Hawkeye walked through the double doors into Colonel Potter's office.
"Yeah Colonel, you wanted to see me?"
Colonel Potter sighed and stood up.
"Yes Pierce, I do. I want to know why there is blood on my filing cabinets." He didn't give Hawkeye a chance to answer, but continued on. "I also want to know why this room looked like a tornado came through it last night. And I especially want to know why our head nurse refuses to come out of her tent!" The colonel was shouting now and Hawkeye looked very uncomfortable.
"Penobscott showed up last night." Hawkeye said simply. He didn't want to give any details, for Margaret's sake.
Potter sighed and sat down. "Come on Pierce, Radar told me that much."
Hawkeye groaned. "Colonel its private, if Margaret wants to discuss it then fine…just ask her!"
"That plan would be just fine except the Major refuses to talk to anyone."
"Just give her some space Colonel. She'll come around."
"Hawkeye she didn't even come out of her tent for OR! She's lucky we didn't need her!" Colonel Potter calmed down and poured Pierce and himself a drink. "I've been thinking about having her transferred."
Hawkeye's heart dropped into his stomach. No! Margaret can't leave! Colonel Potter continued.
"It would only be for a while. The 8063rd needs a head-nurse for a month or two. They asked if we could spare Major Houlihan."
Hawkeye began to relax, it was only temporary. Then he tried to distance himself from his feelings for Margaret and honestly think about what would be best for her. He sighed.
"Maybe a change in scenery would be good for her." He wondered aloud.
"Exactly what I was thinking. That woman has been through a lot in the past month, and I think she's about to crazy if she has to stay here much longer."
Hawkeye knew it was true. But he wanted to keep her with him more than anything.
"Well as long as it's only temporary." He said to himself. To the Colonel he said, "Just do whatever you think is best Colonel."
"Thank you son."
Hawkeye didn't sleep at all that night. He couldn't get her face out of his mind. He kept picturing her as she was leaving. He had come to say goodbye but her jeep was already heading down the road. He stood there watching her look back at him, a haunted look in her eyes. He wanted to run after her, to hold her and tell her how much he cared. He was scared. He was scared that he would never see her again. He rolled over and looked at Charles' clock sitting on his desk. Five-twenty a.m. He groaned and pulled himself up. He jerked on his bathrobe and shoes and walked outside.
He just started to walk, He wasn't sure where he was going but he had to get away, even if it was for a few moments. He ended up on a grassy hill about a mile away from camp. He sighed.
"God, it's beautiful here." He whispered to himself. He sat down, his back resting against a tree, the sun was up and it slowly began to warm his body. He quickly fell asleep.
When he woke up it was dark. He couldn't believe he had slept that long. He hurriedly pulled himself up and began to jog back to camp. He paused as he heard something. It sounded like someone crying for help. It was definitely a woman's voice. He turned around and surveyed the field. He saw an unconscious human form curled in a ball at the foot of the hill. He jogged down the hill wishing he had his medical bag with him.
At the bottom of the hill he slowed his pace and walked towards the girl tentatively. He clothes were covered in mud and blood matted her hair and covered her face. She was wearing fatigues…she was an American! He rolled her onto her back and took his shirt off to wipe her face. What he saw made him jump back in shock, it was Margaret!
He desperately tried to wake her. He checked her pulse…he couldn't find one. He laid his head on her chest, he couldn't hear a heartbeat. Frantically Hawkeye began beating her chest, trying his hardest to save her. Nothing worked. He picked her up and held her closely to him and began to cry bitterly. He cried for hours, all alone, until he finally cried himself to sleep.
He woke up suddenly, he looked around him. The sun was up again, it couldn't be later than seven in the morning. Startled he looked down at his lap; it was empty. Where was Margaret? It suddenly dawned on him…it was a dream; a horrific nightmare, but nothing more. As if it were too good to be true, Hawkeye looked down at his shirt. It was still on and had no blood stains. He laughed nervously.
I better lay off that lighter fluid. He thought cynically. He shakily stood up and proceeded to head back to camp. Trying his best to shake off the uneasiness the dream had left with him.
"Radar? Radar where are you?" Hawkeye shouted as he walked into the office.
"I'm right here, sir." The boy responded nervously.
Hawkeye was in no mood to deal with Radar. As hard as he tried, he just couldn't shake the queasiness the dream had left him with.
"Get on the phone and connect me with the 8063rd." He was shouting again. Radar nervously jumped up from his chair. Hawkeye never yelled at him. What was wrong?
As Radar placed the call Hawkeye paced back and forth across the small space. He needed to talk with Margaret. He needed her voice to calm his nerves.
"What in tarnation is all this racket?" Colonel Potter yelled as he stepped into the room. "Pierce, what's going on?"
"Uh sir?" It was Radar. "Um Corporal Miller is on the line at the 8063rd."
Hawkeye pounced on the phone.
"This is Captain Pierce. I need to speak to Major Houlihan." There was a pause and Colonel Potter smiled, realizing what Pierce was doing. His smile quickly faded as Hawkeye's face turned pale. "What do you mean?" He shouted. "They left yesterday!" Hawkeye's hands had begun to shake. He listened for a few more moments and then hung up the receiver.
He turned and walked towards the door, as if in a trance.
"Hawkeye?" Colonel Potter's questioning tone, seemed to bring his mind back.
"She never got there," He choked out. "She never got there."