The different side
Hogans Heroes AU
There's something about Carter
The many sides of Andrew Carter was fascinating. He could be funloving, distracted and sympathetic. Then it was the other side of him that no one else in the camp but Colonel Hogan had noticed. Carter could also be calculating, merciless and coldly innovative when he thought he no one was looking.
Colonel Hogan had always known that there was something about Carter since the day he met him. The potential he had seen in that young man had been one of the reasons he asked him to stay at Stalag 13 and work with them. His men had thought of him as nuts for hiring the clumsy, distracted Sergeant and did not see that it was all an act that Carter was hiding in.
Then there was the thing that disturbed Colonel Hogan greatly. Carter did seldom show any resemblance of fear. He took everything in stride and had faith in that everything would turn out alright. He had even announced it happily so on a poker evening. But whenever a army vehicle arrived in camp, Carter's shoulders always stiffened slightly and then relaxed when recognition of the uniforms set in. Colonel Hogan had learnt to identify this and brushed it off as Carter being watchful for the operations. A few weeks after he had to recalculate when Carter had dropped all facial expression and paled at the sight the men who stepped out the vehicle and entered Colonel Klink's office.
Carter had muttered some excuse under his breathe and had more or less ran into the barack. Colonel Hogan hadn't been sure, but he thought he had heard sounds of retching coming from inside the barack. That night, Carter had nightmares; calling and pleading to someone in Sioux. He had woken all but himself and then he had settled down into a restless sleep. An unspoken agreement had been made with all the boys in the barack to leave it alone for now.
The next morning had come and a still pale Carter pretended to be fine and the others let him.
Colonel Hogan saw when the rest of his men began to realise that they did not really know Carter at all. He trusted them to have his back during field work and battle. But Carter did not trust them with the true side of himself.
So Colonel Hogan decided to wait patiently and watch. Watch not only Carter's back during field work, but to make sure that he would be ready for when the true Carter would emerge.
Fin (First in a series)