The moment the bus pulled into the station Hawkeye's eyes were frantically scanning the crowds from the bus window. Midway through the journey he'd paid the guy next to him to swap seats. The man had taken one look at his now well and truly travel rumpled dress uniform and asked no further questions.

He'd imagined this moment thousands of times, but nothing prepared him for when his eyes found them in the crowd. He vaguely registered the presence of his dad, but it was hard to pretend that he had eyes for anyone other than Margaret. A more gloriously beautiful sight he'd never seen. There she was, luminous in pale sunlight, bundled against the cold, blonde hair spilling out from underneath a winter hat. She hadn't seen him yet, though both she and his father had spotted his bus. He shifted his gaze to the bundle in her arms, straining his neck, scanning for any detail he might glean, but she was too bundled up for him to see much at all.

The moment Margaret noticed him was like lightning. He felt the shock go straight to the pit of his stomach. Her eyes widened, and he could see her sharp intake of breath, her exclamation to his dad. He raised his hand in what felt like a pitiful wave.

The moment the bus stopped he was standing. There was no way he was going to wait patiently as everyone else got off the bus first. He wondered if he could pay the guy next to him to move back to the window seat. The other man seemed to understand and made no move to get up, instead moving his legs to the side so that Hawkeye could squeeze past.

Hawkeye thanked him and squeezed himself into the throng of people beginning to jostle their way out of the bus. Some gave him and his uniform a knowing glance, but he didn't notice. He didn't notice much, reality be damned. He was too focussed on the blonde at two o'clock. He mentally shook himself, but she's still standing there, eyes meeting his. She's really there.

She and Daniel were making their way towards him, but in three huge strides and a yell of their names he'd made up the distance, flinging his arms around Margaret. He pulled her to him tightly, all the while trying not to squash the baby, kissing her on the side of her head and inhaling the scent of her hair. He looked down at Audrey, tears that had already been threatening to burst banks running down his face. He was a walking cliche, because she was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. It was too early to tell who she resembled the most, but that certainly wasn't his nose he saw replicated in miniature. "Margaret," he said, meeting her identically teary blue eyes, "she's beautiful. She's absolutely beautiful."

Margaret laughed, a sound that came out half sob, as she lifted the bonnet on Audrey's head. "Look at her hair!"

He couldn't help but grin. Now that was his. He looked at Margaret again before dipping his head, capturing her lips with his own in a firm but chaste kiss. He scanned her face as they broke apart before putting his hand to her cheek and going in for round two. This time it was far from chaste, complete with open mouths and a satisfied sigh. Hawkeye was impressed she managed to hold on to Audrey.

Daniel stood next to them, grinning. He'd not been sure what to expect when he saw them together for the first time. Whether there'd be any awkwardness, or whether they'd fit together right away, but to him and any outsider who might be watching, they looked like just another couple who'd been separated by war.

As they drove Margaret looked across the back seat of the car at Hawkeye, who sat holding Audrey, watching him as he gazed down at her still-sleeping face, his face conveying something near to bliss. Despite their initial greeting, despite the fact that they were engaged, she was having a little trouble adjusting to the new normal. Their normal. It was one thing to agree to marriage proposals and trade 'I love you's through the mail, but another thing entirely to have him sitting here after all that time and distance.

She didn't regret any of it. There was no doubt in her mind that this was exactly where she wanted to be, but newness and unfamiliarity were two qualities of relationships that always made her nervous.

As if sensing her unease Hawkeye lifted his eyes, returning her gaze with delight in his. "She's perfect. If I'd known holding your own baby felt this good I'd have had one ages ago."

Margaret froze as he chuckled at his own joke before sobering. "Really though, I'm glad it's her and I'm glad it's now and with you. A guy couldn't ask for more."

He reached out and took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together, before changing his mind and tugging her closer, causing her to slide across the seat so that he could put his arm around her.

Daniel looked at them in the rear-view mirror, eyes bright. "You two are enough to make an old man misty eyed."

Neither of them said anything, but Hawkeye looked down at the top of her blonde head as a smile spread across her face. She couldn't quite bring herself to look him in the eye. It was still too much, too new. Instead she tentatively leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder. Here was to the first day of the rest of their lives.

Trapper sat on his bunk, watching the morning go by. It was one of those quiet ones. There were a couple of nurses sitting outside in the sun, and Frank was wandering around muttering after the new CO had told him off for bullying some of the enlisted men. First he'd been replaced, then he'd been moved back into The Swamp, and now this. He was enjoying watching Frank suffer.

His new bunkmate wandered in from outside. "Looks like Radar's bringing the mail around."

Trapper didn't mind the new guy. He was chirpy, Californian, and ridiculously affable, but he didn't seem to be able to stand Frank so there was hope yet.

There was a knock on the tent door as Radar let himself in. "Mail for you, sirs. Here's one for you, Captain Hunnicutt, from Mill Valley, California,"

"Thanks, Radar."

"...and one for Captain McIntyre from Crabapple Cove, Maine."

Trapper met Radar's gaze. "Gimme that," he said, as he grabbed the envelope from Radar's hand.

Dear Trapper,

I hope things are all fine in that cesspool we like to call 'Korea', and that the enemy has done us all a favour and captured Frank Burns.

It's strange being home, but certainly not the bad kind, though it's possible that I got more sleep in Korea than I do now.

Margaret and I are got married on Saturday. It was a small affair. Just a few of the friendlier townsfolk and my dad. We didn't even bother sending her dad an invite, we'll just send him a postcard later telling him, which, I might add, is more than he deserves. She and I seem to work well together. Surprisingly well. Who'd have thought?

Audrey's amazing. I know people say that there's something almost magical about seeing your own child for the first time, but she really is a sight to behold. Though, having said that, she yells just like her mother. I hope you get to go home to your girls soon.

Hey, would you be able to do me a favour? It'd be fabulous if you could break the news to Frank about me and Margaret being married in the least sensitive way possible.

Your friend,

Hawkeye

Trapper smirked a half smile and let out a quiet chuckle, causing BJ to look over at him curiously. "Is that from your former bunkmate?"

"That's the one."

"What happened with that guy?"

"He got our head nurse pregnant while she was seeing ferret-face over there, asked her to marry him via the mail, and then got sent home just in time to meet his three week old daughter."

BJ laughed, "Amazing! How'd he pull that one off?"

"No idea "

"And home, huh? Reckon we could con Radar into pulling the same trick for me? I've got a cute baby daughter at home."

Trapper merely shrugged. The fact that he himself remained in Korea was still a little too raw to touch that one. "Hey, you wanna go and make Frank's day?"

"How's that?"

Trapper waved the letter in the air. "Hawk and Hot Lips just got married. He wants us to tell Frank for him."

BJ burst out laughing, clapping his hands together. "Hot Lips?"

Trapper grinned a slightly rueful grin. "That's what we used to call her."

"Brilliant! Let's go find Frank."

Smirking, Trapper stood up, letter in hand, and headed for the door with BJ bringing up the rear.

He supposed every cloud had a silver lining.

AN: So here we are, the end! Thank you so very much to everyone who's read and reviewed or read and enjoyed, it wouldn't have been the same without you. See you next fic 3