Music of the Heart
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An alternate ending to ‘Yessir that’s our baby’. I of course own nobody; cause 20th Century Fox owns them. I this story belongs to me, and me only. If you would like to post it your site, please ask me, same with the idea, I would appreciate it if you told me. And I think that’s about it, oh well I would like to thank Beth Mott, thanks for the idea for the alternate ending idea. Not the plot line but the idea for an alternate ending. I would also like to thank Alan Alda who said ‘a writer is a person who can squeeze life into words.’ For that I thank you, and thank you. This story is dedicated to that little girl who has the gift to make anyone smile. My baby girl Michaela, who has the power to make you smile even if you are crying. And to anybody who can make someone smile. Thank you! The story in this fic called ‘The Vanity of the Rat’ is from the book ‘It’s fun Being Young In Korea’ which was published in 1979.This book is full of different stories from different authors, but unfortunately this story does not have an author that is mentioned in the book. The title of this story is just the title I picked. This is what I wanted to happen after ‘Yessir that’s our baby’ so I decided to write it, and I hope you like it!
Chapter 1
As sadness swept over the camp as the only sign for hope disappeared. Margaret Houlihan sat quietly in her tent staring at the footlocker where the baby used to lay. A small tear ran down her cheek. He thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. She wiped her eyes and opened the door. There stood Hawkeye holding the little girl in his arms.
"What-what are you doing here?"
"Can you please?" He gestured to the footlocker. Margaret took the sleeping baby and laid her down. "I couldn’t do it Margaret. I couldn’t throw her life away. She brought music to our hearts, and I just couldn’t let her go. I love her."
"I know you do. I feel the same way. But what can we do? We’ve tried everything, except adopting her."
"Margaret you’re are a genius! That’s what we’ll do, adopt her! If we can adopt her, then we can send her back to my dad in the states!"
"Are you crazy?! And what’s this ‘we’?"
"Margaret think about it, you and me can get married and adopt her send her to my dad, then we could get a divorce."
"That’s a ridiculous idea. You know how long it would take for the paper work to go through? I mean I-Corps has to approve it, then the Red Cross and the 8th army and any one of them can deny it and we’ll loose her."
"But what happens if it does go through? She would have a home, a father and a mother."
"Pierce…Hawkeye, I understand that you want her to have a good life, but it just wont work."
"But it might, and I want to try. What do you say Margaret, will you help me, and help her?"
With a sigh Margaret replied. "Fine, I’ll help you. But let me make one thing straight, I’m only doing this for the baby."
"Thank you Margaret. And I still mean what I said, you still are my favorite officer in the army." With that he got up from her cot and kissed her on the cheek. "Margaret we need to name her. I mean referring to her as the baby, or whatever we’ve been calling her."
"I agree. What do you have in mind?"
"Well after her favorite people."
"Pierce."
"Kathryn."
"Kathryn?"
"Yeah, it’s your middle name. We can shorten it to Katie."
Margaret smiled. "That’s very sweet of you."
"I’m just a sweet kinda guy." Margaret rolled her eyes. "Katie-Rose."
"Why Rose?"
"Well Rose was my mother’s name." He said in a voice just louder then a whisper.
"Katie-Rose it is. It’s a great privilege to share the name of the only women you ever loved more then anything." They both smiled and looked at each other. When there was a knock on the door. Margaret walked over to the door and opened it.
"Hi Margaret, have you seen Pierce?" Colonel Potter asked stepping into her tent. "I see you have." Gesturing to the sleeping baby.
"What is it Colonel?"
"Pierce, the Padre said you brought her back."
"Do you blame him!?" Margaret quickly rose to his defense.
"Simmer down there little lady, I would have down the same thing. I just want to know, what you plan to do."
"Margaret and I plan to adopt her."
"What do you mean? The army would never grant an adoption to two single officers."
"Well sir, Pierce and I are going to get married to gain custody." She paused for a reaction.
"What in Sweet Faney’s Apples are you talking about?"
"Sir. Pierce and I want to get married to adopted Katie-Rose."
"Katie-Rose?"
"Yeah. Margaret and I named her. Kathryn-Rose or Katie-Rose. Kathryn is Margaret’s middle name and Rose was my mothers name."
Potter smiled "So what’s your plan?"
"Well Margaret and I plan to get married then try to adopt Katie-Rose, then send her back to Crabapple Cove. Then Margaret has the choice to a divorce. The I would go back home and raise her."
"And you two except that’ll work? Giving the baby…" Potter tried to continue but Hawk broke him off.
"Katie-Rose."
"Katie-Rose, giving her a family, not full of love, just for convince. What kind of life would that be for her?"
"She would grow up happy! With parents who love her more then anything. And if this god forbidden war ends, I could get a transfer to Portland VA." Margaret protested picking up the newly awoken baby, and handing her to Colonel Potter.
"You would do that?"
"Yeah of course. I wouldn’t want Rose to grow up without a mother." With that he took her in his arms and kissed her. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed back. After several moments they pulled away still in each other’s arms. They studied each other’s eyes for a moment. Hawk was the first one to talk.
"Have I told you how amazing you are?"
"Once or twice."
"Well your amazing!" With that he hissed her again. Potter chuckled to himself and looked at the giggling little girl in his arms. "Am I good, or am I good?" He asked her. "Well it seems your guardians are a bit occupied. What do you say we go and get something to drink?" And Potter left with the little girl in his arms leaving the two in each other’s arms. "Well Katie-Rose, do you wanna see if your Uncle BJ wants to join us?" Katie-Rose’s only response was a smile and snuggling closer to her honorary grandfather.
Mess Tent about 5 minutes later
"Colonel." BJ said as he sat down beside him and Katie-Rose. "I just heard, can I hold her?" Potter nodded and handing the baby who went willingly into his arms. "Hi there baby."
"Oh. Katie-Rose. Pierce and Margaret will have your head if she’s not addressed with her name."
"Katie-Rose, huh? I like it, whatcha think munchkin?" The only response was her quiet breathing. "I’ll take her back to Margaret’s tent." Colonel Potter smiled and BJ carried the little girl off. He couldn’t believe how much the little girl meant to the two. She made the love radiate out of the two. And he loved to see that. He gently knocked on Margaret’s door and heard shuffling inside. He smiled to himself as Margaret opened the door.
"Hi." She smiled taking the little girl.
"Hey, I brought back little Katie-Rose."
"I see that. Thanks BJ." Margaret smiled. BJ walked in as Margaret gently laid the sleeping baby in the footlocker.
"We need to fix that." He commented.
"That we do." Hawkeye said softly stroking Katie-Rose’s cheek.
"I’ll ask around to see who can build us a crib. And I’ll get Peggy to send some of Erin’s old stuff for her."
"That’s very sweet of you." Margaret smiled. The three stood like that for a while admiring the baby sleeping.