Hawkeye pulled the jeep to a stop in front of Margaret's tent. He climbed out wearily and picked Margaret back up, carrying her inside. Just as he was about to lay her down he noticed her fatigues; dripping with water and mud.
"You need to learn to stop playing in the mud." He muttered to himself. He sat her down in her chair before kneeling down in front of her to remove her mud soaked boots.
"Well what do we have here?" he asked, whistling softly as he stripped her socks off. Hawkeye looked up at her in surprise, trying to understand just how much she kept from everyone.
He shook his head in an attempt to clear the confusing thoughts. Margaret moaned and opened her eyes slowly. She looked around her room until her eyes landed on Hawkeye.
"Hey," he whispered, standing up quickly. "Feeling any better?"
Margaret didn't say anything but she offered a slight nod. Hawkeye smiled uncomfortably.
"Well I'll see you tomorrow." Margaret turned away from him and picked up her brush, tugging at her hair absent-mindedly.
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"Daddy," Margaret smiled and reached for her father from the hospital bed.
"Are you okay?" he asked gruffly. Margaret looked down at her lap and shrugged.
"I guess," she whispered, "physically anyway." Alvin disentangled himself from his daughter's arms and frowned.
"I still can't believe you married that boy. I told you that a marriage with him would only end up…"
"Please don't," Margaret pleaded quietly, her eyes filling with tears. "Don't cut him down, not now. I don't think I can take it." Alvin sighed and picked up her hand.
"As soon as you can, I'm taking you home." He announced. "I think a fresh start would be best for you." Margaret nodded compliantly. She wasn't sure if he was right but she was far too exhausted, emotionally, to argue.
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"Sit down Pierce," Colonel Potter said solemnly. "How is she?" he asked as Hawkeye helped himself to a bottle of scotch that was sitting on the desk. Hawkeye sighed and shrugged.
"I don't know Colonel. Her fever is only a little over a hundred but she seems a lot worse off."
"Has she said anything?"
Hawkeye shook his head. "You saw her; she just lies there and stares at the damn wall." He wearily raked his fingers through his hair and flopped into a chair. "I think we should call Sydney."
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"Hey Margaret, we're going out for a drink do you want to come along?" Carrie asked. Margaret shook her head and attempted a smile.
"No thanks, I think I better study for the test tomorrow."
Carrie rolled her eyes. "Are you crazy? You've been studying non stop! Come on, take a break and come have some fun."
"I said no thank you!" Margaret snapped angrily. Carrie jumped backwards and quickly exited the small dorm room. Margaret laid her head down on the small desk and let the tears come.
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"Hey Sidney, I'm glad you could make it," Hawkeye greeted as the Major walked into the tent.
"Hello Hawkeye," Sidney acknowledged the Captain, but he was staring at Margaret. It was strange for him to see her like this. She was the last person he would have thought could break down.
"Hello Margaret," he said softly. "I heard you weren't feeling well and I thought I would stop by and say hello."
"Bullshit," she muttered quietly. Sidney raised his eyebrows and looked at Hawkeye who was looking surprised that she had said anything, but still amused.
"What do you mean Major?" Sidney asked innocently.
"Get the hell out of my tent," she said coldly. Sidney nodded and sighed.
"Alright Margaret, I hope you feel better." He made his way outside and Hawkeye followed him.
"Is that it? She tells you to leave and you just give up?" he shouted angrily.
"She doesn't want to talk to me Hawkeye. I can't force her to say anything, I'm sorry. Sidney buttoned his jacket and walked back to his jeep. Hawkeye stood for a moment and watched the jeep pull away.
"You can't make her talk but I sure as hell can," he muttered before marching back to Margaret's tent.
"Get up Margaret," he shouted. Margaret ignored him, focusing her eyes on the canvas wall.
"I said get up," Hawkeye yelled as he stepped towards her cot. Margaret turned her eyes to him, startled by his harsh voice.
Hawkeye grabbed her by her shoulders and pulled her up to a sitting position.
"I am sick and tired of you staring at that damn wall! Now if you have a problem talk about it! If not then get up off your ass and deal with this hell hole like the rest of us!"
Margaret met his gaze and found her eyes quickly filling with tears; she blinked furiously in an attempt to keep them back. Hawkeye's expression softened and he released her shoulders and sat down beside her and sighed heavily, wrapping an arm around her.
"Come on Baby, talk to me." He said quietly. "You can trust me; we're practically family. I'm like that brother you never wanted." He heard her chuckle slightly and he smiled and tightened his grip on her.
"That's better; now why don't you tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours."
"I'm alright," she said quietly.
"Oh really? You just stare at walls all day for kicks?" he asked sarcastically. Margaret frowned; she wasn't sure what she should tell him, she knew she had to say something.
"A friend of mine died," she said quietly. "He died in a car accident along with his little girl."
Hawkeye smiled in understanding. "Were you two close?" Margaret shrugged nervously.
"I guess; we would go out to dinner together," Margaret smiled and Hawkeye saw a small glimmer of light shine in her eyes. "We loved to go to a large restaurant that was just down the street, Chartier, oh god that restaurant was beautiful!"
Hawkeye looked at her in surprise. "When were you in Paris?" Margaret's eyes widened. How the hell did Hawkeye know where that was?
As Margaret floundered for an answer Hawkeye smiled in remembrance. "My mother would go there quite often with a group of her friends from the theatre; she was born in Paris you know, although she was Italian."
Now it was Margaret's turn to be surprised, "Your mother was an actress?"
Hawkeye shook his head and smiled sadly. "No, she was a dancer." Margaret looked down at her hands and shrugged Hawkeye's arm off her shoulders.
"My head hurts again, I want to lie down." Hawkeye looked at her in concern and felt her forehead.
"I guess you do still have a fever; lie down." He helped her crawl back under the covers and kissed her forehead.
"You have a lot of friends Margaret, don't shut us out again." Margaret faked a smile and nodded. As soon as Hawkeye left the tent she began to cry.
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Long chapter I know...sorry. Anway I hope this made sense. The part where Margaret was in a dorm room, she was working towards becoming a nurse. But I'll have more on that later. So yes, suprise, suprise, Hawkeye's mother also danced. Anyway, I know the chapters have been kinda depressing, I hope they get better soon ( it depends on what kind of mood I'm in, lol) I'll update soon!