Chapter 2

Arrow awoke to the sound of someone walking through the post-op ward. She tried opening her eyes to investigate, but even the tiniest sliver of light was too much for her. She let out a hiss in pain causing the person to stop.

Steps came closer to her; the squishing sound of wet boots came with each one. Since any movement did nothing but cause pain, Arrow held her body as still as she possibly could. She was trying to give off the illusion of a patient in comatose. The man leaned over her, checking her vital signs. Had she not squinted when she sensed a figure looming over her and a drop of water land on her face, her act might have been convincing.

His hand felt cold and wet on her neck where he was checking her pulse. There was silence from him for a moment before he decided to break it.

"I'm Dr. Pierce, though most call me 'Hawkeye'," he said introducing himself. "Can you open your eyes for me?" he asked.

The nickname sounded familiar to her, but she couldn't remember why. She made a face of recognition that didn't get past the watchful and aptly named Hawkeye.

She heard scraping, and then a creaking followed. Hawkeye was taking a seat beside her bed to get a closer look at her wounds.

"No," Arrow managed to say, her voice sounded hoarse. This was the first time she'd used it since being sedated for nearly two weeks prior.

"Can you at least try?"

"I tried, Sir, but the pain was too much," she answered.

"You're lucky you've got a nice doctor and not the one we call ferret-faced. He's not so nice. He's not a very good doctor either," he joked trying to get her to willingly open her eyes. Arrow didn't crack a smile as he had hoped she would. "Tough crowd."

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I haven't seen this doctor you're referring to," she said.

"I know," he said softly. "Your chart says you've been under since your surgery."

Hawkeye pulled Arrow's blanket down and lifted the gauze that covered her torso. She was improving, but not as much as he would have liked her to in a week's time.

A confused look came across Arrow's face.

"Is that why I hurt everywhere?" she asked. Her question arose suspicion that Hawkeye didn't want to voice out in front of her.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Since someone came through the door and dripped something wet on my face," she replied sardonically, which made the doctor smile.

Hawkeye took a last look at Arrow's wounds, then stood up. After promising he'd be back, he walked over to a nurse.

"Kelly, run some memory tests on the kid over there. And check on her concussion every hour."

"How does she look, Doctor?" Kelly asked, though she already had an idea. She was Arrow's nurse much of the time Hawkeye was away for R&R (rest and relaxation).

"She just woke up. Can't open her eyes without extreme pain. Can't move much of anything for the same reason," he answered. "If she asks, just tell her I'll be right back. I have to try and meet Trapper at the airport before he's gone forever... Kelly, could you find the envelope that was on her when she came into OR? I'd like to give it to her when I get back."

With that, Hawkeye left to see his commanding officer so he could request permission to leave and say goodbye to his best friend. Although his request was denied, it didn't stop him. He left with the company clerk who was on his way to pick up Hawkeye's best friend's replacement.

~***~***~

Arrow spent the day lying on her back. Her attempt to continue pretending that she was still out cold didn't fool anyone except for the man Hawkeye had referred to as a ferret. The jig wasn't up until one of the nurses came by and told her that the ferret-faced doctor had become wise to her.

Arrow wished she could have covered her ears without hurting in order to block out the sound of the doctor's whiney voice which was just how Hawkeye had described it before he left. He hadn't returned as he had promised.

She waited for him for six hours before finally falling asleep for real. During the wait, Kelly had followed his order and talked to Arrow to test her memory.

Arrow remembered a lot of things, but she couldn't recall her name, hometown, and how she got where she was.

~***~***~

It wasn't until the next day that Hawkeye returned to check up on his patient. He pulled the current nurse aside, "How's she doing?"

"She tried pretending she was still unconscious yesterday so that Major Burns would leave her alone."

"Well, did he?" Hawkeye asked, wanting to know if his patient had been experiencing what he liked to call "malpractice".

"He did until one of the other nurses started talking to her. Then he demanded that she wake up and stand on her feet because there were other people who needed the bed more than she did." Hawkeye started to leave the nurse to check on the patient when she stopped him. "Doctor, she kept saying 'you promised you'd be back' while you were gone."

Hawkeye walked toward Arrow's bed and took a seat like he did the day before. He looked at her sleeping face. It wasn't peaceful as it was when she left the OR under sedation. He spoke to her anyway.

"I want to apologize for yesterday. I made a promise that I would be right back, and I broke it."

"The nurse explained everything. I probably would have done the same if I had a best friend," she replied, "or any friends." She hesitated for a moment before asking, "Did you get to him in time?"

"No. I missed him by ten minutes," Hawkeye replied. "I didn't ask this yesterday, but what's your name?" he asked

"My name, Sir?" she asked in confusion.

"Yeah, your name. Something that's given to most people when they're born," he explained feeling as though he was speaking Greek to her.

"I'm afraid I don't remember this name you're asking for."

"Is there a nickname we can use until we find out who you are?"

"Everybody calls me 'Arrow' back home, wherever that is," she said sadly.

Hawkeye couldn't help but feel bad for her. As far as he knew, the poor kid couldn't remember much of anything after her head injury, and it was too soon to press for more.

~***~***~

Hawkeye spent the next half-hour- which felt more like two hours to him- trying to talk his commanding officer, Major Frank Burns, out of sending Arrow to the hospital in Tokyo.

"Frank, don't you have any sentimental value for this patient?" he asked.

"No. And you shouldn't either. Getting emotionally involved with patients is against regulations," Frank said. "I'm ordering her to be shipped out tomorrow morning."

"She's nowhere near ready to go, Frank. You'd know that if you were any good at your job." He did everything in his power to keep himself from punching his superior in the face- for the second time in his life. "She was Henry's last patient, Frank. His last patient before he was supposed to go home. Before his plane was shot down. And I think we owe it to him to see this case through to the end and find out who she is."

"Isn't that what the envelop found in her jacket pocket is for?"

"That's just part of it. She doesn't even remember her own name, and I figure this will help trigger some memories," Hawkeye answered.

"Fine. I'm giving you a week." Frank replied dismissively. Hawkeye was finally getting somewhere with the major. "Then she's going to Tokyo whether you like it or not."

Hawkeye left Frank behind and went to his shared tent where his new roommate was waiting for him so that they could make the "Henry Blake Memorial Bar".