I know, it's been forever!
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Hawkeye tries his hardest to stay away from the Front, if not to leave his father one person to see home. Not keen on Margaret being there to begin with, he knows he cannot tell her to stay. She is too strong willed for that. Instead, he protests. Left with the shortest sausage link, Hawkeye obeys command.
On the way to the aid station with Margaret and Klinger, Hawkeye can only make jokes. Thankfully he can flirt with his wife without an eyebrow raise. Then, he sees his new operating area. Making quick decisions and working with little to no jokes causes the surgeon to yearn for the 77th. After hours of surgery, Hawkeye cleans up, eats whatever is in their rations, and hunkers down next to Margaret. She notices his distance, and cannot blame him. To everyone else they are enemies.
"'We did it'," Margaret states proud of their work from earlier. Getting as comfortable as he can, Hawkeye teases, "'My lips are sealed.'"
Dismissing his comment, the nurse asks, "'Do you suppose there are snipers out there?'"
"'If they're good union snipers, they are'," Hawkeye says as he scoots close to his wife and covers her with a blanket. "'I want you to know, chivalry isn't dead. It's just been replaced by exhaustion.'"
Eager to fall asleep herself, Margaret leans closer into Hawkeye.
"'Good night, Captain.'"
"'Good night, Major.'"'
In a whisper no one else can hear, Hawkeye tells his wife he loves her before falling asleep beside her.
The next morning, Klinger wakes up to make a call to Radar that they are heading home when he notices Hawkeye and Margaret cuddled together.
"Should have brought a camera," He mutters before placing the call. Hanging up the phone, Klinger smirks as the pair still sleeps. Quietly, he crouches at the pair's feet before asking, "Got room for one more?"
Jolting awake, the couple scrambles apart.
"You can't tell anyone about this!" Margaret declares. Raising his hand, Klinger agrees as Hawkeye remarks, "But Ferret Face will love it!"
Her disapproving look makes him grin, and Margaret can envision a child of theirs making the same face someday.
Pleasantly, the trip back is less tense. Hawkeye eventually declares that they are close to camp. A little sad to let her guard back up, Margaret happily accepts the kiss Hawkeye places on her cheek when he declares her the best nurse. Klinger dons a blue, circle hat, and the trio reenters the camp. Back to their regular life, Margaret and Hawkeye listen to the squabbles of the camp. Locking eyes, the couple remembers the small respite they receive at the front and raise glasses and give a smile. At least there is something happy in the first year of their marriage.
Settling back into camp leads to the normal problems and chaos except for the sniper that targets their camp toward the end of Spring. Hunkered down in post op, the camp tries its best to cope. Left with Frank and his complaining, Margaret tells him that a real man is brave and will confront the sniper. When Frank makes another excuse, Margaret decides to drop the topic and focus on getting some sleep. Finishing his rounds, Hawkeye goes to find Frank. When the man is nowhere to be found, Hawkeye spots his wife asleep on a cot in Post Op.
"'Margaret,'" He whispers waking her up. Startled, Margaret calms when she hears Hawkeye annouce, "'Margaret! Margaret, relax! I'm not here for violation purposes. Where's Frank? It's his shift.'"
"'He's not here,'" The nurse replies before repeating herself realizing where he is.
"Where is he?" Hawkeye asks. Biting her lip, Margaret answers, "Outside. Hawk, you have to go after him."
As much as he dislikes the man, Hawkeye knows his wife's temper and does as she says. Watching her husband leave, Margaret decides to check on patients to distract herself. Half an hour later, she finds Hawkeye and Frank come into Post Op and sighs in relief.
"You're okay," She whispers looking at her husband who nods in understanding. Turning to Frank, Margaret asks how he is and is met with his usual sniveling and arrogance. She can see Hawkeye roll his eyes in peripheral vision and has to keep herself from laughing. The day proves to be better when their sniper surrenders. While Hawkeye treats the sniper for his wounds, a batch of casualties roll in. With everyone working, Frank is able to gloat about catching the sniper.
"All you saw was Radar eating a sandwich," Hawkeye remarks sick of his bunk mate's gloating.
"Let's pick a new topic," Henry calls out.
"I agree, Colonel," Margaret calls out sick of her husband and friend's arguing. Ordering people about, and infuriated with Frank's continued whining, Margaret fails to see the door open to the refrigerator that holds vials of blood. To her dismay the OR goes silent just as her head hits the door. Wincing, Margaret tries her best to school her features and avoids eye contact by taking dirty instruments to the autoclave. Just as she heads back, she is stopped in the doorway by her husband who shines a light in her face.
"What are you doing?" Margaret questions wanting to swat his hand away. Turning the flashlight off, Hawkeye replies, "Checking you for a concussion. You hit your head pretty hard back there."
"I'm fine," Margaret answers as she skirts past her husband and back into surgery. Knowing how stubborn his wife is, Hawkeye keeps an eye on her the rest of their shift. At dinner, he notices Margaret barely eating, and asks if she has a headache. Scowling at him, Margaret begins to pick at her food again as Trapper remarks how hard she hit her head.
"The whole camp probably heard the thud," Hawkeye adds. "You should really get that looked at."
"Thank you, but I'm fine," She states before picking up her tray and leaving. Passing the men again on her way out, the doctors notice how unsteady she is. Following her outside, Hawkeye and Trapper quickly take hold of her arms.
"You never mentioned how dizzy you were," Hawkeye chides. "We're taking you to bed."
"And not in the way we'd like to," Trapper jokes as he opens Margaret's tent door. Her shocked face causes Hawkeye to reassure her, "It'll be find Margaret. Just lay down. We'll fend off Frank's advances."
Looking at Trapper as he says the latter remark, Hawkeye motions for him to keep watch. With his friend gone, Hawkeye looks at his wife pointedly asking, "Is there any nausea?"
Shaking her head, Margaret sits on her cot before asking him to get her pajamas for her. Nodding, Hawkeye gets what she needs before kissing her and telling her to get better.
"I'll come in every hour or so to check on you."
"Yes, doctor," Margaret teases as she takes off her army shirt and puts on her pajama top. She is finally under a blanket when Trapper whispers for Hawkeye to hurry up. When the door shuts, Hawkeye kisses Margaret one more time before letting her rest. Knowing he has to make sure she is okay at night, Hawkeye tells Trapper he will check on her through out the night.
"I don't know why you get to sit with her all night," Frank whines wishing to help her. Rolling his eyes, Hawkeye remarks, "Sorry, but I have the handsomest face."
"Yeah, no one wants to wake up to your ugly mug!" Trapper jokes. As Frank scowls, Hawkeye makes his escape. Knocking on Margaret's tent door, Hawkeye waits for her to tell him to come in but hears nothing. Letting himself in, Hawkeye notices his wife snoring softly and hates to wake her. Quietly, he sits on the side of her bed, and brushes Margaret's hair back with his hand before whispering her name. Stirring only slightly, he tries again.
"Ben," She mumbles causing Hawkeye to smile before adding, "Margaret, I need to check your eyes."
Remembering where she is, Margaret opens her eyes and groans.
"Headache?" He asks concerned.
"Only after remembering I'm not back home with you," Margaret answers sitting up. Thanking her for the compliment, Hawkeye checks her eyes and asks how she feels. Shrugging, she answers, "Fine, now."
"No dizziness?" He asks worried. Margaret shakes her head before taking her husband's hand.
"I miss you," She whispers. Nodding, Hawkeye swallows answering, "Me, too."
Sighing, the day is not exactly lost on the couple. Their second wedding anniversary and Margaret has a concussion. Voicing the dilemma, Hawkeye asks, "Is there anything you need?"
Shaking her head, Margaret answers, "Just you."
"Consider it granted. I'm staying here all night to keep an eye on you," Hawkeye answers. Standing from the bed, the surgeon stretches before rummaging through his doctor kit. Margaret watches her husband curiously and is surprised when he walks over and kneels by her bed.
"I never got to do this properly, and I know we decided to leave our rings with Dad, but Margaret, will you marry me?" He asks holding up a rather small and unimpressive ring. Shocked, Margaret merely stares at the band.
"It's not as nice or pretty as the one back home, but I saw it with a peddler," Hawkeye begins and upon seeing his wife's disapproving look adds, "who I know aren't trustworthy, but I figured this could do a substitute until we get home? Besides, if you lose it, it wouldn't be as traumatic."
"Who says I'll lose it?" Margaret asks as she takes the ring from her husband's hand and tries it on. She can tell it's simple souvenir junk, but still treasures it adding, "I love it."
"You're concussed," Hawkeye jokes causing his wife to smile.
The next morning, Margaret wakes up before her husband feeling infinitely better. Throwing off her blanket, Margaret decides to get her toiletries to take a shower when she notices the cheap, gold plated wedding band sitting at her vanity. Inspecting it, Margaret puts the band on her ring finger and smiles. A moment later, she takes the jewelry off with a sigh knowing she cannot arouse suspicion. Grabbing her clothes and toiletries, Margaret leaves her tent making a mental note to put the ring on a chain.
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