I'm so sorry for the late update. It's taken me days to get this chapter up because my internet did not want to upload it! Oh well, it's here now and I hope you enjoy :-)

Hawkeye walked into Fort Ord feeling extremely uncomfortable in the surroundings. He wore a suit since he was no longer in the military and he itched all over. All he wanted to do was go home. But then again, Margaret needed help and he was capable of doing that. As he walked passed the female latrine, he heard what he thought was sobbing – female sobs – so he decided to knock on the door to see if the person was alright.

"Hello? Are you ok in there?"

The woman inside suddenly went quiet. Hawkeye got even more worried.

"Do you need any help in there? I mean, would you like me to get someone for you?"

Hawkeye quickly stepped back as the door opened. Who he saw was not expected. It was Margaret, wearing her Class A's and very smudged mascara.

"Hawkeye? You're here?"

"Of course I'm here. You asked me to come, didn't you?"

"Yeah. I did. Thank you."

Hawkeye hugged his friend and when he did, she simply cried some more. Hawkeye tried to comfort her, but it was very difficult. He then spoke.

"Margaret. What's wrong?"

Margaret quickly regained her composure and stood straight.

"Nothing really. I'm perfectly fine. Just tense, that's all."

"Oh sure. When I'm tense I always cry into someone else's arms."

"Hawkeye, please don't push the issue."

Hawkeye simply looked down at the woman beside him and gave her a small smile. He knew she'd talk, but she needed to be ready for that. Now was not the best time. They had court to go to.

"Ok Margaret. Let's go then. Where's this court martial anyway? With our luck, probably in a supply room somewhere."

Margaret gave a small laugh and nudged the man's ribs.

"Cut it out, seriously."

"Ok, ok. So, who else is here?"

"You're the only person I've seen today, so we'll see who else came when we get to the court room."

Hawkeye held his arm out so Margaret would hold it. She did. He then quietly escorted her.

When they arrived, Margaret went to meet her lawyer while Hawkeye began to pace around the place. He felt alone. He needed someone there for company and some support. He knew what he would face in that room frankly, it had him nervous.

"Hawkeye? I didn't know you were coming too."

Hawkeye recognised the voice if his former CO in a second.

"Colonel Potter! Thank God you're here. You'll have to save me and Margaret from this mess."

"It's great to see you too son. Why would you two need saving?"

"Well … um … our pasts … you know."

"Hawkeye, everything will be fine."

Colonel Potter looked down at his Class A uniform and fixed his belt.

"How can you be sure?"

"The Army never does what you expect, so if you expect the worse, it won't happen."

"Isn't that a bit of wishful thinking?"

The Colonel simply smiled and said, "Margaret's promiscuity might be a problem for a bit, but that stopped after Donald I believe, so she'll be ok."

Before another word was spoken, Hawkeye heard someone else behind him. Someone's voice that was even more recognisable to him than Colonel Potter's.

"Beej! You're here too! Does Margaret know all this?"

"Hey Hawk! Colonel Potter! It's great to see you, even though it's not the way it should be. And no Hawk, Margaret has no idea. We called her lawyer and made these plans."

Hawkeye looked confused, "We?"

Colonel Potter and BJ smiled. The Colonel thought that he should explain since the idea was his to begin with.

"Hawkeye. I thought Margaret could use the help and support of friend, so I called BJ and with some help from him, we contacted the gang and well … we figured that we couldn't leave one of our own behind, so we all decided to testify. We called Margaret's lawyer and he confirmed the list with the court. She only thinks that you and I are here."

"Wow! So … where's everyone?"

"They'll be here tomorrow. Only, you, BJ and me are meant to testify today."

Not long after these last words were said, the hearing began.

" … Major Houlihan, how would you describe your relationship with men during the Korean conflict?"

"I had a good relationship with the men of the outfit. I …"

"So did you sleep with them?"

"I object. This is a leading question."

"Sustained. Please reword it."

"How did you relate to the men?"

"I'll admit, I did sleep with a few men during the first half of the Korean War. I'm no angel and I never claimed to be. I guess I wanted to show an admiration for men higher in rank than myself. I now know that there were there were other ways of doing this."

"So you admit you were promiscuous?"

"I was, but …"

"That's all. No further questions."

"Your Honour, may I cross-examine?"

"Yes, proceed."

"Major Houlihan, did your promiscuous nature change during the war?"

"It did. I married Lieutenant Colonel Donald Penobscott and after that, I stopped sleeping with other men beside my husband."

"You divorced him, so how did your behaviour change after this?"

"It didn't. I no longer slept with men to simply show appreciation. I made sure I loved the man first."

"Do you have any proof of this?"

"No proof, but if you talk to General Weiskopf, he can tell you how I changed."

"Nothing further Your Honour."

"Major Houlihan, you may step down."

As Margaret sat down, she saw Hawkeye come in. She wasn't sure why she'd called him, but she felt better that he was there for her.

" … Dr Pierce, how was your relationship with the nurses in Korea?"

"Ok. Look, I'll answer all your questions in one go here. I was friendly with the nurses, I probably slept with 2/3 of them really. It was a war. Things are different in war. Let me ask you this, have you ever been in a war zone?"

"I'm asking the questions Dr Pierce."

"Life's different in a war. You want to feel alive. Sleeping with someone shows you that you are. It's a comfort."

"Did you ever sleep with Major Houlihan?"

"I object. Leading the witness again."

"Sustained. You're pushing it Captain."

"I have no further questions."

Hawkeye sat there feeling absolutely drained. He had been heavily questioned and now felt like he'd done Margaret more damage than good. He just hoped that his record as a surgeon helped her out.

The rest of the day went pretty much the same. Colonel Potter's testimony was a godsend while BJ's had Margaret stunned, but relieved. He was one convincing witness.

As the hearing ended, the assembled MASH gang headed to Margaret's house.

"BJ, thank you for testifying, but how did you find out?"

"Don't worry about that detail. I was here and it looks good so far, despite some downfalls."

As BJ and Colonel Potter began a conversation about pruning plants, Margaret headed towards Hawkeye who was unusually quiet sitting on her lounge.

"Hawkeye? Are you ok?"

He smiled. "I should be asking you that question Major."

"I'm fine. It went ok today, although having my life on display was horrible to say the least."

"I was thinking the same thing actually."

"Hawkeye, what's wrong? You seem so different."

"I guess it shows. I'm not myself right?"

"Right, so …?"

"I don't feel like myself. That's my problem."

"Nightmares? A lot of thinking?"

Hawkeye starred blankly at Margaret. It suddenly dawned on him. He probably wasn't the only one who felt like that.

"Yeah … you too?"

"Me too. I try to tell myself that since I'm Regular Army I should be stronger than this … but I guess … I'm … not."

Hawkeye had seen Margaret open up before, but this was completely new. She was completely vulnerable and she was showing it to him.

"Being Regular Army doesn't make a difference. We're all human."

"Hawkeye?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you stay her tonight? I need you here."

Hawkeye knew that this was not a sexual request. It was a friendship request.

"Ok. If you need me."

I guess I need her too.