Time slipped by, and soon it was a year since Victoria had appeared at the 4077th. Things were going well – Hawkeye and Trapper were happy, Radar and Victoria were happy, and neither couple really cared about the prejudice they faced.

One warm summer day, Radar rushed into the Swamp, frantic and pale. "Something's wrong," he announced to the occupants of the tent. Trapper swatted away Hawkeye's hand, which was inching up his leg. "What?" he demanded.

Radar frowned. "I don't know. Something…something just doesn't feel right." Trapper frowned as well, his expression mirroring Radar's. "I know what you mean," he commented, gazing around at the eerily quiet camp. "Where's Victoria?"

"Down by the creek. She had some laundry to do."

Hawkeye had finally noticed the strangeness of the air around them. "Go get her," he said quickly. Radar nodded, turning and leaving. Hawkeye exchanged a look with Trapper, who shook his head. "I don't know, Hawk, but something is definitely wrong." Hawkeye nodded slowly.

They waited apprehensively for Radar's return. Suddenly, the door burst open, and Radar stumbled in, looking as pale as they felt.

"She's not there!" he exclaimed. The three men hurried out of the Swamp, breaking into a run down to the creek behind the camp. They slid to a stop on the empty bank, staring about. The wind whistled loudly, the only sound, except three frantic, calling voices.

Hawkeye suddenly stopped dead, face draining of all remaining colour. "Something's happened!" he shouted. Trapper and Radar ran towards him, Trapper noting his dead white face and violently trembling hands. "What is it?" Trapper demanded. Hawkeye shrugged. "I don't know. All of a sudden it got really - "

"Cold," Radar interjected. "I feel it too. Oh God, I hope she's OK." He turned and ran back to the camp. Trapper stood, staring about the empty fields, before following Hawkeye's slow pace back to the Swamp.

They went inside, and Trapper grabbed a blanket, wrapping it and his arms around Hawkeye, who was shivering.

Night fell, and still there was no Victoria. Radar was hysterical, Hawkeye was silent, and Trapper was angry – at what, he didn't know. Henry had refused to allow Radar to go and look for the missing girl, and Radar had gotten mad, lashing out at Henry. He was sleeping now, sedated by Trapper, who was watching him idly. But it was late, and soon, he drifted off…

He woke with a start. Post Op was black as pitch, and as quiet as a cemetery. Suddenly, there was a gentle breath of air, that breezed over Trapper, bringing the scent of lilacs with it. Lilacs, he thought dimly. Victoria had always worn lilac perfume, and used lilac shampoo: Radar always said that she reminded him of a garden. The scent returned, almost caressing his hair. He could have sworn he felt the touch of lips on his cheek, and a soft voice whisper "I love you" – and then it was silent again, and the lilacs were gone.

Jumping to his feet, Trapper quickly pushed open the door between Post Op and Radar's office. Radar was sitting up in his bed. He turned to meet Trapper's gaze. "She's dead," he said, emotionlessly. "The lilacs," Trapper thought out loud, before turning and walking to the Swamp. He met Hawkeye at the door – Hawkeye with an emptiness in his eyes, and the word "Lilacs" on his lips.

The next morning, the M.P's returned with a slender body on a litter. Her dark hair was soaked with blood, her face was pale, and her chest was still. Trapper's breath caught in his throat as he noticed the cluster of purple flowers in one slim hand. He stepped back as Radar and Henry approached the stretcher, Radar's dead eyes startling him.

They buried the 16 year old girl under the lilac bushes she loved to visit. Radar spent long, uninterrupted hours sitting by the small cross that marked her grave. He slipped into a deep depression, and one day, Walter Eugene "Radar" O'Reilly was found dead – swinging gently from a tree just outside of the camp.

And the war ended, and Hawkeye and Trapper went home, to their families, and eventually to each other. But they never forgot the young girl who brought them together.

***The End***

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