A Lifetime

by Stary0706

HM Follow the two of them through there lives the happy times and the sad... It's going to be a long story so bear with me! R&R but be kind. New Chapter: PG13 just to be safe! NEW CHAPTER It's a long one!sorry, I suck at summaries

13. Trapper

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

October 34, 1957,

Natalie had just gotten into yet a new phase, one that Margaret wasn't very fond of. She was becoming very jealous, especially with her brother. Zachary was now three months, and was constantly in need of some sort of attention, but today was even worse than usual.

"Mommy."

"What sweetheart?"

"'Mer!"

"I can't right now, I have to feed Zack."

"MOMMY!"

"Natalie, don't yell!" She says firmly, taking the bottle off of the stove, testing it on her arm.

"I hungry!"

"No your not, you just had a snack."

"I want eat too!"

"NO!" Margaret starts to lose her patients with the two year old.

"MOMMY! Pay wif me."

"Not right now honey, in a little bit."

"Mommy..." Natalie begs.

"Nat, honey, go see if you see daddy's car. He should be home in a few minutes."

Natalie jumped off the chair and over to the open door. The weather was still warm enough to keep the front door open. She sat by the door and waited for her father, and when she saw his car she jumped up and down, "MOMMY! Daddy home!" She squeals, and Margaret lets out a breath of air, "Daddy! DADDY!" She says, waiting for him to come in. Hawkeye opens the door and is attacked by the two and a half year old.

"Did you miss me?" Hawkeye asks.

"Yes."

"Are you being good today?"

"Yes."

"That's good. Where's mommy?"

"Wif Zack." She says, frowning.

"Yeah? What are they doing?"

"Eating."

"Should we go see them?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Cause."

"Well I'm going to go see them." He says, placing her on the ground, "Hi."

"Hi."

"How was your day?"

"Ok." She says sighing, "How about yours?"

"Fine."

"What time do you work tomorrow?"

"Not until noon." He says smiling, "Why?"

"No reason."

"Daddy, can we go payground?"

"I don't' see why not... after dinner. What do you think mommy?"

"I think that will be fun. The four of us can go."

"No baby." Natalie frowns.

"Yes, baby."

"No... baby stay here."

"No, baby comes with us."

"Daddy!"

"Natalie!" Hawkeye says, frowning.

Knowing that she would not get her way, she got off of her daddy's lap and walked over to her toys.

"When is your father coming up?"

"A week before thanksgiving. He'll stay till two days after."

"Sounds good."

"What do you say the two of us get away for the weekend?"

"I'd say, there is no way in hell we could do that."

"Why not?"

"Because, we have a two and a half year old and a three month old, and there is no way I am leaving the baby so you and I can go away for a weekend with anyone, not even your father."

"Oh come on Margaret, we haven't had a lot of time together."

"And we wont have time alone until the baby gets a bit older."

"Ok, so how about this, you and I go out to dinner Saturday night, just the two of us. We stay out all night, till at least twelve?"

"Saturday?"

"Yup."

"I'd say sure, if you can actually get of from work."

"What would you say if I told you I did get off and we have reservations for seven, a babysitter for six and a table for two as long as we want."

"Then, I'd say sure." She smiles.

"So it's a date?"

"It's a date." Margaret replies, as she hands Zack over to her husband, "Take him for a little while; I have to go start dinner."

"Sure, come here buddy." He says, taking his son, "How are you? Did you have a good day today? What did you do today Zack? Huh? Did you take care of your sister and your mom? You're the man of the house when I'm not there, so you better have." Hawkeye continues talking to the baby, causing him to give him a huge gummy smile. Natalie sees her father with the baby and comes up next to them, "Daddy." She says.

"What?"

"Pay wif me."

"I'm holding the baby right now, but you and I can play in a little while."

"No, pay now!"

"In a little bit Nat." He says.

"No..." She pouts.

"How about you go get a book and we can read it? I'm sure you and Zack would like that."

"Put baby down."

"No, you have to sit with him."

"NO!" She shouts, pushing the baby over. Hawkeye maneuvers his son so he can accommodate his daughter, which she still wasn't satisfied. "Daddy... just me."

"Natalie, you can either sit with me and Zachary or you can sit by yourself."

"NO!" She says, throwing herself on the floor, kicking and screaming.

Margaret heard her and ran out into the living room, "What's wrong?" She asks when she sees Hawkeye sitting on the couch, not paying attention to her.

"Nothing." He says.

"MOMMY." She says, standing up, tears flowing from her eyes and running right over to her, grabbing onto her leg."

"What's wrong?" She asks, picking her up.

"Daddy no sit wif me." She says, burying her face against her neck.

"He wouldn't?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Zackwy der."

"I said she could, she doesn't want to sit with him."

Margaret sighs, "Do you want to come in the kitchen and cook dinner with me?"

"Yes." She says.

Hawkeye sighs and looks at his son, "Women. Your first lesson about them is that there is nothing you can do to please them. Don't smile, I'm serious!"

At five, Margaret calls them for dinner. Hawkeye puts the baby in the in the kitchen and sits down and eats with his family.

"We should call Peg and BJ and see if they want to bring the kids to the playground." Margaret says.

"I'll give them a call after we're done eating." Hawkeye says, "Peg's due soon isn't she?"

"Two months... well, more like a month and a half."

At six, the Pierces head to the playground. It was about a fifteen minute walk, half way between the Pierce and Hunnicut house.

"Natalie, go get your shoes on honey. We are going to go to the playground."

"Kay mommy!" She says as she jumps up and runs to get her shoes from the front door,

"Mommy! Put on!"

"Ok honey, sit on the couch, and give me a second. Hawk, are you boys almost ready?"

"Yup." He smiles and comes into the room with the baby. "I'll get the stroller."

"It's in my car."

"Ok." The two Pierce men head outside, while Margaret puts her daughters shoes on.

"Go to the potty honey."

"Ok!" She says, running to the bathroom and returns shortly after, "Done mommy! 'Mon!"

Margaret smiled at her anxious daughter, took her hand and they walked out with the boys. "Natalie, slow down honey." Margaret calls as she sees her start to run away from them.

"Kay mommy." Natalie smiles as she stops dead in her tracks, waiting for her parents.

They were almost to the park and Natalie knew it. She was ready to get there and play with her friends. Hawkeye and Margaret caught up with the rambunctious toddler and smiled at her. Natalie smiles right back at them. Hawkeye reaches down and picks her up, hanging her upside down, throwing her over her shoulder, "Why Mommy, I think I found the most prettiest girl on the street! Can we keep her?"

"I don't know, she looks a little dirty." Margaret smiles at the giggling child.

"I think we could give her a bath and she'd be good as new." He jokes, tickling her stomach.

"DADDY!" Natalie says laughing.

"Whatty?"

"Down!" She says, as he brings her back around front of him. She kisses him and squirms out of his grips, taking his hand.

It was a very warm day in October, surprisingly warm. Usually by this time it was cool enough for a jacket, but not today. The sun was out and the sky was a clear blue. As they neared the park they heard children's voices. A few more feet and they saw the Hunnicut's. Natalie let go of her daddy's hand and ran towards her Aunt and Uncle.

"Uncle BJ!" She squeals and runs at him.

"Well hey there kiddo." He says, scooping her up into a hug. "How are you?"

"Good." She smiles.

"Well that's good. Are you being a good girl?"

"Yup!"

"Well that's good to hear."

"Where Gillian?"

"In the sandbox."

"Oh!"

"Hello Natalie." Peg says smiling.

"Oh hi Aunt Peg!" She says, almost shocked to see her

"Oh hi!" She says back to the child.

"Well hello there stranger." Hawkeye smiles and kisses Peg's cheek.

"I haven't seen you in a while."

"You are looking as big as ever." He smiles, "It's soon isn't it?"

"I could be sooner." She says, smiling.

"You look good." Hawkeye says, as he watches his best friend put Natalie down on the ground so she can run over to her friends.

"And HOW are you Zack?" Peg asks smiling down at the baby, "You look as cute as ever..." She says, catching Hawkeye's glare at her, "Handsome as ever I mean." She smiles.

"That's right." Hawkeye says, "Right buddy? Handsome, not cute." The child smiles brightly and kicks his feet, "We have an understanding."

Peg reaches over and picks the infant up out of the stroller, "You are going to have a playmate in about two months, do you know that? Maybe it will be a boy for you instead of another girl; I think you'd appreciate that. I can't believe how much he looks like you Margaret!"

"I know. As oppose to the other one, who is all her father."

"Except her personality." BJ grins.

"DADDY!" Natalie and Gillian call.

"What girls?" Hawkeye asks.

"Come pay!" Natalie smiles sweetly.

"Yeah! Come play!"

"What do you say Beej?"

"How can I say no too two beautiful girls." He says, standing up. The two head over towards them and start playing with all three of the girls. They haven't seen much of their fathers and were glad to have their attention. The women watch the men running around with the girls and smile, continuing their conversation.

By seven thirty, the girls were filthy dirty after an evening playing, and Zack was getting very cranky and wanted to go to sleep. The Pierce's and Hunnicut's decided to call it a night and take the kids back home. Zachary decided that it would be a great idea to scream bloody murder the entire way home. Hawkeye took him out of the stroller and carried him the entire way home, and Margaret pushed Natalie in the stroller.

"Zack, you're hurting mommy's ears." Margaret said to the screaming infant.

"I don't think he cares." Hawk replies.

"I should have brought a bottle for him. It would have saved us a lot of trouble."

"Definitely, but it's alright. It's not too much further."

"Right." She says, looking down at Natalie, "You are being so good honey. We are going to go home and get a little snack, then maybe daddy can give you a bath and then we can go to sleep."

"Mommy, 'ant ice cream!" She says smiling.

"Not tonight, tonight we are going to have a cookie, how does that sound?"

"Good."

"Well I'm glad." Margaret smiles. She was really looking forward to getting to spend some time tonight with her husband. He has been so busy with work that he is almost never home. Tonight it would just be the two of them once the kids go to bed, and she did not care what they did, as long as they did it together.

Margaret and Hawkeye switched when they got into their house. Hawkeye took Natalie in to get a quick snack, then the two go upstairs to get a bath, leaving Margaret to feed Zack and get him ready for bed.

Natalie loved when her daddy gave her a bath. He would let her splash around for a long time, or at least, what she thought was a long time. She loved her daddy playing in the water with her toys, and Hawkeye loved it just as much as her. He was always soaking wet from the splashing toddler, but he didn't mind it a bit.

Margaret came upstairs at almost eight, and heard her daughter's laughter coming from the bathroom. She smiles and walks into the nursery to change her son. She sat down in the chair with him and rocked him to sleep. It was so much easier getting the kids ready for bed when there were two adults in the house. She watched her son's eyelids close over his bright blue eyes, and she put him into his crib. Then she went into Natalie's room and stood by the door, listening to Hawkeye read her a story. Natalie was on cloud nine with her daddy home to put her to bed. No one told her a story as good as her father did, and Margaret knew that. He was much more animated than she was while reading. He did all sorts of crazy voices and Natalie just ate it up. There was a cool breeze coming through the window, blowing the purple curtains. Hawkeye finishes the story and smiles as he looks up at Margaret. He kisses Natalie and says good night, Margaret does the same. She then closes the window a bit and the two leave, closing the door behind them.

"Well, it's eight thirty, and I am exhausted." Margaret says.

"Do you want to go to bed?" Hawkeye asks, innocently

"Not yet." She smiles, as they walk downstairs, "Do you want a drink?"

"Sure. Surprise me." He says smiling.

She walks into the kitchen and makes him a martini and herself a scotch, then the two go out onto their back porch and sit in the cool night air. Hawkeye sits down on the lounge chair and pulls Margaret down in front of him. It has been so long since he had her in his arms, even if it was only three days. Margaret leans against her husband and felt his hands lace around her waste. They sit outside, in the moonlight, watching the stars. Neither one of them has to say a word... they just sat quietly and relaxed. Hawkeye gives Margaret a simple kiss on the temple, getting a smile in return, and her leaning her head back against his shoulder. Margaret takes a sip of her scotch, and then looks up at her husband and smiles; he smiles back down at her, then looks at his watch. It was ten already. The two of them had just sat there for almost two hours, when it only felt like two seconds.

"What time do you have to go in tomorrow?"

"Noon till Noon."

"Ugh." Margaret says, "Another twenty four hour shift."

"I know..."

"When are they getting a new doctor?"

"I hope soon, preferably before Peg has the baby, because we'll loose Beej for a week."

"And I won't be seeing you for a week will I?"

"Probably not. Are we taking the girls?"

"Yes. Peg asked me the other week if I could take them, and I said sure, the more the merrier."

"Do you think they'll have a boy?"

"Peg says she thinks it's a boy. She hasn't been sick at all with this one, but you never know. I think BJ is ready for a boy."

"He definitely is. Now, don't get me wrong, he loves the girls..."

"Oh you don't have to tell me that..."

"But, he is ready for a bit of testosterone in the house. You have no idea what it's like to put up with girls all the time." He smiles.

"Sure I do.... I lived with girls."

"No, your father knows what it is like... you can only be a man to understand how bad it can be living with three girls and you."

"So it's a good thing you have a son?"

"Yes. I've already told him the wonders that is women." Hawkeye says smiling.

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

"And what did you tell our son?"

"That there is no pleasing you." He smiles, getting jabbed in the ribs. "Ouch."

Margaret smiles at him. A cold breeze blows and Margaret shivers, "Why don't we go inside?" Hawkeye suggested.

"Ok." She says, "It's almost eleven anyway."

"I'm pretty tired myself."

Hawkeye and Margaret go inside, closing the door behind them. They walk into the family room and put the TV on for a little while before they headed up to bed for the night.

The next morning, Zack woke up first as usual routine, and Margaret took him downstairs for some breakfast. She usually would let Hawkeye get the kids when he was home, but she knew how exhausted he must be. Natalie came downstairs in search of her mother, as usual, but this time she constantly asked "When Daddy waking up?" Not having Hawk around was taking its toll on the little girl. At nine, Margaret allows Natalie to go up and wake her daddy. She runs right up the stairs and jumps onto his chest, getting tickled for her actions, but succeeding in her task. Hawkeye looks at the time and groans. He only had about two and a half hours left to spend with his family, and he hated it. He rolled out of bed with Natalie half attached to him, and told her to go downstairs while he got a quick shower. She was happy to oblige and Hawkeye grabs a shower and gets dressed.

He then took the last two hours and spent them playing with his children, before BJ came to pick him up.

"Hey."

"Hi." BJ smiles.

"How are you?"

"Fine, you?"

"Fine. How's Peg?"

"She still isn't feeling too well."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she thinks she pulled something in her back."

"Ouch."

"Yeah, she says it's like a muscle spasm."

"Maybe she's beginning labor."

"I hope not, she'll be a month and a half early." BJ says, nervously.

"Yeah, but some people go early."

"I don't know... How was your morning with the kids and Margaret?"

"Short... very short."

"I felt that way too." BJ says. The two keep talking as they reach the hospital and enter its doors. "Ah, my second home." He jokes.

Around one, Hawkeye and BJ decide to start thinking about lunch, but BJ gets a phone call, "Dr. Hunnicut, you have a phone call." Judy says.

"Who is it?"

"Your wife."

"Oh." He says, taking the phone, "Hello..... what?.... You're kidding..... already?!.... I'm on my way."

Hawkeye smiles as he sees his best friends expression, "Well?!" He plays.

"I've gotta go pick up Peg, she's having the baby." He smiles.

"I'll go with you, I'll bring the girls back to my place, just stop by my house and I'll grab one of the cars."

"Ok!" He says, practically running out the hospital and to his car. The two make a quick stop at the Pierce residence and then fly over to the Hunnicut's. Peg smiles as she sees the car pull up, the girls are all ready for their stay with their Aunt and Uncle, and of course to meet their new baby sister or brother. "Are you ok?" BJ asks nervously.

"I'm fine." Peg smiles, "Hi Hawkeye."

"Hi Peg." He says, kissing her cheek, "Good luck! I'll be down later on to check on you."

"I'll be there." She smiles, "Thank you for taking the girls."

"Any time. What do you say Midget, Munchkin, shall we go?" Hawkeye plays, "Aunt Margaret, Natalie and Zack will be surprised to see you so early."

"That's right!" Peg smiles, before she winces with a contraction, "And I am going to have hours and hours of pain."

"Get going you two." Hawkeye smiles, as he gets the two girls things and heads into his car with them. He drives over to his place and opens the door, "Margaret?"

"What are you doing back so soon?"

"Dropping off two beautiful young girls."

"Hi girls." Margaret smiles.

"Hi Aunt Margaret." Erin smiles.

"Hi Aunt Margaret!" Gillian says, as they both give her a hug.

"Peggy went into labor."

"Already?!"

"Yeah."

"She's a month and a half early!"

"I know. But, we have the two most perfect nieces to keep us company! Right girls?"

"Yup!" Erin says smiling.

Hawkeye picks up the girls things, and puts them in the upstairs guest room. Natalie and Gillian would probably want to sleep in the same room, which is fine with the parents. Hawkeye then kissed all of the girls and left the house, heading back to work. He stops on the maternity floor quickly to see how Peg was, "Well Hi there, long time no see." He smiles.

"Hi Hawkeye." Peg smiles.

"How are you Peggy?"

"I've been better." She says.

"You know, you owe me big right now."

"Why's that?" BJ asks.

"Zack and I are outnumbered, 4 to 2!" He jokes.

"I was out numbered four to 1, so I take no pity on you." BJ smiles.

"Dr. Pierce to Surgery, Dr. Pierce please report to surgery."

"They're playing my song." He smiles, as the announcement ends. "I'll be back down in a little bit."

"Alright."

"Good luck Peg." Hawkeye says, kissing his friend and patting BJ on the back. "See you in a little while, let me know the second you know what you had."

"Right." BJ says, as his best friend heads off to surgery.

Hawkeye had a busy day in surgery, and the Hunnicut's had an even longer day.

"Dr. Pierce." One of the nurses came in with a mask.

"Yes?" He asks, as he begins to remove the spleen of a 20 year old boy, who was in a car accident.

"Dr. Hunnicut wanted me to let you know that Mrs. Hunnicut had the baby."

"REALLY?! What did they have?!"

"A little boy."

"WAHOO!" He says, smiling. "How is he?"

"A little small, 5 pounds even, but he's fine! He was born at 1:00am."

"What did they name him?"

"Dr. Hunnicut says to come down after surgery and he'll tell you."

"Alright! How is Peggy?"

"Mother is fine as is baby!"

"Great."

"Congratulations Uncle Hawk." Jan says smiling under her mask.

"Why thank you, scissors."

"Scissors."

Hawkeye finished the surgery in record time, and went down to maternity, "Hey." He says quietly, BJ was wide awake but Peggy was sleeping.

"Hi."

"Congratulations Beej."

"Thanks." He says, all smiles, "A son. Can you believe that?! A son!"

"You are just trying to copy Margaret and I."

"Technically we aren't, we have two girls, you have one." BJ smiles back.

Hawkeye looks down at the three hour old child in his arms, "He's tiny."

"Yeah, the smallest, but the longest."

"He'll be tall and lanky like you!" Hawk laughs. "What did you name him?"

"Michael." BJ smiles, "Michael Benjamin."

"I like that name." Hawkeye smiles, "Especially the middle name."

"I thought you would."

"Thank you."

"Thank you." BJ says smiling.

"You know, I would have done Zack's middle name your first name, IF you had one." Hawk picks.

"I do, it's B." He smiles.

"So is I'm guessing Michael will be going by MB?" Hawkeye teases his friend.

"Are you kidding me? Peggy would kill me!" He smiles.

"Did you call Margaret?"

"Yes. She says that she will tell the girls tomorrow morning. I don't want them waking up at night. Margaret would never get them back to sleep. Do you think she is ok with all four of the kids?"

"I'm sure she's fine. I'll be back tomorrow by noon, so she can have a break. Don't worry about Margaret."

"I'm worried about the kids." He laughs.

"I would be too, but the will be the best behaved children ever." Hawkeye smiles, "Well, I hate to talk and run, but I have to get back to work. I'll stop by tomorrow before I leave and see how you are."

"Right Hawk."

"Bye."

"Bye."

And with that, Hawk leaves the father and son to bond while he bonds in a different way. At noon, Hawkeye goes back home and walks into the quiet house. It was too quiet, and he knew he was home alone. He sat his medical bag down, and made himself a bit of lunch. At one thirty, Margaret and the kids come back. Hawkeye was on the back porch trying to unwind from his shift and hears the patio door open and saw the three girls running towards him, jumping on him. "Ooff." He says, kissing the three, "Where were you girls?"

"At lunch with Aunt Margaret!" Erin says smiling.

"Where did you go?"

"To the diner."

"Well that's good."

"Uncle Hawk, have you seen my brother?!"

"Yes Erin, I did."

"Does he look like me?"

"A little bit."

"He look like me?!" Gillian asks.

"A little bit! He looks like both of you."

"What is his name?" Erin asks.

"Michael." He says, feeling his wife kiss his cheek, he smiles at her, "Michael Benjamin."

"I like it!" Erin smiles.

"Well I'm glad you do."

"How's Peggy?" Margaret asks.

"She's doing fine. If you want, you can go in and see them. I'm sure she'd love to see you."

"Do you mind?"

"Of course not! Go!" He smiles. "Where's my son?"

"He's sleeping."

"Alright, get going and I'll see you soon!"

"Right." Margaret smiles, kissing him and the girls. "I'll be back soon!"

"Right. Alright girls, it's just us for a little while. What should we do?" Hawkeye asks, smiling at the three anxious girls. They had a nice day, playing outside until Zack woke up.

Over the next two months, Hawkeye, Margaret and the kids were busy planning for Christmas. It was Zack's first Christmas and Margaret wanted everything to be perfect. Margaret was almost done her Christmas shopping by the first week in December. Recently, Natalie has gotten back to her normal non jealous self, and loved her brother again. Margaret was thrilled. Those past few months were hell, trying to please both kids.

Christmas was going to be exceptionally busy for the Pierces. Both families were coming, as well as the Hunnicut's for dinner. There would be six kids running through the house and nine adults, and Margaret was a wreck. She wanted everything to be perfect which could not happen with two young children. Zachary was now five months old, and looked more like his mother every day, except with the blue eyes of his father. Natalie was like her father with looks, but every day was more like her mother with personality. Margaret couldn't believe that her baby was almost three. Hawkeye wasn't working as much because they hired two new doctors, so he usually worked from six till five, and was home every night, with every other weekend off.

"Hawk, do you want to go and cut down a tree next weekend?" Margaret calls to her husband, "HAWKEYE."

"What?" He calls from his study.

"Where are you?"

"In the study."

Margaret walks into the office, "Do you want to get the tree this weekend? We can go and cut it down."

"That sounds good." He says, not looking up from his paperwork.

"What are you working on?"

"Just paper work that I didn't finish earlier." He says.

"Is it important?"

"Yes."

"Oh." She says, realizing that he really wasn't paying attention to her so she slips out of the room and closes the door. "Natalie... what do you think you are doing young lady?" Margaret says, watching the almost three year old eye up the cookies Margaret had made on the table. She was on the chair getting ready to get her grubby little hands on one of them.

"Eatten one!" She says smiling.

"I don't think so."

"Mommy!"

"No. Get down off that chair and go play."

"Where daddy?"

"He's working in the office, don't bother him."

"Why?"

"Because he needs to do paper work that he couldn't finish at the hospital."

Natalie thinks about that for a few seconds and decides that answer isn't sufficient, "Why?"

"So he can play with you tonight."

"Oh!" She says smiling. "Ok!"

"Would you like to help me back some cookies?"

"No, I pay wif Zack!" She says, running out to the playpen that contained her brother. Margaret watched her interact with the baby through the walls of the pen and smiles, before turning her attention back to her cookies, though never fully taking her attention off of the kids.

"MOMMY!"

"What?"

"Take him out!" She says.

"Why?"

"I pay wif him!"

Margaret stands up and gets her five month old son out of the playpen, "You have to come into the kitchen with me."

"Ok." She says, following her mom.

Margaret places the baby in the baby chair and puts him on the floor. Natalie smiles and sits next to her brother and plays with the plastic toys. Margaret watches him kick his feet and laugh the entire time Natalie played with him.

Margaret busies herself with the Christmas cookies till she feels Hawkeye's hands on her shoulders. Margaret smiles up at him, and continues her baking. "Did you get everything done?"

"Yes."

"That's good." She says, swatting his hand away from the cookies, "Natalie will want one if I give you one, and I don't want her having one."

"Oh come on Major." Hawkeye teases.

"No."

Hawkeye smiles and walks over to where his kids are, Zack looks at him and gets the biggest smile on his face, reaching out for him, Hawkeye gladly picks him up, "Hi there buddy."

"Daddy." Natalie says, stamping her foot, "I paying wif him!"

"Well I'm sorry princess but I'm holding him now."

"Mommy!" Natalie yells.

"Natalie, don't yell. Come here and help me make some cookies."

Natalie has turned into the baby's second mother lately, and she was always upset at people when she couldn't be the one playing with him 24-7. "So do you want to cut the tree down this weekend?"

"I told you yes."

"You remember."

"Of course I remember, why wouldn't I?"

"You were buried in your paper work, so I figured you zoned out."

"Nope, I heard you."

"Ok. We should see if Peg and BJ want to come."

"I'll give him a call later."

"Ok."

"When are your parents coming?"

"On the 20th. They want to beat the holiday travel."

"Are they driving out?"

"Yes. Mom and Dad want to stop at my Aunt's house on the way back. She lives in Texas."

"That's quite a far drive from here."

"You know my father..."

"Unfortunately." He says, followed by his wife swatting him.

"Well, they will be leaving on the fifteenth, and getting her sometime in the afternoon of the 20th."

"When's my dad coming?"

"The 18th." Margaret grins.

"Good."

Margaret stands up and puts a batch of cookies in the oven, "Can you watch them for a second? I'm gonna go change. I have every ingredient on me known to cookies, thanks to my lovely daughter." Margaret says, kissing Natalie's head, and walks out of the kitchen.

"Daddy?"

"Whatty?"

"I want cookie."

"You want a cookie what?"

"Please." She smiles.

"Ok... but don't rat me out. Mommy doesn't want us having a cookie yet." He tells her, handing her a chocolate chip cookie. She smiles, and graciously takes it.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." He says, "Remember, don't tell mommy."

Natalie shovels the cookie in her mouth and so does Hawkeye. He smiles when he sees the cookie all over her face.

"HI mommy!"

"Hi Natalie, what's on your face?"

"Nuffin." She says, smiling at her.

"'Nuffin'? Why it looks like chocolate chip cookies." Margaret shoots a look over to her husband, "Did you have a cookie?"

"Nope!"

"I think daddy is teaching you how to lie, and I don't like it when my precious little girl is going to be lying to me."

"Little white lie doesn't hurt anyone, right Natalie?"

"Yup daddy!"

Margaret laughs and gets a wet cloth and cleans off her daughters' face, "NO more, and I mean it."

December 18th, 1957

Daniel was due in, in about three hours, and the house was perfect, or as perfect as Margaret expected it to be. It was a rough week for them; a cold ran ramped through their house. Natalie had it first, then Hawkeye, Margaret and today Zack ended up with it. He was not happy one bit. It was the first time that he has gotten sick, and he was absolutely miserable. He clung to his parents like he hadn't seen them in ages. Natalie still had a cough, but the adults were fine. Hawkeye went to the hospital to get some medicine for Zack and came back just as fast as he left. "Here Margaret, give him this."

"Can you pour it for me?"

"Sure." He says, putting some of the red liquid on the spoon and hands it back to his wife.

"Alright Zack, take this for me buddy." She pleads with the five month old. He takes the medicine in his mouth and spits it right back out, "No Zack, you have to take it." She fights with him, and could not get him to take it. He spit it out as soon as she got some into his mouth. "Dammit Zack." She says. Margaret has become a lot more patient since she had the kids, but she still had a breaking point, and Hawkeye knew she was getting to that point.

"Here, let me take him." Hawkeye says, picking him up.

"Thanks." She says, looking down at her ruined shirt, "Damn, I'm gonna go change, and see if I can get any of this medication out."

"Alright Zack." Hawk begins, "I know this stuff is yucky, but it's going t make you feel better, so you have to work with me ok? I need you to take this. Can you take it now so we can leave you alone for about four hours? Please?" He begs the child. He fights with him for a few more seconds until the baby gives in and swallows the medication, "There you go, was that so bad?" He asks. "You'll start feeling better soon." Zack pulls on his shirt and coos, "Your sister got you sick, but at least it isn't Christmas yet. Your grandfather will probably get it next." Hawkeye says, "You have quite a cough there buddy!"

Hawkeye walks into the family room with the baby and checks on Natalie, who is sitting glued to the TV. "Natalie, come here. Natalie." Hawkeye repeats himself, getting her to look up at him, "Come here. You have to take your medicine."

"No daddy." Natalie fights.

"Yes."

"No it's yucky!"

"I know honey, but you have t take it so ou are healthy for when Santa comes. I know you don't want to make him sick!"

"Ok daddy." She says, and he gives her a spoonful watching her grimace, "Yucky!"

"I know, but you only need it a few more days." He says.

"Daddy, I hold Zack!"

"No honey, he isn't feeling well."

"Pease!"

"Maybe later."

"Kay." She says, as she sits back down on the floor and watches some more TV.

Usually, Margaret didn't let Natalie watch too much TV, but Hawkeye was a bit more

lenient on that factor. She was usually allowed to watch about an hour a day. This gave Hawkeye time to unwind from work. This week, however, Natalie watched a lot of TV, and neither parent really cared.

At noon, Hawkeye turned off the TV and told Natalie to go find something to play with. She grabbed her toys and played while Hawkeye takes Zack into the kitchen so he can make lunch. He places Zack in the baby chair and he screams. Hawkeye looks at him and sighs, "Come on Buddy, give me a break. I need to make your sister some lunch, just stay quiet for a little while." He says, as he gets the bread out of the cabinet. He then pulled out the peanut butter, jelly, and a knife, trying to make her food, but Zack just wouldn't cooperate. He even sat next to him when he started to make the sandwich, but still he cried. Finally, he gave in and picked the baby up, and one handed he made the sandwich. Zack instantly stopped crying, and watched his father. "You just want to make this day as difficult as possible don't you?"

Margaret came downstairs at about twelve fifteen and saw Hawkeye and Zack making lunch. Margaret smiles and takes Zack from Hawkeye, "Looks like you need some help."

"No, I am perfectly fine." He smiles. "What do you want for lunch?"

"What are you having?"

"Turkey and cheese."

"That sounds fine. When's your fathers' plane getting in?"

"One and he'll be here by two."

"Ok."

Margaret gets some food for Zack and he eats a little of it, which his mom was very grateful about. "Good boy Zack." Margaret cleans him off and picks him up. He immediately clings to her shirt and buries his face against her shoulder. She rubs his back soothingly. "Natalie, come eat your sandwich honey."

She runs in and jumps onto her chair, immediately starting to eat. At one, both kids were put down for there naps and Margaret cleans the house for the second time that day. An hour later, Zack wakes up crying, so Margaret goes and picks the baby up from his crib, "Hey, you aren't suppose to be awake just yet. You should be sleeping for another hour and a half." Margaret goes to the master bathroom and gets the medicine he was on and fights with him for a few minutes to take it, but finally once again he loses the battle and swallows the liquid. Margaret knows that he still has to be tired, "Will you go back to sleep for me Zack? You look tired baby." She says kissing his cheek. She sits down in the rocking chair and rocks him for a little while before he falls asleep. Margaret puts him back in his crib then goes to change her shirt for the third time today. "There has to be an easier way to deal with the spilling." She says aloud, looking through her closet for something else to wear. She finds a sweater and goes downstairs, "Hawk?"

"Yes?"

"I'm going to go food shopping, I'll be back in a little bit."

"Ok." He calls from his study. She walks into the room and gives him a kiss.

"Bye."

"Bye." Hawkeye continues working as his wife leaves the house. He looks at the clock and sees that his father should be there within the hour, providing the plane is correct. He sighs and opens his last chart. He knew if he starts now, he could probably finish it by the time one of the kids woke up. He wanted to be free for this weekend so he could spend it with his family and his father. At three, Hawkeye hears his son cry. He looks over the chart one last time to ensure everything was finished and closed it. He then went upstairs and into the nursery, "Hey buddy." He says picking up his son, "What's all the fuss about huh? You still don't feel any better do you? I had hoped you would feel a little better after your nap." He continues to talk to the baby, slowly calming him down. "How about you and I go downstairs and wait for Grandpop to get here. What do you think?"

At 3:15, Natalie comes downstairs and sits with her father and brother on the couch. She leans against her daddy's left arm and he kisses her forehead. "Did you have a nice nap Natalie?"

"Yes." She says, rubbing the last bit of sleep out of her eyes.

"Well, I'm glad." He says smiling.

"Daddy, I have cookie?"

"Can you have a cookie what?"

"Please!"

Hawkeye smile, "Yes. Come on."

She follows him like a little puppy into the kitchen and jumped up into her chair. Hawkeye placed Zack in his usual spot and got Natalie a cookie and glass of milk, and grabbed himself two cookies. He placed the snack in front of her and she looked at her one cookie and his two, "Daddy, why I no have two?"

"Because you aren't allowed to have two yet."

"Why?"

"Because you are not five yet. When you turn five you can have two cookies." He smiles.

"Oh!" Natalie says, and happily eats her cookie. "Daddy, when Grandpop come?"

"Very soon." He tells his anxious daughter, looking at the clock. It was now 3:30, and his father was late, but with the air traffic there, it wasn't unusual for a flight to be delayed.

At 3:45, Hawkeye heard the door open and a familiar voice call, "Hello!" More of a statement rather than a question.

"GRANDPOP!" Natalie says, jumping up off the chair and running into the foyer, straight into the oldest Pierce.

"Well hi there princess." He says, scooping her up into a hug. "How are you?"

"Good, I miss you!"

"I missed you too!" He smiles, kissing her cheek, "How are you feeling?"

"Good! I all better. Zackwy sick."

"I know he is. Is he feeling any better?"

"No, him cry."

"I bet he did. Where's daddy?"

"Kitchen."

"Should we go in and see him?"

"Yup! Dat way!"

"Hi Ben."

"Hi dad." He says, embracing his father. It was a while since they have seen one another, and they missed each other terribly, more than either one would ever admit.

"And hello Zachary, how are you?" He asks, the five month old. "You don't look too sick."

"He's not. Just a cold."

"Oh a little cold never hurt anyone." He smiles, picking up the boy, "You two have gotten so much bigger since the last time I saw you!"

"I know!" Natalie smiles and climbs onto her daddy's lap, the second he sits down.

"Where's your wife?"

"She'll be home soon. She went food shopping about an hour ago."

"Oh."

"Where Bandi?"

"Brandi is at my friend Anna's house." He says smiling.

"Who Anna?"

"Just a friend who lives down the street from me."

"I don't think I've heard of an Anna."

"She's new, about three months ago. She moved after her husband died five years ago, lived in the vicinity of her children in Augusta, and then moved to Crabapple cove." He says. He may as well have given him the entire story because that would have been the second thing out of his mouth, "You'll get to meet her when you come out for a visit again. She has a granddaughter about Natalie's age."

"I can't wait." He says, forcing a smile on his face.

Zack begins fussing and Hawkeye takes him, "Alright pal." He says. Zack was very leery around people he didn't know, especially when he was sick. He realizes that he doesn't know his grandfather very well and decides he better stick close to his father. Natalie hears a car pull up in the driveway and jumps off her dad and runs to the front door. She pushes her face up against the glass, "Daddy! Mommy home!"

Hawkeye stands up and smiles, "I better go help her with the groceries, can you watch the kids?"

"Sure."

Hawkeye walks outside, and smiles, "Hi honey."

"Hi."

"Do you need help?"

"Please..." She sighs, opening the back door. Hawkeye and Margaret grab the bags in two trips and head back inside. "Hi dad." She smiles.

"Hi honey. How are you?" He asks, kissing her cheek.

"Fine, how are you"

"Wonderful."

"That's good, you look well."

"As do you."

Margaret smiles, she had worked extremely hard to get back her figure she was before she had Zack, "Were you a good girl Nattie?"

"Yup!"

"Were you a good boy Zack?" She asks, kissing the baby before beginning to put away the food.

"He cry." Natalie says.

"He did? Did daddy make him all better?"

"No, he sick."

"I know, but he will feel better soon." Margaret assures her daughter.

"She's a little mother."

"Don't I know it." Margaret says, "Oh Hawk, I ran into Peg and she says that they probably can't come for dinner tomorrow because Michael has the cold now."

"Right." He says.

"Highly contagious for the kids." Daniel says.

"Yeah, it really is." Hawk replies

Margaret picks up Zack, "I'm gonna go change him, I'll be back."

"Alright."

"Mommy! I help you!" Natalie says, running after her.

"Ok Nat."

The three went upstairs leaving Hawkeye and his father to talk. "How's Trapper Ben?"

"I talked to him a few days ago, he say's he's ok, but you know him. He's like me, we try not to worry people."

"Has he been relatively healthy?"

"Relatively."

"Well, that's better than nothing."

"I guess. We are going to be holding a reunion here in March, so I'm looking forward to that."

"I bet."

Margaret comes back down stairs and the three of them spend the day together. Daniel spends the evening playing with his granddaughter and getting to know his grandson again. Hawkeye tries to get Margaret to go out and let his father get to know their Grandpop again, but Margaret refused. She didn't want to leave Zack when he wasn't feeling well, and he didn't really blame her. They had dinner together, got the kids in bed early and spent the rest of the night together. Margaret's parents were due in three days, and that would be when they put the Christmas tree up. Margaret's sister would be there in four days. The baby was now walking and talking a little bit, getting into everything, so they would have their handfuls for the next few days with three kids under the age of three, then Christmas dinner with six kids under the age of five.

Hawkeye and his father decided to put up the Christmas lights the morning of the 19th. Margaret smiles as she watches the two men try and figure out how to decorate the outside of the house. Zack was a little better today and actually allows Dan to hold him and play with him. Natalie was attached to her grandfather the entire time. She loves all the attention he gives her, and she just ate it up. When Margaret's parents came Natalie was in heaven. She had three people paying almost all the attention to her. Zachary was a bit shy to Margaret's parents, and stuck close to his mother, father and grandfather, but after a day or two he was smiling and laughing at them.

Christmas came very quick. On Christmas morning, Zack wakes up first, and Hawkeye goes into his room and grabs him, before he wakes up his mother, sister, Aunt, Uncle, Grandparents and cousin.

"Merry Christmas buddy." He says to the five month old. He changes him and brings him downstairs. "I need a cup of coffee." He tells the baby who just looks at him and smiles. "Do you want something to eat? How about a bottle?"

Hawkeye puts on his bottle in the six am darkness, and makes a pot of coffee. The sun will come up very soon and then everyone will wake up, symbolizing Christmas. Hawkeye plugs in the Christmas tree, and sits down in the living room with his son. Zack stares at the lights as Hawkeye gives him his bottle. At 6:15, Annie comes down with Angela. She smiles when she sees Hawkeye and Zack, "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." Hawkeye smiles, "Merry Christmas Angie."

She smiles wide at her uncle, "Well she is definitely a morning person."

"I'm glad. Margaret always was a grouch in the morning, till she was ten."

"Then she turned into a morning person." Hawkeye smiles.

"Too much of a morning person." She groans.

"Don't I know it."

The four of them sit and smile as they watch the babies staring at the Christmas trees. It wasn't till seven when everyone else woke up and came downstairs.

"PRESENTS!" Natalie smiles and runs over to the pile that says Natalie on it. She just started to read her name, and was thrilled to see anything with those letters on something. "Mommy, dis mine."

"It is? How do you know?" Margaret asks, sitting next to Hawkeye.

"NATALIE!"

"Very good." She smiles. Hawkeye gives her a kiss, "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." He smiles.

"I didn't even hear you get up."

"I was fast to grab Zack. I figured you needed a day off."

Margaret smiles at her husband. She was lucky to have him, "And how about you Miss Angela, did you have a good night sleep? I didn't hear you at all either last night."

"She slept fine." Annie says, smiling at her sister.

"Mommy." Natalie says.

"What?"

"I want open!"

"Go a head." Margaret says smiling, as Hawkeye passes Zack off to Margaret and sits on the floor next to his daughter.

"No daddy, I do it." She says when he tries to help.

"Oh I forgot, you are an expert at this, this is your third Christmas!"

"Yup!" She smiles. They all help the girls open their presents and both Natalie and Angela were allowed to help open Zack's presents from Santa.

"Mommy, Zackwy's presents no fun." She says, frowning.

"Well, then it's a good thing you got presents just for you now isn't it?"

"Yup!"

"You have a lot of fun toys too don't you Angie!"

"Yup!" She says smiling. Angela started talking as early as Natalie did and has not shut up since. Tyler and Annie were starting to talk about having another child, but nothing was too final yet. Tyler came from a large family and wanted to have the same, but Annie wasn't too sure. It had always been the four in her family, and she was nervous about more then two kids.

Angela and Natalie became instant friends, and loved to play together. Annie and Margaret wished that they could be closer to each other sometimes, but that for right now just wasn't in the cards.

"I'm going to go make breakfast." Margaret said as she saw that it was almost 8:30.

"Can I help you with anything Maggie?"

"Sure." Margaret smiles. She always likes having someone in the kitchen to talk too.

"I'll help too Maggie."

Hawkeye smiles wide. He still to this day could not get over her family calling Margaret Maggie. She just didn't seem like a Maggie, but they still called her that.

"What are you smiling at?" Dan asks.

"Maggie." He says catching a look of death from his wife.

"What time is BJ and his family coming over?"

"At three."

"It will be good to see them again."

"They are looking forward to seeing you too."

"Who does the baby look like?"

"Beej. Michael is the spitting image of BJ."

"Pop-pop." Natalie calls, running up to the colonel.

"What honey?"

"Read please."

"You can't read yet?"

"Not yet!"

"Well, we better start that soon." He says smiling. Natalie plops herself down on the Colonel and has him read the new book she got for Christmas. Angie saw her cousin and pop-pop reading and decided to climb up on his lab and read with them.

When the story was over, the Colonel joined in with the Pierce men's conversation.

"Pierce, how's your friend with Leukemia doing?"

"Trapper. He's doing as good as can be expected. We are having a bit of a reunion in March, so we'll see how he's doing then."

"Ah."

"Alright, breakfast time!" Kate calls to the men, and granddaughters.

"Daddy, I want an egg too!" Natalie says.

"I'm sure mommy, Aunt Annie, and Grammy have an egg for you."

"Ok." Nat says, a bit skeptical.

.At three, the Hunnicut's come over, "Hello?" BJ calls as he walks through the door.

"Merry Christmas." Margaret calls, to them, walking down from the second floor.

"Merry Christmas." Peg says.

BJ kisses Margaret on the cheek and walks in search of his best friend. Erin and Gillian run to find Natalie, "UNCLE BJ!" Natalie squeals, and runs to him.

"Hi there Nattie." He says, picking her up and kisses her cheek, "Did Santa bring you a lot of toys?"

"YUP!"

"How about Zack?"

"Him got not fun toys."

"I bet he thinks they are fun."

"Yes." Natalie says, turning her attention in her uncles arms to her aunt, "HI AUNT PEG!"

"HI NATALIE!" She says with the same enthusiasm and smile of the little girl. She gives her a kiss and a hug. "Merry Christmas.'

"Merry Chwsmas." She says smiling ,"Uncle BJ, down."

BJ places her on the ground and all the kids run down to the basement to play. Margaret and Peg switch son's when they sit down in the family room.

"So, how was your morning?"

"Crazy." BJ says.

"Ours too. We were up by seven..."

"SHE was up by seven, my son and I were up around six." Hawkeye protests.

"Jeeze, even I wasn't up that early." Peg says smiling. "I didn't get up till six-fifteen."

"That's about the time I got up." Annie says smiling.

That entire night went too fast for anyone's liking between the women cooking and the men watching the children, then the men doing the dishes and the women watching the children. All the kids, minus Erin, fell asleep at the house while watching a movie at around nine, and everyone left by ten. Margaret, Hawkeye, Dan, Annie, Tyler, Al and Kate all sat downstairs and talked, drinking eggnog after they put the kids to bed. They sit by the fire and talk till around eleven thirty when Margaret stands up, "I'm going to go to bed." She says, "I'm exhausted." She says, kissing the people sitting around, "Merry Christmas, and I'll see everyone in the morning."

"Night honey." Dan says.

"Night Maggie."

Hawkeye stands up and decides to retire with his wife, which started a domino affect and everyone headed to their respectable places for the night. Margaret goes into their bathroom and brushes her teeth, and Hawkeye went in after her. She was in bed by the time Hawkeye was out of the bathroom and he quickly joined her. "So, this went well." He smiles, as he wraps his arms around her.

"It really did." She says, leaning against his chest.

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." She says, looking up to kiss him.

They fall asleep, in each others embrace. Hawkeye wakes up at four thirty, for some reason, and could not fall back asleep. The kids wouldn't be up for another hour or two. He continues to lay with Margaret for another half an hour till he decides to carefully escape carefully out from under her and walks down the hall to check on Natalie, before checking on Zachary and then he heads downstairs. Hawkeye puts on coffee and looks out the window into the darkness. The coffee finishes and he pours himself a cup. He hears footsteps coming down the stairs and turns his head in the direction of them,

"Morning Colonel."

"Morning Pierce." He says to his son-in-law.

"Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Please." He says, sitting down at the kitchen table, "You are up early."

"Yeah, but I'm not sure why." He says, shrugging his shoulders.

The men sit in an uncomfortable silence for about ten minutes, drinking their coffee,

"How was your trip up?"

"Fine. We have to stop down to Katherine's sister's house when we go home."

"Margaret was telling me."

"So when is the reunion happening?"

"Second week in March. You are more than welcome to come, my father is going to come."

"I think we can arrange that."

Hawkeye smiles at his father-in-law. This was the first time they have ever sat willingly with one another and talk. At six thirty, Margaret comes down with Zack. She smiles when she comes into the kitchen and sees two out of the three most important men in her life talking.

"Good morning."

"Good morning." Hawkeye says, as Margaret bends down and gives her a kiss, passing Zack to him.

"Morning Dad."

"Good morning Margaret."

"What time did you two get up?"

"I was awake at around four thirty." Hawkeye says.

"Why so early?!"

"I'm not sure. I just woke up, and came down here at around five."

"I didn't even feel you move."

"I know. That's how I wanted it to be." He smiles, kissing Zack. He was looking over at his grandfather with big blue eyes.

"Good morning Zachary." Al says to him.

Margaret hands Hawkeye a bottle for the baby, "Do you want to feed him Colonel?"

"Sure Pierce." He says, taking Zack from his arms.

Margaret smiles at her father, and sits next to Hawkeye, placing her hand on his knee. Hawkeye looks down at her, and kisses her forehead. "Your father says that they are going to try and come for the 4077th reunion."

"Really? That's great!"

Margaret was thrilled that Hawkeye and her father could spend a bit of time without yelling at one another. A year ago, the two of them would have NEVER sat together let alone discussed a reunion, because a reunion meant the two of them have to see each other.

Christmas ended and 1958 came about. The Hunnicut's and the Pierce's spent the last holiday of 1957 together. March came upon them very quickly, and the Reunion was only a week away.

"Hawkeye!" Margaret yells. "PIERCE!"

Hawkeye shutters when he hears the tone of her voice, he puts down his pen and pokes his head out of the office, "What?"

"What are you doing?! You should be out here doing yard work!"

"I'm trying to finish up some paper work."

"NO! You should be out in the yard cutting the grass! Dammit Pierce!"

"Margaret, I have to finish up my paperwork, otherwise I will have to go into work to complete it during the Reunion. I have five days, and that is plenty of time to cut the grass."

"Why can't you ever help?! I cook, clean, take care of the kids..."

"We aren't going down this road Margaret. You get like this every time people are coming over."

"Dammit Pierce!" Margaret says, slamming his office door and storming to the living room. "I have to do everything myself."

Hawkeye was glad that she left. She always got out of sorts when they were having people come over, and it was in his best nature to not bother her. He groans when he hears the door open, but relaxed when he hears, "Daddy?"

"Hi princess." He says, smiling at the three year old.

"Mommy loud." She complains.

"I know. Come here." He says, pushing his chair back, so she can sit with him, "Do you want to help me with my paperwork?"

"Kay."

"Alright, I need you to put an X where I tell you too."

Natalie was getting pretty good at writing her letters, well as good as a three year old can, and absolutely loved to write her name and "X's". Margaret has been working on Zachary's name, but Natalie isn't too good with the "Y's" just yet.

"Put an X there, and there, and there," Hawkeye says smiling as she makes the shaky X's.

"Thank you Natalie, you just saved me a lot of time."

"More?" She asks.

"No, I have to write words now." He says, as Natalie jumps down off his lap and goes over to the pile of toys on his floor. Natalie was at the age where she could entertain herself for a little while, so her parents could finish their work. Hawkeye smiles and finishes his last three charts. When he was finished he turned his attention towards his daughter, "Natalie would you like to come with me to the hospital for a little bit?"

"Yes!" She says, jumping up.

"Go get your shoes for me honey."

"Ok daddy." She runs out of the office to the front door where she has her shoes.

"Natalie."

"What mommy?"

"Where are you going?"

"With daddy."

"With daddy? Where is daddy going?"

"Work!"

"Oh no, you are not going to work with daddy."

"I am!" She says.

"No you aren't. If daddy is going to work I don't know how long he will be there for, so you are staying here."

"NO! NO mommy! I go with daddy!"

"Natalie." Margaret says.

"Mommy." She says and starts to cry.

"Natalie..."

Hawkeye hears his daughter crying and walks out to the family room, "DADDY! Mommy say I not going." She sobs, throwing herself at him.

"How could you tell her she can go to work with you?! Have you lost your mind?!"

"Margaret, I'm not going to work for hours, I am going to drop off the paperwork and then I am coming right back. I figured you could use a little break from her so you can do your thing. It will be easier with Zack sleeping and Natalie not here to complete your work."

"Oh..." She says, running her hand through her hair, "Well, get your shoes on Nat."

She hands her shoes to her daddy and he puts them on her, she toughens up and wipes her eyes.

"Go give mommy a kiss goodbye honey." He smiles, and she runs into the kitchen.

Margaret hugs the child and gives her a kiss, "Be good for daddy honey."

"Ok mommy." She smiles.

Hawkeye comes in and kisses his wife, "Relax Margaret, ok?"

"Ok." She says, sighing, "I'll see you two in a bit."

"Bye." Hawkeye says, and picks Natalie up, taking her to the car, "Alright kiddo, let's go!"

Natalie absolutely loves when she gets to go to the hospital with Hawkeye. The nurses give her a ton of attention and she eats it up. Hawkeye takes Natalie's hand and they walk into the hospital. BJ was working, and Natalie immediately spots him, "Daddy! Uncle BJ is here!"

"Go say Hi." He smiles.

"UNCLE BJ!" She says, running over to him.

BJ smiles, and gets down on a knee, "Hi there Natalie." He says, scooping her up.

"Hi!"

"How are you princess?"

"Good." She says.

"Great." He says, "Where's your daddy?"

"Over there." She says, pointing.

"Let's go see him."

"Ok."

"Hi Beej."

"Hi Hawk. What are you doing here? I thought you were off."

"I am, but Margaret was driving me up a wall, and I have to bring some charts back that I was working on. When are you off?"

"Five, and then for an entire week." He says.

"Hi Natalie!" Jan smiles.

"Hi!"

"I see you found your Uncle BJ."

"Yup!" She smiles.

"How's your little brother Natalie?"

"He good, he sleeping." She says, playing with BJ's stethoscope.

"Hi Hawkeye." Jan says, turning her attention to him.

"Hi Jan."

"Are you two both off this week?"

"Yup." Both of them say.

"And the week after." BJ smiles

BJ and Hawkeye have been working every day, sometimes two days in a row, and at least one day in the weekend. They were both due for a long vacation, and were planning on enjoying it.

"What are you two planning on doing your two weeks off?" Nathan says, walking up behind them.

"Well, we are having a 4077th Reunion in a few days. My friend who has Leukemia is coming up."

"Oh yeah, how is he doing?"

"He's ok for now. I'm looking forward to seeing him. He'll be up in three days."

"Hi Natalie."

"Hi!" She says smiling at Nathan.

"I hear you are going to have a pretty few days a head of you."

"That doesn't matter, we'll have fun with or without the rain." Hawkeye smiles.

"I'm sure you two will."

"Grampa Potter coming to see me!"

"He is?" Nathan questions the little girl.

"Yup!"

"Is that your father Hawk?"

"He may as well be." Hawkeye laughs, "He was our Commanding Officer of the MASH. I respect him as much as my own father."

"As do I." BJ smiles.

"I have to go drop these charts at the desk, Come on Nat." Hawkeye says, as BJ places her down on the ground. She walks with her father and Uncle over to the Nurses Station, and Hawkeye picks her up, placing her on the top of the desk.

"Oh Hawk, you brought Natalie!" Judy says, smiling. "Hi Natalie!"

"Hi Mrs. Lane!"

Natalie loved Judy, and the reason for that was she always had candy for Natalie when she came in. She also plays with Natalie if her daddy is called suddenly into surgery when he has her for an hour or two while Margaret is doing her thing.

"I have something for you Nattie..." Judy says, smiling, she presents her with a lollypop.

"Oh! Thank you!" She smiles, handing it to Hawkeye to open. He looks down at her, not talking the treat, "DADDY." She says smiling.

"What?"

"Open!"

"Open what?"

"Open please." She says, smiling big at him.

"That's more like it." He smiles, and pulls the wrapper off the lollypop.

"Thank you." She smiles, and sticks the lollypop in her mouth.

"Hawkeye, do you want to come out with Peggy and I tomorrow night? We can leave the kids with Ashley."

"Where are you two going?"

"Just out to dinner. Margaret and Peg probably already talked."

"I'll say sure. I think it would be a good idea to get Margaret out of the house. She drove me absolutely crazy today."

"Why?"

"I was finishing the charts and she wanted me to mow the lawn and do other yard work. She of course yelled, stormed out, slammed my office door, yelled at Natalie... you know how she is."

"Hot blooded." BJ nods.

Hawkeye turns his attention back to Judy, "Here are the last three charts I had to do. They were my last patients. I'm going to go really quick and check up on them, before I leave."

"Right Dr. Pierce."

"Can you keep Natalie for about ten minutes?"

"Sure." Judy says.

"Thanks. Natalie, I'll be right back ok?"

"Ok."

"I'll come with you." BJ says, "I have to check on a couple patients too."

"Right." Hawkeye says, "Be good Natalie."

"Ok daddy!"

Hawkeye and BJ go on their rounds, before returning to the surgical floor. Natalie was coloring in a book Judy had for all the kids, incase their parent did happen to have to leave for a little while. Hawkeye smiles, and picks her up, "You ready to go home Princess?"

"Yes." She says smiling.

"Ok, we'll see you tomorrow Beej. See you in a little while Judy."

"Ok Dr. Pierce. Bye!"

"Bye Mrs. Lane"

"Bye Natalie."

Natalie reaches over to BJ and gives him a kiss, "Bye honey." He says, "See you tomorrow Hawk."

"Right. Bye." Natalie and Hawkeye walk out of the hospital and drive the fifteen minutes back to the house. "We're back!" Hawkeye calls, as Natalie runs into the kitchen where her mom was.

"Mommy!"

"Hi honey." Margaret smiles, kissing her cheek.

"Did Peg call you?"

"Yes. I'm assuming you saw your partner in crime." She smiles.

"I did. Are we going?"

"I was planning on it."

"Excellent."

"Natalie, go wash your hands, so we can have dinner."

"Ok mommy!" She says, running to the bathroom.

Hawkeye could tell as soon as he heard Margaret's tone of voice that she was in better spirits. She must have had all the time in the world to finish her chores.

"DADADADA!" Zack calls from his highchair.

"Hey pal." He says, picking the nine month old up. Margaret smiles at the two. He has just started saying dada, for about a month it was only mama, but Hawkeye was thrilled now that he was part of the baby's vocabulary.

"Are you hungry? You look like you are ready to eat."

"He is."

"You get to meet everyone in a few days. People who you have NEVER met before, and some who you probably don't even remember." Hawkeye explains to the baby. "You are going to be the life of the party aren't you?" Hawkeye knows how shy his son gets when he doesn't know people, but he warms up to them extremely fast.

"Natalie, come here sweetie." Margaret calls to her three year old. She runs into the kitchen and jumps up onto her chair. Margaret presents her with a plate and they all eat as a family.

Friday morning, everyone was due to come in. Most of them wanted a car, which was completely understandable, so Hawkeye gave directions to their house so when they were ready they could all come over.

"Mommy!" Natalie calls to her.

"What.... Natalie!" Margaret scolds. "I told you that you could NOT paint. Look at you!

You have paint all over the place!" Natalie sticks her bottom lip out, and it starts to quiver, "What were you thinking? Hawkeye!"

"What... Natalie." Hawkeye smiles.

"Don't smile at her, she knows that she can't paint with out letting us know!"

"Thankfully it's washable."

"The people are going to be here any second, and I have a kitchen and a daughter full of paint!"

"I'll clean the kitchen... you get Natalie into a new dress."

"Come on..." Margaret says, "Get up to your room, and Don't touch anything." She wasn't mad, just annoyed. Margaret has mellowed out a lot with the kids. She was able to control her anger a bit better than when she wasn't married. Hawkeye laughs as he cleans the kitchen. He caps the paints and puts them up on a shelf, where Natalie couldn't get to them. He then quickly scrubbed the floor and table, "Natalie." He smiles. He hangs her picture up to dry on the counter, and looked over at Zack, who was crawling over to him, "Your sister is something else buddy." Zachary just laughs.

Upstairs, Margaret calmed down completely, "Alright Natalie, let's get you in another dress."

"Mommy mad?" She asks, her lip still quivering.

"No honey, I'm not mad, I'm annoyed." She tells her daughter who just nods. "Ok, how about we jump into the bathtub really fast. You have green paint in your hair." She says, finally smiling, she draws a bath quickly, "Hawk? Can you throw her dress in the washer?" She calls, throwing the dress down on the landing of the staircase.

"Yes dear." He says, picking up the dress in one hand and his son in the other

"Natalie, get into the tub honey." She says, following her daughter into the bathroom. Margaret quickly washes the paint out of her hair and off her body.

"Mommy, I need toy!"

"No honey, we aren't playing right now, we are just quickly getting cleaned up."

Within two minutes she had the little girl out of the tub and back into her room, looking through her closet for a dress for her to wear. The weather was just turning warm in Mill Valley, and the kids could be comfortable in a short sleeved shirt. Margaret pulls out a blue dress with little purple flowers on it and a purple short sleeve shirt to go under the sundress. She then tied her hair into a ponytail and tied a purple and blue ribbon around it. "Ok Nat, go back downstairs with daddy, and DON'T PAINT!"

"Ok mommy." She says, smiling and walks downstairs.

Margaret sighs, and says aloud, "She is her father's daughter." Margaret hears a doorbell and hopes that it was only her parents or Hawkeye's father.

"GRANDPOP!" She hears her daughter yell and once again she breaths a sigh of relief.

She goes downstairs to see her father-in-law, "Hi dad."

"Hi honey." He smiles, he has his grandson in one hand and his granddaughter in another. Zack was thrilled to see his grandfather, almost as thrilled as his sister. Zack sees his mom and smiles, leaning his head against his grandfathers neck.

"I think they missed you." Margaret smiles.

"Naturally." He laughs. "Natalie, you smell soooo clean!" He says, noticing her wet hair.

"Yup!"

"Natalie decided to paint all by herself." Hawkeye laughs. "She was covered from head to toe in every color we have for her."

"You did that before. You got into your mothers paints and drew all over the wall. She was so mad at you. You had to be about Natalie's age. We had white carpets, with blue handprints and green footprints for about a week till we bought new carpets." Dan laughs.

"At least Natalie's painting was waterproof. And you my boy, are looking very handsome today." Zack was in a cute pair of overalls with a blue t-shirt underneath. Margaret always had the cutest outfits for the kids.

"Natalie, why don't you take Grandpop and help him get his things into his room?" Margaret asks, as Daniel places Zack and Natalie on the ground.

"Ok! Come on Grandpop!"

"Ok Natalie, you show me which room is mine." He smiles, and follows his granddaughter upstairs.

Margaret's parents, Hawkeye's father and the McIntyre's would be staying at their house. They had plenty of room, so it wasn't a problem. Margaret knew that Hawkeye didn't' care who stayed there as long as it was Trapper. He wanted to spend as much time as he possibly could before the inevitable happens.

At one, the McIntyre's show up, and Hawkeye answers the door, he smiles, "Hi." He says, hugging his best friend, and the rest of his family.

"Hey Hawk." Trapper says, as the troop all come inside. Hawkeye looks at Trapper; he was thinner, but still looking alright. "Look at that... he's mobile." Trapper jokes as he sees Zack crawling over to his father, lifting his arms up.

Hawkeye smiles, and picks up his shy son who immediately buries his face against his fathers' neck.

They all get say their hello's and get settled in to the house before actually sitting down to talk. Natalie and Jackie were instantly friends, just as close as they were a few months ago. Margaret and Louise were busy talking about anything they could think of, and the kids were all busy playing out in the backyard.

Zack was busy crawling around the living room, playing with his pile of toys in the corner. Margaret kept her eye on him, but still continues to talk to her friends.

"Does anyone want a beer?" Hawkeye asks, as he stands up. He gets orders of just about everyone for the offer.

"I'll come with you." Trapper says, standing up.

In the kitchen Hawkeye decides to ask, "How are you feeling?"

Trapper looks at him, and then looks away, "I'm still alive."

"That doesn't answer my question." Hawkeye says in a low voice.

"I'm still doing ok. The symptoms are getting more sever."

"How so?"

"Higher fevers at night, sometimes they last through the day, I don't clot right anymore. I'm usually exhausted by eight at night..."

"So it's starting to catch up to you."

"We knew it would..."

"Yeah, but..."

"Hawk, let's not do this. This is a reunion..."

"Here, let's get drunk." Hawkeye says, handing him a beer.

Five O'clock, everyone begins to arrive. The house was full of noise and kids. Radar now had two sons, one who was two, and another who was nine months. Colonel Potter brought his grandson Cory to keep Luke company. Charles too was married with a young child, Lana who has just turned one she looked like her Mother Clara. Klinger also had two kids, twins, a boy and a girl, Madeline, Maddie for short, and David, they were almost three, and they have one on the way.

"How was your flight?" Margaret asks Klinger, who just had just arrived.

"Fine Major." He smiles, giving her a kiss on the cheek, "How have you been?"

"Well, thank you."

"How's Trapper?"

"Go on out and see for yourself." She says, as Soon Li smiles at her, "How are you Soon Li?"

"Fine Margaret, how are you?"

"Fine too. Your children are beautiful."

"Thank you. You have two also correct?"

"Yes. One of each, Natalie and Zachary. Zack is with his grandparents, and Natalie is running around somewhere. Natalie and Jackie are a bit older than your two, but not enough that they wont play together." Margaret assures Soon Li. She smiles and nods, "Come on outback, we have drinks and food."

Margaret came outside with Soon Li and went down to the tables with her friends and family. Margaret smiles and sits down in between her father and Colonel Potter. Everyone looked so happy and healthy. They sat around and joked like there was no tomorrow. She looks around to see if she can find her son, and spotted him with her father-in-law, who was chatting away to Charles and BJ.

"So Margaret, congratulations on your fine looking boy."

"Thank you Colonel." She smiles. "How have you been?"

"Fine thank you dear."

"Are you enjoying your retirement?"

"Very much so. Mildred and I have been quite busy with senior activities." He says smiling.

"Well that's wonderful!"

"You must be pretty busy with your grandchildren Al."

"When I see them I am."

"I remember when I had my first grandchild, she in my eyes could do no wrong, I'm sure Natalie is like that for you."

"I'm onto my third and none of them can do any wrong in my eyes Sherman." Al smiles.

"That boy sure looks like Margaret."

"That he does. They both have the eyes of their father though."

Pretty soon, everyone joins the Colonel's and Margaret at the table and they begin to get reacquainted.

"So Charlie..." Hawkeye begins, "I see you got yourself hitched and a family started there."

"Indeed I do."

"What I don't understand is how a pompous, egotistical, bald, maniac got such a sweet, kind, beautiful woman like Clara?"

"Ah Pierce, how I have missed you witty remarks." He says, smiling at his Bunkie, "If you are referring to how my wife and I met, well, she was a nurse in my Boston Hospital, the same place I met your friend Trapper. She was charmed by my whit and my personality..."

"Oh now I know you are lying..." BJ cuts in, "You have no personality."

Clara smiles at every cut they two men are making at her husband. It is not everyday that she sees this side of her husband.

"Gentlemen, might I finish..." He smiles, "So, we went out on a date, fell madly in love, and had a small family wedding, and bread the best child in the entire world."

"Now, do you want to hear the true story?" Trapper cuts in.

"Oh definitely." BJ and Hawkeye say.

"Well, Dr. Winchester here was in surgery, and this lovely woman came to our hospital as a nurse. She wasn't too happy with Winchester at first because how pompous he is, however, gradually, he grew on her and then they got married. Isn't that right Clara?"

"That sounds more like it." She smiles, kissing her husband's cheek. "I've heard a lot about the two of you though. Fond memories I assume even though Charles doesn't admit it."

"I remember the first time Charles talked to me, he told me that I had the whit and intelligence of a surgeon he worked with over in Korea. Imagine my surprise when he said Pierce." Trapper laughs.

"I knew I was in trouble the second McIntyre says, Hawkeye Pierce?!"

"It's amazing how people meet even though they weren't at the same time of war." Potter says smiling.

"Who's hungry?" Hawkeye asks.

"I could eat." Klinger says, smiling.

"Let me go start the food."

"I need to do a couple things in the kitchen." Margaret smiles.

"I'll help you." Louise says, standing up and following her friend inside.

"I'll come with you Hawk, it's a lot of people to feed." Trapper says, as he follows his friend to the grill.

BJ hangs back, "Don't you want to go?" Peg asks.

"No, I think I'm going to hang back." Peg looks at her husband, and didn't understand.

"They need time, just the two of them."

"Oh." Peg says, sighing, "I guess your right."

"He doesn't look good." Radar says, sighing. "I never seen him this tired, except after 24 hours of surgery."

"He is beginning to show the signs of the inevitable I fear. I have seen him during the entire disease, and its progress is speeding up, and fairly rapidly." Charles sighs.

"Once it starts speeding up, there is no stopping it." Clara says, sighing.

"I don't know how much longer he is going to be able to work." Charles sighs, "Such a shame, he is quite skillful."

"He and Hawkeye are close." Radar says, sighing.

"Not as close as he and BJ." Dan says. "Trappers loss is going to be devastating, don't get me wrong, but if he lost your friendship, I think he would be lost."

"I agree." Radar says, "I seen him with both of you, and you sir are different than Trapper sir."

"Good lord I actually understand what the hooligan is saying." Charles says.

Zachary looks up at his grandfather, "Dadada."

"He's up there." Daniel says, pointing his son out to his grandson. Zachary then reaches for BJ, who gladly takes him.

"I think you have a fan BJ." Potter smiles.

"Zack and I go way back." He smiles, "Almost nine months."

"Let me see the tyke, will he come to me?"

"He may." BJ smiles, and passes the baby over to the Colonel.

Zack looks up at the Colonel, a bit unsure, "You don't know me too well do you Zack? Well that's ok, I'm your Grandpa Potter." He says to the baby. Zack looks over to his Uncle and Grandpop before looking back up to the Colonel and smiles at him, "That-a-boy."

Margaret and Louise come back, "Wow, he's actually sitting with you." Margaret smiles, "It's rare for him to sit with someone he doesn't know."

"Well, I'm not just anyone." The Colonel smiles.

Hawkeye comes back to the table, "I was just talking to my original Bunkie, and we feel that it would be fun to get a poker game going tonight. What do you say?"

"I say that would be great!" Klinger says smiling.

"I'm in." Margaret smiles.

"Margaret, you couldn't NOT be in a poker game." Charles scoffs.

"Oh like you could?"

"Yes I could, however, today is an acceptation, I'm in."

"Well I think a poker game is a dandy idea."

"What about you Colonel?"

"No, I think that this should be a Reunion festivity." Al says.

"I agree." Peg replies, "I'll take the kids back to our house."

The women all decide that the poker game wouldn't be the smartest thing to do, them all having young children.

"So then, after the kids are in bed, we play." Hawkeye says, his eyes lighting up.

"Sounds good."

"Is our fine female major still competitive?" Klinger asks.

"As competitive as ever." Hawkeye replies groaning.

"Good, then it will be wonderful beating her for a change."

"Klinger, you can't beat Margaret!" BJ laughs.

"She's gone soft now, she's a mother, I could easily beat her."

"I have not gone soft!" Margaret says.

"So you are exactly the same as you were at the 4077th?"

"When it comes to cards I am." She laughs, picking her son up from the Colonel, "I'm going to get him something to eat."

"Alright." Hawkeye says, walking back to the barbeque. "Trap, they are all in."

"Excellent. Just like old times." Trap laughs.

Everyone eats, and the kids all are allowed to play till around nine, when the parents took them home, and Margaret put her two to bed and Louise put Jackie to bed. Luke, Kathy and Becky were allowed to stay up and watch TV in the basement till ten, and that was when the fun started.

"Alright, deal." Margaret says, sitting down with a beer.

"My, my, my, Major, aren't we a bit pushy." Klinger laughs.

Hawkeye deals the cards, "Alright, Jacks are wild." He says, looking at his cards, "Margaret?"

"I'll take three."

"Klinger?"

"Two beauties please."

"Beej?"

"Three." He says, shaking his head at his cards.

"Radar?"

"Two."

"Trapper?"

"Two."

"Charles?"

"One card."

"Colonel?"

"One." He says, keeping his poker face.

"And dealer takes two."

The cool night air made for a nice night of playing cards. The moon was full and the stars were out. They sat around and played seriously for a few hands, Margaret and Hawkeye were doing quite well, and then they started talking.

"I wish Father Mulcahy could have come." Potter says.

"So do I." Margaret says, throwing a few chips into the pot.

"Did he give a reason eh couldn't come?"

"He was busy with a church thing." Hawkeye says.

"A church thing?" Trapper says, "I haven't seen him in over three years."

"And that is why he took a late flight and came to beat the pants off of you in poker." The familiar voice says, as they turn around and see the Padre.

"Father, I didn't think you could make it!" Margaret smiles, standing up and kisses the priest.

"I didn't think I would either, but it looks like I did." He laughs, "Trapper, how are you?"

"I'm doing alright father, how are you?"

"Fine thank you. You look well."

"Hah, thanks for trying father."

"BJ, Charles, Radar, Klinger, Colonel, I've missed you all so much." HE says, hugging every one of them.

"We are almost done with this hand Father, grab a beer, have a seat, we'll deal you in next hand..." Hawkeye says.

"Once your wife cleans up yet another hand." Charles groans.

"Call..." BJ says.

Margaret, "Straight." She smiles.

"Oh, well it looks like I won this hand." BJ says, "I have four tens."

"Damn." Margaret says, throwing down her cards.

"Father would you like to deal?"

"Sure." The padre says, "It's been a while since I've participated in such jocularity."

"Not too many poker games in the seminary father?" Trapper asks.

"Not too much." He smiles. The hearing aids have done wonders for the priest.

"Come on, come on, less chitchat, more dealing." Margaret says.

This was the last hand Trapper plays, "I think I'm going to turn in." He says, looking at his watch. It was almost midnight and he was exhausted.

"Night Trapper." Hawkeye says.

"Night everyone. I'll see you all tomorrow."

"Night Trapper." They say, and continue playing.

He walks inside, wipes his forehead a few times, "Damn." He says, feeling his temperature rise. He was beginning to hate feeling this way. He went upstairs and got into bed with his wife.

"You ok?" She asks, looking at how early it is.

"Yes, just tired." He says, kissing her quickly and closing his eyes.

After another hour of poker, Natalie comes out, it was one in the morning,

"You have a visitor Margaret." The Colonel says, pointing to his honorary granddaughter.

Margaret looks up and over to the three year old walking towards them, "What are you doing up Natalie?" She asks, picking her up and putting her on her lap. Natalie wasn't fully awake, she was twirling her hair, Margaret kisses her head, "Did you have a bad dream?"

"No." She says, "I wake up."

"I see that. It's one o'clock, you should be sleeping."

"I know." She yawns.

"What do you say we go back to sleep?"

"No." She protests.

Hawkeye throws down his cards, "I've got nothing anyway, come here Nat."

She willingly goes into his arms, "Let's go to your room ok?"

"Ok." She says, laying her head on her daddy's shoulder.

"I'll be out in a few minutes."

"Right." BJ says as his best friend and niece heads back into the house.

"I can't get over you and Hawkeye as parents." Klinger smiles.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Hawkeye were completely different..."

"Until you two got married." BJ smiles.

"People change." The Padre smiles.

"That's for sure."

In the house, Hawkeye got Natalie back in bed, and then closed the bedroom door, checking on the other children. He hears movement in the hallway, so he closes his son's door and sees Trapper, "Hey."

"Hey." He says. He looks absolutely horrible.

"You ok?"

"Fine."

"You don't look fine." He puts his hand on his forehead, "You have a fever."

"I always have a fever at night." He says, pulling away, "I'm fine Hawk."

"You sick to your stomach?"

"Not after throwing up."

"You're throwing up now?!"

"Hawk, I've been throwing up for about two weeks."

"Consistently?"

"No, not consistently, off and on every few days or so, it's nothing."

"It is something..."

"No, it's not. I'm dying."

"I know..."

"So, my body's breaking down, I get use to it. You know as well as I do the symptoms. So let's just leave it at that pal."

"Right." He says, sighing.

"I'm gonna go back to bed, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night."

"Night"

Hawkeye goes back outside, and sits down at his seat.

"You in?" Margaret asks.

"Yeah." He says, sighing.

"You alright?" BJ asks.

"Fine. Deal."

Around two, they all decide to call it a night and head to their respected places. They would all be back tomorrow for lunch. Margaret and Hawkeye got ready for bed quickly and crawled into their king size bed, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Margaret."

"You don't seem fine."

"Trappers sick tonight."

"Oh. Fever again?"

"Fever and throwing up."

"You know..."

"I know... it's just ending too soon."

"Not yet." Margaret says, leaning against his chest. "Don't think ahead Hawk... take one day at a time. Good night."

"Good night." He says.

The next day, once again they had people come over for lunch and dinner. Zack has gotten use to having all the people around and was very easy going. The kids got along so well with one another, that the days just slipped by. The weather was wonderful, they couldn't have asked for better days. When the day came that everyone had to leave, no one wanted too. They insisted that they would keep in touch and that they would all get together during the summer, but nothing was set in stone. They all got onto their planes, and left the Hunnicut's and Pierces back in Mill Valley.

In June, the Pierce's and McIntyre's once again meet for three days in South Carolina at Trapper's Parent's Beach House. Hawkeye was shocked at how deteriorated Trapper looks when they see him.

"Hey there." Trapper calls, from the kitchen when the Pierces enter.

"Hey Trap, how ya doing?"

"I'm alive." He sighs. "Hi Natalie, Hi Zack!"

"Hi Uncle Trapper!" Natalie smiles.

"Hi!" Zack says.

"He's talking more now isn't he?"

"He's an early starter like his sister." Margaret smiles, kissing her friend.

"I'm glad you guys could come."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world." Hawkeye smiles.

"Where is everyone on the beach?"

"Yeah, I wasn't in a beach mood today." He says, standing up.

Hawkeye looks at his friend, he was quite thin, he was very thin, much thinner than he had been at the little reunion they held. His 6'3 frame looked fragile and pale, and it frightened Hawkeye. It didn't seem to affect Margaret, but it wasn't something he expected to see.

"So, is this house baby proof? Because this one is into everything." Margaret smiles.

"Yes, all fragile things are up in places where little hands can't get too."

"Excellent."

"Are you all hungry? We have plenty to eat. I know its around snack time according to your time zone."

"No, they can wait till dinner." Margaret assures him.

"We were going to hang low tonight, just eat sandwiches or something here, but tomorrow we want to go out for dinner."

"Anything is fine Trap."

Louise and the kids come back from the beach, and immediately the kids start to play. Margaret and Louise begin to fix dinner, and Trapper, Hawkeye and Zack sit out in the living room talking.

"How have you been Margaret?" Louise asks.

"Fine, thank you, how are you?"

"I'm ok."

"How's McIntyre been?"

"Some days, he's fine, and others, he's horrible. He doesn't have an appetite usually, he is up sick all night, he's... well, look at him Margaret." She sighs.

"Is it constant?"

"About three to four times a week."

"Oh." She says, sighing.

"It's only a matter of time. I keep trying to prepare, but you really can't."

"No, I wouldn't think you could."

"I hope to god you never have to go through this." Louise says, cutting up carrots.

Margaret couldn't argue with that. She just quietly helped with dinner until Louise decides to change the subject.

They ate and then they all went out for ice cream. The kids were thrilled to get such a nice treat their first night down there. Trapper and Hawkeye talked to one another the entire time, about just about anything. When they got back, Margaret and Louise got the younger kids ready for bed. The older three were allowed to go downstairs and watch one movie. Margaret and Louise and the older three kids went to sleep about eleven, leaving the two men outside on the porch in the warm air.

"So, how you been Trapper?" He asks, drinking his beer.

"I've been better." He says, sighing. He already felt a fever starting to break inside him.

"I don't think I've got too long Hawk. I'm sick all the time at night, I'm exhausted half the time, and I just feel like absolute hell. Hawk, I can't even play with my own kids half the time, or my wife." He jokes.

"Well, maybe..."

"No, it's not going to be much longer. The doctors only gave me a year, and I'm over that. The next step..."

"Yeah, you and I know what the next step is... let's not talk about it."

"Why Hawk?"

"Because..."

"Because you don't want to hear it? I'm dying Hawk...."

"I know."

"This is probably the last time we'll get to spend time together."

"So why talk about death?" He says, getting a pack of cards out, "Let's play solitary."

Trapper smiles, "Ok."

They played their cards for a bit longer before Trapper looks at his friend, "I stopped working."

"Oh?"

"I couldn't do it anymore." Trapper says, sighing, "I couldn't do my job anymore Hawk, do you know how that feels?"

"Yes." He says, thinking back to the last month of Korea. This was the one thing he could relate to Trapper. "Why did you quit?"

"I was in the middle of my second operation, a routine appendectomy, and I couldn't finish it. My hands cramped, and I was exhausted. I had to call Winchester in to finish."

"Oh."

"I stopped about a week ago. I went as long as I could... but..."

"It's ok Trap." Hawkeye reassures him, "Queen on King." He says.

They play for about an hour before retiring for the night. Hawkeye wakes up at around 4am to the sound of Trapper retching in the bathroom across the hall. He felt that he should go in and see if he was ok, but knew Trapper would not appreciate it, so he rolled over, and wrapped his arms around his wife. He tries to put Trappers illness out of his mind, but how could he. His friend looked like an act for dead. He closes his eyes and forces himself to fall asleep until his son woke up at seven in the morning. Margaret woke up and picked him up, taking him downstairs. Hawkeye knew that this was day two that he was going to be spending with Trapper.

They all go down to the beach for the day, even Trapper. They went out into the ocean a little while, but the kids couldn't go out too far. Natalie and Jackie were very upset, but Hawkeye didn't want Trapper feeling bad that he was too weak to take the kids deep.

"Daddy, watch me!" Jackie says, as she dives under the shallow water.

"You're a good swimmer now Jack." He smiles. She splashes at him, laughs and runs behind Hawkeye.

"Don't you splash me little girl, you know how I get."

"Oh yeah?" She smiles, and splashes him again.

Trapper, grabs her and splashes her. She kicks and wiggles to try and get away from him, even Natalie tried to help her, but she got splashed too. Hawkeye laughs as he sees the spark of life in his eyes one last time. He never thought he would se that light again, but he did. Trapper wasn't gone yet, and that proved it.

The two men spend the entire trip together, they went to the bar one last time before they all had to go home. Hawkeye would have loved to stay longer, but he couldn't. He has to get back to work.

They said their goodbyes, and left.

August 20th, Hawkeye got the phone call he was dreading. He wasn't due in work until that night, but plans change.

"Daddy! Phone ringing!" Natalie calls.

"Thank you Natalie" He says, picking up the phone, "Hello?"

"Hawkeye, its Louise."

Hawkeye could tell by the sound of her voice, it wasn't good news, "Hi Louise. How are you?" Like he really had to ask....

"Not well, John isn't doing well..." She says, trying to keep herself composed, "We took him to the hospital last night... they don't think he has more than a day left Hawkeye. I..."

"I'll be on the first flight I can get." Hawkeye replies, and hangs up the phone. "MARGARET! MARGARET!"

"What?"

"I have to get to Boston... It's Trapper."

"Oh my god... did he..."

"Not yet. I'm going to take the next flight out..."

"I'm coming with you." She says, "You call the airport and I'll pack some things."

"You don't have too..."

"Hawkeye, he was my friend too... and I want to be there for you."

"I'm going to call the airport, and then BJ to see if he can take my shift today."

"He'll probably want to come to the funeral...."

"He isn't dead yet Margaret..." Hawkeye says, picking up the phone, "BJ, it's me, I have to get to Boston today... no, not dead...not yet.... Ok, I'll let you know... thanks Beej."

By twelve, they were on their way to Boston. Margaret drops the kids off at the McIntyre house with the babysitter before driving to the hospital. They were greeted by Louise,

"How is he?"

"Not well." Louise says, "He doesn't want the kids here, so they..."

"I know, we dropped the kids off with the babysitter."

"The doctor's are in there, so we have to wait out here."

"I'll go in." Hawkeye says, walking through the doors. He was a doctor and he knew that it would be ok.

"Excuse me, you can't be in here, no visitors for a little while." The nurse says, as the doctor stops his check..

"I'm Doctor Pierce." He says.

"He's ok." Trapper says, looking over at his friend, "You came."

"Of course I came..." Hawkeye says, sitting next to him, "How are you?"

"Alive... for now." He says.

"Are you in much pain?"

"I'm ok Hawk." He says. The doctor and nurse finish with their check and leave the two men to talk, "I'm ready Hawk."

Hawkeye nods, "I know."

"I can't fight it anymore. My kids don't understand..."

"They will."

"I didn't want them in here Hawk... am I a horrible father?"

"No, you aren't. I wouldn't want my kids in here watching me die..."

"I didn't want anyone in here... but I'm glad you are here."

"Margaret came too."

"She did?"

"Yes."

Trapper was racked with a coughing fit, he was drowning in his own body, and Hawkeye couldn't do anything about it. He sat him up a bit, and put a hand on his back, but it didn't do much help. His breathing continued to become labored, and the coughing came more often as they sat together.

"You've always been there for me Hawk. You are truly my best friend."

"You've been there for me too Trapp." He says, "You were my best friend through Korea, and today. I don't know what I am going to do without you."

"Same thing you did when I didn't talk to you for so long..." He says, biting his lip.

"Trap, we're over that. We talked about that remember?"

He didn't seem to hear, "I didn't mean to lose touch with you Hawk, or not leave a note... I just couldn't... I couldn't write what I wanted to say to you. I shouldn't have waited to talk to you two years after I left... I should have..." He says, sighing.

"Trapper, it's alright. We went over this already."

"I'm glad you're here." Trapper says.

"So am I." Hawkeye replies, hugging his friend.

Margaret and Louise came in shortly after the stopped talking to one another. Margaret talked to Trapper for a while. They all sat there, sometimes in silence, sometimes talking.

That night, Trapper looked at Louise, "I'm sorry I couldn't be around longer."

"It's ok John, don't think about that right now." She stands up, kissing his cheek, "I'll be right back, I need to go call and check on the kids."

"I'll go with you." Margaret says, giving Trapper a kiss. She follows her out, letting the two friends talk.

"Can you do me a favor Hawk?"

"Anything Trap."

"Keep a check on my wife and kids... I don't trust anyone else."

"You got it."

"Make sure they are ok... I..." He stops, mid sentence, but got his point across to Hawkeye.

"I don't want her to see me die... I don't want anyone to see me die..."

"It's ok Trapper."

"I'm not scared anymore Hawk, I'm ready."

"I know." Hawkeye replies. Trapper was really now just rambling, but it was enough so Hawkeye could understand what he wanted and needed.

"Thank you..."

"Your welcome..."

"For everything." His voice fading.

"Thank you."

"Do me a favor, every so often, drink a martini for me..."

"I'll drink two." Hawkeye smiles.

"See ya around Hawk."

"Good bye Trapper."

Hawkeye watches his friend close his eyes, slowly and take in one last breath and breath it out. Hawkeye takes his pulse and confirms what he already knows. The room became cold for a second and then he heard footsteps behind him.

"Is he..." Louise asks. Hawkeye nods, and stands up silently, hugging his friends wife, before his own. Louise walks over to her husband, gives him a kiss, and the doctors are called in. Everything was in slow motion for Hawkeye. He has just lost the one person that helped him through his first year of Korea. The man that he hated for so long, but could never forget. His best friend.

The funeral was three days later, everyone came. Hawkeye was numb. He sat there and said nothing during the service for him. It seemed like a bad dream, one that he would wake up from any second and Trapper would be there, healthy and happy. Hawkeye was glad BJ was there. He knew Hawkeye inside and out, he could read him like a book.

The service ended, and still Hawkeye said nothing. They went to the gravesite next, and still, nothing was said. Hawkeye realized that he also had not shed a single tear. He couldn't. He listened to the minister talk about Trapper and he stood there, silent. The minister ended, and Margaret pulled at his arm so they could leave, "Give me a minute." He says, staring at the coffin. He handed Natalie to BJ and they left him with the empty grave.

He finally let a tear slide down his cheek, "You've been there for me always Trapper. You were there when I lost my best childhood friend... if you weren't in Korea, I don't know what I would have done. You have been one of the best friends I ever had, and I thank you. I'll make sure that my kids all know who you were, and that your family is safe. Thank you Trapper." He says, turning away from the grave. He wipes his eyes, and walks back to the car.

Louise and the kids took it quite well, they expected it to happen and for the moment they were fine.

That night, Hawkeye couldn't sleep. He went outside onto the back porch and sat down in the chair. He sat there thinking about everything he and Trapper had been through together.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Louise asks, coming out the porch doors.

"No." He says. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm ok, how are you?"

"Ok also."

"I think it's a bad dream, that I'll wake up with him beside me. This day was all a blur, one that I don't ever want to forget but I do... does that make any sense Hawkeye?"

"Yes, it does... because I feel the exact same way."

"Jackie's only four... she won't remember him..."

"We'll make sure she does."

"My kids don't have a father..."

"They did, they had a great father, and they will remember."

"The bed is empty without him. What am I going to do without him?" She says, beginning to cry.

Hawkeye puts an arm around her and cries a bit with her.

"It will be ok... I promise." Hawkeye says after they sat there for a little bit.

"I hope your right..." She says, wiping her eyes, "I hope your right.

They sit outside together for two hours, before heading inside. Hawkeye crawls back in bed with his wife, and she wakes up.

"Are you ok?"

"I will be... are you?"

"I'm ok." She says, kissing his cheek.

He pulls her close to him, as if to ensure that she never leaves him, "I hope to god that one day they find a cure for this fucking disease."

Margaret nods, not even bothering to tell him to watch his mouth, and closes her eyes. She was emotionally exhausted, and knew he had to be the same.

The Pierces stayed a few extra days to help out the McIntyre's, before they had to leave for home. It was a draining two weeks, but they got past it. Hawkeye knew that he just had to look ahead, rather than backwards. He would never forget Trapper, but he had to care for his family. Margaret was glad to see Hawkeye taking the loss of Trapper so well. She knew that he would be fine, and so would the McIntyre's. Time heals all wounds... but not without a scar. That's what the loss of Trapper felt like, a huge, ugly scar. It would feel like that for a while, but hopefully one day, it wouldn't hurt as much. Hawkeye would keep his promise to Trapper and look after his family. He didn't want to lose contact with them.

"This is for you Trapper." Hawkeye says, at midnight the day they got back home, he raised a martini up to the sky, "The finest kind."

He downed his martini and went upstairs to bed. He cherished every second he had with his wife and family, because he knew it wouldn't last forever.

"The finest kind." He thought again and closed his eyes.

TBC...

Sorry this was so depressing....

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! I posted this at three in the morning...

Thanks for all the great reviews! Please keep them up! Please R&R!

Thanks

STARY