Decided to write this after watching the last half of the episode where Hawkeye is blinded. It's my first MASH fic, so please be understanding, and please, review. Enjoy!
He often found himself closing his eyes more than usual. There were many times he just sat back and closed his eyes. He listened to the world a lot more. He came to know the sounds of his favorite places. The hospital, his dad's clinic, the park, the beach.
He never forgot to listen. For when he shut his eyes, he saw the world. He made sure he never forgot to see without his eyes. And when he opened them, what he saw was even more precious.
The days he had to spend in Korea without his eyes were terrifying. Not knowing if he would ever see again scared him unbelievably. But those days were ( no pun intended) eye-opening. Never before had he taken the time to just sit back and listen. The world was so different when he experienced it through his ears.
He sat now on his back porch, listening as the rain fell upon the soil. His mind switched back and forth between the current New England storm and one of the past, in a land filled with destruction and painful memories. He remembered that first storm, and how precious it was to him. He thought about the current storm, and how it was special because he could see it two ways- eyes open, eyes closed.
He heard the door open and footsteps came closer. He kept his eyes closed as he felt her sit on the porch swing, next to him. He grabbed her hand, knowing immediately where it was. They sat there together and he knew she was listening as well. They listened together sometimes. It made everything sound so much better, when the woman he loved was beside him. He squeezed her hand and looked at her.
"Margaret, let's barbecue some steaks tonight."