Author's Note: Here you go, your weekly update! Hope you like it! I'd also like to say that some of this chapter was inspired by the episode: 'Where There's a Will, There's a Way' so some credit needs to go to the writers of that episode: David Pollock and Elias Davis. Also, I would like to give some (okay a lot of) credit to Carrie Underwood since her song 'Just a Dream' gave me the idea for Margaret's dream…and, if you've seen the music video, it's a lot like it! So, sorry 'bout that. Okay, enjoy!

Chapter 14

Battalion Aid Station

Hawkeye wasn't usually this scared when he had to go to the front, but this time was different. The battalion aid station had lost a surgeon a few days before and he was now the replacement until the new surgeon came. The explosions in the background were making the hair on the back of his neck stand up and when the shelling was getting closer, he felt like running, but he knew he had a job to do. He was becoming jumpier and more nervous with every minute and when the last wounded soldier was put into the ambulance, he felt like he was going to jump out of his skin at the next explosion.

When a shell came too close to comfort, he sought shelter under a table by the wall. He was just thankful that the other surgeon was too wrapped up in his book to notice. It amazed him how the people that were stationed at the aid stations were pretty much used to the shell fire. The other man was at a table where the radios were. Hawkeye kept hoping that the phone would ring and the young sergeant would tell him that he could go back to the 4077th. The MASH unit was safer than the aid station, and that was saying a lot.

The visiting surgeon reached into his pocket and pulled out one of the four pictures that Margaret had sent him in her last letter, the other three sat on his footlocker back at the 4077th. His eyes softened and a small smile complemented his handsome features, looking at his wife's beautiful face and. Looking down towards the bottom of the picture he noticed that she had defiantly started to look pregnant. Her stomach was rounded and she looked absolutely radiant. Hawkeye's heart seemed to twist since he wanted to be with her so bad. He gently rubbed his thumb over the picture, imagining what it would be like if he could actually touch her again at that moment…to be home with her. He knew why he was so jumpy…he was afraid that something would happen to him and didn't want to think about how that would affect Margaret. He had seen her hurt and would give anything to protect her from being hurt again. Then there was the fact that if something happened to him, he wouldn't be able to see his child. He just didn't know what would tare him up more…

Another shell went off and Hawkeye quickly looked up. The other two men were still in the same position as they were, not really bothered by the loud noises and the shaking of the building…if you could really call it a building. Outside walls had been knocked out, presumably by mortar attacks, and the thin ceiling was falling down around them. In the sudden flash of light, he saw a clipboard on the ground with a couple blank sheets of paper under the clamp. He hurried to grab it and sat back under the table. He put the picture of his beautiful wife back in his pocket, grabbed a pen, and started to write a letter to the woman he was thinking a lot about.

Crabapple Cove, Maine - A Week Later - March 18

"Hey Margaret, there's a letter here for you!" Daniel walked into his daughter-in-law's small office at the Crabapple Cove Clinic.

Margaret was typing up her paperwork on her typewriter at her desk. The beautiful blond looked rather tired, but perked up as soon as she heard her 'boss' announcing there was a letter for her. The tone in his voice instantly told her that it was a letter from Hawkeye. "Really?" she asked excitedly.

"Yep," Daniel handed her the white envelope with the familiar writing on it. "I stopped at home quick on my way back from the bakery and picked up the mail. Funny thing, my son never seems to write to his father anymore!" He looked like he was really contemplating the statement, but a knowing smile spread across his face. "At least he tells you to say 'hi' for him."

The head nurse laughed, standing up and moving to lean on the front of her desk while Daniel went over to the small couch that sat at the opposite side of the room. "By the way, Hawkeye says 'hi'." she shot back, opening her husband's letter, her hands trembling with excitement.

Her father-in-law just laughed at her wisecrack. "Fine, you don't get any donuts then." He joked.

The mother-to-be laid a hand on her swollen stomach and made the most pitiful look she could muster, although it wasn't working too well with her lips twitching, trying to hold back her laughter. "You're going to let the mother of your grandchild starve?"

"Of course not." Daniel chuckled at his son's wife's expression. He got up and handed a small white, paper sack to the woman, "They were practically giving these away for some reason. Can't understand why…" he rolled his eyes sarcastically.

Looking in the bag, Margaret smiled, "Perfect! Just what I was craving." She reached in and took out the pickle-cream donut. "I didn't think you'd be able to find these anywhere."

The old, grey-haired doctor shook his head, "It's a good thing that Mary just had her baby. Now she knows what to make for the expecting mothers in town." Mary Johansson co-owned the bakery with her husband and just had a little boy about month earlier.

Margaret took a few bites of the donut, each time saying how good it was. It took all he had for the doctor to not gag, but he just tried to remember that the odd cravings would only last for another four months since Margaret was now about five months along. He remembered having to run to the different stores when his late wife was expecting Hawkeye. She would get cravings that were even stranger than Margaret's, but he made sure to put an effort into getting what she wanted, knowing that she very much deserved to be pampered.

Daniel excused himself to go attend to the last patients of the day, and when Margaret finished her donut, she quickly remembered the letter from her husband. She licked her fingers quick, making sure she got every last crumb of the (to her) delicious pastry and wiped her hands on one of the napkins that was in the bag with the donut. Grabbing the letter, she went over to the couch and laid down before unfolding it and reading her husbands familiar, and almost comforting handwriting.

Dear Margaret,

When this letter gets to you, I'll be back from the Battalion Aid Stations from a mission of mercy. I'm writing this while cowering under a table and right now there aren't any wounded here. There were quite a few earlier, but we patched them up as best we could and put them on a bus for home. Well the 4077th, but you know what I mean. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be thinking even more about you for the next few hours or more. Of course, I'm not sure if it's possible to think of you more than I already do! But, I'm thinking about you so much and am also thinking about how nice it will be when I'm able to hold you in my arms again. But please, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. You have enough to worry about!

Margaret's stomach seemed to do a flop. After she was done reading the letter, she would try to get through to the 4077th to make sure Hawkeye had returned safely to the camp. She wanted to make sure he was okay…or know if he had been hurt. She knew that if the worst had happened, she would have been informed by now, but thinking about that put an instant, massive lump in her throat and unshed tears in her eyes. She blinked the tears away, laid a hand on her stomach and kept reading.

How's the job at the clinic going? What have you done to poor old Dad now? I told BJ all about you, Chelsea, and Suzie pulling that trick on Dad and he almost fell out of his cot, he was laughing so hard. Colonel Potter said it sounded just like something you would think of, though!

Speaking of Colonel Potter, he was very grateful to see those pictures you sent. Of course, I was too. I think you look so beautiful, Margaret and Potter definitely agrees with me, and so do the other tons of people that I've showed over here. I can't help but to show off my beautiful wife! The pictures may be in black and white, but I know you're absolutely glowing. You also had that look I love on you. You know the one I mean…the one I told you that you had quite a few times before you even left the good 'ole 4077th? That perfectly content twinkle in your icy blue eyes and that absent minded smile. Not that I'm saying you looked absent minded, I'm just saying that the smile on your face looked like you didn't have a care in the world. You should keep that smile on your face… It's so beautiful and right now I'm just hoping that you won't get too stressed out about me being over here. It's not good for you or the baby.

How's our little guy or girl, by the way? Have you felt it kicking yet? It should be around the right time to start feeling that. God, I wish I could be there… I hope you're getting off your feet once in a while and have you started working part time yet? In your last letter, you said you were thinking about it. I'm just kind of worried about you overdoing it Honey. I know you're not one for just sitting around, but I wish you would just take it easy while you still can.

Margaret gently patted her baby bump. She didn't really know if she had felt the baby kick yet or not. A few days earlier, she felt something and thought it was just indigestion, but when she thought about it more, she wondered if it was the baby. She couldn't wait until she could be sure though. After a content sigh, she read on.

I'd like to say that this war is coming to a close Margaret, but I really don't know anymore. The peace talks were going pretty good as far as peace talks are concerned, but now they've seemed to slow down so much, they've almost come to a screeching halt. I guess they're supposed to start up again here shortly, but I don't know how long it will take them to end this stupid war. I'm still optimistic about being home before our child is born, however. I've even written a letter to Harry S. Truman about all of this, but he hasn't replied yet. I wonder why…?

The nurse swallowed hard. She had been listening to the news on the radio every day and knew the peace talks were going horribly. There was still hope that Hawkeye would be home before their baby was born and she made sure to hang on to that thought.

You can't believe how relieved I am to be away from that Elsie Starks for awhile. Yesterday I went into Colonel Potter's office to complain about her for the millionth time since she's come here. He agrees that she's a horrible nurse and he's getting her transferred out of here! But, before we reached that part of the conversation, I pretty much ended up fighting with the Colonel! I just got so angry with Starks that I took it out on him: "A spineless, brain-drained, north end of the southbound mule." I felt horrible after I said it but he just nodded and laughed a little. He explained to me how he knew exactly what was going on and how much he hated the woman as much as I did and he even showed me her transfer orders! Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! He went into 'father-mode' shortly there after and told me all about how I would never be able to find a nurse that I liked as much as I liked the first one…As if I couldn't figure that out. Then he said that, even if we had the second best nurse in the whole U.S. Army, I would still think she was horrible. Everyone misses you here so much and the camp just isn't the same without you.

Honey, I hate to have to close this letter, but just know that I love you more than anything else in the world. Tell Dad I said "hi" and also that I'll write to him sometime. I just keep forgetting to write to my own father. See how good of a son I am? Haha. No, I'm just kidding. I'm not that bad of a son! Tell him I love him for me too. And also tell Junior, of course. Remember to call or write me the moment he or she starts kicking and don't worry if it would only be three o'clock in the morning here. I'll be glad to hear anything from you at any time. And take it easy!

Forever Yours,

Ben

The mother-to-be gave a silent prayer, hoping that her husband was okay. She looked at her plaque bracelet and whispered the words, "Until the last rose dies…" The nurse reached up and wiped away a single tear when she moved her gaze over to the silk rose on the bookshelf. She was going to get up and go over to her desk to call the 4077th, but the sleepless night, caused by a rather good book she had been reading (Daniel had suggested The Last of the Mohican to her when he saw her trying to find a book the other night), caught up with her and she was fast asleep before she even set the letter down.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Margaret didn't know where she was for a moment. She realized that she was behind the huge backyard of her new home, outside of the picket fence and closer to the cliff. A smile spread across her face when she saw her husband in his class A uniform, standing next to BJ and Father Mulcahy. Looking down, she saw that she was wearing a beautiful white wedding dress. She was still pregnant, but the dress flowed beautifully over her rounded stomach. Hawkeye smiled back at her, watching her walk towards him.

Suddenly Margaret felt the strong urge to cry… When she looked back down at her dress, she realized that it was slowly turning black from the bottom and the long train of white fabric behind her was shrinking. Her roses were turning black as well and the crowd of people that were in the two aisles sat down and bowed their heads. Margaret looked around in a total state of shock, wondering what was going on. She looked back up to where her husband was standing and couldn't find him. Her legs felt like rubber as she kept going forward, walking down the aisle. She was confused, but knew whatever was going on wasn't good. Suddenly, she let out a sob, seeing a large wooden box on a stand at the end of the aisle. It was about seven feet long and two feet tall. Now she knew what was going on now, and before she knew it, she was standing by the box…a coffin.

Reaching out, she touched the coffin and started crying harder. Daniel came up beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder. Margaret looked back at her father-in-law and saw the tears on his cheeks and his red, swollen eyes. She drew in a shaky breath and Daniel pulled her in so she could cry on his shoulder. "This can't be happening…" She sobbed.

"I know…" He hugged his daughter-in-law to him and stared at his son's coffin, not believing it himself.

Margaret felt like a bullet had pierced her heart. She looked at the black roses in her hand and reached out to lay them on the coffin. One of them was still red, however and when she felt it, even through her black glove she could tell it was her silk rose. "Until the last rose dies, Hawkeye…" she whispered.

BJ then walked over with a folded flag and, after giving the young widow a hug, handed it to her. "I'm sorry Margaret."

The crying blond smiled as best she could and nodded ever so slightly, "Thank you Beej." She gave him another hug as he went to sit down. She held the flag close to her, feeling like it was the last tie to her husband…then she looked down at her stomach and instantly started sobbing again, thinking about her child…their child. And how it would never know his or her father…

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Margaret…Margaret!" Daniel had heard his daughter-in-law sobbing in her office and instantly thought the worst. He was now kneeling by the couch, gently shaking his head nurse's shoulder. "Margaret, wake up. It was just a dream."

Margaret bolted upright and panted, trying to catch her breath. She wiped the tears away and looked around the room, confused. "What time is it?" her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I left you about half an hour ago so you could read your letter in peace. It's about 5:30" The doctor's eyes washed over with concern, "What happened Margaret?"

She shook her head in embarrassment, "Nothing, I'm fine…" She got up off the couch and went over to her desk.

"Do you often cry like that in your sleep when you're fine?"

"I just had a bad dream is all. I'll get over it." Margaret was being her normal, stubborn self.

Daniel went to the closet by the couch and grabbed the nurse's coat. "Well, why don't we go home. I was about ready to close up for the night."

"Right." She quickly rounded up the things she'd need to take home and put her coat on. When she grabbed her letter from the floor, she remembered what she was going to do. She was going to call from her office, but decided that she could wait until they got home. She'd give Hawkeye a few more minutes of sleep, seeing as how it would only be six in the morning there.

About five minutes later, the two people were walking up the front steps of the big, yellow, Victorian house. The weather was better than it had been for the past few weeks and the flowers that lined the sidewalk were starting to bloom. Margaret had been unusually quite during the ride home and as soon as Daniel had opened the door, she hurried to the kitchen. "Can I use the phone again?" She called.

Daniel shook his head and smiled, "How many times do I have to tell you, you can use it whenever you want!" He called to her from the little entry way.

"Right." Margaret nodded. She was so used to having to ask Radar if he could put a call through for her that she forgot she could do it herself, or that she didn't really need to ask about doing it.

"Hello?" The operator's voice was soft and sweet.

"Hi Sarah." The blonde sat on the stool under the phone, "I'd like to place an oversees call, if you don't mind." She had met Sarah a couple times at the clinic and considered the young woman one of her friends.

Sarah laughed, "Of course I don't mind, Margaret! Hold on, this could take awhile."

"I'll be here." She waited, and waited. Finally, after about ten minutes, the phone started ringing.

MASH 4077th - Ouijambu, South Korea - March 19

The phone started ringing at about six o'clock in the morning. Colonel Potter was in his office and grabbed the phone, allowing Radar to have a little more time to sleep. He hardly ever got to 'sleep in' past five o'clock, but since the C.O. figured that the young man had a hangover from last night's party that the enlisted men had, he'd let the Corporal sleep it off a little more.

"4077th MASH." Colonel Potter greeted whoever was on the other line.

"Colonel Potter!" Margaret's voice showed how much she was glad to hear the familiar voice.

"Major Pierce, is that you?" The Colonel had the same, excited tone in his voice. "How have ya been Margaret?"

"I'm alright Colonel, and I'd love to talk with you some more, but I really need to hear my husband's voice…please tell me he's okay."

"Well he's fine, Major. I'll go get him." The Colonel excused himself and headed over to the Swamp. "Pierce!" he went over to the man's cot and tried to wake him up.

"Radar, go away or I'll show you a new way to carry that clipboard of yours." Hawkeye mumbled, still half asleep.

"It's not Radar, Hawkeye. It's Colonel Potter. I just thought you'd like to talk to Margaret, she's on the phone." The C.O. then stood back and watched his chief surgeon get out of bed, grab his robe, and run out the door and towards the office before he could blink.

"Margaret!" Hawkeye picked up the phone, anxious to hear his wife's voice.

"Oh Hawkeye." As soon as she heard his voice, she choked up and felt like she was going to cry again. "I'm so glad to hear your voice."

"I'm glad to hear yours too, Honey." Hearing the slight crack in her voice, he asked, "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Ben, I just needed to know that you were okay. I got your letter. You told me not to worry, but how could I not?"

Hawkeye mentally hit his head with this hand. Why did he have to put all of the bad stuff into his letters? "Honey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you worried. I just thought you should know where I was."

"Hawkeye, it's okay. I'm glad you told me. But then after I read the letter, I fell asleep on the couch in my office at the clinic and had a horrible nightmare and I just had to hear your voice."

"Want to talk about it?" Hawkeye asked, "It'll make you feel better."

Margaret could almost see the understanding smile on her husband's face. She told him everything that she remember about the dream she had had and when she was through, Hawkeye spoke softly, "I'm not going anywhere Margaret. I'll be there for you and our baby. There's no way I'm ever gonna let you be a widow, alright? And that's a promise."

"I'll hold you to that." Margaret chuckled.

"Good." Hawkeye sounded depressed when he went on, "I'm so sorry, but they're gonna cut us of, Margaret."

"I know, I just needed to hear your voice. I'll reply to your letter tomorrow okay? I have a lot of paperwork to do tonight still."

"I'll be waiting for it…I love you. Very, very, very much." he replied.

"I love you too." Each time she spoke to Hawkeye on the phone, it became increasingly difficult to say goodbye.

"Bye Honey."

"See ya." And with that, the line went dead.

Hawkeye put the phone back in the bag and leaned back in the chair, and sighed. It was going to be a long war…

Okay, so as I said, Carrie Underwood and whoever wrote the song for her, needs to have a lot of credit for Margaret's dream. That music video makes me cry every time I see it and when I was writing her dream, I found my vision becoming increasingly foggy…lol. I know, I'm pathetic! Hope this'll tie you over until next weekend. Actually, next weekend I will be at Camp Foster for the Halloween camp, Mystery Madness, so I'll only have Sunday night and all of Monday to write. (I don't have school on Monday-THANK GOD!) So, I'll try to get chapter 15 up there next Monday! But, about this chapter, tell me what you thought! Thanks for reading!