10

"Dad, I'd like to introduce you to some of the greatest people that I've ever had the privilege of working with." Hawkeye said, then gesturing to Colonel Potter he began. "This is our wonderful leader, Colonel Sherman T. Potter. Without whom we could never have become the wonderful, irresponsible jokers we are. Colonel this is my Dad, Dr. Daniel Pierce."

"Pleased to meet you, Sherman." Daniel reached over and shook the other gentleman's hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Daniel." Potter smiled friendly. "I've been eager to meet the man responsible for this prankster."

"I take no responsibility for that." Daniel laughed good-naturedly. "Ben is a very independent person. He acts of his own accord, no matter how much you try to rein him in."

"Tell me about it." The Colonel rolled his eyes in mock disgust.

"Dad, these are my former partners in crime and every other unmilitary acts. B.J. Hunnicutt and 'Trapper' John McIntyre."

"Pleased to meet you, sir." B.J. rose to shake hands with his best friend's father.

"I'm afraid you're not going to get away with just a handshake, son." Daniel set Beth down on the ground and rose to embrace his son's old bunkies. "I can't tell you how glad I am to finally meet you both. I've heard so much about you that I feel I've known you both forever."

"Likewise." Trapper smiled.

"I want to thank both of you for helping my son get through the most difficult time of his life." The elder Pierce commented, smiling at both men. "I don't know if he could have done it without either one of you. I'm deeply grateful."

"We feel the same about Hawk." B.J. commented. Trapper nodded in agreement. "I know he helped me through a heck of a lot of problems."

"He always made us laugh." Trapper added. "He kept the entire company from going crazy over there."

"Except Frank." Hawkeye laughed. "I helped Frank go crazy."

"Don't flatter yourself, Hawk." Klinger piped up. "He was already crazy when he arrived."

Everyone laughed then Hawkeye introduced Klinger to his father.

"So, you were the man who use to dress up in woman's clothes." Daniel smiled, shaking the man's hand.

"That's me." Klinger laughed. "Always in search of a Section Eight."

"And wearing woman's clothes was just the start." B.J. teased. "He was constantly rising to new lows."

"You have to give me credit for my imagination." The Lebanese man commented.

"And lack of self respect." Charles chided.

"Dad, I'd like you to meet my other bunkmate, Charles Emerson Winchester the third. Our resident snob."

"Oh, yes, Winchester." Daniel smiled, shaking Charles' hand. "I remember hearing a lot about you."

"All good I'm sure." Charles commented with a superior tone.

Without a reply, Daniel turned to Radar and said, "And this must be our delightful host."

"How did you know sir?" Radar asked.

"Because Hawkeye has told me a lot about you, son." Daniel replied, shaking the younger man's hand. "He thinks a lot of you."

Radar looked at Hawkeye and smiled in delight. "I think a lot of him, too, sir. He's about the greatest doctor and friend a fellow could have."

"Dad, last, but certainly not least, I'd like to introduce our resident priest. Father Francis Mulcahy."

"Pleased to meet you." Daniel shook the man's hand.

"Likewise." Mulcahy smiled. "We've all been anxious to meet you."

"I've been looking forward to meeting you too." Daniel commented as he reclaimed his seat. "It's a pleasure to finally meet the people and put faces to the names that I've heard so much about." He looked at Trapper and B.J. and laughed. "Especially you two. I've heard some pretty interesting tales about both of you."

Trapper and B.J. looked at each other and smiled mischievously. "Look at that Trapper." B.J. commented. "Our reputations have proceeded us - again."

"I guess we're more famous than we realized." Trapper laughed.

"I just know one thing." Sherman Potter exclaimed, a sly smile on his face.

"What's that Colonel?" B.J. asked curiously.

"I can't tell you how relieved I am that I didn't have all three of you misfits in my camp at once." He looked at the others who were all laughing in agreement.

Suddenly a familiar voice added, "Could you imagine the Swamp filled with three mavericks? Korea would have never recovered."

The group all turned and smiled warmly at the newcomer as he approached.

"Ah, but Sidney, just think of how much more interesting it would have been." Hawkeye protested, smiling mischievously at the psychiatrist. "Twenty-four hours of practical jokes, non stop wisecracks, continuous drinking."

"I already have a mental picture, thank you." Sidney laughed. "I also picture three goof ball surgeons being strung up by their boot laces and shot by the rest of the unit." The group laughed as the Colonel rose to greet their old friend.

"Sidney!" He exclaimed as he shook the other man's hand. "It's great to see you again."

"Sherman." Sidney Freedman smiled warmly at the older man as he grasped his hand. "It's great to see you again too."

"How have you been keeping?" Sherman asked, moving his chair so that Sidney could join the group.

"Fine. Fine." The psychiatrist replied, taking a chair and sitting down. He looked around the group and smiled warmly. "It's great to see all you fine people again too."

"It's great to see you too, Sidney." Hawkeye smiled. "Especially without the rubber walls or the couch around."

"I agree." Sidney smiled. "I must admit, I'm getting a little tired of the rubber walls and the couches."

"Business has been good, I gather." Potter commented, a serious tone in his voice.

"Too good, I'm afraid." Sidney sighed tiredly.

"Still finding lots of people worried about losing their marbles?" Hawkeye joked, looking slyly at the other man.

Sidney smirked, catching Hawkeye's reference, then his expression turned serious. "Unfortunately some of them already have. The Korean war may be long over as far as the world is concerned, but for many of my patients, its still very much alive."

"Are they getting any better?" Potter asked, his tone serious.

"Some are. Some will never ever get over what they saw or experienced." He smiled and looked at Hawkeye and Rebecca, "But some are lucky, they learn how to deal with it and move on." Hawkeye, realizing he was talking about him, smiled back. Watching them for a moment, Sidney commented, "I see you've gotten over your discomfort around little kids."

Hawkeye smiled at his daughter and kissed the top of her head lovingly. Looking at Sidney he replied, "I guess you could say that."

"She's a beautiful child." The other man commented. "Who's is she?"

Hawkeye smiled proudly and introduced them. "Sidney, I'd like you to meet Rebecca Margaret Pierce."

"Pierce?" Sidney repeated in surprise.

Hawkeye smiled broader and reached out to touch Beth, who was still sitting on her grandfather's lap. "And this is her younger sister, Elizabeth Jane Pierce."

"They're yours?" Sidney exclaimed in surprise.

"That's what their mother tells me." Hawkeye replied, his eyes sparkling in fun. "And she'd better not be lying."

"Trust me, Ben." His father laughed. "They are definitely yours. Especially this one." He bounced Beth on his knee, causing her to giggle with surprise. "She not only looks just like you, she had the same highly developed sense of humor."

"That's one thing that I've always wondered about." Colonel Potter exclaimed, looking at Daniel Pierce, a big smile on his face.

"What's that, Sherman?" Daniel asked curiously.

"I always wondered whether Hawkeye was as big a jokester when he was a kid that he is now." Potter replied. "Because if he was, then you have my deepest sympathy."

"My dear Colonel, Hawkeye was every bit the jokester as a kid that he is now." The father laughed heartily, then added, "But it is I who have sympathy for you."

"Why's that?" Hawkeye asked curiously.

Daniel turned and looked at his son. "Because I only had you to deal with." The older man explained, then looked at Potter. "You had Hawkeye and his evil twin brother to make you lose your hair and your sanity." He shot B.J. a teasing look.

Potter laughed good naturedly and ran his hand over his bald head. "That's true. I did have a lot more hair when I joined the 4077th unit."

"Yeah, he kept it in a box." Hawkeye quipped, "Right next to where Charles kept his."

"I believe Sherman," Daniel commented, shooting his son a mock reproachful look. "that you were in the middle of a toast when I walked in."

"That's right, I was." Potter nodded and raised his glass. "I was going to make a toast to all these fine people and their lovely families. I hope they all have a long and happy life and that their children grow up and make them as proud as I am of their parents." With big smiles everyone clinked their glasses together in agreement.

Suddenly an angry scream pierced the air. "Get off me, Frank!"

Hawkeye's eyes widened in fear. "That sounds like Margaret." Jumping up, he quickly set Rebecca down and ran into the house, the others hot on his heels.