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FanFic
The Richard Dawson Experience
Last UpDated: 14 November 2000.
Copyright © 2000. Lisa Inc., All Rights Reserved.
(31 October 2000)
Mae, an American visiting Stalag 13 to get a story for her college journalism class, had been in the camp for about a week before she finally started getting close to the prisoners. They hadn't trusted her at first. They didn't think she was a spy or anything, but they weren't sure how safe it would be to share their operation with her.
Mae had usually spent her time in Klink's office or following him around jotting down notes for her story. Klink loved the idea of a young woman at his side constantly. It gave him a chance to show off and to look important. The prisoners, of course, laughed at Klink more than usual. No matter how bad things got in the camp, Klink was always good for a laugh with all his strutting around like a proud show horse.
From day one, Newkirk had been spending a lot of time talking to Mae every chance he got, before being scolded by Klink to get back to whatever he should be doing. Mae found Newkirk to be very sweet and funny, and she thought he was adorable as well. She always loved English accents, and his was the cutest one she'd ever heard.
Mae and Newkirk would often run into each other around the camp and flirt back and forth. He always volunteered for cleaning detail and would do just about anything to get into Klink's office to see her. One day when Klink was out and about in town, Mae was working on her story in Klink's office and no one else was around. She heard a tap at the window and she opened it to find Newkirk standing there.
She told him nobody was with her and invited him in. Newkirk came into the office and hung around, helping himself to whatever goodies he found stashed in Klink's desk and around the office. Mae and Newkirk picked up with their usual flirting and she realized that he must miss being back home, and having a steady girlfriend. She mentioned it to him, and he admitted to it being very depressing at times.
Mae felt sorry for him and walked over to him where he was standing and looking out the window. She hadn't meant to depress him, and she could tell he was sad now. She put her arms around his waste from behind and hugged him. "At least you run into a few girls around here to make you happy for a little while, anyway."
"Yeah, but they all turn out to be spies or something" he said, as he sighed and held Mae's arms tightly around him. "And I can't say when the last time was that I got any action around 'ere, if you know what I mean."
Mae let out an "Aw" and Newkirk turned around and asked her for a hug, "Just for comfort" he assured.
She hugged him and he felt so dependent to her, and she didn't wanna let go. She wanted to do more for him.
They broke off the hug and he thanked her, saying that he felt much better now, and he sat on the edge of Klink's desk. Mae had her hands on Newkirk's chest, rubbing out the wrinkles in his shirt. He had his hands on her waste and he told her what a nice girl she was.
"I bet there's a real lucky guy back 'ome, eh?" he asked her.
"No. I don't have a boyfriend. And if I did, I might not be doing what I'm about to do" she said as she put her arms around his neck. Newkirk said nothing, but he put his arms around her waste and pulled her close against him while he stayed seated on the edge of the desk.
They kissed and Mae asked if he wanted her to pleasure him, and assured him that it wasn't out of pity, but out of the bond she felt with him at that moment. Newkirk shook his head 'yes' and she obliged.
Soon after, they sat and talked for an hour until Newkirk insisted that he get back to the barracks before Klink returned. He kissed Mae before leaving and told her how much he appreciated what she had done. He said he hadn't felt that good in years.
A minute later Mae heard another tap at the window. She opened it and there was Newkirk again. He asked her to come to the barracks later tonight. He'd be waiting for her outside her room to escort her there. She agreed.
That night, they made love in Newkirk's small but conventional bunk. He made sure she was back in her room before sunrise. The other prisoner's noticed how much happier Newkirk seemed after that night. And they were happy for him. The flirting continued between the two of them, but it was more heartful now. Mae and Newkirk would sneak away for a few minutes here and there when nobody was looking, and Mae visited his bunk a few more times throughout the next couple of days.
By the fourth day, Klink had decided he should attempt to romance her, so while working on some notes in his office for Mae's story, he casually stood from his seat, walked around behind Mae, came up by her side and was about to ask her to dinner in his quarters, but she gathered up her papers without even noticing him.
"Well, that's about it for now. I'm gonna go over to the barracks and get a few interviews before heading back to my room." she said as she walked passed Klink on her way to the door.
Klink started babbling and rushed over to stop her from leaving. He leaned on the door and quietly asked, "Uh, I was wondering, if you would, um, if you would like to join me for dinner in my quarters later tonight, if you say 'no' I completely understand because I know you must be busy and--"
Mae cut him off before he talked himself to death and replied, "I'd love to." She smiled at Klink and he looked like a young boy who had just recieved a shiney new bicycle. She never thought that her and Newkirk could be anything more than a casual fling. She figured that's just how things go around here. She was merely having an adventure while she was here. And besides, Klink was putting the moves on *her*, so it wasn't *her* fault.
He was grinning in amazement, "You would? Really? I mean, that's wonderful. You can come to my quarters at 7. If that's OK?"
"That's perfect." She stared at him waiting for him to move away from the door. He realized he was in the way and quickly moved back and opened the door for her. "See you then!" he said, cheerily.
When 7 came, Mae went to Klink's quarters. LeBeau had fixed up a wonderful meal for them and had left before she arrived. Klink had Schultz wait in the kitchen to serve the food when the time was right.
Klink answered the door as soon as he heard the first knock. He took Mae's coat and hung it up, then lead her over to the sofa. He sat rather close to Mae, but she didn't seem to mind. He poured them champagne and he went on and on about how wonderful she was, with occasional praise about himself to impress her.
A couple hours later, after the meal had been served and eaten, and Klink and Mae were back on the sofa sipping more champagne, Mae felt the need to express her opinions abut him. "Colonel Kl--" she started before he corrected her, "Call me Wilhelm."
"....Wilhelm....I've been here for a few days now, and I've noticed that you act very differently when you around me than you usually do. I mean, when you forget I'm watching you, you're a totally different person. I just want you to know that you don't have to try and impress me. I'd rather you acted natural." She was trying to be as delicate as possible without offending him.
After a few seconds to soak it all in, he replied, "You mean you don't like how I've been acting around you tonight? I had no idea."
"Please don't be offended, I just meant that you're such a sweet man and I like you the way you usually are. When you try so hard to impress me, it's as if I'm with a different person, and I'd rather be with the real you." She couldn't think of any other way to put it.
Klink understood what she meant and was touched by her words and her honesty, "You like me....when I'm just being me? I don't think anyone's ever said that to me before. I'm very flattered. I was trying so hard to get you to notice me, and to like me, and I never thought that you would think I was good enough without even trying to make a good impression."
"Well, I do." Mae smiled an innocent smile as she waited for Klink to make his move.
He was sitting close to her already, but he scooted closer and took her glass and placed it on the table next to his own. He put his arm around Mae and leaned in slowly to kiss her. He stopped inches from her face to make sure she had no objections and then proceeded to kiss her gently.
Time passed and Klink was feeling confident, "It's so late. Maybe you should just stay here for the night instead of going back to your room. I would hate for you to get lost out there in the dark."
"But it's not far and there's search lights." She knew she wanted to stay, but was just toying with him.
"I know, but the search lights could go out, and you wouldn't be able to see where you were going. I'm only thinking of your safety, you know." He grinned, as he played along.
"Well, I guess you've got a point. But where will I sleep?" She was setting him up.
"You can sleep in my bed, there's plenty of room." He didn't see it coming.
"But where will *you* sleep?" She giggled when she saw the look on his face. "I'm only joking. But you better not snore!"
He smiled mischieviously, "I don't think I'll be asleep long enough to snore." They both giggled.
The next couple of days, they played it cool in front of the other people in the camp so no one would know they had slept together. Mae was sleeping in her own room again and they tried to look professional when around others. Occasionally they would be alone and sneak a kiss here or there.
Klink had become much more at ease around Mae, and she was grateful that he was acting like himself instead of trying to impress her. Mae was still seeing Newkirk when she got the chance, but she wasn't trying to hide anything from either of them. She thought it was all just a convenience for everyone. She was glad to be bringing a little joy to some of the men there.
By now, Mae had been hanging around the barracks a lot more. Klink noticed but thought nothing of it. Afterall, she was here to get a story, so she had to get interviews from the POW's in order to get material to write about.
Mae had seen the tunnels and the people coming in and out of them and promised not to say a word about it to anyone or put it in her story. Hogan trusted her and was quite fond of her as well. He realized Mae hadn't been out of the camp much all week, so he asked her to go into town with him that night.
He said he knew a place that he'd been visiting several times lately and he's even passed himself off as a German. He made a few German 'friends' there and used them to get information from once in awhile. He also was pretty close with the band and got to sit in for the drummer on occasion. He enjoyed the chance to do something unwar-like and playing the drums was a nice way to go about it.
Mae agreed to go and that night, she met Hogan outside her room and he had arranged a way to sneak out of camp. The small club wasn't too far from the camp and it didn't take long to get there. They went in and Hogan introduced Mae as his pen-pal girlfriend from America. Some of the people there weren't too fond of an American girl being there in the middle of the war, but the others were nice and treated her with genuine respect.
Hogan and Mae sat at a small table off to the side, in the front, by the band. People were dancing, drinking, and having a grand time. Hogan talked about how he'd love to own a little club of his own and Mae said that had always been one of her dreams too. They both found out how much they had in common with each other, which added to the attraction they already had with one another.
At the end of a song, one of the band members asked Hogan to sit in on the drums. Mae told him she'd love to see him play, so Hogan agreed to do a song. The band played a rather fast tune and Mae's eyes were fixated on Hogan. Something about the way he kept the beat, and how he looked while playing. Her attraction to him became stronger.
After the song, Hogan came back to the table. Before he sat down, he asked Mae to dance, "Would you like to dance?"
Mae agreed and they danced through several songs. She never really noticed how good Hogan looked while she was getting her story all week, but seeing him dressed up and in this atmosphere, she couldn't resist him.
Mae had her head on his shouder as they danced to a slow song. The club was dying down and they were one of the last remaining couples there. The song ended and the band announced that was it for the night.
"Do you wanna sit and have another drink, or...." he stopped in mid sentence, wondering if he should ask what he was thinking.
"Or, what?" Mae asked.
"I was gonna say, or would you like to go around the corner to a small hotel and then go back to camp in the morning, in time for role call?" He thought she would think he was rushing things, but she chose the hotel idea. Yet another fling she would be attending. But it was all in fun and curiousity.
They were on their way back by early morning and Hogan helped sneak her to her room without being seen. He made it back to the barracks just in time.
The next day, Hogan ran into Mae out in the yard and they walked and chatted for a bit. Hogan said that Newkirk couldn't stop talking about her, and that he really seemed to care for her. Mae was a bit confused. She didn't think Newkirk would be that interested in her. She had wanted him to be, but she assumed that he only slept with her to fill the void in his sex life.
She started to wonder if Klink and Hogan actually had these feelings for her too. She felt close to all three of them, and didn't know who she'd choose if it came down to that.
Hogan explained that he really liked Mae, but he thought it best that they not be involved with each other because he doesn't wanna hurt Newkirk. It came as a shock to Mae. Hogan cared about her, she cared about Hogan, but they couldn't be with each other anymore. What if this was who she *should* be with? It bothered her.
Later that evening, she was hanging out in the barracks, with the guys, watching them play cards. Hogan made himself scarce by staying in his quarters. Newkirk was constantly putting his arm around Mae and smiling at her, paying her much attention. She enjoyed it, but couldn't help but think of Hogan.
Seconds later, Hogan came out of his room to instruct Kinch to give a message to London on the radio. As he was telling Kinch what to tell London, Hogan glanced over at Mae. She had been watching him and when he looked at her, he looked like he wanted to approach her, but he shook his head slightly and looked away dissapointingly.
Mae kept staring at him, hoping to catch his eye. He looked up and from the look on her face, he realized she wanted to talk to him. He sent Kinch away to contact London, and then he signaled Mae to come into his quarters.
She told Newkirk she'd be right back. "OK, luv" he responded as he smiled at her.
She went into Hogan's room where he was waiting to shut the door as soon as she stepped in.
"We can't do this" he said, with his hands gripping her shoulders. "I can't hurt Newkirk like this. If he found out, he'd be crushed."
"I would've never gone out, or to that hotel, with you that night if I knew he had feelings for me. But I *did* go with you, and I can't just ignore the feelings I have for you" she said, upsetingly.
He hugged her and told her, "I know how you feel. But Newkirk's a great guy, and he deserves someone like you. He deserves a break in life. I can go without a serious relationship, but he really wants one. And I can't take that away from him. You understand."
Hugging him back she agreed with him, and knew he was right. "One last kiss to end the relationship and go back to being just friends?"
"Good idea" he said, and they kissed each other, then instantly opened the door. Mae went back to the table and Newkirk welcomed her back. He asked what her and Hogan had been talking about and she said, "We were deciding what to get you for your birthday. It's a secret."
Newkirk laughed and Hogan came out of his quarters to see what Kinch had heard from London. Mae and Hogan looked at each other again and smiled as if they had settled everything between them.
The next morning, Mae had just left her room with Newkirk after a night of passion. They saw Klink coming out of his office and Newkirk hid around the corner. Klink headed towards Mae.
"There you are! Getting an early start I see?" he said, unknowingly.
"I was just on my way to say 'good morning' to the guys" she said, convincingly.
"Ah, nice, nice." Klink insisted that she go into the barracks with him for a suprise inspection. She had to agree.
While inside, Klink asked where Newkirk was and Hogan said he was over at the kitchen helping one of the guards with something and Klink was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to think about it. He started to brag about how he'd been getting to know Mae. She was startled that he told them. It was supposed to be a secret.
Hogan burst into the conversation, "You slept with Colonel Klink?!"
"I have been keeping this little affair a secret but I just couldn't keep it quiet anymore. So, now you know that Mae and I were somewhat of an item" he said proudly. "But, I'm afraid I cannot go on with the relationship" he faced Mae, "I don't think it would be looked well upon by my superiors, but I couldn't resist sharing with everyone that we had a short and lovely time together." He addressed the prisoners, "And I wanted you to see that I've still got the ol' Klink charm." He adds to Mae, "This doesn't mean that we can't still be friends."
"Of course" she assured him.
"Good." After taking a look around the barracks, he said all is well and left the barracks.
Mae stood uncomfortably. Everyone went back to their own business and Hogan approached Mae at the barrack's door. He questioned, "Did you sleep with Klink *before* or *after* you slept with me??"
As he said that, Newkirk came into the barracks just in time to hear. He couldn't believe what he heard. Not only had the girl he cared about slept with his own Colonel, but she slept with Klink as well. He didn't say a word, and walked back out the door.
Hogan looked sorry that he said what he said, and Mae knew he was sorry for it. She told Hogan that she slept with Klink before him, and after what Klink had just done, she didn't know who to even trust anymore. Which proved her point about the guys just wanting a quick fling. But she knew that Newkirk was better than that.
Hogan understood everything she told him and he wasn't angry anymore. He was sorry for Newkirk. "You better go after him" Hogan told her.
Mae went outside and found Newkirk not too far away. He was leaning with his shoulder against the wall, with his hands in his pockets. He was looking down and scuffing his boot in the dirt. Mae approached him.
"Hi Peter" she said, sincerely. Without looking up, Newkirk replied with a gloomy, "'Ello."
Mae could see that he was obviously bothered and she didn't blame him. Here was a man that actually cared for her as more than a fling and she had betrayed him.
"Peter?" She watched, as he continued to scuff his boot in the dirt. "Peter?" she repeated, and got a small grunt of acknowledge from him. "Peter, I know it doesn't make up for what I've did, but I truely am sorry."
Newkirk tried not to listen that closely, "Uh, huh."
Mae got a little closer to him and reached up and brushed the few strands of hair, hanging down over his forehead, over to the side with her hand. Newkirk made a moody, concerned look but he didn't turn away.
"I don't have any excuse for what I did. Not that it would help if I had one. But I wish we could at least talk about this. Please?" Mae pleaded.
"What's there to talk about? And why do *we* gotta talk about it. Why don't you go talk about it with Colonel 'ogan or Klink?" he snapped, as he made occasional eye-contact with Mae. She was shocked at his words, but knew he was right. Newkirk hadn't meant to snap at her and he quickly appologized in a low voice, "Sorry."
"It's alright. Yell all you want. I deserve it. I hurt you and I had no reason to. I had a chance to be with you, and only you, but I wanted to explore other things, and I shouldn't have done that. I'll do anything if it means gaining your forgiveness and trust again, Peter." She waited for him to look at her.
Newkirk looked up sadly and stared into her eyes for several seconds before speaking. Mae felt his eyes go straight through her and she felt more sorry, than ever, that she hurt him. "Do you love them?" he asked.
Without a beat, Mae replied, "No. Not in the way that I love you. I mean, I have feelings for them, and I love them in a way, but I'm not *in* love with them. And besides, before you came into the barracks, Klink had announced to everyone that he doesn't wanna be with me anymore. And before that, Hogan said he couldn't be with me because he couldn't hurt you. He knew you had feelings for me, and didn't wanna stand in the way. But I loved you from the beginning."
"Then why did you make love to them? If you knew were in love with me, why did you make love to *them*?" he questioned, rather intensely.
"I didn't think you cared that much for me, and I guess I just wanted to see what it would be like with them. It just seemed right at the moment, and I felt close to them. Like I felt close to you, but I can go without them. I can't go without you. All of you come across so many girls, I didn't think it would matter. I thought it was just another fling for you. I didn't know you'd think of me any differently than all the other girls." She didn't know what else to say to convince him.
"Well I did." His voice lowers almost to a whisper, "And I do."
Mae smiled slightly but the smile faded, "If I had known you really felt that way all along....I'm sorry Peter. Please say you'll forgive me."
"Klink broke up with you, and Colonel 'ogan turned you away to save my feelings? What if they hadn't done that?" he was trying to find out how she really felt.
"I wanted to be with Hogan because I thought he wanted to be with me, and I guess he did. But from what I heard, he isn't really the settle-down-type of guy. Klink is sweet in his own way but he belongs with a German girl, like he said. So I'm glad it worked out the way it did. And honestly, if I had known how you felt....none of this would've happened. You have to believe me." she wanted him to say everything was OK, but he didn't.
"So you're left all alone now?" he asked her sorely.
"It looks that way. At least say we can be friends" she begged of him.
"I can't. It won't work out" he told her.
Mae looked very dissapointed. She started to turn away.
"I 'ave to be more than just friends with you. But I also 'ave to 'ave you all to meself. If that's OK with you, then we can work this out" he said as he smiled innocently at her.
"You mean you'll forgive me then? Oh, Peter, I promise you're the only guy I'll ever be with from now on. I love you so much, and I'm sorry" she said as she embraced him.
"I know you are, and I forgive you. But try and spend a little less time in Klink's office and Colonel 'ogan's quarters, OK?" he somewhat joked as he returned the embrace.
"I promise!" she said as she put her arms around his waist, under his jacket. You're just like a big warm glove" she said, as she used him to keep her hands and arms warm.
"I'm pretty useful as an electric blanket too, if you know what I mean." They exchanged laughs and smiles, and he gave her a nice long kiss as he held her tightly.
Hogan was watching out the window and smiled because he knew he'd done the right thing, and he was glad that Newkirk was finally in a good, happy relationship and he knew it would work out for him.
Klink on the other hand was already completely over Mae, and had his eyes set on a cute little German girl he'd met in town the night before.
Newkirk and Mae continued to kiss, and they felt a connection to each other that they knew could never be broken.