Margaret screamed loudly as her eyes flew open. She lay silently for a moment, trying to catch her breath, before she pulled herself off the bed and wandered into the adjoining room. She turned on a small lamp and took a pad of paper out of a drawer. She situated herself in a large, overstuffed chair and began to write…

Hawkeye,

I miss you too; sometimes I miss you and everyone else so bad that it hurts. I think I'm going crazy. I went to the movies this evening and a little girl who was sitting beside me hit her head, she was unconscious and I tried to help but it was all I could just to keep from running away. I was so scared Hawkeye, I was so scared that she wouldn't be okay. The nightmares have started again. The same ones I had in Korea are now torturing me here. Damn this war! Will the pain go away? I'm tired of seeing so much pain. I'm tired of watching soldier after soldier, child after child dying right in front of me. The pain is so real; sometimes it hurts so bad I can barely breathe. I'm tired of sleepless nights, filled with the ghosts of all those who never came home. I'm tired of waking screaming because I think I'm being shot at or I'm drowning in a sea of blood and dead bodies. This damn war has taken such a toll on me and I'm tired of fighting. I'm so alone. I don't want to worry you by writing this but I need to talk to someone who understands. I feel so alone, I need to know you're still there for me.

Margaret

Margaret sank onto the couch after a long day and wearily slipped of her shoes, her feet were killing her. She laid her head back and closed her eyes; it felt so good to just lie completely still. She jumped at the sound of the telephone. She groaned and pulled herself out of the cushions and made her way to the phone.

"Hello?" she snapped.

The person on the other end sighed with relief. "Margaret?"

Margaret gasped and then smiled in delight. "Hawkeye, oh god, Hawkeye how are you?"

"I just got your letter." He responded seriously.

"Oh," the color in Margaret's face drained instantly and then was replaced with a deep red. "Hawkeye I just wanted…"

"You had me worried sick! Do you know that?" he asked a bit harshly.

Margaret sniffed and angrily wiped away two tears. "Well I'm sorry," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I should have known better than to be honest with you. I should have known better than to trust you as one of my friends." Not only was Margaret hurt by this phone call, now she was mad, furious actually. How dare he treat her like this?

"Margaret I didn't mean it like that. I'm just worried about you. All you alright?" His tone of voice had lightened and Margaret felt her temper cooling, against her will.

"I'm just lonely."

"Well I'd stop by but I don't think anyone here would like that idea very much." His voice was teasing and Margaret wished she could see his face. She missed his smile; she missed anyone's smile really.

"Are you going to the reunion?" he asked.

"Um yeah, I think so; it sounds like fun and New York isn't too far away."

"I'm glad; I know you'll have fun. I told my dad about our little, er, arrangement. He thought it was the funniest thing. He can't wait to meet you. I told him… Damn it! Wounded here Major Baby; I've got to go.

"Bye Hawk." She responded, but the line had already gone dead. Margaret sighed and closed her eyes; morning couldn't come fast enough.

Margaret stepped out of the taxi and surveyed the beautiful building before her. She took a deep breath and walked inside as a bell boy followed her inside with her luggage. She walked to the front desk and smiled.

"Hello, welcome to the Pierre Hotel." The receptionist greeted.

"Hello, I'm Margaret Houl…Pierce."

The receptionist nodded and smiled politely. "Yes of course Mrs. Pierce, your room is ready. Jonathan will escort you up." The woman motioned to the bell boy standing behind Margaret and then handed a key to her.

Margaret awkwardly followed the bell boy into the elevator and up to the fourth floor. He silently led her to her room as Margaret took in her surroundings. Never in her life had she been anywhere as beautiful as this.

"Here is your room Ma'm." the man told her as he swung open a door and carried her suitcases inside. "Where would you like your suitcases?"

"In the bedroom." Margaret replied absent-mindedly. She walked over to the balcony and opened the door. She gasped with delight; the view of New York was amazing. Margaret had never been to a large city before, other than Tokyo, and this fascinated her. Margaret walked back inside, shutting the glass door behind her, for being almost spring, it was dreadfully cold.

She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. She walked back towards the bedroom where the bell boy had left her luggage when she noticed a bouquet of flowers on the coffee table with a card lying beside them. She eagerly smelled the flowers and then curiously opened the card.

Dear Margaret,

I'm glad you made it here safely. We will all be meeting tomorrow morning at eight o'clock in the lobby and then we'll decide where to go for breakfast. If you don't get here too late I hope you will stop by my room and say hello. There's a key taped to the stem of the pink rose. Come on over if you're up to it; my room number is 423. I'm seven doors to your right. Hope to see you soon Love.

Daniel Pierce

Margaret smiled and eagerly pulled the one pink rose out of the vase and detached a small key from its stem. She glanced at the clock on the wall, ten thirty, that shouldn't be too late. Margaret quickly ran a brush through her tangled hair and made her way over to room 423.

She was jus about to knock on the door when she heard a loud crash and muffled curses. She tentatively knocked on the door.

"I told you to leave me alone, you old witch!" was the only reply she received. Surprised Margaret knocked again.

"Can't you take a hint? Leave me alone!" The door flew open and Margaret blinked in surprise as she stared into the face of a very red and very confused man.

"Dr. Pierce?" she asked and he nodded in reply as he stared at her, his mouth hanging open. She smiled and looked at the ground. "I'm Margaret."