shoulders and looked at him sternly. Chris kept looking at the floor, Hawkeye could still remember when the child always kept eye contact, afraid to look away, afraid to disobey. He was happy Chris slowly found himself to be a normal kid but right now he wanted the boy's attention on him.

Hawkeye tapped the boy's chin. “Up here!” he said as he pointed towards his eyes requesting eye contact.

Chris looked up hesitant, his big blue eyes wore a guilty expression.

“Did you have a bad dream or are you lying to me?” Hawkeye said. Those blue eyes filled with tears as his son quickly started to apologize.
“I'm s-s-sorry dad!”

His dad looked at him disappointed, which made him feel awful, he never wanted to disappoint his dad. But he thought he could at least try this to stay close, the Swamp was dark and scary if Hawkeye wasn't there.

“I would've smacked your ass if I thought you would feel it through all these clothes!” Hawkeye said

Chris got bright red as he whimpered. “Dad” his dad only frowned more.  “Maybe I will later because I'm disappointed you lied to me but I'm not baring you, in this cold.”