August - September 1955
"You're getting married tomorrow, and you have no flowers?" Margaret shouted. Hawkeye and I were going to be married in roughly 24hours and though we had a church, a dress, a bride, a groom, guests and rings, basically the basics for a wedding, the little things like flowers, had all slipped our minds.
"Don't worry, we'll call the florist in Portland, they can manage something." Daniel picked up the phone. He talked for a while, and then after a few minutes negotiation reported back. "They can manage pink roses for the bride, and wrist or buttonhole corsages for the rest of the wedding party. I told them maid of honour, two bridesmaids, a flower girl, and mother-of-bride, plus groom, best man, father-of-bride, and myself. It'll be here 8am tomorrow morning."
"See? Margaret, Daniel has it all under control, isn't that right? Aunty Margaret was worrying about nothing, Grandpa knows what he's doing." I told Felicity who'd toddled over.
"Silly!" She giggled, loosing her balance and falling onto a well-padded behind. I picked her up and kissed her chubby neck. She shrieked with laughter and hugged me.
"Besides, Margaret, all we want is a small wedding." I shifted back into Hawkeye's arms, our daughter cuddled into mine.
"But you're still going to do things well!" She said firmly, picking up Ben who'd decided his sister wasn't the only gorgeous, cuddly infant in town.
"Yes Mum!" I laughed. She was so determined for us to have a fancy wedding. All we wanted was a church, vows, and rings. We weren't having a reception, but to placate her I'd gotten Lily and Alice as bridesmaids and Grace as a flower girl when all I had wanted was Margaret as maid of honour.
"Hey, hey! It's everyone's favourite best man here!" Trapper knocked on the door. He had driven up from Boston to be the best man.
"Come on in Trap! Great to see you again! Princess this is your Uncle Trapper." Felicity reached wide trusting arms to the man and he took her.
"Sit down, like a drink?" I chased my beagles out of the room. "Cap, Glory, shoo, go play out back!"
"No thanks, how's the wedding going?" Trapper sat in an armchair that they'd just vacated.
"Fine, few things to do, but all systems go." I replied.
"Everything's a mess! There's no flowers, and the dresses are still in Portland!" Margaret cried.
"In 24 hours, I'm going to be married, life's perfect!" Hawkeye replied.
"I see the bride and the groom are the least worried." Trapper laughed.
"Ah, we've been there, done that, and with each other, no less!" I grinned. April started to cry and I ran to get her. The instability and constant change in her early life whilst I was unconscious had caused her to cling to a constant, me and if we were apart for more than a few minutes, she'd cry and scream until I was holding her.
"Hello Angel-features, feeling better after that sleep huh?" Hawkeye held his arms out for the baby and I handed her over. She looked unhappy, but settled when she realised I was barely a foot away.
"So what's left to do? Can I be of any help?" Trapper asked.
"Well, Daniel's got to go pick up the dresses and rings from Portland, but that's all, there's nothing else to do." I said, shaking my head.
"Good, because I wanted to take the groom out for a few drinks tonight." Trapper said.
"Just don't get plastered!" Margaret warned. I laughed so hard, I nearly wet myself and fell off the arm of the chair that I had propped on.
"She'll put you in a full-body cast if you do!" I giggled, remembering about how I'd heard of the joke played on Margaret and Donald.
"I should get him back for doing that to Donald." Margaret said thoughtfully. Daniel looked puzzled, so we explained it. He laughed heartily when told.
"Come on, we'd better get lunch started, the twins won't wait much longer." I stood up and went into the kitchen. Margaret followed me and we threw together a meal and heated a bottle for April.
"Going to have fun tonight girls?" Daniel asked as we prepared to head out the door. Margaret and I were having a last night out, Trapper and Hawkeye had left a few minutes earlier.
"As much fun as we can have!" I replied. April was asleep in my room, even though she was a cat napper during the day, she had begun to sleep whole nights at six weeks old, and I knew that she'd be alright in Daniel's care.
"Be back before 12, and you can both sleep in my room. I'll take yours Anne so I'm near April." I left a few instructions for the twins' care, kissed them goodbye and left.
"Shh!" Margaret and I burst into helpless giggles as I fumbled with the key. The door was unlocked anyway and we hysterically stumbled into the house. We'd gone out for dinner, and then gone to a late movie. It was just after 1, and we were still worked up.
"Girls, shut up and go to bed." Daniel's voice called from Hawkeye's and my room. We staggered laughing into his room, and tried to change out of our clothes. We laughed for another few minutes, until a tiny sneeze silenced us. Aware now that the twins were asleep in the same room, we fell quiet and collapsed in an exhausted heap.
"Rise and shine, April needs a bottle, and she's nearly screamed herself blue . . . oh and you're getting married in four hours!" Daniel knocked on the door. Margaret and I, somewhat worse for wear dragged ourselves out of bed.
"Hold on Angel-features I'm . . . AH!" I crossed the living room to the kitchen but tripped over a body, landing heavily on top of them. Apparently Hawkeye and Trapper had missed the sofa bed they were supposed to sleep on, hitting the floor instead.
"I forgot exactly how much you weighed!" Trapper groaned, pushing me up. Daniel came over and pulled me to my feet. Margaret had made it out alive and was trying to settle a writhing baby.
"April my Angel, come to mummy, it's alright." I took her as soon as I was stable. She continued with her ear-shattering yells for the next five minutes while I heated her bottle.
"Thank goodness for that." April had settled in my lap and was peacefully sucking the bottle. Everyone's head was still ringing from her yells and she'd woken the twins who were both grumpy and sleepy.
"That is why we're not going on a honeymoon." Hawkeye said. "We couldn't take her, and Annie can't leave her."
"Baba cry, bad!" Ben said pouting. Felicity added her two cents, sulkily cuddling into Daniel.
"April cries because she is hungry, it's okay, and where did he learn bad?" I said. I received shrugs and negative answers all around. After that we took turns of showering and having breakfast.
"It's half past seven now, and the wedding is at ten." Margaret said. "It's about time we got moving." We heeded her advice and began to get ready. I put the twins in their playpen in the living room, and put April in her pram so I could take her with me wherever I was.
"Annie, it's me, I've brought the girls and Patrick to get dressed." Mum called. I dashed through the house in my slip, and answered the door. It was 8, and the flowers had just arrived, so I was taking care of them in the kitchen.
"Hi, come on in, girls are in Daniel's room, boys are in Hawkeye's and my room, hello Gracey." I took my sister from Mum's arms. "I've got the bathroom to myself, and Margaret will help you get ready. I've got a few things to do before I put on the dress. Mum, Jemma and Nat can go in the playpen with the twins." Patrick went to where the men were getting ready, while Mum and my sisters headed into the girls' room, leaving my now 3yo twin siblings in the playpen with my 15mo babies.
"Well, Gracey it's just you and me for a bit." I addressed my little sister. Her light brown hair was still damp from a bath. "You want to help me get April all dressed up?" I was getting my children looking neat first so I wouldn't be wrestling with diapers in my wedding gown.
"Help Annie with baby?" Grace echoed, her little green eyes shining.
"Yep, precisely, but I have to put you down. Let's go baby." I put Grace down and pushed April's pram into the bathroom, where I bathed, changed, and dressed her in a yellow dress. Yellows and other soft pastels suited her light brown hair, blue eyes and fair skin, so yellow featured largely in her wardrobe, a lot of which I'd sewn myself. Grace was a big help, handing me things and singing to April when she got cranky.
After that I bathed and dressed the twins. I put Felicity in a pink dress, and Ben in gorgeous blue overalls. Having the same colouring as their parents due to incredibly lucky genetics, whatever Hawkeye or I suited, Ben or Felicity suited respectively.
It was 9am, and everyone except for myself was completely ready to go. Daniel, Hawkeye, Trapper and Patrick were dressed in their suits, I hadn't seen Hawkeye, nor had he seen me, but I had the feeling it was no ordinary suit he was wearing. Margaret, Lily, Grace and Alice were wearing pale pink dresses I'd chosen in Portland, and Mum was dressed too, but I was still flitting around in my slip.
"Annie, sit still, we're due at the church in ten minutes, let me finish your face." Margaret applied a final touch of pink to my cheeks.
"Margaret, I'm so nervous, I can't do this." I said, playing with my string of pearls.
"Nonsense Anne! It's going to be a lovely day, you and Hawkeye are made for each other, it's going to be fine."
"What if, it doesn't work? There are three beautiful children who are going to be affected by this."
"Annie Dawson, you're 2 minutes away from leaving for church and you're changing your mind about marrying, it's simple cold feet sweetheart, wait here a second, I've got someone who I think you should talk to." Margaret left the room, and I heard her voice outside.
"Trapper, can you talk to Annie, and get her into her dress? She's being all skittish, cold feet and she's yet to put on her gown!" Trapper knocked and came in.
"Hey, you're not even dressed and you look wonderful. There's a very lucky man today." Trapper smiled.
"Trapper, I don't think there will be a lucky man, I can't go through with it. I have three babies depending on me, and if I get screwed up because of this, my babies are going to suffer, I can't let that happen to my babies. There's more than just Hawkeye's and my hearts in this, there are three little people who will be changed by what I do."
"Oh, Annie, the best thing you can do for your babies is give them the most secure future and that secure future is with their daddy, who loves them so much, he'd be ready to die for them. And if you're worried because April isn't Hawkeye's you don't need to be, I've seen him with her for five short minutes, and he loves her as much as either of the twins."
"Oh Trapper." I threw myself at him, hugging him tightly. "Thankyou, I needed to hear that!"
"Hang in there sis. Now let's get you dressed!" He took the dress off its hanger. It was the same dress I had donned in Korea to marry Hawkeye in, and the same one in which Margaret had been wed. Although old, it was pretty and had many fond, and not-so-fond memories.
"Put it on the floor in a puddle, I'll step into it. Have Mum and the girls left for church yet?"
"Yes, you, Daniel, Hawkeye Margaret and myself have two minutes to leave, and our car's already here. Oh dear." Trapper had pulled the dress up, but it was tight and the lacing at the back was resisting.
"Don't worry, the Annie who wore this before hadn't given birth to three children and breastfed I'll suck it in." I breathed in and he did the dress up. It was tight, accentuating my new hips and boobs, a result of childbearing.
"I'll take over, your car's waiting Trapper, go." Margaret came back in, finishing arranging the dress, putting my shoes on and lastly, fixing the veil. Trapper had gone and the car carrying Margaret and myself waited at the front of our house. A last minute collection of my three children and we raced outside, leaving for the church.
"Oh, this it!" I was chewing on my fingernails, everyone had been seated in the church and it was all ready to go. The twins were settled with my other siblings who had all come to watch. April was up the front of the church with Hawkeye and Daniel, so that as soon as I was wed, I could take her again.
"Don't!" Margaret slapped my hand and put my glove back on. "Hawkeye asked me to give you this." She handed me a small, scribbled note.
"See you at the altar, Ben." I read aloud. I tucked the paper in my glove and took a deep breath. Before I knew it, I was walking down the aisle on Patrick's arm. The nerves got worse, and I made myself walk, I reached the altar but couldn't think twice, because Hawkeye took my elbow. He gave me a smile and I turned to face the priest.
"Now turn to face each other." We turned, our hands clasped tightly in one large fist. We said the 'I do's' and got to the rings. We remembered the vows we'd said in Korea, and planned to alter them slightly.
"As you place the ring on Anne's third finger, say the vows that you have written. Hawkeye took the ring from Trapper with a handshake.
"Annie, I was a fool to let you go, and through everything, the ups, the downs, the ins, and the outs, I learned one thing. That our love is truly never ending, like a circle and with this ring as a symbol of our never ending love, I thee wed." I took the ring from Margaret when it was my turn and slid the gold band onto Hawkeye's slim hand.
"Ben dear, I was incredibly stupid to have left you. But as I remember that this wedding was planned in a fortnight I realise that everything in our lives has been spontaneous, from the first time I married you, to the second time you proposed, but I also know, that our love is not a fleeting moment and with the ring as the object to make time stand still, I thee wed."
"By the power vested in me by the State of Maine (at this point I'm sure Hawkeye muttered 'inebriation' and I bit my tongue to avoid laughing at a memory involving Charles and a nurse named Donna) I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride!" Hawkeye didn't hesitate. For the second time we sealed our vows with a kiss.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Dr and Mrs Benjamin Franklin Pierce!" We walked out of the church and stood for a few photos. I threw the bouquet to a surprised Margaret. By that stage April was beginning to fuss and I took her up to avoid a big crying spell.
As it was a very small church, we'd only been able to invite our families, and so half the town had gathered outside to congratulate us. There were many secretive smiles shared and when Hawkeye and I finally began to head back to Daniel's house, I was more than a little suspicious.
"Surprise!" I nearly dropped April. BJ, Colonel Potter, Radar, Charles, Klinger, Father Mulcahy, and Sidney (plus families) were in the backyard.
"You lying, cheating, conniving, low-down, dishonest, scheming, sneaky, loveable angel! I thought we weren't having a reunion!" I berated my husband as much as I possibly could in between kissing him. More people from the wedding began showing up and we moved to the beach as it was a hot summer day.
"Congratulations, I always knew you two were going to get hitched again." Klinger said.
"Klinger, since when did you get back from Korea?" I asked.
"We only just got back. Soon-Lee's family were all killed. However, we're pregnant and we want the baby to be an American citizen. And you can call me Max." I congratulated them both, smiling at the use of the word "we're" it showed that Klinger was very much in love with his pretty Korean wife.
"I'm very sorry to hear about her family, but if you'll excuse me, April has someone very important to meet." I crossed the sand barefoot. I was still wearing my dress, but had removed the veil, train and my shoes.
"Charlie, I've got a very important baby for you to meet. This is April Emma-Rose Winchester-Pierce." I displayed the three-month-old.
"She's beautiful Annie, Mother, Honoria, come, you must meet the baby!" I introduced Diana, Nora and Charles Senior to their newest granddaughter and niece. They were very proud, and besotted, especially in the resemblance between Nora and April, but the minute I handed her over she set up such a yell you'd think she was being hurt.
"I'll try again after lunch, she may have settled down." I apologised and walked over to Colonel Potter and Radar, where I met Edwina Kate O'Reilly, Radar and Monica's month-old daughter.
The informal reception was wonderful, as it was also a reunion of sorts, and my family and the people of the Cove got to meet the people who had been so important to Hawkeye and I, and those very important people got to meet the people who'd raised Hawkeye and I.
"Would you look at that?" Hawkeye had whisked me away and we were sitting on some rocks, kissing extremely passionately. Nearby a few other teens, Lily and Tom included, were similarly occupied, but it wasn't them Hawkeye was referring to.
"They deserve love." I replied, snuggling against Hawkeye. Daniel and Mrs O were sitting down on some rocks lower down, his arm around her shoulders. Hawkeye agreed and kissed me again, making the most of April's nap.
"Bye Annie, I must go," It was Mum, and after some lengthy goodbyes she, Patrick and my dear siblings left. The wedding reception turned into a 4077 private event, as the townspeople resumed their regular Saturday activities.
"Here's to Hawkeye and Annie!" Our group of friends cheered and clapped, wishing us luck and love.
"I was so surprised to see you all, but I'm so glad you came."
"The biggest surprise is yet to come Annie." Daniel said. "I'm going west with the O'Reillys for a week, and I'm taking the twins, you guys are getting the holiday you deserve." I hugged him thankfully. It was getting on for dinnertime so we all began breaking up, people going back to hotels, or wherever they'd come from.
The O'Reillys had dinner with us, and I packed for the twins. For two babies, it was amazing how much stuff they needed. Specific blankets, toys, clothes, all were as important as the other. I bid them a very tearful farewell, on the platform. It was only a week and I knew that the babies would be fine, but I was sure going to miss them. Hawkeye had the week off work, and if anyone needed a doctor, they'd have to go down to Portland.
"He's going west with Mrs O, is it just me, or is love blossoming?" I murmured as I waved the train, headed for Ottumwa, Iowa goodbye.
"I'm beginning to think that I'm going to be having a little brother pretty soon." Hawkeye said. We laughed and walked back to the house. It was darkened and still had traces of wedding preparations, lists, a few flower petals, hairpins, and various other odds and sods scattered throughout.
The first things we did as soon as we got in, was move April into the other room, and get her settled for the night. She had finally settled down enough to allow her very proud biological father to hold her, but not for very long, and had refused downright to have Nora, Diana or Charles senior hold her. They were in love with the three-month-old, and thought that she was very beautiful.
"Goodnight Angel-features, now you just sleep tight, mummy and Hawkeye have some very important business to take care of." We tiptoed from the room, the only noise being a little sigh as she settled into her bed.
"Do you remember our other wedding night?" Hawkeye asked.
"Yep, we went into my tent, and we squeezed on that little bunk, and we talked, but we never had sex because we wanted to be together for real, so it would be really special." I replied, smiling softly as we tiptoed into our room.
"And it was, when we were finally together, wasn't it?"
"You bet it was." He pulled me to him, kissing me deeply, and we fell onto our bed in a wave of intense passion.
I opened one eye sleepily, my nose was buried in Hawkeye's navel. I opened the other eye and groaned. Unfortunately I was facing 'south' and an eyeful of Hawkeye was not what I needed. I sat up and shifted towards the other end of the bed.
"What's the time?" Hawkeye moaned as I settled back down on my pillow. I checked my watch, the only thing that I was wearing.
"About 4am, there's another two hours before April has us up at least." I replied, aware that Hawkeye was not really listening as he pressed tiny little light kisses on my shoulder. I took the hint and we made the most of our last peaceful time before April wanted me.
We lived in the bed for the next week, only venturing out for April or to have something to eat. We knew most of the town had assumed we'd just basically be having non-stop sex, which we would've had I the stamina of a male Pierce, but we weren't, we were talking, chatting, laughing really getting to know each other emotionally as well as physically and it was a great week.
"Hello, I'm back!" Daniel called. I woke up, Hawkeye was sleeping across the bed, using my hip as a pillow. In her playpen on the floor, April lay on her blanket, happily chewing a corner of it.
"Where are you guys? I have two children who are dying to see their parents."
"We're in our room, but give us a second, they don't want to see us like this!" I replied, poking Hawkeye. "Come on, get up, the kids are back." He stirred, and dragged himself up to my level.
"Wow Annie babe, you were incredible." He kissed me, and I fought him off.
"There's plenty of time to see exactly how incredible I am. Right now Dad's back and he's brought the kids." We found our robes and put them on before calling to Daniel that he could come in.
"Babies! My precious ones, come here!" I picked them both up and hugged them tightly. "I missed you so much, did you have fun with Grandpa and Mrs O?"
"Hoss!" Ben cried wiggling as I sat down on the bed.
"Coo!" Felicity elaborated, crawling over to her daddy.
"Horse, and cow, they loved the farm, called every dog they saw Cap, but thought it was incredible." Daniel said.
"Did you have fun dad?" Hawkeye asked, blowing a raspberry on Felicity's tummy. She giggled with pleasure.
"Not as much fun as you've had." He said with a smile, sitting on the bed and gesturing to a dark purple mark on my shoulder. I blushed and tried to hide the love-bite.
"Okay, we had a great week ourselves." I came clean with him. I lay back in the V between Hawkeye's legs, my head resting on his stomach. "So, did you have fun?"
"Yes, I needed the holiday more than I thought." Daniel said. I gave a laugh, like me, Daniel was very resistant to admitting when he needed a holiday or a break, and kept going no matter what.
"Come on Anne my sweet, let's get up and see how much our babies have changed since our week in bed." Hawkeye pushed me off him and we got up and played with the kids for a few minutes. The train ride back had tired them though and they went to sleep very quickly, as did April and Daniel, leaving Hawkeye and I to have a last bit of fun.
"Dad, can you hurry up? April is getting absolutely furious about her diaper!" I banged on the bathroom door. I'd begun calling Daniel Dad without even thinking about it, and he didn't seem to mind. He hurried out, and I quickly changed a very wet bottomed April.
Things were getting crowded in a two-bedroom, one bathroom, three adult, three baby house. We were beginning to grate on each other's nerves and occasionally we'd snap unreasonably.
"Babe, I know how much you love this house, but I really think it's time we thought of moving somewhere bigger." Hawkeye said, rubbing my stomach in long slow strokes. We were sitting on the porch after a picnic in the ark with the kids, fall had come and it was now late September.
"I was thinking the exact same thing especially since Daniel gave me some very interesting news this morning."
"What? That he wants to move too, because he told me that days ago." Hawkeye brushed it off laughing.
"No, a little more interesting than that. I'm having a baby." I said. "Early June we're thinking, it's very hard to tell as I've only had one period since I had April."
"Congratulations Anne." He kissed me. He didn't say much but the tightly possessive grip on me and the shine in his eyes spoke of how happy he really was, and that was elated.
"Mmm, you smell great." I sighed. He was a bit sweaty, and somewhat dirty after helping Ben with making mudpies. He had also smothered himself in that hideous cologne, and so I'd put some of my perfume on him to make him smell 'better'.
"Not that I'm one to object my sexy little wife, but what?" He took a swig of beer before shifting to face me.
"You smell of dirt, cologne and someone else's perfume, a bit of booze, not to mention there's lipstick on your collar, and after we cleaned up the floor when Captain threw up, you also smell of disinfectant, like a hospital. It's odd, but dirt, booze, hospital and perfume are the smells I think of with you. It's how you smelled on my first day, and bizarre though it is, it's comforting."
"You know what you smell of? Babies, perfume, cologne, disinfectant, that amazing dinner you cooked and just a really sweet scent that is totally intoxicating, and very definitely arousing. I guess it's just your femininity." I gave a laugh at Hawkeye's definite lack of subtlety.
"I can't believe it, we're going to have a baby - in wedlock - and we need to think about moving houses, and all you can think about is sex?" I laughed, shaking my head lovingly at him.
"Annie, it's 8pm, we both need showers, the baby isn't coming for eight months and not one realty would be open now, I think I'm entitled to think about sex." Hawkeye kissed my earlobe.
"Not now Hawkeye, let me have a shower first." Hawkeye ignored my protest and continued kissing my neck, knowing that I was very slowly melting.
"Shower's free!" Daniel called. I fought Hawkeye off and ran into the house.
"Thanks Dad, and if you see your son, throw a bucket of cold water on him." Daniel laughed and left me in the bathroom. I turned on the taps and stood under the hot water. It felt great, and I stretched, relaxing in the steam.
"You nearly finished?" Hawkeye came into the bathroom, wearing his robe.
"Soon." I called back rinsing the shampoo from my hair.
"You're a long way from finished baby." Hawkeye laughed, taking off his robe and joining me in the hot, soapy world I had created.
We went to bed but not to sleep after that, and when we finally went to sleep, I woke as I always had, in the early hours of the morning to watch Hawkeye sleep so peacefully, I found my mind wandering.
Life was great. I had a loving husband, a loving father-in-law, three beautiful children, another one on the way, I was living in a beautiful town, I had great friends, my family was half an hour down the road, and I decided, as I watched the relaxed face resting on the pillow beside me, that I was truly on top of the world.
"You're getting married tomorrow, and you have no flowers?" Margaret shouted. Hawkeye and I were going to be married in roughly 24hours and though we had a church, a dress, a bride, a groom, guests and rings, basically the basics for a wedding, the little things like flowers, had all slipped our minds.
"Don't worry, we'll call the florist in Portland, they can manage something." Daniel picked up the phone. He talked for a while, and then after a few minutes negotiation reported back. "They can manage pink roses for the bride, and wrist or buttonhole corsages for the rest of the wedding party. I told them maid of honour, two bridesmaids, a flower girl, and mother-of-bride, plus groom, best man, father-of-bride, and myself. It'll be here 8am tomorrow morning."
"See? Margaret, Daniel has it all under control, isn't that right? Aunty Margaret was worrying about nothing, Grandpa knows what he's doing." I told Felicity who'd toddled over.
"Silly!" She giggled, loosing her balance and falling onto a well-padded behind. I picked her up and kissed her chubby neck. She shrieked with laughter and hugged me.
"Besides, Margaret, all we want is a small wedding." I shifted back into Hawkeye's arms, our daughter cuddled into mine.
"But you're still going to do things well!" She said firmly, picking up Ben who'd decided his sister wasn't the only gorgeous, cuddly infant in town.
"Yes Mum!" I laughed. She was so determined for us to have a fancy wedding. All we wanted was a church, vows, and rings. We weren't having a reception, but to placate her I'd gotten Lily and Alice as bridesmaids and Grace as a flower girl when all I had wanted was Margaret as maid of honour.
"Hey, hey! It's everyone's favourite best man here!" Trapper knocked on the door. He had driven up from Boston to be the best man.
"Come on in Trap! Great to see you again! Princess this is your Uncle Trapper." Felicity reached wide trusting arms to the man and he took her.
"Sit down, like a drink?" I chased my beagles out of the room. "Cap, Glory, shoo, go play out back!"
"No thanks, how's the wedding going?" Trapper sat in an armchair that they'd just vacated.
"Fine, few things to do, but all systems go." I replied.
"Everything's a mess! There's no flowers, and the dresses are still in Portland!" Margaret cried.
"In 24 hours, I'm going to be married, life's perfect!" Hawkeye replied.
"I see the bride and the groom are the least worried." Trapper laughed.
"Ah, we've been there, done that, and with each other, no less!" I grinned. April started to cry and I ran to get her. The instability and constant change in her early life whilst I was unconscious had caused her to cling to a constant, me and if we were apart for more than a few minutes, she'd cry and scream until I was holding her.
"Hello Angel-features, feeling better after that sleep huh?" Hawkeye held his arms out for the baby and I handed her over. She looked unhappy, but settled when she realised I was barely a foot away.
"So what's left to do? Can I be of any help?" Trapper asked.
"Well, Daniel's got to go pick up the dresses and rings from Portland, but that's all, there's nothing else to do." I said, shaking my head.
"Good, because I wanted to take the groom out for a few drinks tonight." Trapper said.
"Just don't get plastered!" Margaret warned. I laughed so hard, I nearly wet myself and fell off the arm of the chair that I had propped on.
"She'll put you in a full-body cast if you do!" I giggled, remembering about how I'd heard of the joke played on Margaret and Donald.
"I should get him back for doing that to Donald." Margaret said thoughtfully. Daniel looked puzzled, so we explained it. He laughed heartily when told.
"Come on, we'd better get lunch started, the twins won't wait much longer." I stood up and went into the kitchen. Margaret followed me and we threw together a meal and heated a bottle for April.
"Going to have fun tonight girls?" Daniel asked as we prepared to head out the door. Margaret and I were having a last night out, Trapper and Hawkeye had left a few minutes earlier.
"As much fun as we can have!" I replied. April was asleep in my room, even though she was a cat napper during the day, she had begun to sleep whole nights at six weeks old, and I knew that she'd be alright in Daniel's care.
"Be back before 12, and you can both sleep in my room. I'll take yours Anne so I'm near April." I left a few instructions for the twins' care, kissed them goodbye and left.
"Shh!" Margaret and I burst into helpless giggles as I fumbled with the key. The door was unlocked anyway and we hysterically stumbled into the house. We'd gone out for dinner, and then gone to a late movie. It was just after 1, and we were still worked up.
"Girls, shut up and go to bed." Daniel's voice called from Hawkeye's and my room. We staggered laughing into his room, and tried to change out of our clothes. We laughed for another few minutes, until a tiny sneeze silenced us. Aware now that the twins were asleep in the same room, we fell quiet and collapsed in an exhausted heap.
"Rise and shine, April needs a bottle, and she's nearly screamed herself blue . . . oh and you're getting married in four hours!" Daniel knocked on the door. Margaret and I, somewhat worse for wear dragged ourselves out of bed.
"Hold on Angel-features I'm . . . AH!" I crossed the living room to the kitchen but tripped over a body, landing heavily on top of them. Apparently Hawkeye and Trapper had missed the sofa bed they were supposed to sleep on, hitting the floor instead.
"I forgot exactly how much you weighed!" Trapper groaned, pushing me up. Daniel came over and pulled me to my feet. Margaret had made it out alive and was trying to settle a writhing baby.
"April my Angel, come to mummy, it's alright." I took her as soon as I was stable. She continued with her ear-shattering yells for the next five minutes while I heated her bottle.
"Thank goodness for that." April had settled in my lap and was peacefully sucking the bottle. Everyone's head was still ringing from her yells and she'd woken the twins who were both grumpy and sleepy.
"That is why we're not going on a honeymoon." Hawkeye said. "We couldn't take her, and Annie can't leave her."
"Baba cry, bad!" Ben said pouting. Felicity added her two cents, sulkily cuddling into Daniel.
"April cries because she is hungry, it's okay, and where did he learn bad?" I said. I received shrugs and negative answers all around. After that we took turns of showering and having breakfast.
"It's half past seven now, and the wedding is at ten." Margaret said. "It's about time we got moving." We heeded her advice and began to get ready. I put the twins in their playpen in the living room, and put April in her pram so I could take her with me wherever I was.
"Annie, it's me, I've brought the girls and Patrick to get dressed." Mum called. I dashed through the house in my slip, and answered the door. It was 8, and the flowers had just arrived, so I was taking care of them in the kitchen.
"Hi, come on in, girls are in Daniel's room, boys are in Hawkeye's and my room, hello Gracey." I took my sister from Mum's arms. "I've got the bathroom to myself, and Margaret will help you get ready. I've got a few things to do before I put on the dress. Mum, Jemma and Nat can go in the playpen with the twins." Patrick went to where the men were getting ready, while Mum and my sisters headed into the girls' room, leaving my now 3yo twin siblings in the playpen with my 15mo babies.
"Well, Gracey it's just you and me for a bit." I addressed my little sister. Her light brown hair was still damp from a bath. "You want to help me get April all dressed up?" I was getting my children looking neat first so I wouldn't be wrestling with diapers in my wedding gown.
"Help Annie with baby?" Grace echoed, her little green eyes shining.
"Yep, precisely, but I have to put you down. Let's go baby." I put Grace down and pushed April's pram into the bathroom, where I bathed, changed, and dressed her in a yellow dress. Yellows and other soft pastels suited her light brown hair, blue eyes and fair skin, so yellow featured largely in her wardrobe, a lot of which I'd sewn myself. Grace was a big help, handing me things and singing to April when she got cranky.
After that I bathed and dressed the twins. I put Felicity in a pink dress, and Ben in gorgeous blue overalls. Having the same colouring as their parents due to incredibly lucky genetics, whatever Hawkeye or I suited, Ben or Felicity suited respectively.
It was 9am, and everyone except for myself was completely ready to go. Daniel, Hawkeye, Trapper and Patrick were dressed in their suits, I hadn't seen Hawkeye, nor had he seen me, but I had the feeling it was no ordinary suit he was wearing. Margaret, Lily, Grace and Alice were wearing pale pink dresses I'd chosen in Portland, and Mum was dressed too, but I was still flitting around in my slip.
"Annie, sit still, we're due at the church in ten minutes, let me finish your face." Margaret applied a final touch of pink to my cheeks.
"Margaret, I'm so nervous, I can't do this." I said, playing with my string of pearls.
"Nonsense Anne! It's going to be a lovely day, you and Hawkeye are made for each other, it's going to be fine."
"What if, it doesn't work? There are three beautiful children who are going to be affected by this."
"Annie Dawson, you're 2 minutes away from leaving for church and you're changing your mind about marrying, it's simple cold feet sweetheart, wait here a second, I've got someone who I think you should talk to." Margaret left the room, and I heard her voice outside.
"Trapper, can you talk to Annie, and get her into her dress? She's being all skittish, cold feet and she's yet to put on her gown!" Trapper knocked and came in.
"Hey, you're not even dressed and you look wonderful. There's a very lucky man today." Trapper smiled.
"Trapper, I don't think there will be a lucky man, I can't go through with it. I have three babies depending on me, and if I get screwed up because of this, my babies are going to suffer, I can't let that happen to my babies. There's more than just Hawkeye's and my hearts in this, there are three little people who will be changed by what I do."
"Oh, Annie, the best thing you can do for your babies is give them the most secure future and that secure future is with their daddy, who loves them so much, he'd be ready to die for them. And if you're worried because April isn't Hawkeye's you don't need to be, I've seen him with her for five short minutes, and he loves her as much as either of the twins."
"Oh Trapper." I threw myself at him, hugging him tightly. "Thankyou, I needed to hear that!"
"Hang in there sis. Now let's get you dressed!" He took the dress off its hanger. It was the same dress I had donned in Korea to marry Hawkeye in, and the same one in which Margaret had been wed. Although old, it was pretty and had many fond, and not-so-fond memories.
"Put it on the floor in a puddle, I'll step into it. Have Mum and the girls left for church yet?"
"Yes, you, Daniel, Hawkeye Margaret and myself have two minutes to leave, and our car's already here. Oh dear." Trapper had pulled the dress up, but it was tight and the lacing at the back was resisting.
"Don't worry, the Annie who wore this before hadn't given birth to three children and breastfed I'll suck it in." I breathed in and he did the dress up. It was tight, accentuating my new hips and boobs, a result of childbearing.
"I'll take over, your car's waiting Trapper, go." Margaret came back in, finishing arranging the dress, putting my shoes on and lastly, fixing the veil. Trapper had gone and the car carrying Margaret and myself waited at the front of our house. A last minute collection of my three children and we raced outside, leaving for the church.
"Oh, this it!" I was chewing on my fingernails, everyone had been seated in the church and it was all ready to go. The twins were settled with my other siblings who had all come to watch. April was up the front of the church with Hawkeye and Daniel, so that as soon as I was wed, I could take her again.
"Don't!" Margaret slapped my hand and put my glove back on. "Hawkeye asked me to give you this." She handed me a small, scribbled note.
"See you at the altar, Ben." I read aloud. I tucked the paper in my glove and took a deep breath. Before I knew it, I was walking down the aisle on Patrick's arm. The nerves got worse, and I made myself walk, I reached the altar but couldn't think twice, because Hawkeye took my elbow. He gave me a smile and I turned to face the priest.
"Now turn to face each other." We turned, our hands clasped tightly in one large fist. We said the 'I do's' and got to the rings. We remembered the vows we'd said in Korea, and planned to alter them slightly.
"As you place the ring on Anne's third finger, say the vows that you have written. Hawkeye took the ring from Trapper with a handshake.
"Annie, I was a fool to let you go, and through everything, the ups, the downs, the ins, and the outs, I learned one thing. That our love is truly never ending, like a circle and with this ring as a symbol of our never ending love, I thee wed." I took the ring from Margaret when it was my turn and slid the gold band onto Hawkeye's slim hand.
"Ben dear, I was incredibly stupid to have left you. But as I remember that this wedding was planned in a fortnight I realise that everything in our lives has been spontaneous, from the first time I married you, to the second time you proposed, but I also know, that our love is not a fleeting moment and with the ring as the object to make time stand still, I thee wed."
"By the power vested in me by the State of Maine (at this point I'm sure Hawkeye muttered 'inebriation' and I bit my tongue to avoid laughing at a memory involving Charles and a nurse named Donna) I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride!" Hawkeye didn't hesitate. For the second time we sealed our vows with a kiss.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Dr and Mrs Benjamin Franklin Pierce!" We walked out of the church and stood for a few photos. I threw the bouquet to a surprised Margaret. By that stage April was beginning to fuss and I took her up to avoid a big crying spell.
As it was a very small church, we'd only been able to invite our families, and so half the town had gathered outside to congratulate us. There were many secretive smiles shared and when Hawkeye and I finally began to head back to Daniel's house, I was more than a little suspicious.
"Surprise!" I nearly dropped April. BJ, Colonel Potter, Radar, Charles, Klinger, Father Mulcahy, and Sidney (plus families) were in the backyard.
"You lying, cheating, conniving, low-down, dishonest, scheming, sneaky, loveable angel! I thought we weren't having a reunion!" I berated my husband as much as I possibly could in between kissing him. More people from the wedding began showing up and we moved to the beach as it was a hot summer day.
"Congratulations, I always knew you two were going to get hitched again." Klinger said.
"Klinger, since when did you get back from Korea?" I asked.
"We only just got back. Soon-Lee's family were all killed. However, we're pregnant and we want the baby to be an American citizen. And you can call me Max." I congratulated them both, smiling at the use of the word "we're" it showed that Klinger was very much in love with his pretty Korean wife.
"I'm very sorry to hear about her family, but if you'll excuse me, April has someone very important to meet." I crossed the sand barefoot. I was still wearing my dress, but had removed the veil, train and my shoes.
"Charlie, I've got a very important baby for you to meet. This is April Emma-Rose Winchester-Pierce." I displayed the three-month-old.
"She's beautiful Annie, Mother, Honoria, come, you must meet the baby!" I introduced Diana, Nora and Charles Senior to their newest granddaughter and niece. They were very proud, and besotted, especially in the resemblance between Nora and April, but the minute I handed her over she set up such a yell you'd think she was being hurt.
"I'll try again after lunch, she may have settled down." I apologised and walked over to Colonel Potter and Radar, where I met Edwina Kate O'Reilly, Radar and Monica's month-old daughter.
The informal reception was wonderful, as it was also a reunion of sorts, and my family and the people of the Cove got to meet the people who had been so important to Hawkeye and I, and those very important people got to meet the people who'd raised Hawkeye and I.
"Would you look at that?" Hawkeye had whisked me away and we were sitting on some rocks, kissing extremely passionately. Nearby a few other teens, Lily and Tom included, were similarly occupied, but it wasn't them Hawkeye was referring to.
"They deserve love." I replied, snuggling against Hawkeye. Daniel and Mrs O were sitting down on some rocks lower down, his arm around her shoulders. Hawkeye agreed and kissed me again, making the most of April's nap.
"Bye Annie, I must go," It was Mum, and after some lengthy goodbyes she, Patrick and my dear siblings left. The wedding reception turned into a 4077 private event, as the townspeople resumed their regular Saturday activities.
"Here's to Hawkeye and Annie!" Our group of friends cheered and clapped, wishing us luck and love.
"I was so surprised to see you all, but I'm so glad you came."
"The biggest surprise is yet to come Annie." Daniel said. "I'm going west with the O'Reillys for a week, and I'm taking the twins, you guys are getting the holiday you deserve." I hugged him thankfully. It was getting on for dinnertime so we all began breaking up, people going back to hotels, or wherever they'd come from.
The O'Reillys had dinner with us, and I packed for the twins. For two babies, it was amazing how much stuff they needed. Specific blankets, toys, clothes, all were as important as the other. I bid them a very tearful farewell, on the platform. It was only a week and I knew that the babies would be fine, but I was sure going to miss them. Hawkeye had the week off work, and if anyone needed a doctor, they'd have to go down to Portland.
"He's going west with Mrs O, is it just me, or is love blossoming?" I murmured as I waved the train, headed for Ottumwa, Iowa goodbye.
"I'm beginning to think that I'm going to be having a little brother pretty soon." Hawkeye said. We laughed and walked back to the house. It was darkened and still had traces of wedding preparations, lists, a few flower petals, hairpins, and various other odds and sods scattered throughout.
The first things we did as soon as we got in, was move April into the other room, and get her settled for the night. She had finally settled down enough to allow her very proud biological father to hold her, but not for very long, and had refused downright to have Nora, Diana or Charles senior hold her. They were in love with the three-month-old, and thought that she was very beautiful.
"Goodnight Angel-features, now you just sleep tight, mummy and Hawkeye have some very important business to take care of." We tiptoed from the room, the only noise being a little sigh as she settled into her bed.
"Do you remember our other wedding night?" Hawkeye asked.
"Yep, we went into my tent, and we squeezed on that little bunk, and we talked, but we never had sex because we wanted to be together for real, so it would be really special." I replied, smiling softly as we tiptoed into our room.
"And it was, when we were finally together, wasn't it?"
"You bet it was." He pulled me to him, kissing me deeply, and we fell onto our bed in a wave of intense passion.
I opened one eye sleepily, my nose was buried in Hawkeye's navel. I opened the other eye and groaned. Unfortunately I was facing 'south' and an eyeful of Hawkeye was not what I needed. I sat up and shifted towards the other end of the bed.
"What's the time?" Hawkeye moaned as I settled back down on my pillow. I checked my watch, the only thing that I was wearing.
"About 4am, there's another two hours before April has us up at least." I replied, aware that Hawkeye was not really listening as he pressed tiny little light kisses on my shoulder. I took the hint and we made the most of our last peaceful time before April wanted me.
We lived in the bed for the next week, only venturing out for April or to have something to eat. We knew most of the town had assumed we'd just basically be having non-stop sex, which we would've had I the stamina of a male Pierce, but we weren't, we were talking, chatting, laughing really getting to know each other emotionally as well as physically and it was a great week.
"Hello, I'm back!" Daniel called. I woke up, Hawkeye was sleeping across the bed, using my hip as a pillow. In her playpen on the floor, April lay on her blanket, happily chewing a corner of it.
"Where are you guys? I have two children who are dying to see their parents."
"We're in our room, but give us a second, they don't want to see us like this!" I replied, poking Hawkeye. "Come on, get up, the kids are back." He stirred, and dragged himself up to my level.
"Wow Annie babe, you were incredible." He kissed me, and I fought him off.
"There's plenty of time to see exactly how incredible I am. Right now Dad's back and he's brought the kids." We found our robes and put them on before calling to Daniel that he could come in.
"Babies! My precious ones, come here!" I picked them both up and hugged them tightly. "I missed you so much, did you have fun with Grandpa and Mrs O?"
"Hoss!" Ben cried wiggling as I sat down on the bed.
"Coo!" Felicity elaborated, crawling over to her daddy.
"Horse, and cow, they loved the farm, called every dog they saw Cap, but thought it was incredible." Daniel said.
"Did you have fun dad?" Hawkeye asked, blowing a raspberry on Felicity's tummy. She giggled with pleasure.
"Not as much fun as you've had." He said with a smile, sitting on the bed and gesturing to a dark purple mark on my shoulder. I blushed and tried to hide the love-bite.
"Okay, we had a great week ourselves." I came clean with him. I lay back in the V between Hawkeye's legs, my head resting on his stomach. "So, did you have fun?"
"Yes, I needed the holiday more than I thought." Daniel said. I gave a laugh, like me, Daniel was very resistant to admitting when he needed a holiday or a break, and kept going no matter what.
"Come on Anne my sweet, let's get up and see how much our babies have changed since our week in bed." Hawkeye pushed me off him and we got up and played with the kids for a few minutes. The train ride back had tired them though and they went to sleep very quickly, as did April and Daniel, leaving Hawkeye and I to have a last bit of fun.
"Dad, can you hurry up? April is getting absolutely furious about her diaper!" I banged on the bathroom door. I'd begun calling Daniel Dad without even thinking about it, and he didn't seem to mind. He hurried out, and I quickly changed a very wet bottomed April.
Things were getting crowded in a two-bedroom, one bathroom, three adult, three baby house. We were beginning to grate on each other's nerves and occasionally we'd snap unreasonably.
"Babe, I know how much you love this house, but I really think it's time we thought of moving somewhere bigger." Hawkeye said, rubbing my stomach in long slow strokes. We were sitting on the porch after a picnic in the ark with the kids, fall had come and it was now late September.
"I was thinking the exact same thing especially since Daniel gave me some very interesting news this morning."
"What? That he wants to move too, because he told me that days ago." Hawkeye brushed it off laughing.
"No, a little more interesting than that. I'm having a baby." I said. "Early June we're thinking, it's very hard to tell as I've only had one period since I had April."
"Congratulations Anne." He kissed me. He didn't say much but the tightly possessive grip on me and the shine in his eyes spoke of how happy he really was, and that was elated.
"Mmm, you smell great." I sighed. He was a bit sweaty, and somewhat dirty after helping Ben with making mudpies. He had also smothered himself in that hideous cologne, and so I'd put some of my perfume on him to make him smell 'better'.
"Not that I'm one to object my sexy little wife, but what?" He took a swig of beer before shifting to face me.
"You smell of dirt, cologne and someone else's perfume, a bit of booze, not to mention there's lipstick on your collar, and after we cleaned up the floor when Captain threw up, you also smell of disinfectant, like a hospital. It's odd, but dirt, booze, hospital and perfume are the smells I think of with you. It's how you smelled on my first day, and bizarre though it is, it's comforting."
"You know what you smell of? Babies, perfume, cologne, disinfectant, that amazing dinner you cooked and just a really sweet scent that is totally intoxicating, and very definitely arousing. I guess it's just your femininity." I gave a laugh at Hawkeye's definite lack of subtlety.
"I can't believe it, we're going to have a baby - in wedlock - and we need to think about moving houses, and all you can think about is sex?" I laughed, shaking my head lovingly at him.
"Annie, it's 8pm, we both need showers, the baby isn't coming for eight months and not one realty would be open now, I think I'm entitled to think about sex." Hawkeye kissed my earlobe.
"Not now Hawkeye, let me have a shower first." Hawkeye ignored my protest and continued kissing my neck, knowing that I was very slowly melting.
"Shower's free!" Daniel called. I fought Hawkeye off and ran into the house.
"Thanks Dad, and if you see your son, throw a bucket of cold water on him." Daniel laughed and left me in the bathroom. I turned on the taps and stood under the hot water. It felt great, and I stretched, relaxing in the steam.
"You nearly finished?" Hawkeye came into the bathroom, wearing his robe.
"Soon." I called back rinsing the shampoo from my hair.
"You're a long way from finished baby." Hawkeye laughed, taking off his robe and joining me in the hot, soapy world I had created.
We went to bed but not to sleep after that, and when we finally went to sleep, I woke as I always had, in the early hours of the morning to watch Hawkeye sleep so peacefully, I found my mind wandering.
Life was great. I had a loving husband, a loving father-in-law, three beautiful children, another one on the way, I was living in a beautiful town, I had great friends, my family was half an hour down the road, and I decided, as I watched the relaxed face resting on the pillow beside me, that I was truly on top of the world.