After The Raid

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 9

The trip back had proven to be uneventful and Hitch had even managed to sleep most of the way.

The guards at the gate had given Tully some funny looks when he returned with yet another wounded man and another sergeant. The MP who had been assigned as his escort the previous day elected to help him through the gate without papers. He shook his head and smiled as Tully introduced Troy and the sleeping Hitchcock.

"Another wounded man?"

"Yeah, he needs a doctor."

"I'm sure he does." The MP chuckled. "At least you brought an American sergeant this time." Troy glanced at Tully and got a shrug in return.

"It's a long story Sarge. We'll have plenty of time to talk while we're hanging around the hospital."

"Are you going to let us through?" The sergeant growled at the amused MP.

"Yes Sergeant, I have orders to let the private through with whoever he brings along. I take it you're part of his unit?"

"Sergeant Sam Troy."

"He's my sergeant." Tully offered.

"He is? What does that make the other one?"

"My sergeant." Tully answered simply.

"Okay, Okay." The MP laughed. "Take your friend to the hospital and then report to Captain Elan. I'll tell him you're back."

Tully and Troy dropped Hitch off at the hospital and then went to report to Captain Elan. The Captain was surprised by the story that Troy and Tully told him. After listening to the whole report, he shook his head and laughed as Tully asked if they could go check on their friends.

"Go ahead Private, the last I heard he was doing okay. You don't have any more friends out there do you?"

"No sir." Tully replied.

"Good, then maybe things will settle down around here. You managed to stir things up a bit with your arrival."

"I didn't mean to Sir."

"I understand that Private. Why don't you get some room assignments and then go visit your friends? If I have any more questions I will know where to find you. Dismissed."

Troy stayed behind to get their room assignments while he sent Tully to wait for news,

When he arrived at the hospital he had to wait to find out about Hitch. Tully found himself once again pacing the hall. He was in full pacing mode when two men walked around the corner and halted at the sight of him.

"You're back?"

Tully turned to see the doctor who had operated on Moffitt. "How's Sergeant Moffitt?"

The doctor frowned. "Is he always so hard to keep down?"

"Keep down?" It was Tully's turn to frown. "Is he trying to get up?"

"Every chance he gets." The doctor answered. "He keeps insisting that he has to go look for you and some of his other friends." The doctor paused and eyed Tully. "You were going to look for your friends, did you give up already?"

Tully shook his head. "I have another friend in surgery. He caught a bullet in the leg."

"Doesn't sound like being your friend is very safe." The man with the doctor stated dryly.

"Sometimes it isn't." Tully admitted, taking no offense. "I guess I'm just lucky that they don't let that stop them." Turning his attention to the doctor, he offered his reassurance. "Sergeant Moffitt will calm down when he finds out we're all back and safe."

"Is your other friend all right then?"

Tully shrugged. "I hope so. The doctor who took him into surgery didn't seem too concerned. I guess I should know soon."

"Well I wish you the best Private; I hope your friend is okay. I'm on my way to check on your sergeant, may I tell him that you're back?"

"Sure, and tell him Sarge and Hitch are back too, that should make him happy."

"Thank you, I'll do that."

Tully continued to pace until Troy returned from Captain Elan's office. "I got our room assignments. We can go over there and get some sleep after we see Hitch and Moffitt. Is there any news?"

"Not yet." Tully shook his head. "But the doctor who operated on Moffitt was just here. He says Doc is giving him a hard time. Maybe you should go calm him down."

"Moffitt? Moffitt's the calmest guy I know!"

"Not today."

"What's his problem?"

"We are. He wants to go look for us."

"Ah!"

"Yeah." Tully agreed. "Go ahead Sarge, I'll wait on Hitch." Troy hesitated, torn between his loyalties. "Hitch will understand." Tully added.

"You'll let me know as soon as Hitch comes out?"

"Right away Sarge."

Troy rose and went in search of Moffitt. He found him in a semi-private room giving a nurse a hard time.

"Is there a problem here?"

"Troy!" Moffitt turned too quickly to face Troy and his face twisted with pain at the movement.

"Take it easy Moffitt." Troy stepped into the room and looked for a seat. "Tully said you were worried about something." Troy smiled at the nurse as he pulled a chair up next to the bed.

"Not something…you know very well what I was worried about." Moffitt huffed.

"What's that?" Troy teased with a grin.

"I left something in your jeep and I was worried that you might lose it." The British sergeant blushed slightly as he looked at the nurse.

Troy nodded as if it all made sense. "Well don't worry, we didn't lose it."

"Good." Moffitt answered. "Where is it now? I only see half of it."

"The other half got a hole in it. Tully is making sure that it gets patched up."

Moffitt looked worried.

"It's going to be all right." Troy continued. "At least I think so. It didn't look that bad. We were delayed because a bullet hit our fuel line and we had to fix it before we could head back."

"Did Tully find you?"

"Yeah. He fixed the jeep for us too."

"You know, if you behave they just might let you have company for a little while."

"I'd like that." Moffitt smiled.

"Hitch would like it too, I'm sure."

"You are allowed company Sergeant." The nurse assured him. "They can visit anytime."

"I was thinking more of someone sharing the room." Troy admitted.

"This is a hospital Sergeant; we can't have people staying here when they aren't sick."

"He's not sick." Troy explained, "But he is hurt."

"You didn't stay to see what the doctors had to say?" Moffitt asked with a frown.

"No." Troy shook his head.

"Troy, you always stay to make sure we're okay."

"I know." Troy agreed. "Tully said that you were worried about something and he insisted that I come to calm you down. He's staying with Hitch. He promised to let me know the minute Hitch is out of surgery."

"I'm touched. You came to me first." Moffitt's eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Yeah, but don't let it go to your head." Troy growled gruffly. "I was just tired of sitting around the waiting room."

"Oh, and here I thought you cared." Moffitt pouted as the nurse looked on. "Could you check and see if my friend is out of surgery yet?" Moffitt asked the nurse. She nodded and left the two men to visit.

"Tully said he'd let us know." Troy repeated.

"I know, I just wanted to know what happened out there."

"It's a long story." At Moffitt's insistence Troy told him everything that had happened after Tully left with him. "We were glad to see Tully. He fixed the jeep while I kept watch and then we moved Hitch to a safer camp. I didn't want to stay too close to the burning halftracks."

Moffitt nodded his understanding. Any questions he still had were interrupted by Tully's arrival.

"How's Hitch?" Troy asked.

"I'm fine." Hitch said from the doorway. "The doc said I could share Moffitt's room if it's okay with Moffitt." Hitch looked expectantly at the British sergeant.

"Of course Hitch, I'd love the company. Tell them to bring you in."

The orderlies pushed the gurney into the room and helped Hitch get settled into the second bed. Once they were finished the nurses took over and hooked up an IV and arranged his pillows. They smiled and looked coy as he winked at them.

The others laughed at his antics and shook their heads after the nurses left.

"At least there won't be a shortage of nurses to provide for your every need." Troy laughed to Moffitt.

"Yeah but I'm going to have to get them away from Hitch if I want anything." Moffitt smiled.

"That's okay Doc." Hitch grinned happily. "I share."