Disclaimer: I don't own MASH or any of the characters in it. Anything you recognise is not mine.

A/N: This fic takes place right after the episode Aid Station and references it and other episodes from seasons 1, 2, 3 and (maybe) 4, but you should still be able to understand it if you haven't seen them. This is my first fic, so any feedback is welcome!

Margaret couldn't sleep, and she hadn't slept since she, Hawkeye and Klinger had returned from the aid station. That had been two days ago.

Every time she lay down on her bunk she could feel her heart pounding and the breath squeezing out of her as her chest tightened with fear. Things had gotten so bad that even the noises of camp were making her jump as if they were being shelled.

She couldn't quite believe she'd been able to sleep at the front. Why was Hawkeye's presence so comforting anyway? There's no way she would have curled up with Klinger. Hawkeye had felt so overwhelmingly warm and safe. She wasn't quite sure what to make of that.

Under pressure she and Hawkeye were an unmatched team, but otherwise there was arguing, jibes, eye rolling, and a completely frustrating lack of discipline. But she had noticed that the worst of Hawkeye was reserved especially for Frank these days. There was also the fact that Hawkeye was sometimes a chauvinistic ass. He chased her nurses around like they were there for his entertainment, and he'd been incredulous when she'd got out to change the tire on the jeep could change the tire on a jeep. Don't stand in profile? Ugh. She'd sure showed him. But then he'd stopped the jeep before pulling into camp to tell her she was his favourite officer in the whole US army. That had stunned her. Between the moments of mutual respect, his dislike for rules and Frank and his constant innuendo towards her it had always been hard for her to tell whether they were friends or enemies or stuck in the middle somewhere. She wasn't sure, but it felt like the balance had tipped and maybe their relationship was more positive than negative. There was a possibility the negative wasn't even negative. She shook her head, trying to clear the thought.

Margaret shifted on her bunk and pulled her blanked tighter around herself. She felt like her heart was trying to bust out of her throat and craved the warm security she and Hawkeye had found together up at the front. She supposed she could go over to the swamp and see if Hawkeye was up for sharing his bunk, but that would mean admitting that she wanted, or even needed to be close to him. She was reluctant to admit that even to herself. It would also mean dealing with Frank, and boy was she sick of Frank. Since getting back it had been all about him and his needs. All He wanted was a warm body and a screw, and now more than ever she wanted more than that, she deserved more than that. Frank was right, he really didn't exhilarate her. Not like simply working with and being next to Hawkeye had. These feelings for Hawkeye were confusing.

In the very early light Margaret gave up trying to sleep. She was so stressed and overtired that she was trembling as she pulled on her coat and boots and made her way over to the mess tent. She was so dazed that she nearly ran headlong into Hawkeye who was coming out of the mess with a cup of coffee.

"Whoa, watch where you're going there, Margaret, you wouldn't want to spill any of this brown water pretending to be coffee now, would you?"

She didn't respond, staring at him blankly.

"Margaret"

"Huh?"

"Are you okay?"

She seemed to snap herself out of her daze.

"None of your business, Pierce" She snapped. He seemed genuinely concerned, but she wouldn't be able to take if it he made fun of her right now.

"Suit yourself" he shrugged and walked off towards The Swamp.

Margaret sighed and went to look at today's miserable food offerings. It was better than the stuff at the front line, but she didn't think she could stomach it right now. She grabbed a coffee and sat down.

Hawkeye was sitting outside the swamp. He had noticed that Margaret didn't seem to be doing too well since their return. She seemed to alternate between jumpy, pale, hyper-vigilant and staring off into space.

He watched Frank approach her and heard "Oh go soak your head, Frank". Frank pouted and stalked off. Hawkeye grinned. Margaret looked over at Hawkeye and a conflicted look flashed across her face, she then made her way back to her tent.

Hawkeye had always had a soft spot for the Major. Her flashing blue eyes, her blonde hair, magnificent rear. That wasn't all, though. Once you learned to put aside her love of Frank, obsession with army and order there was a decent, surprisingly genuine human being in there. His problem was that his soft spot was growing bigger. Sleeping next to her at battalion aid felt right somehow, and he'd been trying to write it off as just needing another warm body for comfort, but knew that wasn't true. He wouldn't have gone over to sleep next to anyone else up there, he'd shared his blanket with her because he cared. He certainly wouldn't have gone and offered Klinger body heat. He screwed his face up at the thought.

He liked Margaret. He always had, he supposed, it's just hanging around with Ferret Face brought out the worst in her. Together those two were a pair of meddling, authoritarian ass-pains. With these new feelings for the lady Major it was becoming increasingly difficult not to give in to the urge to blindfold Frank and leave him in the middle of the mine field.

Later that night Hawkeye was asleep in his bunk when something woke him. As he forced his eyes open he was surprised to see Margaret standing above him.

"I…haven't slept in days" She said, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. "When I lay down, everything sounds like shellfire".

She hesitated, clearly embarrassed.

Is the about to ask what I think she is?

"Would it be alright if I lay down with you for a while?" Her face was flushed even in the near darkness.

Hawkeye lifted the covers and patted the space next to him.

"Just sleeping, I promise". He wanted desperately to make an innuendo, but he knew she'd run a mile.

He had a sudden thought. "Hey, what are we going to tell old Ferret Face when he sees this?"

"He's on post op tonight, so I'm hoping to be gone when he gets back, plus he can blow it out his ear"

Hawkeye laughed.

"Where's Trapper?" asked Margaret suddenly. Despite her bravado about Frank knowing, she wasn't ready for anyone to know about this. Hell, it was bad enough that Pierce had to know. Margaret hated showing weakness to anybody. She was Major Houlihan, strong, tough and capable.

"No idea, probably in the supply tent with a nurse"

"Ugh, he's just as bad as you are!"

"Hey, I'm not so bad"

Margaret looked at him intently for a second before giving a little grin."I'm not sure, I haven't decided yet"

Hawkeye pulled her closer so her head rested on his chest and was pleased to discover that she didn't move away.

"Goodnight, Major Baby"

He felt Margaret smile before she drifted off to sleep.