I don't own M*A*S*H. Only original storyline and original characters.
Boston was just like he remembered it, his home He couldn't wait to see Honoria and travel around the town he had been separated from for over 2 years.
He entered his home and dropped his duffel in shock. He was face to face with a smiling Freddy. "Hey Dr. Winchester. Welcome Back!"
Freddy was here, which meant that Becca was still here. He was suddenly filled with fear. Why hadn't she written him? Was she still sleeping in his bed? How was he going to handle seeing her after denying her feelings for him?
He took a deep breath. "Hello Freddy. It's good to be home. Where's Becca?"
The smile faded and Charles felt worry fill him.
"She left here several months ago. She said that she was going to get a job and move out. I've only seen her a few times since then."
Which meant that she was still in town. He was going to have to see her face in his beloved Boston. It was too much to bear.
She was gone from his home, but not from his life. He had no idea where she had gone to.
"Where is she working?"
Freddy crossed his arms as he was thinking. "She ended up working for a woman as a companion since she was unable to work anywhere else. They are out of town at the moment."
Charles relaxed. He had a few days to relax before he would see her. That gave him a few days to figure out how he was going to look at her and not take her into arms.
He saw his mother a couple days later. She came in and welcomed him back. She surprised him by waiting a whole half an hour before bring up marriage.
"I've chosen several prospects for you..."
Charles sighed. "Mother, I'm not interested right now."
She glared at her son. "Charles, this is important. We are trying to choice your future wife. Someone who will add to your prestige in the community, someone who will support you in your future life. Not like that girl you sent here."
Charles started at his mother as she continued on.
"She was disrespectful, rude and just plain ugly. I was so happy when I heard that she left this house."
Charles couldn't believe what he was hearing. He stood and looked down at his mother. "Mother, leave."
She appeared confused for a moment. "What did you say?"
"I'm saying that you need to leave."
She looked at her son with a look of complete confusion and anger before she stood. "Very well. Perhaps this was too soon to bring to your attention. We'll talk again soon."
She looked like she wanted to take a step towards him, but instead she turned and walked out the room.
Charles unclenched the fists he had unconsciously made and sat back in his chair, letting out a breath.
His mother had pushed his buttons regarding Becca. What she said was true, she wasn't going to be right for him in the long run. He knew that, but he didn't care.
He missed Becca.
Charles walked up the drive to his grandmother's home. She had just returned from New York and had requested an audience with him. He couldn't refuse.
He was welcomed into the old house by a butler and lead down the hall to the sitting room. Even from here he could hear the piano playing, which was odd because Charlotte had stopped playing about 10 years ago.
A few notes were missed he noticed, but he knew that his grandmother used to be able to play beautiful music. She had tried to train him herself when he was a child. He knew the notes, but didn't have the talent for it.
The butler walked in and announced him. "Dr. Winchester, Ma'am."
The music continued, but her could hear his grandmother respond. "Show him in." The strength of her spirit hadn't diminished in the time he had been gone.
He walked in and found that his grandmother wasn't the one playing. It was a woman with her back to him, her blonde hair was hanging down her back, ending between her shoulder blades. He could see the pink and white polka dot dress she was wearing as well.
She didn't acknowledge him, just continued to play.
Charles turned his attention to his grandmother, sitting closer to the window rather than the piano.
"Charles! Welcome home!"
Charles smiled and crossed the room, leaning down to kiss his grandmother's cheek. "Grandmother," he said before taking a seat across from her. "It is good to be home."
She smiled, more relaxed than he had seen her in years. He glanced at the woman at the piano. Was this her doing?
"My new companion," she said, drawing Charles' eyes back to her. "A feisty but interesting girl. I am quite fond of her."
Charles smiled. "I'm glad that you have found such company. Where did you meet?"
Suddenly his grandmother's smile took a more knowing look that Charles didn't like one bit. "At your home, of all places."
"At my..." Then the dots began to add up. Freddy saying that Becca had gotten work as a companion, her being out of town, his grandmother just now returning to town, her suddenly having a companion of her own. The picture this was all making could only mean one thing.
"Becca dear," his grandmother said softly. The music stopped. "Would you mind pouring the tea please?"
"Of course Ma'am."
Becca's voice. Charles turned, unable to hide his joy and confusion at the image before him.
The girl was Becca, looking beautiful in that dress that contrasted with her eyes in such a way as to make them pop. She stood and walked over to the table, sitting next to his grandmother. Charles couldn't keep his eyes off her.
She didn't react in anyway to him being there at all. It was as if he didn't exist. She wasn't acting like the woman he had known in Korea, the woman he had fallen in love with.
"Same as always, Ma'am?" Her tone was so polite and formal. He didn't like it.
"Yes dear." He watched as she made his grandmother some tea and couldn't help the way his heart raced when those eyes fell upon him.
"Dr. Winchester?"
Charles found it hard to respond. He didn't like Becca this way. He wanted her to talk to him like she used to, smile like she used to, be herself.
"Doctor?"
Charles blinked, remembering where he was and that they weren't alone. "Just milk, please."
Becca nodded and made the tea. Charles turned his attention back to his grandmother, if nothing else but to take his mind of Becca.
His grandmother was no help at all, smirking as if she had the whole world figured out. He wanted to hate her in this moment, but was too blindsided by Becca's presence to do so.
"Becca is a darling girl. I met her at your home when your mother and I met there to discuss possible prospects for you. She held her own against your mother and I knew then that I liked this girl." She turned and smiled at Becca, who was taking her time making Charles' tea. "Then I heard she was looking for work and wanted a change of scenery. I invited her to come with me to New York as a trial run as a companion for me since I didn't have one. We had a marvelous time, she made me feel young again with her conversations and curiosity. I enjoy every minute of her company."
Becca sat the tea cup on the table next to Charles. Charles couldn't help looking at her and realized why, in the entire span of the conversation, Becca had began to avoid looking at him.
Her eyes were filled with unshed tears.
She stood and straightened, turning to his grandmother. "May I be excused please?"
Charlotte looked up at Becca and nodded. "Of course dear. I'll see you at dinner."
Becca nodded before turning her head slightly towards him, but not completely looking at him. "Good day, Dr. Winchester."
Her voice was calm, but her tear-filled eyes were anything but. She turned and walked out of the room, leaving grandmother and grandson alone.
"She really is a lovely girl," Charlotte said as she took a sip of her tea. She then turned back to Charles. "Speaking of lovely girls..."
Charles froze. This was it. The moment he had been dreading. Now that he knew where Becca was he had to make a case for her. He couldn't marry another woman, not when he wanted Becca as much as he did.
"I know that you have been home only for a short time, but I think that I have found the perfect girl for you to marry."
"Grandmother, if I may be so frank. I don't think that I could marry any woman picked for me, at least not anymore."
She smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, and why is that?"
He took a deep breath. "I'm in love with someone else."
There was a time when Charles would have accepted anyone his grandmother would have named. As head of the family, she had final say on such matters. Regardless, he had to try. He had to follow his heart, just this once.
"I'm sorry to hear that, I was sure that this girl would be perfect for you."
His grandmother was still smiling, which made no sense given what he had just uttered. She should be yelling, like his own mother would be when she heard about this.
"Who was it that you had in mind?" he asked, out of curiosity.
His grandmother's smile changed, a sweet smile now that Charles found reminded him of Becca, strangely enough.
"I hadn't approached her yet, but I think that the best choice for you would be to marry a woman who is unique, rather than just a carbon copy of your mother. That's why my choice for you is Becca Coals, my companion."