Chapter 14: All's Well That Ends Well

Hogan saw Newkirk aiming with a completely steady hand at him. His heart was beating fast, but fortunately his mind was working faster. He straightened up and chuckled, hoping to relieve some of the tension that was threatening to envelop the passageway.

"C'mon, Newkirk. You're taking this too far, don't you think? I'm Colonel Hogan, we're friends."

"The colonel is me friend, but you're not 'im. You took 'is place. You're a ruddy impostor!"

"I told you so, didn't I?" Frakes said. "You know you can trust me."

Newkirk moved his hand and gun to point at the other man instead. "You shut up! I'm sick and tired of your ruddy lies and stories. You sent this man to play with me mind. You made me believe that me father was a bloody 'ero of war! And that 'e was killed by the best person I've ever met in me entire life!" Newkirk leaned on the railing and grinned. "D'you really believe that I would betray all I fought for just because of that stupid story of yours? You're the enemy, Frakes; nothing could change that!" He aimed at the doctor. Blimey, enemies as far as I can see! I'll kill them all if I 'ave to; they're not going to take me alive….But where are me mates? If the Gov'nor is dead, why aren't they coming for me? At the moment, Newkirk found that something incredible was happening: he found himself fighting hard to keep these men, these enemies from seeing him cry.

Hogan stepped between them. "No! You won't get dirty because of him. It's over now. We'll take him where he can be judge and punished. We'll send him back to London where they can deal with him accordingly."

Any sadness that Newkirk was feeling was quickly wiped from his mind at hearing the imposter speak. Anger could only fill his heart. "'E's a bloody traitor and you too! Death is the only punishment!"

"Punishment for the traitor!" Frakes shouted loudly. "But it's not me. You know who you are, Newkirk. You know it's not me! Haven't you asked yourself how I know about the operations? Someone talked about the sabotage and the men under the tunnels!" He pointed at Newkirk. "It was you, Newkirk! You told me about everything! You told Hochstetter and now all your friends are dead!"

Newkirk shook his head, in an attempt for both staying awake and trying to clear his head. His range of emotions, as well as the heat of the conversational battle, was beginning to take a heavy toll on him. However, that voice penetrated his mind and shut off any rational thought. He found himself paying attention to Frakes and following every word he said. "No, no... It's not true!...I don't care 'ow much you tortured me, I would rather die before I betray me mates!"

"It isn't true, Newkirk!" Hogan turned to Frakes. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He was about to push Frakes away but the doctor was faster.

Frakes threw Hogan onto the floor with one fast, powerful motion and fired into the air. "Newkirk! The enemy is at hand. Hear me out! Look at him! See his face! This is not Colonel Hogan, this is the enemy, Newkirk! Your enemy! Can't you see? Don't you recognize him? Newkirk! Look! It's Major Hochstetter! He came and killed Hogan. He took his place. The drug makes you see and hear him as though he was Hogan, but he isn't here anymore! Look!"

König ran to the opposite side, where Lydia was hiding. "This is going too far, Lydia. We've got to stop him!" We need to help Newkirk—Frakes has simply gone too far this time. Why did I listen to him? Why…

However, his thoughts were abruptly cut off by Lydia's speaking. "Don't do anything stupid," she snarled.

"It's too late for that. But now, I have the chance to make amends with my conscience." He passed her by on his way upstairs.

Newkirk blinked and shut his eyes. He knew that when he opened them again, realities would change. He wanted to keep them closed forever, hoping beyond hope that when he opened them, he would be back in his bunk. Why can't this week be nothing more than a bad dream? Why can't I wake up from it? He was not mistaken. The warehouse become the Gestapo HQ: gray walls, red floors, lots of closed doors and the constant noise of type writing machines. The place was exactly as he remembered it. Sometimes, he had been there as a prisoner, sometimes, he was a guard, others, he was the interrogator... The sabotage and espionage business takes you places. He looked down. Frakes was not there anymore. There was only one man standing there, dressed neatly in a Gestapo uniform. Newkirk glared at him and clenched his teeth. "Hochstetter," he said.

If Hogan had any reason to inwardly gasp before, nothing was compared to how his corporal was acting now. He tried to search for any recognition in his man's face, and he certainly found it. However, Newkirk wasn't looking at him with warmth, or even with anger at seeing the imposter. Instead, he was looking at him with the same veiled contempt that Hogan always saw Newkirk wearing whenever he saw the Major in their midst. Thinking fast, Hogan knew that he had to try to talk some, any amount of sane reason into his friend. "Now, Newkirk, get a grip. I'm Hogan. Remember? I just came to save you!"

Newkirk aimed at him. "This is for the colonel! I know who you are—you look and sound exactly like 'im! You're not fooling anybody; you've been working with Frakes to break us all for a long time, 'aven't you? Well, it's not going to work!"

Hogan ducked and rolled almost at the same time that Newkirk opened fire. He could hear Frakes' sinister laughter. How could he stop Newkirk from shooting at that insufferable man? From shooting at the one man that he knew if his corporal might have the chance to kill, would not hesitate about it? Under normal circumstances, he knew that Newkirk would obey Hogan's command and keep from causing any trouble. But under these circumstances, his man was facing the one person responsible for his commanding officer's death. Suddenly, one idea came to mind, and he could only hope it would work.

He jumped to his feet and pulled Frakes in front of him. Using the doctor as a shield, he cautiously walked forward. "Whatever you did to him, you must undo it now." He pressed the muzzle of his pistol against Frakes' temple.

"Why would I want to do that? He's right where I want him to be." Frakes did not look concerned at all.

"You're a very sick man, Frakes. I don't think you could even qualify as a sadistic son of a bitch!" Hogan pushed him to move. "Finish with this, you Kraut!"

However, Frakes could only shake his head in a negative manner. "You don't know what you're asking for, Colonel. Deprogramming is a very delicate process. I wouldn't recommend it if you want to keep your man alive."

"What?" If we can't "deprogram" Newkirk, how am I going to be able to bring him back to reason?

"Enough talking you two!" Newkirk caught their attention and stopped their argument. But before he could aim his pistol again, König had managed to sneak behind him in order to tackle him from behind. They wrestled for the gun. Newkirk was faster as he pushed König downstairs. "Very funny, mates but I'm still not done with you." He signaled for Hogan, Frakes, König and Lyida to line up against the wall. "Now, gentlemen and lady, take a seat. We're going to stay 'ere for a while."

Hogan sighed. "How long is for a while? I have places to go."

"Shut up! You won't fool me! I know who you are. I don't care what else you've got to do. Especially if it involves killing or torturing more innocent people! Everybody stays 'ere!" Newkirk felt sweat forming on his forehead. He was becoming more and more exhausted. "Sit down and be quiet."

König turned to Hogan. "What about the raid?" he whispered.

"What raid?" Lydia asked.

Hogan shrugged. "It was a last-minute thing. Maybe they won't make it anyway." He looked at his watch. They still had one hour and a half. Plenty of time—I hope.

HHH

"Psychotic is with a p?"

"And a y, and an h," LeBeau said.

Kinch snorted. "What are you writing there, Carter?"

"The message for London," he shrugged. "I'm not giving much details, just the facts."

However, Kinch could only shake his head in a disapproving manner. "The colonel told us to keep it optimistic. For now, why don't you say 'mad scientist' instead?" Kinch nodded to himself as he saw his friend crossing out psychotic and replacing it with the word mad instead.

"Did you contact the submarine? When is the RAF coming?" LeBeau asked Kinch.

"It's our lucky day. There is a squadron on patrol tonight, and they'll be able to drop by on their way home." Kinch looked at his watch. "Exactly forty-five minutes earlier than we reckoned."

Carter stopped his writing to look at his friends. "Do you think the colonel and Newkirk will be back by then?"

"Colonel Hogan was very confident about finishing the mission as fast as he could. I don't see any problem," Kinch said. Even if he has to drag Newkirk out by his feet.

"Bien sûr, once the colonel finds Newkirk, they'll manage any situation together."

However, the three men could only exchange slightly worried glances. Kinch could almost read what they were thinking. "You know the colonel doesn't like this kind of initiative."

"The colonel doesn't know that the RAF is coming earlier," Carter said.

"Newkirk was a little out of his mind, maybe the colonel could have problems in bringing him back," said LeBeau.

"Kinch, you can stay here and watch after the pigeon. After all, you're in communications." Carter got up and went for his coat.

"We'll be right back!" LeBeau smiled.

"Just be careful, guys…. You know how Hogan would feel if he lost you try while you're both trying to save Newkirk," Kinch said, speaking the last sentence barely above a whisper. He could see his friends silently nod to themselves. With that, they left the tunnels on their way to rescuing their friends.

HHH

Newkirk leaped around. The pain in his ankle was coming back, fast and hard, as the effects of the drug began to fade. He mumbled and shook his head as though he were talking to himself. Hogan could only hope that whatever he was saying this time involved the deeper part of his mind trying to talk some sanity back into him. He kept one eye on him and another on his watch. Time was growing shorter.

"Newkirk? Aren't you tired? Why don't you sit down?" Hogan said, using as soothing and comforting a voice as he could.

"Stop asking me ruddy questions!" Newkirk shouted. Then, he took a deep breath. "Can't think with people talking to me."

"What do you have to think about?" Hogan asked, hoping that he could still reach out and help his man.

"Where I am, when I am, where me mates are... Who you are," he brushed his hair with one hand. "So many questions... and the bloody answers..."

"I've got the answers you need-" Doctor Frakes grinned, this time with genuine sincerity and friendship showing. "Please, allow me to help you."

"You've done enough already, don't you think?" Hogan turned to him.

"Keep your bloody mouths shut, all of you!" Newkirk leaped to the other side of the room.

"This wasn't part of the original plan," König said, shaking his head sadly.

"Oh, shut up, Karl," Lydia hissed.

"Oh, it's all right, Lydia. I can brag about my work myself." Frakes straightened up. "The drug worked perfectly well. I was able to manipulate Newkirk's realities any way I wanted."

"But you couldn't make him talk" Hogan grinned. "And here we are, held as hostages. Tell me, did you predict this too?"

Frakes shrugged. "I must admit that it didn't go smoothly all the way. In my finale, I had planned for him to kill you and then, he would kill himself."

Hogan couldn't help but shuddering at that thought. In Hogan's finale, he would finish this mad scientist with his own hands. "Why kill us both? You have all the information you could possibly want about our operations. Why don't you call Hochstetter once and for all?"

"Because, Colonel Hogan, I'm still a member of the British Empire." Frakes smiled at Hogan's frown. "I came to this country because they provided me with everything I needed to develop my experiments. They didn't question my methods and they placed no limits on what I chould do. I needed to put my drug to the test, and they gave me an entire prison camp to work with. I was granted with lots of time and space to work. No questions asked." He took Lydia's hand, who by now was looking at Frakes with a visible air of disgust. "Don't be so surprised. You knew I would never give my project to these lunatics. Who knows what abominations they would have done with it? I still have a name to protect, you understand."

"A psychopath with principles, I should've known," Hogan said to König.

"Are we on the same side now?" König frowned.

Hogan shook his head. He was losing count of who was working for whom and where. He looked at his watch and found himself hoping for another half an hour of delay. Newkirk had stopped his pacing and was now sitting several feet away. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to be doing any better. Hogan knew that he had to do something and fast. He got up and walked slowly towards Newkirk.

However, before Hogan had managed to walk more than ten paces Newkirk quickly sprung up. He cocked his pistol. "Don't get any closer, Major Hochstetter."

Hogan stopped. "Newkirk, it's me, Colonel Hogan," he said in a half-comforting, half-pleading voice.

"Don't give me that rubbish. I ain't blind or deaf, you know?" He glared with contempt and fury showing in his eyes. "I can see it's you."

"No, you can't. That's why I'm here. You need help, Newkirk. There must be some way you see me for who I really am. Please, you have to believe me when I say I'm not Major Hochstetter. We've been through tough times together, and we've always been there for each other. Let me continue to help you." Hogan stepped forward, reaching a hand out to his man.

Newkirk stepped backward. "Don't come any closer. I'll shoot!"

"Newkirk, listen. We're on the same side." Hogan slowed down. "We've been working together for years now. We're friends."

"Don't you dare say that! I'd never be friends with a rat like you!"

The sound of approaching planes distracted Hogan. He ran to the door and Newkirk followed closely behind him. "For once, they're early," Hogan said while sighing.

Newkirk knew that sound by heart. He looked at the ceiling and almost smiled. Hogan did not miss that and began to quickly formulate another plan. Putting it into action, he began to ask of his corporal, "Do you know who they are?"

Newkirk shut his eyes. "No, no... you won't make me talk about them."

"You don't have to. I know they're your friends. They're mine too." Hogan kept an eye on the pistol, just in case Newkirk decided to open fire. "I've talked to them. They always asked about their mate Peter. They tell me how proud they are of you. Newkirk, do you remember what it's like to be up there? You used to love that, didn't you?"

Newkirk hesitated. He almost lowered his pistol before quickly raising it again. "You'd better stop talking" he snarled. Blimey, the Major knows me well—almost too well….Is it possible? Should I dare to 'ope?

"Newkirk, you loved flying so much and yet, you gave all that up for another kind of job, another way to help. You found new friends. You remember your friends, don't you? The ones you call your 'mates?' You would die for them, and they would die for you. That's what friends are for. We watch each other's backs."

"True friends stab you in the front," Newkirk whispered. He stared at Hogan and for a split second, he could see the colonel. "Gov'nor?" The image changed again and he shut his eyes.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Hogan asked, genuine concern showing in both his voice and his face.

"Sir, is that you? All I can see is Hochstetter." Blimey, if it really is the Colonel… Not sure of what to do at the moment, Newkirk could only lower his pistol completely this time.

Hogan glared at Frakes, who was looking so proud of himself at the other side of the room. Turning back to face his friend, Hogan gently gripped him by the shoulder, just as had done many times before. "It's just a mirage Peter. I'm here, I'm real."

Newkirk opened one eye and closed it again. "Mirage? Bloody nightmare I'd say."

"It doesn't matter, as long as we work together." Hogan stretched his hand. "May I have the pistol please?" Hogan watched as Newkirk rapidly looked between the gun in his hand, and the man in front of him. "You can give it to me. You can do it, Newkirk. I know it's a leap of faith at the moment, but you've got to believe me. Do you trust me?" Hogan held his breath while Newkirk stared at the weapon. Finally, the Englishman gave in.

"Just do me a favor, sir. Don't smile when you look at me. I just 'ate that bloke's ruddy smile."

Hogan laughed. "Sorry about that." Suddenly, they could hear the first bomb falling a few feet away from the building, which began to shake. Hogan turned to the two men and the woman. "We must get out of here now! König, we need the documentation on the drug."

Frakes stood up. "You'll never have it! It's mine; I'm the only one who will ever use it!" He quickly ran upstairs.

"He's going to his office!" König was about to go after him but Lydia grabbed him by the coat.

"You traitor!" she hissed. "We started this together, and we're going to finish it together!"

The plane dropped a second bomb. The building shook and several containers fell from the second level.

"Everybody down!" Hogan ordered, covering his head with his arms. Hogan had expected his man to take cover with him, not to forget about his sore ankle and follow Frakes upstairs. The colonel got up. "Newkirk, come back here!" He sighed and ran after him.

Frakes was at his desk, gathering together all the papers and folders that contained information about the drug. Newkirk appeared at the door with the pistol in his hand. "It's over now Frakes, just give up."

"Give up? This is the work of a lifetime. I won't surrender. Not to you or anybody else!"

"I can't let you go. You're our prisoner now."

The doctor stepped forward and Newkirk squarely aimed his pistol at him. "Would you kill me?" Frakes straightened up and grinned. "I've worked with you long enough to know that you are incapable of shooting in cold blood, my friend."

"Oh, don't tempt me," Newkirk replied in a slightly angry manner.

"So brave all of a sudden." Frakes narrowed his eyes. "Look at you, my boy. You're all alone now. Your friends are gone, they're all dead... You finally see your imposter of a commanding officer as he truly is, only to believe Hochstetter's lies…" His voice was almost a whisper. "They trusted you and you betrayed them. You're the only traitor here. I just listened to what you had to say... operations, names, places... You talked to me... and now your friends are gone..."

Newkirk shook his head. "You're lying, you're wrong... I'd never talk!"

"That's what you want to believe. You're thinking that it would be so much easier that way. But in the end we all know what we did, don't we?" Frakes came closer. "Tell me, Corporal, how can you live with what you did? Do you sleep at night?"

Newkirk stepped backwards. "Don't come closer," he said, raising his pistol.

"Don't you hear the voices of your friends asking why? You know they bother you in your sleep; they come to you in your dreams. They keep on asking 'Why, Newkirk?' Why did you do this to them? How could you? They were your friends!"

"Stay back! I'm warning you!"

"You're worthless and you know it. Do you really think that poor Stepney scum such as yourself could maintain the trust of his so-called friends? You've always watched out for only you, you told me that yourself. You'd be better off dead. They don't need you anymore. They're looking down on you, and they will continue to look down on you until you finish what you set out to do. You can't use that pistol on me... but you can use it on yourself..."

Another bomb rattled the place and walls began to fall. There was dust everywhere and it was increasingly becoming harder to see. Hogan was at the hallway, struggling to stay on his feet. He leaned against the walls, trying to guess which way Newkirk had gone when a blast caught his attention. He ran to an open door.

Frakes was on the floor, holding a bleeding arm against his chest. He looked as though he was in complete shock as he stared at Newkirk in front of him. The corporal dropped the pistol.

"Are you all right?" Hogan asked him.

"He shot me!" Frakes shook his head. "He actually shot me."

"I wasn't talking to you" Hogan mumbled, glaring at him. "And you're lucky he didn't aim to kill," Hogan said. "Come on, Newkirk, let's go."

"T-the papers," Newkirk pointed at the floor. Hogan picked them up and glanced at Frakes.

"Are you coming? I suppose I have to take a prisoner here."

"That's not in my plans!" Frakes dived to get the pistol. Fortunately, Hogan was faster and kicked it away. He pulled up the doctor roughly by his shirt collar.

Hogan sent Newkirk ahead of him first while he dragged Frakes downstairs. They were right at the entrance when Lydia intercepted them, pistol in hand. "You're not leaving this place! I called the patrols, they're on their way."

"Don't mind us if we don't stay to wait for them." Hogan had to yell over all the noise. "This place is falling apart. At least, we could stay outside."

"Let the doctor go!" Lydia raised the pistol. "I'll shoot you, Colonel Hogan."

"Over me dead body!" Newkirk shouted back. "You're not going to 'arm one 'air on 'is 'ead!"

Another blast dropped more plaster and dust. "The roof is about to fall!" Hogan protested. "I don't have time for this!" He was about to seize the gun from Lydia's hand when someone shot from behind.

Everybody turned around to see who the shooter was. König quickly ran towards them. Before Hogan could say anything a final bomb fell on them. The last walls standing came crashing down and everything went pitch-black and dead quiet…. Time seemed to be at almost a stand-still…

It took Hogan several minutes to understand that he was alive. Fortunately and amazingly, he hadn't lost consciousness during the explosion. As soon as he had managed to regain his mobility, he began to dig in the debris for survivors. He made a mental plan of where everybody had been standing at the moment of the explosion. Newkirk had been on his right. Hogan lifted and threw several rocks and plaster away, as quickly as humanly possible, until he saw one hand moving in a wild, thrashing manner. He still had to dig out more room around his man before he was capable of freeing Newkirk altogether.

Initially, he made sure that the Englishman was breathing. He then reached over to feel Newkirk's pulse and was relieved to see that it was normal. He gently slapped his man on the shoulders. "Hey, Newkirk, open your eyes." He felt comforted to see that he was slowly coming to life. "Are you okay?"

"I think so, sir," Newkirk managed to get out in a semi-weak fashion. "But I'll probably need Wilson to look me over when we get back to camp." He frowned while regaining control of his body. He winced when he sat up and moved his broken ankle. He looked at Hogan and smirked in disgust. Here was a man who was showing so much compassion and warmth towards him, appearing in the form of somebody who truly hated him. For a brief moment, Newkirk thought about trying to run away from the man who lay before him. Shaking that thought out of his head, he instead placed his arm warmly, yet tentatively around his friend. He smiled, before smirking with distasteful disgust again.

"Oh, please. Still?"

"I think the mustache is fading," Newkirk said sarcastically.

"Don't patronize me." Hogan stood up and stared at the laboratory in ruins. "That was a master's job."

"Do you think they survived?" Newkirk asked, though he honestly couldn't care less about what had happened to Frakes and Lydia. Though, it was König's ability to see the light, though possibly at the last minute, that caused the corporal to slightly worry about him.

"I saw König shooting at Lydia right before the blast," Hogan shrugged. "Frakes was running back inside... Who knows? They knew too much, I'd rather think that they're gone." Though, if König miraculously showed up at the Stalag and asked for safe passage to England, I don't think I have it in me to turn him away.

"It was all me fault… All me bloody fault!" Newkirk repeated, still trying to keep his colonel from seeing the ever-so-slight mist that had formed in his eyes.

Hogan turned around. Newkirk eyes glowed with the flames in the compound, and the shine of the mist was unmistakable. He appeared completely lost in thoughts. Hogan pulled him up. He turned his corporal to face him, and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's the drug, do you hear me? You didn't talk; you didn't break under their pressure. None of your friends are dead. In fact," Hogan said, allowing a small smile to break out on his face, "they're all waiting for you back at camp. James, Louis, Andrew. All of them." Hogan allowed that to sink into his man's mind before he continued. "Frakes had a couple of wild guesses and put two and two together. He just made you believe what he wanted you to in order to see your reaction. Do you hear me?"

Newkirk nodded, though it was in rather an unconvincing mode. He didn't say anything for the rest of the night; he would keep quiet for hours after LeBeau and Carter appeared in Klink's staff car.

HHH

"Klondike made his way back safe and sound. London is very grateful, especially to Carter" Kinch read from his notebook. "They are also satisfied with your report, although they would have liked to get the paperwork too."

"Unfortunately, there's no paperwork when the house falls on you all of a sudden. I only thought about taking cover." Hogan took a sip of wine. "The files burned down right next to me."

"At least, you and Newkirk made it back in one piece." LeBeau sat at the table. "But there's something that I don't understand. If Frakes knew about our operation, why hasn't Hochstetter come yet?"

"He never knew about the outcome of the experiment. Frakes didn't have any intention of inviting him to his party," Hogan said, matter-of-factly.

"But he wasn't a patriot... not a traitor either... It's very confusing," Carter shook his head.

"Mad doctors always are," Kinch shrugged. "He just wanted to prove his theories."

"Just imagine, he knew everything about us and the Underground but he didn't care about that. He could've made a fortune." LeBeau chuckled.

"In that case, any of us could make a fortune. We all know what we do here. Why, we could probably get enough money to bribe both Klink and Schultz to let us walk out the front gate…."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear you, Carter," Hogan grinned.

Suddenly, the trapdoor opened and Newkirk came up with Wilson. He went quietly to sit on Carter's lower bunk while everybody turned to face him.

"Feeling any better?" Carter asked him, hoping for a spot of good news after the hectic week that they all had just experienced.

"Wilson?" Hogan turned to face the medic, who was still standing by the bunk with the secret passageway, before Newkirk could answer.

"The heel is mending fine," Wilson said. "But we'll have to keep an eye on him until the drug wears off completely. Also, thankfully it doesn't seem to have any addictive qualities to it."

"That's good to hear," Hogan said, smiling warmly to himself before taking another sip from his cup. "The last thing we need is for Newkirk to want to take the drug again, only to have him end up in Oz." Looking around the table, Hogan could see three of his men nodding vigorously to their colonel's sentence.

Getting up from his seat at the table, LeBeau walked to sit down next to Newkirk. "All right, mon ami, how many Hochstetters do you see and hear today?" he asked with genuine concern and worry.

Newkirk stared at him in disbelief. At first, he was about to say, "Don't make jokes, it ain't bloody funny!" However, he could see that for once, there was very little mischief showing in his friend's eyes. Newkirk couldn't help but smile warmly while looking at his friends. Me mates truly care about me. Once the drug completely wears off, I know I'll be all right, as long as I 'ave them for support. "It's not that I see or 'ear the bastard everywhere, it's just him." He pointed at Hogan. "Sorry, gov'nor, nothing personal." I know it's Colonel Hogan, but it feels so bloody weird seeing our worst enemy gathered at our table. It just isn't natural.

"The drug is wearing off but very slowly. It will take at least several days for the effects to vanish completely. At least, now he's aware that most of what he sees or feels is just an illusion." Wilson smiled at him. "Right, Newkirk?"

The Englishman took a deep breath. "Right," he said. "Hochstetter isn't 'ere; it's just me ruddy mind playing tricks on me."

"As long as you remember that; you have to continue to believe us, okay? You're not a traitor," Kinch said.

"And nobody is dead."

"Thank you, Carter. That really does make me feel much better." Newkirk rubbed the back of his neck.

"We'll be here to help you get over the effects of that nasty Bosch drug, mon ami. We're not going anywhere….Plus, you're not going anywhere either."

"LeBeau is right, Newkirk. We talked about it while you were with Wilson. Until you're completely over the effects of the drug, I'm afraid I'm going to have to keep you off the team until further notice. Do you think you'll be ok with that?"

"I'll be fine,…though me magic fingers might get bored after a couple of days," Newkirk replied.

This is the first time Newkirk's employed his usual sarcastic wit in a while. We're definitely going to be all right Hogan could only think warmly to himself.

Suddenly, Newkirk couldn't help but be unable to stifle a yawn. Hogan could see the exhaustion on Newkirk's eyes. Wilson had talked to him about this, so he knew Newkirk was suffering the effects of the drug.

"Why don't you get some sleep? It's been a very hectic week for you," Hogan suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea. I could certainly use it," Newkirk replied, before lying down on Carter's bunk.

After five minutes, Hogan could hear soft breathing coming from his corporal. Still, Hogan couldn't help but sigh to himself. Wilson had talked about the fact that his mind might still play tricks on him from time-to-time until the drug was completely out of his system. "It's important that he be place on suicide watch, unfortunately. His mind might still try to convince him that he killed his friends."

"But he knows he doesn't, right?" Hogan hopefully asked.

"Fortunately, that is correct. Plus, I told him any time he feels that way, he can come talk to me. Talking to an acquaintance instead of a friend might help him to be more open with his feelings regarding what he's gone through."

The remainder of the day passed by quickly, much to everybody's relief. Wilson had warned them that the first day would be the hardest on Newkirk, since the drug, and its effects, was still in his system. Any time Newkirk acted strange or differently around Hogan during that first day, his mates would constantly remind him that it was indeed his commanding officer, and not the Gestapo Major. Eventually, by the next morning, Newkirk was able to look at Hogan the way that he always had in the past.

In the meantime, life went on. Two nights later, Kinch received a message about another mission that they had to perform. While Carter's note went into heavy detail about the drug, they had decided that it would be in Newkirk's best interest if his name wasn't mentioned. Instead, the sergeant had always written "the subject" when referring to his friend. "Well, another night, another bridge that we need to blow out." He stood up and handed the sheet of paper to Hogan.

"C'mon, gentlemen. Those detonators won't set themselves."

"Wow! Wouldn't it be great if they could do that? We wouldn't have to go out at midnight and-"

"Carter, we get the picture." Hogan put one hand on the young sergeant and pushed him gently toward the trapdoor. He turned to Newkirk. "You stay here tonight, Corporal. Sleep it over, and we'll see how you're feeling tomorrow. Wilson, you'll get the first watch. I want Kinch to replace you in two hours, and make sure Baker guards the radio during Kinch's watch." Hogan had made sure not to let anybody outside of his core group know about Newkirk's psychological problems, only that he was recovering from a broken ankle that he had suffered during the explosion.

"Yes, sir." The medic turned off the lights and lit a small candle. He sat at the table in order to read an old issue of the London Times. "You heard the boss. Go to sleep, Corporal."

Newkirk did not think about it twice. He jumped up to his top bunk and lied down. For the first time in a week, he would not be afraid of waking up in any other place. For the first couple of nights back at the Stalag, Newkirk would sometimes awaken in a cold sweat in fear of being someplace else. As per Wilson's orders, he always talked about his nightmares with either him or Hogan.

"But you know it's a dream, don't you?" they always asked.

Newkirk could only nod his head, and he would allow a small smile to appear on his face. "Yes, I know."

However, he had found that he had been tired enough to take a small nap that day. For the first time, he didn't dream about waking up anyplace other than being in his Stalag. Instead, he found that he woke up with a smile as he dreamt about his life with Mavis before the war. This time, I'm back for good. Me mind may still play tricks on me for another couple of days, but I'm right where I belong, with the people who've come to mean the most to me. And nothing in this world is going to change that.

AN: This story was inspired by the following "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episodes: "Frame of Mind" and "Future Imperfect." As some of you may have noticed, the character of John Frakes has the same name as the actor Jonathan Frakes, who played Commander William T. Riker in this series. If you've enjoyed this story, I recommend checking out both episodes!