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

19. Going back to WorkReunion Time

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! Please RR

January 14, 1961, Margaret just hung up the phone after talking to her friend Lorraine.

"Hawkeye?"

"What?"

"I just got a call form Lorraine."

"Oh? How is she?"

"Fine." Margaret smiles, "Her brother is the Head of Surgery at Greenland Medical, about thirty minutes down the road."

"I now where it is." He laughs.

"Well, his head nurse just had a baby and he wanted Lorraine to work, but she doesn't want to leave her job."

He smiles at her again, "Is there a point to this story?"

Margaret rolls her eyes, "She told him that she'd ask me, and he won't fill the job until I call him."

"Well, do you want to go back to work?"

"I kind of do, but it's for two months… and it could be longer."

"It's up to you honey. I can't make the decision for you, but I will support any decision you make."

"It's two months…"

"It's not permanent."

Margaret sighs, "I just don't know… I mean, Kimberly is only 6 months, Zack is 2 years and Natalie's 4. I don't know if they are ready for me not to be here."

"It's only a few months right?"

"Yes… probably three months tops."

"So why not try it out and see how you like it? You miss nursing right?"

"More than almost anything…"

"So then, go back, I'm sure we can get Jean to watch the kids. They will love that."

"Ok." She says.

"Ok?"

"Ok."

"Well then, I guess mommy's going back to work then." He laughs, kissing her cheek.

"Yeah… I guess so." She smiles. She really has missed working. She loved nursing and was damn good at it. She would be starting in two days, on Monday. "I should call Jean."

Jean was a younger woman, about 24 years old, who watched the kids when Margaret had to go out. Her younger sister babysat for them too, she was 16 years old.

"Hi Jean, it's Margaret." She says, as she hears the familiar voice on the other end.

"Hi Margaret, how are you?"

"I'm fine, how are you?"

"Doing well."

"And Jamie?"

"She's fine the last time I talked to her." She smiles.

"Wonderful. Listen, I was wondering. I have a job offer for as little as two months and probably at the most three months, and I have decided to take it. Do you think we could work out a schedule that you could possibly take the kids for me?"

"Sure, that's no problem." She smiles.

"That's wonderful!" Margaret says, breathing a sigh of relief.

"What time do you have to be into work?"

"I have to be there by 8:00, and I'll be there until 5:00 most nights. Of course, there will be some days I have the ability to get off, and also some days where I will need an extra hour from you."

"So its pretty much a play it by ear schedule?" She smiles.

"Some days."

"Well that's fine too Margaret." She says, before slyly adding, "I need all the practice I can get."

Margaret thinks for a second, then smiles, "You're pregnant!"

"Three months along.'

"Why didn't you tell me! You don't need three kids hanging around…"

"Margaret, I'm fine, I want to do it, relax."

"Oh Jean… you'll be busy enough."

"Your kids aren't bad kids, I'll be fine."

"Well…"

"Do you want me to come there, or do you want to drop them off?"

"What is easier for you?"

"I'll come over the first time. We'll play it by ear after that."

"I'll give you a key so you can shift back and forth if you need to."

"Excellent. So we'll say 6:45 Monday morning?"

"6:45 sounds wonderful. You'll only have to worry about Kim at that time." She smiles, "And I'll feed her and get her ready."

"Alright. Not a problem, see you Monday."

"Thanks a lot Jean… and congratulations!"

"Thanks Margaret. See you then."

"Bye."

"Bye." And with that both women hang up.

Margaret smiles and turns around a bit startled by Hawkeye being there, "Congratulations for what?"

"Jean's pregnant."

"That's excellent!"

"Yes."

"So what time will she be coming?"

"6:45 Monday."

"Right." He says, "Better get ready, because in two days, you become Major Houlihan again." He smiles.

"Nix the Major and you got it right."

"Sorry, Nurse Houlihan." He laughs.

"Pierce." She rolls her eyes.

He kisses her, "You'll love it."

"Is it a nice hospital?"

"Yeah, it really is. They have a pretty good surgical ward there too, so you'll be right at home."

"It's been years… what if I don't remember how to do things?"

"Look at Colonel Potter… he was still a damn good surgeon after years of being as he put it "behind a desk"."

"You're right." She says, as he rubs her shoulders. "I guess I'll have to tell the kids."

"Unless you want them thinking like you betrayed and abandoned them."

"PIERCE!" She says, in shock that he would say something like that. He really knew how to push her buttons.

"You know I'm just kidding."

"It's not funny!" She says, pushing him away.

"Come on now, they won't feel like you are abandoning them." He says, placing his lips on the side of her neck. "Don't get mad."

"I like being mad… and you're stopping me from being mad!" She says, feeling his lips on her.

"Good."

"Stop… the kids are downstairs."

"So?"

"You know that this can't go any further."

"Right now… I'll start something and then I'll finish it later."

Margaret smiles, and pushes him away, "Don't start something you can't finish now."

"Party Pooper."

"Yup." She smiles. "I have to go food shopping."

"Alright.'

"No.. you are suppose to say, "I'll go for you"."

"Right…" He says rolling his eyes.

"And I say, thank you, here's the list." She laughs, handing him the list.

"Margaret… I hate food shopping."

"Ok, either you go food shopping or you don't eat dinner tonight."

"I'll order out." He laughs.

"And I'll order YOU out… right out of the bedroom."

"Fine, fine. I'll go."

"Thank you."

"You're so not welcome."

Hawkeye goes to the door and gets his coat before Natalie comes running upstairs, "Where you going daddy?'

"To the food store, would you like to come?"

"Yes." She smiles.

"Go get your shoes."

"Ok." She runs to the front door to get her shoes, "Daddy I'm not fast enough! You put them on." She says, holding up her shoes to him, he scoops her up and sits her on the kitchen counter, putting the little black shoes on her, "Thank you." She smiles, as he places her down on the floor.

"You're welcome."

"Where do you think you are going Miss. Pierce?" Margaret smiles.

"With daddy."

"You're going to leave me?"

"Yes." She giggles.

"Well, some thanks I get." She laughs, kissing her oldest. "You better hurry or Zachary will want to go too."

"No!" Natalie says quickly, "Come on daddy!"

She loves her brother and sister, but some days she wants to just spend time with her mommy or daddy. It was hard when you were the oldest, but she did just fine.

"Have fun."

"A blast." He says rolling his eyes, as she reaches up and kisses him longer than he would have expected her too. "What was that for?" He asks, as her eyes sparkle with mischief.

"For later."

"Tease." He says, kissing her nose, playfully before they leave. "Well Miss. Natalie, we have a lot of food to get Princess."

"Yeah, that's a big list."

"Mommy wants to keep me busy."

"Yup. Daddy?"

"What?"

"Can we get cookies?"

He smiles, looking at the child next to him, "We'll see."

"Please daddy, I'll be good."

"I thought you are always good." He laughs.

"I am, but I'll be really good."

"Lets see if it's on my list of things to get." He plays as they park the car and go into the store, "No it's not on my list…"

"Daddy…" She practically begs.

"We'll see when we get to the candy and cookie isle."

"Ok." She says, knowing he will probably get them for her.

"Alright kiddo, we need to get some cereal and baby food for Kimberly. What should we get her?"

"Big food, baby food is yucky."

Hawkeye laughs, he couldn't argue with that, "Well, she likes baby food still, so we have to get her some. We need fruit and food ok?"

"Ok." She says standing with her hands on her hips, "That and that and that!"
Hawkeye grabs them, and then gets some more, "We need more than three I'm afraid kid."

"Oh ok. You pick the rest."

"I was planning on it." He grabbed some more food for Kimberly and then gets some teething cookies for her. She has already cut two teeth, and had about 18 more to come in. Each tooth was a new adventure. She was miserable, and chewed on anything. He was hoping that she would be done teething for a little while, but that was not likely. They finish up in the baby isle, and move down to the "junk food" isle. He smiles as he watches his daughter eye up the cookies very carefully, but don't saying anything, "Well, look where we are…" He says, watching his daughter beg him with eyes, "Hmm, I think I want some cookies, what do you think Nat?"

"Yeah!" She says practically jumping for joy. "I want cookies please!"

"Ok kiddo, pick out something that your mom likes too."

"And Zack."

"And Zack too."

"Can we get two?"

He smiles, "Hmm…."

"Please daddy!"

"Now how can I resist those baby blues? Yes you can pick two, but only two out."

"Thank you!" She says, as she picks out her favorite and another one. Thankfully Margaret and Zack would eat almost any kind of cookie, so she didn't have to be told to put them back.

"Alright, we're done. Let's go pay and go home. Mommy will wonder where we are!"

"Ok!" She says, as she walks next to her dad to check out and drive home.

Margaret had dinner almost ready when they got back, and helps unpack the car. Natalie ran to play with her brother and baby sister in the family room.

"Cookies!" She says, groaning. She was trying to lose more weight from Kimberly, and cookies weren't in her diet.

"I couldn't say no to your daughter."

"She's my daughter now?"

"When she is stubborn yes."

Margaret laughs, "At least you got good kinds."

"Only the finest kind for my wife." He says, kissing her cheek.

"Keep them away from me."

"You start work Monday, you won't be around them… and besides you look perfect."

"I want to lose another ten pounds."

"I think you're beautiful."

"Bias."

"So what?" He says, laughing, putting the bread in the bread box.

"So at dinner, I'm gonna tell the kids."

"Ok."

"I hope they are ok with it."

"They will be fine."

After dinner, Hawkeye and Margaret make the kids a little ice cream sundae, their normal Saturday routine, and Margaret told the kids, "Alright gang, I have to tell you something ok?"

"What mommy?" Zack asks, his mouth full of ice cream.

"I am going to go to the hospital to work for a little while."

"Why?" Natalie asks.

"Aunt Lorraine's brother, Nicholas needs my help. The nurse that he had working for him had a baby and Aunt Lorraine asked me if I could work with him till March, and I told him that I would. You kids are going to be staying with Jean in the mornings when I have to work, and I'll pick you up after I'm done."

"What if daddy doesn't work?"

"Then daddy will have you." She smiles. "I am starting on Monday ok?"

"Ok mommy." Natalie smiles.

"Ok mommy!" Zack says, as Hawkeye wipes his mouth quickly. "Daddy." He frowns.

"I know, you were saving that for later." He laughs, and throws the napkin away.

"I want you kids to be good for Jean ok?"

"I'm always good." Natalie says.

"I want you kids to listen." She says.

"Ok." They both say.

"Good, and that goes for you too Kimberly." She says to the baby who was happily eating one of her teething cookies.

"Mommy, when is Monday?" Natalie asks.

"In two days."

"Oh." She says, thinking about it. Two days didn't seem like that much time, but she decides that it will be ok, "Ok." She smiles.

Margaret kisses her cheek. "You are such a good kid."

"Me too?" Zack asks, not wanting to be left out.

"You too." She says, kissing her two year old too.

Monday came very quick, too quick for Margaret's liking. She was very excited and nervous to get back to work, but she was going to miss the kids. She got up a half an hour before Hawkeye so she could get a shower and get out of the bathroom before he had to wake up. She did her makeup quickly as she hears his alarm ringing, and shut off.

"Good morning." He says, kissing her.

"Morning."

"Are you done in there, or do you need a shower?" He wasn't quite awake yet and she laughs.

"I'm done with the shower part, go ahead."

"Yeah, I can see you doing your makeup… should have put two and two together."

"You still wouldn't have gotten four." She laughs, as she puts blush on. He bypasses her and turns the water on.

"Don't try to take advantage of me." He jokes.

"Honey, I just did my makeup, you'll have to find someone else to take advantage of you… or yourself."

"Cute." He says, pulling his shirt and pants off. "Better watch it, or I'm libel to drag your ass in here with me."

"You'd drown." She laughs.

"You're probably right." He says, jumping into the shower.

"Ok." Margaret says, standing up, looking at her watch, "I only need Kimberly to sleep for about ten more minutes, then she can wake up." She walks over and into the back of the walk in closet where her things are, Hawkeye's were kept at the front because of the claustrophobia. She thumbs through and pulls out a black turtleneck and a pair of kakis pants, pulling them on. By the time she was dressed Hawkeye was out of the shower and on his way to the closet. He kisses her again and smiles. "What?"

"You ready for your first day?"

"You bet." She says.

"Remember Major, they aren't going to be like your MASH nurses."

"Don't I know it." She sighs. "I doubt I'll ever find nurses as good as my girls."

"Who knows, maybe this will be different?"

"I can only hope." She laughs, as she hears Kimberly let out a cry. She walks out of the room and over to the nursery, "Good morning Kimberly." She says, as she picks the baby up, "And how are you today?" She asks, changing her and putting her into an outfit for the day, "I'll miss seeing you all day, but I'll be home tonight. Mommy goes back to work today, but you know that." She smiles, "I bet you'll have fun with your sister, brother and Jean. Be nice to Jean ok? I know you will. Let's go downstairs and get you some food. I heard daddy go down, so maybe he made some coffee."

The two girls walk downstairs and into the kitchen, "Coffee will be ready in a few minutes."

"You read my mind." She smiles, sitting Kimberly in her highchair. "Can you get me out the oat meal please?"

"Sure." He says, handing her the box. She makes her some breakfast and feeds her.

"Don't get anything on you ok Kimberly?" Margaret practically begs.

She stayed fairly clean, only getting a bit on her chest. Margaret wipes her off and smiles, picking her up. "What time do you have to be in work today?"

"I'm in at 7:00." He says, looking at the clock. He pours himself a cup of coffee, "I'll be out of here in about fifteen minutes. When are you leaving?"

"In a half an hour."

"You know, I could get up with Kim if you wanted me too… you could sleep the extra fifteen minutes or so. We could switch."

"No, I'd never be awake enough if I did that, and besides I really like getting up with her. I won't see much of her afterwards."

"Ok. It's up to you." He says, kissing Kimberly. She smiles and reaches for him, "What do you want Angel?" he asks, picking her up. She giggles and leans her head against his neck, as he hugs her. "I think you are going to miss mommy aren't you? You won't know what to do without her will you?"

"Pierce…" Margaret says, not too happy now with her decision.

"She'll be fine." He laughs, "And so will you."

"Yeah, I know.' She says.

After fifteen minutes, Hawkeye kisses Margaret and Kimberly, "I'll see you two tonight. Call me later on today and tell me how it's going."

"I will." She says, "Bye."

"Bye honey." He smiles.

Jean gets there right on time and walks into the house, "Hello?" She calls.

"Hi." Margaret smiles, walking into the room with Kimberly. The baby sees her and smiles, reaching over to her. Margaret happily passes her to Jean.

"Good morning Kimberly, oh it is so good to see you." She says, kissing her cheek,

"Well Margaret, you ready for day one?"

"I think so." She smiles. "The other two should be up soon."

"How did they take the news of you not being there all the time?"

"They were fine about it, for now. I'm not sure how they will be after a while."

"They'll adjust. All kids do." Jean smiles.

They talk for a few more minutes before Margaret decides she better get moving. She wasn't exactly sure where the hospital was and needed to get there within an hour. Natalie and Zack wake up right before she leaves. She kisses them and says goodbye, then leaves. She drives the half an hour and has no trouble finding the place. The hospital was big, but not quite as big as Portland General. Margaret was told to report to the surgical ward, which was exactly what she did. She took a breath as she walks through the third floor halls. "Hi." She says, turning her major voice on. "I'm Margaret…"

"Oh yes, Nurse Houlihan, we were expecting you." She smiles, "I'm Nancy Madison. One of the nurses. I'll show you to your office."

"Thank you." She says, as Nancy gives her a brief tour before they get to her office.

"You'll be here. Dr. Keith wanted to know when you got here, so I'll go get him. He may be in surgery now, but he should be out soon."

"Right."

"You have a briefing with the nurses at 9:00, until then, you can feel free to go about and look around."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She says, walking out of the room.

Margaret sets up the office quickly, looking over her nurse duty roster which was posted for the week already for her. She was busy studying the list of nurses before Nicholas came in.

"Margaret." He smiles, as she smiles back, "How the hell are you?" He asks hugging her.

"I'm fine Nick, how are you?"

"Great! Thank you so much for coming on such short notice."

"It's my pleasure. I haven't worked in a while now, so it will be nice to get back into it. I didn't know you were up here!"

"Yup, I didn't know you were. Last time I heard, you were in San Francisco?"

"Mill Valley, but close enough." She smiles, "We moved here about eight months ago. My husband works in Portland General, he's head surgeon."

"Oh yes, Hawkeye Pierce, I've heard about him. He is a good doctor."

"The best I've worked with." She smiles, "You've got your work cut out for you." She laughs.

"I bet I do. Now I hear you have three kids?"

"Yes I do. Natalie, Zachary and Kimberly."

"All ending in an 'E' sound." He laughs.

"I know… we didn't think about that when we named them." She laughs.

"I didn't think so. How old are they now?"

"4 ½, 2 ½, and 6 months." She smiles, showing him a picture of the three kids.

"They are adorable. The girls don't look too much like you."

"They look like their daddy, however, they both have a bit of me in them." She smiles, deciding to change the topic, "So, I see I have eleven nurses?"

"On all different shifts. You will see all eleven today, but 4 will be with you on a shift."

"Excellent."

"So what do you want them calling you?"

"I don't care."

"I know you aren't a Major anymore, but you aren't a Houlihan any more either…"

"Houlihan or Pierce is just fine… I mean, they all probably know me here as Houlihan right?"

"Right."

"So it's fine. I'll brief them and we'll get started."

"Excellent… Major." He laughs.

"Oh, come off it Nick." She smiles.

"I'll see you in a bit."

"Right."

Margaret read over the charts and all that was going on until her meeting. She saw the nurses talking to one another about her being a Major in the US Army. They were a bit nervous having her there and Margaret was a bit nervous in the new surroundings. "Good morning."

"Good morning." The nurses say, watching the former Major.

"I'm Margaret Houlihan… or Pierce, you can pick which you want to call me. I expect perfection and nothing less, because without us the doctors job would be difficult. Mistakes are lives lost. I am not being mean, I am being honest. I am strict. I was a Major in the US Army, and though I wont run this place like an army camp, my expectations are high for each of you. If you need me for anything you just have to ask, personal or other. I will know all of you by the end of the week after working with all of you. I have been a head nurse before, and I know how to run a hospital with 98 efficiency. I expect nothing less from you all, and I know that I sound like a broken record, but I come from a very disciplined house hold and career. That is just how it is going to be for the next two or three months." The women give each other worried glances, but they trust the new Head Nurse. "Duty rosters will be posted Wednesday of each week, so there should be no reason you can't work. Thanks a lot, and I'm looking forward to working with all of you."

She smiles, and walks back into her office. In fifteen minutes she was called on the speaker system and she was in surgery.

"Clamp." Nick smiles at her under his mask.

"Clamp."

"Suture."

"Suture." She never misses a beat.

"You know Margaret, you are a damn good nurse. I never would have thought that when you were six and I was ten."

"You never gave me a chance, you were too busy pulling Lorraine and my pigtails and chasing us around. Your dad never cared though."

"Then you two turned into teenagers and pierced your ears… my god you two were brats."

"Army all the way." She laughs.

"I need another suture." He says, as she promptly gives him another. "See that Sarah, this is what you are going to have to do now to impress the Major here." He tells the other nurse in the room.

She rolls her eyes, "I'm sure of it." She groans. "Would you like me to try?"

"No, Houlihan's doing just fine. Thank you. How's his vitals?"

"Fine, 120/80." Sarah says, looking at the instruments.

"Excellent. Alright, Margaret, finish closing please."

She looks at the skin and immediately her nursing gene kicks in and she feels right at home. "Perfect." He says as she finishes, "And you thought you lost your touch kid."

She smiles, "I guess it's like riding a bike."

By noon she was really beginning to miss the kids. She wasn't use to staying out all morning without them. Usually if she went out it was at night. She calls Jean to see how they were, and of course they were fine, then she calls Hawkeye. She talks to the receptionist, and then Hawkeye.

"Hi." He says as he comes to the phone.

"Hi."

"How's it going?"

"It's different." She sighs, "They aren't nearly as good as the girls in the MASH, but they will do."

"And you learned all about this in fifteen minutes?"

"Try almost five hours." She says.

"Give them a few weeks to warm up to you. It took me two years." He jokes.

"Thanks…" She sighs.

"How are you doing without the kids?"

"Fine." She says, "I miss them, but what can I do?"

"Right."

"I…" She begins but quickly hears her name called, "Ugh, I have to get going. I'm being paged. I'll see you tonight."

"Right, have fun."

"I love you."

"You too." He says and they hang up.

Margaret worked the entire day, and then left for home. She was home by 5:00. "I'm home!" She calls, as the two oldest run over to her, hugging her legs. She bends down and properly hugs them.

"I missed you mommy!" Natalie says, hugging her tight.

"I miss you too." Zack says.

"Well I missed all three of you. Did you have fun today?"

"Yup!" Natalie says, and begins to tell her about her day.

"Well…" she says, smiling at Jean, and picking Kimberly up from her arms, "It sounds like you all had a good day." She says, kissing the baby who was clinging to her neck. "How were they?"

"Perfect Angels."

"Somehow I doubt that, them being half Pierce." She laughs.

"They were good." She laughs, "Same time tomorrow?"

"Actually make it 7:15. I know where I'm going now."

"Ok, 7:15. See you all tomorrow."

"Bye!" The kids smile.

"Thanks again Jean."

"Any time."

"Ok, I guess I should start dinner." Margaret smiles, "What should we have? Chicken or spaghetti?'

"Spaghetti!" Both kids smile.

"Sounds good." She says, trying to put her daughter down, but she would have none of that. She clung to her and began to cry, "Ok. Ok Kimberly, you can stay with me. Lets go cook." She says, as they walk into the kitchen. She sits Kimberly in her high chair and presents her with a cookie, that she happily eats and watches her mother. She was so glad to be home with her kids. They want to be with her the entire night and she loves it. Hawkeye comes home, and helps her with the kids, and plays with them before putting them to bed. Margaret reads both kids a story, and Hawkeye takes the baby. After 8:20, the night was theirs.

"So, come sit down and tell me everything that happened today. How was it?" He asks, as he pulls her down on the couch with him.

She leans up against him and he closes his arms around, "It was pretty good."

"Only pretty good?"

"They are good nurses, but they aren't use to discipline really. They don't seem to be taking to me as well as I'd like them too, but it's nothing that I haven't been through before. They look at me like I'm ready to snap at them at any second, and some seem to think that all I do is yell since I was a Major."

"Well, that's all you did do." He laughs, getting slapped.

"It will be fine I think." She smiles, fairly confident. "I think the one person that I am going to have the most trouble with is Sarah… Sarah Snyder. She seems to think of me as the enemy."

"Ah." Hawkeye says, "Well you just use your charm on them and you'll be fine."

"I'm sure." She laughs.

"You excited for tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I don't know how Kimberly will be though… today was fine, but tomorrow might be different. I think she's catching on. She wouldn't let me out of her sight when I came home."

"I'm sure she'll be fine."

"She'll get use to it I guess."

"She will." He smiles, kissing her cheek.

Margaret did the same routine for the rest of that week, and by the weekend Kimberly would not let her out of her sight. She wanted to be with her mommy or daddy at all times. Margaret loved all the attention that the kids are giving her. She played everything with them, and spent her entire free time with them.

"Mommy?"

"What?"

"When are you done working?"

"Not for about 15 weeks honey. Why?"

"Because I miss you." She says.

"I'm right here."

"But not all the time."

Margaret smiles, "I know, but it won't be too much longer and I am always going to be here on the weekends."

"Ok, good." She smiles, hugging her mom.

"I love you little girl."

"I love you too Mommy." She says.

Natalie loves spending time with only her mom or dad when her siblings are taking their naps. She really can get the one on one attention that she barely ever gets. That two hours is heaven for her and her parents.

The next two weeks, Margaret was getting testy. Kimberly cries every time Margaret leaves her, and it was getting to her, especially today. Margaret woke up and got her shower and was dressed before Kimberly woke up, but when she did, she cries every time Margaret puts her down. She couldn't even put her in her highchair with out her crying. Hawkeye comes down and picks her up smiling, "What's wrong Kimberly?" He asks as she lies her head on his shoulder, "Are you giving mommy a hard time? She needs to go to work, and you aren't helping her mood."

"Only another month and a half." Margaret says, beginning to count the days. She has been there for almost a month, and she dreaded going all because of a seven month. She felt awful for leaving her kids, especially when Kimberly would cry constantly for a few minutes before Margaret left. When she came back, Kimberly would cling.

"Are you hungry Kim? Do you want something to eat?" He asks, smiling. "I bet mommy wants to feed her little baby before she leaves." Hawkeye smiles, putting her down in her highchair.

She eats and even gives her mommy a smile. "Do you think we can keep the crying to a dull roar?" She asks, as the baby coo's.

"She'll be fine." Hawkeye says again, and kisses both of his girls, "I'll see you two later."

"Bye."

"Have a good day."

Jean comes and Kimberly doesn't cry, but she looks like she was about too. Margaret kisses the kids and heads to work, and when she got in there, she had a horrific day. She has been having difficulty with one of her nurses, a certain Sarah Snyder. She was a very outspoken young nurse, who had no desire to listen to anyone but herself. Margaret knew that she had to break her because she was not doing any of the patients any good. Today was the final straw with the woman and with Margaret's patients.

"Shields, I need to talk to you." Margaret says, walking out of her office.

"What now?" She asks rather snotty, standing in front of the former Major with her hand on her hips.

"I told you once to finish your charts before you leave the hospital! What do I find today in my in box… seven charts that YOU were suppose to do!"

"What's the difference if I do them now or later!"

"What was his blood pressure last night?" She asks, getting a blank stare, "What medications were administered at what time to Mrs. Kane?" Still a blank stare, "How about on Miss Heath? What did you do with her? How many stitches?"

"I can go count them now… and…"

"NO! You can't! You are irresponsible, incompetent, and you have no cares in the world do you? All you care about is yourself and getting home on time. Well you listen to me, I have three children under the age of 4 at home, and a husband. I still do not leave this hospital until my charts are done. If I'm late, then I'm late. I have NOT finished my job until the paperwork is complete, and I demand the same from you."

"Oh come on MAJOR." She says.

"Don't you COME ON Major me!" She shouts, drawing looks from the other nurses,

"This is your JOB! You have a responsibility to your patients! It isn't just a little mistake it is not writing down important information! Now, you either start staying until you are finished your charts or I am going to fire you."

"You don't have that power."

"You wanna bet sweetheart? You are twenty two, and have no idea what thinking about others is all about. You only care about yourself, and that is not what nursing is about. I guarantee you that I will fire you. I am in charge till March, and if you don't like it, well then you will be fired. SO I want you to shut up, figure out what you forgot and it best be correctly written, and you come see me when you are ready to check out from this point on and bring all your charts for the day because I will be checking them." Margaret fumes. "That is all, dismissed." She shouts and turns on her heals, storming past the other nurses and into her office. She slams the doors and hears the nurses talking outside of the room.

"She lost it!" Sarah says.

"You should have done your job." Cara says.

"This wasn't a problem with Lauren…"

"Well, she isn't Lauren. She's strict, and we have to deal with it for the next few weeks. It's not that big of a deal."

"She's a good nurse." Danielle says, "She's very caring with the patients."

"We work harder with her than with Lauren."

"And she is so damn perfect isn't she? She never makes a mistake…"

"I don't think she does… she seems almost perfect." Cara laughs. "Come on, lets do our rounds, and you better finish your charts up from yesterday."

Margaret was in a horrific mood from that point on, and when she was in a mood, no one better mess with her. The days went on and she still was irritated. She ignored most of her nurses, unless it was to yell at them or tell them that they had to do something. She made her duty roster and then nurses came to her to complain. Then one day she snapped at her nurse with good reason.

"Nurse Houlihan, I can't work this time."

"Why not?" She asks, not looking up from her paperwork.

"I have stuff to do that night, is it possible that you can switch me from this time to another?"

"You are to be working two nights a week, last week you couldn't work your nights because you said that your mother was up. The week before you couldn't work nights because you told me that your daughter was sick. This week you tell me that you can't work the night shift because you have stuff to do?"

"That's correct."

"I see a patter with this Petty, and I'm not fond of it."

"But…"

"No buts. Every nurse takes two night shifts a week, and the past three weeks, you have given the other nurses an extra night or two to work while you nicely get the morning shift!"

"I know that, but I really do have things to do."

"I have things to do too, and I am working one night a week along with my 5hr day shifts. I have three children and a husband who is a surgeon at home. I have to make sure that I spend time with my seven-month-old daughter so she doesn't scream every time I come home to hold her. I have my older two who expect my undivided attention at all times and a husband who I barely ever see for more than an hour. Now, what could be so important that you have to do that you couldn't work and do your job for once?" She says, basically shouting at her.

"Listen Margaret…"

"HOW DARE YOU!" She says.

"I'm not finished yet, I have a life outside of work. I don't' care if you don't but I do. You have three children and a husband, I have one child and a husband that I want to see. Wednesdays are my food shopping nights…"

"You are NOT switching your hours for food shopping Petty. You do what I do and have the babysitter or your husband do it, or here's an idea, how about you do it when you are not working nights?"

"Oh come on! It's only three weeks that I have needed off!"

"Well, three weeks in my eyes is a long time. I know that I won't give you off, and I highly doubt that your co-workers will want to work your shift AGAIN, and give up their day shift."

"If I can find someone to do it…"

"Then I'll be glad to give you off, however, you must make up the days that you have missed working nights for the next few weeks. Instead of working two night shifts, you will be working three."

"You can't do that!"

"I'm head nurse, I can do what ever I want, and I'm not doing this. It is up to you Gayle. You can either do two this week or four next week. I'm not going to make that decision for you." She smirks, as her phone rings, "If you don't mind we are done here." She says, turning her back on the young nurse, answering the phone, "Nurse Houlihan speaking." She says, as she hears her door slam.

"Hi."

She smiles when she hears his voice, "Hi yourself."

"You sound flustered."

"I just had an argument with one of my nurses."

"About what?" Hawkeye asks.

"About her not working another week of nights. This is the third week in a row. I am sick and tired of getting stuck with an extra night shift, and then having Kimberly cling to me all morning like I am abandoning her."

"It will all work out."

"Yeah I know it will, but still. I work my night shifts, and my weekend shifts. I only complain to you sometimes, and she should do the same. You deal with it. You are a nurse, you should be here for your shifts and not place all the time on the other's."

"I agree with you." He says, "But you only have a few more weeks with them, and then you can come home and be with the kids."

"I love working Hawk, I really do, I just miss them. I am so worried that I am just going to snap on one of the kids because of my stress level. I hate not being there to put them to bed." She says rubbing the stress from her eyes."

"I know you do." He replies. He knows how much nursing means to her, and how much the kids mean to her, but right now, the kids mean more and she wants to be with them at all times. "You'll be fine."

"I know I will… but if one more person comes up and tells me they need a night off, I am going to scream."

"I believe it." He laughs.

"How is your day?"

"It's going fine, but I am probably going to be stuck here till around ten."

Margaret sighs, "Ok."

"So, you are on your own for dinner and all. I'm sure the kids will be thrilled to have only mommy time."

"I'm sure."

"Well, I have to go. I'll talk to you later on tonight."

"Ok, call me if you are going to be later than ten, ok?"

"Right Major." He smiles.

"Smart ass."

"I'll call you later, love you."

"You too." She smiles, "Bye."

"Bye." And they hang up. Hawkeye laughs, as he walks out of his office and over to one of the other surgeons.

"What are you so happy about?" Steven asks.

"My wife."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she is driving the nurses up the wall and they are driving her up the wall. It is the MASH Unit all over again. She loves them and they love her, but heads clash more than anyone wants them too."

"When is she done?"

"Not till March, but it will come sooner than she thinks. Then she will miss nursing once again, and probably end up taking a temp position again." He laughs, "And then and only then will the vicious cycle continue."

"Your wife sure is something."

"She's something alright." He laughs.

"Hawk? You're on." Lewis smiles.

"Thanks." He rolls his eyes, going into scrub up.

Margaret was sitting in her office writing charts up again on a patient she just assisted with, when there was a knock on her door, "Come in." She says fairly gruff.

"Margaret?" Nick says coming in.

"Hi." She says, putting down her pen.

"I heard that you aren't allowing switching of hours?"

"No, I don't mind if they trade shifts once in a while, I do mind when the nurses decide they don't want to come in at nights and drop them on the nurses who are too nice to say no, they don't want to work night."

"Oh." He replies, smiling, "Well, that's different."

"So, right now, I gave Petty a choice, I said that she could either take off two nights this week or make them up next week, and include her already 2 nights a week. I expect nothing more from them than what I would do. I have three kids, and a husband, and I work nights sometimes. It's just the way it works out."

"I agree."

"Ok then, is that all?"

"That's it… except give Lorraine a call when you get a chance. She wants to see how you're doing back in the saddle again, so to speak."

"Ok, no problem." She smiles.

"See you in surgery in about a half an hour."

"Right." She smiles again. "I'll see you there."

"Right." He laughs and walks out of the room.

Margaret sighs, she was tired and moody and stressed. There was no saving her mood today. She was miserable, and hoped that her mood will be better when she got home. As soon as she saw her kids, her mood did change. They were so excited to see her.

"Mommy, I missed you." Natalie says, clinging to her.

"I missed you too sweetie, how was your day?"

"Good." She says.

"Good to hear."

"Are you done working yet?"

"Not yet honey." She sighs, "In March. Right before you turn 5."

"Ok, good." She says, not leaving her mommy's side.

The kids were completely thrown off by Margaret's working, and poor Kimberly has no idea why mommy isn't around as much. Hawkeye kept on ensuring her that the kids would be fine, but she still felt like she was abandoning them.

The next day was even worse than the day before. Kimberly, to start off the day, screaming from the time she got up unless Margaret was holding her. When she passes her off to Jean, the tears started again. Kimberly cries and cries, leaving Margaret feeling like the worse mom in the world. Zack didn't want her to go either. He spent most of the day trying to persuade Margaret to stay home, but unfortunately she couldn't stay home with them. Lastly, Natalie was almost in tears when she left. Natalie in tears isn't something that happens very often, and Margaret had made her daughter cry. She keeps telling herself that it is only for another month, but it was getting harder and harder. Margaret came to work expecting the worse and she got the worse. They are in the OR every second of the day it seems, and when they weren't, the nurses were on her case, trying to switch hours or ask questions. She was stressed to the max. When five o'clock came along, Margaret was still in the operating room, working on a case that just came in. She had one of the receptionists call the babysitter and tell her that Margaret would be coming home a bit late. Hawkeye would be home around five thirty, so the kids will be glad to see him. Margaret was stuck in the OR until 6:00, and then for thirty more minutes she fought with two of her nurses because they were sick and tired of Petty trading up hours.

"Margaret, you have to do something about her." Nurse Casey says.

"I assure you I will."

"No, we aren't kidding." Nurse Patton says, "She has not been working her nights for about three or four weeks."

"Well what did your other head nurse do?"

"Nothing, that's the problem. We all work our night shifts and I don't understand why she cant!" Casey says, again.

Margaret glances at the clock, "You know what, I will do something about her. Tomorrow, if she calls out of her night shift, she's fired."

"Thank you!" Both nurses say. No one really likes Petty because she was not trustworthy.

Margaret quickly clocked out and practically ran to her car. She was furious and didn't think that going home would be any better. When she got home, the house was a disaster. The kids were crying, Hawkeye was yelling at one of them for breaking something, and the dishes weren't done.

"Mommy!" Zack says, running to her in tears.

"What happened?"

"It broke!" He says, showing her the window.

"Oh my god." She says, pinching the bridge of her nose, "How?"

"Ball."

"A ball! You threw a ball through the window!" She says, beginning to lose her patients again. "What were you thinking!"

"I paying." He says.

"Jesus Zachary!" She says, putting him down on the ground, "Go sit down on the steps. Go now!" She says. He races over to the steps crying, and she goes to find Hawkeye.

"Let me see your hand Natalie." He says, to the crying four year old.

"What happened?"

"The glass broke, she fell and the glass cut her hand."

"Both kids did it?"

"No, it was Zack. He got mad, threw a hard ball, broke the window, and Natalie just happened to be there." He says, as he pulls a shard of glass out of her hand.

"Does she need stitches?"

"No, I don't think so." He says, washing the cut out. "It was only one little piece of glass."

"Daddy it hurts." She says, crying as he washes.

"I know honey. We're almost done."

"It hurts!" She says, "Stop daddy."

"Hold still Natalie, I have to check it out again." He says, taking a flashlight and looking at the cut, "Ok." He says, grabbing a big Band-Aid and placing it on the child's hand. "Alright." He says, picking her up and hugging her, "You're all done."

"Mommy, it hurts." She says, holding out her hand.

"I see that." She says, taking the girl, hugging her, "Where's Kimberly?"

"In her playpen. Where's the boy?"

"On the steps." She groans, "I'll find out what I have to do with him."

"I'll take care of him." He says, as she sits down with her daughter.

"You're ok Nat."

"It hurts. Zack being bad."

"I know." She groans at the terrible two phase he was going through. "Are you ok?"

"Yes." She sniffs.

"Ok, let me go see your sister."

"Ok." She says, getting off her mom.

Hawkeye was busy dealing with Zachary, talking in a very firm but patient voice. The boy was crying but Hawkeye didn't care. After he got off of the steps, Zack was happy as can be, all smiles. Kimberly cried every time Margaret didn't pay full attention to her.

The night was sheer hell. Kimberly bawled when she was put down in the crib, and Margaret wasn't in the mood to rock with her for an hour to try and get her down, but she did it anyway. Kimberly sat in her lap looking up at her, clinging to her shirt. "You need to go to sleep Kimberly. I need sleep tonight too."

"Jean says that she's been fussy all day. I think she's cutting another tooth." Hawkeye calls from the doorway.

"Great." Margaret says, groaning, "Just what we need, a night of fevers and no sleep."

"I'll get her tonight if she wakes up."

"No, you're actually doing the cutting… I'm just assisting. I'll get up with her."

"If you want too." He says, kissing her cheek. "Oh, and my dad is going to take the kids tomorrow. Jean can't come, she has a pre-natal care appointment."

"Is he ok with that?"

"Yes, he's fine. He didn't have any patients today anyway."

"Ok." She says, sighing, as Kimberly let out a cry. "Oh stop it Kimberly." She groans.

"Just go to sleep honey." Kimberly fell asleep at around eight, just in time for Margaret to be able to put the kids to bed.

"Mommy…" Natalie asks.

"What honey?"

"If we are sick would you stay home?"

"I'd try too, but I don't know if I could or not honey."

"Why?"

"Because I have a very important job at the hospital. It's just like daddy's, because when you kids are sick, he can't stay home that much either."

"Oh." She says, hugging her mom.

"But don't worry, in March, I'll be home with you all the time ok?"

"Ok mommy." She smiles, "I love you."

"I love you too." She says, kissing her, "Good night."

"Night Mommy." She says, and closes her eyes, as Margaret closes the door.

"Now, the boy." She says, walking into Zack's room, "Night buddy." She smiles.

"Night night." He yawns. Margaret bends down and kisses him. "Mommy, sit." He says.

"Sit? But it's late."

"Mommy stay." He says.

"Ok, scoot over." She smiles. It wasn't very often that he wanted her to cuddle with him so she was open to it tonight, "You have to go to sleep buddy. Mommy needs sleep too." She says. He yawns and curls up against her. Margaret strokes his soft blonde hair, and gives him a kiss on the cheek. He quickly lost the battle to sleep. Margaret carefully moves out of his grip and goes into her room, "I'm taking a shower." She groans. She was too stressed out and needed something to relax.

"Enjoy it." Hawkeye smiles.

"I plan on it." She groans. She turns on the hot water and steps under the stream, slowly allowing her body to unwind. She stood there for what seems to be an eternity, but it was only about thirty minutes. When she came out she was still pretty tense. Hawkeye was sitting on their bed, reading over a medical journal. "What are you reading?"

"Medical Journal." He says, putting it down, "How do you feel?"

"Horrible." She says, pulling on her pajamas.

"What went on today that made it so horrible?"

"The shorter answer would be what didn't occur." She says, rubbing the back of her neck.

He replaces his hands on her neck and rubs her shoulders, "Come on, what happened?"

"I was in OR all day, the longest stretch since Korea… and we had about ten different operations. I had my nurses coming to me, telling me it wasn't fair that Petty gets to take off when ever the hell she wants. Then I am called into the OR again because of Petty not coming in for her shift. I come home, the house is a mess, the kids are crying, there is a broken window because my two year old had a tantrum. My seven month old is screaming, my four year old is bleeding. Then I have to get my kids to sleep, the baby doesn't want to be put in her crib, my son wanted me in bed with him, and my daughter is asking me if she gets sick or if one of them are sick will I stay home, and I have to tell her no."

"Sounds like a great day, and now we can go to bed and forget about it."

"Until Kim wakes up screaming because of her teeth." She groans. "I'm just so tired."

"I know…"

"I miss the kids, I miss you…"

"I know."

"I love working Hawk, I really do, but when I'm there all I think about is the kids and you. Its stressing me out, and I feel like I'm going to snap."

"You won't."

"I know, but I feel like it."

"It will be over soon."

"You keep saying that…"

"Then you'll be angry because you aren't nursing again."

She laughs, "I know."

"Lets get some sleep." He says, noticing how tired she is, and it was only eleven.

"Good idea." She says, turning off the light by the bed.

At 2:45, Kimberly wakes up screaming. Margaret called it earlier, and she was not happy about it. She knew that the baby was hurting with her teeth, so she got up and went into the bedroom, picking up the screaming child and brings her downstairs, "Alright Kimberly, I know, you hate your teeth coming in, but daddy tells you that you'll get to eat all the food that your brother and sister eat, and he is right. You'll soon be able to eat good stuff, and not this baby food." She says, grabbing a frozen teething ring for her to chew on, "But now, I'm really tired honey, and I known that you will be waking me up again soon won't you? You'll fall asleep and then wake up screaming again. My patients aren't very good these days, and I'm sorry about it, but I don't think I can handle another screaming fit of yours so if you don't mind, could we keep the crying to only once today? What do you think?" She asks, as her daughter closes her eyes. "I hope so. You don't really have a fever now, so maybe I'll get away with you only crying once."
She takes her back upstairs, laying her down in her crib and goes back to bed.

"Is she ok?"

"Fine for now."

"Ok." Hawkeye says, "What time is it?"

"3:30."

"Damn."

"I know."

"Go back to sleep." He says, taking her in his arms. She sighs and he gives her a quick kiss before falling back asleep.

Sometime during Margaret's shower, Kimberly woke up. It was 5:30, a half an hour before she usually wakes up. She was screaming bloody murder, so Hawkeye got up with her. Hawkeye and she trades and Margaret tries to get dressed with a screaming baby, which wasn't going too well.

"Kimberly, shh." She says, as she puts her on the bed so she can pull on a pair of pants and her shirt. "I have so much to do right now… and Grandpop will be here soon to take care of you. He'll make you feel all better."

She walks downstairs with the baby, absolutely exhausted, and feeds her. She was happier after eating, but still not 100. Margaret makes coffee and drinks it quickly, kissing Hawkeye before he leaves, and then tries to finish up her own breakfast before her father-in-law comes. At 6:45, Natalie comes downstairs.

"Mommy…" She says, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Good morning honey." She smiles.

"My tummy hurts." She says, as Margaret hugs her.

Margaret clenches her fists, she knew that she would do this today after the conversation she had last night with her. "Honey, I'm sorry, but Grandpop will be over, and he will take care of you."

"No mommy, it hurts bad, and I want you to."

"You know I can't Natalie, I have to go to work. We talked about this last night."

"Mommy, I want you to stay home."

"Come eat breakfast, and you'll feel better." She says, beginning to lose her patients with the four year old.

"I'm not hungry." She says, holding onto her leg.

"Natalie… I want you to stop this. You were fine last night, and you know that I can't stay home because you aren't feeling well!"

"Mommy…" she says.

Margaret puts a hand on her forehead, "No fever. You will be fine."

"But!" She begins.

"I don't want to hear it any more Natalie, now sit your butt down at the table and eat your breakfast." She says, firm. Natalie sulks over to the table and sits, "You can sulk all you want Nat, but I'm not going to be able to stay home."

Kimberly realizes that her gums still hurt and starts bawling again, Margaret picks her up and says, "Where is your grandfather? Natalie, eat your breakfast!"

"Good morning!" Dan calls as he walks into the house.

"Thank god." She says, passing Kimberly to him, "Her teeth are bothering her, and she is probably still exhausted because she made a red-eye appearance."
"Ok." He says, kissing his daughter-in-law, "You look flustered."

"I am…"

"Mommy!" Natalie says, walking over to her in the kitchen, "My tummy really hurts."

"Natalie… enough!" She says, raising her voice.

"Is she sick?"

"Doubtful, yesterday she was asking me how to keep me home for the day. I think she's just testing me."

"Fever?"

"Not even a small one." She says, "I have to go back upstairs for a second, and finish my makeup before I leave."

"Alright, I'll hold the fort down." He says, noticing how stressed his daughter-in-law was. He felt horrible for her, and wanted to do anything and everything he could to keep her stress free. "Alright girls, lets finish up breakfast." He says, watching Natalie eat. He was beginning to think that she really was fine, that she just wants Margaret.
She comes back five minutes later, and says, "Ok, I'm off. I'll try and be back early, but I don't know what is going to happen with the one nurse of mine." She groans. "I may have to fire someone."

"No problem." He says, kissing her, "I'll see you when you get here."

"Ok, Natalie, I'll see you later ok?"

"Mommy…"

"I don't want to hear it Natalie, now give me a hug." She says, as she comes over to her and hugs her. Margaret puts her down and kisses the baby. "Be good girls." She says.

"Mommy…" Natalie says, hugging her again.

"I'll see you tonight Nat." She says, as she picks her up for another hug.

"Stay home." She says.

"Enough Natalie!" She shouts, placing her down on the floor. The next thing she knew her daughter begins throwing up all over her shirt, pants, shoes, everywhere, "Dammit!" She says, as Dan pushes a trashcan at her. Margaret holds her head in the trash until she was finished, "You have got to be kidding me." She groans, looking down at her clothing, and up to the clock. "You're ok." She says, quickly becoming compassionate with her daughter. She was already going to be late, she might as well change her attitude for the time being. She looks at Dan, shaking her head. She wasn't thinking about herself right now, she was thinking about how she could get her daughter cleaned up, herself cleaned up, her kitchen cleaned up and still get to the hospital on time. "You feel better?" She asks, when her daughter looks up at her. Natalie just nods, "Ok. Come on." She says, as she pulls her nightgown over her head, and kicks it into the laundry room. She does the same with her lab coat.

"Margaret, I'll get her cleaned up, you get yourself cleaned up and head to work."

She looks at her father-in-law, "Thank you." She says, and pulls her shoes off, walks upstairs, "You have got to be kidding me." She groans, as she quickly changes her clothing. Margaret can't even focus right now, she was so beside herself she couldn't think. She hears her father-in-law talking to her daughter, as she calls the hospital to tell them that she is going to be late. She balls up her clothing and brings it downstairs, before coming back up and checking on her daughter. She was lying on her bed, watching her grandfather walk out of the room.

"Mommy…" Natalie says.

She looks at her daughter and sits on the edge of her bed, "Are you ok?"

"No." She says, starting to cry. Margaret sits her on her lap and hugs her, "Stay with me." She begs.

"I wish I could honey, but I can't. Grandpop will take good care of you though." She says, kissing her cheek.

"No mommy…"

She looks at the clock, "I'll call and see how you are in a little while ok?" She smiles, kissing her forehead.

"Stay… please mommy!"

Margaret stands up, and covers her up, "You get some rest ok? When Grandpop is done with cleaning up the kitchen you can come back downstairs. I love you."

"Love you." She says beginning to cry.

Margaret walks out of her room and down to the kitchen, "Thanks dad."

"No problem. You better get to work honey."

"I'm going." She says, sighing. She kisses him, and goes to check on Kimberly who was happily playing in her play pen for the time being. She was chewing on a cold teething ring so she was fine. Zachary was still sleeping. She leaves the house at 7:45, and drives to the hospital. She feels horrible for the way she talked to Natalie, and it was driving her crazy inside. She ended up calling Hawkeye at 10:00 and practically crying on the phone to him as soon as she got there.

"Hi, can I talk to Dr. Pierce please?" She asks.

"Sure, one second please."

"Pierce speaking." The voice calls after a few minutes.

"Hi, it's me."

"Hi." He says, hearing the tone of her voice, "Are you alright?"

She sighs, "Natalie's sick."

"With what?" He asks. "She was fine last night."

"I know… I know she was, and I feel awful."

"Why?"

"I yelled at her Hawk. She came downstairs and she told me that her stomach hurt and I practically called her a liar and told her that I didn't want to hear any more. I felt her forehead, and she didn't have a fever, and yesterday she was talking about ways I would stay home with her. I didn't know she really felt sick, if I did I would have never told her to stop or I wouldn't have told her to eat, and I would have been more compa…"

"Margaret, Margaret, take a breath. You had every reason in the world to not believe her. She'll be fine."

"Her face when I left was crushed. She looks so sick Hawk… and you and I are both working. Your father is taking care of her, and when I left she cried, and wouldn't let me up, and what the hell kind of a parent am I Hawkeye! I mean, I yelled at her! I told her she was a liar! And then she begged me to stay, told me that her stomach hurt for the seventh time, and threw up all over me. I was covered!"

"You couldn't have known Margaret… and she won't hate you, she'll probably forget as soon as you come home and she sees you." He says, grimacing at the picture. Normally he would have made a comment abut not needing the visual, but he thought this wasn't the right time.

"I doubt it…"

"Margaret, she's four. You'll be home by five, she'll be done throwing up, and you'll be there to take care of her again."

"I wish one of us were there for her."

"Do you want me to go home?"

"No, you are busy, you can't."

"Margaret, I'll take off, I don't mind. I'll send the two kids with my father and we'll stay home."

"Hawk…"

"I'm calling out, I'll see you when you get home ok?"

She breaths a sigh of relief, "Ok. I wish it was me."

"Do you want to go home instead?" He asks.

"I can't, I'm two nurses short, Petty called out, and she'll be fired come tomorrow, and Lacy isn't in either… god. I hate this Hawk."

"She's fine Margaret, she has a touch of something, don't worry too much ok?"

"You'll call me right?"

"I will."

"Alright, I'll try and get home as soon as I'm out… hopefully earlier.

"I'll talk to you when you get home."

"Ok, bye."

"Bye." He says, hanging up. "Hey, Nate, I'm going to have to get home."

"Why?" He asks.

"My daughter's sick and my wife's working. My fathers with her, but Margaret's is feeling guilty. She practically called Natalie a liar when she said her stomach hurt, and she ended up throwing up."

"Right, that's fine. I'll cover for you."

"Thanks. I owe you one." He says, as he grabs his jacket and does his final rounds of the day and is home by 9:30. "Hello?" He calls.

"Hi." Dan smiles at his son. He was busy playing with his youngest granddaughter, "You're home early."

"Margaret called me, how's Natalie?"

"She's sleeping upstairs now. She's been throwing up almost every hours."

"Margaret was feeling horrible about leaving her."

"She shouldn't. She has to work…"

"But it's Margaret."

"True." He smiles.

"How are you Kimberly?" He asks, kissing her. She smiles and reaches for him as he takes her, "Are you having fun with Grandpop? How's that teething ring? Is it cool?" She smiles at him and lies her head against his shoulder.

"Are you done for the day?"

"I am."

"Do you want me to take the kids over to my house so you can tend to Natalie?"

"You read my mind. Zack! Come up here pal!" He says, as he hears his son running as fast as he could into the family room.

"Daddy!" He says, jumping into his arms.

"You are going to go with Kimberly and Grandpop over to Grandpop's house."

"Nattie sick."

"I know she is, and I'm going to take care of her ok?"

"Ok." He smiles.

"Good, go get your shoes on."

He runs and brings his grandfather his shoes and Hawkeye gets Kimberly ready, "Alright Kimmy, you are all ready." He smiles, "I think you are. I'll miss you today honey." He says, kissing her cheek and sending her with her grandfather, "Thanks Dad."

"No problem." He says, "I'll see you later."

"You bet. I'll pick them up when Margaret comes home."

"How about pick them up after dinner. Anna will love to have them."

"Ok." He laughs, "See you around six then."

"Right Hawk. Bye."

"Bye dad, bye kids be good."

"Ok daddy!" Zack says hugging him goodbye.

Hawkeye goes upstairs and checks in on Natalie, before heading back downstairs. At ten, she comes downstairs, rubbing her eyes, "Daddy!" She says as excited as she could muster.

"Hi there princess. I hear you aren't' feeling too well."

"No." She pouts, climbing up on the couch with him. He takes her in his arms and hugs her, "I throwed up."

"Mommy told me."

"Mommy's mad." She pouts.

"She's mad? Why is she mad?"

"'cause." She says, leaning against his chest, "I throwed up."

"Mommy isn't mad at you honey. Mommy is worried about you."

"Mommy is mad. She wont stay home."

Hawkeye sighs, "Mommy has to work. All her nurses aren't there today, and Mommy couldn't get out of working."

"She's mad."

Hawkeye sighs, "How does your tummy feel?"

"Bad." She pouts.

"You lay here." He says standing up, getting the little bucket for her incase she gets sick again.

"Daddy, I want mommy here too." She says.

"I know honey, but she will be home tonight ok?"

"Kay."

"Maybe even earlier." He smiles.

"She mad."

"Natalie… listen to me… mommy is not mad, she is sad that you are sick, and she wants to be here but she can't right now." He says, kissing her forehead. "She misses you."

"I miss her." She sighs.

"Well, it's you and me today kiddo. Let's relax and watch some TV ok?"

"Ok."

"And, do me a favor and not throw up on mommy's rug ok?"

"Ok." She sighs, leaning against him.

At noon he calls Margaret to let her know what was happening. She informed him that she would be home in about an hour, and he was glad. She needed to be with Natalie and Natalie needed her too. She was miserable the entire day, when she wasn't throwing up she was scared her mommy was mad. Hawkeye was glad when Margaret's car pulled up. Natalie was sleeping and when Margaret came in she was looking quite stressed.

"Hi." He says, smiling.

"Hi." She says, "How is she?"

"Fine."

"Has she been throwing up?"

"Yes, but I think she'll be fine in a bit."

"Where is she?"

"Sleeping."

"Where are the other two?"

"Dad's." He says, as she sits next to him. "How are you?"

"I'm doing fine." She sighs. "Has she kept anything down?"

"Not yet. So you'll have plenty of more vomits to come." He smiles.

"Wonderful." She says sarcastically. "She's ok though?"

"Margaret… she has a stomach bug. It's going around. Its not going to kill her."

"I know that." She growls at her husband.

"Relax." He says, "Do you want something to eat?"

"Yes."

At two, Natalie wakes up, calling for Hawkeye, but was pleasantly surprised when her mommy came up, "Mommy." She says.

"Hi Princess, how are you?"

"Sick." She pouts. "Mommy, are you mad at me?"

"What!" She says, shocked at her daughter's question.

"Are you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"Cause… I threw up."

"Honey, I'm not mad at you. I was worried about you. I don't like it when my kids are sick, and I really don't like it when I have to work while you are sick. I was upset that I had to leave you with Grandpop today."

"You're not mad?"

"No honey, I'm not mad at all. Are you feeling better yet?"

"No." She says, as Margaret sits her on her lap, hugging her. "Will you stay?"

"I'll stay with you."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"No more working?"

"Not today, but tomorrow I have to go back to work."

"Oh." She says.

Natalie was never this open with her feelings, but since she was sick, she thought about everything, and asked a lot of questions. Margaret was relieved to be home with her, and didn't want to leave her again today. She knows that tomorrow she will feel better and all of this will be a glimpse of the past in her mind. She just hopes that none of the other kids will end up with it.

She feels better the next day which makes Margaret going back to the hospital, feel a lot better. She was now counting the days down, and finally it was March 11th, her last day. She was thrilled. She came home with a huge smile on her face.

"Mommy?"

"What Natalie?"

"Are you done working now!"

"I am."

"Till when?"

"I am not working again for a long time." She smiles.

"Good! I missed you."

"I missed you three too." She smiles.

Margaret was a lot happier back at home, which made living with her a lot more bearable. Hawkeye has been working a lot. The medical conference that him and BJ were suppose to attend fell through because Hawkeye couldn't get off for it. He was short a doctor and also ones were on vacation it seems like every week, but soon it would be his turn. In June they were heading out to Hanibal for a HUGE reunion. Kimberly would be almost one, and that would make the trip a bit easier. She was in a stage now that mommy and daddy were tops in her book. If they were around, then she was happy, but if they weren't… that was a different story. She was quite shy around people she never met before, which would prove to be quite interesting when they are around all new people, to the children.

"Mommy?"

"What Zack?" She says, cleaning the dishes.

"When we going to Grandpa Potters?"

"In a week." She smiles down at her son.

"Yay!" He smiles. "Daddy going?"

"He is."

"Good! I miss him."

"He misses you too."

"You miss him?"

"I do, very much."

Hawkeye has been busy working a lot of days and nights. They had a doctor on vacation and one who could only work in the mornings this month. The kids were lucky if they saw him twice a week.

"Mommy?"

"Whatty?"

"Can we go see daddy?"

"Not today. He is very busy. He should be home tomorrow though. "She smiles.

"Really?"

"He is hoping too."

"I want him to come home now."

"I know you do, but he has to work."

"He has to come home."

Margaret smiles. Both of her girls were daddy's girls and she loved it. Watching the kids with him was amazing. The kids have him wrapped around their little finger. However, when he raises his voice, the kids know that he means business. "How about this Natalie… tomorrow, daddy is coming home late, but if you are good, you can stay up till 9:30. He should be home by then."

"Yeah!" She says with enthusiasm and a smile on her face, before frowning, "Mommy?"

"What?"

"Can we call daddy later?"

"I think we can." She smiles. "We'll call him in a little bit."

"Kay."

Hawkeye was having a pretty horrid night. They were very busy, but he was never too busy for a phone call from his family. He answered his phone at 7:30 and smiles at the voice.

"Hi daddy."

"Hi Natalie, how are you?"

"Good. How are you?"

"I'm doing great now." He smiles, sitting back in his chair, "Are you having a good night?"

"Yup!"

"Are you helping mommy?"

"I am! We have to pack soon!"

"Yes, we do. We have a busy few days coming up kiddo."

"A busy two weeks." She says.

He laughs, "A busy two weeks."

"Daddy…" She says, her voice becoming serious.

"Yes?"

"What time you coming home?"

"Tomorrow late."

"I am going to stay up."

"You are?"

"Yup."

"Did mommy say?"

"Yes, because I want to see you."

"I want to see you too."

"Mommy wants you."

"Ok. I'll talk to you soon!"

"Ok daddy I love you."

"I love you too."

"Night daddy."

"Night Nattie."

"Hi." Margaret's voice flows over the receiver.

"Hi yourself."

"How are you?"

"Oh just swell, yourself?"

"Fine."

"That's good. I'm glad you called… I needed a pick me up."

"Are you definitely home tomorrow?"

"I should be."

"Good."

"Miss me?"

"Of course I do, what kind of a question is that?" She asks.

"Just checking. How are the other two doing?"

"They are fine. Kimberly is all over the place crawling, almost walking… and Zack, well, I think he is ready to head out to Missouri."

"Well… like father like son, and I can't wait to get there too."

"I am looking forward to it too."

"It will be nice seeing everyone. It's been a while."

"Yeah, it has."

"Well, listen, I have to get Kimberly to bed, she's clawing at my leg to be picked up."

"Wow, it's later then I thought." He says, looking at the clock on his wall, "That's fine. I'll talk to you later. Give the kids a kiss for me."

Right." She smiles. "I love you."

"You too." He grins, "See you tomorrow."

"Bye."

"Night."

They hang up, and Margaret looks down at the baby who was pulling up on her, "Are you going to start walking soon Kim? Hmm? You look like you are. You're ten months! Your sister and brother began walking around this time." She smiles.

"MAMAMA!" Kimberly calls, holding onto her trying to get her to pick her up.

"What?" She plays.

"MAMAMA!" She says, again as she pulls on her mother's pants.

"Do you want me to pick you up? Is that what you want?" She says as her daughter falls on her butt, smiling at her, before pulling herself up again, "I think you are almost ready to go to bed aren't you Angel?" She says, picking her daughter up. She lies her head against her mommy's neck and coos. "Natalie?"

"What?"

"GO get ready for bed honey."

"Zack too?"

"Zack too." She smiles.

Natalie grabs her brother from the basement and the five and almost three year old run upstairs. Margaret always has the kids things laid out on their beds, so they can easily dress themselves. Zack still needs some help, so on her way up to dress Kimberly, she stops into Zack's room, "How you doing buddy?" She asks, placing Kimberly on the ground, "Do you need help?"

"Yes please." He smiles, holding his shirt out to her. She smiles and pulls it over his head, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She smiles, picking Kimberly back up, "Alright, now it's your turn." She smiles. "You are so easy…" She says as her daughter smiles up at her. "You are getting tired aren't you? I bet you are. It's a bit past your bedtime. Daddy misses you."

"Dadadada." She smiles.

"That's right, dadadada." Margaret laughs. "He misses you soooooo much." She says in a playful voice for the baby who just giggles, "Ok… you are alllll ready for bed." She smiles, kissing her cheek, "I'll see you tomorrow morning honey."

She lays the baby down in her crib and she falls right to sleep. Margaret watches her for a few minutes before going into the living room and getting the kids a snack before bed. She talks to them for a little while and then puts them to bed. For the seventh night this week, a full week, she sits alone downstairs, first cleaning, then resting, and lastly she goes to bed, alone. She truly hates sleeping alone. She is spoiled most of the days, and hates sleeping alone, in the king size bed, when her husband is working. She sighs, and turns off the light, sleeping straight though the night till seven when her daughter wakes up. The older kids sleep till 7:30, but Kimberly was 7:00 on the dot, most days, 6:30 others.

The kids and Margaret go out to the store to buy some clothing, and then go to the playground. After that, they come home eat dinner and Kimberly goes to bed. Margaret lets the two kids stay up and wait for Hawkeye. At 9:30, he comes through the door, and the kid were all over him. They miss him so much when he works, and he misses them. His car pulls into the garage, and both kids jump up from the books they were reading,

"DADDY's HOME!" Natalie shouts.

"Natalie!" Margaret scolds, "Kimberly is sleeping, you must be quiet."

"Ok." Natalie says smiling, "DADDY!" She says, jumping into his arms.

"Hi honey." He says, picking her up, hugging her, "I've missed you Princess."

"Missed you too."

"I missed you too." He plays.

"Daddy, you said I miss you first then I said it."

"I know, then I said it again." He laughs, kissing her cheek, before placing her on the floor and picking his jumping son up, "Hey buddy."

"Hi daddy." He smiles, kissing and hugging him. "Did you miss me?"

Hawkeye laughs, "I did. Did you miss me?"

"A little." He jokes, as he gets tickled and hung upside down, "Daddy! Put me down!"

"Where's mommy?"

"Down!" He squeals.

"Down? Mommy is down!"

"No! Put me down!"

"Tell me where mommy is first." He jokes with his son.

"IN there."

"IN where?"

"Daddy!"

"In where?"

"There."

"Oh… there." He says, placing his son down on his hands, flipping over the laughing child. "I'm going to go see mommy." He tells his two kids as they follow him into the family room. "Hi."

"Hi yourself." She smiles, getting a kiss, "Now, who are you? You somehow look familiar, but I'm not sure… you look like someone who I knew about a week ago."

"No, I buried him." He winks, and sits next to her, as the kids pile onto his lap. "What are you two doing up still?"

"I missed you." Natalie smiles.

"Me too!"

"Well, I missed you two too. But… it's almost ten, and I think it's time for you two to go to bed."

"Will you come with me?" Natalie asks.

"I would love too."

"Me too daddy!"

"You bet buddy. Say good night to mommy."

"Night mommy." Natalie smiles kissing her mom, Zack saying and doing the same. He always says or does the same as Natalie now a days it seems.

"Night kids." She smiles, letting Hawkeye put them to bed. He'd tell them a story or read them one and then they'd be happy with daddy time and go to sleep, which would be the time he comes down and spends the rest of the night with her. She was looking forward just being with him. They don't even need to talk as long as they are together that is all that matters. They talked a bit, Margaret showed him what she got the kids for the reunion, he approves like normal, and they head up to bed. Margaret was so glad to have him back and her being able to sleep in his arms again. A week away from him was too long.

Two days before they were ready to leave for Missouri, Hawkeye came home rather annoyed, and walks up to Margaret, "I have to work Thursday."

"You WHAT!" She shouts at him.

"I have to work on Thursday."

"We leave on Thursday, are you kidding me!"

"No… Marcus is going to be out at a conference till Thursday night, and no one else could cover."

"Unbelievable Pierce… Un-Fucking-Believable!" She shouts at him, "I can't believe you! We have plane tickets for 7:00 AM!"

"You can still go, I am just going to have to meet you there…"

"So you expect me to fly with three kids out to Missouri, rent a car, drive to the hotel, and lastly go to Potters? Hawkeye, Kimberly is only 10 months… Zack 2, and Natalie 5. How do you expect me to do this alone!"

"I don't…"

"You don't?"

"No."

"So then what are you saying? Are we not going?"

"NO! NO NO NO! We are going. I just was thinking that I could take the kids with me, or I could take one or two of them when I leave."

"What?"

"I would be leaving on the 2:00 flight, so why don't you let me take Kimberly and you take the older two?"

"That could work… but I don't know if the older two would approve."

"Well then, I'll take the older two and you take the baby."

"Why don't we see which of the older ones wants to go with you? You don't need both kids on you during the trip down, especially after working."

"Well, I have to go into the hospital at 7:30, so I'll drive you guys over to the airport and then I'll head to work. My dad can take whichever kid wants to come with me."

"Why don't we ask Nat first."

"Ok." He says, "Natalie!" He calls as his five year old runs into the next room.

"What?"

"I have a question to ask you."

"What mommy?"

"Well, daddy has to work on Thursday."

"You cant come!" she asks, quite alarmed at the situation.

"No no, honey I'm going." He smiles, picking her up and setting her on his lap, "I just have to take a later flight."

"And, we were wondering if you wanted to wait with daddy and come on the plane with him."

"Will we see Grandpa Potter that day?"

"Oh yes honey, you will just be there a bit later. Mommy and the younger kids will go and get the hotel all set up and you and daddy will come right over for the picinic."

"Oh! That's a good idea! Just me and daddy flying out!"

"Just you and me." He laughs. "Except, in the morning you and Grandpop will be spending the day together."

"Can I go to work with you?"

Hawkeye things for a moment, "Sure, I don't see why not."

"YAY! Then we can go to the airport right away!"

"You got that right." He smiles.

Natalie always likes going to the hospital. She loves going around with her dad on rounds, and having her there really cheers up a lot of the patients, especially the younger ones. Hawkeye always says that she would be a doctor when she grows up, and he still sticks to that.

Thursday came, and Hawkeye and Natalie brought the three to the airport, gave them a kiss and told them that they would see them in a few hours. They were expecting to arrive at around 6:30pm Missouri time, and would take a cab right on over to the house. After dropping off the trio, Hawkeye and Natalie go to the hospital.

"Good morning Dr. Pierce." Joyce smiles, and looks down at Natalie, "And Miss Pierce." She grins, winking at the girl."

"Hi!" Natalie says with excitement, as she held onto her fathers hand.

"Hi! Are you helping out today?"

"Yup! I am going to help out daddy, and then we are going to see my Grandpa Potter!"

"That sounds wonderful!"

"It is. And we get to stay there for a whole week!"

"Wow, wonderful. I think your daddy will like to have the extra help."

Hawkeye laughs, "Today, I'll take anything. Come on Nattie."

"Daddy, what are we going to do first?"

"We are going to go make our rounds and then I have to go into surgery, and you can stay in my office and watch some TV."

"Ok! Who are we going to see?"

"Mrs. Cutler first."

"Lets go!" She smiles.

Normally, children weren't allowed on the surgical floor, but they made an exception for their Chief Surgeon's kids. They didn't get in the way, and listened very well, so she was able to get away with walking around with Hawkeye during the day.

"Alright, you know the rules."

"Yup!" She smiles, as she follows him into the first room.

"Good morning Mrs. Cutler."

"Good morning Dr. Pierce."

"Good morning." Natalie says repeating her father.

"Well hello young lady, who are you?"

"Natalie." She says very polite.

"Well Natalie, you look just like your daddy. Are you helping him today?"

"I am!" She smiles.

"Well it's nice to meet you."

"Are you feeling better?"

"Your daddy fixed me up yesterday morning, so, yes, I am."

"I'm glad." Natalie smiles. She keeps talking, standing away from the patient at a comfortable distance until her father took over the talking and they went to another room.

"Natalie, this little girl had her appendix out last night. She is your age. Maybe you can keep her company when I am going into surgery." He says, looking at the nurse who was next to the child, and nodded. "Kate over there will be glad to watch you."

"Ok daddy." She smiles at him.

At 9:00, Hawkeye is called into surgery, so he turns on the TV for Natalie, and tells her to stay put, and he heads into three hours of surgery. By the time he is out, it was 12:30, and they had to leave right away. He goes into his office and doesn't see Natalie, "Gayle, where's Nat?"

"With the appendix girl, Katherine and her mom playing cards or doing some sort of kids stuff."

"Right. Thanks." He smiles, and goes into the room holding the child. "Natalie…"

"Hi daddy!"

"Hi." He smiles, "Are you ready to go to Missouri?"

"Yeah!" She smiles, before turning to her new friend, "We are going to see my Grandma and Grandpa Potter for a WHOLE WEEK!"

"You are very lucky." The girls mother smiles.

Hawkeye checks Katherine over quickly, and smiles, "Looks like we will shoot for tomorrow for letting you out. How does that sound?"

"Good." Katherine says.

"So, when I get back here, I expect you to be home and almost ready to run around again, ok?"

"Ok."

"And we'll set up an appointment for next week sometime, just to check out her progress." Hawkeye says, speaking to her mother.

"Right. Thanks a lot Dr. Pierce."

"Any time." He smiles, "Let's get moving Nattie."

"Ok!" She runs to her dad's office, and then they head out to the car, and drive over to Hawkeye's house where his father was waiting. Hawkeye's taking most of the bags with him. It would be hard enough to get two kids under the age of four to the hotel minus the luggage. He has their LARGE suitcase. It was so large all the kids could fit in it, close the lid and have about an hour of air. Hawkeye even threatened that he would be keeping the kids in the suitcase if they didn't behave. Dan drives them to the airport and they say their goodbyes and Natalie and Hawkeye board the plane.

"Daddy?" Natalie asks, sitting by the window.

"What?"

"Did mommy get there yet?"

Hawk looks at his watch, "No, but she will be there soon."

"How soon?"

"Probably about fifteen minutes."

"What are they doing?"

"Well, I think Mommy is going to go to the hotel, and then Zack and Kimberly will take a nap, and then they will head over to Grandpa Potters to wait for us."

"What time will we be there?"

"Dinner time." He smiles, looking out the window. They take off, and a few minutes later, Margaret's flight lands, surprisingly both kids were still awake, but they were exhausted. Margaret is glad and wants them to take a nap. She rents a car and drives over to their hotel.

"Hi, how can I help you?" The hostess asks.

"Hi, My husband signed out a room for us, it's under the name of Dr. Pierce."

"Doctor Benjamin F. Pierce?"

"That's him." She says, balancing Kim and the bags, while keeping her son at bay. Kimberly had her thumb in her mouth and her head lying on Margaret's shoulder. She was exhausted, but still fighting to stay awake.

"Do you want both sets of keys or are you still awaiting your husband?"

"I'm awaiting him, so I'll just take one set."

"You are in room 515. Enjoy your stay!"

"Thank you. Come on Zack." She says, taking his hand.

"Mommy, I tired." He says.

"We are all going to take a nap when we get up there."

"NO!"

"Yes!"

"NO!" He says, "I not that tired."

"Ok, well then, we will just sit and watch some TV while Kimberly sleeps. How does that sound?"

"Good." He says as they make their way up to the Suite.

It was a beautiful room, two bed rooms, a sitting room, and a balcony. She lies Kimberly down in the crib that they provided and she instantly fell asleep. Zack lies down on Margaret's bed and she turns on the TV. He falls asleep soon after he lies down. Margaret unpacks a bit, and then decides to take a shower. She felt so grimy after the long plane ride that she had too. She dead bolts the Hotel Door, and leaves the bathroom door open a crack incase the kids got up. Margaret lets the water run over her for about fifteen minutes, before getting out and getting dressed. She knew that she has just enough time to fix her hair and do her makeup before the kids woke up. "Ok… now" She says aloud, "what should the kids wear?" She looks through the kids drawers and closet, grabbing Zack's first. She pulls out a pair of khaki shorts and a navy blue shirt. Then she grabs a purple sundress for Kimberly and a pair of white sandals, lying both items on the bed, "Ok, Natalie…" She says, thumbing through her clothes. It would be easier on Hawkeye to already have something laying out for Natalie rather than fighting with her to wear something that she doesn't feel like wearing. She grabs a blue and white sundress for her to wear. It was one of her favorites. She also pulls out matching blue and white sandals for her. She only brought one dress for herself, the rest were in the bag that Hawkeye is bringing. She knows that he will wear his blue Hawaiian shirt tomorrow, so today he may actually look presentable. She smiles to herself at the thought of his blue shirt. She hates that shirt, but he still insists to wear it.

At 3:00, Zack wakes up in a great mood, "Mommy?"

"What honey?" She calls, putting on her earring.

"I want a snack."

"I have pretzels in the kitchen." She smiles, "Is that ok?"

"Yes." He smiles, hugging her leg. She pats his hair and smiles at him.

"We have to get you dressed pal."

"I am!" He says, pulling at his shirt.

"I know you are now, but you are all wrinkly, and you need to wear a bit nicer clothing to Grandpa Potter's."

"Ok mommy."

"You're such a good boy." She smiles and the two walk into the kitchen and get something to drink and a snack. "Mommy."

"What?"

"When daddy coming?"

"He'll be here by dinner time ok?"

"Ok." He smiles.

"Do you miss daddy?"

"Yup!" Zack smiles.

Margaret hears Kimberly starting to cry so she walks and gets her, "Good afternoon Kimberly."

"Mama!"

"I missed you baby." She laughs kissing her cheek. "Lets get go get you dressed ok?"

Margaret puts the baby in her dress and she giggles the entire time. Both kids were both in good moods and she hopes that Natalie will be in just as good of a mood as her other two. Margaret puts Kimberly on the floor and she crawls around the entire place, pulling herself up on different pieces of furniture. "Are you going to start walking soon Kimberly?" She asks the baby as she watches her pull herself up again, "I think you should." The baby smiles and falls back down on her butt, "You are such a brat." Margaret laughs.

"Mama." She says, crawling over to her, raising her arms.

Margaret picks her up, "Do you want a drink or a snack? I think you do." She smiles, and makes up a bottle of apple juice for the baby. She puts her down in the highchair and gives her the bottle and teething cookie. The baby happily takes it and smiles at Margaret.

At 4:30, they make their way to the Colonels house. "Mommy, where we going?"

"To Grandpa Potter's house." She smiles. "He can't wait to see you again. It's been a while since he's seen you."

"Yup!"

"And he can't wait to see Kimberly again. I don't even think Kimberly will remember him, will you Kimberly"

Margaret parks the car on the street and gets the kids out of the car. She picks up Kimberly and takes Zack's hand, walking through the white picket fence's door. She knocks and is greeted with a friendly smile, "Well hello Major."

"Hi Colonel." She smiles, as they embrace and he gives her a kiss.

"You look wonderful."

"Thank you. So do you." She says, continuing smiling.

"Well, young man, you have gotten a lot bigger since the last time I saw you." He smiles at the lad, "How old are you now son?"

"Two and a half." Zack smiles.

"Two and a half! Wow."

Zack smiles at his grandfather, and gives him a hug. The colonel picks up the almost three year old, "Where is your daddy and sister?"

"On the plane. That is my sister too." He smiles pointing at his baby sister.

"I know. And she too has gotten a lot bigger since the last time I saw her." He smiles at the baby who instantly plays shy and leans against her mommy's neck, "And it seems that Kimberly here is a lot shyer than you are." HE laughs, rubbing the baby's back, "But she looks like her daddy that one."

"She does. She is a true daddy's girl too." Margaret laughs. "She'll open up to you, just keep at it. Kimberly, say hi to Grandpa Potter." She smiles, kissing her cheek. The baby lifts her head up just enough to look out at the new face.

"Look at those eyes." Potter says, "Come on in. Some already have arrived."

"Did BJ and Peg get here yet?"

"Yes. They arrived shortly before you came." He smiles.

"Good."

"That little one looks just like her mother."

"Yeah, she does." Margaret smiles, as they walk through the living room and out to the backyard. Zack spots Michael and runs over to him, immediately beginning to play.

"Zack, go say hi to Uncle BJ and Aunt Peg." She smiles as she bends down to say hello to her Nephew.

"Uncle BJ!" Zack smiles and runs to him.

"Hi Zachary." He smiles. "How are you pal?"

"Good."

"That's good." He laughs as he hugs him. Peggy does the same.

"Aunt Margaret?"

"What Gillian?" She asks, hugging the young girl.

"Where's Natalie?"

"She'll be here soon. Uncle Hawk and Natalie had to take another plane."

"Why?"

"Uncle Hawk had to work."

"Ohhh." Gillian smiles. She understands being the daughter of a surgeon. "Ok, when are they coming?"

"Six… I hope."

"OK!" She smiles and runs over with her brother and her cousin.

"I missed you Aunt Margaret."

"I missed you too Erin." She smiles, kissing her niece, shifting her daughter. She goes over with her niece and daughter to BJ and Peg, hugging and kissing them.

"Hello Kimberly." BJ smiles at his niece, getting a smile back from her. "How are you Angel? Will you come and see me? I haven't seen you in a while." He says, as the child easily goes into BJ's arms.

"I think she missed you too." Margaret laughs.

"Well, I'll be…" The colonel smiles, "She wouldn't even look at me."

"She knows me." BJ laughs, kissing her cheek, as Margaret takes Katie from Peg's hands. The two babies are giggling and baby talking. "I think they missed each other."

"Just like their fathers." Peg laughs.

"So Colonel, when is Charles coming?" Margaret asks.

"Tomorrow morning he'll be here. They have two children now."

"Yes, I heard, Lana is four now isn't she?"

"Yes, she is. And they have a boy who is two, Charles Emerson Winchester the Fifth."

"Another Chuckles." BJ laughs.

"I think they call him Charlie now. Klinger has the twins, David and Maddie, and they now have Cameron, who is 2 now."

"What about Radar?" BJ asks. "We haven't heard from him in a while."

"He ended up marrying this girl Patty, who he met over in Korea."

"What happened to the other girl?"

"Patty came back into his life, and he said Sayonara. Now, him and Patty have two youngsters, the oldest is two, Henry, and the youngest is about 3 or 4 months old, Jessica, Jessie for short."

"When is he due in?"

"Tomorrow early as well. The only two who are going to be here today is your two families."

"We always did like to be the first ones done." BJ laughs, "Right Kimmy?" He asks, getting a smile from Kimberly and a scowl from Margaret. She hates her being called Kimmy. She was warming up to Kim, but still didn't like to too much. Hawkeye calls her Kimmy sometimes too, and Margaret hates it. "What?" BJ smiles, causing Margaret to roll her eyes.

"You know very well what Hunnicutt." Margaret smiles looking down at Katie who was now looking at her. "What Miss Kaitlyn?" She smiles, before handing her over to BJ. He has both girls now and they were as happy as two clams.

"They really are cute together." Peg smiles.

"It's a shame we don't live around each other anymore." Margaret sighs.

"Yeah it is." BJ says, and places the girls down on the blanket next to him. They have toys for the girls there and they were happily talking to each other.

At 6:15, Hawkeye comes down, Natalie runs as fast as she can over to her Uncle BJ, and hugs him.

"Hi Nattie, how are you?"

"I missed you!"

"I missed you too! How was your flight?"

"Good." She smiles, hugging her aunt and then her mommy.

"Where's daddy?"

"With Grandma Potter." She smiles, and then runs over to her Grandpa Potter, "Hi!"

"Natalie, you have gotten prettier my dear, since the last time I saw you." He says, pulling her up onto his lap. "How are you?"

"Good!" She smiles. "Where's Gillian?" She asks, looking at her Aunt Peggy.

"She's over there." She says, pointing to her daughters and son running around.

"Bye!" She says, kissing her Grandpa and runs over to her brother and cousins.

"DADA!" Kimberly squeals and pulls up on Margaret's leg.

"Go see him Kimberly." She smiles. "Go on!"

The baby smiles and crawls over to her father, "Aren't you going to walk to me?" He asks, the crawling baby who pulls herself up on his leg, as he picks her up. "I think you are just being lazy." He says, kissing her cheek.

"Dadadadad." She says, wrapping her arms around him, laying her head against his neck.

"I missed you too Angel." He says, rubbing her back, kissing her cheek. "Hi there Colonel." Hawkeye smiles, as the older man stands up, the two embrace.

"How are you son?"

"I'm well, how are you?"

"Well also. Good to see you got here ok."

"A bit late, but better late than never." Hawkeye laughs, putting Kimberly back down on the blanket. "What did I miss?"

"Radar is married with two kids."

"Really! Was it that woman he brought about a year or two ago?"

"No, they split up, this is someone the boy met in Korea, Patty her name is." The Colonel smiles.

"Excellent."

"They have two children. Henry and Jessie, they are two and four months."

"Outstanding. What about Charles and Klinger?"

"Klinger has three kids now, the twins, Maggie and David, and a new one Cameron. Charles has Lana, and the new baby Charlie."

"Figures." He smiles. "I can't wait to see everyone tomorrow." He smiles.

"So, Margaret, I heard that you were working again?"

"I was working again. My friend Lorraine's brother needed help at his hospital for a few months, well it was from January till March, and now I'm done."

"How was it?"

"It was nice for a bit, then I really missed being with the kids. It got old very quick." She sighs, "I wasn't home with the kids as much as I wanted. It wasn't too great of an experience."

"Will you work again?"

"Oh yeah, I will, but not yet. The kids are too young."

"I don't blame you." Mildred smiles, "When my children were your children's ages, it was practically unheard of for the mother to work, and I don't think I could have handled it either."

"Me neither." Peg says, looking at the kids running around.

"I felt bad because Natalie ended up getting sick and I couldn't stay with her. She wanted me to stay, I wanted to stay, but I ended up having to go in till the afternoon and came home. It was the worst feeling in the world."

"My, my, my, look at you Major." Potter smiles. "All grown up." He laughs.

"Oh really now." She says, using her old Major tone.

"That's more like it." BJ laughs.

"They're picking on me Kimberly." She smiles at her daughter who looks up at her and smiles back.

That night they all go back to the hotel rooms, put the kids down in Peg and BJ's suite, and stay there for a while talking. It was midnight before Hawkeye and Margaret take Zack and Kimberly back. Natalie would be fine staying the night with Peg and BJ, but if the younger two woke up, it wouldn't be too easy. The next morning they would all report to the Colonels house for day one of the reunion.

TBC… The Reunion and a whole lot more -)

Thanks for all the great reviews! Keep them up! 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. RR Please, but be kind! There are PLEANTY MORE CHAPTERS TO GO! Forgive the small mistakes… I know they can be annoying, and I'm trying to get rid of them…

Thanks for all the great reviews! Please keep them up! Please RR!

Thanks

STARY