Disclaimer: I don't own anything from MASH, no matter how much I would love too, I don't so please don't sue me!
Summary: Follow Hawkeye and Margaret's life, together from the beginning!
A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews! Keep them coming! I hope you enjoy the this chapter! Sorry, I usually don't do cliffhangers, but I felt I had to with the last chapter!
Please R&R
September 15, 1958
Margaret woke up at 5:00am to the sound of the alarm clock and jumps into the shower. At 5:30am she woke up her husband and he jumped into the shower. Margaret the night before had lied out the kids clothes so she could wake them up, get them dressed and be on their way to the airport. Zack would be waking up shortly on his own, but Natalie would have to be woken up. She was just like her father, hated to be woken up, so Margaret naturally sent Hawkeye to wake her.
"Hawkeye, can you wake Nat up?"
"Yeah." He says, pulling his shirt on. He worked three days straight and hadn't seen the kids since the day before he worked, so Margaret knew that she would wake up better for her dad. He walked out of the room and down the hall to Natalie's bedroom, turning on the small light on the nightstand, "Hey princess, time to wake up." He says, sitting on the bed next to her, shaking her a bit, "Come on honey, we have to go on the plane soon."
"Daddy..." She pouts, burying her head in her pillow.
"Come on, we need to get you dressed so we can go on our vacation." He says, talking softly. He kisses her head and lifts her up a little bit.
"Kay." She says, rubbing her eyes. Hawkeye grabs the blue sundress that Margaret had laying out the past night on the dresser. He puts her in the dress and gets her sandals on.
"Ok honey; go to the potty for me."
"Kay." She says, as she slowly walks to the bathroom.
Hawkeye walks back to his wife, and sits on the bed. Natalie comes in shortly after,
"Mommy." She says, climbing up on the big bed.
"What baby?"
"I tired." She says, lying down on the pillows.
"I know honey." She says, "Come here; let me brush your hair." Natalie crawls over and sits next to her mom and Margaret pulls her hair into a pony tail. Her hair was just long enough to tie a ribbon around it, and Margaret thought having it pulled back today would be the best. "There," She says once she is finished, "Are you hungry yet?"
"No." She says, leaning against her chest, yawning.
"Ok." She smiles, picking her up. Within ten minutes they were out the door and on their way to the airport. It was 6:30 by the time they were able to take off and get on their way to South Carolina. Natalie was sitting with Hawkeye and fell asleep while they were walking to the gate, Zachary fell asleep as soon as they stepped on the plane, which was a blessing because both parents could relax and try to sleep a little. At 8:30, both kids woke up, almost at the exact same time.
"Daddy?" Natalie says, looking up at him.
"What princess?"
"I hungry."
"Here honey." Margaret says, grabbing a bag of cereal and a secure thermos of juice for her.
"Thank you!" She says, smiling.
"You're welcome."
"Are we there yet?"
"No honey, not till around lunch time."
"Read mommy? Please?"
"Sure, switch with me Hawk." She says, handing him the baby, and grabbing a bottle for him too.
"Mommy just doesn't want you spitting up on her again." He tells Zack, smiling as he gives him the bottle.
The plane landed, and it couldn't have happen any sooner. Natalie was bored with reading her books after the third hour, and the baby, he just wasn't happy. When they got off the plane, Natalie tried to run, but Hawkeye kept a firm grip on her, "Daddy off!" She says, trying to pull away from his grip
"No, you have to stay close to us. You can't go running away."
"DADDY!" She says, pulling her darndest, "Off!"
"NATALIE ANNE PIERCE!" He raises his voice, as she squirmed out of his grip, causing him to grab the back of her sun dress, and pick her up into his arms, "That's it! You are staying with me."
"NO!" She says, screaming.
"Natalie..."
"Just ignore her Margaret." Hawkeye says, keeping a firm grip on the screaming two year old. "We have to go rent a car... then figure out where Trapper is."
"You have the directions?"
"In my back pocket." He says, talking over the screaming and crying. Finally after a few more minutes, Hawkeye got sick of listening to her, "Natalie... look at me." He says, as she gives him only a look her mother could have taught her, "When you decide to stop screaming, and start listening to me, you can get down ok?" Still crying, she leans her head against his shoulder. He rubs her back and looks at Zack, "Zack, you are being wonderful buddy." He says, "Thank you."
"They have to be hungry..."
"And bored." He says, rubbing his daughters back. "Natalie, are you hungry?" She nods against his neck. "We should go get something to eat. I'm sure he'll be ready for a bottle soon too."
"Yeah... I'm sure there will be a diner or something around her to stop at... lets get the car and take it from there." She says, shifting her weight with the baby.
"Alright."
The step out into the warm September air and take a taxi to get their car. It was a far walk, Margaret and Hawkeye could have easily walked it alone, but they weren't going to chance it with two young children. They get the car and find a diner. Natalie was a good eater, much like her father, and would eat just about anything. Hawkeye took his son and went to make a phone call and change him while Margaret took Natalie and went in to get a table and look at the menu. "What would you like for lunch Natalie? Do you want some grilled cheese?"
"Yes." She says, sitting next to her mom on her knees, "I have juice too?"
"Yes, you can have juice too.' Margaret smiles. Hawkeye comes in with Zack and sits across from his girls, placing his son in the stroller next to him. "Did you get a hold of McIntyre?"
"Yeah. He says that we are about fifteen minutes away. I also got better directions from him. He's expecting us in about an hour."
"Ok." She says, smiling.
Lunch was nice for them. They took their time, ate and got on the road again. Zack was sleeping by the time they got out of the diner and Natalie was in a much better mood now that she ate. She talked a mile a minute the entire way.
"Daddy?"
"Whatty?" He asks, looking at her in the rearview mirror.
"Where we?" She asks, looking at the unfamiliar house.
"We are at Uncle Trappers mommy and daddy's house. We are going to be living here for a week."
"Oh!" She says.
"You will have a lot of people to play with you. Uncle Trapper has kids too! He has Becky, Kathy, Luke, and Jackie."
"Oh!"
"Jackie's a bit older isn't she?"
"She's four, Luke's six, Kathy is ten, and Becky is twelve."
"I knew the oldest two's ages." She smiles.
Trapper was standing on the porch that overlooked the ocean, watching for them. He sees the car pull into the driveway, smiles and walks down the steps to greet them, "Well hi there strangers."
"Hi Trapper." Hawkeye smiles,"
"How the hell are you?"
"Good, how about you?" He asks as he hugs his friend.
"Fine." He says, turning his attention to the woman with a baby in one arm and a two year old clutching the other. "Hello Major."
"Hello Captain." She smiles, as he kisses her cheek, "You look good."
"For the time being." He jokes, "Hi Natalie."
"Hi." She says shyly.
He knows just what to ask to bring her out of her shell, "How's Brandi?"
"Her good! Her at Grandpop's!" She smiles.
"Well, I'm sure he's taking good care of the puppy."
"Yeah!"
"Let me see the newest Pierce." He says, "He's very handsome. Congratulations."
"FINALLY!" Hawkeye says, "Someone who doesn't call him beautiful or pretty!"
Trapper laughs and grabs one of the bags, "Come on in, let me help you with the bags."
"Where is everyone?" Margaret says, as she notices how quiet the house is.
"On the beach, but they'll be home soon."
"Oh." She smiles as he gives them the grand tour, "This house is beautiful."
"I love it here." He smiles, "We have a crib in your room for Zack and Natalie will room with Jackie."
"That's fine." She smiles.
"This is your room, and Natalie and Jackie's is the room that separates us."
"Ok." She says, as Hawkeye drops the bags into the room, Margaret puts Zack in the crib.
"Nat, you get to sleep in Jackie's room! She's my daughter, a bit older than you but you two will have fun."
"Oh!" She says, smiling.
Natalie stuck close to her parents at first. She played shy for most of the afternoon. She knew her Uncle Trapper, but didn't know her surroundings.
Around three, Louise and the kids came back. Margaret was thrilled to see her because that entire day Hawkeye and Trapper spent catching up. Louise smiled when she saw her friend, "Hi!"
"Hi." Margaret says, smiling. "How are you?"
"Fine, how are you?"
"Fine thanks."
"You look wonderful for just having a baby a month and a half ago! How do you do it?!" She asks, looking her up and down.
"I still have a long way to go." She says.
"And Natalie." She says, looking at the child she hasn't seen in almost two years, "You have gotten so big honey!"
Margaret looked down and watched Natalie lean against her, "This is your Aunt Louise honey. You haven't seen her since you were a baby. Can you say hi?"
"Hi." She says.
"You are a shy girl."
"Not after she gets to know you." Margaret laughs, brushing a pesky piece of hair that had broken free of her ponytail out of her face.
"MOM! I'm hungry! What can we have for a snack?" Becky asks.
"Fruit." Louise says.
"Mom!"
"Ok, nothing. Come here and say hello to your Aunt Margaret and Uncle Hawkeye."
"Oh hi!" Becky says, coming in. She always liked her 'aunt and uncle' and were excited when they came to visit.
"Hi Becky." Margaret smiles, kissing her.
"Hi Natalie! She got so big!"
"She did. Say hi to Becky."
"Hi." She says.
"Where are your sisters and brother?"
"In the basement, they will be up soon."
"Hi Becky." Trapper says.
"Hi dad! Hi Uncle Hawkeye!"
"Hi Becky. My god, you are looking more and more beautiful every time I see you." He says, hugging her. "I can't believe you'll be a teenager soon! It seems like only yesterday you wrote to your dad as a six year old in Korea."
She blushes a bit.
"Uncle Hawkeye!" Kathy says, running up to him.
"Hi there!" He smiles, hugging her.
"Where's the rest of the gang?"
"They're coming." She smiles and goes over to her Aunt, "Hi Aunt Margaret. Hi Natalie."
"Hi." Margaret says kissing her.
"She's big!"
"She is now." Margaret smiles. "Say hi to Kathy."
"Hi." Natalie says, getting shyer by the second.
"And here are number three and four." Trapper smiles as the youngest two run upstairs.
"Hi Dad!"
"Hi guys." He says, to the two, "Luke, you remember Uncle Hawkeye and Aunt Margaret."
"Yup!"
"I do too daddy." Jackie says.
"Well that's good because I remember you two too!" Hawkeye says smiling, kissing the girl, and hugging the boy.
"Hi Aunt Margaret."
"Hi Luke, hi Jackie."
"Hi!"
"Jackie, this is Natalie."
"Hi Natalie."
"Hi Jackie." Natalie says, still sticking with her mom.
"You two get to share a room! She is only a year and a half younger then you so you two are going to have a lot of fun."
"Good!" She says smiling.
"What do you think Natalie?"
"Good." She says repeating the older girl.
Margaret smiles and kisses her daughters' head, before looking at her watch, "Hawk, can you go check on Zachary?"
"Yeah." He says, pulling his attention away from his friend and heads upstairs. He walks into the room and sees his son wide awake in the crib, "Hey buddy, what are you doing up? You didn't cry or anything!" He says, picking him up. "Are you a little confused? You don't know this place. Your sister is a bit shy right now, but I think you'll have a lot of fun. Everyone is going to want to hold you, and we are going to have to see if your mommy lets them." He smiles and changes him. "Are you ready? Should we go make your grand awaken debut? I think that's a great idea!" The two Pierce Men walk down the stairs and into the family room.
"He was awake?!" Margaret asks.
"Yes."
"He wasn't crying was he?"
"No, he was just lying there." He says, sitting down next to Margaret.
"He's beautiful!" Louise says, "Look at those gorgeous eyes, no doubt his fathers."
"For the last time, he's handsome! No son of mine is going to be called beautiful. My daughter is beautiful, my son is handsome." He says, cracking a smile.
"He is adorable, is that ok to say?" Louise picks.
"Handsome." Hawk says smiling.
"Do you want to hold him?"
"Sure, it's been a while since I've held an infant." She says, as Margaret hands her their son.
"Do you like being a big sister Natalie?"
"Yes!" She says, smiling.
"Is this your little brother?"
"Yup, hims name Zackwy."
"Oh? Did you name him?"
"No." She says smiling.
"You have a smile like your mommy."
"Yes!" She says.
Margaret smiled as she listened to her daughter talk to Louise. She was slowly ventures out from her shy state.
"Are you up to going out for dinner tonight?" Trapper asks.
"I'm always up for anything." Hawkeye says smiling.
"Yeah, we can do that." Margaret smiles.
"Where did you have in mind?"
"That little relaxed restraint on the beach, Café Del Playa."
"Sounds good."
"Natalie! Come play!" Jackie says to her new friend.
Natalie looks up at her mother a bit unsure of what to do, "Go on, you can go." Margaret smiles, "Do you want to go play?"
"Yes." She says, shyly.
"Go on then." Margaret smiles. She watches Natalie slowly get off the couch and go down in the basement where their grandparents had created a huge playroom for the kids. Margaret always loved when she played shy. She was so needy, and she loved to be cuddled. Margaret missed having her want to cuddle all the time, but it was all a part of her growing up.
"She is very shy..."
"Not really." Hawkeye says.
That night they go to dinner and the ten of them talk and have a great time. When they get back home it was almost eight, and naturally Natalie wasn't tired yet, because back home it was only 5:00. Margaret hoped that she would be tired around nine so she wouldn't be up all night.
By the end of the night Natalie and Jackie were busy getting into all sorts of trouble. Margaret and Louise shook their heads and blamed Hawkeye and Trapper for their girl's actions.
"Just like their fathers." They both said at the same time, watching the girls goof off.
"I think its bed time." Margaret said, "What do you think Louise?"
"Yeah, definitely." She smiles, "Alright girls, come on, up to bed."
"We're not tired mommy." Jackie said.
"I don't care, you two can play more tomorrow. It's nine o'clock!"
"Come on Natalie."
"No... baby awake!"
"He's going to fall asleep soon too." Margaret said, handing the infant to Hawkeye. "You two have to go to bed now, because we are going to be going to the beach tomorrow."
"That's right. We need you two in a good mood tomorrow."
"Mommy, Luke has to go to bed too!"
"He is going to be in bed as soon as you two go to sleep." She says. The older three were down in the basement watching a movie, so Peg felt that was ok to let them up a little longer... but not much. "Say good night to daddy."
"You too Jackie."
"Night girls." Hawkeye says, kissing his daughter, Trapper doing the same.
"Get him a bottle please." She says as the women head upstairs to put the two girls to bed.
"Right." He says standing up and making him a bottle. "So Trapper, what do you say tomorrow night we hit the town a bit. Just us, like old times."
"I don't know if our wives would like us to hit the town, like old times anymore." He laughs.
Hawkeye laughs, "Yeah, you're probably right. Then lets hit the town like we use to, only tone it down a little to just drinking."
"Now that I can do."
Hawkeye sits down on the couch and feeds his son and looks at his friend, "When did we get so old?"
"Korea." He replies, "I still can't believe it..."
"Believe what?"
"You... Hotlips... and now, two kids."
Hawkeye smiles, "Me neither... but I wouldn't give it up for the world."
"I never thought of you settling down nor having kids."
"Honestly, neither did I... then something happened... I met the most wonderful person in the world and I didn't know it for the first year that I knew her."
"I'm happy for you Hawk." He says.
"I don't know what I'm going to do with out you."
"Same thing you did when I left Korea." He says sighing.
"I..."
"Hawk... lets not do this now ok?" He says. "I'm not ready."
"Neither am I." He agrees.
They continue conversation like that part of the conversation never occurred until the women came back downstairs, "Women." Trapper says smiling.
"Women?" Louise says, "I'll woman you..."
"Listen to your man..." Hawkeye replies smiling.
"Hawkeye and I are going out tomorrow night. There will be no questions asked. We are going out and recreating boredom times in Korea."
"THE HELL YOU ARE!" Margaret says, in a firm, yet steady voice, "I know how you two acted over in Korea... and I do NOT want you to..."
"You didn't let the man finish." Hawkeye says, smiling.
"It will only be half the stuff we pulled in Korea..."
"Which half?"
"Drinking..."
"Ok." Margaret agrees, "BUT, don't over do it."
"Do we ever over do it?" Hawkeye says, before adding in, "Don't answer that."
"Well it will give us time away from these guys." Louise says smiling. "I can use that."
"Already?" Trapper asks.
"Yes John... already."
"Sheesh." Hawkeye replies, smirking.
"Give me my son." Margaret says, "If you grow up like your father I'll kill you. I can't have two of you running around the place."
Margaret stands up with Zack, "I'll be back down in a few minutes." She says smiling as she takes the baby upstairs. "Alright Zack... let's get some sleep honey ok? Maybe you'll sleep late for mommy and daddy tomorrow? What do you think? I think that's a great idea." She says lying on the bed with him on her chest. She stiffens a yawn herself as she tries to get him down. He falls asleep soon after she lies down with him and she places him in the crib and walks back downstairs sitting next to her husband. Then thirty came along and Trapper went to tell the older three to get to bed,
"Yo, everyone downstairs under the age of thirteen, bedtime."
"Dad!" All of them called.
"I'm not kidding, it's ten thirty, you guys have five seconds to get up here and into your rooms, one... two... three... four..." He smiled when he heard all three kids run up the stairs, "Be quiet when you go upstairs, the three munchkins are sleeping."
"Ok dad. Good night everyone." Becky says smiling.
"Good night kids." Hawkeye smiles.
"Night." Margaret smiles.
"Night kids." Peg says, kissing her kids and watch them run upstairs.
The moon shines off the ocean and the four adults sat on the porch talking about everything they could. The breeze was cool, but not enough to need a jacket. Margaret sat between Hawkeye's legs and Louise did the same with Trapper. The men had a martini at hand and the women had a scotch. This was how memories are made.
At twelve, they all decided to head up to bed. Margaret and Hawkeye quickly get ready for bed, check on the kids and turn in.
"Trapper looks good." Margaret says, lying against Hawkeye's chest.
"For now." He sighs.
"He's not letting this get him down is he?"
"How could he? Trap has always taken one day at a time. Now, he's living each day to the fullest." He sighs, "Can we not talk about this right now?"
"Sure. I'm sorry." She mumbles.
"It's not your fault... I just can't stand thinking about him dying yet... not when he looks so healthy still."
"I understand."
"Thanks." He says, kissing her head, and pulling her tight against him.
Around two Natalie woke up in the strange place and got a little nervous. She went down the hall and into her parents' room. She climbs up into the bed, climbs over Hawkeye's chest, and gets in between her parents, who instantly wake up, "Can I help you Miss Pierce?" Hawkeye asks, as he sees his daughter.
"I sleep with you." She says, getting under the covers.
"Natalie..." Margaret says, sighing.
"Please?!" She begs.
"Are you scared Nat?" Hawkeye asks.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Don't know." She says, shrugging.
"Just tonight." Hawkeye says.
"Ank you daddy."
"Tomorrow you are back in your room with Jackie."
"Ok." She says, cuddling against her mom. Margaret kisses her and they fall asleep.
Margaret and Hawkeye really didn't mind her sleeping in the same bed because she didn't move around a lot, however, they usually didn't have her stay with them because they didn't want her to get use to it.
The next morning, Zack woke up, and Margaret grabbed him quickly before he woke his sister up. She went downstairs with him and gave him a bottle, talking to him. He just started to smile, and she loved watching it. Hawkeye and Natalie stayed in bed till eight. Natalie woke up and looked over at her father, she crawled over to him and jumped on his chest, "OOF." He says, playfully as he opens his eyes, "Are you my alarm clock?"
"Yup!" She says, jumping up on him.
"Can't I sleep anymore?"
"No daddy! Time wake up!"
"Ok." He says, yawning. She flops down on his chest and hugs him, "Thank you honey."
"Welcome!"
"Go to the potty for me and then we'll go downstairs and see who else is up."
"Mommy up!"
"I know she is."
"Zackwy up!" She says excitedly.
"I know he's up, but we have to see who else is up. Be quiet though ok?"
"Kay." She says running over to the bathroom, and a minuet later she is back pulling her daddy up out of bed, "'Mon daddy!"
"Ok honey." He says, sitting up, grabbing his shirt, pulling it on. The two walk downstairs and smile, "Morning." He says to Margaret.
"Good morning."
"Is it only you two?"
"No, Luke and Jackie are up, and Trapper ran to the store to get some milk."
"I'm going to go up and get a shower."
"Mommy, I go play?"
"Sure honey, downstairs. Luke and Jackie are watching cartoons."
"OH!" She says, walking down the steps to the basement.
"I'll be back down in a few minutes."
"Ok." She says, turning her attention back to Zack in the baby chair. She pours herself a cup of coffee and sits down, watching the baby watch her, "What are you looking at huh? You can't have my coffee yet." She smiles.
Around nine, Louise comes downstairs. Hawkeye and Trapper were on the porch drinking coffee and all the kids were downstairs watching TV and playing, "Good morning."
"Morning."
"Good Morning Zack." She smiles. "Did you sleep well?"
"Up until two."
"Why until two?"
"Natalie decided to come in and spend the night with us."
"It's nice isn't it?"
"I love her age. I wouldn't trade it in the world... even with her two year old days."
"I know the feeling." Peg smiles, "Did you sleep through the night Zachary? I bet you did because I didn't hear you last night."
"He did. He's been sleeping through the night for about two weeks now. It's nice."
"So, I was thinking" Louise begins, "I think the four of us should go out for the night."
"Oh, I don't know..." Margaret says, looking at Zack.
"I'll get a sitter for the younger kids. Becky won't appreciate it, but she definitely isn't ready to watch the baby alone..."
"I haven't left him yet... with anyone."
"The babysitter is fifteen, she is very responsible and she lives right across the street. Her mother is there incase anything happens."
Margaret bites her lip a bit, "I don't know Louise."
"You don't know what?" Hawkeye asks, coming in the house.
"If I want to leave Zack with a fifteen year old."
"Why not?"
"He's a month and a half..."
"So?"
"I haven't.... we haven't left him with anyone."
"What were you planning on doing?" He asks Louise.
"I wanted us to go out for dinner."
"Dinner? That's only a few hours. I'm sure he will be sleeping by the time we leave."
"I know..." Margaret says.
"We'll go."
"HAWK!"
"What? You need to get away from the kids. We haven't done an adult night in almost two months."
"I know."
"So tonight we will, and then Trapper and I will have fun on our own." He grins.
"You know how Natalie is."
"She'll be fine. Relax."
"Ok, then tonight."
"Good, we have reservations for six." Trapper says smiling.
"Ok." Margaret says, still a bit leery.
"It will be fun." Hawkeye says smiling. "Then Trap and I get to go out and have some of our own fun."
"Not too much I hope." Margaret said firmly.
"Of course not."
"Dad." Luke says, walking upstairs.
"What?"
"Can we go onto the beach PLEASE!!!"
"In a little bit. It's a bit crowded there now."
"Ok..." He says sighing, sitting next to his mom.
"Why so glum chum?" Hawkeye asks.
"We have too many girls in this house." He says. "The only boy we have is Zack and he isn't old enough to do anything!"
"He will be before you know it." Hawkeye says, tousling his hair.
"Not this summer."
"Next summer he'll be walking and running around." Trapper says, smiling.
"Not soon enough." Luke says, sighing. "I wish Jackie was a boy."
"Blame your father." Louise says, smiling.
"When can we go to the beach?"
"Go get your bathing suit on, and tell the girls to come on up, and we'll go."
"YAY! Thanks Mom!"
"Do you want the boy to come?" Trapper asks, pointing to the boy.
"Yeah, I'll take him for a little while." Margaret says, "I'll bring an umbrella and he'll be fine."
Margaret got her kids ready for the beach, making sure to cover Zack as cool, but as much as possible and cover both kids in sun block. Natalie absolutely loved the water. Margaret had always joked that she was a fish, because when ever there was a chance to be in the water, Natalie jumped at the opportunity.
"Daddy!"
"Whatty?"
"'Mon!" Natalie says, pulling on his fingers.
"'Mon?"
"'Mon!"
"'Mon where?" He smiles.
"'Der! Ouside!"
"Ouside?"
"Yup!"
"Then where will we go?"
"'Simmn!"
"Oh! You want to go simmen?" He says, picking her up.
"No up daddy! Ouside! 'Simmn ouside!"
"We've got to wait for everyone else."
"No!"
"Yes." He says, sitting down on the chair with the squirming two year old.
"Daddy, off!"
"No." He says, "You have to stay here."
She sighs and sits as patiently as a two year old could, "Mommy!"
"Natalie, don't yell." Margaret scolds her daughter.
"Mommy." She says quieter.
"What?"
"Go 'Simmn?"
"Soon honey."
"Kay." She sighs and gets off her fathers lap to go play with her new friends. Fifteen minutes later they were on the beach.
"We're going into the water." Kathy announces.
"Not too deep, stay where we can see you."
"Mom, we can swim." Becky says.
"I don't care. Until your father is out there with you I want you no deeper than waste."
"Fine." They both grumble and head to the water side.
Luke, Jackie and Natalie wait for their fathers, and the women stay on the blanket with Zack. Natalie stuck close with Hawkeye, she really wasn't too sure of the waves at first. The water was fairly choppy and a couple of the waves were almost as big as she was. Hawkeye was glad that the water was warm, as well as the air. He hated when the breeze made the entire experience a cold one, and he knew Natalie would not have been happy with that. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, and bright blue clear water, so clear you could see straight to the bottom. After a few minutes, Natalie was running in and out of the waves and water, splashing her father. Hawkeye and Trapper stood and talked in between playing with the two girls and Luke. Luke wanted to go deeper then they were, so Hawkeye and Trapper went in a bit further.
"Come on Nat." He says, picking her up when it got too deep, he could tell that she was a bit nervous being in so far by the way she clung to him.
"Daddy... too far!"
"I won't let you down, see I can stand." He smiles at her. She always trusted her daddy, so she allowed him to take her out further. Trapper had his handful with the two kids, so they only went as far as Becky and Kathy were. Hawkeye eventually coxes Natalie to loosen her grip a bit and when she did, she had more fun then she ever had before. Margaret was watching them from the blanket, "I can't believe they have them out there so far." She groans.
"I find its better not too look. It saves me the stress of thinking about them." She smiles.
"I have to start learning to do that." Margaret smiles.
"After the fourth kid, you learn." She smiles. "Can I hold him?"
"Sure." Margaret says, passing Zack over to her.
"I miss having babies." She says smiling.
"You'll have grandkids one day." She laughs.
"I hope not for at least another twenty five years." Her eyes, cloud for a minute with saddens.
"Are you alright?"
"Fine." She says. "I just can't believe that he'll be gone in a matter of time."
Margaret knew exactly who she was talking about, "We'll all be gone in a matter of time."
"He looks fine..." She says, looking down at Zachary, "He doesn't even look sick."
"He won't for a while..."
"I don't know what to do. He won't be around long... will he?"
"He could live for years like this Louise. McIntyre, he could go back into remission."
"What are the chances of that though Margaret? I try to get it into my head that he is dying... that he has Leukemia, but I just can't. I can't do it because he is fine... look at him Margaret."
"I know..."
"How long do I have with him? Weeks... months... years... you never know. What if its days... hours..."
"What if it's never?"
"Have you seen that?"
"I have seen people with Leukemia live past 15 years..."
"He's already out of remission... third level."
"Stage..."
"One more stage..." Louise says, sighing, "I'm beyond tears anymore. I can't cry for him... I feel like I should."
"It will be ok Louise..." She says. "I don't know what else to say."
"I don't know what else to do. The kids see him healthy, what happens if he deteriorates quickly?"
"They'll cope. Kids are good with bouncing back."
"I just..." She says.
"I know." Margaret replies. "It will be ok."
"In time."
"Just live with him... spend as much time with him as you can."
"I will." Louise says, looking down at her friends' son, "You are the cutest thing," as the baby smiles up at her, "He looks like you."
"He's built like his father though, tall, and with the blue eyes."
"Yeah." She smiles. She looks out to the ocean and frowns, "They better not go too much further."
"I know... I've been trying not to look." Margaret replies, knowing she was trying to change the subject, "So where are we going tonight?"
"The Regatta. It's a nice restaurant."
"How do you think Becky's going to take having a babysitter?"
"She's not going to be too happy. She hates when I get a babysitter, but she definitely isn't ready to handle a two year old and a two month old."
"I agree." Margaret smiles.
Hawkeye comes back with Natalie, "MOMMY!"
"What?"
"I goed out far!"
"You did! I saw you!" She says smiling. "You look tired."
"Nah." He says, lying on the blanket.
Natalie ran to her mom and jumped up into her lap, "EWWW, you are all wet!" Margaret said to the two year old.
"Mommy wet." She smiles and hugs her.
"Whose fault is that?"
"Mine!" She giggles.
"You're lucky you're so cute."
"Yup!" She smiles and kisses her mommy. "Mommy, 'mon!"
"Come on where?"
"Water!"
"Again?"
"Yup! Me fishy!" She smiles.
Margaret laughs, "What about you Louise, are you ready to brave the water?"
"Sure." She says, handing the baby to Hawkeye.
Margaret stands up and Natalie grabs her hand, "Are we going deep?"
"Um, nope!" She smiles, "'Mon Aunt Ise!"
"I'm coming kiddo."
The girls headed to the waters edge, and Natalie immediately jumped into the water, and started to play with Jackie. Margaret and Louise dipped their feet in, and were promptly splashed by the rambunctious girls. They smiled and splashed them back.
"MOMMY!" Both girls called at the same time.
"What?" Margaret says, smiling, "You splashed us!"
"I know!" Natalie says smiling, grabbing onto her mom's leg.
Around one, they all went back to the house and had some lunch. Natalie and Jackie were both exhausted and took naps, along with Zachary. The oldest three went downstairs and played a game. At three, all the kids were up and having a snack. Margaret and Louise were talking about what they were going to be doing that night and Becky got wind of it, "Mom, are we going out tonight?"
"No, WE are not going out, the adults are going out, and you kids are having Lydia come over for the night."
"A babysitter?! Mom!" Becky yells, "I can't believe you! I'm twelve years old! I don't need a babysitter!"
"The babysitter isn't for you, it's for the younger ones."
"So why did you have to call one?! I could have babysat!"
"You aren't old enough to take care of a newborn or a two year old."
"I could too!"
"This discussion is over Rebecca."
"Mom! I don't want a babysitter!"
"You may be twelve but you are acting like you are two."
"Why did you have to get one...."
"I already told you! You are not old enough to watch a child who is two months old. There are too many kids here, and I am not having you be in charge of them. I'm sure Aunt Margaret wouldn't want a twelve year old watch her baby."
"But Lydia's only fifteen! That's ONLY three years older then me! That's it!"
"I can count Rebecca. So in three years you can watch a newborn." She says.
"Do I have to listen to her?"
"You have to respect her."
"I do have to listen." She mutters.
"Yes, you do."
"Can Hanna come over?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Yes, go call her. She can spend the night if you want her too."
"GOOD!"
"I want you two to help out with the younger kids though."
"We will."
"Ok."
"Good."
At five, they all begin to get ready to go out. Lydia is due to come over at 5:30. She was right on time and as soon as Natalie saw her, she got very shy and stuck by Hawkeye.
"Hi, I'm Lydia." She says, smiling at the new people.
"Hi I'm Dr. Pierce, and this is Natalie, and the baby over with Becky is Zachary."
"Hi Natalie!" She says squatting down next to her.
"Hi." Natalie says, burying her face into Hawkeye's legs.
"You are very pretty. We are going to have so much fun tonight!"
"Daddy." Natalie says, raising her hands, he smiles and picks her up.
"She's a bit shy in the beginning, but she'll be fine."
"That's fine." Lydia says as she goes over to Becky. "Hi Becky."
"Hi." She says, feeding the baby.
"You've gotten so much older!"
"I'm almost 13." She says.
"Can I feed the baby?"
"No, he's my cousin... and I'm feeding him." She growls.
"I can..."
"No." She says standing up with the baby, "I'll finish."
Hawkeye watches Becky and smiles; she was just like her father personality wise. "You have him Becky?"
"Yeah Uncle Hawk." She smiles.
"Ok."
"Do you have any instructions for me?" Lydia asks.
"You're going to have to ask Mrs. Pierce. I have instructions, but she was a major in the US Army for a while, so she likes giving the instructions." He smiles. "She'll be down in a little bit. I have to go upstairs and get ready. Becky, give the baby to Lydia when he is done eating ok?"
"Yes Uncle Hawk." She says, smiling.
"How about you Natalie? Will you stay with me?" Lydia asks.
"No." She says, holding onto Hawkeye.
"Where's Jackie, Natalie?"
"Don't know!"
"Can you go find her, so I can go get dressed for dinner tonight?"
"Ok!"
"Why don't you try downstairs and play with her?"
"Kay." She says, allowing him to put her down.
Hawkeye walks up the stairs to his room, and sees Margaret finishing her makeup, "Are you ready yet?"
"I'm going to be in a second, all I need to do is get dressed." He smiles.
"Where are the kids?"
"Natalie is down in the basement with Luke, Jackie and Kathy, and Becky is feeding Zack."
"Oh." She says, putting lipstick on. Hawkeye leans down and kisses her neck, "Don't start something you can't finish." She smiles.
"Who says I can't finish it."
"In five minutes?"
"I can start..." He says, continuing his attack on her neck, "Then finish later."
"You are going out with Trapper tonight. Try and behave."
"Tonight?"
"Now, and tonight." She says, pushing him off.
"Tease." He smiles.
"Me?!"
"Yes you... won't even let me finish my appetizer."
"Cool your jets Romeo. Go get ready."
"I'm going."
Hawkeye quickly changes and the two head downstairs. Margaret introduces herself to Lydia and Natalie immediately clings to Margaret.
"Mommy..."
"What honey?" She asks, the toddler clinging to her leg.
"Up." She says, raising her hands. Margaret smiles and picks the child up, "No go out."
"Yes go out. Mommy and Daddy need to go have dinner with Uncle Trapper and Aunt Louise."
"No." She says, "Stay me."
"I'll be back tonight when you are in bed and I'll say goodnight, how does that sound?"
"No."
"Natalie, don't start this." She sighs, kissing her cheek, "Did you meet Lydia?"
"Yes."
"She seems nice doesn't she?"
"Yes."
"But, she doesn't know you."
"I no know her." She says.
"That's right! You both don't know each other. You and Lydia can get to know each other tonight. Jackie and Becky and Kathy and Luke and Zack are all staying. You have to stay with Zack."
"Why?"
"Because you are his big sister! You need to tell Lydia what he needs, and where he sleeps. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes." She says, sniffling, "Mommy stay wif me. Daddy stay wif me too."
"How about you and I make a deal; if you stay with Lydia and help out with Zachary, you can sleep in daddy and mommy's bed tonight. What do you say?"
"Ok."
"Should you tell Lydia?"
"Yes." She says, squirming down off of her mom, "Lyddie!"
"What?" She asks, looking down at the toddler.
"I seep in daddy's bed." She says, shyly.
"Did mommy say you could?"
"Yes."
"Ok." She smiles.
"Are you girls ready?" Trapper asks.
"Yes." Louise says, kissing her kids.
"Be good kiddo." Hawkeye says, kissing Natalie. She still looked very unsure of the older girl in the house, but put on her bravest face and didn't cry a bit. She was shy, but she didn't cry.
That night the adults spend eating and talking like they have seen each other every day for the past fifteen years. After dinner, the girls headed home and the boys headed down to the bar for the night. Margaret and Louise were actually glad to get rid of the two.
"It's going to be a nice quiet night." Louise says smiling.
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
"Oh no. It is a nice change of pace."
"Yes it is. Those two don't ever stop talking."
"And it's only to each other."
"It's a good thing we get along so well... otherwise I think we'd go crazy."
"Agreed." Louise says, smiling.
They sit downstairs and talk till around midnight when they decide to head up to bed. The youngest two girls were in their parent's beds, so both mothers' had to be quiet. Margaret checked on the kids and got changed. Natalie was curled up on her mom's side of the bed, so Margaret carefully moved her to the center of the bed and lied down and fell asleep.
Meanwhile, Hawkeye and Trapper did what they always did together, drank. They came home at 3:15am stumbling out of the cab and up to the house, opening and then slamming the door, waking up their wives. Margaret threw off the covers and quietly stormed out of the room, running into Louise.
"I'm gonna kill them." Margaret says.
"I'll bring the gun." Louise replies as they head down the stairs.
"What in the hell do you two think you are doing!?" Margaret says.
"Woops!" Trapper grins, "I think we are in trouble Hawk."
"Shut up." Louise growls, "Are you two out of your minds?! How dare you come home to this house drunk with children upstairs sleeping?!"
"We aren't so bad." Both men slur.
"Not so bad?!"
"You've seen us worse." Trapper says to Margaret.
"I don't believe you two!"
"Margaret." Hawkeye says, a bit too loud.
"SHUT UP PIERCE!" She shouts, "I can't believe you! How could you two possibly be so irresponsible?"
"We..."
"ENOUGH! I am going to bed..."
"Me too." Louise says.
"This isn't over." She calls over her shoulder, and heads up the stairs. She sighs, and walks into the bedroom, lying down next to her daughter. She could not believe her husband. Just when she thought she couldn't have he came into the room, "What the hell do you think you are doing?"
"Going to...."
"KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN! I swear, if you wake the kids up..."
"I'm going to sleep."
"Not in here you aren't. Take the girls room. I'm sure your buddy is in there."
"Mar..."
"GO!" She says, pushing him out of the room and locking the door behind him. She then lies back down in bed and closes her eyes. He didn't sleep well after that encounter with the men, and was still mad when she did wake up to Natalie shaking her, "Good morning sweetie."
"Hi mommy... where daddy?"
"Daddy is in the other room."
"Why?"
"Mommy is mad at daddy."
"Mommy mad?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Daddy was bad last night."
"Oh." She says, thinking for a few seconds, "Mommy yell?"
"Yes, mommy probably is going to yell." Margaret says, watching her daughter cover her ears, "Not right now... when you aren't around."
"Kay." She smiles. Margaret looks at her and couldn't help but smile back.
"Are you hungry honey?"
"Yes." She says.
"Ok, go to the potty for me please, and we'll go get some breakfast."
"Ok!"
Margaret looks over to the crib and sees her son awake, "Good morning buddy. You may be the man of the house after mommy kills your father today. Did you sleep well? I think you did!"
"Mommy, 'mon!"
"Ok." She says, as she quickly changes Zachary and heads downstairs, "Good morning girls."
"Morning Aunt Margaret! Hi Natalie!"
"Hi Jackie!" Natalie says, running over to the kitchen table and sitting next to her friend.
"Did you sleep at all?" Louise asks.
"Not really. I was too furious, what about you?"
"A little bit, but Jackie kept kicking me haha." Louise says, smiling, "Should we let the boys sleep?"
"For a little while longer. Then I am waking Hawk up."
"Mommy yell." Natalie told her aunt.
"She's going to yell?"
"Yes."
"I don't blame her." Louise says smiling.
At nine, Margaret goes up stairs. She couldn't sit downstairs with him still passed out upstairs. Trapper must have gone back into his room, because Hawkeye was alone. Margaret was furious when she saw him just lying there, "Get up!" Margaret growls, slapping him in the arm, "GET THE HELL UP!" She says, again slapping him in the head now.
"What?!" He says, sitting up, "Ugh..."
"Did you have fun last night? Can you even remember last night? Do you have a headache? Good, I hope it's one of the worst ones you've ever had."
"Marg..."
"SHUT UP! What the hell were you thinking? What would you have done if you had woken Natalie up and she saw you, stumbling all over the place? What would you have done?"
"She didn't..."
"What if she had? What if any of the kids woke up and saw you two in that condition? I can't believe you! How could you be so irresponsible?! Dammit Pierce!"
"I'm sorry." He says, rubbing his temples.
"Sorry won't cut it." She says, and storms out of the room only to hear Louise yelling at Trapper. She walks downstairs and waits for Louise who arrived about ten seconds after Margaret came downstairs. They gave each other a knowing look, and shook their heads.
"Mommy?"
"What sweetie?"
"Where daddy?"
"Up in bed."
"Daddy sick?"
"Daddy's dumb." Margaret says, silently saying, "Shit." She shouldn't have said that in front of her daughter.
"Daddy domb?"
"Daddy made mommy mad... daddy was bad last night."
"Daddy bad..." Natalie says, causing Margaret to laugh.
"You be sure to tell him that when he comes downstairs."
Meanwhile, upstairs, Trapper comes back into the room they were banned too the previous night, "We are idiots."
"Yup."
"We are..."
"At least you don't have Margaret as your wife."
"Yup.... Talk softly please." Trapper groans.
"We had fun last night though, didn't we?"
"If I could remember..."
"I think I'm going to go get a shower..." Hawkeye says, pushing himself up. "Ugh." He says, putting his hand on his head.
"I think we are in trouble..."
"I know we are."
Hawkeye gets a shower, and then Trapper gets his. The two go downstairs, shaking their head.
"Daddy." Natalie says, when she sees him.
"Hi Princess."
"You bad." She says frowning.
"I see you were talking to your mother." He says, sighing.
"You vawy BAD!" She scolds him.
"Natalie don't yell." Hawkeye says.
"Uncle Taper bad too!"
"Yes, Uncle Trapper was bad too." Louise says, "Can I offer you two something to drink? Perhaps a beer, martini, cyanide?"
"Funny." Trapper says, groaning. "Coffee Hawk?"
"Yes."
"We are taking the kids and going into town to do a little shopping, hopefully when we get back you two will not have a hangover." Louise says, as they all walk out, leaving the two men sitting down to nurse their headaches.
"I think we messed up."
"Big time." Hawkeye says, "Now the question is how can we redeem ourselves?"
"It isn't possible... my wife is now like your wife..."
"No one is like my wife..." He groans.
"Flowers?"
"That could work, but it's not enough. How about dinner?"
"Not tonight. Movies?"
"I don't know how keen Margaret will be with leaving Zack again."
"Yeah."
That entire day, they sat around drinking coffee and water, "We should go get some vitamin B...." Hawkeye replies.
"We shouldn't have drank so much... but then again, the women should be glad, we waited till the third out of the seven days we were down here to drink."
"True."
"Are Margaret's parents coming down?"
"Yes. Tomorrow. They will be here around noon."
"Right. So are you going to be spending tomorrow with them?"
"Probably."
"Sounds good."
That day, the men went to get the women flowers as a bit of a peace offering. When they came home after dinner, that was the first thing they saw, and both had to smile. "I guess they realized they were asses." Margaret says. "Go find daddy Natalie."
"Kay!" She says running out onto the porch and jumping up on him, giving him a kiss,
"Thank you." Hawkeye smiles.
"Daddy no bad any more!" She says.
"I would hope not." He says, seeing Margaret come out followed by Louise. "Did you guys have fun?"
"Yes." Margaret replied coolly.
"I'm sorry." He says, "It was irresponsible."
"Don't do it again."
"I won't."
"Thank you for the flowers."
"Thank you for not divorcing me." He smiles.
"Same goes for you Louise."
"I know how you two boys get." Margaret says, but quickly adds in, "That doesn't make it right."
"We know."
"Don't do it again."
"We won't." They both say.
"What time are your parents due in tomorrow Margaret?" Louise asks.
"Noon."
"Are you excited to see your Grammy Natalie?"
"Yup! And Pop-pop!" She smiles, from her dad's lap.
"You kids are going to be early today." Margaret says, "Normal time!"
"Definitely." Louise says, smiling.
Around eight they got the younger kids to bed, and at nine thirty they got the older three in bed. Then the adults all went outside and sat in the cool night air talking. Around ten thirty Trapper stands up, "I'm going to turn in for the night."
"It's only ten thirty." Louise says, looking at her watch.
"I know. I'm too old to be staying up till three in the morning." He jokes.
"Are you ok Trapper?"
"Fine." He says, grinning. He kisses his wife, "I'll see you all tomorrow."
"Night Trap."
"Night." He says, and walks inside, losing his grin. He sighed and walked upstairs and got into bed. He wasn't feeling well and passed it off as being drunk the other night.
At midnight, the girls decide to go to bed, "Are you coming Hawk?"
"Not yet, but I'll be up soon. I want to call the hospital and see how BJ is doing at the hospital."
"Ok." She smiles, and gives him a kiss, "Night."
"Good night girls." He smiles and picks up the phone.
"San Francisco Hospital, surgical floor, how may I help you?"
"Hello Judy, its Hawkeye."
"Oh hi Hawkeye, how are you?"
"Fine, how are you?"
"Fine. Are you having a nice trip?"
"I am, thank you."
"Good! What can I do for you?"
"Is BJ around?"
"Yes he is, let me get him for you."
"Thanks." Hawkeye says waiting for a minute until his best friend picks up the phone.
"Hawk?"
"Hey Beej."
"How are you?"
"Fine, how about you?"
"Fine... busy." BJ says, sighing.
"Everything going alright there?"
"Fine... just like I said busy."
"How's Peg feeling?"
"She's doing surprisingly well and can't wait till November... and neither can I."
"Did you pick out names yet?"
"If it's a girl it will be Kaitlyn. If it's a boy, we have no idea."
"Better figure it out soon!"
"Yeah, I know. How's Trapper?"
"He's doing alright. We got drunk last night, and well Margaret and Louise grounded us for the day."
"I don't blame her."
"Me neither. He looked exhausted today, but I think it was just because of the booze."
"Probably." He says. The two friends talk for a bit, before BJ hears his name being called to surgery, "Well Hawk, they are playing my song. I'll see you in a few days."
"Right Beej, I'll talk to you soon."
"Bye."
"Bye."
Hawkeye looks at the clock and sees that it is one in the morning. He sighs. He wasn't tired, so he decided to turn on the TV. At one thirty, he hears footsteps coming down the stairs. He looks and sees Trapper, "Hey."
"Hey." He says, walking into the kitchen.
"Are you alright?"
"Fine." He grabs a glass of water and sits at the kitchen table, "You're up late."
"So are you." Hawkeye replies, standing up and walking into the kitchen. He was taken back when he saw how gray Trapper looked, "Trap?"
"What."
"Are you ok?" He asks, sitting next to him.
"I'll be fine."
"You look like hell."
"Hawk..." He says, breaking out into a cold sweat, immediately wiping his forehead.
"How long have you had these sweats?"
"It's just the leukemia."
"Come on Trap, how long?"
"Started a few nights ago."
"Fever?"
"No. I just get tired and sometimes have the night sweats." He says.
Hawkeye reaches over and checks his lymph nodes, which were extremely swollen, "Your neck hurt?"
"I'm a doctor too." Trapper says, pulling away. "Just forget about it Hawk. I'll be fine."
"I'm worried about you Trap."
"I'm dying Hawk. My body is breaking down."
"I know, but you still should take care of yourself."
"I can't do much more Hawk. I am going to have the problems until the end." He said sighing.
"You still need to take care of yourself." He said sighing. He watched Trapper closely as he slowly took sips of the water. Hawkeye had never seen him so gray before, not even when he had the 24 hour flu, which lasted three days.
"Quit staring at me." He grumbles.
"Sorry."
Trapper stood up a bit wobbly and headed over to the kitchen cabinet, opening it and fishing around the drawer for something. Hawkeye watched him and saw him pull out a pack of cards. "Solitary or poker?" He asks, sitting down, "I'm not in the mood to sleep yet."
"It's up to you."
"Solitary it is." He says smiling. "It's too late to play poker."
"Sacrilege! It's never too late to play poker..." Hawkeye says, smiling, "I'm just too damn tired to play poker."
Hawkeye knew what he was doing, he was trying to take his mind off of how sick he felt, and by doing so he played cards. Hawkeye sat and watched him deal the cards. His hands shook as he placed them in the proper order. Hawkeye knew he had to be cold. The sweat still was pouring off of his face, something that Trapper would get use too after the first month or two. When he was done setting up the cards, he pulled at his fingers. That was another sign of the Leukemia, Hawkeye thought as he sighed. He watches his friend pull and rub his aching fingers. Hawkeye felt a cool breeze blow through the kitchen and saw Trapper shiver. He stood up and went over to the windows, closing them and latching. Trap gave him a smile as he sat back down next to him.
"Five on the six." Hawkeye says breaking the silence, as Trapper placed the cards where he told him.
"Solitary is so boring without someone to play with." Trapper jokes.
At around four, the two decide to head up to bed. They say goodnight, check on the kids and head into their rooms. Hawkeye checks on Zack and places the baby blanket over his legs, and then he slides next to Margaret and wraps his arms around her. She wakes up and looks up at him, "What time is it?"
"Late... or early... it depends on when you look at it." He smiles.
She looks over at the clock, "It's three?!"
"Yes."
"What are you doing up so late?"
"Playing solitary with Trapper."
"What?"
"He wasn't doing too well tonight... woke up with night sweats and his joints were aching."
"Is he ok?"
"Better then a few hours ago." He says, kissing her forehead. "Good night."
"Good night." She says, as she leans on his chest. They both fall asleep and at six am they are woken up by Zack, and fifteen minutes later, Natalie. Hawkeye starts to get up, but Margaret stops him, "Sleep a bit longer, I've got them." She yawns, kisses her husband and takes the kids downstairs. She kept the kids busy till Louise came down, she looked worried, "Good morning."
"Good morning."
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah." She says sighing. "Is Hawkeye still sleeping?"
"Yeah. He and McIntyre were up late last night. Is Trapper still sleeping?"
"Yes.... I don't think he's feeling well."
"Oh?"
"No, he woke up last night sick, and today I think it's still with him."
"He'll have many days like this." Margaret said with sorrow on her voice.
"I know."
"He'll be ok..."
"No, he won't." Louise says.
Margaret looks at her friend with compassion. She didn't know what else to do, "Do you want me to go up and check him over?"
"He'll hate that..."
"Do you want me too?"
"No, it's fine. I'll just wait till he wakes up to see how he is feeling."
"Ok."
"What time are your parents due in?"
"Noon. They will call us when they get to the hotel."
"Oh, well that's nice."
"Mommy?"
"What honey?"
"Grammy coming?"
"In a few hours." She smiles kissing her.
"Daddy seeping?"
"Yes."
"Daddy bad?"
"No honey. Daddy is just tired."
Around eleven, Hawkeye wakes up. He looks at the clock and sees that its later than he had wanted to sleep. The sun was flowing through his room, right into his eyes, so he got up and closed the curtains. He then gets a shower and heads downstairs. Natalie sees him and runs full force at him. He scoops her up and kisses her, "DADDY! You seep late." She says.
"I know. I was up late. Are you being a perfect two year old?"
"Yup!"
"I knew you would be." He puts the child down on the ground and goes to get a cup of coffee, "Is Trap up yet?"
"Not yet." Louise says.
"How's he look?"
"Pale."
"He had a bad night."
Around twelve thirty, Trapper comes downstairs. He was still gray and looked exhausted, "Morning."
"Afternoon,." Hawkeye smiles, "How do you feel?"
"I'm alright."
"Fever?"
"Slight."
"Slight." He says, "I'm aching though."
"Take some aspirin."
"I did."
"You'll start to feel better soon."
"Temporarily."
"Margaret parents got in, so we have to go meet them at around one."
"Have fun."
"You should rest."
"I plan on it."
"Good."
At one, the Pierces meet up with the Houlihan's. Natalie was thrilled to see her grandparents again. It was such a treat to see them twice in not even a month.
"Grammy!"
"Hi little girl." Kate says smiling as she picks the anxious two year old up. "You've gotten bigger."
"YUP!" Natalie says smiling.
Margaret smiles and kisses her parents, handing Zack over to her father, "Grammy! Come simmen wif me!"
"I would love to go swimming with you."
"Let's go!"
"Hold on there ankle bitter." Al smiles, "You need your bathing suit."
"It's on!" She says smiling.
"You need suntan lotion." Margaret smiles, and puts the lotion on the baby and the toddler.
After fifteen minutes, they were on the beach. Margaret brought an umbrella because she really didn't want the kids out in the sun for that long.
"Grammy! 'Mon!"
"I'm' going to talk to mommy for a little while honey, then I'll be in!"
"Ok!" She smiles, "Daddy 'mon!"
"'Mon where?"
"Water!"
"Ok." He says, knowing that if someone didn't go down to the water with her, she'd go herself.
"Pop-pop too."
"Ok." He says smiling at his granddaughter as she pulls at him.
Hawkeye smiles as he watches his daughter, "Daddy!" He hears.
"Ok, I'm coming." He says, handing his son over to his wife.
Margaret watches the three of them walk down to the ocean's edge, "Is Hawkeye alright? He looks tired." Her mother said, shaking her out of her trance on the family.
"He is." She sighs, "He sat up with McIntyre till almost four in the morning and was up and moving at around eleven... I'm not sure how long he was up before he came down, but I'm assuming a good forty-five minutes."
"How is he?"
"Trapper?" Margaret questions, seeing her mother nod, "He's ok, for now. He had a rough night, but he's ok. Hawk is worried sick about him."
"Can we have dinner tonight?"
"Yes, I don't see why not." Margaret shrugged, "As long as it's an early dinner. I don't want the kids out all night and I'm sure Hawkeye is going to want to get back and check Trapper out."
"That's fine." Her mom smiles.
"I'm going to go down by the water. Do you want to come?"
"No thank you, not right now, I'll stay with my grandson."
"Ok." Margaret replies, handing her son over to his Grammy. She then makes her way down to her family. She sees Hawkeye and her father, actually talking and smiles. She then sees her daughter running around in the shallow water. She takes that time to walk up behind her husband and wrap her arms around his waste. Hawkeye looks back over his shoulder and smiles at her, placing his hands on top of hers, "Hi."
"Hi. Are you two having fun?"
"Yup!" Natalie says, grabbing onto her mommy's leg, "Mommy, in!"
"Not yet honey."
"Mommy!"
"What?"
"'Mon!"
"Hold on honey."
"Mommy..." She says again, begging her to get into the water.
"In just a minute honey." She says, smiling at the anxious two year old.
"Daddy!" Natalie huffs, "Mommy no come in!"
"Mommy won't come in?"
"No!"
"Why?" He plays.
"Don't know?"
"Mommy, why won't you come in?"
"I will."
"Our daughter wants you to come into the water." He says, giving her a familiar impish grin.
"Pierce..." She warns, backing away from him, but she was not quick enough. He grabs her and throws her over his shoulder, kicking and hitting him none the less, "Put me down!" She says, trying to be firm but turning out to be not too convincing. "Pierce! Put me down now!"
He continues to go deeper as his daughter and father-in-law watch from the shallow waters. Natalie was laughing as she watched her mom try to get away from her dad. "Pierce... I swear, if you don't put me down this instant I'll..."
"Ok." He says, dropping her into the water which would now be almost if not a bit over her head.
"Eek!" She squealed as she hit the water. She came up laughing as she brushed her hair out of her eyes. "I can't believe you just did that!"
"You should have gotten in the water when our daughter asked you too." He smiles.
"The waters nice." She laughs.
"See, look at all that carrying on that you really did not have to do!"
She laughs and grabs onto his shoulder to keep herself afloat. Sure, she knew how to swim, but it was much nicer to have someone to hold on too. He kisses her quickly before saying, "Shall we go get our daughter?"
"Sure." She smiles looking to the shore, seeing her bouncing up and down in the waves.
"Race ya." She says, diving under the water, with Hawkeye on her tail. Within two minutes they were on the shore, and Margaret grabbed Natalie, "I won."
"You cheated." He smiles.
"How did I cheat?"
"You made the rules."
"Mommy win."
"That's right." She smiles, kissing her cheek. "What do you say kiddo, do you want to go out into the water with me?"
"Yup! Out 'der!" She points.
"That sounds good." She smiles, "Dad? Do you want to come out?"
"Sure." He smiles.
"I'm going to go check on my son." Hawkeye smiles and heads back to the blanket.
"See you in a bit." Margaret calls to him, as he waves to her.
"Mommy, no let go." She says, holding onto her bathing suit strap.
"I won't honey." She says as they make their way out into the surf, "So did you and Hawkeye bond?"
"Of course not." He says gruffly.
"You were talking... and it was voluntarily." She says, smiling.
"Margaret..."
"I'm playing dad..." She says sighing.
"I respect your decision, and we are civil to one another... but that is about it."
"I know." That was all that was said about the two men's relationship. Both adults turned their attention to the little girl who was splashing around in the water that was now up to her waste, and her mom's chest.
At three, they left the beach and headed home. Zack and Natalie slept for a little while and the adults visited on the porch. That night they had dinner, and the Pierce's went back to the McIntyre's house. Natalie was thrilled to have Jackie to play with again so they let them stay up till almost nine.
"Where's Trap?" Hawkeye asks.
"Upstairs in bed." Louise says, a bit sullen.
"Has he been out at all?"
"A little bit here and there, but for the most part he's been up resting." Louise says, before changing the subject, "Did you guys have fun today?"
"Loads." Hawkeye says rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, we did." Margaret says, rolling her eyes. "I'm going to have lunch with my mom tomorrow morning, and go shopping. You are more than welcome to come for a girls day out."
"I may take you up on that." She smiles.
That night was another late nighter for Trapper and Hawkeye. Trapper was up and moving at one in the morning with a fever. Hawkeye was sitting outside with Zack, who had woken up a few minutes earlier. Hawkeye heard the door open behind him and looked back to see his friend, "Hi."
"Hi." He says, sitting in the lounge chair next to Hawkeye and Zack, "What are you doing up Zack?"
"He decided that sleep wasn't an option tonight... what are you doing up?"
"I decided that I would see how the ocean looked at night." He grins.
"Fever?"
"Yeah."
"You should go to the doctors Trap."
"Why? For them to tell me what I already know? It will pass... for now."
Hawkeye and Trapper sit in silence till Trapper breaks it, "He's wide awake."
"He won't be for long."
"I know I said this before, but I am really glad you came."
"I wouldn't have missed it for the world." He smiles. They talked till four again, trying to get Trappers mind off of the sickness. The last two days, Trapper was in close to perfect health, and they took advantage of that. Finally, it was time for the Pierces to go home.
The McIntyre's and Pierces promised that they would get together again soon.
"Next time, you come out to California. We have plenty of room for you." Margaret says smiling.
"Ok." Trapper replies, kissing her cheek.
"We'll all get together, the whole 4077th gang." Hawk says.
"That sounds great."
"Just let us know when you are sick and tired of the cold weather of Boston, and we'll plan it!"
"Great Hawk. I'll see you soon."
"Bye."
"Bye."
And they left on the plane. The kids were great, but that was mostly because they slept the entire time. The flight was a late one, and by the time they got home it was 12:00am, California Time. Margaret was thrilled to be back in her house, as was Hawkeye. They put the kids into their rooms and went to bed. The jet lag was a killer, but they dealt with it. The kids were practically right on schedule by the next morning. That afternoon it was just Margaret and the two kids. Hawkeye had to be in work by five and he wouldn't be home for a day. Natalie didn't like that too much, not seeing him, especially after days of having him there.
"How was he?" BJ asks his best friend as he walks into the office.
"He's ok... a couple bad nights, but he's doing better. We are all going to get together in a couple of months for a 4077th gathering."
"Sounds great." BJ smiles, "I'm glad you're back... it's been a hell of a week."
"I'm glad I'm back in a way too." Hawkeye says.
"Doctor's Pierce and Hunnicut please report to surgery, Dr. Pierce and Dr. Hunnicut to surgery please." The announcement called.
"Show time." They both say smiling and head into the operating room.
Hawkeye and Trapper kept in touch and talk once a week. Hawkeye was busy during the day with work and tried to get home every night to spend some of it with the kids, but sometimes that just doesn't happen. As the months went on lots happened. September went and October soon fell upon them. It is January that they are planning for their get together with the entire 4077th and Hawkeye, BJ, and Margaret were very excited. So much to do in just one month... and sometimes, you just never know what is going to happen.
TBC...
I'm just trying out something different. I always wanted to read a story that followed the way through Hawkeye and Margaret's life together so I figured I'd have a go at writing one. R&R Please, but be kind! There are PLEANTY MORE CHAPTERS TO GO! Forgive the small mistakes... I know they can be annoying, and I will do my best to minimize them!
Thanks for all the great reviews! Please keep them up! Please R&R!
Thanks
STARY