Waste

Dearest Margaret,

Even as I write this letter I know that I parting comes ever closer, I only wish I could say these final words to your face. I don't think I've ever told you just how much you've meant to me during these torturous years. I'm going to miss you Margaret and that's the truth. I never believed we'd actually leave this hellhole, so I never thought I would have to say goodbye to you. However now it comes to it, I don't think I want to say goodbye.

There's something I never told you. You were the only one that meant anything to me. Those other girls didn't matter. Margaret, I think I've fallen in love with you. I'm sorry I don't have the courage to say this to your face and I also hope that you will allow me to see you once you're back in the states.

Yours forever,

Hawkeye

She'd never expected the letter, but unpacking a week later it slipped from between two of her shirts, 'hot lips' scrawled on the envelope. She knew who it was from the use of her loathsome nickname and felt tears running down her cheeks. Missing Korea was the thing she'd least expected, actually it wasn't Korea she missed if she was truthful. It wasn't the rats, the thin lumpy mattresses, cold showers, inedible food and lack of privacy that she missed, it was the people she'd come to know. It was Colonel Potter, Father Mulcahy, Hunnicut, Winchester and especially Hawkeye.

"Hawk, you seen that new nurse yet, she should've been here an hour ago" He shook his head at Matthews and turned back to Mrs. Michaels chart.

"Excuse me, I'm the new nurse. I'm sorry I'm a little late" A very firm voice barked at the information desk just outside the room.

"You're going to be fine Mrs. Michaels" he told her hurriedly replacing her chart. "I'll take it from here" he told the woman at the desk, she nodded. "What are you doing here?" he added turning to the woman next to him "I can't believe it"

"You're looking at you're new head nurse."

"Congratulations" he told her pulling her close, unable to believe he'd never asked Matthews who the new head nurse was.

He'd been at Crabapple Cove General for almost a month, he'd been in the states almost two. He hadn't heard a word from Margaret Houlihan, had assumed she didn't want a thing to do with him. She smiled apologetically, she'd meant to write him, but no words would come.

"You Houlihan?" a voice asked behind her.

"Yes" she turned, trying to ignore Hawkeye as he took a step closer to her, and rested his hand on her shoulder.

"See you round" he whispered to her, returning to his rounds.

"You two know each other?" Matthews asked Margaret, gesturing to Hawkeye's retreating back.

"Served together in Korea"

"That's right, you mentioned you were stationed at a MASH. Nice guy" he added flippantly leading Margaret down the hall past the nurses' station to her new office.

"I'll let you settle in. If you need anything just ask anyone of us." She nodded her thanks and began pulling things from the box she had bought with her.

Twenty minutes later she was interrupted by a knock on her door. Hawkeye must have finished his round, she gulped some air "Who is it?" she asked knowing the answer. She received no answer but the door creaked open, revealing Hawkeye, wearing a white gown, a pen stuffed in his pocket. He really was quite handsome, his hair now freshly cut, clothes laundered and face cleanly shaven.

"I love that picture" he told her, voice barely above a whisper as he approached the photo they had taken of the 4077th with their Polaroid. She smiled, she was also quite fond of the picture.

"What are you doing here?" his voice was no longer gentle, rather harsh and biting.

"Don't make it like this." She pleaded.

"I'm sorry Margaret, I haven't heard from you since Korea, and then you turn up without warning in my hometown. Did you even get my letter?" His voice softened though a trace of annoyance was still present.

"I did and I don't know what to tell you. There's a part of me that would love to tell you I feel the same way, but I guess I'm scared" She'd thought long and hard about to tell him, her initial reaction was to be angry, but she knew that wouldn't solve anything.

"Then why did you take a job here, when you knew I would be here?"

"Believe me, you are not the reason I took this job. It's a great position" She almost yelled, offended by his accusation, and confused because in truth she wasn't sure what she was doing there.

"A great job?" Okay so maybe the job wasn't that great, head nurse in a tiny hospital like Crabapple Cove was hardly the best she could've done. Who was she kidding, she was there because of Hawkeye.

Crossing the room quickly and determinedly she pressed her lips against his, sliding her tongue gently across his lips and her fingers gently down his arm. "Margaret?" he questioned as she pulled her lips from his.

"Let's take this slow" was her only reply, Hawkeye gave a rare genuine smile which she returned.

"I guess this is where I invite you to dinner?" She nodded and he pulled her close in a hug, maybe the war hadn't been a complete waste.

This was just a short thing cause i don't think the goodbye in the final episode is adequate