The NeverEnding Battle Book Eight : Bewitched

by Gojirob

When Hawkeye is ditched at the altar by Margaret, he meets a woman named Samantha with secrets of her own-including a secret about one of the 4077th's families. Meanwhile, the conspiracy that killed Henry Blake continues haunting them.

...Bothered, and Bewildered
By Rob Morris

Chapter One - There Goes The Bride...

June 24, 1959

She was a young woman possessed of extraordinary powers. She aged only a day for every year. She had survived war, an atomic dragon, travels through time, and been romanced by a swashbuckling Immortal. This day should have been the happiest in her life.

She was to be married today, to a man she was perfectly matched with, who possessed the same powers and abilities as herself. She loved him, and he her, that she knew for certain. For all this joy, she felt uneasy. She was supposed to be happy out of her mind.

Margaret Houlihan felt the weight of the world upon her shoulders. She had to go through with this, didn't she? After all, she and Hawkeye were fated to be together. The Klingon, Worf, had told them, that, in 2003, the eternal couple would bring down someone named Cahn. Yet in the recording they'd been shown, Hawkeye did all the talking. She had supported him, and that was all. Did she have to travel five centuries just to hear her fiancée get the last word, again? Despite what Jadzia Dax had told her, Margaret didn't feel much like she would play any role in the history to come.

She felt like life kept depriving her of choices. She had told as much to Sidney Freedman, when they had last spoken.

"First off, the military. I love it, and I love my country, and I love nursing. Mine was a military family, Sidney. I didn't know there was another way. There are no combat roles for women. So nursing is one of a few options I had."

"Might I add, you're quite good at it-Lt. Colonel Houlihan"

"I'm DAMNED good at it, Full Colonel Freedman. There's another thing We were both Majors about the same time. You've got your bird. I'm not saying you haven't earned it, but why? Why must a woman work twice-or four times as hard- to get promoted, unless of course, she has a sturdy back?"

"Were you ever accused of having a sturdy back, Margaret?"

"Once-because I did."

"You, Margaret? C'mon, leave the jokes to your soon-to-be worse half"

"The jokes, and everything else, it seems. No, I got to Captain the easy way. I felt my promotion was slow in coming, and I was attracted to the deciding officer anyway. Mind you, I felt like slime. Never before, Sidney, and never again. That is as low as I think I want to go, even if I were offered a spot on the Joint Chiefs."

"So the chauvinism in the military has you feeling boxed in."

"No. I'm used to that. Oddly enough, I always preferred Hawkeye's honest leering to the snide innuendos I'd catch elsewhere. No, there's more. A lot more. Has anyone told you about Deep Space Nine?"

"Father Mulcahy did. That must have been a pretty heady experience, seeing your own future played out."

"It was. That darling romantic fool even made a proper proposal to me there I was high as a kite until..."

"Until what?"

"Until I had a vision. I later learned that the future Captain, a man named Benjamin-that name again-Sisko, had lost his wife in an attack. Well, this time, I was the ship's Captain, and...and..."

She was sniffling, so Sidney filled in.

"Hawkeye died?"

"I hated him, Sidney It made no sense, but I did. How dare he leave me, without explanation, like Donald? Or even Frank? I know I hurt Frank, but I didn't expect to not see him when I got back from my honeymoon. Did I tell you that Dad never visited when I was in training?"

"That must've hurt."

"He meant well. Felt it would toughen me up, and it did. But I felt so alone Before I knew it, the war was on, I was in command of all these nurses, and pure chaos. Then when Charlotte and the others died, and we were forbidden to speak their names..."

Sidney had been quietly told about the dark day in October of 1950 that had seen the deaths and purposeful erasure of Duke Forrest, Ugly John, and Spear Chucker Jones, and the three nurses they had been with. The same people who had compelled the 4077th's silence had later made sure Henry Blake never reached home.

"So, seeing your own future, plus a fear of being alone, has you feeling boxed in."

Margaret shook her head.

"I'm strong I can take being alone. And I'm not going to whine about an extraordinary gift like time-travel, whatever it showed me. Its just-Sidney, may I ask you a question?"

"Well, it's a reversal of fortune, but, fire away"

"What's it like-being Immortal?"

"Your fiancé's got a big mouth, you know that?"

"Did he tell you-about us?"

"What about you?"

Sidney felt his couch suddenly rise. Margaret was lifting it from beneath-using three fingers. She then gently set it down, and ran off. Two minutes later, she came back with coffee-from a shop across town.

"Maybe you better tell me all about it."

"You heard of the 3966th?"

"Yeah. Dirty Stuff. Bio-Warfare, people as guinea pigs. You mean-you-and Hawkeye?"

"It was against our will. They gave us some phony flu shots, shots that killed as many as two thousand other people-that we know of. Us, though, it -changed. We're stronger, smarter, faster-but so many people, Sidney. Those lowlifes just didn't care."

"What about aging? I'm not getting a buzz, so I know you're not like me-or Duncan."

"Negligible. So now I feel like the man I love anyway really is the perfect man for me. I know it-and so does he. He-goes on about it-and on."

"So loving Hawkeye and Hawkeye himself have you feeling boxed in."

Her response surprised both herself and the Immortal shrink.

"Yes. Hawkeye is making me feel boxed in."

It was the first time she had said this out loud, and despite her tears, it felt good to say it. She wished she had the guts to say it to Hawkeye's face. She did love him. But he was crowding her.

"Whadaya mean, delay it? We already delayed it, from May 17th We can't keep renting the chapel, Margaret."

"All I'm asking is for a little more time, honey. Is that so much?"

"Yes, it is. In case you've forgotten, we're meant to be together. Its going to happen, whether we like it or not. Its fate. Its future history. Our neighborhood Klingon said so!"

"Doesn't it bug you at all, Hawkeye? Feeling that we have to get married? I mean, it's not like I'm expecting or anything. Don't you feel, what with that obscene potion they gave us, and being made to view our own future, that we're being led down a path, rather than walking it ourselves?"

"Three little words, Margaret I- Love - You Any path that has you at the end of it, I don't care how I get there."

Margaret kissed him, at that, but still did not derive the comfort from his pledge that she felt she should have. The doubts persisted, straight through to the big day. Of their many friends from the 4077th, only Charles Winchester and Jack Scully were able to make it. This only made the whole thing feel more ominous in her mind. Then, some words broke her from her reverie. The Words.

"Margaret Houlihan, Do You Take This Man To Be Your Lawfully Wedded Husband?"

Again, her words were as much a surprise to herself as anyone else.

"No, I Do Not. I Can't. Hawkeye, I'm so sorry"

Pierce was too stunned to act or move as she ran off-at normal speed, thankfully. This day was going to be enough of a pain without explaining what they had become.

Charles spoke up.

"It's all right-Hawkeye. She'll cool off, and then come back, and everything will be fine. Wonderful. I'm-certain of this."

While his friend meant well, Pierce knew that kind words from Winchester in place of their usual banter meant that things were really, really bad. A concerned Jack Scully asked Hawkeye a question.

"Hey, Hawk? You want me to go talk to her?"

"If you would do that, Jack, sure. I'm not sure what I'd say to her, right now."

As Jack left, Hawkeye realized he did know what he wanted to say to her-and it was none of it good.

When he first found her, Margaret told Scully to go away. She still felt something for him, so they talked. Around him, she didn't feel the deep love she felt for Hawkeye. She also didn't feel so claustrophobic. After three months of silence, Margaret phoned Hawkeye to announce that she and Jack had eloped. She asked him to be happy for her. He was not. A year after that, a heated phone conversation was seemingly to be their last.

After a year of wondering if somehow she would come back to him, it seemed over. After two months of moping, his father arranged for Hawkeye to visit a ski resort in Vermont. He went there, quite reluctantly.

That same morning, Margaret Scully kissed her somewhat apprehensive husband, Jack.

"I'm so sorry about last night, darling."

Jack smiled an awkward smile.

"Hey, you relocated my shoulder right away. Plus, you were with me. Who cares whose name you called out-five times."

"Well, Jack, that last phone call, he was pretty bitter, you know."

Jack nodded yes. He was into something good, and didn't want to jinx it. But he knew that it wasn't out of bitterness that his wife called out Hawkeye's name.

At the ski resort, Hawkeye drank alone. He now really did drink liquor only for the taste. His system metabolized the toxins without so much as a burp. He did not consider this a benefit of what Immunita had done to him.

In walked an extraordinary woman, possessed of special powers. She was feeling boxed in by her family's rigid structure, and so came to this place seeking the company of people not her own kind. She, too had very slow aging. Now, she walked up to Hawkeye.

"Mind if I sit here?"

"Suit yourself. But I'm not gonna be much company."

"Weelll, when you consider that you're the only man in here who isn't drunk, making a pass at me, passing themselves off as a ski expert, or all three, I think I'll do fine with not much company."

"Yeah. Uh, my name is Ben Pierce. People call me Hawkeye."

The woman was a beautiful blonde. At almost any other time in his life, Pierce would have been trotting out his best lines. But right then he was quite numb.

"Pleased to meet you, Hawkeye My name is Samantha."

"Samantha what?"

"Hmm. Never really thought about that, before. I suppose it would be Endoratochter, if you came right down to it"

"Endoratochter? Er, howabout I call you Sam?"

She smiled, and for a brief moment Hawkeye felt his heart turn back on.

"Sam. I think I like that. Hey, is something bothering you?"

He lied outright.

"Oh, it's...just those instrumentals they're playing. I mean, doesn't that jukebox have any Sinatra?"

Sam looked over, and her upper lip twitched while her face was turned away.

"Those Fingers Through My Hair, That Sly Come-Hither Stare..."

Hawkeye lit up.

"Hey, I Love this song!"

Samantha smiled.

"I've always thought it was his best one. Maybe I'm a touch biased, though."

"Hey, wanna dance?"

"I thought you'd never ask!"

As they danced to the Chairman's "Witchcraft", the two forgot their nerves and just drifted together. Sam's eyes were darting around, looking for any of her family who might have followed her-one in particular. Pierce's eyes he cursed, for they kept turning this beautiful creature into the one woman he still wasn't sure he'd punch or kiss. Not wanting to punch Sam, he kissed her instead. They danced long into the evening. For the moment, they were happy.

Chapter Two - Sam Meets Dan

February, 1961

"First off, you are a damned coward for not trying to win back Margaret when you had the chance, and a damned fool for letting her slip away in the first place. Further, Ben, if this new girl doesn't think that you are good enough to meet her family, then I say, to hell with the little witch."

Daniel Webster Pierce was a man of few words, except when he wasn't. Hawkeye had heard some variation on this speech since he told his father he was inviting Samantha, the woman he had met at the ski resort, to their home in Crabapple Cove, Maine. If it weren't so large a house, Hawkeye would have permanently moved out ages ago. But it was large, and more importantly, it was home. Home is where the arguments are, after all.

"Gee, Dad, I do wish you wouldn't sugarcoat it. Do you have any other pearls of wisdom you'd like to drop?"

"Oh, I'm wounded! Yeah, Doctor, I do have something else. It's a question. Son, have you told her The Truth?"

"What-truth would that be, Dad? There are so many to choose from, what with the Presidential Election only a few months back."

"Ha-ha, wisenheimer. What I mean is the *By the way, Samantha, I don't grow old anymore, can run faster than most turbine jets, and can tear redwoods out, roots and all* Truth. Ben, those slime did things to you over there. You've changed, boy. Now I'm your Dad, and I always will be. But you've been talking about this woman as though you're serious. If you are, she deserves to know before you proceed-be it down the aisle or in the lake outside."

"Dad, you've-I've got to go"

Dan Pierce barely registered the blur that his son became as he raced up the stairs to change for work. On weekends, Hawkeye was one of the replacement doctor/surgeons at an ER in Montpelier. A good distance to go-if one had to drive. Dan knew that his son didn't drive anywhere, anymore, except for appearances sake. If his enhanced musculature somehow got tired, he could always sprint-miles at a time.

Hawkeye had the kind of powers and abilities he had dreamed of as a boy. But it turned his stomach to think that it was all the unintentional result of sickening biological warfare experiments performed on people in Korea. How many had died, to make him and Margaret like this? These thoughts all left him, now, that Friday night. On Monday Morning, he would return home-and waiting for him would be Samantha.

Through that night at the ski resort, they had walked, and they had talked, and neither one seemed to notice the cold. Luckily, they had both ended up going pre-season, so it hadn't been crowded. As they spoke and agreed, and spoke and disagreed, Hawkeye felt his heart heal just a bit. The night before they left, he made sure to beg off of asking her to his room. Not that he didn't want this, but he was desperately afraid of boxing her in the way he felt he had Margaret. But to his delight, she happily agreed to come to see him in Maine. Noticing the Hospital 20 miles distant, he slowed his pace and started walking normally a mile away. The head nurse greeted him.

"Doctor Pierce! Oh, thank Heavens you're here. It's a disaster!"

"Calm down, Susie. Now, what's a disaster?"

"You're the only one who got here. The other doctors live up in the hills, and the snow's already hit there."

Hawkeye realized the level of his frantic self-involvement quickly. He now remembered piling through oceans of snow on his way there, and not noticing.

"Well, so it'll be a long weekend, is all. We can't get out, but neither can anyone else. Maybe some frostbite, but there won't be many people out."

"You don't understand, Doctor. Those roads out there were packed with leaf-gawking tourists, most of whom have nary a clue how to drive on roads like these in snow like this. Were gonna be packed, and soon. Oh, I gotta go! Take care, doctor."

"Wait You're going? Now?"

"Doctor, I have two kids and a baby sitter who left an hour ago, despite my promise to double her money. In good weather, I might chance it, but not now."

Hawkeye was hardly the only one on staff at the hospital. But the specialists who were stuck there with him were not going to be any help. In the distance, he saw ambulance lights, lots of them, probably from multi-car pile-ups.

"For three nights only, folks, it's Korea On Ice!"

As Dan Pierce tried to fix a door hinge, he felt a tap on the shoulder. He then turned and saw what all the fuss was about.

"You would be Samantha."

"Well, I do try to be."

"Wish you were less of a snob."

Samantha smiled, regarding Daniel. He was the second most straightforward person she had ever met.

"And why would I be a snob?"

"Easy. Ben asks you to meet his kin, you jump at the chance. He asks to meet your folks, though, and it just can't be done. Easy math says that you're ashamed to have my son meet your parents. And don't tell me it's because they're snobs, cause I'm not buyin it.'"

"Weeell, the truth is, Mr. Pierce, is that my parents have never approved of any man that they themselves didn't select for me. Why put Hawkeye through all that?"

Suddenly, Dan sympathized.

"Oh, that sort. Say no more, my dear Ben's Mother, God Rest Her Soul, had a family even she didn't like to invite over much. She loved them, but they were difficult, and largely, I was their difficulty. Heh, heh Glad they weren't into Voodoo."

"Oh, my, yes All those pins? Never could stand it, myself."

Still trying to fix the stubborn hinge, Dan laughed out loud at what he perceived as Samantha's joke.

"My son-never stood a chance, did he? Once he started talking to you, I mean."

Feeling the break, Sam followed through.

"No more of a chance than I had, once I started talking to him. Hawkeye is really something special, Mr. Pierce."

"Oh, for pity's sake, call me Dan! Look, Samantha, once I get this door hinge fixed, how's about some toasted cheese and bacon with a slice of tomato? I'm better with a spatula than a screwdriver, thankfully."

Dan went in to get a screw for the hinge. When he emerged, he noticed that the loose hinge-wasn't.

"Well, I'll be. Must have just seemed loose. Good with me, on to the skillet."

Samantha loved her sandwich. It wasn't that food back home was bad, or bland. Far from it. But it would surprise people to learn just how boring great food can become when served the same way every time-even if that way is perfection.

"Thank You, Dan. That was fantastic."

"Just cheese and bread, really, kiddo"

Sam's eyes darted upward and sideways in a motion that made Dan understand why Ben didn't care if he never met her family.

"Then maybe I appreciate the effort. So Hawkeye will join us on Monday morning?"

"Can't say, right now, Sam. Big snowstorm hit Montpelier, radio said. Lots of people injured in car accidents. Can't get through, myself."

That night, Sam stayed in the room once occupied by Dan's stepdaughter, before his second wife died of pneumonia. The young woman had gone to live with her father in early 1951. She had stopped corresponding with Hawkeye at the insistence of that same father, who never cared for Dan.

But she couldn't sleep, and so made a choice. Into a maelstrom of an Emergency Room came Samantha. Hawkeye didn't notice her, as he seemed to be the only doctor there. He was starting to lose it.

"Please Everyone! You'll be treated as soon as I can get to you I-SAM?"

"Yes, Hawkeye, I'm here. I-phoned your Father before leaving home, and he said you were stuck, so..."

He kissed her, but she felt a tinge of regret.

"I'm glad you did come. It makes what I have to do easier."

"Why? What do you have to do?"

He closed his eyes, afraid to speak.

"I have to stop pretending that I'm less than what I am."

Samantha had one day thought to say those words to him, and so was quite surprised. But Hawkeye had made his choice. Questions or no, people were coming in with some bad wounds, and even those who could wait-really couldn't.

Moving at his true pace, Hawkeye had every wound cleaned, treated, and bandaged carefully within 5 minutes. The breaks and bruises took another 10. But still the ER was not clear. The shouts Hawkeye feared had begun.

"FREAK!"

"WHAT ARE YOU?"

"THAT SPEED-DID YOU SEE HIM?"

"YEAH, HE HELPED US! PROBABLY AN ALIEN, LOOKING FOR SLAVES!"

The next several comments were even less kind and the patients began to look like a mob-maybe even a lynch mob. Hawkeye had upheld his oath, but his life would be over soon. The people who had made him like this would certainly seize the opportunity to hold him for study. But then, hope emerged. Sam held up her hand, and recited words.

"Let your fear pass; Let your worries unwind; Put all this chaos from your minds; Let your common sense be now deceived; It was normal-paced care you did receive; And, er-Please drive carefully as you leave."

Followed through by a twitch of Sam's upper lip and nose, the people did as she said. She then turned to Hawkeye, not knowing what to expect. To her joy, he was smiling, and holding two Four-Ounce bottles of soda. She took one.

"Sam, I owe you a big explanation. But for now, here's to us-the Secret Couple."

"Hawkeye, we both have some explaining to do-but, as you say, here's to the Secret Couple"

For the next several hours, the explanations were put on ice, the soda was cool, and the kisses were warm.

Hawkeye still didn't want to live without Margaret. But for the first time in a long time, he saw that it might be possible to do so. Certain images persist, though.

Having been phoned and told to await a big explanation on Monday, Dan Pierce was certain he saw a blur in his front yard. A blur that he knew as Hawkeye's. But it was gone before he could blink, so he assumed he had simply made a mistake.

Another person who felt they had made a mistake was the Chief Of Training for Army Nurses for most of the Eastern Seaboard, the only person on Earth faster than Hawkeye. Margaret Scully raced back toward her home near Fort Monmouth, NJ. Hugging the coastline as she went, she could tell herself that the salt in her eyes was from sea water. It was a good lie, one often used-by Hawkeye Pierce. It was a lie Jack Scully was starting to regret believing in.

Chapter Three - The Odd Turn Of Events

The 'Secret Couple' had a lot to explain to one another. Both had seen the other do things over the course of that weekend that were frankly unbelievable. Hawkeye went first, a little bit nervous about Samantha's possible explanation.

"My name is Benjamin Franklin Pierce, also known as Hawkeye. I know, but I just needed to start from there. Anyway, I have been the guinea pig for some pretty rotten lowlifes. Me-and one other. Her name was Margaret-and she and I..."

Sam put her finger to Hawkeye's lips.

"Shh, my sweet. Her name was written all over your face when we met at the lodge last fall. You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to."

"God, you are-special. Ok, ixnay on the Argretmay. But-as you saw, there were some side-effects-like the deaths of at least a couple thousand other people from the same stuff. I mean, why me-and her? Why just us two?"

"Coincidence, I suppose."

While Sam said this, her voice lacked all conviction, for she meant to say fate. But she was looking to become Hawkeye's fate, if she could, and so stuck with what she chose. Jack Scully would understand her feelings as reflecting his own.

"Well, the upshot is, in my life, I've seen a Dragon, traveled through time, and been bumped up in evolution. But one thing will always stay with me-the war. The War cost me friends, it cost me sleep, it even cost me my sanity once or twice. Now, unless you can use those gorgeous eyes of yours for mass hypnosis, I'd like to know how you dispersed that mob Friday Night."

Samantha gulped.

"I used magic, Hawkeye. I-am-a-witch."

"A witch?"

"You see, there have always been those of us who could just tap into magic, the way most do air or water. No demons to call on, and very few talismans overall. But we live apart, in a cloudlike dimension. What stays with me is the unchanging nature of it all. So static, never-moving. I had to get out-for my own sanity. I've done all those things you have-and more-but none of it is ever accomplished. It merely happens. I want life, Hawkeye, and I want living. I've found that-with you-and I want-even more."

Pierce's brow looked contemplative, then realization dawned. In his face, Sam saw that Hawkeye's other experiences had prepared him well for her news. She had a feeling, though, there were more questions coming, later.

"Oh, THAT 'even more'. Well, I was just hesitant to force you...you know, some guys saying, 'come up to my room', but it's not a request. I mean, for all I knew, you were a..."

Sam smiled in a such a way that Hawkeye went almost a full minute without thinking of Margaret.

"Hawkeye, I'm a few centuries old. What do you think I've seen-and done?"

Now Hawkeye smiled, and made Sam feel so lucky to have found him that night she fled her family.

"My Dad's at his practice all day, at the office in town. We're alone for the day."

"Hmm. Doctor, can you think of anything interesting that we might do to maybe pass this day along?"

"Well, let's just say between Korea on my part, and some decades on yours, this day could be quite interesting, Miss Endoratochter."

"I think so. Say, did you mention slowed-down aging as a result of what was done to you?"

"Yeah. A day a year, more or less. Why?"

"Oh, it's just that we-my-people, if you will, go about a month for every year. Will you still want me when I'm old and grey?"

"Lady, you're gonna be old and grey by the time we're finished this afternoon."

Hawkeye's come-hither look almost had Samantha intoxicated.

"I do believe this will be a very interesting day."

And So It Was.

When Hawkeye awoke later, he felt giddy. What he felt for Margaret was deep and passionate, to be sure, but Sam had him feeling like he was in High School again. High School frolics, though, have their perils. One of those is the expertly-timed interrupting parent. It was Pierce's father's house, but the person who suddenly stood in front of him was not his father.

"I wish to speak with my Samantha. So you, Casanova, may cool off in the ocean spray and surf."

With that, the older woman gestured at Pierce. But he didn't go anywhere. Instead, the surprised intruder herself vanished.

"What the hell was that?"

A moment later, she reappeared-soaking wet. When Hawkeye chuckled at this, the woman actually hissed at him, and held up her very long nails. Hearing the commotion, Sam magicked herself dressed and came out-only to see her worst fear realized. Still, she tried to handle it with the humor that she so loved in Hawkeye.

"Well, Hawkeye, I see you've met my Mother. Mother, Hawkeye. Hawkeye, my Mother, Endora. I think you two are going to be great friends."

Samantha received a harsh stare from both her new boyfriend and newly arrived mother. She somewhat recoiled, but tried to hold her ground.

"Weeellll..."

ELSEWHERE

Scully's partner was stung by the words just said. Words that the partner didn't like to hear, but words that Scully had said nevertheless.

"You're afraid to face the simple truth."

"Oh, really? In my experience, there are no simple truths."

"There are if you just accept them, and don't needlessly complicate things with extraneous details."

"Define extraneous details, if you would be so kind."

"I won't. I'll just choose to ignore them, thank you very much. That defines extraneous. No, this time we go for the heart of the matter."

"Which is?"

"You still love Hawkeye Pierce"

Jack Scully was sure he would regret those words, but he had said them. He was certain the deer-in-headlights look of his wife, Lt. Colonel Margaret Houlihan, meant the end of their impromptu two-year marriage. For now, anyway, he was dead wrong.

"No, Jack Please. I left Hawkeye, remember? I married you. Now what does that say?"

Having skirted the limits of his relationship with Margaret, Jack was unwilling to dare any more. For now, he had a lie he could live with. He hoped he did, anyway. Gently, he kissed her on the lips.

"It tells me I'm a chump. Why am I worrying? We have each other, and Hawkeye has his new girl, so all is right with the world."

Scully realized his error too late.

"When did you speak to Hawkeye?"

"It was a wrong number, honey. I kept him on, and asked how he was doing, that's all. He met somebody in Vermont, they got together, on and off, and she came to visit at his Dad's house-I-think it might even have been this weekend, now that I think about it. So what?"

Margaret looked lost.

"I'm glad he's happy. Do you-want to take a run?"

"Include me out, sweetie. Some of us are getting older, and don't think that running the Eastern Seaboard before breakfast is good exercise."

"You don't look older."

"But I do feel it. You go on ahead. Going North?"

"Is that supposed to mean something?"

Jack just smiled.

"G'wan."

Margaret forced a smile, and ran off, and none too soon for Jack Scully, who coughed up in the bathroom sink, thankful that what he saw was more brown than red today.

"Greenhorns won't respect a D.I. who gets sick, Jack. So you're not sick."

But Master Sergeant Jack Scully was, in fact, quite ill, and getting worse. Raised in a household that looked upon illness as an excuse not to strive physically or mentally, he ignored his condition. He would regret this later, as would his wife, and her former fiancé.

Right now, that former fiancé was getting a roaring headache as his new girlfriend, Samantha, argued with her mother, Endora, over-well, everything.

"Samantha, I did not search you out to argue. Now, if your birthday-suit soiree with this meager mortal is done, return home to where you belong. Why, whatever will you do with him when he's old and decrepit, and unable to maintain the pace you two had going on?"

Hawkeye mumbled, "Birthday-Suit Soiree?"

Samantha was livid.

"Mother, you were spying on us Oh, Hawkeye, I'm sorry. She does this kind of thing to me."

"That's all right Sam. I have nothing to hide-anymore, that is. You know, Endora, some mothers have the common decency to hit their daughter's paramour with a frying pan, rather than just watch."

"How Dare You!"

"Are you nuts? You stalk your daughter, come into my Dad's house unannounced, play peeping Thomasine, threaten to dump me in with the lobsters, and you talk about me daring?"

"When did she dump you in the ocean?"

"I didn't. Somehow, the spell backfired. But this one won't. 'You who claim that I did stare, shall now become unto a chair' There, that should..."

Hawkeye and Sam both stared down.

"Well, well. Looks like Dad is gonna get a Louis XIV Seat for his den."

"Hawkeye, please. My mother is not for sitting on...heheheh"

They both laughed, but then took stock of the odd situation.

"Sam?"

"Yes, Hawkeye?"

"Why is your mom a Chair?"

Sam shrugged like someone certain she could change her mother back.

"All mortals have a resistance to offensive magic. In most people, witch, warlock, or otherwise, it's negligible. But you're not most people. That biological potion they gave you-was it perhaps alien in origin?"

"I think the Frankensteins at Immunita used some kind of meteors, or some such. Why do you ask?"

"My guess is, the part that built up the rest of you also increased your resistance to magic directed against you-to the point where the user is hoist upon their own spell, to coin a phrase. Add to that, witchcraft as we know it doesn't work reliably on alien life. Now, how do I change her back, though?"

"You don't."

"Hawkeye, she is still my mother, no matter what she's done."

"That's not what I meant. Darlin, stand back."

Oddly, Hawkeye was staring at the chair. He made no gesture, except to move his hand over the chair. Incredibly, Endora changed back. She was dizzy, and sat down on the floor. Sam was dumbfounded-but no more so than Hawkeye.

"How? Hawkeye..."

"It was so weird, Sam. There were these lines all around her, and I just kind of pulled on them, and whammo."

Endora was giving up.

"Since the spell was cast against him, and backfired, he could see the lines of force that kept me a chair. It's been known to happen-rarely. I beat a strategic withdrawal, my dear. But rest assured, I will return. So, Buckeye-"

"Hawkeye."

"What have you. What are your intentions toward my daughter-other than those acrobatics I witnessed?"

Hawkeye silently cursed Endora, because this was an honest question, one he had been avoiding. But no longer.

"Given time, Endora, I think I could love Samantha. But I once pushed a good woman away by boxing her in. If Sam needs time, or doesn't feel that way, I'll learn to live with it. Oh, about decrepit, I age slower than you people do."

Endora smiled.

"You see, Samantha. In your dotage, he'll abandon you for a sweet young thing. Oh, don't be cross. I'm only kidding. You, Pierce, are a rare commodity. A straightforward mortal who's not a stiff, and not intimidated by my daughter's power."

Endora then said the last words her daughter ever expected to hear.

"I approve of your relationship."

Then, imperious as ever, she waved her arms and vanished.

"I never imagined she would..oh, my Hawkeye, did you mean what you said?"

"You bet I did. You make me feel-well, you make me feel-period. It's been a while since I could say that. Just-give me time-okay, Sam?"

"Fine by me, lover-boy. But we only have three hours."

"Till what? Till I have to decide?"

Sam headed back for Hawkeye's room.

"No, silly. Till your Dad gets home."

Smiling an evil smile, Hawkeye headed back for more. He closed the door.

"Oh, Fudge! I Forgot."

"That's your own fault, lady. You should never have tried a disrobing spell on me."

When he came home, Dan Pierce didn't bother to knock on his son's bedroom door. He did chuckle at the noise, though.

"Good thing I gave up that whole floor to him."

Later, he knocked anyway, soup bowls in hand. To his shock, the bowls vanished from his hand.

"Thanks, Dad."

"Good soup, Dan."

Dan shook his head.

"Oh, yeah. I'm gonna wanna hear this explanation-if they ever emerge, that is."

October 31, 1962

It had been a year since Samantha finally moved in. For sake of some propriety, she continued to stay in the room once used by Hawkeye's step-sister Henrietta, but that didn't mean much. To any busybodies who pressed, Dan said that the two were engaged.

"Well, that may as be, Doctor Pierce, but if they haven't said I Do, then..."

The woman's husband interrupted.

"Will you please leave the poor man alone? It's none of your concern, especially now that we're moving."

The woman left in a huff.

"Sorry, Dan. You know how she can be. Say, where are the two lovebirds?"

"They-flew out to San Francisco-yeah, flew-to visit with two of my Ben's wartime buddies, names of McIntyre and Hunnicutt. Those two don't get on, so they're visiting the Hunnicutts last."

"Just so long as they're happy. Hey, gotta go, Dan. I'll call you when we reach Connecticut."

"Take care, Abner. My best to Gladys-mostly. Good people, those Kravitzes, but the wife is a nervous wreck."

Dan was glad that Hawkeye and Sam had found one another, but for all he liked his possible future 'witch-in-law', he still couldn't shake Margaret. In his heart, he thought of those two as belonging together. Samantha was wonderful, but it was Margaret he saw Ben with. Back at his home, the water company truck was just about finished.

"All through?"

"Yessir, Doctor Pierce. The water filter we installed in your bathroom should remove that sulfur taste you complained of. Good day, sir."

Dan was impressed that the water company had finally responded to his complaint of many years. That evening, he would taste his new water, and enjoy it greatly. There was a reason for this.

"So you put it in?"

"Yes, Sir."

"What does the filter contain, precisely?"

"Something the Company came up with. A hallucinogenic derivative of Lysergic Acid. The effects should take a few days. But isn't this overkill for one old man, sir?"

The man in charge puffed on his cigarette, then shrugged.

"Ask his son. I warned Pierce after Henry Blake's-accident, not to ask any more questions about Immunita. I mean, I had my own father committed. Why does he think his is invulnerable?"

With that, the man who would one day be the prime nemesis of two crusading FBI agents turned his attentions toward removing a President.

San Francisco

As Peg Hunnicutt opened her door, she saw her daughter Erin being bear-hugged in her Cinderella costume by her favorite non-Uncle, Hawkeye. The 12-year old was laughing, hugging Hawkeye right back. BJ walked up, and laughed at the same scene. Then, to Peg's shock, Hawkeye's new girlfriend turned around, and was herself shocked. BJ shook her hand.

"Hey, you unlucky lady, you. So you got roped in by that bum who's crushing my little girl. Well, your loss. Er-Samantha, is it? - I was just kidding. I like Hawkeye. Really. Truly."

But BJ just saw his wife and Sam staring at one another, as though in recognition. They smiled, then hugged.

"Samantha!"

"Peggy! Oh, how long has it been?"

"Too long. I heard your name, but didn't make the connection."

BJ looked confused, and Hawkeye walked over, too, while Erin went trick-or-treating.

"Peg, you know Samantha?"

"Yes, honey. BJ, there's something-I have to tell you-I-in private. Oh, God I never expected this to come up."

Utterly confused, BJ walked off with Peg. He would get more confused.

"Uh, Sam?"

"Yes, darling?"

"How long have you known Peg?"

Before she could answer, BJ came roaring out, and was walking down the street at a good clip. It wasn't Hawkeye's pace, but it was quick-and angry.

"Quite a while. That is, I've known Peggy for quite a while."

Peg came out, more than just a little bit tearful. As Sam went to comfort her, she pointed at Hawkeye, and then the door.

"Oh I'm just-I'm gonna-Why don't I find BJ, and bring him back. Good idea. Oy."

Traveling at a good but not a crazy clip, Hawkeye went to find his one-time best friend amid the long, sloping streets.

"Are you all right, Peggy?"

"If he comes back, I will be. Oh, Samantha I've been so stupid-holding this back until-boom!"

"Weell. You'll get no argument from me, there. You really should have told him-years ago."

"I thought it would never come around, though. I mean, I hardly practice anymore."

Crying, Peg twitched her cheek, and a handkerchief appeared in her hand.

"What will I do if BJ's really upset with me, Samantha?"

"Oh, Peggy. He's your husband. I can't tell you what the answer is."

Despite her tears, Peg smiled a little, and joked.

"But you have to have all the answers, Sam. After all, you are my Big Sister."

Chapter Four - Family : Lost And Found

It couldn't be called an exhaustive search-he simply didn't get exhausted anymore. But five hours of crisscrossing the streets of San Francisco did prove fruitless. So it was that Hawkeye Pierce returned to Peg Hunnicutt, having to tell her that the immensely angry BJ was nowhere to be found. He hoped that his girlfriend and lover, Samantha, was comforting Peg over BJ's mysterious tantrum. In fact, Sam knew well how to comfort Peg. She'd been doing it since they were children.

"I am so sorry, Peg. I couldn't find him in any of the haunts you described. I even doubled back to most, in case he was hiding on me. Unfortunately, my resume still doesn't include flight or x-ray vision. Why'd he storm out like that? What did you tell him-Oh, Peg, No-Not.."

"Hawkeye That was one time, and BJ knows that. What he didn't know-was this."

Peg then twitched her cheek, and a ham on rye appeared, complete with a plate and garnish. She offered it to Hawkeye, who was not hungry but still surprised.

"You, too? Hey, guess what, Peg? Sam here is a witch, too...but you know that, don't you?"

Samantha , who was sitting on the arm of Peg's chair, gave her a quick hug for comfort.

"Darling, Peggy has known I was a witch from the day she was born-the daughter of Floyd Hayden, secretly a warlock, and Endora, my mother."

"You two-are sisters?"

"Half-sisters, technically. You see, my parents-Endora and Maurice-have been divorced for over a century. They use the euphemism, 'separated', but it's divorce all right-I had the tears to prove it."

Hawkeye reached over and took Sam's hand.

"I'm sorry, Sam, if I had known..."

"Oh, hush I'm-over it-mostly. I think. Well, Mother married Floyd-ooh was I bitter-but when Peggy arrived, I was the happiest big sister on Earth-or anywhere else, for that matter."

Peg felt well enough to speak.

"I thought Samantha made the sun rise and fall-in fact she did, once, as a joke-anyway, I was as happy as a little girl could be. I pestered Sam, followed her everywhere."

Sam gave Peg a mock-angry look.

"Absolutely everywhere."

She then honked Peg's nose.

"Hey, was it my fault that I walked in on you and Rory? I thought you were playing 'hospital', not what you were doing. Oh, Hawkeye, they used a 'grown-up' spell on each other, but they were so stunned at what they saw, they hid behind the two operating tables they conjured up."

"And then a certain mischievous someone decided to hide our clothes, right, Squirt?"

Peg seemed to be brightening.

"Weeellll"

"So how come BJ hasn't mentioned Endora? One would tend to think she'd come up, witchcraft or no."

Peg's smile faded a bit.

"Endora...can be difficult, Hawk. My father and her split, and he chose the life of a mortal-seeming veterinarian. Sam was in Maurice's custody at that time, and Mother wasn't in a mothering mood. Oh, how I hated it. Almost no magic at all. Dad didn't want to offend his neighbors. But it was a realer life than I'd been living, and so much more satisfying, at times. Thank goodness for Cheryl-my very mortal stepmom-for showing me things I thought you only did by twitching. She didn't care that I wasn't hers. Endora sometimes needed to be reminded of that, though."

"What about your brother-Bob?"

"Cheryl's son. But I have no steps, and no halfs, just a brother and a sister. I love them both."

"When Maurice-my father-got tired of fathering-I stayed with Floyd, Cheryl, and a certain someone who found herself shrunk to 6 inches, shortly after I arrived."

"Payback for the 'doctor' incident, no doubt. I get the rest. Sam stayed with you till she was of the witches legal age, or like that. But, Peg? Why didn't you tell BJ?"

A voice in the door.

"That's kinda-sorta-wad I like ta know, EyeHawk"

Hawkeye sometimes regretted his enhanced senses. BJ smelled like a distillery.

"Sam, would you do the honors?"

Peg spoke up.

"No, Hawkeye. This one's mine."

A little less gently than she normally would have, Peg gestured at BJ, wiping the alcohol from his system, bringing him to instant sobriety. He shook his head.

"Hey, what about the hango...ohhh, forget I said anything."

Both looking a bit sheepish, Peg and BJ sat down together. A quick kiss didn't solve anything, but it was a good first step.

"Do you still love me, BJ?"

"What the hell kind of question is that?"

"One I'm asking."

"Of course, I love you. But-how could you not tell me, Peg? I can deal with you being almost anything, honey But to keep this quiet for fifteen years..."

"Trapper."

"Hawk, I'm talking to my wife-how did you know about Trapper?"

"That's where you were. I couldn't tell because of the booze, but now I can tell his scent is all over you. Figures. The way you two get along, no one would look for you there."

BJ chuckled.

"Poor guy finally threw me out, told me to apologize to Peg. Did you know that his ex is actually Melanie Louise McIntyre, and that she used her middle name as her first, but now, all of a sudden...right, subject. Peg, you could've kept me out of Korea. Or zapped me home on weekends. Or..."

Sam spoke up.

"No, BJ, my sister could not have done that for you-I'll explain the sister part, later. If she had used her magic at that time, having married you, a -non-warlock- then, neither she nor my sweet little niece Erin would have been there when you got back."

BJ sat stunned, lost in thought. He shook his finger, remembering.

"I do remember Floyd arguing with this woman who looked like an Empress or-something. But then she wasn't there"

Peg and Sam said it together.

"That's our Mother."

"But what's this about you and Erin not being here, Peg?"

"Honey, when mortals started hunting witches and warlocks, a strong anti-mortal faction seized control of the Witches Council."

Sam nodded.

"Try to picture the Victorian Era, only it starts during the Inquisition and goes straight through to McCarthyism. Big rule : No inter-marriage-or else."

"Now it's changed?"

"Yes, mostly. When Mother approved you and me, Hawkeye, it was her call. Only 10 years ago, we would have had to submit to the Council-and not for a license, either. The Council's changed hands-though I wouldn't yet call it Mortal-Friendly. More Mortal combative."

Peg built on Sam's words.

"Back then, BJ, the Council scanned for stray witches and warlocks. Bringing you home would have signaled where I was. We would either have been on the run, or-they might have negated your existence-from birth."

"Wait a second. Wouldn't getting rid of me that way also affect...Oh, My God."

"To them, Erin would have been a half-breed, better off...Oh, BJ I wanted to bring you home, stop the whole damned war, but..."

She was crying, and now BJ held her.

"I understand, now. But, again, Peg, why didn't you tell me?"

"For a long time after we met, I was scared. Scared of how you'd react. Then, we married, had Erin, and we had so much together, I was even more scared of losing it all. While you were in Korea, I had Erin to take care of, and I had to keep from twitching you back."

"Plus, Beej, remember how you were. If Peg had sent a 'By-The-Way' letter, God only knows how you would have taken it. Not to mention if someone like Flagg or Steele had opened it."

"I know, Hawk, I know. But, Peg, I came back home. I know we had our troubles, in 54, but-what about when I came back from the reunion in Tokyo? Why not then?"

Peg bowed her head.

"Radar."

BJ's eyes went wide with realization.

"Radar."

Hawkeye, glad to have all this out in the open, thriced the sentiment, holding out his upraised, opened hand.

"Radar."

Samantha was confused.

"Are we-talking about Walter O'Reilly, the young man who served with you? How does he figure into all this?"

Back in Crabapple Cove, a visitor popped in.

"Samantha? Benjamin? Daniel?"

Having missed Sam and Hawkeye, Endora instead sought out Dan Pierce. She found the straightforward mortal intriguing, at least a little. Not finding him inside, she decided to check by his little lake. She noted the presence of an Old One, now destroyed-by Hawkeye.

"Good work, Pierce. They are such awful creatures-why, they smell much like a wet burlap sack."

Then, Endora's eyes shifted to the top of the house-the very top of the roof. The wind was blowing-and yet Daniel Webster Pierce sat there, oblivious-to everything. Unable to think, Endora froze. She had no idea what was going on, why Dan would do such a thing. Later in the decade, it would be called an acid trip. But Dan hadn't dropped acid. It had been dropped on him.

Back in San Francisco, BJ explained to Sam about Radar.

"You see, er, Sis, Walter O'Reilly is an Immortal."

Unconsciously, Sam grabbed at her neck, indicating that she knew of Immortals- and their means of survival.

"Good, that saves time, anyway. Well, he got married to a girl named Cindy, who he tried to tell his secret before the wedding. As he found out later, she thought that was a joke-along with more than a few of her vows-but I digress. On their wedding night, he demonstrates his quick healing, to show he was telling the truth. Things-went downhill from there. None of us MASH folk are very fond of Cindy, mind you, Some of the things she said to him that night...Well, I go to the reunion in Tokyo, and he and another friend tell me their secret. In between Godzilla attacks, Radar tells me about his now-annulled marriage. I was upset for him. I-kind of love that little guy. We all kind of do."

A head poked out of her bedroom.

"I love Radar, too Someday, I'm gonna marry him."

Peg folded her arms, and looked at her daughter.

"Erin Murphy Hunnicutt How long have you been listening in?"

The girl smiled, then pulled on her cheek, and vanished, back into her bedroom. Everyone was taken aback. Hawkeye stated the obvious.

"Well, I'd say she's been listening for awhile now, but that's just me."

Peg smiled at BJ.

"Did I forget to mention that even half-witches have powers, honey?"

BJ laughed a little.

"Well, Sam, I came home and told Peg about Radar and his ex, and-I'm sorry Peg-I must have scared the hell out of you. Kind of like Erin scares me with that perpetual crush on Radar."

"It was my choice to be scared, honey. But hearing how Cindy tore Walter's heart out-on their honeymoon-I couldn't help it."

Samantha walked over and kissed Peggy on the cheek.

"Well, Sis, it's been fun, but I think we'd best leave you two to yourselves. Take care, BJ."

Samantha went in to kiss her niece Erin goodnight, and to plead with her not to give her parents too hard a time.

"Hey, Hawk? Thanks. What's with you and Sam?"

"Well, you may just be looking at your future brother-in-law, pal. On Thanksgiving, I'm gonna pop the question, Beej. God, she makes me feel like I'm in High School again."

BJ almost seemed to frown.

"High School ends, Hawkeye. What about you and Margaret?"

"What about me and her? There is no me and her-by her choice, I might add. Now she's another man's wife, and they're happy. Matter of fact, I talk to Jack every few months. He calls me, jokes with me about whether or not I still love her-hey, they're ecstatic. I don't love Margaret Houlihan anymore-how much plainer can I make it?"

"I just always thought, after the war, you two would-"

"That's what everybody thought, me and her included. Well, everybody was wrong. Period. End Of Discussion. Now go to your wife, before she turns you into a radio, or something."

The two shook hands, and Sam caused them to vanish. BJ walked into some of Erin's things.

"Sorry, honey, I'll tell her to put them away, first thing tomorrow."

BJ smiled.

"Tell her-gently."

When they arrived back in Maine, they couldn't believe their eyes. Dan was standing atop the house, shouting at the top of his lungs, like a madman.

"My son and Margaret Houlihan are complete idiots! They love each other, but they hide behind other people! Now, Jack Scully's a rugged fella, and Samantha has a hiney so beautiful that it should be registered as a lethal weapon! Oops-Sorry, Sam. But that bathroom does have a door, and a lock, if you'd remember to use it. She must get that behind from you, Endora. That shady character! Tellin me my son was dead! MY SON IS ALIVE FOREVER, AND SO IS THE WOMAN HE SHOULD BE WITH! You are so great Sam, inside and out. But it's Margaret. IT'S FATE! I think-I better go for a walk. But first-a jump for joy."

There is something about a life-or-death situation which can make anyone freeze up, no matter who or what they are. Hawkeye was a superhuman. Samantha and Endora were witches. They were certainly the most powerful people in all of Maine, but it bought them nothing. For you see-none of them actually thought Dan would jump. They were only able to move after a sickening thud registered. For all the bizarre times they'd had, this all seemed quite surreal. Too late, Hawkeye raced to Dan's side.

He had survived a war, and lived in the future. He had experienced triumphs, and had endured tragedy. He had almost been stepped on by a dinosaur. The future held even more challenges for Hawkeye Pierce. He was tough, able to take almost anything life could dish out.

But now, he was immersed in despair. A young woman who cared deeply about him, whom he barely knew. The CO he took for granted, never realizing he served with a Knight Of The Round Table-and one hell of a guy. A reporter, looking for the real war, and finding it. Six friends, erased by government edict. His beloved stepmother, whom he was so bitter towards at first. His own mother, whose passing was marked by better breakfasts. The surgeon and womanizer and survivor was once again an 8-year old boy, so fearful that his mother's death would soon be followed by another. As he buried his head in his father's chest, he spoke.

"Sam, please Bring Him Back."

But he knew she couldn't. Power is always defined by its limits. All of their power couldn't save Dan. By herself, Endora also cried.

"This-is why I hate-mortals. They're so blasted-unreliable. So-fragile."

Samantha held him close as he sobbed, unable to control her own tears. She had liked Dan Pierce-a lot. She loved his son, and saw that son in his father. Still crying into his father's chest, the little boy inside the man cried out loud:

"Daddy Please-Don't Leave Me!"

Chapter Five - Passing By Destiny

Many miles from Crabapple Cove, a young man reading a comic book suddenly dropped it. The comic was about a scientist transformed into a monster by radiation. Just as the Jekyll-Hyde scientist changed, the young man heard an inhuman roar of rage and grief that stayed with him the rest of his life. The entire house heard it. Despite his being almost grown-up, his mother checked on him, pretty shaken herself.

"I don't mean to pry, kiddo, but are you all right?"

"Yeah, I guess so-but that howl. It was like the entire world died at once, and God was mourning it."

"Just-try and go to sleep. If any of us can."

"Okay, Mom."

Still, her son's statement stayed with her. There were times when Stevie scared even his mother, Mrs. King.

In Crabapple Cove, the most powerful man on Earth was through howling, and through crying, as well. His lover, Samantha, had not been lying when she said that her race of witches had no traffic with demons. That having been said, she now knew what one must look like. She saw it in the reddened, maddened eyes of Hawkeye Pierce. Oddly, he stood above the shattered body of his father, Daniel Webster, and simply sniffed, as though taking in his scent. Then, in a flash, he moved for the house.

The irony never left Pierce's mind. Except for the more extreme abilities, he now had the powers of Superman. Just like Superman, though, when the time came, he had not been able to save his parents-any of them. Not his mother, also named Martha. Not his stepmother, Laura, whose death, told of in a wartime telegram inspired one of his more memorable drunken binges. Even Trapper was amazed. In an odd twist, this time it was Hot Lips-Margaret-who had thrown him into the shower, trying to sober him up, with the aid of a young nurse named Summers with some really oddball name. He only found out recently that Margaret had received a telegram that same day, announcing her parents' initial separation. It never ceased to grate at Hawkeye that there was so much grief, and so little anyone could do about it.

In Dan's bathroom, he found what he was looking for. As he stared at the filter, he was torn between the urge to avenge his father and his Hippocratic Oath. His hands, however powerful, were still those of a surgeon, so he meticulously removed the filter containing the same stuff he smelled on his father's breath. It could have no effect on him, but it nevertheless smelled strange. Strange enough to cause a sober, Stoic small town New England Doctor to jump from his own roof while babbling a storm. The smile that appeared on Hawkeye's face was not one of joy, and it was not that of a healer who uncovered cause of death. It was a predator's smile. Now, he would have only to wait.

Going back to his father's-to what was now his own living room, he saw that Sam had just gotten off the phone. His ears told him that she was speaking to Amos Preston, the county coroner. Endora sat on a chair, quietly watching Dan's body. He hoped to hell they had magicked it there, for their sakes. Sam kind of wondered at her mother's deep grief, but Hawkeye didn't. The two had carried each others' scent for months. Dan Pierce was his son's father, after all. Sam looked at what Hawkeye had in his hand.

"What is that thing?"

"This thing contains the stuff that they fed my father-kind of a reminder. Now, I'm just waiting."

"Who are the?-oh, them. But what are you waiting on?"

"A phone call. Sam, can you trace it, when it comes through? I need to feed this filter to a certain someone. Maybe orally. Maybe as a suppository-maybe both."

She looked alarmed.

"I most certainly will not Hawkeye, you're a Doctor. Murder won't solve anything."

"I am a Doctor. And Doctors remove cancers, or Cancerous Men, as the case may be. Will you do it?"

"No. It's wrong, and if you weren't so angry, you'd know that."

"I'll do it! If you think your foe is foolish enough to call here, then I will be more than happy to flush out his rat's nest."

In saying all that, Endora had never looked away from Dan. Ten minutes later, the call came. It was exactly who Pierce thought it would be.

"Hello?"

"No points, Doctor Pierce. You don't learn, do you? Doing little 'research' from that hospital in Montpelier. I'll bet Dan wouldn't approve."

Then, the man just hung up. Too fast to be traced-by technology. Hawkeye turned to Endora.

"It was him."

She motioned, and a piece of paper appeared. It was from a house in Westport, Connecticut, on a street called Morning Glory Circle. Outside, Pierce jumped into the sky, as high as he could go, making for the coastline, and streaking towards Connecticut. After a ten-minute search, he found Westport. After two minutes there, he saw the house. Seeing his enemy standing in the window, Pierce hurled the filter at a precise speed, so it would land past the man's feet. As the creep picked it up, he realized what it was, and shook. He made for the door, but Pierce tore it off and confronted him.

"Hey, pal. Long time no see."

There was no humor in Pierce's voice. The secret spy knew that he had found him to kill him. He never realized the extent of Pierce's transformation, and he had no idea how Hawkeye had found him. He tried to bluster his way out.

"This-this- is your own fault, Pierce. Your father would still be alive, if aaaacckk..."

Hawkeye started to pick up and strangle the man with one hand. Then, he heard a gun cock. He turned around, bit at the gun, and tore it from its owners grasp. Resisting the urge to bite it in two, he simply spit it out the window. The man behind him was fearful, but not as scared as the one Pierce came for.

"Who are you and why have you broken into my house?"

"Who I am doesn't matter; What matters is that you have a lousy choice of house guests. Spy-Smasher here just called me and bragged on killing my father by giving him the junk in that filter."

The other man sniffed the filter.

"Lysergic Acid. You would be Hawkeye Pierce, then. My name's Bill. Hawkeye, I'm sorry for your Father. I had heard that certain people would be moving against you, but couldn't stop them. Circumstances force me in with this character, but please don't kill him."

"Sorry, Bill, but you gotta do better than that. I want a Christmas present for my friend, Walter O'Reilly, and given the last death this guy laid claim to, his head should serve nicely."

"Please. There are dark forces within our government, and this man is their linchpin. He is the scum that those scum need to keep from warring on each other."

Bill was smart enough not to add the words : Innocent bystanders get hurt when that happens. For all that, Pierce cocked his fist, and got ready to deliver the death-blow. Then, Bill's wife cried something out.

"Bill! The Baby Can't Breathe! My Baby Can't Breathe!"

Bill's wife, Teena, was frantic. Pierce made a choice. He threw Bill's acquaintance to the ground, and attended to the child, who was rapidly turning blue. As the Doctor in Hawkeye took over, Bill gave the other man what for.

"If you EVER use my house as a call-point again, I'll let Pierce know where you are GOT IT? Pal?"

Hurriedly, the other man left. The baby's illness had saved his worthless life. This would not be the last time that Pierce, the shadowy psychotic, or the baby, finally breathing on his own, would encounter one another.

"He'll be fine."

Teena hugged the Doctor. Though she would never say this in front of Bill, his acquaintance's death would have caused her no grief, and much joy. But Hawkeye had chosen the life of her son over vengeance. Bill shook Pierce's hand.

"Listen, I can't help you with him-at least not directly. But I do owe you, and so does the most important person in both our lives."

Invisibly, Sam had witnessed all this, and silently repaired the damage to the house. She looked around, and noted how nice a neighborhood it was. She felt even better about the look on Hawkeye's face. It was obvious he was now remembering the good times with his Father. There was something odd about this place, though. It was the baby boy, eyes full of a spooky intelligence. As Hawkeye leapt off, Sam zapped herself home, where the grim business of Dan's funeral still awaited.

Across the way, in another house, came a shriek.

"ABNER! Those people are at it again I tell you, that whole family is strange! Betcha they're involved in some shady dealings."

Abner Kravitz shrugged.

"Gladys Please The Mulders are nice people. And their kid? Why, that Fox has to be the smartest baby on Earth."

Chapter Six - Goodbye, Innocence; Hello, Life

November 15, 1962

The man who had arranged the death of Daniel Webster Pierce was now well hidden away, fearful of being found by a man who could crush him like a grape. Hawkeye Pierce still mourned his father, dead of this man's actions, as would Fox Mulder thirty-three years later, as would John F. Kennedy, Jr., in one year's time, and Martin Luther King the Third, in six years time.

In a sick twist, Hawkeye had been present at the death of this man's father, whom he never gave a damn about. In 1999, the always-young Pierce would become a father himself for the first time, and Blake Pierce would later wonder why her dad was just SO overprotective. The answer was simple, said cool Uncle Walter-he had precedent. In 1962, Hawkeye had been unable to prevent his own father's LSD-induced suicide.

With his then-girlfriend Samantha by his side, he endured the two weeks' worth of pointless inquiry. Dan's killers would not be punished-not directly. But all these fathers and sons did not concern him. All that concerned him was a daughter-the daughter of "Howitzer Al" Houlihan.

"Where the hell is she?"

"Calm down, dear. I'm-I'm sure she'll show."

"I-am calm, Sam. It's just that she always liked Dad. As much as we would argue, she liked Dad. Heh. You'll love this. You know why Dad gave me the entire second floor?"

"Well, you have been a grown man for some time, Hawkeye. I guess he didn't want you to move out entirely, so this was a compromise, right?"

"Partly. You see, back in '55, we had a small get-together. The whole 4077th crew flew out, because we like to keep in touch-the whole thing with Henry. Well, Margaret and I are upstairs, going at it, no covers or anything, and in walks my dad. He just stands and stares at Margaret, dumbly."

"She must've been mortified"

"She-never knew. Her-back was turned-ah-heh-at the time, and I was just ah-lying there, yeah. My dad had a fondness for the female variety gluteus maximus."

"I-remember."

"Why isn't she here, Sam? Whatever we feel for each other, she told me that she liked him-hey, where are you-"

The funeral was over, and most had gone home. Charles Winchester had driven up from Boston, and Peg and BJ had come and gone, using Peg's newly revealed family secret. Erin had asked her new Aunt Samantha what use their powers were if they couldn't help people like Dan. She had no answer. Then she, and Peg, and BJ, and Charles, and nearly everyone else had asked where Margaret Houlihan was. That, combined with hearing Hawkeye talk about her for the last week had proven too much.

She vanished, absently sending herself -invisibly-to Jack and Margaret Scully's New Jersey home. She wanted to know what kept Hawkeye's one-time fiancée away, as well. She hoped, despite herself, that Margaret would never come around. She just couldn't say why she felt that way. Luckily, defensive spells like invisibility were not affected by Hawkeye and Margaret's abilities.

"What do you mean, you forgot?"

"Ease up, honey. You were away in Philly, anyway. Where's the harm?"

"You know I could make it to Maine in a half an hour-less. My God, Jack, Hawkeye must think I hate him-I'll bet he hates me. I loved that old man He was so sweet, and thoughtful. Hawkeye was so lucky to have him."

"You told me, he walked in on you and Hawkeye, and that he stared at your bare butt, Margaret How is that thoughtful?"

"You-don't understand. He-oh, God."

As she ran into their bedroom, Margaret was beginning to cry. Jack let her, feeling stupid and awkward. He was forgetting things, lately. Not telling Margaret about Dan Pierce's funeral was unforgiveable.

"Y'know, Jack? Your problem is, you married a woman who loves someone else, and she's too much like you, to boot Except for sex, it's like living with my sister. Never a real disagreement, and never anything-real. Just comfortable."

Jack was a little bit sauced, and talking to himself. But the unseen Samantha felt the sting of his words, too. She wondered about herself, and Hawkeye. How her mother had approved so easily. How he reminded her of what she always thought a brother would be like. But like Jack, she was very comfortable, and in no mind to shake up the apple cart. She walked in on Margaret, and felt low for spying. Margaret was crying over Hawkeye's picture-as she often did. With a gesture, she left.

When she got back to Maine, Hawkeye was waiting for her.

"I am a prize jerk, you know that?"

"No, you're not. You were grieving, and I ran off upset. I'm sorry too."

Again, another non-argument. Like family, all forgiven all the time. No electricity-no tension. Love, but of a very-comfortable sort. Sam eyed a picture of Margaret-also wet with tears, half-hidden away.

"Samantha?"

"Not Sam?"

"No, not Sam. Not for this."

"Uh-oh."

"Yeah. Uh-oh. Samantha, I was going to say this on Thanksgiving, but I'm grateful for you here and now. Samantha Endoratochter-Will You Marry Me?"

It didn't seem perfunctory, but nor did Hawkeye's proposal have anything but a *Hey, let's do this* quality behind it. She thought about her recent insights, and how she felt that Margaret was who Hawkeye truly loved, and vice-versa. Then, the witch did a very mortal kind of thing. She forgot all that, and lied to herself in the name of a basic happiness.

"Yes, Darling, I will Marry You."

Chapter Seven - Shilo, When I Was Young...

November 22, 1963

And the heartbeat of a nation came to a halt.

Dallas - A patsy ran, panicked and afraid, the only one who really knew how badly he had been set up. The nameless, many-named man who set him up had nightmares of Hawkeye Pierce leaping down in time to save the President, then force-feeding him his own gun. Somehow, a Secret Service Agent had gotten between the bullets and the First Lady, averting a grim elder history in which her children grew up orphans. Despite this, a time-traveling scientist wearing the Agent's form felt himself a failure, while his younger self in Indiana asked why of parents who had no answers.

San Francisco - An argument between perennial opposites BJ Hunnicutt and Trapper John McIntyre was wiped from their memories of this day. Peg and Erin once again wondered what good power was, when something like this could happen to someone like the President.

Los Angeles - Actor/Singer Frank Sinatra quietly called his studio and asked that his eerily prophetic film, 'The Manchurian Candidate', be shelved. A Doctor, like Hawkeye, but who was wrongfully accused of his wife's murder, marveled in silent despair at just how far injustice could go. His relentless pursuer, only a block away, never left his parked car as he wore out his battery listening to the radio. In the suburbs, an alien being sat silently with his adoptive Earth *nephew*.

National Air And Sciences Administration, Florida - For obvious reasons, an astronaut's mission was cancelled. He did not go up again for another two years. When he did, his recovery pod landed on a Pacific island, where the other half of his soul waited, trapped inside an ornate bottle.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - A trademark motorcycle lay broken on the ground where its owner had dropped it, upon hearing the news. The leather-jacketed titan never did figure out how this damage occurred. He began a heartfelt letter to a friend, like a brother, now on high alert at his army base, and to two women he knew, who were themselves like sisters. He never sent it.

In Crabapple Cove, Maine, Hawkeye Pierce and his fiancée of one year, Samantha, were absolutely oblivious to all of this. They had unplugged the phone, and shut off the TV and radio. A small spell kept almost anyone from suddenly barging in, and kept stray sound out. They were discussing their future together, and they wanted no interruptions.

"So howzabout December 21? It's not Christmas, and we can probably-"

"Uh, no good. Winter Solstice. It's a witch thing, honey. What about January 6th?"

"No go, Sam. Father Mulcahy is receiving his promotion to Monsignor on Epiphany. I can't not be there for that. I mean, he tried to be here last year-for Dad."

After 17 go-rounds, Sam folded her arms in disgust. There just seemingly was no good date for their wedding. And a witch does not believe in coincidence.

"Well we could go back in time and elope, right after the ski lodge."

The look on Hawkeye's face made Sam cover her mouth in horror. Her power couldn't raise the dead, nor prevent an already-occurred one. Murdering the mastermind behind it all was out of the question.

"Oh, Hawkeye I forgot-oh, Heavens. Can you ever forgive me?"

"I always forgive you, Sam. And You always forgive me. It's what we do."

She sat back down, and looked over at him.

"You've felt it, too?"

"Yeah. Do you wanna say it, or should I?"

"You first."

"Ok, but if it's not what you expected...Sam, I love you. But I'm not in love with you. The women I've been in love with, I argue with even in good times. You and me, forgiveness is a given, like we're-"

Sam volunteered.

"A brother and sister? Odd as that sounds, Hawkeye, it feels right. I don't think we are-Lord, I hope were not, after all that's happened-but-what do you think?"

Hawkeye shook his head. This conversation, while awkward, was actually something of a relief.

"We're not. Related, I mean. But, Sam, I knew you before I knew you. Not-past lives, or stuff like that-but, seeing you was like seeing-well, like seeing Sam"

"Come again?"

"One day, my dad told me to make Tuttle go away, stop making excuses. So I did. I felt all grown up at age 6-then Cousin Billy saw fit to drag down my swimming trunks in front of virtually every girl in Crabapple Cove. Mind you, those girls were some of my 1st dates a few years on, but, at the time, I was humiliated. I wasn't allowed to get upset with Billy-it was a rule or something. So I ran home, and locked my door. There was this place I would go in my imagination-and there she was-a tomboy, named Sam. She was great-a friend-my 1st real friend-so to speak. When I told her about the trunks, she showed me hers, and I showed her mine. Nothing too sexual-nothing to show. But I didn't want her for that, even looking back now. It was all fun. For that next two years, my life was fun. Sam and I were like Batman and Robin. I even made up an evil twin cousin for her-um, I called her-"

Samantha was smiling, but teary-eyed. She finished for him.

"Her name was Serena."

Samantha twitched her nose, and turned into herself as a child-into Sam.

"My God Sam-you're-Sam, Sam Let me try that again."

The child, disconcertingly, spoke with the adult's voice.

"No need, Hawkeye. Here, this spell isn't meant offensively, so..."

Hawkeye suddenly found himself as 6-year old Ben Pierce.

"Whoa-neat. But-I can still feel the kick from that stuff."

"Since I didn't try to counteract it, the spell was able to affect you. Hawkeye-here's one for you. My imaginary friend-was a boy named Ben, with an evil cousin named Billy."

"You don't say. But how, Sam? We weren't kids at the same time-even in the same century."

They both felt decades pass away, in the presence of their beloved secret playmates.

"Maybe that place that kids go doesn't exist in time as we understand it. But we were there-both of us, and we played together, Hawkeye, and there things were always great. We mistook that welcome companionship for love-the kind I've never found-and the kind-oh, please forgive me-that you still feel for Margaret-and that she still feels for you. Hawkeye, Jack..."

"Forgot to tell her, I know. He called me, to apologize about the funeral. But, Sam, she's another man's wife. I have a rule."

She tried to change the subject.

"When Peggy was born, I was so disappointed that she wasn't a boy-that she wasn't-you. Pretty soon, though, I was sneaking into her room to pick her up and hug her."

"I met Henrietta while Laura and my dad were dating. I pushed a school bully off of her, and all of a sudden I was Big Brother of the year. I miss her, and Laura. But I was kind of bitter that she wasn't my age and blonde."

"We-can't get married. Maybe brother and sister was a strong term, but we're too much alike, Hawkeye. A slow fuse that you do not want to see burn out, a sense of almost irresponsible fun. There's no balance. What you need is a girl like that feisty one I used to see barking orders at you, and beating you up, like-oh, my"

"If you and Serena weren't imaginary, then-that girl I couldn't stand was-Margaret. Sam-there's more. There was this little geek who used to follow you around, saying..."

"No Magic No Magic Like it was the only words he knew. But who was he?"

"Don't you get it? He-whoever he is-is the one for you Oh, wait. If we're such siblings, then what about all the sack time we've logged?"

Little Sam shrugged.

"Kids play doctor. We just weren't kids anymore. A great time, but just more irresponsible fun."

She smiled a non-6 year old smile.

"Not that I ever minded."

Hawkeye's grin was quite the six-year old's.

"Wanna skinny-dip? I mean, we don't have the equipment, but, just for fun, one-last time."

Sam frowned.

"Alright, but two things. One, if you try anything, I'll punch your arm. Two-last one bare is a rotten egg"

"Why, you lousy..."

In a flash, they were outside, two happy children, unencumbered by anything, jumping into the water quite as they were born, no sex, just splashing and fun.

Thirty seconds later, they ran shivering, back inside. Even Hawkeye felt it.

"You know what Sam?"

Warming and drying herself by the fire, the girl said, "No, what Hawkeye?"

"I think it's November outside. Am I still a boy?"

"Um, yeah, it's all there. Boy, were we stupid."

"Oh, yeah, asinine. I mean, really, it is November, we..."

"Absolutely, we..."

They both laughed out loud, and then each planted a last, tender kiss on the other's cheek. A voice rang out.

"That's quite enough of that."

Naturally, Endora appeared.

"Well, well. Starting early in more ways than one, eh? Well, change back and dress yourselves, I've two important things to tell you. Very important."

The two children looked playfully at each other. Sam twitched her nose, and when she did, Endora's eyes went wide.

"SAMANTHA! You-yu know I meant for you to get dressed FIRST!"

The former secret couple then decided to forego the Adam and Eve routine, and thus lowered Endora's blood pressure. They again smiled, realizing the unholy terrors they would have been as children together. But after all else was done between them, they would still have that sacred, precious, indestructible memory of the secret place where children went, when cousins and others bullied and whined.

"What's the first thing, Mother?"

Endora's eyes lowered.

"I do not allow news of the mortal world to affect me. But this is far too grim. I know that you two cut yourselves off this day, so please sit down."

Endora's voice lacked her usual monarchical tone, so they did as she asked. This was a good thing. She spoke bluntly, and precisely.

"In Dallas, earlier this day, President Kennedy was killed by an assassin's bullet. Worse still, certain castings I have done lead me to believe that we are the three of us familiar with the assassin-because he is also the orchestrator of dear Daniel's death-and of Sir Bedivere, whom you, Pierce, knew as Henry Blake. Myself, I believe you did the right thing, Hawkeye. Oaths are not to be taken lightly, and you have sworn a healer's creed. Besides, the efforts to kill the President would have continued without him."

"How do I fight that kind of overwhelming evil? I can't kill him, I know that now. But he and his kind have to be stopped. What good are all these abilities if people like him run the show?"

Sam thought, then spoke.

"Hawkeye, remember, in the other place, as children, I kept jumping on your head, and I wouldn't stop? You did stop me, though."

"I stole your pajamas. Made you look foolish. Cute as a button, but foolish."

"Exactly. And I never jumped on your head again, and never spoke about it, because I was so embarrassed."

"All well and good, Sam. But suppose he doesn't wear pajamas?"

"Then expose him some other way. Show him up and bust some of his toys. In the end, he's as prideful and haughty as Serena, and as lumbering and predictable as Billy. And you beat them both."

He smiled, encouraged by this amazing woman's words.

"Okay, I'll do it. But, I think I'll hand off to the San Francisco Scheme Firm Of McIntyre and Hunnicutt, for the planning-lots of planning. Endora, what's the second thing?"

She smiled.

"Something wonderful-for you two, anyway."

In New Jersey, Margaret Scully watched a world gone mad on TV. She wanted to call Hawkeye, but wondered if he would even accept the call.

Jack sat silently in his chair. His exhaustion had gotten worse, progressively. The lamp by him had two frilly ropes, one for each light. He looked over at Margaret, whose enhanced hearing picked up his erratic heartbeat. As she looked back at him in concern, he pulled one of the ropes, turning the lamp off. He sat in the dark for 5 minutes, head bowed and quite silent. He then said two words to the wife who cared for but did not love him.

"Call Hospal."

Chapter Eight - Who Comforts The Comfort-Giver?

It was a dumb maneuver, running a man in Jack's condition up to Boston General. Charles had told her as much-loudly. But, he was forced to agree, that almost any other doctor would demand that Margaret be tested, given the right set of circumstances. Yes, Jack Scully had suffered a simple stroke-and yet there was more-there was always more, in her life. In one of life's funnier twists, Margaret Scully, wife of Jack, looked over at the sleeping form of Margaret Scully, wife of William, Jack's brother. She looked radiant, and was due in February-they were hoping for a girl. Would Jack live to play with his niece? Jack came from a family closer to Donald's and Charles' than she would have thought, but had found a home in the Army, a less intellectual pursuit than his family approved of.

Winchester had called in a specialist, and that specialist had brought someone with them. When Margaret saw who these two were, though, her eyes almost bugged out. The one, another doctor, went to help analyze Jack's blood. The other, a young woman sporting a page-boy haircut, said they had met before, and that she could help Margaret sort out her feelings this day. Lt. Col. Houlihan doubted both these statements, but she was willing to give it a go, just for trying's sake.

"I really am who I said, you know, Margaret."

"I don't want to doubt you. But the woman I knew exuded confidence."

"And inspired it, too. But while I'm not her, I...well, I am. And she had no counseling experience-diplomatic, yes, but no counseling. Unless you count...It gets confusing."

She was good at this therapy technique, acting more confused than her patient-at least it seemed like an act.

"Heh. You want confusing? Try this on for size. I love Jack Scully. I hope and pray to God Almighty that he will be alright. But I am not in love with him. And I never have been. And I never will be."

"Ooo-kay. You want to complete that paragraph? Cause' I can sense something's missing."

"No. I don't. The only thing missing is me. I'm always missing. I'm in the background, I'm out of focus. Somebody else has the limelight."

"Let me try a different tack. How did you feel, watching the news today?"

In her self-involvement, Margaret had forgotten what had happened to the country.

"I felt as though the last piece of the center had been ripped away. I didn't vote for the man. I despised his airy cheeriness. My friends at the Pentagon had some choice things to say about-well, about a lot of things. But Jack Kennedy was the President. And now Jack is dead, because of me."

"Say What? Margaret, what do you have to do..."

"I'm sorry. I meant my Jack. I'm confused. I just can't shake the feeling that his illness is all my fault."

Two doctors emerged. Charles-and another. The other spoke.

"Hardly your fault, Ms. Houlihan. But your relationship with him does have a bearing on it, sadly. I must return. The war effort, and all that. Uncle, a pleasure as always."

"Hardly. The pleasure is mine...Julian. Father, if you would."

From the background emerged Father Francis Mulcahy.

"I'm ready, Doctors. Ezri, will you be staying behind?"

Ezri Dax nodded her head. She was getting somewhere with Margaret, and the Padre would return for her later.

"Are you ready, Julian?"

"Yes, Francis. Just remember, hit the Promenade. The Kai has been on the lookout for you. Oh, who's the present for?"

"Oh, this. It's Molly's birthday gift, from me and Max. She is our families common link, you know."

"But, Molly O'Brien's birthday is not for 3 months."

They began to vanish in a halo of blue light.

"Julian, you know that hardly matters to me."

As Bashir and Mulcahy returned to the 24th Century, Margaret stared in wonder. Ezri used this as an opening.

"The Prophets sure like to give gifts. Granting Francis the ability to traverse time and space like that, that has to be a kick."

Now, Margaret turned on Ezri.

"My Chaplain is a traveler through time. One of my CO's drove a jeep straight at Godzilla. The other was a head-chopping Immortal, killed by people within our own government. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if that little weasel who killed Henry was the trigger-man in Dallas. Two more head-loppers : My head-shrinker, and the most nervous, sweetest kid I've ever met. Trapper and BJ hang out with that loose cannon archaeologist, Hank Jones, seeing God knows what. Charles sees fit to consult with his 'nephew' who hasn't even been born yet. Max and Soon-Lee Klinger tried to have affairs with their descendants-in-law, and have a milder version of the junk I was given. Said junk turned me into Nurse Wonder and the only man I've ever really loved into Super Doctor Thank God for Peg Hunnicutt-the only normal one in the whole bunch."

Ezri smiled.

"Mind repeating that last part-about Nurse and Doctor?"

"Don't be cute. I am in love with Hawkeye Pierce. But it doesn't matter. I've blown it. Killed our love. He hates me."

"Or do you hate him?"

"Why would I hate him?"

"How did he act, before the wedding-er, attempt?"

"Like-Pierce. Arrogant, getting his way, it's going to happen-it's inevitable."

"Do you like being inevitable, Margaret?"

"I don't mind the result. Just the presumption. And he is presumption personified. Just like that little tomboy he used to hang out with, when we were kids. No responsibility. Playing doctor at every turn -or- the two of them just running around. No one is supposed to be that free."

"You were kids together?"

"Did I say that? Wow. Ezri, I don't know where that came from. And I didn't say-no is..."

"No one is supposed to be that free. Easy answer : you resent and envy his irresponsibility and freedom, and I'm pretty sure he resents and envies your discipline. So call him."

"I can't. He has someone else..."

"Call him."

"I can't. I didn't go to Dan's funeral..."

"Margaret, CALL HIM"

"Shut up! I will not call him and find out in the end that he's just like Frank, or Donald, or any other man."

"Is he like any other man, Margaret?"

Margaret looked away.

"No. He's my heart. Loving him scares the hell out of me, though. Too many ups and downs with him."

"So he's crude, lewd, rude and arrogant, and offers too many ups and downs. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"He wouldn't be part Klingon, would he? I'm in the market since my transference."

Margaret laughed.

"You're crazy."

"One more, then I gotta go. Too many ups and downs with him, right? What about without him?"

"May Jack forgive me, but without Hawkeye, I have nothing. And I know he feels the same way about me. Around each other, we are alive, powers or no."

"Then call him."

Charles walked in.

"It's time for Counselor Dax to go, Margaret. Have you called Pierce, yet?"

"Don't push me, Charles."

"Your relationship is your own concern, my dear. But for Pierce and yourself, Jack's condition is a health issue, and we need him here-now."

As Margaret picked up the phone, with the soon-to-be-departed Ezri and the omnipresent Charles watching, Margaret calmed her nerves by telling herself she wasn't surrendering to the inevitable-that it was surrendering to her. That her fate was not awaiting her in Crabapple Cove, but that Hawkeye's fate awaited him-with her. Lastly, she told herself, it was time she spoke the truth-both to herself-and to the man she loved. This newfound courage was a great help to her-because it wasn't Hawkeye who answered the phone. It was Samantha.

Chapter Nine - Let Families Grow...

November 22, 1963

In Crabapple Cove, Endora hoped that Hawkeye and Samantha would take her news well. It was good news, and yet one never knows.

"I'll get straight to the point. Three months prior to his death, Daniel and I went out. Got very tipsy, painted several towns red, as it were. He was fun to be around. Some-mortals-allow their limitations to restrict their full enjoyment of life. But not your father-Hawkeye. He and I enjoyed life-and each other, almost as though we were rivaling you two. As though anyone could."

Hawkeye and Sam were smiling, but more at the memory of Dan than anything else. They had already decided they were too alike for a serious relationship to work. Hawkeye had determined to wait for Margaret, even if meant fifty years, and Sam had discovered that she might have someone waiting, somewhere in the distance. Hawkeye had already known about his dad and Endora-or so he thought.

"Well, here's a picture of myself and Daniel that night, Hawkeye. I believe you know the gentleman in front of us, with your Good Book in hand."

"Yeah, that's old...Jim Corrigan."

Sam was concerned.

"Hey, Hawk, you look like you've seen a ghost."

Pierce walked over to Endora, and tenderly kissed her on the cheek. This simple act made her quite happy. It was acceptance, on Hawkeye's part.

"No, Sam. Not a ghost. Just-my stepmother-and stepsister. Jim Corrigan is the Town's Justice Of The Peace."

Endora quietly held her stepson's hand. Sam's eyes were wide.

"Mother? You and Dan-then Hawkeye and I are-"

"Brother and Sister, Samantha. I sensed your relationship coming to a certain conclusion, albeit a happy one, and felt it was time to reveal my folly. A folly, it seems, that was part of destiny's plan for you two. Now, admit it. Weren't those sweaty boudoir wrestling marathons leaving you both cold and empty, after all was said and done?"

The former couple and new siblings didn't need to smile at one another, to signal this.

"Oh, yeah, I mean, sometimes, after 12 hours, I just wished Sam would -you know-go away-so I could read a book-or clean something."

"He's right. And afterwards, I'd have back pains galore I'd have to look high and low for something to make me forget those pains-like a massage. Course', those usually led to more pains."

Endora shook her head.

"Sarcasm should not be directed at one's mother. But here and now, it reminds me of Daniel, so I'll let it pass. We thought about an annulment-but-it was hardly an intolerable error."

"Dad had a talent for picking the very best Endora. And your 'error' means that Sam and I have something real to keep in touch about-with no regrets, Sam?"

"Hawkeye? Regret what I've done-regret you? I don't think I could go on, like that, anyway. Siblings or exes, you have a place in my heart-and I bet I have one in yours."

"I guess there is such a thing as a sure bet. When-are you leaving?"

She half-frowned.

"Today. I do love you, Hawkeye. Eventually, that won't mean what it does today. But right now, being near you means-being with you. We deserve more than comfortable-much more."

"I know you do, anyway. I've been with lots of women, Sam. You know that. But when I'm with someone as long as I've been with you, I feel they deserve a hell of a lot more than 'sweaty birthday suit wrestling soirees in the boudoir'."

Hawkeye smiled a cocky smile at Endora, who smiled back, cocking an eyebrow.

"That's why I like this boy. He listens to his mother."

The now ex-couple stared into each other's eyes, and kissed full on the lips for a minute. Then, when they were done, something had passed between them. But it was a good passing, with no need to mourn. Something special had ended, and something perhaps even more special had begun. They had both had lovers; but they now had their dream : that the secret playmate of their youth become their true sibling. As if to signal the death/birth, the new brother and sister's mouths went dry as the phone rang.

"Sam-you-you get it. If it's that weasel, I will kill him this time. No-no joke."

"All right, you. But I get dibs on the cookies. Hello?-They Hung Up"

Margaret's courage had failed her. Ezri Dax, preparing to leave, tapped her feet impatiently.

"Lemme guess. Nobody's home. Pity this century doesn't have view screens, huh, Margaret?"

The Houlihan temper was flaring, and at high steam, as well.

"You back off, Lady! Cause' if you don't, I'll get an Ice Cream Scoop and perform a Symbiont-Ectme-WITHOUT ANAESTHIA"

Within Ezri, over nine different beings rustled furiously at Margaret's thoughtless words. Then, the mental image of an ice-cream scoop caused all of them to back down-even the psycho. She smiled a weak smile at her patient.

"Sorry, Margaret."

"Oh, Dax. No. I'm sorry. You came all this way to help me. I mean, just hearing about that incident with your ex-wife-well, that helped settle something that's been with me a while, now, regarding a lost friend."

"I'm glad, Margaret. But why did you hang up like that?"

She put down her head.

"A woman answered."

Now, Charles impatience boiled over.

"Oh, my. A woman. A woman on the other end of the line. A woman, on the other end of the line, at Hawkeye Pierce's home And only four years after you..aaaacckkkk...Ma-grit Yer strangling meeee...ahh..Thank You-HAKK-I didn't need air, after -akk- all. Call him-again."

"There's no need for that, Charles."

With Samantha and Endora, Hawkeye had appeared out of thin air. Charles was curious, but not overly so.

"I'm not even going to ask. Pierce, I've something to discuss with you and Margaret-immediately, if you would."

"One moment, Charles. Endora?"

"Yes, Benjamin?"

"Please go to this address in San Francisco, and inform my friend of Jack's illness. It's-kind of important to me that you do it. Will you?"

"Well, it is a most unusual request. But for my dear stepson... "

With that, she vanished. Charles was staring at his clipboard. Ezri was not.

"Excuse me. Hi I'm Ezri Dax."

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Samantha."

"Yeah, listen, Samantha-did that woman just vanish into thin air?"

"Oh, that's just Mother. She and I are witches, you know. By the way, did you know that you-have a symbiote living inside of you?"

"What's your point?"

"Uh-hunh. Good talking to you, Ezri."

"You too, Samantha-oop-there's my ride"

Sam saw Ezri and Father Mulcahy vanish in a blue nimbus. She noted Hawkeye and Margaret intently staring at one another. Despite herself, she spoke.

"Look, I'm not trying to intrude, here, but your Priest can travel through time."

Both turned to her, and spoke the same words.

"What's your point?"

As Charles guided the two into his office, Sam sat down, confused and thrown off.

"Boy, these are some strange people Hawkeye knows."

An idea then struck her, and she hoped she could make it happen.

In San Francisco, Endora popped into the home at the address she was given. The only one she saw was a young girl. She looked-somehow familiar.

"Excuse me, child? Is this the Hunnicutt residence?"

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers, Ma'am."

"A good idea. But Hawkeye Pierce sent me, to give your father-news. Do you know him?"

"Of course I know him. He saved me from drowning when I was a baby, and he goes out with my Mom's sister, Aunt Samantha."

"Samantha? Your mother's sister? But that would make her-"

A light, happy sob broke out behind Endora. She turned to re-discover yet another part of her family. Her heart rose.

"Peggy? My little-"

"Mother I've missed you so-muuuch."

"There, there. I was never much of a mother, you know."

"You're mine. That's all that counts."

"Oh, then this child..."

"My name is Erin..what's yours?"

"I do suppose it's Grandma, Erin."

Erin frowned.

"But Grandma Bea and Grandma Cheryl...died."

"I loved Grandma Cheryl, honey. But Grandma Endora is my real mother-and Aunt Samantha's too."

Erin hugged Endora.

"I've got a Grandma again!"

"And I..have you-granddaughter."

Then, BJ walked in. Endora sensed his difference immediately, and stared at him. Then, she shrugged.

"Any other day, I'd be livid. But, Peggy, your father was a bohemian type, after all."

Quickly, BJ was filled in on the family reunion-and the sad message about Jack Scully. Endora was still feeling good about the day, and so made an offer.

"Peggy, allow me to whip up my first granddaughter a full wardrobe-to replace those ratty things"

"Mother..."

"Weeeellll..."

"Oh, well. BJ, you like to make these kinds of calls, so I'm giving it to you. I know how you hate short-cuts and dishonesty, so do we accept Mother's gift?"

BJ shook his head.

"You must be crazy. Crazy if you think I'm gonna just stand here-and turn down an offer like that. Kids' clothes cost a fortune, Peg. Let her zap us all something, for that matter I'd have to be an uptight fool not to take advantage of my wife's full abilities. I can do surgery, you can do this. I don't see you giving me permission to be a doctor. Only a Simon Legree would want that kind of control over his wife."

As time went by, people noted how well-kept the Hunnicutt household was, and how much free time they all had. Endora genuinely liked this new son-in-law, right off the bat. The next one would require some adjustment-for BJ as well as Endora. But that story of 'Witches-In-Law' is, in fact, a whole other story.

Back in Boston, the bed-ridden Jack Scully felt his power of speech return. He thought certain the stroke had erased it forever. With that back, he made a decision-one he would not regret at all.

In the lobby, Samantha sat exhausted. Trying to undo Jack's stroke entirely would be as dangerous for her as for him-certain things were as far beyond magic as they were beyond science. But his speech center was a snap. Now, if he only he did the right thing-and if only Hawkeye and Margaret did, as well. Inside with Charles, the news was not good.

"When I couldn't make heads-or-tails of what I saw in Jack Scully's blood, I contacted our-soon-to-be Monsignor, who traversed the time stream to fetch Julian. An extreme measure, I concede flatly. But Doctor Bashir simply had knowledge I could not. What he told me is this : Margaret, yours and Hawkeye's immune systems are hyper-active. They literally seek out invading bodies and attempt to neutralize them. He spoke of something similar happening on our dear Mister Worf's former posting. I won't play with you. It's made a permanent shambles of his circulatory system. He faces whatever time he has left in an escalating cycle of strokes and disability. You may not be his wife anymore, in any real fashion. This never happened to you two, because you are proof against one another's systems."

Charles let the words sink in.

"Now, Pierce, your Samantha..."

"Is like Radar, Charles. Not his kind, but resistant to most of our problems. She's-a witch, like her mother and Peg. After how Dad left us, I had her check herself for any goodies our pal might have left us. She's good."

"A witch? Like-Peg Hunnicutt? BJ's wife?"

"Uh, yeah, and oh, my stepsister, too. Endora married my Dad last year. Sam's my step, also."

Margaret's look was one of pure disgust.

"She was the last one. We're all freaks, now. Every last one of us."

"How dare you-You half-call me up after three years, and I show up to see another one of your tantrums. Great job, Margaret! You destroy Jack's heart, after ripping mine out. Wanna take Radar or Sidney's heads, while you're at it?"

"Oh, don't you start, you hypocrite! You hide behind Jack, asking how I am, when you don't really give a damn about me. Just the precious future in which you get to play super-hero. Have to have wifey there, for the cameras."

"You know, lady, you are nuts! The only person more nuts than you is me, because I still love you, and I haven't felt this alive in four years. My guts are churning, Margaret. The country's gone nuts, and I find out that because I didn't have the guts to get you back, Jack is gonna die. For how rotten I feel, it still beats every single moment I spent with that terrific lady out there. Looking at you, I have to bite down to remember Sam's face. That's not fair to her-it's just you and me."

Margaret just stood and stared.

"I owe Jack the world's biggest apology, but it won't be enough, will it? What do you do when you've wrecked a man's life? Hawkeye, you say you didn't have the guts to get me back. Guts wouldn't have helped. I know they wouldn't, because I'm the coward. Or maybe we both are. You snap my bra, I scream 'Atten-shun", and we dance around each other like we have since that first OR session. I'm tired of dancing around you, Hawkeye. I know you're tired, too. Jack could hang on for a while, you know. I'll stand by him, but will you wait for me?"

"Of course. Like I said, I'm in love with you. But, Margaret, what exactly am I waiting on?"

"I'm in love with you, darling. Keep you or lose you, you will be mine. Not because of fate, or history. But because that's what Margaret Houlihan wants, dammit. I am deeply, stupidly, frighteningly in love with you, honey. Whatever the time, however long Jack has, after it's done, Hawkeye Pierce, will you..."

Just then, Charles Winchester, who had ducked out during the argument, poked his head back in.

"Come quickly, the both of you Jack's recovered his power of speech, and needs to speak to both of you, urgently."

The two abided the interruption, for Jack remained their prime concern-for now.

Chapter Ten - Recapturing The Magic

November 23, 1963

Margaret and Hawkeye couldn't believe the words they were hearing from the suddenly coherent Jack Scully. Unbeknownst to them, Pierce's new stepsister Samantha had magicked his speech and related centers back to full health, though his circulatory system was still a total wreck. Margaret felt responsible for this, since it was exposure to her hyper-active immune system that caused Jack's stroke. The very worst part was, the man must have been healthy as a horse to begin with, to have survived exposure as long as he did. But Jack had a surprise for them, there, as well.

"You want me to say it again? Ok, here goes. Margaret-I want a divorce. If we can't be together-as man and wife-then I want out."

Margaret was crying. Hawkeye was not too far behind her.

"Jack...this is all my fault...I..."

But the bed-ridden man wasn't through, yet.

"Yeah, yeah, your immune system. I got all that. Well, this is your fault, kid. Both your faults. But not how you think. I'm sick because of me. Margaret-I've been getting sick since almost a year after we married. I just didn't say anything. Too damned proud, and now look where it got me."

"Same as when we were kids, huh, Jack? Our dad-well he was one for striving. Used to work straight through bouts of pneumonia-till one day he didn't."

William Scully's words hung for a moment.

"Billy's got it right, guys. Yes, the little avoidance game you two play has me here, that junk they fed you has me here, and my male ego-the 2nd largest going, Hawkeye-has me here. All because none of us had the guts to admit the obvious. You know all those times I called Maine? I was trying to back out. Not because I don't care for you, Margaret. But because we both had settled. I didn't ask the right questions-and you ignored the obvious answers. God if we had been in the field with that kind of attitude-there'd have been an inquiry."

"Jack, how can I leave you now? You need help, now more than ever."

"I'll take care of my brother, Margaret. It was his early enlistment got me through college. The summers are going to be rough, though-especially with the new baby coming."

Hawkeye spoke up.

"Jack, you can summer up in Maine, with me. I can help you out, where it's needed. Even send one of the kids with you. Waddaya say?"

"We always got along, Hawkeye, so I'm good with that. But will Margaret be there?"

"I'm really kind of hoping she will be, Jack."

"Quit hoping, mister. I'm there."

"Well, if you are...then I need something from you, Margaret."

"Anything, of course."

"I'm gonna be looking at you, and longing after you, and wanting what we can't ever have again. But I won't feel so bad about it...if you are another man's wife."

Margaret took Jack's words in, and looked at Hawkeye. Their hair, dark and light, almost symbolizing their unspoken union.

"Time, I guess, to surrender to the inevitable."

"We're not inevitable. While Henry was CO, you and me were in Elementary School. When Potter came, we were in Junior High. When we got back, we went to High School. College came, and we went our separate ways. But now, College is done, and we both lived a post-grad hell in Korea, to boot. You get what I'm saying? We're not inevitable, Margaret. Inevitable people don't pull off towels, just for a reaction. Inevitable people don't try to bust two doctors out on the basis of those dumb jokes. If we're together, it's not because of what everyone thinks we should do, or because a Klingon with a big mouth decided to blab. We're together because that's what we want. And for the record, it's what I want."

Margaret smiled, thrown by how his attempt to release her only made her feel all the more bound.

"You're something else, you know that? In each of our visions, the other was lost to us. You even killed Frank for me-a difficult task, I know. I've been running away since Chuckie and the others died-not just from you, but from life. It's what I want, too, darling-to be with you. But, for my female ego, please allow me to be the heroine at some point? Just, think about it. Something may come up, and we know you'll get your turn. Beyond that, I'm glad to hear we're not inevitable. Now that the door's been unlocked, I can close it again, and we can hold together against the rest of our lives-however long that might be. Once and for all, Lets end this dancing around and dance together. Hawkeye Pierce, will you forgive me? And more, Will You Marry Me?"

Suddenly hearing those words said to him, Hawkeye felt the weight that Margaret must have, back at Deep Space Nine. Suddenly, knowing that he had a huge role to play in the history of mankind seemed less of a kick and more of a burden. He would do well to have Margaret kick him in the pants when the time came. Samantha, having recovered from restoring Jack's speech, stood in the doorway, and prodded Hawkeye.

"Oh, brother, dear I have to go. So If you would please make this dear woman my future sister-in-law, I can be on my way."

"Don't push, Sam. Boy, a guy dates his sister a few times, and...ooofff"

With a blow that would split a two-by-four, Margaret punched Hawkeye in the stomach, to bring back to business.

"Will You Marry Me?"

"Yes. Hell, Yes As long as you agree not to hit me anymore."

"No promises-except the marrying part."

They kissed, and everyone clapped. Charles whispered under his breath.

"And now, Round Fifteen."

The couple stopped kissing, looked at him indignantly, and walked out with Samantha. Jack stared at a confused Charles, and got his first good laugh in a long while.

"You gotta learn to think this stuff, Doc. They got the hearing, remember?"

"I suppose so, Jack. But I still must needs wonder if those two dolts will actually do it, this time."

A voice in the distance.

"We Hear You!"

"Aahyyh-You..."

While Hawkeye called BJ to tell him the news, two of the women in Hawkeye's life sat and had a talk.

"So-stepsister, huh? From what Jack told me, it went a bit beyond that."

"Oh, more than a bit. Hawkeye and I were inventive, if nothing else."

"I-see."

"But for all that, we didn't belong together. We're too much alike. Over the course of time, that would have only become clearer. We both want the world to be a certain way, and heaven help those who get in our way, when our dander's up. He loves you. After we lost Dan, you were all he could talk about for weeks. Drove me crazy-or maybe it me made me sane enough to catch on. I don't know."

"Why did-Dan jump?"

"Hawkeye told me that some shady character that once claimed to have killed your Colonel Blake...poisoned Dan's water. It gets worse-my Mother's castings say that he was responsible-for yesterday's disaster."

The fact that the little scum wanted the President dead belatedly raised JFK up in Margaret's eyes. She swore in her mind to one day make him eat dirt. And she would, too.

"Wait-castings-Hawkeye said you were a witch."

"Guilty as charged."

"Jack's speech? That was you, wasn't it? Can you fix all of him? Oh, please, Samantha."

"I can't. Margaret, I nearly had a stroke myself just giving him the dignity of speech again. Plus, I could correct his symptoms only to aggravate a future condition. Add to that the alien origins of his illness, and I-could no more help him than I could make Hawkeye love someone he doesn't."

Margaret regarded her future sister-in-law.

"You really are beautiful, you know that? Just promise me you won't give up on love? I have a weird feeling there's someone out there for you-although-he likes to shout a lot-why would I say that?"

"There's-precedent. Margaret, you have to make me a promise. One, that as a family, we'll keep in touch. Two-and I mean this-that you will try your best never to hurt him again, no matter how stupid he may act. Lover or brother, Hawkeye is someone I will always care about-understand?"

As they hugged, Margaret said, "I promise".

Finally, Hawkeye returned.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye. Mother and I have invitations, right?"

"Of course After all, in case Margaret's father objects, he can take a dip in the Pacific. I am gonna miss you-so bad. You got me through, Sam. If not for the coincidence that placed us both in that ski lodge, I don't know what I would have done these past three years."

One more kiss each on the other's cheek, and she vanished, with her voice lingering for a moment.

"Witches don't believe in coincidence, Hawkeye. Only fate."

Alone, now, the once-more future couple stared hard at one another.

"Fate."

"Fate."

He grabbed her up in his arms, intent on finding a nearby hotel before getting back to Jack.

"You know what, Hawkeye?"

"No, what, Margaret."

"To hell with fate. I'll take desire."

"And I take-you."

"Of course you do, Pierce. You have no choice."

For once, Margaret got the last word.

In San Francisco, Samantha's facade broke down, and so did she. Her mother Endora and Sister Peg comforted her.

"There, there, my dear. You did the right thing. Standing in destiny's way is always a sure disaster."

"It's like you used to tell me, Sam. Some people just play together better than others. Those two-well, let's just say that is that. They belong together-like me and BJ."

Those words were partially aimed at Endora, whose initial enthusiasm for BJ had cooled somewhat. Still, it would always be massively more peaceful than with one of her future sons-in-law.

"I-I understand I did the right thing. I know, in my head, that we weren't right for one another. So why do I feel so blasted empty inside?"

Having no answers, they merely sat with her. That next evening, finding her Aunt Sam asleep on their couch, Erin Murphy Hunnicutt pulled her cheek and magically tucked her in. Time and family would heal many wounds.

February 23, 1964

Jack's recovery was uneven, but his now ex-wife and her again fiancé visited frequently. He adjusted rapidly to losing Margaret, but a lack of mobility was making him nuts. Add to that, his sister-in-law had taken ill while visiting, as well. With all other doctors on call, it was Hawkeye who was treating her. Margaret-his ex-walked in with Margaret-his sister-in-law. She was in a chair, and holding something. A mewling little something she briefly handed to Jack. For a brief moment in time, his heart felt perfectly alright.

"Little girl, meet your lug of an uncle. Jack Scully, meet your new niece-Dana Alexis Scully."

The newborn looked up at Jack, and seemed to smile. In her little eyes, all the mysteries of the world seemed to have a perfectly rational explanation.

At the same time, in the Ski Lodge where she and Hawkeye had met, sat a decidedly dejected Samantha. Alike or no, she felt like a fool for giving up Hawkeye. She was miserable, and lonely. She knew then how Hawkeye must have felt, when she found him. Perhaps, she thought, it was all coincidence, after all.

"Mind if I sit here?"

"Suit yourself. I'm afraid I'm not much company, right now."

"Well, when you consider that you are the only woman who's not drunk, asking me how much I make, pretending to be a runway model, or all three, not much company is fine by me, right now."

'Witchcraft' was playing on the jukebox.

"Oh, brother. Don't these people know Sinatra lost his touch after he went to Hollywood?"

Samantha stirred at this.

"How can you say that? It's only after the films he was really free to express himself. Why, Frank Sinatra is the greatest musical warlo-I mean-warbler and crooner in the world."

"How can so beautiful a woman hold so contemptibly ignorant an opinion?"

"Funny. I was going to ask the same thing about so handsome a man. By the way, my name is Samantha Endoratochter."

"Whoa Maybe I'll just call you Sam. My name is Darrin Stephens, Sam, and you HAVE to concede that after 'Eternity', he was just lost in a sea of yes-men..."

An hour into this conversation, Sam wondered why she had ever started talking with this opinionated man. Four hours later, she understood at long last what Hawkeye and Margaret had. Four hours after that, she realized she had gone three hours without thinking of Hawkeye Pierce. Five months later, Darrin had dissolved a difficult engagement and gone with his heart. At the last minute, two members of Sam's family found the chapel and attended. Darrin hadn't known his future brother-in-law was a doctor. As it would turn out, he didn't know a lot of things about Sam-or her family. Through the majority of that family's opposition and his own anti-magic prejudice, Darrin would learn he made the right choice-something he and Sam knew in their hearts, anyway. When Sam through her bouquet, it was caught-by the fastest woman on Earth. Her fiancé' stared at her.

"Don't look at me like that! We need all the luck we can."

Later, the new bride and her stepbrother met outside. Theirs was a reasoned, intelligent discussion.

"I beat you to the al-tar- I beat you to the al-tar- I beat you to the al-tar!"

As she playfully danced around him, Hawkeye picked her up-and threw her into the air. A moment later, she reappeared.

"That wasn't funny. I almost hit that B-52!"

They would have to grow up, to be certain, but play has its place, as well. Smiling, they went back to the reception. A year later, at his own wedding, Hawkeye would stare in horror as his tuxedo began to shrink, while his stepsister laughed. He got her back, though, and she him again. For in the end, there are families-and then there are families.

The End

This Story is dedicated to the memories of Dick York, Agnes Moorehead and of course, Elizabeth Montgomery. You were the friends of my youth.