Stumbling into Aphasia's tent, Hawkeye caught her writing something, a small backpack on her shoulders.
"Ben." She said, dropping the note and turning.
"You were just going to leave? Without even saying goodbye?" Hawkeye asked angrily.
"I was writing you a note. And, yes, I am leaving. I have to, don't you understand?"
"No! I don't understand! How could you tell me you love me, and then leave like this?"
"I told you this day would come. They have come for me, and I will not get captured again. Not even for you."
"They don't know you're here! We could hide you until they left..."
"And then what, Ben? Hide me from your Colonel? Hide me for the rest of our lives? No. I shouldn't have stayed here with you in the first place. I think it is good they have come now, before I, too, would haunt your thoughts." She said, pushing past him and limping out the door.
"How far will you get on that leg? A mile? Two? Then what?"
"I don't know, Ben. I just know I have to leave, now." She said, turning her back to him and limping away into the tall grass. Hawkeye just stood there, numb. Radar came running up to him.
"Sir! Sir! Where's Aphasia?" Radar asked, holding on to his hat with one hand. Hawkeye pointed halfheartedly towards the grass.
"Oh, no! They said they weren't waiting anymore, so they went to search the surrounding area! You've got to stop her!" Hawkeye's heart leapt into his throat, and he went barreling down the path he'd seen her take.
He ran faster than he thought possible, sure he'd overtake her limping path. A scream of terror and a shot pumped his legs full of life-giving blood. He leapt over every obstacle, finally sliding to a halt in a clearing.
Aphasia lie like a broken doll in the dirt, a CIA man several feet beyond her, gun still smoking. She was shot. Hawkeye ran to her side, cradling her head in his lap as he pressed his palm against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.
"You'll be okay. I can fix this in a heartbeat. You'll be fine."
"You are a terrible liar. At least, I will not haunt your thoughts..." She whispered.
"Only my dreams." He responded, kissing her. As he pulled away, her fingers brushed his hair back from his forehead, then fell limply to the ground, leaving a streak of red behind. He sobbed as the blood no longer pulsed against his hand.
The CIA man came towards them. Standing by her body, he looked down at Hawkeye.
"You know her?" He asked roughly. Hawkeye could only nod.
"Who did she say she was? Aphasia again, or did she use another name this time? Filthy Commie." The CIA man spat.
Hawkeye looked up, anger darkening his eyes.
"Commie? A Commie! That's all she was to you? Not a person? Not a woman? Just a Commie! Oh, it's alright to shoot her, she's only a Commie! Is that what you thought? Damn you! Damn you all! I loved her! Does that mean anything to you! She'd been nothing but kind, and how do you repay her? You kill her! And what was her crime? Did she do anything, or because she refused to tell her name, she's automatically guilty? That's the Army's justice? Guilty until proven innocent?" Hawkeye screamed, rising to confront the man.
Radar and BJ broke though the grass and into the clearing. The entire scene lay before them, its truth plain. Radar couldn't look away from her still face, looking so peaceful he could almost imagine she had fallen asleep. The puddle of dark liquid surrounding her shattered the illusion. BJ went to comfort his friend, but the CIA man got there first. BJ's ire rose as he heard the man's insensitive words. It wasn't a surprise when Hawkeye rose angrily, and, although he wished he could let him go, BJ grabbed Hawkeye's arm to stop him. He spun, angered, and threw a punch. BJ ducked and pinned Hawkeye's arms behind his back.
"Let me go! I'm going to kill him! Let me go!"
"No. It won't bring her back! Hawkeye, do you think she would want you in their hands? If you attack him, that's what will happen!"
"I don't care! He killed her!"
"I know, I know. Ben, don't do this." Hawkeye froze at his name. BJ let him free.
"Hawk..." Hawkeye refused to look at him. He bent over her body, combing his fingers through her hair.
"Get out of here, Hunnicut, and never call me that again." Hawkeye rasped, never looking up.
"Hawkeye..." BJ got no response. He sighed and shook his head.
"Come on." He said to the CIA man.
"I can't leave my prisoner."
"She's dead. She's not going anywhere. Come on." BJ said, gesturing towards camp. The CIA man shrugged and went ahead. Radar was still frozen to his spot.
"Come on, Radar. Let's go home."
"She's..."
"She's gone, Radar." Tears streamed down Radar's face as he turned away. BJ put his arm around his shoulder, a tear slipping down his face as well.
Two weeks later, Hawkeye raised his glass in a toast.
"To Aphasia."
"Here, here." BJ, Radar, Klinger, Margaret, Father Mulcahy, and Potter cheered.
"Even though I never met her, I feel like she was one of the family. Goodbye Aphasia." Potter said.
After everyone had left, BJ sat down next to Hawkeye, bumping him with his shoulder.
"Is it time?"
"Yep. They're burying her now. My dad's there, you know."
"It was good of you to send her home."
"She was almost my wife, after all." Hawkeye whispered, fingering the tiny gold ring encircling his pinky.
"What did you have them put on the stone?"
"Her name."
"We never knew her name." BJ said, confused.
"I gave her mine." Hawkeye said, looking up at his friend.
"Oh. Let's have a proper toast, then."
"Yes. To Aphasia Benjamin Pierce." Hawkeye said, a tear running down his face.
"Here, here."