B.J. joined Hawkeye in bed, taking the paperback out of his hands, observing, "You've been staring at that same page for going on ten minutes. And you've been really quiet all night. Is there something on your mind, Hawk?"

Hawkeye wore an expression that looked almost like guilt. Apprehension came over B.J. like a wave.

"What is it, Hawk?"

Turning onto his side to face B.J., Hawkeye said slowly, "I had a visitor today."

"Somebody I know?"

Hawkeye nodded. "Yes. At least, I think you'd remember her. Carlye? She was Carlye Walton when you knew her… back in Korea?"

B.J.'s heart dropped into his stomach. Oh, he remembered Carlye, all right. At the time, when Hawkeye was immersed in an extramarital affair with her, he was pretty sure she was the love of Hawkeye's life. He'd never seen such adoration on the man's face. And later, after she'd left, he'd never seen him so despondent.

"Yeah," B.J. said, his own voice sounding very far away, "I know who you're talking about. She came here?"

"Yeah. She found out where I live from Dad."

"Doesn't she live on the east coast?"

Hawkeye nodded. "She does. She flew out here specifically to see me."

"I see," B.J. said, struggling to remain calm. There could be any number of reasons why Hawkeye's old flame would come all the way across the country to see him. Sure, any number…

"She's in between relationships right now, and she got to thinking about me, I guess. But not to worry, Beej. I told her I'm in a relationship with you, and very happy. She was—well, she was surprised to hear it…"

"I'll bet."

"But she understood." Hawk put a hand on B.J.'s bare chest, ran his fingers through the hair there. "I told her in no uncertain terms… I promise you."

B.J. believed him, of course, but he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that this wouldn't be the end of it. Carlye had flown 3000 miles to find her old lover, to try to get him back… would she really just give up and head back home, tail between her legs? It didn't seem likely.

But Hawkeye continued to reassure him. "Don't worry. She was kind of mind-blown by the whole conversation, but she got the message, loud and clear. Don't give it another thought, OK? It wasn't any big deal."

Sure seemed like a big deal, though, the way B.J.'s mind was racing, inventing all kinds of crazy things to worry about. But he nodded and said, "OK, Hawk." He reached up, turned off the light and got comfortable in the sheets, while Hawkeye curled around him, kissing him softly on the shoulder.

"Goodnight, Beej. I love you."

B.J. blinked up at the ceiling, preoccupied. "Love you," he muttered, on automatic pilot.

Hawkeye seemed to drift off almost right away, but sleep eluded B.J. for a long time.