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Not long after Margaret's father leaves, Colonel Potter goes to Seoul leaving Pierce in charge. Surprised and a little dismayed, Hawkeye exclaims, "'I don't know how to give orders.'"
"'That's all right. No one around here knows how to take 'em'," The Colonel jokes having full confidence in his Chief Surgeon. Of course once the Colonel leaves, Hawkeye has to deal with everything his CO does on top of his best friend going AWOL. When he complains around Margaret she grins exclaiming, "'I don't believe what I'm hearing! Since when did you join the Army?'"
"'Since it was left to me!'" Hawkeye replies upset over the whole situation. Smirking, Margaret remarks, "'If only Frank Burns could see you now. It's not so easy to be the clown when you have to run the circus, is it?'"
Annoyed by his wife being right, Hawkeye asks if she is finished.
"'Just one more thing'," Margaret states, "'permission to say, 'it serves you right, sir!'"
"'Permission denied, dismissed!'"
Leaving, Margaret smiles most of the way back to Post Op enjoying seeing her husband in this state. An hour later, there is talk of Hawkeye's patient needing to go back into surgery. Opting to tell him, Margaret finds her husband asleep in one of the beds in Post Op.
"'Doctor'," Margaret says as she moves her husband's arm so he will wake up. When he doesn't wake up, she says, "'Hawkeye?'"
"'Oh, Margaret,'" Hawkeye says when he realizes his wife wakes him up.
"'You gotta get up.'"
A little more awake, Hawkeye jokes, "'Oh, Margaret! It can't be heaven, I've only been dead five minutes.'"
Still exhausted he turns back over. When Margaret tells him he has to wake up, the surgeon replies, "'The second wave isn't here already.'"
"'No'," She agrees, "'One of your patients tore open his sututres. Post operative vomiting caused by the ether.'"
"'Alright, get him back in here'," Hawkeye states still unwilling to get up. Margaret replies that the patient is being prepped before she helps Hawkeye up. Still tired, the surgeon asks Margaret, "'And get me something to lean against while I'm operating. Preferably, you.'"
"'And get me something to lean against while I'm operating. Preferably you,'" His back turned to her, Margaret grins widely enjoying how he can flirt with her even on the verge of exhaustion.
When Colonel Potter comes back, Hawkeye hopes he never has to be in charge again. He is not Commanding Officer material.
Things settle back to normal including a small lull in casualties resulting in a few more practical jokes as well as a major fight between the doctors prompting Hawkeye to move into his own place. Neither his bunkmates nor the rest of the camp has a problem with the surgeon's decision as long as the camp gets a little peace. Despite the peace of the camp, none of the men in the Swamp are at peace. B.J. must deal with Charles' classical music on full blast, Charles has to listen to B.J. read his wife's letters for the millionth time, and Hawkeye realizes he does not like being alone. Saying something to Margaret at lunch while B.J. is getting his portrait painted and Charles is off who knows where, Margaret teases, "I thought you wanted to be alone?"
Shaking his head, the surgeon replies, "It's awful, Margaret! Sure, it was great the first hour or so, but then I was just bored out of my mind! Have you ever had to play cards alone?"
"I hear there's a game for that," Margaret deadpans. "Solitaire."
Seeing the glum look on her husband's face, Margaret asks, "Why don't you just move back in?"
"And give B.J. and Charles the satisfaction? Oh, no!" Hawkeye states too prideful to admit defeat. After Hawkeye leaves, Margaret soon finds herself sitting with Father Mulcahey and Klinger who comment on how unhappy B.J. and Hawkeye are. Knowing about Hawkeye, Margaret tells her own story about Charles.
"We need to find a way to get them to like each other again," Klinger remarks. Nodding, Father Mulcahey adds, "If only we could think of a good way to do that."
All three lost in thought when Colonel Potter comes by to ask their thoughts about his painting, they pay the man little attention. Meeting up near Klinger's office to devise a plan to get the men to talk to each other again, Klinger, Margaret, and Father Mulcahey discuss the best tactic. Each picking a surgeon, Margaret soon finds herself entering Hawkeye's private hut. When his door opens, Hawkeye is surprised to find Margaret come inside and quickly acts as if he is deeply engrossed in his book and enjoying his time alone.
"'Just put that aside, Pierce'," Margaret states. "'I'm here to express my disappointment.'"
Confused, Hawkeye asks what she is referring to. They have barely been around each other for a few days, so he has no idea what he could have done to her. Explaining how Hawkeye can leave B.J. worried about his daughter and not even be there to reassure him, Margaret watches Hawkeye fall for the story. Secretly pleased with herself, Margaret keeps on with the story and B.J.'s feelings about his daughter's supposed urinary problems.
"'Well, I'm gonna talk to Beej'," Hawkeye starts as he heads toward the door. Stopping him, Margaret tells him that B.J. will probably not accept his friend's help out of pride. At a loss, Hawkeye asks what he can do to help his friend. Taking hold of his arms, Margaret looks him in the eye and replies, "'Just be there.'"
"Yeah, you're right," He admits before turning away from his wife and the door exclaiming, "I should have been there, you know? Some friend I am, not even caring about B.J.'s problems. Just my stupid socks! If I'd have known, I would have let him keep them."
"It's not your fault," Margaret tells him. "He didn't tell you."
Both are silent until Hawkeye states, "I'm going back to camp. Care to join me?"
Margaret smirks answering, "I could do with a walk. Do you need me to help you carry anything?"
"Take my helmet and jacket?" He asks. Nodding, the pair heads back to camp talking the whole way. Entering camp, Margaret places Hawkeye's helmet back on his head and wishes him luck.
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