"I'll be..." Klinger whispered to Radar. "So BJ was a Benjamin too.."

Radar just smiled, trying hard not to cry.

"Hey, kid...did I upset you? I didn't mean to," Klinger continued. "It's just...just think...what are the odds of Hawkeye falling in love with someone with his own name?"

Charles chuckled. "Of course he would. Pierce always did think highly of himself. I am not surprised at all by this little twist."

Klinger looked at Charles. "Major...can I ask you a question?"

Charles rolled his eyes. "You may ask me a question."

The little grammar lesson was lost on Klinger. "Major, of course, now, I guess it makes sense...about Hawkeye and BJ. But what about you...what made you go that way?"

Charles looked at Sidney, rolled his eyes, then redirected his attention to Klinger. "I suppose it's far too complicated for you to understand...Let me try another approach...in Korea, you of all people wanted out of that hellhole more than all of us, myself included. Yet you stayed. Why?"

Klinger didn't even hesitate. "Because I fell in love."

"Was that what you had planned, on staying in Korea, all in the name of love?"

"Of course..."

One look from Charles convinced Klinger to rethink his answer. "I guess not. I wanted out so badly, I did everything- everything- to get out of there. But then I met Soon-Li and I knew she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."

"Even if it meant setting aside your plans for the end of the war?"

Klinger nodded. "I don't understand, sir."

"Klinger...Klinger...Klinger..." Charles took a deep breath. "The heart wants what it wants, can you comprehend that concept?"

Klinger nodded.

"I don't know why I am telling you this...certainly I'm under no obligation...but to be honest, Klinger...I know what you all thought of me back in Korea. I was standoffish, selfish, rude..."

"Not to mention a world class snob," Klinger's eyes widened as he realized that he'd actually vocalized his thoughts.

"My point is, Klinger- I could not allow myself to get close to you. To any of you. I'd carefully built this world for myself, which certainly had not included Korea or a cross-dresser who put more thought into what earrings to wear with what outfit than into his actual escape plan. Pierce, Hunicutt...they annoyed me; that is no secret, and rather quite an understatement. But this week I've come to realize something about myself. What I hated in them was something I resented about myself. They were carefree, free to be themselves, make fools out of themselves and anyone around them...they were actually happy at times. In a war zone, for God's sake. While they were free to go about with their tomfoolery, I could not allow anyone to know me. The real me. My parents, may they rest in peace, never knew the truth about myself. I knew without a doubt they would disown and disinherit me."

Klinger stared and even Sidney watched, having never witnessed this side to Charles.

"The bottom line is this- sometimes we have to choose whether to follow our hearts or our conscience. I knew...I knew I could have lost everything I'd spent a lifetime building due to my love for my partner. I have lost patients, as well as potential grants. We've been denied housing. But the thing is...Klinger, if you had to choose between Toledo and Soon-Li in Korea, would you still do the same thing over again?"

"Without a doubt, sir."

Charles smiled. "Precisely."

Radar saluted Charles, and slowly, one by one, everyone gathered at the Pierce-Hunicutt residence followed suit. Even Erin and Hawkeye saluted Charles.

"Incoming!" Radar declared out of habit.

Everyone stopped and stared and watched in disbelief as two sheriff's cars pulled into the driveway.

Hawkeye stood up to see what was going on.

Four officers started up the driveway. Following them quite closely was none other than Peg, Erin's mother, and she held to display for all what appeared to be a stack of papers.

All jaws dropped and Erin clung tightly to her dad. "Dad...what's going on?"

"I don't know...but I'll tell you one thing...you're not leaving our home."

"Do you promise, Dad?" Erin asked through her tears.

I sure hope so, Hawkeye thought desperately as he suddenly felt quite sick to his stomach. Now he truly understood why BJ had reacted the way he had at his first taste of war.

tbc