AUTHOR'S NOTE
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter out. I've been juggling two stories while getting ready for school. Because you all have been such wonderful readers, I've made this chapter a little longer than the others. Please let me know what you think.
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The room was dead silent, no one made a sound. The air had suddenly turned muggy and sickeningly warm. Margaret's head was spinning in circles and her chest was growing tighter. Everyone was looking at her, waiting anxiously for an answer. Colonel Potter, Charles, BJ, Father Mulcahy, all her nurses, and everyone else, including a waiting Hawkeye, were all watching her.
Margaret knew how she felt about him; she'd known it in her heart for a long time. She knew she couldn't live without him, and after his accident, it was evident that they were meant to be together. Of course they had their disagreements, every couple did, but then again, look at who they were. Fighting was apart of their nature; they wouldn't be Hawkeye and Margaret without it.
She looked down at Hawkeye; he was still down on one knee. His eyes were pleading with her, begging her to say yes. Margaret smiled at him and she was rewarded with one just as bright. His eyes were caring and full of love, how could she possibly say 'no'.
"I've known you for nearly three years, half of which, we never got along." Margaret said, breaking the silence. Hawkeye's smiled faded and he stood to his feet. "You picked on me and teased me, making my life a living hell. In return, I tried to get rid of you any way I could. Never in a million years, would I have thought this would happen, that we could end up together. I never thought you be standing there, professing that you love me and asking me to be your wife." Margaret was crying now, tears streaming down her cheeks. Hawkeye was holding both her hands in his, listening intently to every word she said. "I never thought someone could love me, that I was incapable of compassion, and yet here you are, loving me like I never thought possible." Hawkeye took a step forward, closing the distance between them. "I love you so much, more than you could ever possible know." She started crying harder. Margaret bit her lip, trying to calm herself down to get the words out to speak. "I'd be honored to be your wife," she broke down while throwing herself into his arms. Hawkeye held her to him as if she was going to slip away. He rubbed her back and buried his face in her neck; her speech had made him cry as well.
Finally after a few minutes, when they had both calmed down, Hawkeye pulled back so he could look at her fully. Her mascara was smeared all over her face and her eyes were swollen and puffy. Hawkeye took his thumb and brushed some of the make-up out of her eyes. He just stood there, memorizing that very moment. After a minute he said, "I love you too," and then kissed her. When they pulled away Hawkeye slid a diamond ring onto her delicate finger. Margaret gasped when she saw it and covered her mouth with her hand. Once it was on, she threw herself into his arms again.
The whole tent erupted into cheers and cries of congratulations. Many people were sobbing and crying heavily as others shouted and leaped in the air. In the middle of the celebration, the new couple continued to kiss and hug.
Hawkeye had been scared for a moment that she was going to turn him away. Her face had looked extremely pale and utterly terrified. He had prepared for rejection but was surprised and rewarded with her loving speech and acceptance.
They kept their arms wrapped securely around each other. After so many obstacles and hurdles, they were finally going to be together for the rest of their lives. Now all they had to do was get out of Korea.
A hand gripped Hawkeye's shoulder, causing him to pull away from Margaret and look at the person who was touching him. "I don't believe it! You're getting married?! Congratulations Hawk," BJ grinned widely, patting him strongly on the back.
"Thanks Beej," Hawkeye held out his hand and was rewarded with a vigorous handshake.
"Well done son, I'm very happy for the both of you." Colonel Potter walked over to them. He straitened up and puffed his chest out before saying, "Now I'm the closest thing this girl has to a father at the moment, so it's my duty to give you the speech." Margaret chuckled beside them as Hawkeye grinned. Potter put his hand on Hawkeye's shoulder, "Now this is a very special woman," he pointed to Margaret. "She needs to be treated with the respect and love she deserves. If I hear you've done anything to mistreat her, anything at all," he warned. "I'm going to find you and give you a beating like you've never had before."
Everyone around them laughed at this. "Don't worry sir, you don't have anything to worry about." Margaret wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him.
"I know son," Potter patted him on the back and then let him go. Hawkeye smiled and then slipped his arms around Margaret as well.
Charles stepped up behind BJ and looked at them, "Are you sure Margaret that you wouldn't like to reconsider the groom? I can't believe this is actually happening. Would you like to take more time to think about this? After all, you'd be stuck with him for a very long time."
Margaret laughed and hugged him tighter. "No Charles, I'm extremely happy with the groom. We're sorry we never told anyone until now, but we wanted to make sure it was going to work. I've already had one bad relationship. I didn't want to let anyone know until I was sure. Have a whole bunch of people interfering only makes things more difficult." She slipped her arms around her fiancée's neck and then looked up at him. They kissed lightly and then smiled at one another before kissing again.
"Oh brother, I'm getting nauseous already," Charles rolled his eyes and looked away.
"Yeah you guys," BJ groaned. "Get a room or something."
The couple parted lips and then smirked. "I wish," Hawkeye said. A nice room with a bathroom and hot water would have been so nice. "Besides, do you honestly think I want to stand around here with the likes of you when I could be with her?" He asked grinning.
The Colonel cut in before they could carry it any further, "Who wants to head over to the O-club? Drinks are on me...In honor of the happy couple."
"Thank you Colonel," Margaret said. They followed him out of the mess tent and walked over to the Officers' Club.
Five glasses of scotch and two hours later, everyone was very relaxed. Charles had fallen asleep and was now drooling on the table. The others were starting to get sleepy as well, and were beginning to drift back to their tents.
Margaret looked down to see her fiancée was fast asleep with his head resting on his arms. She looked over at BJ and they both started grinning. "Well, what should we do about him?" BJ asked as he took a sip of his drink.
"I suppose we should get him to bed," Margaret said. He was breathing heavily, making little sounds when he exhaled.
"Yes," BJ rose to his feet. "But which bed, yours or his?"
Margaret stood as well and looked from Hawk to BJ before she said, "His, he loves to smother me while we're sleeping. The only way I ever get any rest is if I can maneuver so I'm lying mostly on top of him, other wise he pushes me into the wall." Margaret really did want Hawkeye to sleep with her, but she was afraid it would have made BJ even more uncomfortable putting Hawkeye in her bed.
BJ chuckled, "That sounds like him."
"I love him to death," Margaret said. "But I need to get my rest as well. Things will be different after the war. At least then I'll be able to push him onto his own side of the bed."
BJ turned his attention to his friend and shook his shoulder, "Hawk...wake up."
"Hmgrmph..." he mumbled while trying to shake BJ's hand off.
"Come on," BJ grabbed one arm while Margaret grabbed the other. Together they pulled him to his feet. Hawkeye wasn't really awake, but he was cooperating. He leaned onto both of them and let them lead him out of the Officer's club. They were half way to the Swamp when Hawkeye started to become more aware of what was going on.
"Where are we going?" He yawned and attempted to stretch, causing them to stop.
"To bed." BJ answered.
"Hmm..." his eyes were still closed.
Again they started walking and Hawkeye followed. When they reached the Swamp Margaret opened the door while BJ laid him on his cot. Margaret removed his boots and jacket and then covered him with a blanket. She leaned over and gave him a light kiss on the head before turning and leaving for her own tent.
In the morning when Hawkeye awoke, he was very disappointed to discover he was in his own bed. After the day before and his new engagement, he had been hoping to wake up with a voluptuous blonde in his arms, not his pillow.
Hawkeye sat up and then decided against it. His head was pounding profusely as his stomach churned. Quickly he lay back down and covered his head in attempt to block out the sun. It only took a few minutes for him to fall back asleep.
A couple hours later Margaret walked into the Swamp looking for her fiancée. She hadn't seen him all morning and guessed he'd still be in bed sleeping. Margaret sat on the side of his bed and sifted through the monstrosity of blankets. After piling her way through many layers, she finally came upon his raven head.
Hawkeye was lying on his stomach with his face buried into a pillow. His T- shirt was riding up on him so she could she could see his lower black. Margaret pushed the blankets down even more so he was exposed the cool breeze billowing through the tent. Unconsciously he tried to pull the blankets back up, but Margaret wouldn't allow him.
Sleepily he groaned and picked up his head in attempt to pull the covers up again. That's when he spotted her out of the corner of his eye, sitting up against him. Hawkeye gave in and moved so he was lying on his back. "You did that on purpose," he said groggily as he rubbed his eyes.
Margaret grinned down at him as she put an arm over his legs and leaned against it. "You've been sleeping most of the day. I missed you."
"I woke up earlier, but I had a killer headache," he told her as he rubbed his temples.
"I'm not surprised. You had a lot to drink last night," she told him.
"So did everyone else." He didn't want sound like he was the only one who had had a little too much to drink. Hawkeye had never liked being singled out.
"I know." Margaret smiled down at him. "Are you getting up anytime soon, or are you going to stay in bed?" She wanted to walk around with him and show him off as her fiancée. They still had plans to discuss and things to talk about.
"Hmm..." he gave her a vexatious grin. Expeditiously and roguishly he enveloped her in his arms and hoisted her over him so she wound up on her back with him hovering over her.
"What are you doing?" She asked him as she looked up and into his eyes, he had a wide grin spread across his face.
Hawkeye let his hands rest on either side her head and moved a little closer to her, "Kissing my fiancée good morning." He moved down and gave her a pleasant kiss.
"It's the middle of the afternoon," she laughed when he moved away.
"Well then," he smirked, "That calls for another kiss doesn't it?" They kissed once more.
When they parted she said, "You can get off me now." She placed her hands on the front of his shoulders. If they stayed in that position too long, he would get ideas. Hawkeye stayed right were he was, he wasn't moving. "You better get off me buster!" She warned.
"What are you going to do about it?" He challenged as he pressed more of his body against her. Hawkeye weighed much more than she did, he was sure she couldn't push him off.
Margaret glared at him and gave him a knowing glance. "I'm warning you." Her eyes shot him a playful yet warning look.
Hawkeye grinned cheekily and ventured to let more his weight press down on her, pinning her in place. "You can't win this one," he smirked. "Just give into it, you know you want to." He leaned his head down to kiss her again.
Before he knew what was happening, she had wrapped her leg around his back and the other around his calf and propelled him off her and onto the hard floor. He landed with a thud as he hit his head against the wood paneling. "I warned you," she said triumphantly as she looked over the side of the cot. Hawkeye was lying ridged on his back with his hand covering his face.
"How did you do that?" He asked through his hand. It was obvious the fall had hurt.
"Strong thighs," she patted her upper leg.
"Uh huh," he groaned.
Margaret looked down at him, he wasn't moving. She knew he was obviously hurt, but in all fairness she had warned him. "Are you all right?" She asked him somewhat seriously, it was still funny. Hawkeye didn't say anything; he just lay there, unmoving. Margaret waited and watched him, she knew he was playing some sort of game. After another few minutes though, she grew a little worried. "Honey," she put her hand on his and attempted to push it off his face. "Are you okay? Did you hit your head?" She asked in a concerned tone.
Suddenly an arm shot up and grabbed hold of her shoulder and pulled her down swiftly. Margaret fell off the bed and landed on top of him. Immediately she heard him start to laugh heartily. She rolled onto her stomach so they were lying with their noses almost touching. "I can play that way too," he laughed.
"You...you..." she growled.
"Who are you calling a you you?" He asked playfully.
"That was a dirty trick."
"Oh yeah? What about this?" He lifted his head and kissed her gently before lying down again.
Margaret hit her fist against his shoulder, "What do you think about that?" She laughed in her own cruel way.
"Oww!" He tried to rub his shoulder, but she pinned him down instead.
"Oww!" She mocked his whining and rubbed her nose against his. Margaret loved torturing him. Hawkeye struggled against her and ended up flipping her onto her back. They rolled around on the floor as they laughed and played.
This continued for a while until the sound of someone clearing their throat was made noticed. Both Hawkeye and Margaret lifted their heads and looked up to find Charles standing across the tent watching them. "Please, I already feel nauseous." He sat down on his cot.
"What?" Hawkeye asked, he had ended up on the bottom again. "We weren't doing anything." Margaret nodded.
Charles scrunched his face in disgust, "There's nothing like watching two grown adults reduce themselves to the giddiness on the floor. Especially in a pile of dirty clothes."
"Ah," Hawkeye sat up a little more with Margaret still sitting on him. "You're just jealous because you don't have your own woman to roll around on the floor with." Margaret looked down at him and glared. She pushed him flat on his back again. "See what you're missing?" Hawkeye groaned.
"Yes, I'm missing a beating," Charles said happily. He stood up again and picked up his jacket. "I think I'm going to leave you two alone before I become even more disgusted." He headed to the door and pushed it open.
Hawkeye locked ankles with Margaret and pushed her onto her back with him on top. The last thing Charles heard was a loud cry from Margaret as Hawkeye once more overpowered her and then a series of giggles. He rolled his eyes and quickly put as much distance between him and the Swamp.
It was a good thing Charles had left indeed, because just as he had walked out the young couple had started to kiss. Margaret had given into him and not resisted when he wrapped his arms around her and held her against the floor. She really did like it when they were like that; he made her feel secure and protected. His kisses had the power to drown out any blast of loud noise and chase away any rainy day.
Margaret moved her hands up his chest and then under his arms to reach his neck, but when she touched his side he quickly pulled away. Quickly she realized her mistake; she had touched his wound. "Oh Ben, I'm so sorry."
"It's all right," he breathed. "You just caught me by surprise." Margaret moved her hand down to his waist; she didn't want to make that mistake again. She felt so bad about that; Margaret hated the thought of hurting him. Hawkeye sensed what she was thinking and forced her to look at him. "It's okay. You didn't hurt me." He told her.
Margaret gave him a small smile, "I know. It's just that, after your whole ordeal, I guess I'm a little scared I'm going to make it worse."
"Worse?" Hawkeye asked in surprise. "Baby, you're the reason I'm here! I love you." He told her softly.
Margaret smiled and held him closer, she nuzzled his face and then buried her face in his neck. "I love you too. I don't know what I'd have done if I had lost you."
"You're going to have to try a lot harder to get rid of me," he joked. Margaret hit him again. "Oww!"
"That's not funny! I was being serious!" She was not amused.
"So was I," he laughed. "Oh honey," he hugged her tighter, her eyes were swimming. "You know I'd never leave you. I promise, I'm not going anywhere." Margaret didn't respond, she just hugged him tighter.
They stayed like that for a long time, lying on the floor beside his bed. Eventually Hawkeye moved to a position where he was resting on his side so he wouldn't crush her under his weight. Each kept their arms wrapped tightly around the other as they lay with their legs entwined. They spent the time talking about their life together after the war and what their wedding would be like. Margaret loved the idea of having a home and someday, with the love of her life, a family.
"I don't want to get married here," she told him as she lay with her head against his chest.
"Me neither," he agreed. What person in their right mind would want to get married during a war?
"I want to get married in your home town," she announced.
"Crabapple Cove?" He asked as if he didn't know.
"That's where you're from isn't it?" She asked him. It was a silly question, she knew that.
"Yes, but are you sure you want to get married there?"
"What? Of course I do. I would have thought you would too."
"I do, it's just that if we get married there, we have to invite the whole town." He said as he rubbed her back.
"That won't bother me."
"Plus there's my family, and I have a big family. I also like to think you'd want yours there as well."
Margaret looked up at him; "Of course I want my family there!"
"Then you're going to be planning for a couple hundred people."
"Me?" She asked.
"Plus where would we have it? Our backyard is big, but not that big." He rambled on.
"What do you mean me?" She asked again.
"And the food, that's a lot of food!" He was purposely avoiding the question.
"Pierce," she held his face still. "I am not planning this wedding on my own."
"I'm not inviting seven hundred people!" He told her.
"Oh yeah?" She challenged.
"Yeah!" He laughed. She was so funny when she tried to act taller than him. Hawkeye kissed her before she could fire back, he knew she was going to come back with something bigger. Surprisingly Margaret didn't fight him, instead she gave into him and kissed him back. "Hey! You're pushing me under the bed," he said against her bottom lip. Margaret just laughed and kissed him again. "I know what you're trying to do," he told her.
Margaret pulled back, "Who me? I'm not doing anything." She said innocently.
"Sure, you're trying to get rid of me by pushing me under my own cot."
"I am not." She grinned.
"You always have to be so controlling," he said rather dramatically.
"I do not," she contradicted.
Hawkeye rolled her over again, "Why don't you let me be the man major."
"Are you implying something?" She tried to sound offended.
"Who me?" He pointed to himself.
"You're going to regret that Captain, implying that I'm controlling and masculine." She growled back.
"I never said such a thing," he rolled off her. "Why would I be marrying a woman who's more man than me?"
"Sure," she tackled him again, forcing him onto his back. They continued with their little series of kisses and giggles in which they each simultaneously burst into laughter in between.
The door opened and Hawkeye quickly rolled off Margaret and sat up. They had been in a very conspicuous position when they were interrupted and sprang apart suddenly. BJ came into view above Hawkeye's bed as he made his way over to his own.
"I'm sorry," he turned his head away. "I didn't mean to... interrupt anything," he used his hand to shield his eyes. The last thing he want to see was his two best friends in a...um...ah...in a rather intimate embrace.
"Relax Beej," Hawkeye sat back against the table behind him. "We weren't doing anything." He gestured to himself and Margaret whom were both fully dressed.
BJ deemed it safe and looked at the two, they both has silly grins spread across their faces. "And yet you're lying on our filthy floor?" He kicked a pair of dirty pants out of his path. "Not to mention in a pile of dirty underwear and socks?"
"They are not dirty!" Hawkeye pretended to be offended. He picked up a sock and sniffed it. "Well, on second thought..."
BJ eyed him and gave him a disbelieving smile. "What you do is your own business," he said as he walked over to his bunk.
"Now listen here Hunnicutt," Margaret told him. She pointed a finger at Hawkeye, "It's his fault. He pulled me on the floor and then refused to let me up!" She did want him getting the wrong impression. Besides, Hawkeye was so fun to pick on.
"Oh no!" Hawkeye cut BJ off before he could respond. He rose to his knees and said, "She threw me on the floor! I hit my head!"
BJ laughed, "Sounds like you two need a referee."
"He wouldn't let me off the bed!" She fought back with a smile. Hawkeye grabbed her and tried to cover her mouth with his hand. Margaret struggled against him and tried her hardest to keep his hand away. "No! No!" She elbowed him in the stomach and they both ended up in a heap on the floor.
BJ laughed as he watched them try to over power the other, they were really something. He'd never thought Margaret would be so exuberant and silly, yet here she was wrestling and flirting with Hawkeye and not caring that he was watching. "Oh yeah, I can really see why this could be torture."
"Shut up!" She screamed as Hawkeye started to tickle her. "Pierce!"
"Shh..." he pinned her in place with his knees and sat up. "People are going to start getting ideas," he whispered with much repartee. Margaret socked him in the knee, causing him to yelp and giving her the opportunity to push him off. "So you'd rather ravish me instead?" He snickered as she flattened his shoulders against the wood. "But darling, not while BJ is here. Can't you contain your womanly urges for just moment?"
Margaret sat on his stomach and grabbed his pillow off his cot. With one good swing she smacked him in the face. "I like this better," she laughed.
"Beej, don't just sit there! Help me!" He put his arms up to protect his face. She was attacking him with a new furry now.
"Sorry Hawk," you're on your own this time. There was no way he was getting near Margaret when she was armed.
The couple fought for a little longer until they were disrupted buy the door opening for the third time. "Now what?" Hawkeye sounded very annoyed. "Why does everyone have the urge to walk in here?" He lifted his head to look up at the person who had just entered. "It's not Grand Central Station ya know."
Klinger was looking at them with his head cocked to the side, this was a sight not too many people got to see. Quickly Margaret stood up and straitened her uniform. She might have been willing to let Hawkeye see her silly side, but that didn't include Klinger, and certainly not an enlisted man.
"Sergeant?" Her voice was suddenly firm and demanding, unlike it had been a moment ago when Hawkeye was tickling her. "Is there something you want?"
"Colonel Potter wants to see everyone in his office," he looked from Hawkeye to Margaret and then to BJ.
Margaret noticed his staring and questioning glances, "Was there something else you needed?" She commanded roughly. More than anything, she hated when other people butted into her business.
"No ma'am, that's all," Klinger quickly turned on his heels and fled the tent. He knew that if he stood there a moment longer she's do more than yell.
Hawkeye sat up and leaned back on his hands. He looked up at Margaret and smiled. "There's that caring, soft hearted, woman I fell in love with." He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her knee. Margaret was standing over him with her legs on either side of his body.
"I didn't like the look he was throwing," she told him still in a rather firm tone. Margaret planted her hands on her hips and snapped her hair back before looking down at him.
"Settle down," he rubbed her leg. "Don't go getting all riled up over nothing. I'm on your side remember?" He kissed her leg again.
Margaret pulled her leg out of his grasp and stepped over him, she didn't want to get into that, especially with BJ there. "Let's go. I don't want to keep the Colonel waiting." She walked to the door and exited the Swamp. BJ walked out after her quickly with Hawkeye right behind him.
They each filed into Potter's office and took a seat. Margaret and Father Mulcahy sat in the two chairs while the other men stood around. "You wanted to see us Colonel?" BJ asked.
"Yes," Sherman replied from his chair. "I'm sorry I had to call you all away from your free time, but I prefer to say this while you're all here."
"What is it Colonel?" Margaret's eyes filled with worry.
"Relax Major," he assured her. "I have to go to Seoul for a little conference with the other heads in our sector. Nothing too exciting I'm afraid," he said with a rather deflated expression. Everyone groaned, they all knew what that meant. "So...as you all know, I have to leave someone in charge..." Hawkeye immediately looked down at the floor and scratched the back of his head while BJ pretended to fall subject to a coughing fit and Charles found something interesting to look at out the window. "Well it has to be one of you."
"I'll do it sir," Margaret raised her hand. She knew she could do a better job then all three of them combined.
Across the room the three men started to chuckle. Potter put up his hand to silence them, "Now gents, her idea's not half bad."
"What?!" Charles asked as he stood up strait, "Surely you don't jest to put a nurse in charge of doctors."
"No, but I can put her in charge of administration. One of you can take care of things in the OR." He smiled, causing his glasses to rise. "And as we already have a man deemed to take care of that," Potter looked at Hawkeye. "Then that problem is already taken care of isn't it?"
"Aww...come on Colonel. That's not fair!" Hawkeye objected. "Besides, remember the last time I was left in charge?" He threw back at the older man. "You don't want that happening again."
Potter just smiled as his eyes continued to dance. "I'm not worried about that this time. First off all, you won't be doing all the paperwork, her and Klinger will be." He pointed over at Margaret and the Lebanese clerk. "Second, I know she'll keep you in line. Who's better to leave you with than the one person you'll obey?"
Hawkeye slumped down against the table, he knew he'd lost the battle already. He looked over at Margaret who was smiling gleefully. She was already planning how to spend her reign, he could tell by the look in her eye. Not, that she was addicted to power, she just loved being able to flaunt it and tease him.
"Well I suppose if you're marrying the boss then it can't be that bad," Hawkeye said with an even bigger smiled. His mind started racing with all sorts of things he'd have access to.
"Don't worry Colonel, we'll be just fine. I'll keep an eye on him. You don't have anything to worry about while you're gone. " Margaret said rather seriously.
"He brings up a good point Major," Colonel Potter suddenly added as he looked at her. Margaret's eyes widened at the thought of Hawkeye saying something good. "I realize you two are engaged, and I don't mind all that lovey-dovey stuff. In fact, I think it's great, but I do not want it interfering with your work."
"But sir!" How could he think such a thing. Margaret would never let a man, even if he was Hawkeye, get in the way of her duty. Hawkeye could wait until she was done with the paperwork.
"I don't mind you two necking or anything, but all I'm saying is not during office hours and not on my desk..." He kept on talking.
"Colonel!" Both Hawkeye and Margaret shouted in surprise. Margaret turned beat red while Hawkeye's mouth hung open. Beside him BJ and Charles were snickering softly.
Potter chuckled, "Sorry Margaret," he whispered to her. Then in a louder voice he said, "So is everyone alright with that?"
"Fine with me," Charles grinned. "Just as long as our commanders don't get carried away, and I do mean that with both intentions."
Margaret rose to her feet, "Why you!" She cocked her hand to slap him. Hawkeye stepped in between them and held her back.
"Ha ha ha," Charles laughed as he straitened from an obviously fear induced cringe.
"Charles, get out or I'll let her go," Hawkeye gestured to the struggling woman in his arms. She was trying with all her might to reach the other Major. Margaret managed to get an arm out and tried to grab him, but Hawkeye gripped her under her armpits and held her close. Charles scrambled out of the room as fast he could, leaving the others quickly. Hawkeye let Margaret go, but still kept an arm around her waist.
"Well Major, think you can do it?" Potter asked as he walked around his desk.
"Of course I can," she lifted her chin.
"Good," he put on his hat. "My jeep will be here in an hour, I have to go pack." He walked out of the office.
"In an hour?!" Margaret screeched. She had been thinking the next morning. "But...but..." It was too late, he had already left the building. Margaret turned back to her fiancée who still had his arm around her. "I have to be on duty in five minutes, I have reports I need to fill out, and the nurses rotation chart needs to be filled out," Margaret rambled on. She had been hoping to get it all out of the way before she resumed any new responsibilities.
"Honey..." He touched her shoulder, trying to bring her back to life. She hadn't even been looking at him.
"Why couldn't he have given me further notice?!" She yelled.
"Darling..."
"Now I'm going to be behind!" She pulled at her hair.
"Margaret!" Hawkeye yelled even louder.
"Huh?" Without a single word Hawkeye leaned down and captured her mouth in a hungry kiss. Without so much as another thought, she slid her arms around his neck and pulled him in closer, deepening the kiss. They kissed passionately for several minutes until Hawkeye finally pulled away at the sound of someone outside.
He leaned his forehead against hers and said with a small chuckle, "Shut up."
Margaret looked at him and kissed him again. "You're lucky I love you," she whispered against his lips and closed her eyes.
"I thank God every day." He told her lowly and huskily as his lips moved to her ear. Margaret tilted her head as he nibbled for a moment and then placed a trail of kisses down her neck.
"ATTENTION, ATTENTION, ALL PERSONEL; WOUNDED IN THE COMPOUND! COME GRAB A TABLE BEFORE THEY'RE ALL TAKEN!"
They both groaned at the sound of the announcement and unwillingly pulled apart. "What are you doing after OR?" He asked hopefully.
"Paperwork," Margaret sighed. "Lots and lots of paper work." Her voice trailed. She slumped her shoulders and turned to walk out the door. "And as chief surgeon and co-commander you need to help me."
"Oh, that's lovely." He put his hand on her shoulder and followed her outside. "You know, I was just saying that the other day to BJ, about how I'd love to follow fourteen hours of surgery with another four of paperwork."
"Would you prefer I invited Charles over to my tent in the middle of the night instead?"
"I'll be there right after OR," Hawkeye said quickly as his hand moved to her back. With a cunning grin from his fiancée he left her and ran to help in triage.
*****
OR lasted for a good twelve hours, and with only three surgeons operating the session dragged by. By the time they were finished it was two O'clock in the morning. Hawkeye sat alone in the changing room, tiredly taking his scrubs off and putting on his fatigues. All he wanted to do was go to sleep, he didn't care where, just as long as he could sleep.
"Are you ready to go?" Margaret said as she walked in. Hawkeye was sitting with his head resting up against the wall with his eyes closed. "Honey?" She shook his shoulder.
"Huh?" His eyelids opened slowly.
"Why don't you finish changing so we can go."
He looked down to see he had one arm in his T-shirt and the other hanging outside. "Oh," he yawned. "That gusher soaked me right through. I knew I shouldn't have worn underwear."
Margaret smiled, "Well then it's a good thing you didn't wear your white ones."
"I know," he commented as he finished putting on his shirt. Hawkeye stood up and put on his jacket.
"Ready?" She asked.
Hawkeye yawned, "Yeah, let's go." They walked out side.
They were almost to her tent when Margaret said, "But before we go to bed, you're going to have to change."
Hawkeye gave her a mischievous look, "What if I just slept in the buff?"
Margaret raised her eyebrows and grinned, she flicked the pile of papers she held in her arms. "We have a lot of paperwork to do. It depends how much cooperation I get." Hawkeye groaned and stuck his tongue out in disgust.
*****
Margaret removed her glasses and set them down on the desk. Her eyes were getting tired and her vision was starting to blur. The small lamp sitting on her desk was giving off a soft glow that caused her eyes to droop even more. Slowly she smiled as she stared across the room at the sleeping form of her love. Hawkeye told her that he'd help, but the poor thing was just too exhausted. He hadn't lasted fifteen minutes.
She turned off the light and quietly made her way over to the bed. Hawkeye was lying with his face facing the wall under a single sheet. Margaret slid in behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She rested her head against his back and cuddled up behind him.
Margaret could feel his cotton boxers against her legs; he had changed them just like he'd said he'd do. These were white, unlike the others, which were olive green soaked with blood. She smiled to her self, he'd been too tired to try and proposition her for a second time.
"What are you thinking about?" A soft voice broke her thoughts. She could feel his hands on hers.
"You." Margaret answered in a voice just as lull.
"Me?" He ran his hand up and down her arm.
"Did you know that you have the softest skin I've ever felt," she whispered right before she planted a kiss between his shoulder blades. Hawkeye shivered involuntarily as a tingling sensation traveled down his spine. Her hands moved from his grasp and came to rest on his lower back. She stroked his skin with her thumbs as she placed another gentle kiss right below his neck.
"Hmmm..." he breathed deeply as he shut his eyes again.
"That's one thing I love about you, you have wonderful skin." Margaret ran her cheek across his back.
"I have other wonderful features too, as if you hadn't noticed."
"I've noticed," she inhaled his sent. Hawkeye turned in her arms so they were lying face to face.
"You're pretty terrific yourself," he said as he kissed her. His lips moved down to her neck as he pulled her closer. "I missed you last night." Margaret rubbed his back. "I was a little surprised when I woke up in the Swamp this morning. You didn't want me to sleep with you?" He kissed her shoulder.
Margaret grinned, "BJ, I knew it was feeling uncomfortable. I didn't want to make it even more awkward."
"Yeah, I got that from him too."
"Besides, I knew this would happen."
"What?" He was completely clueless.
"We were supposed to be sleeping," she reminded him. "You were exhausted."
"I know, but I had a nice little nap." His hands were moving over her back.
"And you left me to the work."
"I'm sorry honey, let me make it up to you," he kissed her passionately, showing her his intentions.
When they broke apart Margaret said, "Naw...I'm too sleepy." She turned around and lay with her back to him. Hawkeye groaned, he really thought he'd gotten to her.
"You were the one who woke me up and started kissing me!" He said in mild frustration.
"I'm sorry baby," she yawned. "I'm just so sleepy all of a sudden." Margaret fluffed her pillow and snuggled down. He put his arm around her and scooted so they were spooning. After a few moments however, he started placing single kisses on the back of her neck. "Ben..." Margaret's hand came around and threaded through his hair as he nuzzled her neck. "Ahh...please darling," she begged, his kisses were torturous.
"It's only three in the morning," he spoke in a whisper. Hawkeye moved her hair out of the way and moved his lips further up her neck.
"Potter is gone, I'm in charge, and you're supposed to be helping," she reminded him.
"You're not getting up in three hours," he told her. He knew she was thinking of getting up at six. "No one is expecting that. They just went to bed themselves. The paperwork can wait."
"You're right, sleep is more important."
"You're an evil woman," he gave up on trying to seduce her. Hawkeye laid back and looked at the canvas wall. Maybe she was right; he was feeling a little sleepy, but not entirely.
"You're getting tired, I can tell," she smiled into her pillow.
"Yeah, yeah." Margaret felt him relax against her. His arm slid around her waist and he cuddled closer to her. "You win," he breathed.
In a matter of minutes the engaged couple had fallen asleep in each other's arms. Neither had slept well the night before, they never could when they were apart. Margaret felt bad about putting him in his own bed when he had fallen asleep, but she didn't want BJ helping her get him into her cot. She's always thought of her and Hawkeye as being a very intimate couple, something about BJ putting him in her bed made her feel a little violated. After all, that was the place where they made love.
When Margaret awoke the next morning she found it rather difficult to move. She opened her eyes to find her fiancée sleeping with his head on her chest. He had a leg wrapped around hers and his arms were encircling her waist. His soft hair was in her face as the top of his rested beneath her chin. "Ben," she tried to push him off her. "Ben darling, wake up." She pushed with more force. Margaret found his shoulders and heaved, but he wouldn't budge. He weighed one hundred eighty five pounds; there wasn't any way she was going to get him off on her own. Suddenly an idea came to her; Margaret started to stroke his lower back just above his boxer line. She knew it was one of his sensitive spots, it always drove him crazy. After a few moments he let out a low groan into her chest and moved his body closer to hers. Instantly he started kissing her neck and pulled her into a tighter embrace.
"Hmghph..." he groaned as he pulled himself up to gain better access to her neck.
Margaret sighed, that wasn't the reaction she had been hoping for. "Ben," she put her fingers in his hair. "We have to get up."
"Urghh..." he groaned again. Hawkeye loosened his grip on her a little and moved so he was lying on top of her. He lifted her chin and kissed the soft skin underneath before moving to the other side of her neck.
Margaret wasn't sure if he was fully awake, he seemed to be moving blindly. He wasn't answering her and not really making any comprehendible noises. She wasn't sure if he'd heard a single word she'd said. "Ohhh..." Margaret moaned as he kissed her pulse. He was really making it difficult to concentrate on what she was trying to say.
His lips moved lower as he kissed her upper chest and then moved to pull her nightshirt down. "Everyone's still sleeping," he said quietly as he lifted his body and captured her lips with his own.
Margaret cradled his head in her hands, "We can't...there's...too much...to do." She said between kisses.
"We have time," he said before drawling her into a very passionate kiss. Margaret leaned upward and deepened the kiss. She pulled him back down so she could rest her head on the pillow and still kiss him comfortably. There was just something about him, something that wouldn't let her turn him down. It was hard enough last night, but now that she was refreshed, there was no turning him down. When he touched her like that, she was putty in his hands.
So the newly engaged couple took some time for themselves and spent the better part of the early morning together. Even after all he'd convinced her into doing, Hawkeye still didn't want to let her go afterwards. He held her in his arms and kept her under the covers with him for the longest time. Hawkeye loved it when they were together, holding one another and touching one another. Skin on skin, that's what he liked best.
"We really should get going," Margaret told him. They were lying side by side with their arms around each other.
"Do you really want to leave this?" He was in a lull; his mind and body were completely relaxed.
"No," she stroked his hair. "I wish we could stay like this all day."
"Me too."
"But we can't," she said woefully.
"The day Potter comes back we will," his hand wondered over her hip.
"What makes you think he'll let us?"
"It can be his way of compensating."
"What?" Margaret laughed, "You mean just tell him we're going to spend the day lying in bed?"
"Yes," he answered simply.
"You mind as well just say we're going to make love all day."
Hawkeye grinned and nuzzled her, "You make that sound like it's a bad thing."
Margaret closed her eyes and smiled, "Believe me baby, that's defiantly not a bad thing."
"That's good to hear, you seemed like you were having a good time," he grinned and nipped her neck. Margaret laughed and kissed him.
"I always have a good time when I'm with you."
"Mmm...me too," he buried his face in her neck.
A little while later they finally pulled apart and got out of bed. Hawkeye dressed quickly and then laid back on the cot and watched as she finished. "Don't you have something to do?" She asked him. His eyes were following her everywhere she went.
"I'm doing it." He answered smugly.
"Don't you have rounds to make?" Margaret sat down to do her make up.
"I have time."
"I think you should go, I'll meet you later."
"You want to get a jump on the paper work?" He knew that's what she was thinking. She always liked to stay on top of things.
"Yes, and it would really help me if I didn't have any distractions."
"You mean me." It didn't take a genius to figure it out.
"I'm sorry honey," she turned in her chair to look at him. She hoped she hadn't hurt his feelings.
"I understand," he said as he rose to his feet. "I'm just too irresistible." He winked at her.
"It must be a curse or something," Margaret played along with him. He loved a good ego boost.
"I didn't ask for these good looks you know," he held out his hands and looked down at himself.
"Get out of here sexy," she shot him her own tantalizing wink.
"Ah...so you'd prefer I stayed," he hung in the open door.
"Go!" She yelled.
Hawkeye went and made his rounds as Margaret went over to the office and filled out the daily reports. When he was done, Hawkeye grabbed a bite to eat in the mess tent and then walked across the compound to join his fiancée. She was crouched over the desk, writing as fast as she could. "You certainly are much better at this than I am," he said as he walked into the room.
"That's because you procrastinate," Margaret said without looking up.
"I brought you some breakfast, I knew you'd go right to work," he set the tray on the desk.
"Thank you. I'm almost finished."
Hawkeye took a seat in the chair sitting across from her and put his feet up. He took a sip of his coffee before saying, "I had a wonderful time this morning."
Margaret lifted her head at that and caught his grin. "I did too." She smiled.
"If you hurry we can have an even better time, again."
Margaret smiled at his earnestness, he was impossible. "I'm on duty soon." She told him.
"Meet me in lab?" He pressed. "I can be quiet."
She knew she'd never do that with him, but he was fun to tease. "I've scheduled Bigilow to be in there at that time."
"Switch places, you're the boss."
Margaret stood up and put the papers she was working on in a stack. "You're going to have to wait."
"Do something spontaneous for once."
"I'm marrying you aren't I?" She shot back.
"Ouch, I have scorch marks on my face." He covered his face with his hands. "I might be blinded for life."
"Here," she walked over to him. "Let me kiss it and make it better." Margaret leaned down and kissed him squarely on the lips. "There, how's that?"
"Ah," he shook his hand. "It's a little better." Margaret sat in his lap and pulled his mouth towards hers. She kissed him passionately for several moments before releasing him. "It's a miracle," he exclaimed a little breathless. "I'm cured."
"I thought so," she gave him a triumphant grin.
"Oh ouch," he gripped his chest.
"What is it?" Margaret asked.
"Relapse," he answered quickly before pulling her into his own lustful kiss. Margaret smiled against his mouth and kissed him back.
Somewhere in the background the phone started to ring. Neither person moved, instead they kept on kissing. After a couple rings however, Margaret tired to pull away. "I really should answer the phone."
"That's what Klinger's there for," was his reply before resuming there kiss. He was right, within two more tones the phone stopped ringing. A couple moments later the door to the office opened.
"Ma'am, phone call for you," Klinger said through the crack. Margaret hadn't heard him; she was lost in a pool of passion. He cleared his throat, "Major, the Colonel is on the phone for you."
Suddenly Margaret disrupted their kiss and ran across the room. Hawkeye sighed as he relaxed in his chair. She talked with the Colonel for a few minutes and then hung up the phone. "Everything alright?" Hawkeye asked her as she sat on the edge of the desk.
"The meeting ended early, he'll be home tomorrow."
"Then we can finally spend that day together in bed," he solicited again.
"You're so incorrigible."
"That's right, you encourage me to new hights," he leered at her. Margaret rolled her eyes.
"Listen," she looked at her watch. "I'm on duty, I'll see you later?"
"That depends, can the lights be off?" He sat up strait.
Margaret eyed him, "Meet me for dinner at six?"
"Only if I don't have anything better to do," he quipped.
"Well," Margaret leaned over and fingered his lapels. "Have dinner with me and I promise we can find something much better to occupy our time with."
"You sure to know how to hit a guy below the belt," he leaned forward.
"I'm ruthless and don't you forget it," she kissed him then.
"Can you bring the ruthless side along with you tonight? I think I like her." He kissed her.
"We'll see," Margaret winked at him as she stood up. "See you later," she said as she let her hand trail off his shoulder as she walked out of the room.
It didn't take long for Hawkeye to leave the office; it was just too creepy to be in there alone. He decided to find BJ; perhaps he'd like to get a drink with him. Hawkeye found BJ in the Swamp and convinced him to walk over to the O-club with him.
When they walked in, there were over a dozen guys already occupying the place. "Is it just me or did happy hour move up a couple hours?" BJ whispered to his friend as they took a seat at the bar.
"It looks like we got the right idea too late."
"You were the one playing kissy face in Potter's office." BJ grinned. How did he know?
Hawkeye's expression softened, he suddenly felt really bad. "I'm sorry I never told you."
"It's okay," BJ patted his shoulder. "I thought there might be something going on between you."
"You're not mad are you?"
"Invite me to the wedding and we'll call it even."
"Deal," they shook hands.
Igor walked over to them as he was finishing clearing a table. "What can I get you sirs?" He asked, interrupting their little spute.
"We'll have our usual," Hawkeye answered for both him and BJ.
"Two very dry martinis coming right up." Igor turned around and started to mix their drinks.
The two men chatted together for a while; it was nice to be in each other's company again. Hawkeye filled BJ in on everything he'd been hiding from his friend. He told him about his and Margaret's relationship and why they decided to keep it a secret. They were talking in a soft tone, barely loud enough for the other to hear.
After thirty minutes or so a group of soldiers across the room started to become very noisy and boisterous. Suddenly yelling and shouting erupted, tearing through the silence of the quiet room. A bottle whizzed by Hawkeye's head causing him and BJ to turn around abruptly. As soon as they did so a chair was flung across the room where it crashed into a dozen pieces.
Hawkeye, who was crouched behind his chair, stood up. "Hey!" Another bottle zipped through the air and crashed against the bar. Quickly he ducked down again. "Cut it out!" He shouted.
"You damn doctors!" A scruffy voice called out as another bottle crashed on the floor. Hawkeye and BJ looked at each other in confusion. "You deserve to rot in hell!"
"Listen pal, we're only here to patch guys up, nothing else. What did we ever do to you?" BJ shouted. When Hawkeye stood up again, everyone in the bar was looking at him.
"My buddy died because of you PIERCE!" A very large, muscular man strode across the room towards him. Hawkeye looked upwards as he neared him, the man was huge. He must have been at least 6'6".
"I'm sorry that you lost your friend, I really am. You've got to understand though, everyone's lost a friend, you're not the only one." Hawkeye tried to stand as tall as possible. He'd lost Tommy his first year in Korea, he knew what it felt like.
"That's your excuse COMRADE?" The other man's voice grew low and scratchy.
"Comrade?" Hawkeye asked in a confused tone.
"That's right," the bigger man said as he grabbed Hawkeye's collar and pulled him forward. "You took a gook before Harry Thomason." Hawkeye's jaw clenched when he heard that word, it made his blood boil. "You bastard, you took one of them before one of us!"
"Listen, I'm sorry about your buddy. But we operate in the order of who's hurt the worst, not their views on politics." Hawkeye tried to sound as calm as possible, the other man had him standing on his tippy toes.
"You...you...you trader!" He screamed. It was obvious this man was drunk and extremely upset. For a brief moment Hawkeye saw a very large first nearing him before it collided with his face. Hawkeye fell to the floor in an instant, not really aware of what had just happened. After a moment though he felt himself being picked up by his collar again. "I'm going to make sure you never touch one of our boys again," a voice boomed over him. A hand grasped his throat, lifting him higher in the air. Hawkeye's hands flew to the fist, trying to hold himself up in attempt to keep from strangling. He looked up to see a large, grinning face, staring down at him. "You're going to wish you'd never heard of Sergeant, Jerry Waltimire."
Hawkeye knew he had to do something or this guy was going to do more than give him a wispy punch. Once he caught Waltimire cocking his arm again to strike again, Hawkeye dealt him a fierce blow to the groin. Immediately the grasp around his neck was loosened as he was let go and a shrill cry rang out. Waltimire fell to the ground in pain, groaning and gasping for breath.
Hawkeye felt two arms grip him under his armpits and catch him as he was released. Unknowingly he fell into BJ, pushing them both into the bar. "Are you okay?" He could hear from behind him. Hawkeye nodded, he was still having trouble breathing. Beside them the entire Officer's Club broke out into a full brawl. Everyone was punching and throwing everything they could get their hands on. Bottles were shattering and furniture was being broken.
In all the confusion someone else grabbed Hawkeye by the collar and pulled him forward again. The soldier was about to deck him when Hawkeye ducked and jabbed him in the stomach. When Hawkeye turned around BJ was involved in his own jest. "Beej!" Hawkeye called to his friend, BJ turned and looked at him. "You all right?"
"Just fine!" He shouted back sarcastically. "Never better."
"Where's Igor?!" Hawkeye looked around.
"I think he went to get the MPs." BJ fought his way through a crowd and made his way over to the bar again. "Look at this place." The place was practically trashed. Tables were turned over and chairs lay in pieces on the floor. "What's Potter going to say?" BJ commented as they looked around.
"It's not the Colonel I'm worried about," Hawkeye gulped. Suddenly he ducked again as a piece of wood came flying towards his head. When he stood up someone rammed into his stomach, pinning him against the bar. "I hope you missed me, because I've got the feeling I'm sleeping in the Swamp tonight." He got out as he pushed the guy away and punched him in the face. Outside a chorus or whistles began to wail. The door blasted open and a fleet of MPs filled the room.
"She's coming," an MP told his comrades as he walked back into the Officer's Club. The men who started the fight as well as Hawkeye and BJ were all sitting on the floor while the MPs watched over them. The one who had just come back had gone to get Margaret.
The door opened and Margaret walked into the room. She acknowledged the MPs and took a moment to speak with them before having a look around the room. The other soldiers were sitting along the wall to her left were bound at the wrist sitting very quietly. "Are these the men?" Margaret asked, she still hadn't spotted Hawk and BJ.
"Yes ma'am, they were the initial starters." The Captain answered her.
"Whom do these men belong to?" She asked him sternly. Margaret was very upset that this had happened.
"An infantry until assigned to this area."
"I trust you'll take care of them and return them to their unit."
"Yes ma'am."
"Very good," she nodded. "Now what was this little incident over?"
The MP turned around and pointed a finger dead at Hawkeye, "Him I believe."
Margaret turned around casually to look at the filth that had destroyed the O-Club. When she saw who it was, she froze. "Him?" She asked in disbelief.
"That's from what I've heard."
Margaret walked over to them, her eyes were glued on her husband-to-be. When she saw the bruises on his face her expression softened. "What happened?" She asked them with her jaw clenched.
Hawkeye looked over at the man who had attacked him both verbally and physically. Margaret touched his arm when he didn't say anything. "The Private over there got upset that his buddy died." He nodded in the other man's direction. "He blamed me because I took a North Korean before his friend."
Margaret sighed, she wanted to hug him, but it would have been inappropriate considering the circumstances. Hawkeye looked at her then and made eye contact, his left eye was swollen. "Oh Ben," she whispered as she looked at it.
"I promise Margaret that we didn't do anything to provoke them. They started it by throwing bottles as us. I only hit him in self defense after he hit me."
"It's okay. I know." She told him. Margaret turned around and looked at the MP. "I'll handle this. Will you get these men out of here and make sure they are given fitting punishments?" Normally she would have really let those punks have it, but since Hawkeye was obviously hurt, she decided he was more important.
"Yes ma'am."
"Thank you."
Margaret looked at Hawkeye and BJ, telling them to follow her. They walked out of the Officer's Club and over to the office. No one said a word until the door was shut behind them. "Klinger!" She called.
"You called ma'am?" His head appeared in the doorway.
"Yes Klinger I did. Do you think you could get me an ice pack?"
"Right away ma'am." He disappeared just as quickly.
"Are you alright?" Margaret made Hawkeye take a seat on the edge of the desk. She started to examine his eye.
"I'm fine," he told her. Margaret pressed lightly on the tender tissue and Hawkeye let out a delayed gasp.
"I'm sorry sweetheart."
BJ looked up when she said that, sweetheart?
"Ahhh..." he hissed.
"You would have been proud of him Margaret," BJ commented from a chair. "He got him good." He grinned.
"Barbarians," she blasted. Margaret was very upset over the whole incident.
"Did I really get him that good? I couldn't see." Hawkeye asked as she looked his face over.
"He fell to the ground like a brick," BJ laughed.
"Well he deserved it," Margaret said briskly. How dare someone attack her fiancée and destroy the O-Club.
"Let's just hope he already has children," the other man winked.
"Did you get hit anywhere else?" Margaret asked, interrupting their conversation. "Did anyone hit you in your wound?" Her hand fled to his side.
"No," Hawkeye shook his head the best he could. "Not that I think."
"Well, I'll have a look at it later. Just to make sure." Margaret was very concerned.
"Fine." He decided it would be best just to let her. Even though he knew he was okay, at least she would feel better.
Margaret hugged him to her and laid her head down on his shoulder, "You're going to be the death of me." Hawkeye wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back.
BJ turned his head and looked away. Their relationship was still very new to him and he was feeling very uncomfortable. One day they're fighting like cats and dogs and the next they're kissing and holding one another.
"I uh...uh...have something that I need to do in Post OP." BJ stuttered as he stood up and quickly left the room.
Hawkeye grinned, "I think he's feeling a little odd about us."
"And why wouldn't he? His best friends have been seeing one another behind his back and are now getting married."
Hawkeye lifted her chin, "I really love you, you know?"
Margaret smiled and leaned forward, "I do. I love you too."
They kissed for a couple moments and then Margaret pulled away. Suddenly she smacked the back of his head. "Oww...is that what you really think of my kissing?"
"You fought and you knew you weren't well!"
Hawkeye laughed, "What was I supposed to do? Let them beat me senseless?"
Margaret narrowed her eyes. "Just promise me you'll be careful for now on."
"I promise," he said right before he kissed her again.
Colonel Potter did return the next morning as said. He wasn't angry about the Officer's Club, just slightly disappointed. Margaret tried to dissuade Hawkeye from asking for the day off, but he did so anyway. Much to her surprise, the Colonel did give them the day to themselves, but only on the grounds that they help with any wounded. With that said, Hawkeye whisked her away to her tent. She agreed to his plan of spending the next twenty- four hours together, but she used it to her advantage and got him to talk about the wedding. In the end, they both got what they wanted. With the war ending soon, it wouldn't be long until they were home.
I would really appreciate any criticism. Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. Thanks~
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter out. I've been juggling two stories while getting ready for school. Because you all have been such wonderful readers, I've made this chapter a little longer than the others. Please let me know what you think.
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The room was dead silent, no one made a sound. The air had suddenly turned muggy and sickeningly warm. Margaret's head was spinning in circles and her chest was growing tighter. Everyone was looking at her, waiting anxiously for an answer. Colonel Potter, Charles, BJ, Father Mulcahy, all her nurses, and everyone else, including a waiting Hawkeye, were all watching her.
Margaret knew how she felt about him; she'd known it in her heart for a long time. She knew she couldn't live without him, and after his accident, it was evident that they were meant to be together. Of course they had their disagreements, every couple did, but then again, look at who they were. Fighting was apart of their nature; they wouldn't be Hawkeye and Margaret without it.
She looked down at Hawkeye; he was still down on one knee. His eyes were pleading with her, begging her to say yes. Margaret smiled at him and she was rewarded with one just as bright. His eyes were caring and full of love, how could she possibly say 'no'.
"I've known you for nearly three years, half of which, we never got along." Margaret said, breaking the silence. Hawkeye's smiled faded and he stood to his feet. "You picked on me and teased me, making my life a living hell. In return, I tried to get rid of you any way I could. Never in a million years, would I have thought this would happen, that we could end up together. I never thought you be standing there, professing that you love me and asking me to be your wife." Margaret was crying now, tears streaming down her cheeks. Hawkeye was holding both her hands in his, listening intently to every word she said. "I never thought someone could love me, that I was incapable of compassion, and yet here you are, loving me like I never thought possible." Hawkeye took a step forward, closing the distance between them. "I love you so much, more than you could ever possible know." She started crying harder. Margaret bit her lip, trying to calm herself down to get the words out to speak. "I'd be honored to be your wife," she broke down while throwing herself into his arms. Hawkeye held her to him as if she was going to slip away. He rubbed her back and buried his face in her neck; her speech had made him cry as well.
Finally after a few minutes, when they had both calmed down, Hawkeye pulled back so he could look at her fully. Her mascara was smeared all over her face and her eyes were swollen and puffy. Hawkeye took his thumb and brushed some of the make-up out of her eyes. He just stood there, memorizing that very moment. After a minute he said, "I love you too," and then kissed her. When they pulled away Hawkeye slid a diamond ring onto her delicate finger. Margaret gasped when she saw it and covered her mouth with her hand. Once it was on, she threw herself into his arms again.
The whole tent erupted into cheers and cries of congratulations. Many people were sobbing and crying heavily as others shouted and leaped in the air. In the middle of the celebration, the new couple continued to kiss and hug.
Hawkeye had been scared for a moment that she was going to turn him away. Her face had looked extremely pale and utterly terrified. He had prepared for rejection but was surprised and rewarded with her loving speech and acceptance.
They kept their arms wrapped securely around each other. After so many obstacles and hurdles, they were finally going to be together for the rest of their lives. Now all they had to do was get out of Korea.
A hand gripped Hawkeye's shoulder, causing him to pull away from Margaret and look at the person who was touching him. "I don't believe it! You're getting married?! Congratulations Hawk," BJ grinned widely, patting him strongly on the back.
"Thanks Beej," Hawkeye held out his hand and was rewarded with a vigorous handshake.
"Well done son, I'm very happy for the both of you." Colonel Potter walked over to them. He straitened up and puffed his chest out before saying, "Now I'm the closest thing this girl has to a father at the moment, so it's my duty to give you the speech." Margaret chuckled beside them as Hawkeye grinned. Potter put his hand on Hawkeye's shoulder, "Now this is a very special woman," he pointed to Margaret. "She needs to be treated with the respect and love she deserves. If I hear you've done anything to mistreat her, anything at all," he warned. "I'm going to find you and give you a beating like you've never had before."
Everyone around them laughed at this. "Don't worry sir, you don't have anything to worry about." Margaret wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him.
"I know son," Potter patted him on the back and then let him go. Hawkeye smiled and then slipped his arms around Margaret as well.
Charles stepped up behind BJ and looked at them, "Are you sure Margaret that you wouldn't like to reconsider the groom? I can't believe this is actually happening. Would you like to take more time to think about this? After all, you'd be stuck with him for a very long time."
Margaret laughed and hugged him tighter. "No Charles, I'm extremely happy with the groom. We're sorry we never told anyone until now, but we wanted to make sure it was going to work. I've already had one bad relationship. I didn't want to let anyone know until I was sure. Have a whole bunch of people interfering only makes things more difficult." She slipped her arms around her fiancée's neck and then looked up at him. They kissed lightly and then smiled at one another before kissing again.
"Oh brother, I'm getting nauseous already," Charles rolled his eyes and looked away.
"Yeah you guys," BJ groaned. "Get a room or something."
The couple parted lips and then smirked. "I wish," Hawkeye said. A nice room with a bathroom and hot water would have been so nice. "Besides, do you honestly think I want to stand around here with the likes of you when I could be with her?" He asked grinning.
The Colonel cut in before they could carry it any further, "Who wants to head over to the O-club? Drinks are on me...In honor of the happy couple."
"Thank you Colonel," Margaret said. They followed him out of the mess tent and walked over to the Officers' Club.
Five glasses of scotch and two hours later, everyone was very relaxed. Charles had fallen asleep and was now drooling on the table. The others were starting to get sleepy as well, and were beginning to drift back to their tents.
Margaret looked down to see her fiancée was fast asleep with his head resting on his arms. She looked over at BJ and they both started grinning. "Well, what should we do about him?" BJ asked as he took a sip of his drink.
"I suppose we should get him to bed," Margaret said. He was breathing heavily, making little sounds when he exhaled.
"Yes," BJ rose to his feet. "But which bed, yours or his?"
Margaret stood as well and looked from Hawk to BJ before she said, "His, he loves to smother me while we're sleeping. The only way I ever get any rest is if I can maneuver so I'm lying mostly on top of him, other wise he pushes me into the wall." Margaret really did want Hawkeye to sleep with her, but she was afraid it would have made BJ even more uncomfortable putting Hawkeye in her bed.
BJ chuckled, "That sounds like him."
"I love him to death," Margaret said. "But I need to get my rest as well. Things will be different after the war. At least then I'll be able to push him onto his own side of the bed."
BJ turned his attention to his friend and shook his shoulder, "Hawk...wake up."
"Hmgrmph..." he mumbled while trying to shake BJ's hand off.
"Come on," BJ grabbed one arm while Margaret grabbed the other. Together they pulled him to his feet. Hawkeye wasn't really awake, but he was cooperating. He leaned onto both of them and let them lead him out of the Officer's club. They were half way to the Swamp when Hawkeye started to become more aware of what was going on.
"Where are we going?" He yawned and attempted to stretch, causing them to stop.
"To bed." BJ answered.
"Hmm..." his eyes were still closed.
Again they started walking and Hawkeye followed. When they reached the Swamp Margaret opened the door while BJ laid him on his cot. Margaret removed his boots and jacket and then covered him with a blanket. She leaned over and gave him a light kiss on the head before turning and leaving for her own tent.
In the morning when Hawkeye awoke, he was very disappointed to discover he was in his own bed. After the day before and his new engagement, he had been hoping to wake up with a voluptuous blonde in his arms, not his pillow.
Hawkeye sat up and then decided against it. His head was pounding profusely as his stomach churned. Quickly he lay back down and covered his head in attempt to block out the sun. It only took a few minutes for him to fall back asleep.
A couple hours later Margaret walked into the Swamp looking for her fiancée. She hadn't seen him all morning and guessed he'd still be in bed sleeping. Margaret sat on the side of his bed and sifted through the monstrosity of blankets. After piling her way through many layers, she finally came upon his raven head.
Hawkeye was lying on his stomach with his face buried into a pillow. His T- shirt was riding up on him so she could she could see his lower black. Margaret pushed the blankets down even more so he was exposed the cool breeze billowing through the tent. Unconsciously he tried to pull the blankets back up, but Margaret wouldn't allow him.
Sleepily he groaned and picked up his head in attempt to pull the covers up again. That's when he spotted her out of the corner of his eye, sitting up against him. Hawkeye gave in and moved so he was lying on his back. "You did that on purpose," he said groggily as he rubbed his eyes.
Margaret grinned down at him as she put an arm over his legs and leaned against it. "You've been sleeping most of the day. I missed you."
"I woke up earlier, but I had a killer headache," he told her as he rubbed his temples.
"I'm not surprised. You had a lot to drink last night," she told him.
"So did everyone else." He didn't want sound like he was the only one who had had a little too much to drink. Hawkeye had never liked being singled out.
"I know." Margaret smiled down at him. "Are you getting up anytime soon, or are you going to stay in bed?" She wanted to walk around with him and show him off as her fiancée. They still had plans to discuss and things to talk about.
"Hmm..." he gave her a vexatious grin. Expeditiously and roguishly he enveloped her in his arms and hoisted her over him so she wound up on her back with him hovering over her.
"What are you doing?" She asked him as she looked up and into his eyes, he had a wide grin spread across his face.
Hawkeye let his hands rest on either side her head and moved a little closer to her, "Kissing my fiancée good morning." He moved down and gave her a pleasant kiss.
"It's the middle of the afternoon," she laughed when he moved away.
"Well then," he smirked, "That calls for another kiss doesn't it?" They kissed once more.
When they parted she said, "You can get off me now." She placed her hands on the front of his shoulders. If they stayed in that position too long, he would get ideas. Hawkeye stayed right were he was, he wasn't moving. "You better get off me buster!" She warned.
"What are you going to do about it?" He challenged as he pressed more of his body against her. Hawkeye weighed much more than she did, he was sure she couldn't push him off.
Margaret glared at him and gave him a knowing glance. "I'm warning you." Her eyes shot him a playful yet warning look.
Hawkeye grinned cheekily and ventured to let more his weight press down on her, pinning her in place. "You can't win this one," he smirked. "Just give into it, you know you want to." He leaned his head down to kiss her again.
Before he knew what was happening, she had wrapped her leg around his back and the other around his calf and propelled him off her and onto the hard floor. He landed with a thud as he hit his head against the wood paneling. "I warned you," she said triumphantly as she looked over the side of the cot. Hawkeye was lying ridged on his back with his hand covering his face.
"How did you do that?" He asked through his hand. It was obvious the fall had hurt.
"Strong thighs," she patted her upper leg.
"Uh huh," he groaned.
Margaret looked down at him, he wasn't moving. She knew he was obviously hurt, but in all fairness she had warned him. "Are you all right?" She asked him somewhat seriously, it was still funny. Hawkeye didn't say anything; he just lay there, unmoving. Margaret waited and watched him, she knew he was playing some sort of game. After another few minutes though, she grew a little worried. "Honey," she put her hand on his and attempted to push it off his face. "Are you okay? Did you hit your head?" She asked in a concerned tone.
Suddenly an arm shot up and grabbed hold of her shoulder and pulled her down swiftly. Margaret fell off the bed and landed on top of him. Immediately she heard him start to laugh heartily. She rolled onto her stomach so they were lying with their noses almost touching. "I can play that way too," he laughed.
"You...you..." she growled.
"Who are you calling a you you?" He asked playfully.
"That was a dirty trick."
"Oh yeah? What about this?" He lifted his head and kissed her gently before lying down again.
Margaret hit her fist against his shoulder, "What do you think about that?" She laughed in her own cruel way.
"Oww!" He tried to rub his shoulder, but she pinned him down instead.
"Oww!" She mocked his whining and rubbed her nose against his. Margaret loved torturing him. Hawkeye struggled against her and ended up flipping her onto her back. They rolled around on the floor as they laughed and played.
This continued for a while until the sound of someone clearing their throat was made noticed. Both Hawkeye and Margaret lifted their heads and looked up to find Charles standing across the tent watching them. "Please, I already feel nauseous." He sat down on his cot.
"What?" Hawkeye asked, he had ended up on the bottom again. "We weren't doing anything." Margaret nodded.
Charles scrunched his face in disgust, "There's nothing like watching two grown adults reduce themselves to the giddiness on the floor. Especially in a pile of dirty clothes."
"Ah," Hawkeye sat up a little more with Margaret still sitting on him. "You're just jealous because you don't have your own woman to roll around on the floor with." Margaret looked down at him and glared. She pushed him flat on his back again. "See what you're missing?" Hawkeye groaned.
"Yes, I'm missing a beating," Charles said happily. He stood up again and picked up his jacket. "I think I'm going to leave you two alone before I become even more disgusted." He headed to the door and pushed it open.
Hawkeye locked ankles with Margaret and pushed her onto her back with him on top. The last thing Charles heard was a loud cry from Margaret as Hawkeye once more overpowered her and then a series of giggles. He rolled his eyes and quickly put as much distance between him and the Swamp.
It was a good thing Charles had left indeed, because just as he had walked out the young couple had started to kiss. Margaret had given into him and not resisted when he wrapped his arms around her and held her against the floor. She really did like it when they were like that; he made her feel secure and protected. His kisses had the power to drown out any blast of loud noise and chase away any rainy day.
Margaret moved her hands up his chest and then under his arms to reach his neck, but when she touched his side he quickly pulled away. Quickly she realized her mistake; she had touched his wound. "Oh Ben, I'm so sorry."
"It's all right," he breathed. "You just caught me by surprise." Margaret moved her hand down to his waist; she didn't want to make that mistake again. She felt so bad about that; Margaret hated the thought of hurting him. Hawkeye sensed what she was thinking and forced her to look at him. "It's okay. You didn't hurt me." He told her.
Margaret gave him a small smile, "I know. It's just that, after your whole ordeal, I guess I'm a little scared I'm going to make it worse."
"Worse?" Hawkeye asked in surprise. "Baby, you're the reason I'm here! I love you." He told her softly.
Margaret smiled and held him closer, she nuzzled his face and then buried her face in his neck. "I love you too. I don't know what I'd have done if I had lost you."
"You're going to have to try a lot harder to get rid of me," he joked. Margaret hit him again. "Oww!"
"That's not funny! I was being serious!" She was not amused.
"So was I," he laughed. "Oh honey," he hugged her tighter, her eyes were swimming. "You know I'd never leave you. I promise, I'm not going anywhere." Margaret didn't respond, she just hugged him tighter.
They stayed like that for a long time, lying on the floor beside his bed. Eventually Hawkeye moved to a position where he was resting on his side so he wouldn't crush her under his weight. Each kept their arms wrapped tightly around the other as they lay with their legs entwined. They spent the time talking about their life together after the war and what their wedding would be like. Margaret loved the idea of having a home and someday, with the love of her life, a family.
"I don't want to get married here," she told him as she lay with her head against his chest.
"Me neither," he agreed. What person in their right mind would want to get married during a war?
"I want to get married in your home town," she announced.
"Crabapple Cove?" He asked as if he didn't know.
"That's where you're from isn't it?" She asked him. It was a silly question, she knew that.
"Yes, but are you sure you want to get married there?"
"What? Of course I do. I would have thought you would too."
"I do, it's just that if we get married there, we have to invite the whole town." He said as he rubbed her back.
"That won't bother me."
"Plus there's my family, and I have a big family. I also like to think you'd want yours there as well."
Margaret looked up at him; "Of course I want my family there!"
"Then you're going to be planning for a couple hundred people."
"Me?" She asked.
"Plus where would we have it? Our backyard is big, but not that big." He rambled on.
"What do you mean me?" She asked again.
"And the food, that's a lot of food!" He was purposely avoiding the question.
"Pierce," she held his face still. "I am not planning this wedding on my own."
"I'm not inviting seven hundred people!" He told her.
"Oh yeah?" She challenged.
"Yeah!" He laughed. She was so funny when she tried to act taller than him. Hawkeye kissed her before she could fire back, he knew she was going to come back with something bigger. Surprisingly Margaret didn't fight him, instead she gave into him and kissed him back. "Hey! You're pushing me under the bed," he said against her bottom lip. Margaret just laughed and kissed him again. "I know what you're trying to do," he told her.
Margaret pulled back, "Who me? I'm not doing anything." She said innocently.
"Sure, you're trying to get rid of me by pushing me under my own cot."
"I am not." She grinned.
"You always have to be so controlling," he said rather dramatically.
"I do not," she contradicted.
Hawkeye rolled her over again, "Why don't you let me be the man major."
"Are you implying something?" She tried to sound offended.
"Who me?" He pointed to himself.
"You're going to regret that Captain, implying that I'm controlling and masculine." She growled back.
"I never said such a thing," he rolled off her. "Why would I be marrying a woman who's more man than me?"
"Sure," she tackled him again, forcing him onto his back. They continued with their little series of kisses and giggles in which they each simultaneously burst into laughter in between.
The door opened and Hawkeye quickly rolled off Margaret and sat up. They had been in a very conspicuous position when they were interrupted and sprang apart suddenly. BJ came into view above Hawkeye's bed as he made his way over to his own.
"I'm sorry," he turned his head away. "I didn't mean to... interrupt anything," he used his hand to shield his eyes. The last thing he want to see was his two best friends in a...um...ah...in a rather intimate embrace.
"Relax Beej," Hawkeye sat back against the table behind him. "We weren't doing anything." He gestured to himself and Margaret whom were both fully dressed.
BJ deemed it safe and looked at the two, they both has silly grins spread across their faces. "And yet you're lying on our filthy floor?" He kicked a pair of dirty pants out of his path. "Not to mention in a pile of dirty underwear and socks?"
"They are not dirty!" Hawkeye pretended to be offended. He picked up a sock and sniffed it. "Well, on second thought..."
BJ eyed him and gave him a disbelieving smile. "What you do is your own business," he said as he walked over to his bunk.
"Now listen here Hunnicutt," Margaret told him. She pointed a finger at Hawkeye, "It's his fault. He pulled me on the floor and then refused to let me up!" She did want him getting the wrong impression. Besides, Hawkeye was so fun to pick on.
"Oh no!" Hawkeye cut BJ off before he could respond. He rose to his knees and said, "She threw me on the floor! I hit my head!"
BJ laughed, "Sounds like you two need a referee."
"He wouldn't let me off the bed!" She fought back with a smile. Hawkeye grabbed her and tried to cover her mouth with his hand. Margaret struggled against him and tried her hardest to keep his hand away. "No! No!" She elbowed him in the stomach and they both ended up in a heap on the floor.
BJ laughed as he watched them try to over power the other, they were really something. He'd never thought Margaret would be so exuberant and silly, yet here she was wrestling and flirting with Hawkeye and not caring that he was watching. "Oh yeah, I can really see why this could be torture."
"Shut up!" She screamed as Hawkeye started to tickle her. "Pierce!"
"Shh..." he pinned her in place with his knees and sat up. "People are going to start getting ideas," he whispered with much repartee. Margaret socked him in the knee, causing him to yelp and giving her the opportunity to push him off. "So you'd rather ravish me instead?" He snickered as she flattened his shoulders against the wood. "But darling, not while BJ is here. Can't you contain your womanly urges for just moment?"
Margaret sat on his stomach and grabbed his pillow off his cot. With one good swing she smacked him in the face. "I like this better," she laughed.
"Beej, don't just sit there! Help me!" He put his arms up to protect his face. She was attacking him with a new furry now.
"Sorry Hawk," you're on your own this time. There was no way he was getting near Margaret when she was armed.
The couple fought for a little longer until they were disrupted buy the door opening for the third time. "Now what?" Hawkeye sounded very annoyed. "Why does everyone have the urge to walk in here?" He lifted his head to look up at the person who had just entered. "It's not Grand Central Station ya know."
Klinger was looking at them with his head cocked to the side, this was a sight not too many people got to see. Quickly Margaret stood up and straitened her uniform. She might have been willing to let Hawkeye see her silly side, but that didn't include Klinger, and certainly not an enlisted man.
"Sergeant?" Her voice was suddenly firm and demanding, unlike it had been a moment ago when Hawkeye was tickling her. "Is there something you want?"
"Colonel Potter wants to see everyone in his office," he looked from Hawkeye to Margaret and then to BJ.
Margaret noticed his staring and questioning glances, "Was there something else you needed?" She commanded roughly. More than anything, she hated when other people butted into her business.
"No ma'am, that's all," Klinger quickly turned on his heels and fled the tent. He knew that if he stood there a moment longer she's do more than yell.
Hawkeye sat up and leaned back on his hands. He looked up at Margaret and smiled. "There's that caring, soft hearted, woman I fell in love with." He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her knee. Margaret was standing over him with her legs on either side of his body.
"I didn't like the look he was throwing," she told him still in a rather firm tone. Margaret planted her hands on her hips and snapped her hair back before looking down at him.
"Settle down," he rubbed her leg. "Don't go getting all riled up over nothing. I'm on your side remember?" He kissed her leg again.
Margaret pulled her leg out of his grasp and stepped over him, she didn't want to get into that, especially with BJ there. "Let's go. I don't want to keep the Colonel waiting." She walked to the door and exited the Swamp. BJ walked out after her quickly with Hawkeye right behind him.
They each filed into Potter's office and took a seat. Margaret and Father Mulcahy sat in the two chairs while the other men stood around. "You wanted to see us Colonel?" BJ asked.
"Yes," Sherman replied from his chair. "I'm sorry I had to call you all away from your free time, but I prefer to say this while you're all here."
"What is it Colonel?" Margaret's eyes filled with worry.
"Relax Major," he assured her. "I have to go to Seoul for a little conference with the other heads in our sector. Nothing too exciting I'm afraid," he said with a rather deflated expression. Everyone groaned, they all knew what that meant. "So...as you all know, I have to leave someone in charge..." Hawkeye immediately looked down at the floor and scratched the back of his head while BJ pretended to fall subject to a coughing fit and Charles found something interesting to look at out the window. "Well it has to be one of you."
"I'll do it sir," Margaret raised her hand. She knew she could do a better job then all three of them combined.
Across the room the three men started to chuckle. Potter put up his hand to silence them, "Now gents, her idea's not half bad."
"What?!" Charles asked as he stood up strait, "Surely you don't jest to put a nurse in charge of doctors."
"No, but I can put her in charge of administration. One of you can take care of things in the OR." He smiled, causing his glasses to rise. "And as we already have a man deemed to take care of that," Potter looked at Hawkeye. "Then that problem is already taken care of isn't it?"
"Aww...come on Colonel. That's not fair!" Hawkeye objected. "Besides, remember the last time I was left in charge?" He threw back at the older man. "You don't want that happening again."
Potter just smiled as his eyes continued to dance. "I'm not worried about that this time. First off all, you won't be doing all the paperwork, her and Klinger will be." He pointed over at Margaret and the Lebanese clerk. "Second, I know she'll keep you in line. Who's better to leave you with than the one person you'll obey?"
Hawkeye slumped down against the table, he knew he'd lost the battle already. He looked over at Margaret who was smiling gleefully. She was already planning how to spend her reign, he could tell by the look in her eye. Not, that she was addicted to power, she just loved being able to flaunt it and tease him.
"Well I suppose if you're marrying the boss then it can't be that bad," Hawkeye said with an even bigger smiled. His mind started racing with all sorts of things he'd have access to.
"Don't worry Colonel, we'll be just fine. I'll keep an eye on him. You don't have anything to worry about while you're gone. " Margaret said rather seriously.
"He brings up a good point Major," Colonel Potter suddenly added as he looked at her. Margaret's eyes widened at the thought of Hawkeye saying something good. "I realize you two are engaged, and I don't mind all that lovey-dovey stuff. In fact, I think it's great, but I do not want it interfering with your work."
"But sir!" How could he think such a thing. Margaret would never let a man, even if he was Hawkeye, get in the way of her duty. Hawkeye could wait until she was done with the paperwork.
"I don't mind you two necking or anything, but all I'm saying is not during office hours and not on my desk..." He kept on talking.
"Colonel!" Both Hawkeye and Margaret shouted in surprise. Margaret turned beat red while Hawkeye's mouth hung open. Beside him BJ and Charles were snickering softly.
Potter chuckled, "Sorry Margaret," he whispered to her. Then in a louder voice he said, "So is everyone alright with that?"
"Fine with me," Charles grinned. "Just as long as our commanders don't get carried away, and I do mean that with both intentions."
Margaret rose to her feet, "Why you!" She cocked her hand to slap him. Hawkeye stepped in between them and held her back.
"Ha ha ha," Charles laughed as he straitened from an obviously fear induced cringe.
"Charles, get out or I'll let her go," Hawkeye gestured to the struggling woman in his arms. She was trying with all her might to reach the other Major. Margaret managed to get an arm out and tried to grab him, but Hawkeye gripped her under her armpits and held her close. Charles scrambled out of the room as fast he could, leaving the others quickly. Hawkeye let Margaret go, but still kept an arm around her waist.
"Well Major, think you can do it?" Potter asked as he walked around his desk.
"Of course I can," she lifted her chin.
"Good," he put on his hat. "My jeep will be here in an hour, I have to go pack." He walked out of the office.
"In an hour?!" Margaret screeched. She had been thinking the next morning. "But...but..." It was too late, he had already left the building. Margaret turned back to her fiancée who still had his arm around her. "I have to be on duty in five minutes, I have reports I need to fill out, and the nurses rotation chart needs to be filled out," Margaret rambled on. She had been hoping to get it all out of the way before she resumed any new responsibilities.
"Honey..." He touched her shoulder, trying to bring her back to life. She hadn't even been looking at him.
"Why couldn't he have given me further notice?!" She yelled.
"Darling..."
"Now I'm going to be behind!" She pulled at her hair.
"Margaret!" Hawkeye yelled even louder.
"Huh?" Without a single word Hawkeye leaned down and captured her mouth in a hungry kiss. Without so much as another thought, she slid her arms around his neck and pulled him in closer, deepening the kiss. They kissed passionately for several minutes until Hawkeye finally pulled away at the sound of someone outside.
He leaned his forehead against hers and said with a small chuckle, "Shut up."
Margaret looked at him and kissed him again. "You're lucky I love you," she whispered against his lips and closed her eyes.
"I thank God every day." He told her lowly and huskily as his lips moved to her ear. Margaret tilted her head as he nibbled for a moment and then placed a trail of kisses down her neck.
"ATTENTION, ATTENTION, ALL PERSONEL; WOUNDED IN THE COMPOUND! COME GRAB A TABLE BEFORE THEY'RE ALL TAKEN!"
They both groaned at the sound of the announcement and unwillingly pulled apart. "What are you doing after OR?" He asked hopefully.
"Paperwork," Margaret sighed. "Lots and lots of paper work." Her voice trailed. She slumped her shoulders and turned to walk out the door. "And as chief surgeon and co-commander you need to help me."
"Oh, that's lovely." He put his hand on her shoulder and followed her outside. "You know, I was just saying that the other day to BJ, about how I'd love to follow fourteen hours of surgery with another four of paperwork."
"Would you prefer I invited Charles over to my tent in the middle of the night instead?"
"I'll be there right after OR," Hawkeye said quickly as his hand moved to her back. With a cunning grin from his fiancée he left her and ran to help in triage.
*****
OR lasted for a good twelve hours, and with only three surgeons operating the session dragged by. By the time they were finished it was two O'clock in the morning. Hawkeye sat alone in the changing room, tiredly taking his scrubs off and putting on his fatigues. All he wanted to do was go to sleep, he didn't care where, just as long as he could sleep.
"Are you ready to go?" Margaret said as she walked in. Hawkeye was sitting with his head resting up against the wall with his eyes closed. "Honey?" She shook his shoulder.
"Huh?" His eyelids opened slowly.
"Why don't you finish changing so we can go."
He looked down to see he had one arm in his T-shirt and the other hanging outside. "Oh," he yawned. "That gusher soaked me right through. I knew I shouldn't have worn underwear."
Margaret smiled, "Well then it's a good thing you didn't wear your white ones."
"I know," he commented as he finished putting on his shirt. Hawkeye stood up and put on his jacket.
"Ready?" She asked.
Hawkeye yawned, "Yeah, let's go." They walked out side.
They were almost to her tent when Margaret said, "But before we go to bed, you're going to have to change."
Hawkeye gave her a mischievous look, "What if I just slept in the buff?"
Margaret raised her eyebrows and grinned, she flicked the pile of papers she held in her arms. "We have a lot of paperwork to do. It depends how much cooperation I get." Hawkeye groaned and stuck his tongue out in disgust.
*****
Margaret removed her glasses and set them down on the desk. Her eyes were getting tired and her vision was starting to blur. The small lamp sitting on her desk was giving off a soft glow that caused her eyes to droop even more. Slowly she smiled as she stared across the room at the sleeping form of her love. Hawkeye told her that he'd help, but the poor thing was just too exhausted. He hadn't lasted fifteen minutes.
She turned off the light and quietly made her way over to the bed. Hawkeye was lying with his face facing the wall under a single sheet. Margaret slid in behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She rested her head against his back and cuddled up behind him.
Margaret could feel his cotton boxers against her legs; he had changed them just like he'd said he'd do. These were white, unlike the others, which were olive green soaked with blood. She smiled to her self, he'd been too tired to try and proposition her for a second time.
"What are you thinking about?" A soft voice broke her thoughts. She could feel his hands on hers.
"You." Margaret answered in a voice just as lull.
"Me?" He ran his hand up and down her arm.
"Did you know that you have the softest skin I've ever felt," she whispered right before she planted a kiss between his shoulder blades. Hawkeye shivered involuntarily as a tingling sensation traveled down his spine. Her hands moved from his grasp and came to rest on his lower back. She stroked his skin with her thumbs as she placed another gentle kiss right below his neck.
"Hmmm..." he breathed deeply as he shut his eyes again.
"That's one thing I love about you, you have wonderful skin." Margaret ran her cheek across his back.
"I have other wonderful features too, as if you hadn't noticed."
"I've noticed," she inhaled his sent. Hawkeye turned in her arms so they were lying face to face.
"You're pretty terrific yourself," he said as he kissed her. His lips moved down to her neck as he pulled her closer. "I missed you last night." Margaret rubbed his back. "I was a little surprised when I woke up in the Swamp this morning. You didn't want me to sleep with you?" He kissed her shoulder.
Margaret grinned, "BJ, I knew it was feeling uncomfortable. I didn't want to make it even more awkward."
"Yeah, I got that from him too."
"Besides, I knew this would happen."
"What?" He was completely clueless.
"We were supposed to be sleeping," she reminded him. "You were exhausted."
"I know, but I had a nice little nap." His hands were moving over her back.
"And you left me to the work."
"I'm sorry honey, let me make it up to you," he kissed her passionately, showing her his intentions.
When they broke apart Margaret said, "Naw...I'm too sleepy." She turned around and lay with her back to him. Hawkeye groaned, he really thought he'd gotten to her.
"You were the one who woke me up and started kissing me!" He said in mild frustration.
"I'm sorry baby," she yawned. "I'm just so sleepy all of a sudden." Margaret fluffed her pillow and snuggled down. He put his arm around her and scooted so they were spooning. After a few moments however, he started placing single kisses on the back of her neck. "Ben..." Margaret's hand came around and threaded through his hair as he nuzzled her neck. "Ahh...please darling," she begged, his kisses were torturous.
"It's only three in the morning," he spoke in a whisper. Hawkeye moved her hair out of the way and moved his lips further up her neck.
"Potter is gone, I'm in charge, and you're supposed to be helping," she reminded him.
"You're not getting up in three hours," he told her. He knew she was thinking of getting up at six. "No one is expecting that. They just went to bed themselves. The paperwork can wait."
"You're right, sleep is more important."
"You're an evil woman," he gave up on trying to seduce her. Hawkeye laid back and looked at the canvas wall. Maybe she was right; he was feeling a little sleepy, but not entirely.
"You're getting tired, I can tell," she smiled into her pillow.
"Yeah, yeah." Margaret felt him relax against her. His arm slid around her waist and he cuddled closer to her. "You win," he breathed.
In a matter of minutes the engaged couple had fallen asleep in each other's arms. Neither had slept well the night before, they never could when they were apart. Margaret felt bad about putting him in his own bed when he had fallen asleep, but she didn't want BJ helping her get him into her cot. She's always thought of her and Hawkeye as being a very intimate couple, something about BJ putting him in her bed made her feel a little violated. After all, that was the place where they made love.
When Margaret awoke the next morning she found it rather difficult to move. She opened her eyes to find her fiancée sleeping with his head on her chest. He had a leg wrapped around hers and his arms were encircling her waist. His soft hair was in her face as the top of his rested beneath her chin. "Ben," she tried to push him off her. "Ben darling, wake up." She pushed with more force. Margaret found his shoulders and heaved, but he wouldn't budge. He weighed one hundred eighty five pounds; there wasn't any way she was going to get him off on her own. Suddenly an idea came to her; Margaret started to stroke his lower back just above his boxer line. She knew it was one of his sensitive spots, it always drove him crazy. After a few moments he let out a low groan into her chest and moved his body closer to hers. Instantly he started kissing her neck and pulled her into a tighter embrace.
"Hmghph..." he groaned as he pulled himself up to gain better access to her neck.
Margaret sighed, that wasn't the reaction she had been hoping for. "Ben," she put her fingers in his hair. "We have to get up."
"Urghh..." he groaned again. Hawkeye loosened his grip on her a little and moved so he was lying on top of her. He lifted her chin and kissed the soft skin underneath before moving to the other side of her neck.
Margaret wasn't sure if he was fully awake, he seemed to be moving blindly. He wasn't answering her and not really making any comprehendible noises. She wasn't sure if he'd heard a single word she'd said. "Ohhh..." Margaret moaned as he kissed her pulse. He was really making it difficult to concentrate on what she was trying to say.
His lips moved lower as he kissed her upper chest and then moved to pull her nightshirt down. "Everyone's still sleeping," he said quietly as he lifted his body and captured her lips with his own.
Margaret cradled his head in her hands, "We can't...there's...too much...to do." She said between kisses.
"We have time," he said before drawling her into a very passionate kiss. Margaret leaned upward and deepened the kiss. She pulled him back down so she could rest her head on the pillow and still kiss him comfortably. There was just something about him, something that wouldn't let her turn him down. It was hard enough last night, but now that she was refreshed, there was no turning him down. When he touched her like that, she was putty in his hands.
So the newly engaged couple took some time for themselves and spent the better part of the early morning together. Even after all he'd convinced her into doing, Hawkeye still didn't want to let her go afterwards. He held her in his arms and kept her under the covers with him for the longest time. Hawkeye loved it when they were together, holding one another and touching one another. Skin on skin, that's what he liked best.
"We really should get going," Margaret told him. They were lying side by side with their arms around each other.
"Do you really want to leave this?" He was in a lull; his mind and body were completely relaxed.
"No," she stroked his hair. "I wish we could stay like this all day."
"Me too."
"But we can't," she said woefully.
"The day Potter comes back we will," his hand wondered over her hip.
"What makes you think he'll let us?"
"It can be his way of compensating."
"What?" Margaret laughed, "You mean just tell him we're going to spend the day lying in bed?"
"Yes," he answered simply.
"You mind as well just say we're going to make love all day."
Hawkeye grinned and nuzzled her, "You make that sound like it's a bad thing."
Margaret closed her eyes and smiled, "Believe me baby, that's defiantly not a bad thing."
"That's good to hear, you seemed like you were having a good time," he grinned and nipped her neck. Margaret laughed and kissed him.
"I always have a good time when I'm with you."
"Mmm...me too," he buried his face in her neck.
A little while later they finally pulled apart and got out of bed. Hawkeye dressed quickly and then laid back on the cot and watched as she finished. "Don't you have something to do?" She asked him. His eyes were following her everywhere she went.
"I'm doing it." He answered smugly.
"Don't you have rounds to make?" Margaret sat down to do her make up.
"I have time."
"I think you should go, I'll meet you later."
"You want to get a jump on the paper work?" He knew that's what she was thinking. She always liked to stay on top of things.
"Yes, and it would really help me if I didn't have any distractions."
"You mean me." It didn't take a genius to figure it out.
"I'm sorry honey," she turned in her chair to look at him. She hoped she hadn't hurt his feelings.
"I understand," he said as he rose to his feet. "I'm just too irresistible." He winked at her.
"It must be a curse or something," Margaret played along with him. He loved a good ego boost.
"I didn't ask for these good looks you know," he held out his hands and looked down at himself.
"Get out of here sexy," she shot him her own tantalizing wink.
"Ah...so you'd prefer I stayed," he hung in the open door.
"Go!" She yelled.
Hawkeye went and made his rounds as Margaret went over to the office and filled out the daily reports. When he was done, Hawkeye grabbed a bite to eat in the mess tent and then walked across the compound to join his fiancée. She was crouched over the desk, writing as fast as she could. "You certainly are much better at this than I am," he said as he walked into the room.
"That's because you procrastinate," Margaret said without looking up.
"I brought you some breakfast, I knew you'd go right to work," he set the tray on the desk.
"Thank you. I'm almost finished."
Hawkeye took a seat in the chair sitting across from her and put his feet up. He took a sip of his coffee before saying, "I had a wonderful time this morning."
Margaret lifted her head at that and caught his grin. "I did too." She smiled.
"If you hurry we can have an even better time, again."
Margaret smiled at his earnestness, he was impossible. "I'm on duty soon." She told him.
"Meet me in lab?" He pressed. "I can be quiet."
She knew she'd never do that with him, but he was fun to tease. "I've scheduled Bigilow to be in there at that time."
"Switch places, you're the boss."
Margaret stood up and put the papers she was working on in a stack. "You're going to have to wait."
"Do something spontaneous for once."
"I'm marrying you aren't I?" She shot back.
"Ouch, I have scorch marks on my face." He covered his face with his hands. "I might be blinded for life."
"Here," she walked over to him. "Let me kiss it and make it better." Margaret leaned down and kissed him squarely on the lips. "There, how's that?"
"Ah," he shook his hand. "It's a little better." Margaret sat in his lap and pulled his mouth towards hers. She kissed him passionately for several moments before releasing him. "It's a miracle," he exclaimed a little breathless. "I'm cured."
"I thought so," she gave him a triumphant grin.
"Oh ouch," he gripped his chest.
"What is it?" Margaret asked.
"Relapse," he answered quickly before pulling her into his own lustful kiss. Margaret smiled against his mouth and kissed him back.
Somewhere in the background the phone started to ring. Neither person moved, instead they kept on kissing. After a couple rings however, Margaret tired to pull away. "I really should answer the phone."
"That's what Klinger's there for," was his reply before resuming there kiss. He was right, within two more tones the phone stopped ringing. A couple moments later the door to the office opened.
"Ma'am, phone call for you," Klinger said through the crack. Margaret hadn't heard him; she was lost in a pool of passion. He cleared his throat, "Major, the Colonel is on the phone for you."
Suddenly Margaret disrupted their kiss and ran across the room. Hawkeye sighed as he relaxed in his chair. She talked with the Colonel for a few minutes and then hung up the phone. "Everything alright?" Hawkeye asked her as she sat on the edge of the desk.
"The meeting ended early, he'll be home tomorrow."
"Then we can finally spend that day together in bed," he solicited again.
"You're so incorrigible."
"That's right, you encourage me to new hights," he leered at her. Margaret rolled her eyes.
"Listen," she looked at her watch. "I'm on duty, I'll see you later?"
"That depends, can the lights be off?" He sat up strait.
Margaret eyed him, "Meet me for dinner at six?"
"Only if I don't have anything better to do," he quipped.
"Well," Margaret leaned over and fingered his lapels. "Have dinner with me and I promise we can find something much better to occupy our time with."
"You sure to know how to hit a guy below the belt," he leaned forward.
"I'm ruthless and don't you forget it," she kissed him then.
"Can you bring the ruthless side along with you tonight? I think I like her." He kissed her.
"We'll see," Margaret winked at him as she stood up. "See you later," she said as she let her hand trail off his shoulder as she walked out of the room.
It didn't take long for Hawkeye to leave the office; it was just too creepy to be in there alone. He decided to find BJ; perhaps he'd like to get a drink with him. Hawkeye found BJ in the Swamp and convinced him to walk over to the O-club with him.
When they walked in, there were over a dozen guys already occupying the place. "Is it just me or did happy hour move up a couple hours?" BJ whispered to his friend as they took a seat at the bar.
"It looks like we got the right idea too late."
"You were the one playing kissy face in Potter's office." BJ grinned. How did he know?
Hawkeye's expression softened, he suddenly felt really bad. "I'm sorry I never told you."
"It's okay," BJ patted his shoulder. "I thought there might be something going on between you."
"You're not mad are you?"
"Invite me to the wedding and we'll call it even."
"Deal," they shook hands.
Igor walked over to them as he was finishing clearing a table. "What can I get you sirs?" He asked, interrupting their little spute.
"We'll have our usual," Hawkeye answered for both him and BJ.
"Two very dry martinis coming right up." Igor turned around and started to mix their drinks.
The two men chatted together for a while; it was nice to be in each other's company again. Hawkeye filled BJ in on everything he'd been hiding from his friend. He told him about his and Margaret's relationship and why they decided to keep it a secret. They were talking in a soft tone, barely loud enough for the other to hear.
After thirty minutes or so a group of soldiers across the room started to become very noisy and boisterous. Suddenly yelling and shouting erupted, tearing through the silence of the quiet room. A bottle whizzed by Hawkeye's head causing him and BJ to turn around abruptly. As soon as they did so a chair was flung across the room where it crashed into a dozen pieces.
Hawkeye, who was crouched behind his chair, stood up. "Hey!" Another bottle zipped through the air and crashed against the bar. Quickly he ducked down again. "Cut it out!" He shouted.
"You damn doctors!" A scruffy voice called out as another bottle crashed on the floor. Hawkeye and BJ looked at each other in confusion. "You deserve to rot in hell!"
"Listen pal, we're only here to patch guys up, nothing else. What did we ever do to you?" BJ shouted. When Hawkeye stood up again, everyone in the bar was looking at him.
"My buddy died because of you PIERCE!" A very large, muscular man strode across the room towards him. Hawkeye looked upwards as he neared him, the man was huge. He must have been at least 6'6".
"I'm sorry that you lost your friend, I really am. You've got to understand though, everyone's lost a friend, you're not the only one." Hawkeye tried to stand as tall as possible. He'd lost Tommy his first year in Korea, he knew what it felt like.
"That's your excuse COMRADE?" The other man's voice grew low and scratchy.
"Comrade?" Hawkeye asked in a confused tone.
"That's right," the bigger man said as he grabbed Hawkeye's collar and pulled him forward. "You took a gook before Harry Thomason." Hawkeye's jaw clenched when he heard that word, it made his blood boil. "You bastard, you took one of them before one of us!"
"Listen, I'm sorry about your buddy. But we operate in the order of who's hurt the worst, not their views on politics." Hawkeye tried to sound as calm as possible, the other man had him standing on his tippy toes.
"You...you...you trader!" He screamed. It was obvious this man was drunk and extremely upset. For a brief moment Hawkeye saw a very large first nearing him before it collided with his face. Hawkeye fell to the floor in an instant, not really aware of what had just happened. After a moment though he felt himself being picked up by his collar again. "I'm going to make sure you never touch one of our boys again," a voice boomed over him. A hand grasped his throat, lifting him higher in the air. Hawkeye's hands flew to the fist, trying to hold himself up in attempt to keep from strangling. He looked up to see a large, grinning face, staring down at him. "You're going to wish you'd never heard of Sergeant, Jerry Waltimire."
Hawkeye knew he had to do something or this guy was going to do more than give him a wispy punch. Once he caught Waltimire cocking his arm again to strike again, Hawkeye dealt him a fierce blow to the groin. Immediately the grasp around his neck was loosened as he was let go and a shrill cry rang out. Waltimire fell to the ground in pain, groaning and gasping for breath.
Hawkeye felt two arms grip him under his armpits and catch him as he was released. Unknowingly he fell into BJ, pushing them both into the bar. "Are you okay?" He could hear from behind him. Hawkeye nodded, he was still having trouble breathing. Beside them the entire Officer's Club broke out into a full brawl. Everyone was punching and throwing everything they could get their hands on. Bottles were shattering and furniture was being broken.
In all the confusion someone else grabbed Hawkeye by the collar and pulled him forward again. The soldier was about to deck him when Hawkeye ducked and jabbed him in the stomach. When Hawkeye turned around BJ was involved in his own jest. "Beej!" Hawkeye called to his friend, BJ turned and looked at him. "You all right?"
"Just fine!" He shouted back sarcastically. "Never better."
"Where's Igor?!" Hawkeye looked around.
"I think he went to get the MPs." BJ fought his way through a crowd and made his way over to the bar again. "Look at this place." The place was practically trashed. Tables were turned over and chairs lay in pieces on the floor. "What's Potter going to say?" BJ commented as they looked around.
"It's not the Colonel I'm worried about," Hawkeye gulped. Suddenly he ducked again as a piece of wood came flying towards his head. When he stood up someone rammed into his stomach, pinning him against the bar. "I hope you missed me, because I've got the feeling I'm sleeping in the Swamp tonight." He got out as he pushed the guy away and punched him in the face. Outside a chorus or whistles began to wail. The door blasted open and a fleet of MPs filled the room.
"She's coming," an MP told his comrades as he walked back into the Officer's Club. The men who started the fight as well as Hawkeye and BJ were all sitting on the floor while the MPs watched over them. The one who had just come back had gone to get Margaret.
The door opened and Margaret walked into the room. She acknowledged the MPs and took a moment to speak with them before having a look around the room. The other soldiers were sitting along the wall to her left were bound at the wrist sitting very quietly. "Are these the men?" Margaret asked, she still hadn't spotted Hawk and BJ.
"Yes ma'am, they were the initial starters." The Captain answered her.
"Whom do these men belong to?" She asked him sternly. Margaret was very upset that this had happened.
"An infantry until assigned to this area."
"I trust you'll take care of them and return them to their unit."
"Yes ma'am."
"Very good," she nodded. "Now what was this little incident over?"
The MP turned around and pointed a finger dead at Hawkeye, "Him I believe."
Margaret turned around casually to look at the filth that had destroyed the O-Club. When she saw who it was, she froze. "Him?" She asked in disbelief.
"That's from what I've heard."
Margaret walked over to them, her eyes were glued on her husband-to-be. When she saw the bruises on his face her expression softened. "What happened?" She asked them with her jaw clenched.
Hawkeye looked over at the man who had attacked him both verbally and physically. Margaret touched his arm when he didn't say anything. "The Private over there got upset that his buddy died." He nodded in the other man's direction. "He blamed me because I took a North Korean before his friend."
Margaret sighed, she wanted to hug him, but it would have been inappropriate considering the circumstances. Hawkeye looked at her then and made eye contact, his left eye was swollen. "Oh Ben," she whispered as she looked at it.
"I promise Margaret that we didn't do anything to provoke them. They started it by throwing bottles as us. I only hit him in self defense after he hit me."
"It's okay. I know." She told him. Margaret turned around and looked at the MP. "I'll handle this. Will you get these men out of here and make sure they are given fitting punishments?" Normally she would have really let those punks have it, but since Hawkeye was obviously hurt, she decided he was more important.
"Yes ma'am."
"Thank you."
Margaret looked at Hawkeye and BJ, telling them to follow her. They walked out of the Officer's Club and over to the office. No one said a word until the door was shut behind them. "Klinger!" She called.
"You called ma'am?" His head appeared in the doorway.
"Yes Klinger I did. Do you think you could get me an ice pack?"
"Right away ma'am." He disappeared just as quickly.
"Are you alright?" Margaret made Hawkeye take a seat on the edge of the desk. She started to examine his eye.
"I'm fine," he told her. Margaret pressed lightly on the tender tissue and Hawkeye let out a delayed gasp.
"I'm sorry sweetheart."
BJ looked up when she said that, sweetheart?
"Ahhh..." he hissed.
"You would have been proud of him Margaret," BJ commented from a chair. "He got him good." He grinned.
"Barbarians," she blasted. Margaret was very upset over the whole incident.
"Did I really get him that good? I couldn't see." Hawkeye asked as she looked his face over.
"He fell to the ground like a brick," BJ laughed.
"Well he deserved it," Margaret said briskly. How dare someone attack her fiancée and destroy the O-Club.
"Let's just hope he already has children," the other man winked.
"Did you get hit anywhere else?" Margaret asked, interrupting their conversation. "Did anyone hit you in your wound?" Her hand fled to his side.
"No," Hawkeye shook his head the best he could. "Not that I think."
"Well, I'll have a look at it later. Just to make sure." Margaret was very concerned.
"Fine." He decided it would be best just to let her. Even though he knew he was okay, at least she would feel better.
Margaret hugged him to her and laid her head down on his shoulder, "You're going to be the death of me." Hawkeye wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back.
BJ turned his head and looked away. Their relationship was still very new to him and he was feeling very uncomfortable. One day they're fighting like cats and dogs and the next they're kissing and holding one another.
"I uh...uh...have something that I need to do in Post OP." BJ stuttered as he stood up and quickly left the room.
Hawkeye grinned, "I think he's feeling a little odd about us."
"And why wouldn't he? His best friends have been seeing one another behind his back and are now getting married."
Hawkeye lifted her chin, "I really love you, you know?"
Margaret smiled and leaned forward, "I do. I love you too."
They kissed for a couple moments and then Margaret pulled away. Suddenly she smacked the back of his head. "Oww...is that what you really think of my kissing?"
"You fought and you knew you weren't well!"
Hawkeye laughed, "What was I supposed to do? Let them beat me senseless?"
Margaret narrowed her eyes. "Just promise me you'll be careful for now on."
"I promise," he said right before he kissed her again.
Colonel Potter did return the next morning as said. He wasn't angry about the Officer's Club, just slightly disappointed. Margaret tried to dissuade Hawkeye from asking for the day off, but he did so anyway. Much to her surprise, the Colonel did give them the day to themselves, but only on the grounds that they help with any wounded. With that said, Hawkeye whisked her away to her tent. She agreed to his plan of spending the next twenty- four hours together, but she used it to her advantage and got him to talk about the wedding. In the end, they both got what they wanted. With the war ending soon, it wouldn't be long until they were home.
I would really appreciate any criticism. Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. Thanks~