Author's Note: Many thanks to the lovely and talented Melinda (samanddianefan10) for writing "Life is What Happens While You're Busy." I loved the idea of Hawkeye finally being happy and starting a family (a subject which I suspect is close to Melinda's heart!). Wheels were turning in my head literally before I'd even finished reading. The story sort of wrote itself once I got started. I hope this does justice to her amazing work!

"Conflict in Vietnam continues to escalate. The war is expected to continue..."

"Damned war," Hawkeye muttered as he got up to shut the TV off. After living through the Korea conflict, or whatever it was, he'd had his fill of war for a lifetime. He'd already served his country once, and that was enough. Now all he wanted was a quiet life with his wife and son in Crabapple Cove. The sort of life his father had had.

"Dad, why do you always do that?"

Hawkeye turned at the sound of his six-year-old son's voice. Daniel Henry Pierce was very much like his father. Even though he'd only been in school for the past year or so, he was already earning a reputation as the class clown. And not only that, he was very bright, too. Hawkeye had become exactly what BJ had been in Korea, a bragging father who couldn't shut up about his kid. "Do what?" he asked, pretending not to know what Daniel had seen.

"Every time they talk about the war, you turn off the TV. My teacher says it's important to be aware of current events. Stuff like that affects all of us."

Hawkeye sighed. He could offer a wise-ass answer about not liking the newscaster, but that wouldn't be right. It was the answer he'd have given anyone else, but his son deserved the truth. "Come here, son," he gestured. Daniel walked over and sat beside his father.

For a moment, Hawkeye forgot what he was going to say. The moment reminded him so much of when he'd been a boy. Countless times, his father had shared his wisdom in heart-to-heart talks. Unbelievably, it was now his turn to share what he'd learned about life with his own son.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Daniel asked when his father had stared at him for several moments.

Hakeye returned to the present. "You know I was in the army, right?"

Daniel nodded. "Yup, just like BJ, right? And Colonel Potter, and that guy Klinger, too?"

"Yes. We all served in the same MASH unit in Korea. It was an ugly business. What you see on the news is only half the story. What they don't show is what happens to the soldiers after they've been hit by bombs, or whatever weapons people are using to kill each other these days."

Dnniel's eyes widened in surprise. He'd seen it on the news, how soldiers hid in bushes to shoot their enemies when they weren't looking. It almost looked cool, 'cause these guys were brave. That's what his teacher had said.

"I wasn't one of those guys out on the front. Thank God, because I never could've survived out there. But sometimes I think what I dealt with was worse. I had to put together soldiers who were missing arms and legs. Or just stop them from bleeding to death when they'd been hit with one too many bullets. It seemed like some of them weren't that much older than you. When I think of the kids we lost... the ones I couldn't save...they were somebody's son, somebody's brother. If something ever happened to you..." Hawkeye couldn't speak any more. The idea of losing his son was just too painful. Sure, there wasn't much risk here in Crabapple Cove. It was easy to pretend that the war was thousands of miles away. But not for Hawkeye. Not when he could still picture the OR in Korea.

"Dad?" Daniel was worried again. His father wasn't saying anything now, just staring into space.

"You're a little boy," Hawkeye suddenly said. "And I know how little boys act. I'm sure you've played army on the playground, right?"

Daniel felt guilty. He and his friends had played that game just yesterday. They always chose up sides, either Americans or Vietnamese. Daniel always insisted on being an American, just like his dad.

"I'm not mad at you, son," Hawkeye said, seeing the expression on his son's face. "But I want you to understand something. War is no game. Real people die in the war every day. And there are people, even now, thousands of miles away from their friends and family just trying to save a few lives. People will try to tell you they're heroes. They're not. They're just guys who are trying to survive. They all just want to come home." Hawkeye almost wanted to smile. He couldn't help thinking about Klinger, who'd tried every trick in the book to get sent home. Only to turn around and marry a Korean woman. Who could've predicted that?! Once again, Hawkeye remembered where he was. "Do you understand?" he asked. Even he, a grown man who'd actually been to war, couldn't understand the point of it all. He couldn't expect a six-year-old to make sense of it.

"I think so. Mom said you were in the war, and that's why sometimes you need to be alone."

The boy's answer startled Hawkeye. He thought he'd kept all of his memories of the war hidden from his son. Apparently he hadn't. What kind of father was he, anyway? BJ would've done better, he was sure of it. No man had ever loved his family like BJ Hunnicut.

Just then, Betsy entered the room. After Hawkeye's lifetime of womanizing and drinking enough to nearly give himself liver failure, he'd finally settled down. It was all thanks to Betsy, and to BJ. Only the two of them together could've ever made Hawkeye even think of doing this. But now, he couldn't imagine life without his family. "Hey, you guys, dinner's ready," she said.

Within seconds, Daniel took off. He raced to the kitchen. He felt about food the way his father had once felt about booze.

Hawkeye stood, following his son, much more slowly.

"Hey, are you OK?" Betsy asked, coming toward him. Hawkeye was a much better husband and father than he gave himself credit for. She knew war had changed him, but she didn't mind.

"Yeah. I was just telling our son about war. It brought back a lot of things I'd rather forget."

Betsy kissed him deeply. "Does that help?" she asked, giving him a knowing wink.

"You know it does," Hawkeye answered, slipping his hand into hers. Together, they walked into the kitchen, where Daniel was waiting for them. Yes, there were many things in his life Hawkeye would gladly change. But his life now was more than worth it.

The End