Finding The 4077th

Commander Dad

It was the middle of the night as Hawkeye grabbed his pillow to bury his head under it. He would do anything to muffle the sound of Charles wheezing and sniffing. Their bunkie had a cold and was keeping everyone awake with his moaning and complaining. Not to mention his sneezing and coughing.

Chris sighed softly next to him. The boy had drifted off to sleep a couple of times, only to wake up startled when Charles started coughing.

Hawkeye sighed. Maybe it was better this way. Chris had a terrible nightmare last night so maybe this was a blessing in disguise. The boy woke them up screaming and he was drenched in sweat. He even had trouble breathing for several minutes before Hawkeye finally calmed him down enough.

The nightmare took Hawkeye and probably Chris too by surprise. The last time Chris had a nightmare that bad was before BJ decided to let his mustache grow. And now a couple weeks later BJ had a full mustache and Chris had besides some small nightmares, quiet night until last night. Not that he would blame the mustache, sometimes there just wasn't any reason that triggered a severe nightmare besides the boy's traumatic past.

Charles groaned loudly, snapping Hawkeye out of his thoughts. “If only I could breathe. “The man moaned loudly.

“Oh, if only I could sleep! “ Hawkeye snapped back.

Charles continued complaining as he got up and gulped some cough syrup and gurgled loudly.

“Oh good! He's drowning.“ Hawkeye said sarcastically as he sat up. No point in trying to sleep with al this going on.

The door of the Swamp opened when Charles spit loudly in his bucket, the Colonel walked in.

“Same to you Winchester. “ The Colonel said. He looked around at the sleepy doctors and started explaining about a meeting he needed to go to the next day. Which means Charles would be the Commander for the time he was away.

“Charles in command?! “ Hawkeye asked. His hair was sticking out to the right and he looked very sleepy. “That's like giving captain Bligh his own fleet”

Chris yawned widely and sat up. He was so tired but everyone kept making noise, and on top of that he had a headache and a sore throat.

Charles ignored Hawkeye and turned towards the Colonel and said. “Colonel, I'm touched that you thought of me, but it's out of the question. “

“That wasn't a request, it was an order. “ The colonel replied.

Charles sniffed loudly before he said. “And under ordinary circumstances I would be happy to comply, but my sinuses are clogged and they're ready to burst!“ He grabbed the Colonel's hand and put it with the back against his forehead. “Here. Feel that.“

Potter quickly pulled his hand back. “Eww! Major. We don't know each other that well. “ he said with disgust as he wiped the back of his hand off on his shirt. “Okay, Major. You're off the hook. “ He sat down on Hawkeye’s cot and looked at Hawkeye. “Pierce, you're temporary C.O.“

“I'm who? “ Hawkeye asked.

“There goes the war.“ BJ added from the other side of the Swamp.

Chris giggled softly, he was still sleepy but couldn't sleep if everyone kept talking. And besides, he really wanted to listen to this. If his dad was Commander he and Radar would need his help tomorrow and he loved feeling helpful.

“Ohh, no! No, you don't! I'm unfit for command.“  Hawkeye said with a shocked expression.

“You have a cold? Hang ail? Warts? “ The Colonel asked.