A/N: I was unable to send a PM for permission to write a continuation, but this story was inspired by a 2004 story written by Sage Harper called "Face In The Mirror"

Margaret tossed and turned all night. It wasn't the darkness, the whistling, gusty winds that clashed against her tent, or even the spookiness of it all. Halloween, technically, was over and all she wanted was to get some sleep and forget the day had ever happened. But try as she might, she couldn't forget. Her mind wouldn't let her. Every time closed her eyes she saw his face, just as plainly as she'd seen it in the mirror. And then she saw it a hundred different ways.
What was wrong with her? Why did she have to try those stupid spells? She wasn't a kid anymore and neither was Elizabeth. Her sister might have been the younger one, but Margret would bet anything that Elizabeth had forgotten all about those ridiculous things and had moved onto more adult priorities, like life.

That's exactly what Margret should do. After all, it was officially November 1st, and a new month had begun. Soon there would be more wounded, and even more paperwork. As Head Nurse, she made getting things in order on the first of the month a priority. Plus, there was Thanksgiving to think about. Another holiday away from home. It was still weeks away, but holidays were never far from her mind.

She turned to face the wall and pounded the life out of her pillow, determined to get some sleep. Just once she'd like to close her eyes and not see that handsome face and sweet smile. Hear those sarcastic words that so often left his mouth. But as before, he was there, interfering with her dreams.

She heard the announcement before it actually came. "Attention, all personnel! Incoming wounded. No tricks, this is the real deal! Everyone to the OR stat!"

With a groan she climbed out of bed and put on her robe. She was beyond exhausted and working through the night wasn't going to help at all. But it had to be done. When she reached the OR, he was there, hanging up his coat. He slipped the scrubs over his head. She started at him for a moment, realizing how handsome he really was. Even he probably didn't even know how handsome he was, although he made a fine show of it.

She tried to avoid his gaze when he turned around.

"Margaret. How nice to see you again! I trust your mirror is in a safe place?"
"Mirror? What in tarnation is that supposed to mean?" Colonel Potter barked.
"Ah, nothing Colonel. Just a private joke between Margaret and myself. Or should I say a Major joke?"
BJ laughed. "Good one, Hawk!"

"Well, I didn't think it was so funny!" Margaret snapped. She removed her robe and slipped on her scrubs, but not before she heard Hawkeye's voice asking, "What's with her?"
"Beats me." Colonel Potter said. "But it's late, and it's the first of the month so I'm sure she's got a lot on her mind."
Or someone…Margret thought.

Surgery was unbearable for reasons that were more emotional than anything. She couldn't be there, standing opposite him, treating his demands like orders. "Scalpel, Clamp", suture..., scissors…"
"His pressure's dropping, Doctor." Kelly said from the front of the operating table.

Margaret looked at the face of the young solider, wondering about his life. She didn't see a wedding ring, but she wondered if he had a girl back home; someone he loved and was hoping to return to. Did he have children? They were questions in which the answers were none of her business but she wanted to know.

"Margaret… I said suture…" Hawkeye was saying. "Hey, are you deaf?" He said a bit louder. "I need a suture! What in the hell is wrong with you?"
"Damn it, Hawkeye, why are you yelling?"
"Because, Colonel… she's not listening! MARGARET!"
She jumped in surprise. "What?"
"In case you were wondering, we're in surgery and this man's life is on the line. What's his pressure now, Kelly?"
"Dropping steadily, along with his heart rate." Kelly replied.
"Damn..."
"Need some help, Hawk?"
"No BJ, I'm fine. But I think Margaret needs a lot of help."
Margaret stared into the open stomach of the solider, the red insides swirling before her eyes. And then she put down the clamp. "Excuse me, Captain. I need to go."
"What, now? Are you crazy?"
"Kelly, can you finish?"
"Yes, Major."

Kelly summoned another nurse over to monitor the soldier's pressure, while Margret walked woodenly toward the door.
"Margaret, are you all right?" Father Mulchay was asking. But she barely heard him and kept right on walking.
"Houlihan, what's the meaning of this? We're not anywhere near finished! We have more coming and this boy's life is-or was-in your hands!." Colonel Potter's voice boomed.

But she kept on walking. When she reached the outside, she took a deep breath and stood for a minute. But then she ran.
She didn't stop until she'd reached her tent. And once inside, she sat down at her desk and took out some paper and a pen.
"Dear Elizabeth…" She wrote. "Remember when we were kids and we used to try those love spells? The ones that never worked? Well, this time-."

The tent door opened with a thwack as it hit her bed. She whirled around and her heart did a flip in her chest when she saw him standing there.
"What in the hell was that?"

She rose to her feet and put her trembling hand on her chest. "I-I don't know what you mean."
He stormed into the tent. "You know exactly what I mean! What in the hell is wrong with you, stomping out of the OR in the middle of surgery! The guy's life was at stake, or don't you even care? Apparently you don't because the Margaret Houlihan I know would never just walk out in the middle of surgery and leave the poor guy hanging. He had a life too, you know.

Had… Oh God…

She lowered herself into her chair. "H-how is he?" She dared to ask.

"Well, in a manner of speaking, he's not in pain any longer. And he won't have to go to the front lines ever again."
"Thank God for that."
"That's what Father Mulcahy said when he gave him the last rites."
"Last rites?"
"That's right. The last rites. He's DEAD, Margaret. D-E-A-D! And he'd be alive-A-L-I-V-E right now if you hadn't walked out on him! Don't you even care? That's right. You don't! Why do I keep forgetting?"

She swallowed hard and tears came to her eyes. Oh God, what had she done?

"Just tell me one thing, all right? What possessed you to think it was all right to leave, huh? A ghost? A spirit? Or your own stupidity? Because right now if I were a ghost, I'd give you a nightmare that you'd never-."

She bit her lip to stop the trembling, afraid that if she let go she'd start to cry and never stop. When once again she dared to look at him, she gasped when she saw that he was holding her letter.

"What is this?" He demanded.
"It's a letter, but-."
"Is this what was so damned important? 'Dear Elizabeth'… who's Elizabeth?"
"She's my sister, but Hawkeye, please, don't read-."
It was too late. His eyes were already moving down the page. This time she turned her head unable to look at him.

"Love spells, huh? Well I hope you enjoyed your love spell just as much as Radar is going to enjoy writing to that poor soldier's family to tell them that he's dead! Damn you, Margret!"

She was sobbing now, no longer caring that she was falling apart in front of him. "I'll do it! I'll write to them! You're right. It was my fault!"
"You're damned right it was your fault! And I don't know how I'm going to explain this to Colonel Potter, but I have to!"

She watched him walk out of the tent in horror, wincing as the door slammed against the wall once more.

For a second she couldn't move, could barely even breathe. But she rose from her chair in one fluid motion and hurried to the door. He was walking away, his boots crunching the ground below.

"Hawkeye, wait! Please!"

He stopped and turned around. "Give me one good reason why I should! In fact, give me one good reason why I shouldn't turn you into the Colonel and have you court martialed for neglecting your duties and-."

Feeling lightheaded, she collapsed to her knees sobbing. He was beside her in an instant, gently helping her to stand. With his arm around her, he guided her the short distance to her tent and sat her on the bed. She could feel him looking at her, his hand brushing thick strands of hair from her face. And it was his kindness, the kindness that she didn't deserve, that made her cry even harder.
His arms went around her and he held her close, rocking her back and forth. She cried into his coat, dampening it with her tears. She cried until she was spent, and then cried some more. All the while apologizing over and over again.

"I'm sorry…"
"Why do you keep saying that?"
"The soldier-that poor man… I killed him."
His forehead leaned against hers. "Margaret I'm sorry. I should never have said that. It wasn't your fault. There was nothing we could do. Even Colonel Potter said-."

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…," she cried. She felt his lips on her forehead, soft and warm.
"You didn't do it. It was just his time. Damn fine time to die, but it wasn't your fault. Everyone knows that. BJ, myself, Colonel Potter, Father Mulchay, Charles, even Radar. You know Radar; he'd never blame you for anything. That kid loves everybody."
Margaret laughed, but only for a second.

When she was calmer, she felt him let go. And the loss of the warmth of his body made her shiver.
"I'll let you get some sleep. It's late… or rather it's early. And with any luck we won't have any more wounded for some time. Colonel Potter's gonna want to talk to you later, but don't worry. Everything will be fine. Well, goodnight."

"Hawkeye wait… don't go."
"But Margaret, I-."
"Please… stay with me."
"What, here?"
She nodded.

"Well, okay, but…"

"I-I didn't sleep so well, before. And I think that if you just… held me…"
His face lit up. "Ah, well, that I think I can do. He took off his jacket and she pulled off her robe. They climbed onto her bunk and when his arms went around her, she immediately relaxed.
She turned to face him, unable to resist touching his smooth cheek. "Hawkeye? You know earlier when I was outside with the mirror?"
"Walking backwards as I recall."
"Yes. Well, and that letter to my sister…"
"You don't have to explain."
"I know. You already read it."
"Yeah, even though I didn't understand a word of it. Love spell?"
"It's where you take a mirror and walk backwards outdoors. And the face of the person in the mirror is supposed to be your soulmate. It's silly, I know. When I saw you standing there, saw your refection in my mirror, I -I just-."

He pulled her closer and brought his lips to hers, kissing her again and again. It was so easy to become lost in those wonderful kisses.

She woke sometime later, to the slow and steady sound of rain outside the tent. She could feel his body against hers, providing warmth in the cool fall weather unlike she'd ever known. She was content to stare at him until he awakened. And when he did, he smiled.

"So I guess that spell really works."
A slow smile spread across her mouth. "What spell?"
"My sentiments exactly."

As they kissed again, the rain outside the tent continued, reminding them of how wonderful it was to be in Korea in November.

~Fin~