Finding The 4077th

Aftermath

He ran. The only thing on his mind was to hide. He couldn't deal with any of this, he didn't know how either. It was completely out of his control when people left.

He ran towards the officers club, he didn't think. His body seemed to have a mind of his own as he ran inside and turned towards the bar.

Thankfully the whole place was empty as the small boy darted behind the bar and pulled open one of the small cabinet doors. He didn't even realize that the small below bar cabinet still had stuff in it.

He just climbed in, pushing the bottles out of the way.

They clinked loudly with the floor, rolling in all different directions but Chris couldn't care. He climbed in even though it was a tight fit and closed the doors. Darkness developed him and he released a long shaky sigh. He felt too much so he did what he always did when that happened. Without even realizing it he pushed himself away, far away into a small place in his mind a place where nothing existed and no one could see him or hurt him. He was no longer aware of his surroundings, but instead he felt as if he were in a dream, a place where nothing mattered and nothing existed.

Chris tucked himself up into a tight ball, wrapping his arms around his knees and burying his face deeper into his arms.

Inside of the O.R, Hawkeye had both his hands inside a soldier's chest when he heard the jeep drive away. He had all his focus on this lung he needed to repair but he knew that jeep driving away was Radar leaving here forever and besides being sad himself he also knew his son would be very upset and he expected the boy soon.

Some time passed and Hawkeye was slowly getting worried. Where was Chris? There wouldn't be any other place his son would want to be right now, the boy must be heartbroken. He tried to keep calm but there was something wrong, Chris should be here by now.

While he had all his attention on this young man who needed at least one functional lung in order to live he called out to Klinger.

"You hollered." Klinger said with a grin as he appeared next to Hawkeye.

Hawkeye released a nervous sigh and asked the new Clerk if he could take some time to see where Chris was holding up.

With a salute and an "Aye aye Sir!" he left.

Leaving Hawkeye alone with his nerves and a dying soldier whose life was completely in his hands. He couldn't lose his focus but he wanted to know where Chris was. If his kid was alright. Maybe the boy was sobbing somewhere and needed comfort.

He managed to make a lung out of the minced meat that was the soldier's original lungs but his focus kept wandering. The soldier was closed up again and ready to start his recovery. One of the enlisted personnel gently took the soldier back to post-op while another person brought in the next person.

Klinger was gone for a while now. He should have found Chris by now, he had to.

Klinger came by as his second patient was brought in. The expression of the new Clerk worried Hawkeye before the man spoke.

"I can't find him anywhere!" Klinger said nervously. This was bad.

Hawkeye shot the new clerk a panicky glare and asked. "Did you look everywhere?"

"Yeah," Klinger responded. "I looked in the showers, Swamp, latrines, Potter's office and the clerk's office, the mess hall and of course the nurses tent."

Hawkeye felt a surge of panic go through him but he pushed it down. This dying young soldier needed him. With a slightly shaking voice he said. "Did you see any footprints following the tire tracks?" Hawkeye asked. If Chris was following the jeep he wanted to know that first before spending time looking all over camp.