Disclaimer: yes, the heroes are not mine, other incidental / accidental characters are.

Unless you find them in a map, most of geographical names are fictitious. The German characters speak German between them. The dialogues in German are mostly presented in brackets, I don't speak the language and I really dislike those instant translators. For those who speak German, you can figure out the version in German while the rest of us, can survive with the English translation. Although it's not shown in written language, Newkirk speaks cockney. Since English is not my first language, I don't feel capable of giving justice to that particular (and adorable) accent of his. I use some regional (British) words but that's as far as I would dare to go.

I have not much background on fanfiction and as I say, I'm still mastering English language, but I won't use it as an excuse. This is my first story, I enjoyed writing it very much and I just wanted to share it with fellow writers and fans of my favourite TV characters.

COME HOME A HERO OR COME NOT HOME AT ALL

A HOGAN'S HEROES STORY BY SIERRA SUTHERWINDS

CHAPTER ONE

Kinch entered the radio room with a cup of coffee in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. He had taken a brief break after Newkirk promised to keep a watch for the incoming messages. However, he was not surprised to find his replacement deeply asleep with his head over the microphone. The Englishman had been having trouble getting enough rest lately; several minutes every other hour and he would abruptly wake up again.

One deep breath and Newkirk opened his eyes with a gasp. Kinch pretended not to notice as he came closer with the drinks.

"Anything interesting while I was away?" He waited for Newkirk to give him back his chair.

"In my dreams or in the radio? Because, if I heard something in the radio, it probably was in my dreams anyway." Newkirk got up and stretched. He yawned lazily and went to sink on the bench by the wall.

"Are you sure you're up to this mission?" Kinch offered him the cup of tea, and he sat with his coffee. "You don't look too well."

"And who else is going to do it?" He shrugged but then his expression lightened up. "It's all right. I can take it."

"Why don't you talk to the Colonel? Or I can do it for you. There must be other way to get-"

"Kinch, I'm fine. It's all in me head, all right?" Newkirk stood up and finished his tea. He winced and shook his head. "This must be the worst cuppa ever."

"It's the same tea you drink every day," Kinch chuckled.

"Well, it's getting worse every day," he grinned.

Colonel Hogan came down the tunnel to find his men and talk about the last details of the mission. He too was concerned about Newkirk's recently acquired insomnia and growing state of anxiety. But under the circumstances, there was not much they could do. The mission was too important and time was against them to carry it off.

"You're leaving at twenty-two hundred hours, do you want to take a nap? I'll wake you up in half an hour."

"It's all right, I just woke up, right, Kinch?"

The sergeant had to nod but Hogan noticed he was not entirely convinced.

"Newkirk, this mission is important. I need you one hundred percent ready."

"I am, sir. I've been a bit tired lately, but I can do this. You know I can." He sat at the conference table and stared at the file in front of him. "Do you want to go through the plan again, sir?"

Hogan frowned as he caught a glimpse of Kinch's shrug. He would have liked to inquire further into what the real problem was but the war was not stopping any time soon. One moment of hesitation and they would have to rewrite the entire plan. As Hogan had conceived it, Newkirk was the only one who could pull it off.

"All right, one more time." He sat down in front of Newkirk and opened the file with several photographs in it. "This is Private specialist Josh C. Goddard, United States Army. He was shot down three weeks ago and sent to Dulag Luft (*) in Konsbach for interrogation and relocation." He showed Newkirk a diagram of the place before going on. "The underground spotted a new group of RAF prisoners coming from Frankfurt tonight. They will drive you to the intersection where the prisoners will be picked up to be taken to Dulag. You'll stay with them, make contact with Goddard, get the information he needs to deliver and then, you come out."

"So simple," Newkirk sighed and turned the diagram to have a better view.

"Wouldn't it be easier to stage a break in and get Private Goddard instead?" Kinch asked.

"The Nazis aren't aware of Private Goddard's specialty. They're still figuring out what he was doing in that plane. So far, they have only got the usual information. An attempt for breaking him up would only raise suspicions about him and others like him in his squad." Hogan explained. "Once Newkirk gets what London wants, Goddard may be sent to a Stalag and take his chances with the other POW."

"And how will we spring Newkirk?"

"That, I leave it to our master of escapism himself. You already came up with a plan, right, Newkirk?" Hogan waited for a second but there was no response. "Right, Newkirk?"

The Englishman was completely mesmerized by the diagram on the table and it was only after Hogan called him a second time that he seemed to wake up. "Oh, yes, of course."

"Peter," Kinch turned to Newkirk as though trying to give him a push to confess. But all he got was a glare.

"What's with you two? Is there anything I have to know before sending Newkirk on the wild?" Hogan stared at them and his eyes narrowed. "Anything about the plan that you don't approve, Newkirk?"

"Kinch here doesn't believe I have a privileged memory," Newkirk smirked.

"That's all?" Hogan chuckled with relief. "He's the only magician we have, let's hope his photographic memory is enough to complete this mission." He caught the Englishman still yawning and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Peter, are you sure you don't want to rest a little?"

Newkirk took a purposeful breath and nodded. "All right, half an hour, then?"

"Please, be my guest." Hogan stood up and let him pass to the tunnel exit to the barrack. He waited until the Englishman went upstairs to turn to Kinch. "Okay, what's going on here? Do you know?"

Kinch shrugged; like a priest or a doctor, or Newkirk's loyal friend, Kinch would keep his lips sealed until Peter decided to talk about it himself.

"I have no idea, sir. He's going through a phase or something."

"As long as he can do this," Hogan said with a sigh. "These one-man missions get on my nerves. I'd rather do it myself, but London wants things to go as smoothly as possible." He got up and rubbed his neck. "Maybe I rely on Newkirk's abilities too much, don't you think? I can try to delay this for a few days until Newkirk feels better-"

"I don't think he'll get better until he's done with this, anyway" Kinch said almost apologetically.

The colonel glared at him. "Somehow, I knew you were going to say something like that." He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. Surely, he would be nursing a hell of a headache before the entire mission was over.

"Shh, don't you slam that door," LeBeau scolded Carter in a whisper. He quietly pointed up at the bunk where Newkirk was sleeping. "He's taking a nap before leaving."

"Oh, good. He hasn't slept much lately." Carter sat at the table. "Ever since he knew about this mission." He frowned for a second. "Hey, do you think he knows something we don't?"

"Speak lower, he needs the rest," LeBeau insisted.

"And it's obvious he's not going to find it here," Newkirk said turning to look down at his friends from his bunk. "And no, I don't know more about it than you do, Andrew." He sat up and brushed his hair with his fingers. "Got some coffee in that pot, LeBeau?" He jumped down and went to sit at the table.

Carter got up for a moment and then, sat down on his bunk without taking his eyes off his friend. He frowned, tilted his head and twisted his mouth until Newkirk could not take any more of it.

"What is it, Carter?"

"Newkirk," the young sergeant took a purposeful breath before going on. "Is something bothering you?"

"I'm not the one making ruddy faces here," he rubbed his eyes and thanked LeBeau for the coffee.

"What Carter means is that you've been a little absent of everything lately. You don't seem to have slept at all these days. You're not even cheating when playing cards with Schultz," LeBeau sat down in front of him. "Are you coming down with something? Maybe you should ask Wilson to check you over before you leave."

"I'm perfectly fine, you all can get off me shoulders!" Newkirk took the coffee in a hurry and stood up. "If you have the urge of mothering something, go and get yourselves a bloody puppy." He virtually slammed the mug on the table to make a clear statement and went back to the tunnels.

Carter's jaw dropped but he restrained himself from talking until the Englishman was gone. "Wow, where did that come from?"

"Beats me," LeBeau shook his head. "He's a troubled man, mon ami. I don't think I have seen him like this since we met. It's this war, Andrew, I suppose some days are harder than others."

"I hate seeing Newkirk so tense about a simple assignment." Carter scratched his head under his hat. "Good thing that he'll be back by this time tomorrow and everything will be just fine, then."

TBC

All right, first chapter has seen the light, more to come if you really want to keep on reading :)

(*) Durchgangslager der Luftwaffe (Transit Camp - Air Force). The POW abbreviated the name to Dulag Luft, those were transit camps for Air Force prisoners. There were several throughout Germany. I invented the one in the story as well as the city where it is located. The logistics on mobilisation and treatment of prisoners are loosely similar to the real thing.N

N/A: For those who wonder if I'm continuing the story, well, yes I am. Actually it's already done, but now I'm in the process of searching for a Beta who can cope with my ESL flaws so it's going to take a little while. But hang on, I think it's a nice little story with a couple of twists and turns that might interest you. It's just that I don't want to publish right away and then find silly mistakes that could've been avoided otherwise. Thanks for the reviews! See you soon ;)