He heard a muffled hiss from the fireplace and came into semi-consciousness, feeling around for Margaret's hand but not finding it. Hawkeye would have sworn that noise was artillery and he was in the hut and Margaret was there, warm and comforting.

Instead she was by the fireplace in the old rocking chair. The chair was his grandmother's , well-used but well-loved. Margaret nursed both children in it and would often just sit and stare at the fire, rocking slowly back and forth. That's what she was doing now.

"Honey," was all he said. She turned to look at him and it was clear she was silently crying, and had been for a good while. She was so damn strong. Losing Potter and now Daniel just ripped her heart up. Any grief Hawkeye felt for both of them was amplified for her. She didn't need to put her "Major" hat on for Sherman or Daniel. She was just Margaret, who liked football and animals and served on town council and volunteered whenever needed.

But she was so strong. Every argument was fought tooth and nail. Her battle was alcohol was a triumphant one. Both of the kids were healthy and stubborn and wonderful. Hawkeye believed most of the credit went to her.

He crawled out of bed and tried to comfort her. She melted into his arms.

"You should go back to bed. I'll be fine," she said. The tears in her eyes reflected the firelight. Hawkeye ran his hands through her hair and down her back. She would be fine, but all this hurt would take a long time to heal.

There was a bumping noise downstairs, then the kettle's faint whistle. He guessed it was Ellie making tea. "Oh, that kid is up again," Margaret sighed. "Old habits die hard."

Hawkeye laughed. Ellie never was a good sleeper. Even when Margaret was pregnant, Ellie would doze through the day and commence kicking at night.

Potter and Daniel were ecstatic when Ellie came along. Hawkeye was nervous at first, then excited and then just absolutely in love with his girls. In her last few months of pregnancy, Margaret was exhausted and hardly able to do anything. Daniel waited on her hand and foot and Potter would call once every other day to talk and do a "phone checkup". He'd been the best obstetrician of the MASH bunch. Poor Margaret looked like a beach ball. Hawkeye thought she was adorable.

Then Ellie was born with her big blue eyes and dark hair. A few years later came Ben Jackson, dark blonde and blue-eyed, breaking women's hearts from the get-go. All the touch football, picnics, school plays and nights in front of the TV laughing were just gravy. BJ once said the two were the entire unit's children, since everyone played a part in their existence. But it took a push from closer to home to get Hawkeye to seal the deal.

"Don't lose that girl, son. She's the best thing that's happened to you. She loves you. I see her eyes."

Daniel wanted them together. She came up for a week, admittedly feeling lost and drifting. Nothing was how she expected it to be and the Army was ancient history. He was just barely functioning and adrift himself, spending most of his time staring at the ocean. They walked on the beach. They ate and talked. They smiled. When it was time for her bus to leave, Daniel provided that extra push Hawkeye needed. He proposed on the breakwater with his mother's ring. They were married two months later by the ocean. Father Mulcahy did the honors.

Remembering all that, Hawkeye was silent for a long time. Margaret wasn't crying as hard. She cradled his head in her lap and stroked his hair. They would have to go through Daniel's house and clean it out, sell the car, sell the house and close the door.

But first was the funeral. They could hear Ben in the kitchen now, mumbling and sorting through the cabinets.

"Would you like some tea?" Margaret whispered. "I need to see the kids."

"Let's go," he said. They left the room hand in hand. It was three a.m.