Chapter 8

Arrow was finally put on a light schedule to work in post-Op. The nurses who were on the same schedule had to keep an eye on her as well as the patients which didn't make the head nurse happy. Nor was Frank happy since Arrow was technically still a patient.

"It just isn't right that you're allowing a patient to play nurse, Colonel," Frank complained over the soldier he was operating on.

"She is a nurse, Burns. And she's doing a mighty fine job considering her health. I wouldn't be surprised if she applied for medical school when she gets home," Potter commented.

"Yeah, Frank," BJ started. "She's fine as long as she sits down every two hours to regain her balance."

"The other nurses have been instructed to make her sit or lay down if she ignores her symptoms. Margaret's already arranged it so that she's never alone during her shift," Hawkeye added. "And if she's anything like me," he said to himself, "she will ignore them."

"Let's say, in the next war, the generals strip down to their B.V.D.'s and have at it with baseball bats while the rest of us stay home," BJ said. He seemed to have sensed that Frank's commentary about Arrow was beginning to irritate Hawkeye.

"Thanks, Beej," Hawkeye said to the man who was behind him operating on his own patient.

~***~***~

Arrow was doing rounds in post-Op. She was glad her shift was almost done, but she was also hoping that the other nurse hadn't noticed she wasn't taking her prescribed rest. Her dizzy spells were coming every few hours instead of every two, but she didn't tell anyone that they were less frequent. She didn't know why she hadn't told anyone. Maybe she wished she had because Kellye came up behind her and took the clip board that was in her hand.

But if I insist that I don't need the rest as often, Hawkeye will think I'm lying to him she thought.

"I really don't need to sit down, Kellye," Arrow almost sounded as though she was a child begging for a cookie as Kellye led her to the desk so she could sit in the chair, away from the patients.

"Arrow, if Dr. Pierce came in here and read your chart, he wouldn't be too pleased that you didn't follow his orders," Kellye answered. "He's already said that if you didn't follow doctor's orders, he might have you strapped to your cot until he can sign you out."

"Yeah," Arrow nearly scoffed. "Me following orders. That's irony in itself. In high school, my teachers would tell me to shut up and I would talk louder." Then the last phrase reached her ear. "Please tell me that was a joke." Kellye shook her head.

"And does the doctor know about this side of you?" Kellye asked. Arrow's silence and clenched jaw answered Kellye's question. "Where is your chart anyway?"

"Not here," Arrow grumbled. She didn't want to be treated like the patient she still was, especially in front of the other patients. Little did Arrow know that the most recent O.R. session had come to an end and Hawkeye was coming through the door to check on the new ones.

Arrow watched as Hawkeye observed the room as if trying to see where she was. He was pleased to see her sitting, but a quick glance at the clock almost forced the question out of him.

"Kellye, how long has she been sitting there?"

"About two minutes, Doctor. She tried insisting that she didn't need to rest."

"Where's her chart so I can have a look at it."

"She won't tell me where she put it," Kellye said before she walked away to check on another patient.

Hawkeye finished his self-appointed rounds before he went back to Arrow.

"Come on," he said. "Let's go to Radar's office."

Arrow rose to her feet, trying to hide the wave of nausea that came with this bout of dizziness. It didn't work because Hawkeye saw the tremor in her arm as she used the desk for support.

Hawkeye waited for the door to close behind them, gesturing for Arrow to sit on the edge of Radar's bed. He took the chair from the desk so he could sit right in front of her.

He brought his hands up to her temples and began the daily massage that seemed to have been helping her. Arrow kept her eyes closed, trying to relax, but her mind and her body weren't going to let her.

"You seem tense, today," Hawkeye pointed out. "Any changes?"

"No," she lied. All she wanted was for this to be done so she could get away and have some time to herself. To do something crazy.

"Why won't you tell anyone where your chart is? I mean, I am your doctor, and as your doctor, I need to read that chart to determine how to move on from here."

"Don't worry. You'll have it back where it belongs. I just didn't want the patients seeing their nurse as a patient herself. I'd be crazier than Klinger in their eyes." She turned her gaze from the floor to Hawkeye. "You don't really mean it, do you?"

"Mean what?"

"Kellye said you'd strap me to my bunk if I didn't follow the orders on this," she answered, removing her chart from her pocket and handing it to him.

"I do mean it, Arrow. Look, I don't mind you not wanting the patients to see you as one of them while you're doing your rounds. Your checkups can be done out of their sight. But this," he held her chart up where she could see him reading it, "needs to stay where we can find it... Did you rest at all today? Because this says you didn't, and I'm not counting the time frame it was MIA. I'm inclined to believe this. How did you manage to get through your shift without a rest if there's no change?"

"I thought you wouldn't believe me if I said I could last longer."

"And?" Hawkeye asked.

"And please don't follow through with it?" Arrow begged. "I promise I'll pay attention to the signals."

Hawkeye sighed. "Are you asking me to tone down the constant supervision?"

Arrow nodded.

"I'll see what I can do after your chart is updated."

"But, Da--"

"Arrow, stop. You've only called me that when you're trying to get your way."

"What's your point?"

"That is my point. You use it as a means of manipulation, and it's not going to work this time."

Arrow remained seated on Radar's bed. She looked to her hands, her fingers intertwined, and her shoulders slumped.

~***~***~

"Colonel, who is Pierce with right now?" a visiting colonel asked. "He seems to be giving this person more attention than he did his patient in the operating room."

"He's with a nurse. We don't know much about her other than she's around eighteen-years-old. She came into camp unconscious. She didn't have any tags. Stayed that way for two weeks. Couldn't open her eyes without pain to save her life. And to top it all off, she doesn't remember what brought her to camp."

"What did bring her here?"

"Her transport was shelled on its way here. From what I understand, Colonel, she was the sole survivor. Seven other nurses were killed in the attack, along with their driver," Potter explained. "She'd be recovering at the 121st, but Pierce doesn't believe she's ready to travel."

"Do you?"

"I believe Pierce knows what he's doing with this patient. He's been her doctor since before I arrived. And if there's a reason he's not sending her to the 121st, he's got a good one," Potter answered.

~***~***~

Who would a general want as his personal physician? Arrow thought. It can't be Frank. No one thinks he's a good doctor. And they wouldn't take Colonel Potter unless they had someone else to take his place, which leaves BJ or Dad.

Hawkeye had left her so he could rest after hours of surgery. Arrow thought she was alone because no one was around her anymore as she made her way up to the chopper pad.

A wave of nausea came over her, forcing her to her knees as she attempted to crawl to the far side of the pad. She didn't want anyone, especially one of the doctors, to see her lose her stomach.

"I... listened... to the... signs," she said to herself as she groaned in pain. "And I'm still... on... the ground... throwing up." That was all she remembered before waking up in The Swamp. The sounds of Hawkeye and BJ's voices brought her around, though her eyes remained shut.

"Have you ever really considered the foot?" Hawkeye asked. His foot was almost in BJ's face.

"Yeah, but I prefer girls."

"Look at it. The foot is an incredible thing."

"What's so hot about a foot?"

"You can stand on 'em. You can walk on 'em. You can kick people in the tush with 'em," Hawkeye answered, tossing a glance over his shoulder at Arrow who was starting to move on the spare bed. Her eyes were still closed but he could tell that she was going to be alright.

"Gee, I wonder who brought that phrase to mind," Arrow said, knowing Hawkeye was talking about her.

"You sold me. I'll take a pair in my size," BJ said.

"There are none in your size," Hawkeye followed.

"And I'll hide them," Arrow added quickly.

Arrow lifted her head to take in her surroundings. She noted that, though Hawkeye's back was to her, he had placed himself strategically. And if, by chance, he failed to notice her, BJ was facing her.

"Think she'll notice?" she heard Hawkeye ask.

"If she does... make that when... I'd start running on those feet," BJ commented.

"Now why would I try to kill you guys?" Arrow asked. "Unless of course, Papa Bear, here, followed..." realization hit her and she finished her theory with gritted teeth, "... through with his threat."

Hawkeye and BJ felt like a savior had arrived when Colonel Potter opened the door to The Swamp.

"How's she doing?" he asked.

"She seems to be back to her normal self," BJ answered.

After a short while, Potter confirmed Arrow's suspicions that the visiting colonel was looking at Hawkeye. A General Korshak, a.k.a. "General Chaos" to BJ.

"You didn't tell him about Arrow, did you?" Hawkeye asked.

"All I told him was you didn't feel she was ready for travel, that I trust your judgement, and that if there was a reason to keep her here, you had a good one," Potter replied.

"Okay, as long as he doesn't know that she's my kid she can't be used as a pawn in this little game of his. But I don't think it'll last as long as I'd like it to," Hawkeye said. He wasn't shy about this information because Potter knew about Arrow since his first day at the four-oh-double-natural. It was in Hawkeye's updated file, which he regretted doing now that this was happening. "So, the colonel was lookin' me over, huh?"

"Yep."

"And I blew my big chance."

"It was the way you acted in O.R. He thought you were crude, rude and unmilitary."

"A triple threat," BJ said.

"And I wasn't even wearing my swim fins."

"You were absolutely disgraceful, and I think I'll buy you a drink," Potter grinned.

"Please let me go to my tent before you get sloshed. I heard enough about that through your letters to Grandpa. I don't need to see it in person," Arrow begged.

"All right," Hawkeye chuckled. "I'll take you back." He unfastened the straps that were around Arrow's wrists and helped her up. She stumbled a bit after being off her feet for she didn't know how long. "Okay, let's not go through that again," he said as he picked her up in a bridal carry and ushered her to the nurses' tent where he let them take Arrow from him.

No one questioned Hawkeye's actions, but they did think it odd that had this been any of his other patients, he would have made them walk, as any other doctor probably would have. But he treated Arrow very differently. He'd let her have it if she didn't follow his orders that were on her chart, but at the same time, it was like he spoiled her, overcompensating for the time he'd lost.

~***~***~

"I understand you have a tough guy on your staff here, name of Pierce. Bidwell tells me he's a piece of real live ammo," General Korshak said during his meeting with Colonel Potter.

"Did the colonel tell you he hates generals more than watered gin and earaches put together?"

"Me too. Never met one yet that was worth his weight in Spam. If Pierce wants an argument, he's gonna have to do a lot better than that."

"I think he can, General."

Korshak began pouring drinks for himself and Potter.

"I've read his file Colonel," Korshak said.

"Then you know-"

"-About his daughter? Yes, I do. I've done my research, and I know she's in your unit. I don't want to bring her into this, Colonel, but if that's what it takes to get Pierce to accept his new assignment, I will. I'd like to meet my new personal physician. Now."

~***~***~

"You were right. I never called you Dad without trying to get something out of it. You weren't part of my life, but it wasn't by choice, and I shouldn't hold that against you. I'm sorry... Dad, you can let go of me, now," Arrow said, using Dad in the proper context. "I'm not going to run away. Besides, I think someone's here to see you." She turned Hawkeye's attention to the person who was approaching. She and Hawkeye were walking around the compound

"Okay. But if this is what I think it is, Arrow, let's keep the Dad talk on the DL. I don't want you in the middle of this. Hopefully he hasn't read my file. But chances are, he did, and I'll have to find some way out of this without hurting you in the process. I'll leave you with one of the nurses."

"You mean I'm not invited to this meeting?"

"You catch on quick."

Hawkeye left to attend the meeting that would decide his fate as he likely would have called it. Arrow continued to walk around the camp, knowing it would frustrate Hawkeye.

Maybe Grandpa was right. Maybe I'm more like Dad than I thought. I didn't see then, having never met him. But now that I have...

She kept walking and came across the door to the kitchen just as Klinger was coming out.

"Hey, Klinger, I've got a few questions to ask," she said.

Klinger waited on Arrow to help her around, though he seemed tense to her. She wondered if maybe he thought she was going to ask about the dresses, which she never seemed to care about. But once he heard her out, his face brightened.

"You think he'll fall for it?" she asked.

"Are you kidding? That'll be the best way to get him in there if your dad manages to talk his way out of this," Klinger encouraged.

"If this does work, I'm dead," she said with a laugh.

"If I got a section-8 today, I'd give it to you, Kid. Who'd wanna kill you?"

"Well, the victim of our little joke, for starters," Arrow laughed.

~***~***~

"I hear you're a real pistol, Doc," Korshak said while smoking a cigar.

"Only when I'm loaded. Actually, though, I'm not much of a doctor once you get to know me." Hawkeye was trying to keep his worries to himself. He was relieved for every second that a certain name had managed to stay out of the conversation so far. And it stayed out for a while longer.

"What's your medical background, Captain?"

"Typical. I had all the childhood diseases. Mumps, measles, colic, you name it."

"You are insolent."

Hawkeye took the insult as a compliment. As relieved as he was that Arrow still hadn't been brought up, he was waiting for the moment it would.

As the meeting was coming to an end, General Korshak decided that he wanted Hawkeye to be his physician.

"I want this man," Korshak said.

"Uh, General, I'd really rather not be your personal physician or your court jester, or whatever it is you're shopping for."

"Do you realize what an opportunity I'm offering you and your daughter, Captain?"

And there it was.

"Sure. The moon, the stars, your high school letterman's sweater. Same deal I offered Nurse Baker last night. But why would you choose to use my daughter as a pawn to get what you want? That's not exactly legal," Hawkeye said. He was silenced when Korshak spoke of his medals. Hawkeye was losing this battle. He felt like he was at a poker game and was down to his last trick. "You see this? There's supposed to be a medical insignia there, a caduceus. I probably dropped it in a patient. You know how I got that? I mean, if it was there."

"By working your butt off?"

"That's right. So as long as I have to be in Korea, why don't you let me do what I was trained to do, be a doctor. This is between you and me. I'd appreciate it if you left my daughter out of this."

He wasn't going to tell the general that the only way he was going to accept this new assignment was if Arrow was suddenly transferred to Korshak's command.

~***~***~

Klinger had left to do K.P. so Arrow was alone again. She wasn't walking around but taking her prescribed rest. She chose the chair by The Swamp, advertising that she was following her doctor's orders.

She watched as Hawkeye and Korshak came out of the hospital, talking. All she heard were their voices, not what they said, so when the general left without Hawkeye, she didn't know what to think.

She watched Hawkeye go to Potter's office and Frank coming up to the tent. Arrow saluted him. He returned the salute, unsure of what to do when a Pierce got him confused by acting military.

"Major Burns, it looks like General Korshak is still looking for a personal physician. Maybe you should ask Colonel Potter for his recommendation. After all, you are the best surgeon this unit's ever seen," Arrow said. Her gag reflex as she said those words nearly choked her, but she had to force that feeling down to get through to the next step.

"Well, thank you..." He said, confused. "Maybe I will... unless of course, this is a joke. You are a Pierce."

"Now, Major. I've never done anything to you."

"You're right," he laughed nervously. "What have I got to lose?"

Just what's left of your dignity Arrow thought. You've lost everything else... like your mind.

She watched as Frank went over to Potter's office and listened for the laughs she knew would come.

~***~***~

"What gave you the idea to pull something that funny on him, Arrow," BJ asked. He was still laughing as he and Hawkeye recounted what they listed in the recommendation letter that would make the general wonder why he was getting such an odd form.

"Consider it revenge for the way he's treated everyone like garbage," Arrow said with a smile on her face. "All I did was compliment him. He did the rest."