(A/N: Well, this is it, folks. Last chapter. *Sniffle* Yeah, I knew there'd be some initial confusion after everything that happened in chapter 25. But in the chapter... er... I'm not sure which one it is, but I think it was "A Plan!" Hawkeye got all mysterious and was mumbling about plane crashes. I'm not sure why BJ chose now to bring it up, but I couldn't just leave it... It's not like I, uh, forgot about it or anything. *Whistles innocently* It's odd, I know. But it makes up for some of those mistakes in the first season. Hehe. Well, enjoy, and please leave me a review if it's to your liking.)

Hawkeye glared steadily at BJ and Margaret, hoping that his most ferocious expression might scare them into moving, but it obviously didn't work. Margaret raised an eyebrow, switching quickly and easily into her Major Houlihan mode.

"Captain Pierce, as your superior officer, I..."

"No."

"Order you to..."

"Fine!"

He yelled suddenly, looking angry. "Just before the war started in '51, did you ever hear of flight 5663?"

Margaret's face fell and she nodded sadly. "Yes. It crashed into the ocean just off of Hawaii. It was full of nurses going to basic training. No survivors."

"Yeah, that's the one." Hawkeye sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as his expression became painful. "I had a sister."

"A sister?" BJ asked incredulously.

"She lived in Vermont... that's where she moved to 5 years after mom died. And she was on that flight. She joined the army before the war started, and was shipped off on the first day."

BJ and Margaret just stared with their mouths open. They'd taken in a lot of information in the last few days, and this was the most recent load.

"Hawk, I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, we never should have pressed you for an explanation."

"It's ok, I've been mostly over it for awhile."

"But you were just so..." "So..." "Strange?" They said in unision, and Hawkeye tried to crack a smile. "When have I not been strange?"

~*~

The men and women of the 4077th stood, not in formation this time, but in a big crowd around Henry. Farewells and blessings flew thick from all around him, and there were tears falling everywhere. Obviously they weren't very happy about the prospect of seeing him board the chopper for Kimpo again. Last time... well... they didn't want to think about last time.

"Guys, I'll be fine!" Henry laughed, but nervously. Hawkeye and BJ rushed forward and sandwiched their commander in a tight hug, both grinning. Henry struggled for breath, chuckling lightly. "Leggo... urgh... I'll miss you guys too." He shook hands and shared a hug with Father Mulcahy, who said a small blessing and smiled. Margaret kissed him on the cheek and gave him a hug, the kind a true friend would, despite Hawkeye's protests and suggestions of where else to kiss him. Hawkeye was awarded a whack in the head by Henry as well.

And Klinger. Oh boy, Klinger. He was wearing a bright pink dress that poofed out at the bottom and had a ton of white lace on the hem, sleeves, and neck. Covering up the mess of black hair on top of his head was a wig of unnatural golden curls with pink ribbons in them.

"Give your girls a kiss for me, Henry." He said seriously, giving Henry a tight hug. "I'll be sure not to let them get the Lebanese cooties. Thanks Klinger."

With tears in his eyes he stepped away from the crowd, Radar standing firmly in his place beside Henry.

Their own goodbyes had been shared earlier.

"I never thought I'd have to go through all this hell again, the first time I got on that chopper, into that airport, on that plane. But since I did have to face it all again, and more, I'm... I'm sure glad I did it with you."

There were no wisecracks, no jokes, no words spoken as Henry jogged up the path to the helipad and boarded the helicopter. But not without one last tight hug for Radar, and a few quiet words spoken into his ear. Then, sadly, he gave the pilot the 'thumbs up' sign and they began to rise.

As the camp disappeared below him, Hawkeye, BJ, Margaret, Radar, Klinger, and Father Mulcahy stepped forward from the large group and threw an elaborate salute to make sure Henry could see it. Then, the rest of the nurses, corpsmen, and other personnel continued the salute, before drifting off when the helicopter was out of sight.

He was gone.

~*~

Radar came in through the double doors, halfway through an OR session two days later. Hawkeye looked up, but could only see the top of Radar's knit cap, his head bowed over the piece of paper. The tall surgeon's heart leapt into his throat.

"This had better not be a repeat performance, Radar..."

He choked out, as Radar prepared himself to speak. The young corporal took a deep breath, and read

"A call... just came through... Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake's plane..." Tears of disbelief were threatening to fall all around the room. "...-landed safely in Springfield, Illinois yesterday afternoon. He and Mrs. Blake send their best from Bloomington, and Colonel Blake says... says he loves you all."

There was silence, and then a flood of relieved laughter. Hawkeye bent back over his patient, wearing a big grin behind his mask, and sighed happily.

No matter what obstacles lay before them, may they all have the good fortune to make it home too.

(A/N: Well. *Long, suffering voice* It's been fun, but it's over now. Really, that's it. But I have one confession to make. Go back to the chapter 'Awakening'. When Henry woke up and saw that nurse standing over him and thought that it was Lorraine... well... that's originally what this story was intended to be about. Henry having an affair with a nurse. O_O I think I like this much better.

Thank you for all your reviews... Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen! :D)