"I need to talk to her, find out what she's suppressing. Then she'll recover normally." Sidney said.
"Alright, but I want to be there when you talk to her." Hawkeye gave in. He knew that Sidney was right he just didn't want him to be.
"Of course, she'll need your support." Sidney clapped his hand on Hawkeye's shoulder. "I need to talk to her now Hawk."
"I'll go get her." Hawkeye walked back to the swamp trying to think of what to tell Shadow.When he walked through the door he forgot all that he had planned to say. "Shadow, could you come here for a moment?" Shadow looked apprehensive but nodded, and walked over to him. Hawkeye took her to where Sidney was waiting by the mess tent.
"What's up?" Shadow asked, kind of nervously.
"I just want to talk to you about what happened to your dad." Sidney said.
"I told them, he got shot by a sniper." Shadow asked, taking a step back. Hawkeye looked at her sympathetically, and put his arm around her shoulders to keep her from running.
"Yes, but I think there's something else that you're not telling us. I need to know what that something else is so I can help you." Sidney said.
"There is nothing else. He got shot by a sniper, that's it!" Shadow shouted, wishing she could go back to the Swamp and watch the poker game.
"Which side shot him?" Sidney asked. Shadow inhaled sharply. Hawkeye looked wide-eyed at Sidney as if the man who helped crazy's was crazy himself. "Shadow, which side shot him?" Sidney insisted. Shadow broke down, she fell to her knees sobbing, burrying her head in her hands. Hawkeye knelt next to her, rubbing her back comfortingly.
"It - It was an American. An American shot my dad. He ws killed under friendly fire." Shadow finally choked out. Sidney got down on his knees in front of Shadow and hugged her tightly.
"I know it was tough, but you had to admit that to yourself. I'm sorry Shadow." Sidney said softly.
"Me too. But remember you have a whole bunch of people here who care about you, and want to help you get through this." Hawkeye said, hugging her next. Shadow cried into his shoulder and nodded.
"Thanks." Shadow said just barely above a whisper. The three of them knelt on the dirt together until Shadow had calmed down a bit. Then they walked back to the Swamp to join the poker game. Shadow was still wiping tears from her eyes as she sat down on Hawkeye's cot. Everyone stared at her, but she ignored them. Soon the poker game was back under way.
Hawkeye was really good at the game, and won a majority of the hands. Shadow watched fasinated and wished she could join the game. But of course she couldn't. Henry and Hawkeye kept glancing at her to make sure she was alright. Henry had no idea what was bothering her, and he wanted to ask, but he couldn't until the time was ripe and the time wasn't yet ripe.
They played late into the night, Shadow had fallen asleep long ago, and was curled up on Hawkeye's cot. Everyone but Hawkeye, Trapper, and Henry left. Trapper crashed down on his cot unconcerned, but Henry stood there facing Hawkeye, and Hawkeye facing him.
"What happened between Shadow and Sidney?" Henry asked quietly careful not to wake Shadow. Hawkeye glanced down at her before answering.
"sidney said she was repressing something and needed to find out what. He had to question her about it, and it turned out it was an American that shot her dad." Hawkeye answered.
"Poor kid," said Henry rubbing the back of his head.
"Yeah. It's amazing that this war can cause so much damage for people who shouldn't even be here." Hawkeye said staring at Shadow.
"Yeah, night Hawk."
"See ya in the morning Hen." Hawkeye said. After Henry left Hawkeye mentally degraded himself for not remembering to get an extra cot for Shadow. He would just have to sleep on the same cot as her again tonight. He gently climbed unto the cot next to her and put his arms around her shoulders. She was shivering a bit, and Hawkeye didn't want her to get sick. Soon he was as fast asleep as she was.
Shadow woke up first the next morning. She sat up and streched, then swung her legs over the side of the cot. Hawkeye woke up next. He too sat up and stretched. Shadow looked back at him over her shoulder.
"Morning Dad." She said.
"Good morning Shaodw." Hawkeye said. He went around her and got his pants and boots off the floor. That's when Trapper woke up. He put on his yellow bathrobe, and sat in a chair between the two cots. "Heya Shadow, Hawkeye." He said casually.
"Hi Trapper." Shadow replied. Hawkeye just nodded in his general direction, as he put on his own red bathrobe. Radar came in with the mail. "Hey Radar."
"Hi Shadow." Radar said, handing out the mail. There wasn't anything for Hawkeye but there was for Trapper. Radar walked out as Trapper opened the letter from home.
"Bad news from the wife." Trapper said, reading on.
"Oh? What is it?" Hawkeye asked.
"She still loves me." Trapper smiled.
Trapper!" Shadow shouted and punched his arm.
"Hey! What was that for?" Trapper said rubbing his arm. But then he started to laugh.
"Oh, come on Trapper she can't have hit you that hard." Hawkeye said.
"Shadow punch your father. Then he'll see." Trapper joked.
"Sorry, don't hit family." Shadow put her hands up defensivly.
"Oh, well I see how you are." Trapper laughed folding his arms over his chest. Shadow smiled at him and crossed her legs. She was really starting to like life at the camp. Everyone knew what time it was, but it was Shadow who said it out loud.
"I'm hungry. When are we going to get breakfast?" Shadow pretended to yawn, but she was really hiding an evil smile as she saw Trapper and Hawkeyes expressions at her question.
"How can you be hungry for that garbage?" Hawkeye asked. It was a legitamate question. He had no idea how anyone could eat that food. He couldn't even believe he ate it.
"Bad food is better than no food. Besides, it's only slightly worse than what my dad used to make." Shadow held up her hand with her thumb and forefinger a slight ways apart. "But still, you're right. I have no idea how anyone could ever like that stuff."
"See, I knew she didn't like it." Trapper smiled. But none the less they all stood up and walked to the mess tent to eat that days garbage.