Author's Note: Here is the final chapter of this story. I had some time today to edit the last chapter so I decided to post it too. I hope it was worth the wait.

chapter ten

"Our Beloved Dr. and Mrs. Hawkeye Pierce."

"Oh, Margaret, you look beautiful!" Peg exclaimed as she opened the door to her friend's room and walked in. Coming up behind her she smiled broadly and added, "That hair style suits you perfectly."

"You think so?" Margaret asked as she carefully examined her reflection in the mirror before her. Carrie had swept her hair up into a French Roll, leaving some loose curls of hair around her face and at the nape of her neck. Then she had placed some sprigs of baby's breath among the folds of the roll.

"Hawkeye isn't going to know what hit him," Carrie assured her as she slipped her arms carefully around Margaret's neck, mindful of her dress and hair, and looked at her through the mirror's reflection. "If he hasn't already lost his heart to you, he certainly will after he see you today."

Margaret smiled and squeezed her cousin's arms.

"Which necklace were you wanting?" Peg asked as she lifted two pearl necklaces out of Margaret's jewelry box.

"This one." Margaret pointed to one of them and then took the other one out of Peg's hand. As Peg fastened the one she'd chosen around her neck, Carrie peered over her shoulder at the other one.

Reaching out a hand she took the necklace from her cousin's hands and examined it more closely. "Are these pearls real, Margaret?"

Margaret reached out and took the strand from her and nodded her head. "Yes, they are. They're very real."

Then without saying anything more she reached for a pair of scissors that were sitting on her dresser and snipped the thread they were on. Leaning over the garbage can she pushed each bead off the string, before taking the scissors and cutting the string into tiny pieces. Carrie and Peg both watched her in stunned silence.

"W-Why did you do that?" Carrie finally stammered, unable to believe what she'd just witnessed. "Why did you destroy a beautiful real pearl necklace? Are you crazy? That strand must have been worth a fortune."

"Actually Carrie, these pearls are worth a fortune." Margaret touched the strand around her neck.

"I don't understand." Carrie exclaimed, her whole face pale with shock as she looked at the destroyed necklace sitting in the garbage can. "How could you cut up a string of real pearls?"

Still fingering the strand of pearls around her neck Margaret explained, "Hawkeye bought me this necklace last week when we were in Boston as a wedding present. They may not be real pearls, but the love with which he gave them to me is worth a fortune." Gesturing to the garbage can where the other necklace lay destroyed, she continued, "Those pearls may be worth a fortune themselves, but they were not given to me in the same spirit as these ones. They came from a slimy opportunistic, two-timing creep who was basically a waste of skin and who 'loved' me only because I was there and convenient. He'd actually purchased these pearls for his wife and a strand of imitation for me. But I got wind of it and managed to trick him into giving me the real ones by pretending that the ones he'd given me were real. He didn't know the difference. To this day he doesn't know the difference."

"I bet his wife does, though," Carrie commented with knowing amusement. "Who was this creep?"

"Frank Burns," Peg supplied knowingly.

Margaret looked at her and nodded a little sadly. "Good old Ferret Face himself."

"I've never heard of him," Carrie commented, sitting on the edge of Margaret's bed and looking at her cousin expectantly. "When did he come into the picture? Before or after Donald?"

"Before," Margaret replied. "I met him when I first went to the 4077th, same time I met Hawkeye. I wish now that I'd run away from Frank and attached myself to Hawkeye instead. Frank's not a part of my past that I'm proud of."

"But that's just where he is, Margaret," Peg told her gently. "In the past – over and forgotten – especially today. Today is a day to look to the future, not to the past."

Margaret gave her a warm smile and reached over to squeeze her friend's hand. "You're right. It's over and done with. Whether I like it or not Frank is a part of my past, but Hawkeye is my future. No matter what, it's Hawk and I from here on out." She turned and looked at her reflection in the mirror. With a soft smile on her lips, she whispered, "Goodbye Major Margaret Houlihan. Hello Mrs. Margaret Pierce."

"How are you holding up, son?" Daniel Pierce asked his nervous son as he watched him try and tie his tie.

"Why do they make these things so complicated?" was Hawkeye's exasperated reply.

"Here, let me help you." The elder Pierce stood before his son and began to tie the offending article.

The men and some of the women were all gathered in the living room waiting for the guests to start arriving. All the living room furniture had been moved out of the room, except the piano, and folding chairs were brought in for people to sit on during the ceremony.

With a soft grin Daniel smoothed the piece of material he'd been arranging flat against Hawkeye's chest. "There, you're ready."

"What time is it?" his son asked, his normally calm voice edged with anxiety.

"It's fifteen minutes after two," another voice told him, amusement in his tone.

"What's so funny?" the nervous groom snapped, looking at the other man.

"You," Trapper told him plainly. "I've never seen you so scared."

"I'm not scared," Hawkeye objected sharply. "I'm just..."

"Terrified," Trapper supplied, his eyes twinkling with fun. "Face it, Hawk, your feet are ice cold."

"No, they're not!" the other man cried angrily. "I'm not getting cold feet. I'm just a little...nervous." Glancing at his best friend who was standing just a few feet away he added, "But that's nothing out of the ordinary."

"No, it's not, son," Potter agreed as he came up and put a reassuring hand on his old Chief Surgeon's shoulder. "In fact, it's perfectly natural, just as long as you don't let it stop you from going through with things."

Hawkeye looked at Potter seriously. "Don't worry, Colonel. Nothing could keep me from marrying Margaret. I've been dreaming about this day for a long, long time."

"I know," Potter acknowledged softly causing Hawkeye's brows to raise slightly.

"So where are you and the Major going to be living after you're married?" Klinger asked curiously from his perch on the edge of one of the chairs.

"Here," Hawkeye replied, unconsciously tugging at his collar, unaccustomed to the tightness around his neck.

"Here as in Crabapple Cove here or here as in this house here?" Klinger prodded.

"This house," the groom clarified. "It's a big house, there's plenty of room."

"Besides, I want to have my grandchildren close by," Daniel commented, sending a teasing look to his son.

"Let's get the wedding over with before we start talking grandchildren," Hawkeye scolded his father gently. "That's something Margaret and I haven't really talked over yet. She may not even want children."

"Oh, she'll want them," his father commented confidently. "All women want children."

"Not all women want children, Dad," Hawkeye commented. "And Margaret certainly didn't want children when she was married to Donald."

"Things were different then," Daniel remarked knowingly. "From what I hear her marriage to Donald was rocky right from the start. With that and the fact that she was living in the middle of a war I can't say that I blame her for not wanting children. But I bet you anything that if you asked her now, she'd tell you a different story."

"Maybe," Hawkeye conceded.

"Ben, I guarantee it," his father told him confidently.

"I'd say I have to agree with your father, Hawkeye," Potter piped up, a small smile tugging at his lips at the thought of small little Hawkeyes and Margarets running around the house. "I'd say Margaret is ready for a family."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to ask her," the groom commented, a thoughtful look on his face. After a few moments he looked back to his father, shaking himself from his private revelry and said, "But first things first. Let's worry about the wedding for now. If that doesn't go through than you can forget about grandchildren."

At two-thirty the first of the town guests started to arrive. Hawkeye and BJ stood in the entry and greeted them as Charles and Trapper helped direct the newcomers to their seats. By the time three o'clock rolled around the place was packed to maximum capacity. It seemed that almost everyone from Crabapple Cove had turned out to watch the son of their favorite doctor finally tie the knot.

"You ready Hawkeye?" Father Mulcahy asked his nervous friend when everything was ready to start.

"Ready, Father," the groom acknowledged with a nod.

"Mildred," Mulcahy prompted the older woman who was seated at the piano.

As the soft notes of Oh, Promise Me filled the air Hawkeye watched eagerly as Peg made her way down the aisle. He caught the smile that Peg flashed BJ and out of the corner of his eye he noticed his best friend smile back. He hoped with all his heart that he and Margaret would still be as in love when they'd been married for a few years as they were now.

If Hawkeye's heart had been doing some funny dancing before, it was about to jump right out of his chest at the sight of Margaret coming down the aisle towards him, dressed in a cream-colored, knee length dress that was tailored to fit her every curve perfectly. In her hands she carried a beautiful bouquet of long-stemmed pink roses with sprays of baby's breath mixed in. Her blue eyes were sparkling with happiness and her cheeks were rosy with excitement.

When she stopped before him Hawkeye had to swallow hard before he could speak. "You look beautiful," he whispered softly to her.

"Thank you," she whispered in acknowledgment.

It was a beautiful ceremony, leaving few dry eyes in the place as Hawkeye and Margaret pledged their undying love for each other and promised to love, honor, and cherish each other for the rest of their lives.

Before everyone knew it Mulcahy happily announced, "May I present Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin Franklin Hawkeye Pierce."

All their friends who were eager to congratulate the happy couple soon surrounded the bride and groom.

Later that evening, Daniel placed himself in front of the crowd that was still mingling in the Pierce's spacious living room. Clearing his throat to get everyone's attention he finally said, "I just wanted to take a few minutes to thank you all for coming to witness the marriage of my son and my beautiful new daughter." Looking at Margaret who was standing with Hawkeye a few feet away he said, "Welcome to the family, Margaret. I hope that you and Ben will always be as happy as you are today."

Margaret smiled at him and stepped forward to give him a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you...Dad."

Daniel's smile brightened as he returned her hug. Then with his arm still around her waist he turned back to their guests and said, "I know that some of you haven't had much of an opportunity to hear the story of how Margaret and Hawkeye met, so I thought I'd take a few minutes while the desserts are being set up to bring you all up to speed on Hawkeye and Margaret's unique relationship. Since I wasn't there to personally witness any of this, I'd like to enlist the help of some of Hawk and Margaret's comrades from the 4077th to relate their firsthand memories of this momentous event. To start with, I'd like to call Dr. John MacIntyre to the front. Dr. MacIntyre is known more commonly to his friends as 'Trapper'. He will tell us about the start of this seemingly remarkable relationship."

Trapper stepped up to where Daniel was and turned to address the group. "For those of you who don't know me, or who only know me by reputation, I was Hawk's cellmate for his first year in Korea. And believe me, what a year that was!" His eyes twinkled mischievously as he looked at his buddy. Hawkeye couldn't help but chuckle in return as Trapper continued, "I never thought in a million years that I would be standing here today roasting Hawkeye and Margaret on their wedding day."

"Don't you mean toasting, MacIntyre?" Potter corrected, an expectant look on his face.

"No, I meant roasting, sir," Trapper assured the other man, a wicked glint in his eye as he looked back to his best friend. Looking back to the crowd he announced, "You know the first time these two met Margaret slapped him." Margaret and Hawkeye looked at each other rather sheepishly as the others laughed.

"What happened?" Toby Wilder asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Hawkeye and I had just pulled into camp and Margaret came out to greet us - shinning clusters, snappy salutes and all. Well, Hawk pulled himself out of the jeep, took one look at her and asked, 'Could you tell me where I could find the big chief, baby?'. Well Margaret gave him the dirtiest of all dirty looks I've ever seen - and trust me, I've seen plenty of dirty looks in my time."

A few chuckles and knowing looks passed through the room.

"Anyway, Margaret informed him very firmly, 'It's Major, Captain', so he quickly replied: 'All right then, could you tell me where I could find the big chief, Major-baby?' and then she slapped him - hard too."

"Hawk always was good with first impressions," Dickie Barber exclaimed receiving a round of knowing laughter.

"Anyway, the first year that Hawkeye and Margaret were in Korea they did nothing but fight," Trapper reported.

"Their second year wasn't much better," BJ added.

"Just wait, Hunnicutt," The curly-haired surgeon remarked, holding up his hand to stop the other man. "You'll get your turn in a minute."

"Well, hurry it up then," BJ teased lightly. "I have more years to report on than you do. More interesting years too."

Trapper shot him a mock-annoyed look before continuing his tale. "During the course of our first year Hawkeye did everything he could think of to annoy the hell out of Hot Lips, as Margaret was then known as."

"Hot Lips?" Several people repeated questioningly.

"Never mind," Hawkeye told them all firmly, glaring slightly at Trapper for bringing up the long unused nickname.

"What kind of things did he do to her?" somebody else asked curiously.

"Never mind," the groom interrupted his friend's response.

"Oh, come on, Hawkeye," Trapper whined pitifully. "You're ruining the fun."

"No, I'm not," the groom denied. "I'm defending my bride's honor."

"Everyone who believes that stand on their head," Potter piped up from the middle of the room.

"Are you saying you don't believe me, Colonel," the other man asked, pretending to be insulted.

"About as much as I believed that Klinger was King of the Gypsies," the retired Army colonel told him seriously.

"King of the Gypsies?" Charles looked Klinger up and down. "That would explain why his scrounging skills are so highly developed."

"So, what were some of the things that Hawk did to Margaret?" Brad Millar asked, deeply curious to hear more about some of the pranks played at the 4077th. "I already heard about the tent story."

"Which tent story?" Klinger asked with a big grin on his face.

"You mean there's more than one?" Brad asked in surprise.

"At least!" Klinger assured him. Then looking at Radar he listed, "There was the time that Hawkeye and Trapper camped out in Margaret's tent when they were giving you trouble about that new nurse."

"And the time that they rigged the dummy to fall out of her closet when she got into bed," Radar added.

"And the time that Hawkeye stole Margaret's tent," Klinger continued.

Radar chuckled slightly. "I don't think I was there for that one."

Klinger looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "That's right, it was last April Fools and you'd already left by then."

"You missed it too, kid?" Trapper commented, glad that he wasn't the only one to miss out on some of these stories. "From what I understand, what happened was…"

"Oh, no you don't, MacIntyre," BJ objected seriously as Trapper opened his mouth to relate the story. "That one happened during my watch. I'm the one who's going to tell that story!"

"I guess I've been told," Trapper told the crowd good-naturedly.

"Then tell us some of the pranks Hawk pulled during your watch," Toby prompted eagerly.

"Let me think." A thoughtful look passed over Trapper's face, followed by one of amusement. "I have a tent story, actually I have two."

"Yeah, but mine's better," BJ taunted with pretend childishness.

"We'll just see about that," Trapper retorted. "I bet your tent story doesn't involve a trick candle, sawed off cot legs, a broken tent pole and pudding."

"Pudding?" Several people repeated.

"Pudding," Trapper confirmed and then described in detail about how he and Hawkeye had booby-trapped Margaret's tent before one of her dates with Frank. Then he went on to relate several other pranks that he and Hawkeye had pulled on Margaret and Frank. He didn't seem to notice his old bunkmate cringing every time he mentioned Frank Burns and his relationship with Margaret as he was too involved in pleasing his captive audience.

BJ however noticed the pained look in his best friend's eyes and acted upon what he saw.

"Okay, MacIntyre, you've used up your time. It's my turn now." BJ moved to the front of the crowd and literally pushed Trapper back towards his seat.

Trapper good-naturedly complied with a final parting shot. "Just wanted to let you know that I had absolutely nothing to do with any of the stories that I just related to you."

Several objecting remarks echoed from his former war buddies, who knew very well that he'd had as much to do with what had happened as Hawkeye had.

"When I came to the 4077th, things between Hawkeye and Margaret were very much the same as they had been when Trapper was there," BJ related. "Hawkeye and Margaret were still antagonists and Margaret and Frank were still...friends." He shot his friend an apologetic look.

Hawkeye just smiled slightly at him but said nothing.

"Anyway, it wasn't long after that things started to change. I noticed that even though Hawk and Margaret still argued about almost everything, there didn't seem to be the same animosity behind their words. About a year after I arrived, I think a genuine friendship had developed between these two, one that kept growing and changing and getting stronger. Obviously, because here we are six months after the war is over watching these two crazy kids getting married."

He looked at the bride and groom and gave them a warm smile.

"Their relationship may not have started out very well, but I think that it has ended up going in a very agreeable direction. Hawkeye, Margaret I wish you all the best in the future. You guys mean very much to me - to all of us - and we're glad that the two of you have found happiness."

"What about the tent story, Hunnicutt?" Toby pressed eagerly, dying with curiosity to find out what that was about. "You promised you'd relate it."

When BJ looked at Hawkeye uncertainly the groom sighed and replied, "You'd better tell them, Beej. I don't want this crowd to get ugly. And believe me Toby can get ugly when he's angry."

After the following laughter subsided BJ related the story Toby was pressing for.

"It was April fools last year. A few of us were playing jokes on each other: fake snakes in nut cans, dead minnows in pockets, oatmeal in combat boots, etc. Well, Hawk got the idea that he was going to steal Margaret's tent."

"I bet she loved that!" Dickie Barber remarked with a laugh.

"Just as much as I loved having oatmeal in my boots," Hawkeye commented, finally getting into the spirit of the conversation. He felt so differently about the pranks that he'd played on Margaret after they'd become friends. The pranks he'd played on her before they were friends were so mean and cruel that he felt nothing but shame when he thought about them. The ones played after were different. They were done in the spirit of fun and fair play, usually in response to something that she'd done to him in the same spirit.

"You mean Margaret put oatmeal in your boot?" One of the other guests commented in surprise.

"Yes, she did." Hawkeye nodded. Then sliding an arm around her waist, he teased. "That's when I first realized that she loved me."

"I did not!" Margaret objected as she lightly slapped him on the chest. "I didn't know how I felt about you, but I certainly didn't love you, at least not then."

"When did you first realize that you loved Hawkeye, Major?" Klinger asked curiously, still unable to shake calling her by her old Army title.

Margaret looked thoughtful for a moment. Just as she opened her mouth to answer the front doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" She quickly volunteered but was just as quickly shot down.

"I'll get it," Trapper told her firmly. "You're not getting out of answering that easily!" Margaret stuck her tongue out at the doctor's back as he left the room causing a new round of laughter to erupt.

"Come on, Margaret," Potter urged eagerly. "Answer the question."

"When did I first realize that I loved Hawkeye?" Giving her husband a warm smile, she admitted. "I don't know if I can pinpoint exactly when I first fell for Ben. By the time I realized that I had started I was already there. All I know, Klinger is that I love Hawkeye with all my heart and I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my life with him."

Hawkeye smiled warmly at her and leaned down to plant a tender kiss on her rosy lips.

"Oh, come on!" Toby Wilder and some of Hawk's other childhood friends exclaimed, pretending to be disgusted, but secretly glad for their friend. "Save it for later!"

"Pierce, take your hands off her!" a voice suddenly ordered in a very firm tone. "That's an order."

At the sound of the familiar voice both Hawkeye and Margaret, as well as most of their guests, turned to look at the newcomer.

An annoyed frown creased the groom's face. "I don't remember having invited you, Burns."

"You didn't," the other man confirmed seriously. "MacIntyre did."

"Oh, he did, did he?" Hawkeye looked at his old bunkmate angrily.

"I just figured Frank would enjoy our little 4077th reunion," Trapper told his old bunkmate innocently.

Hawkeye laughed sarcastically as he realized what his friend was up to. "Looks like I owe you one."

"No charge," Trapper quickly assured his friend, obvious amusement written on his expressive face.

"Oh, no trust me," his friend told him. "I'll pay you back for this one."

Shifting his gaze from Trapper to the newcomer he took a deep breath and managed to say graciously, "Since you're here, I guess you might as well stay. But I'm warning you right now - if you so much as think about causing a scene I will personally throw you out on your Second Lieutenant bar."

"Right after I deck you," BJ added seriously.

"And I kick you," Trapper concluded firmly.

Frank Burns swallowed as he eyed the three men carefully. If experience had taught him anything it was that he was no match for anyone of these men individually, so he most certainly didn't want to face the three of them together. "I promise. I'll behave."

"Then, come in and join the party," Hawkeye said as graciously as he could. "We were just about to have dessert. Why don't you grab a glass of champagne? I'm afraid we're all out of Shirley Temples."

"Hardy, har, har, har." Frank laughed sarcastically

"I see you're stay at the wacky factory didn't improve your wit at all. You're just as dull as you were in Korea." Turning from Frank to his bride he said in a terse whisper, "Trapper is dead."

Margaret reached over and gave his arm a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay, darling. Just pretend Frank's not here. We're already married, we're in love, there's nothing he can do to us."

"Except cause a scene once he finds out why were all here," Hawkeye commented nervously.

"So, what if he does?" she commented matter-of-factly. "Most of the people here already know what Frank's like, so they won't pay him any mind. Besides, if he does cause a scene, he'll just embarrass himself, not to mention be decked by BJ, kicked by Trapper, tossed out on his Second Lieutenant bar by you and then ripped to shreds by me."

Hawkeye chuckled as she added her intentions to the list of murderous threats. Putting a hand gently on her cheek he smiled and said, "Remind me to never get on your bad side, Mrs. Pierce."

"You've already spent time on my bad side, Dr. Pierce," she told him playfully. "It was called Korea."

"Then that should be enough to cover a lifetime," he told her seriously before leaning in to kiss her tenderly.

"I thought I told you to leave her alone, Pierce," Frank's voice hissed angrily in Hawkeye's ear. When Hawkeye turned to look at him the other man quickly commented, "I'm trying not to make a scene, but I'm warning you that you'd better unhand Margaret this minute."

"Frank, why are you here?" the other man asked him impatiently, trying his best to keep his tone down.

"Because you're having a 4077th reunion," Frank told him seriously. "MacIntyre said that you were holding one and that I should come." Putting his hands on his hips he said sarcastically, "I was a part of the 4077th after all."

"Don't remind me." Hawkeye groaned as he glanced over to where Trapper was standing, eagerly watching the conversation from just within earshot. A slight smile tugged at the groom's mouth as he noticed the expectant look on his friend's face. He had finally figured out what the other man's 'plan' had been.

Glancing pointedly towards BJ he wordlessly indicated for Trapper to get his attention. He knew his best friend wouldn't want to miss what was going to happen next.

Turning back to Frank he gave him a sly grin. "Frank, I don't quite know how to tell you this, but I do know that I am going to enjoy telling you this." He paused for a moment to allow Trapper and BJ to get within earshot. "You see Frank, this isn't your run of the mill reunion party."

"It isn't?" Frank looked at him with confusion. "And why's that?"

"Because for one thing, a lot of these people aren't from the 4077th, nor are they related to any of its inmates," Hawkeye pointed out. "Secondly, the ones here from the 4077th didn't just come to visit and reminisce."

"They didn't?" Frank's blank look deepened.

"No, they didn't," Hawkeye repeated, slightly mockingly. "They're here for another reason entirely." Taking a moment to glance wickedly at his two old cohorts he finally said, "Everyone's here because..."

"Wait, Ben!" Margaret put a hand on his arm to stop him. "I think it might be better if I talked to Frank myself - alone."

"But Margaret!" Her husband objected, not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to break the news of their marriage to his old nemesis.

Margaret looked at him seriously and said softly, "I think it would be better if I broke the news to Frank, especially in light of what Trapper told us last night."

Hawkeye hesitated and then nodded. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew she was right. "Okay, you tell him. But if he gives you any trouble don't hesitate to scream, and we'll come running."

Margaret gave him a soft smile. "I'll be okay." Then after giving Hawkeye a quick kiss on the lips she grabbed Frank by the wrist and led him from the room.

"What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall for that conversation," BJ said wistfully.

"We may not be able to be flies," Hawkeye commented seriously. "But I definitely intend to be an ear to the door. Let's go."

With eager steps the three men quickly left the room.

"Margaret, what is going on here?" Frank demanded as Margaret closed the study door behind them. "Why did you just kiss Pierce? On the lips no less!"

"Why don't you have a seat, Frank." Margaret gestured towards the couch sitting against the wall behind him.

Instead of sitting down, he stepped up to Margaret and insisted, "Tell me what is going on here!"

"I will if you sit down," she told him calmly.

"But I don't want to sit down..."

"Sit down, Frank!" She exclaimed firmly her tone full of exasperation.

Wordlessly he obeyed, his wide eyes never leaving her face. He always found it hard to stand up to her when she was in her 'Major Houlihan' mode.

Taking a couple deep breaths, she managed to calm down her anger enough to continue in a more civil tone. "Frank, there's something I have to tell you."

"What is it, sweetheart?" Frank pressed in a deeply concerned tone. "What's got you so upset?"

"I'm not upset, Frank and I'm not your sweetheart," she quickly corrected him.

"Then why do you seem so agitated, Margaret?" he asked, the concern still in his voice.

"Because I'm not sure how to tell you this," she confessed honestly. "I know that you won't be happy about it even though it makes me very happy."

Reaching up to take her hands in both of his he pulled her down onto the sofa beside him and said, "Margaret, I assure you that whatever it is that has made you happy, it'll make me happy too."

Margaret gave him a half smile, knowing from experience that no matter how gallantly Frank may try to take the news, his true feelings couldn't be suppressed for long - hence his stay at the Psychiatric ward.

"Frank, this party it's not just a get-together for the members of the 4077th."

"Well, I know that," Frank told her seriously.

"You do?" She asked, amazed that he knew and yet was taking the news so calmly.

"Of course," he scoffed slightly. "It's for their families too." Margaret's shoulders slumped slightly at his response. It looked like she was going to have to break her news to him, as gently as possible.

"Frank..." As she paused to compose her thoughts he interrupted as if she hadn't spoken.

"You know, I would have brought my family, but..." He looked down at their hands still clasped together and sighed, "But Louise divorced me a few months ago." He fiddled with her new wedding ring as he added, "I don't think she ever really loved me to begin with. I don't think anybody ever really loved me."

Margaret swallowed hard, trying to fight the uncomfortable lump in her throat at his admission. "What about your daughters? I'm sure they love you."

Frank shook his head. "I don't really know them. Besides, Louise has poisoned their minds against me."

"What...what about your mother?" Margaret tried, hoping for a positive reaction to that suggestion.

"Mothers have to love their children," he told her dully. "It's in the Mother's Handbook or something." He shook his head sadly as he repeated, "Nobody ever loved me. Not even you."

"Oh, Frank." Margaret sighed with mild frustration. "Just because I don't love you romantically doesn't mean I never cared about you. There was a time I considered you to be my best friend. We did everything together, remember?"

Frank giggled slightly. "I remember." A funny grin pulled at his thin lips as he said, "Do you remember the time we almost got Pierce transferred from the unit by pretending he was crazy." He giggled slightly. "You were so convincing when you said: 'Poor sick Hawkeye'. And remember the time we almost got Klinger kicked out by making Henry get Freedman up to examine him."

"Ah, Frank..." Margaret tried to extricate her hands from his but he only gripped them harder as he looked at her pleadingly.

"Do you think there's any way we can be like that again, Margaret?"

Margaret gave him a sad smile as she shook her head gently. "No, I don't. We belong to the past, Frank. Our friendship had its good moments, and I'll always treasure those times, but you and I belong to the past." Removing her hands from his she looked down at the new wedding ring on her finger. "I already have my future."

Frank frowned slightly and in a tight tone asked, "How is Penobscott anyway?" He didn't really care to know about the man who'd stolen Margaret away from him.

"Dead, I hope," Margaret replied crisply. "Either that or severely maimed." At Frank's surprised look she explained, "Donald and I got divorced well over a year ago. In fact, our marriage lasted less time than our engagement."

"I knew it!" Frank exclaimed triumphantly. "I knew that smooth talking West Point troublemaker was no good. I tried to warn you, but you wouldn't listen!"

"You did try to warn me," Margaret agreed honestly then pointed out. "But I'm sure you'd agree that there was a conflict of interest at the time when you gave me advice on my love life."

"Well, I'll give you that," he concurred. "But that doesn't mean that I wasn't right."

"No, it doesn't," she agreed. "And I should have listened to you at the time. I shouldn't have gotten engaged to Donald so quickly, I didn't really know him or what it was like. But I've learned my lesson. No more getting involved with men I hardly know."

"So, what's the deal with Mr. Future?" he asked, gesturing to the ring on her finger.

"Dr. Future," she corrected with a smile.

"Doctor?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "Margaret what is going on here?"

Margaret took a deep breath and looked at him cautiously for a moment. "Frank, as of three-thirty this afternoon I became Mrs. Dr. Benjamin Franklin Pierce."

"Pierce?" Frank repeated, the color draining from his face. "As in Hawkeye Pierce?"

"That's right Frank." Margaret confirmed with a nod. "Hawkeye and I are now married."

Rising to his feet Frank reached out to take Margaret's hands in his. After studying her glowing face for a moment, he finally leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. "Congratulations, Margaret," he whispered into her ear. "I wish you all the best." Then without another word he released her hands and moved towards the door.

"Frank?" Margaret called after him with concern.

At the sound of his name on her lips he paused and looked at her a little sadly for a moment. "Don't forget me, Margaret," he admonished before opening the door.

"Goodbye, Frank," Margaret whispered softly as the door closed behind him.

"Now you two make sure you take care of each other, you hear," Colonel Potter admonished the new couple seriously the next afternoon as they were all saying 'goodbye' at the Portland Airport. "I'm mighty fond of both of you."

"Don't worry, Colonel we will," Hawkeye assured the older man as he slipped his arm around Margaret's waist and pulled her close. "Now that I've finally got her, I may never let her go."

"Ditto," Margaret echoed sliding her own arm around her husband's waist.

"Well, I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see you two together," Sherman told them emotionally. "It's so nice to know that something good came out of that hell hole we were in. You two deserve to be happy."

"Thank you, sir," Margaret acknowledged, giving the older man a warm smile.

Turning his attention from Hawkeye and Margaret to Charles he gave the other surgeon a warm handshake. "It was nice to see you again, Winchester. I'll hope you'll always feel like you want to be part of our intimate little group."

"As much as I hate to admit it, Colonel, I actually missed everyone," Winchester confessed with obvious embarrassment. "I guess I failed to realize when we were in that sewer just how attached I'd actually gotten to all of you. It's not something that I intend to happen, nor am I particularly overjoyed by the fact, but nevertheless it seems that I am in need of all your company from time to time."

"There's no need to be embarrassed by that, son," Potter told him seriously. "That's exactly how we feel about you."

"Thank you," Charles acknowledged, then got a look on his face showing that he wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.

"As much as I hate to break this up, we really should get going," BJ urged, glancing nervously at his watch.

"You're right, Hunnicutt," Potter acknowledged as he looked at his own watch. "Wouldn't do for the plane to leave without us. After all, my last pair of clean shorts is already on board."

"You'd better catch up with them then Colonel," Hawkeye teased lightly. "Can't have you going around Maine with dirty underwear." Amidst the ensuing chuckles came hugs and kisses goodbye.

"Pierce, you and that bride of yours had better make a trip to Hannibal before too long," Potter admonished eagerly. "I want to show you two off to some of my old buddies, and I want to show Hannibal off to you."

"Well maybe we'll pass through on our way East," Hawkeye told him seriously. "I promised my bride that I'd take her on a proper honeymoon when things get settled and Hannibal sounds like a nice place to stop on our way to Mill Valley."

"And it's only a hop, skip and a jump from Ottumwa," Radar told them eagerly.

"Well, you never know." Hawkeye clasped the younger man on the shoulder and glanced slyly at Sarah. "You may see us sooner than we think."

Radar blushed as another flurry of good-byes was said and soon Hawkeye, Margaret and Charles found themselves alone in the crowded airport.

"I feel like I'm leaving the 4077th all over again," Margaret remarked as she wiped at the tears in her eyes.

"I know what you mean," Hawkeye commented, his own eyes suspiciously moist. "But there's one thing better about these good-byes than those."

"What's that?" She asked curiously.

"Something tells me that we haven't seen the last of any of them," he told her seriously. "I have a feeling that we'll all be just as much a part of each other's lives now as we were in Korea, and in some cases more so."

"How's that?" She asked curiously.

"Well, look at us," he stated as example. "We'll never have to say good-bye again."

She smiled bright at him. "That's true."

"And then there's Charles." Hawkeye looked at his old bunkmate for a moment before saying, "I have a feeling that Charles is going to be a big part of our lives now that we've met up again."

Charles examined the expression on Hawkeye's face for a moment before admitting, "I'd like to be."

"We'd like it too, Charles," Hawkeye told him sincerely. Then sticking out his hand he asked. "Friends?"

Accepting the offered hand, the other man gave a martyr's sigh. "As much as I hate to say this, Pierce – always."

Margaret watched the two men shake hands with a pleased smile on her face. She was glad that she wasn't going to have to choose one man over the other. While she loved Hawkeye very much, and never wanted to be without him again, she also valued and respected Charles' friendship and wished very much to keep it.

"What do you two say to blowing this pop stand?" she asked eagerly, a bright smile on her face. "There's this quaint little restaurant that Dad told me about last night that I'm dying to try. He said that the seafood is divine. What do you say?"

"Sounds good to me," Hawkeye acknowledged. "Charles, what do you say? Care to join two old Army pals for some lunch."

"I'd love it," Charles eagerly agreed. "Just as long as you remember Margaret's warning from the banquet last week."

"And what was that?"

"Sniff your food and our friendship is off!" The Bostonian warned him seriously as the three of them left the airport.

THE END