Ginger Tea and Trickery - Hogan's Heroes Fanfiction

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Colonel Hogan's watch was never wrong. And not because it kept perfect time, it probably didn't. But Colonel Hogan's watch was the watch he used when his men synced their watches. It was the commander's watch, the commanding watch, the watch that didn't just tell time, but told the time.

And right now his watch said it was seven minutes past 2 AM, and Colonel Hogan wanted desperately for somebody to give him a good conk on the head.

But that was the talk of a crazy person.

So was the idea of getting a good night's sleep, at this point, he conceded, and quietly swung his legs over the side of the bed and jumped down.

He didn't land as quietly as he would have liked to; he certainly wasn't young and agile anymore.

He glanced at his letter to his mother, yet unfinished, on his desk, and dismissed it with a shake of the head. He wouldn't be able to make himself concentrate on a book.

He stepped quietly out of his office and looked over the main room.

He shouldn't have been surprised to see the shadow sitting at the main table, but he was, and carefully slid into a seat across from him.

"Thought you'd be asleep," He said.

Addison shrugged, just imperceptibly. His hands were wrapped around his cap, kneading the soft leather, "Couldn't sleep."

Hogan nodded, "Me neither. Guess you probably noticed, though?"

He nodded stiffly, forcing a small, fleeting smile.

Hogan paused, looking him over, "You don't look too good."

He shrugged, "Be okay." Then he pulled in a breath, "J's worried, 's'all."

They sat silently another minute or two, Hogan listening to Addison's heavy, forced-even breaths, before the other man whispered, "An - that on top 'f the regular." He mumbled it, as if he couldn't force his mouth open wide enough to get the words out.

Hogan frowned at him, "Worse than usual?" Usual was pretty bad, too. There were days Hogan wondered how the man managed to stay upright.

He nodded, "I'll be okay, though. Just have to get my breath."

"Care to talk about it?"

He drew in a breath, and let it out and asked, "Do you believe in omens?" His eyes were still fixed on his hands.

"No." Hogan said simply.

He nodded, "Okay."

"What was it?"

He glanced up, just for a moment, "I - don't really know. Can't really remember 'n I don't want to either."

Hogan let him pause, breathe shakily, and go on, "Just - everyone. I think. It was bad and there wasn't any -," He swallowed, and shook his head, "There wasn't any way out."

"Addison," He looked up. He was always too pale. "You're just imagining it. Worst-case scenario. It's not an omen and I'm not going to let that happen."

"Yeah," He nodded, and ducked his head again, "I know."

That was good. Because Hogan didn't.

It was 10 AM the next day, Colonel Hogan was watching a feisty game of volleyball, when Kinch came up and nudged him gently.

He looked up, met his sergeant's eyes, and knew right away.

He stood and strode after Kinch towards the barracks, summoning the others of his team with a jerk of the chin.