Margaret sat beside James for a few more minutes. She looked at the sleeping boy's peaceful face and her mind went back to a few years ago when she was given a chance to look at a sweet face like that every night. He was perfect, or so she wanted to believe. She felt his heartbeat, in perfect sync with her own, as she held his tiny body against her breast. But a few hours later, her perfect baby boy turned out to have not such a perfect body. His tiny body shook with seizures and his face turned purple. Her years of training became useless as she sat in shock at the sight of her son in so much pain. All she could do was scream for a doctor. It happened so fast. He wouldn't stop seizing and when he finally did stop, it was over. Her perfect baby boy was no longer perfect.

Margaret took a deep breath and tried to push the memory away. It had taken over a year for her to start working with children again and she still avoided the maternity floor at all costs. She got up from the bed and walked over to close the curtains on the window. She took a quick glance at the pretty courtyard below and smiled at how different it was from the dusty ground of the M*A*S*H compound. In that moment, Margaret realized she was finally happy. I'm probably the only person here who feels that way today, she thought. But her happiness was unrelated to this day full of pain. It sprang from the knowledge that she had a fulfilling job in a mostly peaceful kind of town. She was able to get to know her patients and enjoyed spending time with most of her coworkers. They had helped her through the most painful time in her life and today she was thankful to be able to pay back some of the love they had shown her. The young boy on the bed behind her was beautiful and precious. She promised herself she would do everything in her power to protect him, starting by being there when he woke up in a few hours.

"Margaret." She heard Nurse Sullivan call her name from the doorway. "There's someone you should meet."

Maybe it's the new doctor, she thought excitedly. Her hope was confirmed when she turned around and saw a tall man with thick, dark hair standing there beside the nurse.

Margaret's heart stopped as Hawkeye Pierce said his first words to her in over six years.

"What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Hawkeye knew it was the wrong thing to say the moment the words left his mouth. Margaret's eyes widened in surprise and an inscrutable expression passed across her face. She stood there for what seemed to him like an eternity.

"I work here," she answered bluntly.

He had forgotten how beautiful her eyes were. His mind went back to a few years ago when they said their final goodbyes. Although neither of them had actually said those words, he realized. At the time, it was just wishful thinking, but today he was glad the phrase hadn't crossed his lips.

"You look nice." Nice? C'mon Hawk. She deserves more than nice, he scolded himself.

"So do you."

Her voice was stilted, as though she were shocked, or confused. Or maybe a bit of both.

He stepped into the room, a little nervous about what might happen next. She took a few steps toward him and stood in front of him for a long moment. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest. He started to smile at the familiar warmth of her arms around him, when he felt a wet spot on his shirt. Her body began to shake with sobs and when he tried to pull away and look in her eyes, she just held him tighter.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered a few minutes later. "It's just that this day has been hell and I was feeling so alone."

"I can believe it. I heard you talking to James."

"That was my 'Korea' voice," she admitted. "I've been using it all day and I hate it."

"I passed by a few casualties on the way to this room. I can't believe the severity of it all. Ouite the first day, huh?" He joked.

"Yeah," she replied.

Nurse Sullivan coughed in the doorway. They looked back in surprise as they remembered they weren't alone. Margaret quickly wiped her eyes and Hawkeye straightened his tie as they turned to face her.

"I see you two know each other," she said with a gentle smile. "Dr. Pierce, it seems you have the magic touch. I haven't seen Margaret hug anyone over the age of 15 in the five years she's been here."

"It took her about that long to hug me too," he replied.

"What prompted this little reunion?"

"We served together in Korea. This day has felt a lot like one over there, so I guess I kind of broke when I saw him. I'm sorry, Nurse Sullivan."

Margaret kept her eyes toward the floor, uncertain of the older nurse's reaction and a bit embarrassed by her own. She had no idea what a relief it would be when she finally saw him again. She knew it would eventually happen the moment her jeep pulled out of the compound. Saying goodbye to him had been the most painful farewell of her life, and neither could actually say the words. A breathless "see ya" was all she could manage.

Hawkeye appearance today was perfectly timed. All these painful reminders of her past now seemed much easier to deal with. She felt so safe in his arms. Nurse Sullivan was telling the truth. It really had been years since she had been in a man's arms and Hawkeye's were so comfortable.

"Nurse Sullivan was just showing me around when we stopped by this room. I suppose I should go finish the tour."

"Nonsense," Amy replied. "If Margaret wants to she can finish your tour. I'm sure she's more familiar with your interests than the rest of us."

She turned to Margaret. "Go on. I'll have someone let you know when James wakes up."

"Sounds like a good idea," Hawkeye agreed.

"I'll leave you two to your own devices. I get the feeling you'll fit in here pretty well, doctor."

"So do I," Hawkeye smiled.

Nurse Sullivan turned away and walked down the hallway.

"Where did you leave off?" Margaret asked.

"I was looking for some way to help actually. Dr. Jones filled me in on the fire situation."

"Well, this is the right floor to be on then. C'mon, I'll find us something to do."