It was Christmas in Korea and no one really wanted to be there. No one
wanted to be in
the middle of a war zone when they could quite happily be home sharing the special
holiday season with their loved ones.
But their fellow companions at the 4077 had become like family and if they had to be away from home, then it was with these friends they wanted to share Christmas.
Klinger had somehow managed to acquire some turkeys and the festive trimmings that go
along with it.
The group had just finished singing some quintessential Christmas tunes and were
engaged in conversation between themselves.
"Margaret I SWEAR I didn't hang the mistletoe!"
"Yeh, sure Pierce. I should hang YOU!"
"Settle down you two, you'd think you were a married couple by the way you're carrying
on."
"Beej! That's not funny."
"Haahaa Hawk. You should see the look on your face."
"Hunnicut, I'm glad it's Christmas otherwise you'd need a doctor."
"Simmer down Margaret. Get into the Christmas Spirit."
Margaret walked away from Hawkeye and BJ, the truth is, she really didn't want them to
see the tears that were about to come to her eyes. Margaret didn't like Christmas, it was
another one of those days, like her birthday, that reminded her that she didn't particularly
have anyone to go home to. Sure, her parents were back together again, and she had her
sister, but no one to snuggle up with in front of a fire, no one to start a holiday tradition
with. Christmas reminded her that another year was nearly over, another year of doing
her 'duty for her country'. She was proud of her rank and her role but that's not all a
woman needs.
"Beej, please, pretty pretty pretty please?"
"Hawk, if I do this and Margaret finds out, she'll draw and quarter the both of us."
"Promise, if you do this and she actually goes through with it. I'll..I'll make you all the
martinis you want for the rest of the year."
"OK, but that's only 6 more days Hawkeye."
"Oh, come on BJ, be a sport."
"Alright. What do you want me to do."
If anybody glanced over at BJ and Hawkeye, they would have thought the two good
friends were just having one of their normal fun quarrels. If anyone knew what they
were really planning, they'd want to buy tickets in the show.
"So, Margaret, what do you want Santa to bring you this year?"
"Oh! Colonel! Merry Christmas," she exclaimed as she kissed him on the cheek, "I'd
give anything for a White Christmas. If we have to be stuck here, it'd be nice if it would
snow and make everything seem pretty for a while."
"Amen, Margaret. Although to be sitting in front of a warm fire with Mrs Potter and the
grandkids.."
"I hope you get your Christmas wish before mine sir."
"HO HO HO!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!"
Everyone looked up as Santa entered and then proceeded to burst into fits of laughter.
"Oh, geez Klinger. I never thought I'd see the day that you go THIS far to get a section 8!"
"All part of the job, your Captainess."
"OK! OK! Everybody settled down and gather around Father Christmas here." Colonel
Potter directed his cohort of troups.
Klinger began to hand out the gifts that had been sent from home to all their loved ones
who were so far away on Christmas day.
"Wow! Look Beej! Dad sent me some of his famous chocolate cookies! And rum balls!
Made with real rum!"
"Look what Peg sent me."
"Aw, BJ she's gorgeous. Isn't Erin really growing?" Margaret lent over BJ's shoulder
and looked at the photo of Peg and Erin.
"Thanks Margaret. What'd you get?"
"Yeh, Margaret! What'd ya get? What'd ya get?"
"A scarf from my sister and a home made fruit cake from my mother."
"Wow, Margaret. I never knew your Mom was so domesticated. Does the apple fall far
from the tree."
"Funny, Pierce, real funny." Margaret got up to walk away again.
"No, stop. I'm sorry Margaret. Really I am. I was being a jerk."
"Ha. What's new?"
"Truce? Please, Dona Nobis Pacem, and all that?"
"OK, Pierce."
"So, Margaret, wanna go try out that Mistletoe?"
"Not on your life Pierce."
This time she really did walk away. She didn't want Hawkeye to see that look in her
eyes, that redness on her cheeks. Truth is, given half the chance she would, she'd let him
hold her in his arms and kiss her. Margaret shook the thoughts out of her head, he didn't
want that from her. Maybe a quick roll in the sack, but she'd changed, she wasn't like
that anymore.
"See Hawk, I told you she wouldn't take you up on the offer!"
"That, my dear BJ is why we came up with a plan."
"Good evening Gentleman, Merry Christmas to the both of you."
"Merry Christmas Padre." Both Captains exclaimed at the same time.
"What'd you get from home Father?" Hawk asked him.
"A new sermon book and a set of boxing gloves from my sister."
"Well, Father be sure not to use them both on a Sunday morning!"
"Thanks, BJ, I'll remember that."
BJ stood just outside the door of the mess tent. He took a deep breathe, boy he really
wasn't looking forward to being on the receiving end of Margaret's wrath if Hawkeye
stuffed up. He looked up and made sure the mistletoe was still hanging. Not like Hawk
actually needed an excuse to grab the Major and give her a Christmas kiss. He wasn't
stupid, he knew how bad Hawkeye had it for Margaret. Ever since that time that Hawk
and Margaret came back from the front. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but
it had changed the relationship between the two of them for the better.
"Margaret, come here for a second." BJ called to her.
Margaret turned around and walked towards BJ. Before she got to the door, she stopped
short and looked up.
"BJ, if you want a Christmas kiss that bad, just ask for one." She smirked. She knew
something was going on.
"But you have to stand under the mistletoe to make it real."
"OK, Hunnicut, where's Hawkeye?"
Hawk walked around the corner with a grin on his face. "See, Beej told you it wouldn't
work, she's to smart for that. OK, Margaret, give us a kiss."
"I told BJ he could ask for one, not you." And with that, she walked over to BJ, kissed
him on the cheek, turned around and walked around.
"Darn! I thought we had her!"
"Oh well, Hawk, You're on your own from here. I got my kiss." BJ sauntered away
laughing as he did.
Hawk spent the rest of the party trying to coerce Margaret into standing under the
mistletoe so he could grab her. He could have probably just have walked up to her and
planted one on her smooth, rosy, lips but it was Christmas after all and he wanted to
blame it on the mistletoe. He didn't want to kiss her as some sort of conquest, he was
over that. He really had feelings for her, but he'd never been so scared in his entire life of
telling a woman that he loved her. He'd only said it to two other women, his mother and
Carly. His mother had died and Carly had left him. He didn't want that tradition to
continue.
The members of the 4077 continued to enjoy each other's company and share tales of
past Christmases. There were tears and laughter as each told a story of a childhood
Christmas, or perhaps another year away from home, fighting on the front lines
somewhere. Each and everyone wished for peace this year, perhaps they could spend
Christmas without casualties. That'd be a blessing, for both them and the soldiers.
"Oh look!" Someone exclaimed.
Everyone rushed to the doors of the mess tent and looked out.
"Well, Margaret, looks like you got your Christmas wish after all." Colonel Potter turned
to see what Margaret thought of the snow.
At the same time, BJ turned around and quietly said, "No, it looks like Hawkeye got his."
Margaret and Hawkeye were standing under the mistletoe, wrapped up in each other's
embrace. They were softly kissing, both seemed to be scared that the moment would end,
that the magical feeling would disappear, just like snow as it begins to melt.
They were oblivious to everyone's stare, and people began to look away, perhaps they
thought that someone deserved a bit of happiness in the Christmas season and didn't need
their lives pried into.
The snow started to fall heavier and the men and women began to make their way back to
their tents, for fear of being snowed into the mess tent. That would not be a good way to
spend Christmas.
Hawkeye and Margaret finally broke their kiss, but held onto each other.
Hawkeye spoke first, he whispered softly into her ear "Merry Christmas Margaret."
"Merry Christmas Hawkeye."
They held hands as they walked across the compound, when they arrived at Margaret's
tent, Hawk began to break away and kiss her goodnight. She stopped him, and looked up
into his eyes.
"Do you love me Hawk? Really, truly? I am just another conquest, or do I mean
something to you?" "Margaret, with all my heart, I love you, I swear it. You are something to me, I need
you."
"That's all I needed to hear."
She guided him into her tent behind her and that's when, on a snowy night in Korea,
those two first joined souls. They made love and afterwards lay wrapped in each other's
arms.
Both of their Christmas wishes had come true. This was only the beginning of something
special, something sacred. Perhaps the start of a new Christmas tradition between two
lovers, they'd had to journey thousands of miles to find it, away from home, away from
their loved ones, helping to fight a war neither of them really agreed with. But they'd
found each other and that's all that really mattered.
Early the next morning BJ rolled over in his bunk to look over to Hawkeye's side of the
tent. His bed was empty and it didn't look like it'd been slept in either. He thought to
himself and he drifted back to sleep that Hawkeye had most definitely gotten what he
deserved this time.
Hawkeye awoke before Margaret and lay waiting for her to open her eyes. When she did,
he planted soft kisses on her face.
"I love you Margaret Houlihan."
"I love you Benjamin Pierce."
"ATTENTION ALL PERSONAL, CHRISTMAS BREAK IS OVER. WOUNDED IN
THE COMPOUND."
For now, the peace was broken. But at least two of the camp's members knew that they
could find that special place again, now and forever.
As they got ready to save lives, Margaret gave Hawkeye a kiss and whispered to him "Dona Nobis Pacem."
the middle of a war zone when they could quite happily be home sharing the special
holiday season with their loved ones.
But their fellow companions at the 4077 had become like family and if they had to be away from home, then it was with these friends they wanted to share Christmas.
Klinger had somehow managed to acquire some turkeys and the festive trimmings that go
along with it.
The group had just finished singing some quintessential Christmas tunes and were
engaged in conversation between themselves.
"Margaret I SWEAR I didn't hang the mistletoe!"
"Yeh, sure Pierce. I should hang YOU!"
"Settle down you two, you'd think you were a married couple by the way you're carrying
on."
"Beej! That's not funny."
"Haahaa Hawk. You should see the look on your face."
"Hunnicut, I'm glad it's Christmas otherwise you'd need a doctor."
"Simmer down Margaret. Get into the Christmas Spirit."
Margaret walked away from Hawkeye and BJ, the truth is, she really didn't want them to
see the tears that were about to come to her eyes. Margaret didn't like Christmas, it was
another one of those days, like her birthday, that reminded her that she didn't particularly
have anyone to go home to. Sure, her parents were back together again, and she had her
sister, but no one to snuggle up with in front of a fire, no one to start a holiday tradition
with. Christmas reminded her that another year was nearly over, another year of doing
her 'duty for her country'. She was proud of her rank and her role but that's not all a
woman needs.
"Beej, please, pretty pretty pretty please?"
"Hawk, if I do this and Margaret finds out, she'll draw and quarter the both of us."
"Promise, if you do this and she actually goes through with it. I'll..I'll make you all the
martinis you want for the rest of the year."
"OK, but that's only 6 more days Hawkeye."
"Oh, come on BJ, be a sport."
"Alright. What do you want me to do."
If anybody glanced over at BJ and Hawkeye, they would have thought the two good
friends were just having one of their normal fun quarrels. If anyone knew what they
were really planning, they'd want to buy tickets in the show.
"So, Margaret, what do you want Santa to bring you this year?"
"Oh! Colonel! Merry Christmas," she exclaimed as she kissed him on the cheek, "I'd
give anything for a White Christmas. If we have to be stuck here, it'd be nice if it would
snow and make everything seem pretty for a while."
"Amen, Margaret. Although to be sitting in front of a warm fire with Mrs Potter and the
grandkids.."
"I hope you get your Christmas wish before mine sir."
"HO HO HO!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!"
Everyone looked up as Santa entered and then proceeded to burst into fits of laughter.
"Oh, geez Klinger. I never thought I'd see the day that you go THIS far to get a section 8!"
"All part of the job, your Captainess."
"OK! OK! Everybody settled down and gather around Father Christmas here." Colonel
Potter directed his cohort of troups.
Klinger began to hand out the gifts that had been sent from home to all their loved ones
who were so far away on Christmas day.
"Wow! Look Beej! Dad sent me some of his famous chocolate cookies! And rum balls!
Made with real rum!"
"Look what Peg sent me."
"Aw, BJ she's gorgeous. Isn't Erin really growing?" Margaret lent over BJ's shoulder
and looked at the photo of Peg and Erin.
"Thanks Margaret. What'd you get?"
"Yeh, Margaret! What'd ya get? What'd ya get?"
"A scarf from my sister and a home made fruit cake from my mother."
"Wow, Margaret. I never knew your Mom was so domesticated. Does the apple fall far
from the tree."
"Funny, Pierce, real funny." Margaret got up to walk away again.
"No, stop. I'm sorry Margaret. Really I am. I was being a jerk."
"Ha. What's new?"
"Truce? Please, Dona Nobis Pacem, and all that?"
"OK, Pierce."
"So, Margaret, wanna go try out that Mistletoe?"
"Not on your life Pierce."
This time she really did walk away. She didn't want Hawkeye to see that look in her
eyes, that redness on her cheeks. Truth is, given half the chance she would, she'd let him
hold her in his arms and kiss her. Margaret shook the thoughts out of her head, he didn't
want that from her. Maybe a quick roll in the sack, but she'd changed, she wasn't like
that anymore.
"See Hawk, I told you she wouldn't take you up on the offer!"
"That, my dear BJ is why we came up with a plan."
"Good evening Gentleman, Merry Christmas to the both of you."
"Merry Christmas Padre." Both Captains exclaimed at the same time.
"What'd you get from home Father?" Hawk asked him.
"A new sermon book and a set of boxing gloves from my sister."
"Well, Father be sure not to use them both on a Sunday morning!"
"Thanks, BJ, I'll remember that."
BJ stood just outside the door of the mess tent. He took a deep breathe, boy he really
wasn't looking forward to being on the receiving end of Margaret's wrath if Hawkeye
stuffed up. He looked up and made sure the mistletoe was still hanging. Not like Hawk
actually needed an excuse to grab the Major and give her a Christmas kiss. He wasn't
stupid, he knew how bad Hawkeye had it for Margaret. Ever since that time that Hawk
and Margaret came back from the front. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but
it had changed the relationship between the two of them for the better.
"Margaret, come here for a second." BJ called to her.
Margaret turned around and walked towards BJ. Before she got to the door, she stopped
short and looked up.
"BJ, if you want a Christmas kiss that bad, just ask for one." She smirked. She knew
something was going on.
"But you have to stand under the mistletoe to make it real."
"OK, Hunnicut, where's Hawkeye?"
Hawk walked around the corner with a grin on his face. "See, Beej told you it wouldn't
work, she's to smart for that. OK, Margaret, give us a kiss."
"I told BJ he could ask for one, not you." And with that, she walked over to BJ, kissed
him on the cheek, turned around and walked around.
"Darn! I thought we had her!"
"Oh well, Hawk, You're on your own from here. I got my kiss." BJ sauntered away
laughing as he did.
Hawk spent the rest of the party trying to coerce Margaret into standing under the
mistletoe so he could grab her. He could have probably just have walked up to her and
planted one on her smooth, rosy, lips but it was Christmas after all and he wanted to
blame it on the mistletoe. He didn't want to kiss her as some sort of conquest, he was
over that. He really had feelings for her, but he'd never been so scared in his entire life of
telling a woman that he loved her. He'd only said it to two other women, his mother and
Carly. His mother had died and Carly had left him. He didn't want that tradition to
continue.
The members of the 4077 continued to enjoy each other's company and share tales of
past Christmases. There were tears and laughter as each told a story of a childhood
Christmas, or perhaps another year away from home, fighting on the front lines
somewhere. Each and everyone wished for peace this year, perhaps they could spend
Christmas without casualties. That'd be a blessing, for both them and the soldiers.
"Oh look!" Someone exclaimed.
Everyone rushed to the doors of the mess tent and looked out.
"Well, Margaret, looks like you got your Christmas wish after all." Colonel Potter turned
to see what Margaret thought of the snow.
At the same time, BJ turned around and quietly said, "No, it looks like Hawkeye got his."
Margaret and Hawkeye were standing under the mistletoe, wrapped up in each other's
embrace. They were softly kissing, both seemed to be scared that the moment would end,
that the magical feeling would disappear, just like snow as it begins to melt.
They were oblivious to everyone's stare, and people began to look away, perhaps they
thought that someone deserved a bit of happiness in the Christmas season and didn't need
their lives pried into.
The snow started to fall heavier and the men and women began to make their way back to
their tents, for fear of being snowed into the mess tent. That would not be a good way to
spend Christmas.
Hawkeye and Margaret finally broke their kiss, but held onto each other.
Hawkeye spoke first, he whispered softly into her ear "Merry Christmas Margaret."
"Merry Christmas Hawkeye."
They held hands as they walked across the compound, when they arrived at Margaret's
tent, Hawk began to break away and kiss her goodnight. She stopped him, and looked up
into his eyes.
"Do you love me Hawk? Really, truly? I am just another conquest, or do I mean
something to you?" "Margaret, with all my heart, I love you, I swear it. You are something to me, I need
you."
"That's all I needed to hear."
She guided him into her tent behind her and that's when, on a snowy night in Korea,
those two first joined souls. They made love and afterwards lay wrapped in each other's
arms.
Both of their Christmas wishes had come true. This was only the beginning of something
special, something sacred. Perhaps the start of a new Christmas tradition between two
lovers, they'd had to journey thousands of miles to find it, away from home, away from
their loved ones, helping to fight a war neither of them really agreed with. But they'd
found each other and that's all that really mattered.
Early the next morning BJ rolled over in his bunk to look over to Hawkeye's side of the
tent. His bed was empty and it didn't look like it'd been slept in either. He thought to
himself and he drifted back to sleep that Hawkeye had most definitely gotten what he
deserved this time.
Hawkeye awoke before Margaret and lay waiting for her to open her eyes. When she did,
he planted soft kisses on her face.
"I love you Margaret Houlihan."
"I love you Benjamin Pierce."
"ATTENTION ALL PERSONAL, CHRISTMAS BREAK IS OVER. WOUNDED IN
THE COMPOUND."
For now, the peace was broken. But at least two of the camp's members knew that they
could find that special place again, now and forever.
As they got ready to save lives, Margaret gave Hawkeye a kiss and whispered to him "Dona Nobis Pacem."