Margaret sat on a stool at the bar of the O-Club, nursing a Scotch on the rocks. She slowly sipped it, not in the mood to drink, but also wanting to forget everything: Her life, what she has, and most importantly what she doesn't have. She had been in Korea for two and a half years. She had no friends, no family, no children, no man, all the things she wanted. She was 28 years old, and still had no man. Sure there was that spineless SOB that she had married, but quickly divorced. When he crossed her mind, she quickly down her drink and ordered another. Whoa, head rush. She went back to sipping her second drink.

Tomorrow would be her birthday. Though no one around her knew that. She would never tell anyone around here. It would just be an excuse for everyone to get drunk and party. Sure, she liked the parties, but it would just be another drinking party, not like something special that she wanted. She was supposed to go to Tokyo for some R&R, but that was canceled because a new General was coming in two days to inspect her and her nurses. God, inspections were so much work. That was the last thing she wanted to do. They were stressful, and working her nurses hard to prepare made her feel like a complete bitch, and she knew that was the way her nurses thought about her too.

Just then the doors to the Officer's Club opened and in walked Hawkeye. He had his cowboy hat on, with Hawaiian shirt and cut off olive drab shorts. He looked great, but she would never acknowledge that that thought ever crossed her mind. He walked over to her and pulled off his hat.

"Hey there, mind if I join you?" Since her divorce they had become closer, though she knew that BJ and him were closer than any friend she'd ever had, and that always jealous of them. She never let on, but was a little annoyed today, and wasn't in the mood to talk.

"If you really want to." She sighed.

He knew something was wrong. "Hey, is something the matter? You seem like you're p-oed about something."

"No, there's nothing. Just, get off my back!"

"Jeez, Margaret! What the hell's wrong with you? I'm getting cold from this front you're putting on! What's the matter?" In truth he was really worried, he hated to see her upset. After Donald, he's looked out for her.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it!" She jumped up and walked out of the club.

He sighed and looked around the bar to see if someone had seen this exchange. Fortunately, as always, everyone was so involved in their own little world, except Igor, who was always watching everyone. It was pretty boring bartending unless there was a party. Watching everyone drown their sorrows just wasn't that entertaining.

"What'll you have, Captain?" he asked.

"Um, I think I'll take it to go." He put down some money to pay for a drink that he didn't have and jumped up to go after Margaret.

Igor took the money and shook his head. Everyone thought he was stupid, but he could tell what was going on. "He wants her." He said under her breath as he went back to cleaning glasses.

Hawkeye ran across the quiet compound. He had forgotten that everyone was watching Bonzo Goes to College for the umpteenth time. He had enough of it and decided to go to the O-Club to see what other nurses had decided to go there and were looking for someone to accompany them to their tent. His night turned out different than he had planned.

He decided she would most likely be in her tent, but he didn't want to appear to spy on her, so he just slowly walked past her tent, listening for any clue of her. He heard a muffled whimpering, and knew something was definitely wrong.

He knocked on the door. No answer, except for a few quiet sobs. "Margaret? It's Hawkeye. Can I come in?" Still nothing. "Listen, Margaret, I know something's wrong. You know you can talk to me, c'mon. There's no need to hold it in."

"Go away Pierce."

"Margaret, please. I know something's wrong. Look, take it out on me. Just talk it out. If not you'll end up blowing up at the nurses. I know that's not what you want." That had struck a nerve.

She opened the door. Her face was read and she looked really depressed. Her hair was a mess and she wore a pair of plaid pajama pants and a huge army t-shirt. "What do you want?"

"Listen, Margaret, I know you're upset. I could tell in the O-club when you nearly bit my head off when I said hello. Now you need to talk, c'mon. You can tell me. We've, uh been through a lot together." He lowered his voice so no one would hear. "That night when you got the letter from Donald. The time you thought you were Pregnant? I helped you though all those times, Margaret. If there's another thing bothering you, c'mon out with it."

"Come in Captain." She said in her majorly voice. She always remained in composure until she was alone with someone she could trust. When she closed the door she just looked at him.

"Now, can you tell me?"

She burst into tears and he hugged her close. His arms felt so good around her. "Oh Hawkeye, you just said my problem." She managed through tears. He sat her down on the cot and got a tissue from the box by her cot to give her to wipe off her tears.

"I'm afraid I don't follow."

Once she had managed to calm down a bit she finally got it out in the open. "I have nothing! Frank was a waste of my time! I wasted a year and a half with him! I always knew nothing would come of it. He was already married and didn't want a divorce. I should have stopped before getting hurt but I didn't! I was too stupid."

"Shh, don't say that. You weren't stupid. Everyone needs someone, and, well sometimes it just gets, well a little confusing. I think of it as somewhat my fault, you know. If I hadn't played those tricks on you we probably would have become friends earlier, and you never would have had to be with Frank."

"No, no don't say that. But that's not all of the problems. I was just thinking about then there was Donald. He cheated on me! Why? Was I not a good wife? I did my best!! He had been sleeping with other women before he knew me! I know it wasn't my fault; it's just that every birthday reminds me of what I don't have! I don't have a man, children, I don't even have a home!"

"Birthday?"

"Oh Crap."

"It's your birthday? Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I didn't want to because I knew that the only reason anyone around here would want to celebrate would be simply because of the celebrating. Not because they like me, but just another excuse to get drunk. I don't want that. And don't do anything because I don't want your pity."

"I'm not going to give you pity Margaret. You should celebrate your birthday, however! You can't celebrate in your tent alone, crying about what you don't have. Just think about the good things in life. So when exactly is this momentous occasion?"

"Tomorrow."

"Oh, very good. Can I ask you something else?" She looked at him. "How old will you be?"

"Pierce!"

"Sorry, sorry, I just want to know, as friends!"

"If you must know, I'll be 28."

"That's a beautiful age Margaret. I know because that's my age."

"You're 28?"

"Yeah. Bet the gray hair fooled ya, huh?"

"Well,"

"I know, it's the stress of war. Apparently, according to my dad, every man in our family, no matter how young, if they do something stressful or challenging, they go gray early, then after the ordeal, we go back to having black hair again. I think it's some weird Italian gene that's in me somewhere along the line."

Margaret laughed. "You know, you always know what to say. Something that has nothing to do with anything, but it cheers the person up and makes them forget about their problems. I have to say, you've always been one of the best people to talk to. Thank you." She leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"No problem. Though that kiss brings me back to high school. That was a 'thanks for carrying my books and taking me to class' kiss."

She laughed. "How's this for a thank you for, uh, well, being there for me lately." She leaned forward and kissed him squarely on the lips. He leaned forward, deepening the kiss. She reached up to stroke his silky hair, as his hands moved idly around her back. Suddenly, Margaret pulled away.

"Wait. Hawkeye, listen, you are a great guy. You really are. But like I said, I've decided that I'm sick of having a man that just want me in bed and that's it. I also know that you're not one for long lasting relationships. I don't want it to be about sex anymore. I want it to be about love. I want to make love, not just sex."

"I understand. You know, lately I've been thinking about it. I want the same things you do Margaret. Sure, I know you've envied me because I have a hometown. So what. It's a great place to live, but not when you've slept with every female in your age group that lives there. There's not a whole lot for me in Crabapple Cove. I have no idea what to do after the war. I don't have a serious girlfriend, I never have. Well, actually, there was Carlyle, but I didn't love her more than medicine. She needed more from me that I wasn't prepared to give at the time. Now I realize what's more important. I never thought I'd find something more important than medicine, but I know now that love is."

"I feel the same way about the army. I loved it. I think that after the war, I'm resigning. I've had enough senseless death and destruction for one lifetime. And many more lifetimes."

"I don't plan on giving up medicine, but it will take second to a loving wife and family if I ever find one."

Their noses were so close they nearly touched.

"Hawkeye?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think-"

"I think so. We should give it a try." He leaned into her and gave her the most passionate kiss she had ever received.

When she finally caught her breath, she managed "wow."

He laughed a little.

"I know why all the nurses go after you."

"You ain't seen nothing yet."

"Hawkeye."

"Sorry. Although, we did, you know, in that hut."

"We were both scared. We thought we would die. It ended in disaster. I tried to change you. I'm sorry. I guess we ended up fighting, just because, well-"

"We were scared."

"Yeah. We'd never thought about anyone before like that."

"I know. Margaret, we were scared. But it made me realize what a great person you are. When you broke down that barrier and talked to me about your feelings. I realized, you're a beautiful human being."

"Thanks Hawkeye. And you know, when you comforted me. When you talked to me to help me get through the news about Donald, I realized that you are a caring person. You really do care Hawkeye. I always saw it when you talked to your patients, and I knew you had a funny way of showing others you care, such as pranks and practical jokes, but that night you showed me you can be compassionate."

"And ever since then, you've shown me your feelings, and I've cared for you. We both changed, because of each other, and for the better." He kissed her gently again.

"Hawkeye?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"Well, I, um don't really know how to say this. Remember when I thought I was pregnant?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I, um, I was really upset, and I came to you. The reason, was, because. um, well, that baby, had I been pregnant I mean, umm."

"What about it?"

"Well, it wouldn't have been Donald's. We, uh, never, you know. All we did was fight. On the honeymoon, he kept leaving before anything happened, saying he had conferences. I found out it was that he had dates."

"That bastard."

"Yeah."

"So, who's---uh?"

"Hawkeye, the last person I ever did anything with, was, umm, you."

"You mean I was almost a daddy?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You know, had that happened, Margaret, I would have supported you all the way. You were upset because you didn't know how I'd react so you didn't tell me, just got me to get the results, right?" She nodded. "Well, Margaret, I would have been so thrilled. You know now, I'm really kind of sorry you weren't pregnant."

"Me too, now that you're okay with it. Although, I would kind of prefer to be married before I get pregnant."

"Margaret, that would have been the best news of my life. To think, I was almost a daddy. I can't believe it."

"Yeah. You know, I think you would have been a great daddy. When I saw you with the little Korean baby, she brought out the best in you. I saw the, uh, daddyness in you. You were so sweet to that baby. And when you'd come over to my tent just to hold her, I knew that I wanted a family. A husband, and children."

"I know, I could tell you would have been a great mother too. And I loved that little girl. I can't imagine what it would feel like to have one you actually made, you know? Just holding that little girl, even though she wasn't my own, it was amazing. I knew then that, well, I wanted to stop all this chasing nurses for sex, and find someone to settle down with. In Crabapple Cove. Get a house, like my childhood house, but a different one that is my wife's and mine, and raise a family there. Sister of Mercy Hospital, one of the biggest in the state serves all of Crabapple County, and is just over in the next town, in New Sussex." *I don't know any small towns in Maine, I don't know if this place exists but I just wanted to come up with a name so yeah*

"Yeah."

"I could work as surgeon there, maybe in even chief surgeon, and you could work as the head nurse of surgery." He realized what he said and stopped.

"Me, Hawkeye?"

"Well, um, uh, you see, uh what I meant was, uh-"

"It sounds perfect." She said looked straight into his sparkling deep blue eyes.

He smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"I was hoping you'd say that." He mumbled against her lips and enveloped her in a warm embrace and a passionate kiss.

"Oh, Hawkeye." She pulled away. "I'm just not ready for this." She saw the disappointment in his eyes and smiled seductively, and added "yet." He smiled back at her.

"I understand. But since tomorrow is your birthday, you and me, my dear, we will do something. Can I take you out somewhere? I won't organize a huge party where people get drunk. It'll just be you and me, if that's what you want."

She pretended to be thinking really hard about making a decision about this. Finally she looked at him. "Pick me up at 7:00" She said with a wink.

"You made a pass at me! I can't believe it! Well, major, I'm not that kind of a boy." He opened the door and started to walk out, when he turned around to look at her. "Just kidding. See you then." He smiled and was gone. Margaret smiled to herself, feeling a million times better than she ever had while she'd been over here, and a billion times better than she had felt today.