Finally Margaret made it back to her own tent, in which she proceded to scream. That man had angered her so! Only Benjamin Franklin Pierce could take a perfect moment and distort it into something dirty and haughty. If he had only a clue of the depth of the feelings that she was about to reveal to him, than perhaps he wouldn't have made those awful childish jokes. He wouldn't have invited her into his tent. Rather, she could have had the opportunity to invite him to her own tent. The rules would be different on her turf. Here she could call the shots and know who would be coming and going. Here she knew every object, every article, every fixture-they all belonged to her. She owned them, much as she owned the feelings that she was finally willing to share with a Captain Pierce. In here, perhaps, she could control how much he could have. He couldn't take more than she was willing to give him. She would watch and see just how much he wanted, if he wanted any at all. But it would all be done in the safety of her own environment. Ah yes, safety….you must have a safety plan in place when it comes to dealing with the matters of the heart. Practical, if not altogether romantic. But practicality is good. Romance is fine if you like uncertainty and suspense. But romance can never fix a flat tire. It's best to be practical. Her dad had drilled that in her from the time she was an infant. And what her father hadn't taught her, the army instilled in her. Somewhere along the way Margaret had learned to use both sets of skills. Maybe this time she could get it right.
It's not as if she hadn't tried her practical romantic skills before. There was Frank Burns. For practical purposes, they made the perfect couple. He adored her. They both adored the army. They both shared the same aspirations for their careers. But romance had a say in when Margaret realized that she wanted something more than just a married man making empty promises to her. So Frank had to go. Hello, Donald. Donald was military- a practical choice. He was the kind of man that her father would be proud to call son-in-law. And oh the romance- Margaret adored him! She would ask how high to his every "jump". But really, Margaret, was it so practical for Donald to continue to see other woman even after you were married? He was just not good enough for her. The practicality overruled the romance, and once again Margaret suffered for it.
Now this time…. Practicality would suggest that Margaret stay away from Hawkeye. They're too different from each other. They might argue; Lord knows they've had their share of fights in the past. She likes structure; he's anything but. He loves to look at the ladies. She needs a man to give her constant attention. But he's the one who goes to any length to make sure people are giving him attention! Sure, she knows she's too loud. But isn't he too loud when he goes around singing and making constant jokes?
Most people would say that these are reasons for a couple to not be together. In fact, these are the same reasons that Hawkeye and Margaret themselves decided against a relationship. But that was then….before she realized how much she loved him. Before she realized how much she stood to lose by letting him go without telling him she loves him. She's lost men that she thought loved her. Once they were gone she didn't put up a fight….they weren't worth fighting over. But this one is different than any man she's ever met. She's decided it's time to go against her inner instincts and stand up and fight for what she believes in. And what she believes in is Hawkeye Pierce.