Pierce residence, driveway, after Hawkeye disappeared
"There are only two options, really. The beach or the cliff. I'll take the Land Rover and drive to the beach. The cliff is right over there next to the wood. There is a path leading to it. It'll be very easy for you to find it, Margaret….Don't worry. He's not going to harm himself. I know my son. He's just struck by self-pity." said Daniel.

Margaret had mixed feelings. She missed him terribly, but she was also mad at him for doubting her. After a while she found Hawkeye laying in the grass close to the edge of the cliff. She approached him from the side. He looked quite good in his casual shirt and knickers. Margaret was still dressed in army summer clothing, but without the Major distinctions, she had left behind, in Korea.

Hawkeye spotted her, but before he could react, Margaret sat down on his lap pressing his wrists firmly to the ground.

"Margaret!" said Hawkeye not knowing whether he should smile or look serious.

"Shut up and listen to me!" she said irately.

"I have two things to say to you. First, I'm going to kiss you, but don't think you're off the hook, Buster. This is only because I miss you so much."

She grabbed his hands interlocking their fingers. She bent down and kissed him with such force that he instantly squeezed her hands hard, but then he relaxed and kissed her back eagerly. She kissed him for several minutes before she broke it off and went back to being irate, just like the switch of a button, but this emotion was also real.

"How could you think I would leave you? I have told you that I love you. Do you really believe I would say that to you and change my mind within a week. Don't you think I know the difference between some teenage crush and…and this…?" She grabbed his shoulders and shook them hard.

Margaret felt relieved after she had gotten rid of her steam. In a lower and much more intimate voice, she said…

"Listen darling, I'm sorry I ran away like that, but if this…I mean us…is going to work, we need to stop doubting each other. I have not only lost my job, I've lost my entire existence and it scares the shit out of me. Now, I may also lose my father's respect and maybe more, but that is not why I'm here. I am here because I love you and I need you to be there for me."

"I will be there for you, Margaret…and…I need you too. You mean everything to me..."

"Well, I guess, this means I'm not mad at you any more." she said with an affectionate smile.

"Oh, I knew you weren't…you just said darling to me.." said Hawkeye with a disarming smile. They unconsciously began to caress each other.

"Yes…I did…didn't I?"

She bent down and he put his arms around her. The first kiss was warm and deep. While kissing they rolled over a few times away from the edge of the cliff and then passion took over. Their lovemaking was quick, steamy hot and almost brutal. Afterwards, they lay closely entwined in the grass and caressed each other affectionately.

"So ..eh…I guess, its' true what they say about making up. Perhaps I should annoy you once in awhile? "said Hawkeye with a cheeky smile.

"Don't you dare…" said Margaret trying to make a serious expression, but with little success as she saw his cheeky smile. They went back to the Pierce residence, hand in hand.

Back at the house Daniel had already returned and was preparing lunch. When the cute couple arrived, Daniel put a dish towel over his arm and acted as a waiter.

"Welcome to my tiny restaurant. Table for two? This way, please." said Daniel with an exaggerated humble voice. The couple took each other's arms, giggling and followed Daniel through the house.

Daniel had set a table for the two in the most romantic part of the garden. To the east, they could see the rough landscape stretching all the way to the coast and to the west they could see the rolling landscape.

"This is very beautiful." she gasped or was it a lump in her throat.

Daniel was a great cook. The meal consisted mostly of delicacies from Maine including lobsters of course and spontaneous kisses. The cute couple talked and laughed. They obviously enjoyed each other's company very much and Daniel enjoyed to spoil them.

Crabapple Cove, Pierce residence, October 1953
For two months Margaret had lived together with Hawkeye and Daniel. Hawkeye had taken over the parish and Daniel assisted him as a semi-retired doctor. Hawkeye was serious about his work and he wanted to specialize in new medical fields in order to broaden his service to the parish. Hawkeye refered most of his patients to the hospital in Portland. He had close links to the staff and frequent visits to the hospital. The most important visits did not serve a professional purpose though, because Hawkeye met with members of the staff to play poker.

He had told Margaret about a vacancy as head nurse in one of the surgical departments and she got the job due to her spotless qualifications.

Hawkeye, Margaret and Daniel are slowly adjusting to a life together under the same roof.

Korea, Mash 4077, 1952
She was working as fast as she could. Giving the surgeon what he asked for. Clamp, sponge, suction. Faster and faster. She could hardly keep up with the surgeon. She looked at the young soldier's face. He looked at her with eyes asking for help. Suddenly she could feel his hand in hers and she squeezed it. It gave her some comfort. She had seen his face before…but it couldn't be…it was the face of a soldier who died 6 months earlier. Then Margaret woke up.

Crabapple Cove, Pierce residence, October 1953, 4 a.m.
Hawkeye was holding her hand, as she tried to catch her breath. He gently turned her around on her stomach and placed his hand on her neck under her long blond hair. First his fingers caressed her neck. Then he let his hand slowly and affectionately slide down her spine, all the way down to her cute little behind and back up again, to her neck. He did that over and over again while he spoke to her in a calm voice or let her talk about whatever was on her mind. Margaret loved it. She had never thought she could feel this close to another human being. When Hawkeye had a bad dream, they would do exactly the same because touching Margaret like this also made him relax completely.

Sometimes Margaret felt like his hand began to touch her in a slightly different way, but the difference was so subtle that she was not sure if it was her or him who caused this feeling inside her. Anyway, she felt like his hand had two modes. A relaxing mode and an arousing mode. Now she was definitely aroused. She turned around and let her arms slide around his neck pulling him down to her hot lips for some juicy kisses. As usual, passion comes easy to them and then Margaret would forget all about it, until the next time his hand aroused her this way.

Portland hospital, October 1953, Saturday evening
Hawkeye was visiting the hospital for an evening of poker. They would get into deep trouble if the management found out about their gambling, but the hospital was the best and most natural place to meet. Margaret was on duty and as usual Hawkeye would drop by to see her, if possible. Later they would be driving home together.

Hawkeye walked through one of the departments on his way to see Margaret, when he saw a group af nurses discussing and they were very upset.

"Hi girls, how about giving your favourite doctor a smile."

"Sorry Hawkeye, we don't feel like smiling."

"Is there something I can do to make you lovely ladies smile again? I only come here to see your smiles, you know. Please don't ruin my day."

"There is nothing you can do about it, but we might just as well tell you." said one of the nurses.

"It's about Clyde, one of the porters, whenever he gets the chance, he tries to grope the nurses."

"Clyde? But he's only two feet tall. Can't you just push him away?

"No, he does it so fast."

"Well ladies, doctor Hawkeye just got an idea. I wonder how Margaret would react?"

"Forget it. He doesn't dare touching her."

"Why not?"

"He's afraid of you. He doesn't dare touching a nurse with a tall guy like you around."

Hawkeye got a devilish look on his face.

"Well, there just might be a way around that. Where's Margaret?"

"She's in the linen room checking supplies."

"Great. Come with me…and would you ask Clyde to come to the office opposite the linen room."

"Yes, doctor." That remark made Hawkeye feel very uncomfortable and resulted in a sinking feeling. He had heard these words so many times, but under very different circumstances.

When Hawkeye arrived at the office, he saw that Clyde was already there. Without hesitation, Hawkeye opened the door and said..

"She's impossible. I hate her. How could she do this to me? That's it. I'm going to dump her." said Hawkeye aggressively

"Eh..are you talking about Margaret?" said Clyde

"Yes..did you know that she used to be called Hot Lips."

"Is that so? And you don't mind if I…"

"No no – I won't stop you. She's in the linen room… and let me tell you this…a good swift smack in her butt will turn her into pudding."

"Yes, I knew it." said Clyde with confidence and walked into the linen room. Hawkeye signalled the nurses to join him.

Suddenly Margaret was screaming so loud as if an artillery shell just exploded close to her. Two minutes later Clyde came staggering out of the linen room with a gigantic black eye and the nurses laughed so hard at him, they got tears in their eyes. A little while later Margaret came out looking a little surprised, but when the nurses applauded her, she held her head high and walked through the room until she saw Hawkeye.

She looked at him with a cheeky smile.

"You wouldn't, by any chance have anything to do with this?"

"Who – me? Would little me do this to you?"

"Yes, he would and I'm glad you did." Margaret walked straight to Hawkeye and kissed him, smack on his mouth.

"Eh..what?" said Hawkeye

"I knew about that creep and boy, if felt so good when I hit him."

"Now, don't let it grow into a habit." said Hawkeye a little worried, and as he walked out the door, he felt a sharp pain in his butt, as Margaret gave him a good swift smack in his butt.

Boston, General hospital. October 1953
Hawkeye was attending lectures aimed at family doctors regarding new medical fields. He had just left the hospital after the lectures, when he noticed someone sitting on a bench and he somehow looked familiar…but it couldn't be….

"Frank? Frank Burns?" said Hawkeye.