"I'll see ya," BJ whispered softly, his voice gruff with emotion. Hawkeye reached up from the stretcher and grabbed onto his friends hand.
"I'm really going to miss you Beej, you really mean a lot to me." BJ nodded and smiled softly.
"Will you do me a favor?" Hawkeye asked. BJ nodded slightly. "Look after Margaret for me, she's isn't as tough as she pretends to be."
BJ nodded and squeezed Hawk's hand.
"I'll see you later," he said before ducking down and walking away from the chopper.
"I sure am glad to see you Major," Colonel Potter greeted. Sidney Freedman shook the colonel's hand and smiled.
"I came as soon as I got BJ's message." He paused, a frown covering his face. "Is she doing any better?" Potter sighed and began leading Sidney towards Margaret's tent.
"Well after Pierce went home everything that happened seemed to catch up to her. She took it hard. We had to keep her drugged for almost twenty-four hours. Honicutt finally got her to calm down a bit."
"Is she talking?" Sidney question, his voice hushed as they stopped in front of her door.
"Yes, she appears normal, slightly depressed, but normal. She wanted to start working again today but I though it would be best if she rested for a few days."
Sidney nodded in agreement and then knocked on Margaret's door lightly.
"Major Houlihan, it's Major Freedman; may I come in?"
Margaret pulled herself off her cot and wrapped Hawkeye's robe tightly around her. He hadn't asked for it before he left and she didn't want to volunteer it.
"Hello Sidney," she greeted coolly as she opened the door.
"Hello Margaret, may I come in?" He took his hat off and stepped inside the small tent. He looked around in puzzlement. The usual cheery and colorful tent was a mess. The red curtains that had previously hung on the windows had been ripped of, shreds of fabric still clinging to the canvas. Sidney noticed color variations on the canvas walls where pictures had hung, the sun fading the fabric around them. Everything was perfectly straight and orderly, the only bit of cheer coming from the familiar red robe she was wearing.
He whistled quietly. "This tent is certainly a lot cleaner than the one I'll be sleeping in tonight." He joked.
"What are you here for Sidney?" Margaret asked, maintaining her cold tone.
Sidney sighed and pulled her desk chair out. "Would you sit down Major?" he asked, indicating her cot.
Margaret sat down stiffly on the edge of her cot, her blank stare never leaving his face.
"I'll be honest with you Margaret. BJ asked me to come, he's worried about you."
Margaret rolled her eyes. "I wish you wouldn't have bothered; I'm perfectly alright." For the first time Margaret's eyes flicked away from his face and a look of uncertainty entered her countenance for a moment.
"Don't play games with me Margaret," he said gently. "Unfortunately, I've talked with far too many women who have had this happen to them."
Margaret bit her lip debating if she should confide in the man before her. "I'll be alright," she whispered. "I admit that I was a little shaken, but just let me get back to work and I'll be fine."
Sidney leaned back against the desk and raised his eyebrows questioningly. "A little shaken? Colonel Potter told me they had to keep you drugged for twenty-four hours."
Margaret blushed hotly muttering under her breath. "Am I allowed any dignity?"
"There's nothing shameful about being scared Margaret."
Margaret looked back into his eyes, the aloofness gone. "I know," she said hoarsely. Sidney stood and patted her shoulder gently.
"Goodnight Margaret, get some rest."
She nodded and Sidney walked out into the cold November night towards the swamp. BJ and Colonel Potter sat around the still, staring into thin air aimlessly, each man lost in their own thought about a woman they cared about.
"How is she Sidney?" BJ asked when the man entered the tent.
"I think she'll be okay. She still seems upset, but that's expected. Additionally, she has to be missing a good friend of hers…" Sidney trailed off suggestively. He had heard about Hawkeye only a few hours before he left for the 4077th. He was hopping to get back to Tokyo in time to bid the Captain farewell.
Potter chuckled cynically into his glass of gin and BJ stood up. "Would it be alright if I talked with her?"
Sidney shrugged. "Go right ahead, I think it would be good for her to be around friend right now. Colonel Potter stood up and silently poured himself another drink, watching BJ out of the corner of his eye. Margaret meant a lot to him, he hadn't realized just how much the people here meant to him until he almost lost them. He had known a lot of heartache in his years and it was depressing to think about what this young woman must be going through.
BJ quickly made his way to her tent, trying his best to ignore the biting winter winds.
"Margaret, are you decent?" BJ asked, rapping loudly on her door. Margaret opened the door, a look of complete surprise across her face.
"Is everyone alright?" she asked worriedly, ushering him inside. BJ looked at her blankly, unsure of what to say.
BJ nervously patted at his pockets and was relieved to find a deck of cards.
"Feel like a game of poker?"
Margaret rolled her eyes and sighed. "No, I do not feel like playing poker. I appreciate you coming over but I'm really alright." Margaret was becoming slightly agitated now. She was feeling like she under a microscope, being inspected by everyone. Margaret looked at the man who didn't seem to budge an inch. She sat down on her cot and sighed heavily.
BJ sat down beside her. Margaret looked at him and the worried expression on his face touched her so much that she smiled gently. She chuckled slightly and leaned against him.
"Oh alright; you win."
BJ smiled victoriously and wrapped an arm around her. "You don't have to be so tough you know."
Instead of the thought being comforting, it only reminded Margaret of a very sore subject. BJ could feel her back stiffen under his arm and he looked at her face, which was quickly turning to stone. Margaret moved her hand slightly and began to stroke the sleeve of Hawkeye's robe. If BJ hadn't been staring at her so intently he could have easily missed the small motion.
He sighed deeply and tightened his arm around her. "It's him isn't it?" he asked quietly.
"Who?" Margaret asked, feigning innocence.
"You know he asked me to look after you," BJ informed her. "And I intend to do just that."
There was along silence before BJ felt her shoulders shaking gently. He lifted her head and saw tears streaming down her cheeks.
"He left," she sobbed out angrily.
"Margaret he…"
"He promised he would be for me and now he's gone." Margaret wiped away her tears as if she were angry with herself for crying.
"Do you love him?" BJ asked in shock, his eyes wide in disbelief.
Margaret shot him an icy glare. "Of course not!" she snapped.
BJ stood up, what was wrong with this woman. He came in to comfort her and now he wants to slap her.
"Well then what on earth is the matter?" he asked, his voice bordering shouting.
"I'm alone," she whispered, averting her gaze away from his. BJ cooled down instantly and sat down beside her again, feeling like dirt for yelling.
"You're not alone," he assured her. "You'll never be alone." BJ nervously picked up her hands and rubbed at them gently.
"Why don't you come back to the swamp with me," he suggested hopefully. "It will take your mind off things." Margaret nodded hesitantly and began to shrug on a coat, not bothering to change.
"I suppose you're right," she whispered tearfully as she followed him outside.