M*A*S*H 4077th: Nurse Pierce

Chapter 3: Change of Command

Nearly a week had gone by and Arrow, despite Hawkeye's help, was making very little progress in regaining her memory. She still wasn't able to move very much, but she had opened her eyes for a few seconds- a good sign.

"How do you feel today, Arrow?" Hawkeye asked as he scanned her chart.

"Everything hurts," she answered. "I can't open my eyes past a slit for longer than a few seconds. Each time I try, the world starts spinning around me."

"I've ordered some morphine for you. It'll help take away the pain," he assured. "You were talking about your childhood yesterday. I know I'm not a psychiatrist, but let's continue with that."

"Do we have to? We've been doing that every day this week," Arrow groaned.

"Talking about it helps me determine whether or not your memory loss is from your concussion or if you're subconsciously suppressing anything. But that's okay.  We don't have to talk about that," he told her as he removed from his pocket an envelope with a name written on it and instructions underneath. "We can talk about this instead. The doctor who performed your surgery found this on you. It looks like your name might be Maxine. We won't know for sure until it's opened."

"Wait, just a sec. How does talking about something I don't remember much of, with someone who can't confirm it, help?"

Hawkeye didn't have an answer for her. He shook the envelope, hearing metal clanging together. Suddenly, Hawkeye heard the footsteps of BJ, his new partner in pranks, approach him. He shook the envelope again, hearing the same thing.

"Hey, BJ. Listen to this." He shook the envelope near the other man's ears. "What does that sound like to you?"

"Money, or maybe a bracelet or necklace. Too bad we can't open it without the owner's permission or an order from the CO," BJ, Hawkeye's new best friend replied.

"Maybe not," Hawkeye said telling BJ the tale of how he and his former best friend, Trapper, had discovered that the company clerk, Radar, was sending home an army jeep piece by piece. "We can X-ray it to find out. The words on the paper won't show up so the letter can stay safely tucked away, but if it's dog tags like I think it is, we might be able to figure out who she is."

"We don't have much time, remember. Frank's transfer order goes into effect tomorrow. She'll be in Tokyo until she's well enough to be sent home."

"Now, hold on.  Let's think this through. Radar brought in Frank's orders. He has to step down for the new colonel..."

"A regular army colonel," BJ added.

"Right... We'll have to get to him before Frank or Margaret does," Hawkeye stated.

Suddenly they heard a whistling sound coming over the P.A. system followed by Radar's voice calling for all of the camp's officers to assemble at the new CO's office. "Speak of the devil and he shall beckon."

~***~***~

Colonel Potter, an elderly man, sat behind his desk. He went through each officer's file, pleased by two of the files, not so pleased by two others. He was, however, particularly with a file even though the officer described in it was absent, which wasn't acceptable by his standards.

Ten minutes had gone by with Colonel Potter looking over the files and talking to his officers before he dismissed them. His tone left no room for Hawkeye to stay behind and ask for Major Burns' orders for Arrow to be rescinded.

"It's terrific of Frank to put all that stuff on our service records," BJ said.

"Just where is No Lips anyway?" Hawkeye asked.

In the moment to follow, back in the post-op ward, Arrow heard Hawkeye and the head nurse, Major Margaret Houlihan talking over the P.A. system.

"Attention, all personnel. You won't believe this, camp," Hawkeye started yelling through the microphone. "Hello, camp. Are you there, camp?" And then there was silence.

Arrow squeezed her eyelids together and angrily thought What was so important that he had to do that?

Moments later, another voice came over the P.A. system announcing the arrival of new patients. Upon hearing it, Arrow deduced that she wouldn't be seeing her doctor for a while. Earlier that week Hawkeye had told her that some of his surgical sessions had lasted for a little over three days with minimal sleep. He told this to prepare her for days where she wouldn't have a visit from him.

~***~***~

Colonel Potter, Hawkeye, and BJ lounged about in the tent that was affectionately known as The Swamp. Potter made a suggestion as to how they could get a better taste and output from their homemade still. Then he told them that he had one when he was younger, it blew up and secretly earned him a purple heart.

The three sang songs and cracked jokes about the still, games, people (like U.S. President Truman or Myrna Loy), and orchestras before Hawkeye decided to get serious about two pressing matters that were on his mind. He felt like there was room for negotiation this time because Colonel Potter seemed more open-minded at this particular moment, and he was quickly warming up to the two doctors.

"Speaking of Myrna Loy, I'd like to talk to you about the man who wears the lady clothes, Corporal Klinger, but first I want to talk about a patient in post-op that Frank wants to send to Tokyo. Goes by the nickname 'Arrow'. She's nowhere near ready to go. Went through twelve-plus hours of surgery three weeks ago to remove a load of shrapnel. Set almost every bone in her rib cage and wrapped ten sprained joints. She remained unconscious until last week," Pierce explained. "Didn't even remember her name until today when I told her about a letter that came in with her," he concluded.

"Thanks for the info. I'll take a look at this patient and rescind the orders tomorrow morning," Potter replied sipping his moonshine gin and continuing the song they were singing before Hawkeye had brought up the subject of Arrow.

~***~***~

When morning arrived, Arrow awoke to hear Hawkeye and BJ purposely talking loudly.

"Shhhh," BJ said, trying not the laugh. "You'll wake her."

"I want her to hear the good news, Beej. Frank's order for her to be shipped to Tokyo has been rescinded. She's staying here."

"And that's good news?"

"You know what I mean. She's staying with me, her doctor until I sign the papers for her to go."

Arrow slowly rolled over to face them as they continued talking. Keeping her eyes closed, she slowly sat up, brought her feet to the floor, and tried to stand. Even with her eyes closed, the motion began to make her dizzy.

"Would one of you roosters please stop cackling and help me up so I can hit you? We, patients, are trying to rest, and your good news could have waited until one of you came to give me my checkup," Arrow huffed. She held her arms out so she could feel where anything was.

BJ and Hawkeye could see what was going to happen if they did help her up and took off running out of post-op.

Hearing the sound of running feet and doors closing behind them made Arrow smile. She laid back down and fell back into a peaceful sleep. She wasn't going anywhere.