He made his way though the joyful crowd to the punch bowl. He was going to need some liquid courage to do what he was about to do. The butterflies flapped in his stomach. It was one thing saying goodbye to BJ. He knew that he would hear from him every now and then, full of stories about Erin and Peg. He was certain he would see Winchester again. He'd be certain to be at every reunion, bragging nonstop about his latest surgical accomplishments. However there was one person he could not bear not knowing about. And the time to find out was now or never. He downed a glass of punch, grateful he'd been the one making it, and knew exactly how much was in it. Liquor had become like a vitamin for him here. "Whoa, Pierce, that's the quickest I've ever seen you gulp one down," Colonel Potter laughed, as he got himself another glass. Everyone was getting drunk. Even BJ was looking loopy as he and Klinger started a sing along with some of the nurses.

Looking around, she was nowhere to be seen. He hoped she was in her tent. That would make this much easier. The light was on, and he could hear her phonograph going. He knocked on the door. "Who is it?" she called. "It's me," he said. Margaret opened the door. "Pierce, what are you doing here? I thought you would be at the party," she said as she opened the door for him. "Margaret, tomorrow we're leaving." "I know. Aren't you looking forward to it?"

"Margaret, I'm going to be a total mess unless I know…" he stopped. This was a lot harder than he though it would be.

She looked at him curiously. "Know what?"

"About you."

"Me?" Margaret was starting to wonder if she'd need to call Sidney, if he wasn't already back in the States. "What about me? Here maybe it will make it easier if we sat down," she said leading him to the bed. She would have offered him a chair, however boxes were stacked on top of the only chair in her tent.

He took her hands, relieved she didn't draw back.

"Margaret, I need to tell you. I love you, and if you don't return it, I guess I could get over it, but I need to know your true feelings about me before we roll out of this hell hole tomorrow."

"Pierce, what did you just say?" Margaret asked. Her eyes were wide at this unexpected revelation.

"I love you," he said again, looking into her eyes as though he were searching for something.

Margaret felt as though she were going to pass out. She had feelings for Pierce, but had never dared to see if there was any reciprocation. "I love you Hawkeye. I'm just amazed. I never saw this coming to be honest with you. He kissed her, lips forceful with passion and heat. The release of long hours they had both spent wondering about the other.

Margaret wanted to melt in Hawkeye's strong arms. The kiss was unlike any she had ever experienced. She couldn't breathe, and didn't care she wanted more, and more. There was a loud knock on the door. "Just ignore it," Hawkeye hissed and wrapped her in another firey embrace. There was the knock again. "Major are you in there?" they heard Kelleye's voice call. "Just a minted," Margaret said. Reluctantly, she stepped out of Hawkeye's arms, and took a deep breath. "come in," she said. The door swung open and every nurse in the unit appeared. Under normal circumstances Hawkeye might not have minded. At the first of the war, it would have been a dream come true. Now he had to step out and get some air. He heard one of the nurses say something about a goodbye present as he walked away.

He walked into the Swamp, taking it all in. This was one of the last times he would see it this way. His things in his corner. BJ set up right next to him, and Charles's cave of fancy wines and music. It would never be this way again. He wondered what would happen to the tent once it was taken down. Perhaps it would go onto another war, or maybe it too could go home to the States. He hoped wherever it ended up, the men who crossed it's door would make the same kind of friendships he and B.J had, and the kind of friendship he had had with Trapper. It wasn't heaven on earth. More often than not he had prayed that he'd wake up in the States, and drooled over the going home orders that others had gotten. Now it was his turn. He was glad to see it end, at the same time he was going to miss his friends, and going to miss her.

He knew she loved him now, but so what? He still didn't know where she was going to be after the 8063rd, and doubted there was even a way he could find out, and Margaret knew he was from Crabapple Cove, but it was a town so small that if you blinked you'd miss it . He walked back over to Margaret's tent, and seeing the group of nurses that were still huddled inside, he made his way back over to the mess tent where the party was still going strong. "We're going home, we're going home," B.J announced joyfully grabbing Hawkeye and dancing around with him. He couldn't help but laugh. "This has to be the drunkest I've ever seen you," Hawkeye informed him. "I could get drunker," B.J assured him.

Things were starting to wind down. Klinger and Soon-Li had retired to their separate quarters before the wedding tomorrow, and the nurses were all in Margaret's tent still, however the core men had started a rousing conga line, with Father Mulchay, and Colonel Potter right in the middle of it. Hawkeye joined in. BJ tried but was too drunk, and instead just stumbled after them doing a happy dance. The conga line went out the door and past the compound. Hawkeye felt two hands on his waist. He turned around. "Why hello Major." "Hello Captain." He didn't know why they couldn't let themselves go around the others. Maybe it was the unwanted attention they'd attract. Maybe it was that they both knew that this was no place to start a relationship, even though there had been one there for long enough.

The conga line wound down back in the Mess Tent, and Hawkeye quickly whisked Margaret outside for a walk. The first streaks of dawn were starting to break the sky. Hawkeye started to panic. They were going to start breaking camp at 10:00, and this was one of the last moments he'd have free before he had to start not only packing up Post-Op, but his own things as well. "I want to see you again, once we're back in the States Have you had any offers yet?" "What?" "You know, job offers?" "No, I haven't even had time to look yet really." "Come work with me at my dad's practice. If you hate it, you can leave, but at least I know I'll be seeing you again. "Hawkeye, I promise I'll be on the first plane out of here as soon as I can." They kissed again.

"Pierce," he heard someone yell. "We need you in Post Op now," Winchester demanded. "I better go rally the nurses," Margaret said. "In case I don't get the chance to tell you before, I love you," he said, squeezing her hand before running away. Margaret looked after him in amazement. Time after time, she had blamed Korea, for keeping her from having a home, and children, but unless she was mistaken, someday she'd be telling them about how in Korea she met their father. Happily she strolled off to the nurses tents.