trista_zevkia | Merrily, Merrily, part 3 (Reply)

His release from the cooler caused Hogan to worry, hoping Klink didn’t let him out because of last night. Hogan made sure not to look at Klink’s office as he passed, hoping that would make Klink aware that they were still enemies. Time and distance would convince Klink he had dreamed it; that was Hogan’s plan anyway. It would have worked, but Carter bounced into Hogan’s office.

“Gestapo car in the compound.” Grabbing his cap, they had headed to the door so Newkirk could add from his post in the doorway.

“Hochstetter, going to see Klink.” Throwing up his hands, Hogan had returned to his office. Kinch was already setting up the coffee pot. They listened as Hochstetter interrogated Klink about why Hogan had saved him. Hogan knew something was wrong but he had to listen for a few minutes to figure it out. Klink was answering the questions, but without his usual fear. He was sad, confused and lonely, weaknesses Hochstetter would exploit. And Hogan found he couldn’t stand Klink to be that hurt anymore, not when he had the ability to take the pain away. His men stared after him as he went to save Klink without a word to them.

Hogan reached Hilda’s office in time to hear Klink actually sound fierce! “That man is mine! The other prisoners are also under my protection from the likes of you! I cannot tell you why he saved my life, but the least I can do for him is to stop you from beating answers out of him. You decide you want any of my prisoners, you’d better have more authority than your condescending nature.”

Hogan stood at the door, trying to understand what he had just heard. Klink was risking his life to stand up for the bastard who planned on leaving Wili to his dreams, rather than risk an emotional involvement! Hochstetter also took a long time to respond to Klink’s uncharacteristic outburst.

“Keep the others, just give me Hogan!” Hochstetter was trying to take control, so Hogan opened the door to become the target of his wrath.

“Did somebody call my name?” A charming smile in place and only a hint of curiosity in his voice to suggest Hogan had no idea what was going on. Hochstetter whirled on Hogan and shouted at him.

“Yes! Klink is releasing you into my custody. I am taking you to headquarters, so we can find out all about you.”

“Hochstetter! I am not giving you custody.” Hogan’s desire to get Klink out of the line of fire had to be squashed so his brain could work this situation.

“Hey guys, I don’t want you to spoil your friendship over little o’ me.”

“Friendship?” Hochstetter spat out the word, like he thought it would poison him. “I want to shoot Klink between the eyes!”

“Exactly. Your enemies you would torture before killing.”

“And you are my enemy, Hogan!”

“Apparently not, or else you would have killed me when I was your guest a few days ago.”

“You are an enemy to the Third Reich and I will see you dead if it’s my last act in this life!”

“I bet it looks something like this.” Hogan cocked his head to the side, closed his eyes and let his tongue dangle out of his mouth. Klink must have smiled but Hochstetter poked Hogan in a healing bruise. It only hurt because it was unexpected, but Klink’s face shifted from amusement to anger in an instant. Hogan knew he had to take control, or Klink’s obvious emotions would get them both killed.

“You will tell me where you got a tire to fix the car. Then you will tell me why you saved Klink.”

“Well, it sounds silly when you say it out loud.”

“What?” Hochstetter suspected Hogan was more than a model prisoner, but without proof he could only get explosively angry at Hogan’s lack of fear. Hogan had to use Hochstetter’s volatile nature to make him leave, but looked to make sure Klink wouldn’t mess things up. Klink sighed and deflated before sitting in his chair, all his ferocity gone for some reason.

“I was afraid the Iron Colonel would come back from the dead to torment my men further.”

“Hogan!” Both Germans protested that statement, but Klink’s seemed to lack a genuine outrage.

“As for the tire, it was just laying on the side of the road, twenty feet behind the Colonel’s car. I thought maybe it had fallen off of somebody else’s car, like yours Major. Have you seen your spare lately?”

Hochstetter looked between them for a long moment, before making a dismissive gesture with his hands. “Bah! I will get you both for this!”

Klink watched Hochstetter storm out of the office, but still jerked when the volatile major slammed the door behind him. Hogan took the time to walk over to Klink’s side of the desk and start riffling thru papers. Reflexively, Klink slapped his hand away from the papers, only to leave his hand on top of Hogan’s. There was so much Rob wanted to say, but he knew his men were still listening.

“Hogan, you didn’t really steal Hochstetter’s tire, did you?”

“Why Colonel, do you think I’m capable of a thing like that?” Hogan said with a hurt expression, but he was grinning when he leaned down to kiss Wili. It was a short, silent kiss, but Rob was gratified to see proof of Wili’s enjoyment tenting his pants. Offering Klink a sloppy salute from the doorway, Hogan got to see a look of pure joy before he closed it behind him. He’d just made a dream come true and that was almost as heady as being in love, even if he was in love with Klink.