HM

Author's note

I don't own Mash. This is my second fanfic. It is a sequel to my first story, So long – see ya. With that story I used a time frame similar to a typical Mash episode. This story is a continueing story over a longer period of time. I plan to use the same story technique that Mash used. I enjoy and respect Mash exactly as it was written and then performed by the actors. I don't mind adding stuff, as long as it doesn't place the characters in situations contradicting the stories on the show. I would very much like to have the other Mash characters participate eventually, but only if I can come up with meaningful and challenging stories. I have no idea where this will lead to, but I do have a couple of ideas to begin with. To me Mash is comedy and drama spiced up with a little passion and something totally unexpected. In order to fully enjoy my story you must be familiar with the entire Mash series.

Prologue

Korea, Puzan, Juli 1953
Hawkeye and Margaret is on their way home from Korea after they had spend a rather passionate night together at Mash 8063. Hawkeye is heading for Crabapple Cove and his dad, Daniel Pierce. Margaret is on her way to Fort Ord, California to visit her father, Colonel Alvin "Howitzer Al" Houlihan.

Hawkeye was in a great mood and why shouldn't he be. He had just spend the most fantastic night with his favourite nurse and officer. She had told him she loves him and she would like to come to Crabapple Cove. Hawkeye missed his dad very much, but now he looked forward to have their good and amusing conversations again.

The visit Margaret had to pay was not a visit she looked forward to. Her father was not the easiest person to please. The army was his life. He had divorced her alcoholic mother and being the perfectionist he was, the failed marriage had affected his mood significantly.

Alvin was just as stubborn and hot tempered as Margaret. That was certainly not going to make things easier for Margaret. Especially because she had to tell him she was leaving the army, but she deeply felt that she had made the right decission.

The army had been her anchor and now she felt empty and vulnerable. Her heart was not empty, though. It had been completely captured by a darkhaired and very handsome doctor.

Crabapple Cove, Maine, Pierce residence, August 1953
Hawkeye had just arrived at the Pierce residence in the late afternoon. A typical countryside landscape in Maine with small hills, forrests and lakes. The two storied villa was placed on top of a hill close to the coast. This time of year everything was blooming in vivid colors.

Even though Hawkeye missed his dad very much, he went straight for the coast. He walked along the coast for at least half an hour. Then he took off most of his clothes and jumped into the water. He enjoyed swimming along the coast almost acting like a child again. Afterwards he laid on the beach looking at the beautiful sky of Maine. Hawkeye noticed a sinking feeling in his stomach. He missed her very much.

Fort Ord, California, August 1953
Colonel Alvin Houlihan had retired from the army, but he still lived at Fort Ord in a housing area for retired officers. He still assisted whenever the army needed his knowledge. Margaret arrived around noon completely exhausted. Not because of her long-distance travel. On her way home from Korea, the thought of telling her father about her decission had made her quite nervous, but by now her nervousness had been replaced by fear. She had requested to get her own place at Fort Ord. Margaret laid on the bed staring at the ceiling trying to calm down, but she just couldn't. Margaret got up and found her last bottle of Japanese Scotch. When she held the bottle in her hand, she noticed that her hands were trembling. Sitting on the bed, she had a few drinks before she laid down on her back again still holding the bottle in her hand. After a while her trembling had stopped only to be replaced by another emotion. A sinking feeling in her stomach. She missed him very much.

Suddenly Margaret got out of the bed. Half an hour later she was heading for the airport.