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Before dawn, Margaret passes the baby off to Hawkeye so the doctors and Father Mulcahey can go to the monastery. Since the men found the baby, Colonel Potter thought it only fitting that they leave her with the monks. As soon as the jeep leaves camp, Colonel Potter tells the group to disperse before heading off to his tent. Margaret simply stands still staring at the 4077 sign. With tears in her eyes, Margaret heads back to her tent. However, seeing the crib and few items that the baby girl amasses, the nurse instantly breaks down knowing now that they made a mistake. Still awake when the jeep comes back, Margaret goes to greet the men. Concern etched on their faces, B.J. finally asks why she is awake. Shaking her head, the nurse answers, "Couldn't sleep. How was she?"
Nodding toward his bunkmate who still sits in the jeep, B.J. answers almost sorrowfully, "Ask Hawk."
Giving her husband a curious look, Margaret walks over to him. As soon as Margaret sees Hawkeye she watches his resolve break down.
"I shouldn't have left her," He chokes out. Whispering her husband's name, Margaret helps him out of the jeep. Leading Hawkeye into her tent, Margaret asks what the exchange was like. Explaining putting the baby in the baby box, Hawkeye says as they enter the tent, "I almost backed out. She's so little."
Nodding, Margaret answers, "I almost didn't give her to you."
Neither says anything else for a while, they just sit in Margaret's bed lost in their own thoughts. Well aware they should not feel as close to this baby as they do, both try to reconcile who they lost. Margaret feels guilty thinking that maybe they should not have stopped trying for a child thinking their hearts would not be as broken as they are now. Hawkeye feels guilty for leaving the baby in the first place, or at least not trying harder to figure out how to keep her. Both, however, are well aware of the laws regarding adoption, especially in other countries. For them it is next to impossible to keep this baby without some act of divine intervention, or at least the President.
"We shouldn't have left her there," Hawkeye mumbles breaking the quiet, "I feel like we've failed her."
Taking her husband's hand, Margaret reassures, "How can we if we put her somewhere she will be cared for?"
Ruefully, Hawkeye remarks, "You don't always have to be so valiant."
"I'm not," Margaret defends, "Rationalizing is the best way I know how to cope with this."
Thinking back on the events of the last week and a half, Margaret sits up a little before asking, "Do you think he'd let us take her back? After the war?"
Nervous to even entertain the thought of seeing this baby again, Hawkeye replies, "Great idea. We'll be out just in time to send her to college."
"Hawkeye," Margaret chides, but both know he has a point. Neither knows what the future holds. The war could last forever. The baby's mother could come back. Instead, the couple agrees to get some rest knowing they cannot make good decisions on their lack of sleep. Their clear desicion, however, leaves the couple at a stalemate. Hawkeye wants to fight for the baby, but Margaret decides against it. Surprised by his wife's answer, Hawkeye remarks, "You said it was fine. You're the one who wants to adopt."
A heavy sigh, Margaret answers, "I know, but Hawk? Who is going to let us adopt? Will the Korean government even let us adopt her? This is a big deal."
Hawkeye studies his wife's face after she answers him and can see her tells. They have been around each other too long to not know how to read each other. Realization dawning on him, Hawkeye exclaims, "You're scared!"
"No," Margaret begins not wanting to admit her feelings. She is scared, but more of their hopes and dreams not turning out and living life in a war zone.
"Yes you are! Of what?" Hawkeye asks hoping she will answer him instead of deflect. Shrugging, Margaret mumbles, "Of failing."
Not sure he is understand his wife, Hawkeye asks, "What?"
"Of failing," Margaret repeats as she turns away from her husband. After a moment she looks at Hawkeye and asks as her voice breaks, "What if everything we've worked toward just gets destroyed?"
Motioning for his wife to step into the hug he offers, Margaret lets herself cry. Hugging Margaret to him as she cries into his shoulder, Hawkeye suggests, "Why don't we start small. We could show our relationship a little more to the camp? Show that we are a couple?"
Sniffling, Margaret nods and agrees to baby steps. Sniffling, Margaret remarks, "This is going to be hard after two years of hating each other."
"Then it should be fun," Hawkeye teases before kissing his wife as they settle into figuring out how to show their relationship to the rest of the camp. The baby steps begin by simple hand holding or jokes to each other. Then the couple starts going to see movies together. After about a week, B.J. asks Hawkeye about his new relationship with Margaret. Shrugging, Hawkeye jokes, "I don't kiss and tell."
One night during another dull movie the camp is given, Hawkeye sits with Margaret in the back row and begins to kiss her neck. They had been making fun of the movie and Hawkeye decides to kiss his wife not caring who sees.
"Hawk," Margaret whispers a small grin betraying her before muttering, "We said baby steps."
Moving away slightly, Hawkeye mutters, "In this place? This is baby steps."
When his wife gives him a slight glare to behave, Hawkeye resigns himself to making jokes about the movie. He decides to talk to Margaret after the movie for parameters on their less than secret relationship after the movie that night when they are alone in her tent. When the movie ends, though, the plans change. A majority of the camp decides to head to the Officers Club and have a drink and B.J. asks Hawkeye and Margaret if they want to join him and Charles. Sitting with Hawkeye and Charles at a table chatting while they wait for B.J. to bring back their drinks, the group laugh about the movie they watch and comment about the people around them. Once B.J. sits down, the topic of time capsules comes up and Margaret jumps at the idea. When the men make jokes about it, Margaret decides to leave annoyed that her husband offers to help, but dismisses the time capsule's importance. Following his wife, Hawkeye tries to explain how invested he is. Threatening her husband with a curling iron if he tries to turn her well meaning deed into a farce, Margaret heads to her tent. The next day with little to no wounded, Margaret and Hawkeye go around asking for donations for the time capsule. Sick of her husband's joke and the lack of sincerity anyone shows, Margaret strikes out on her own to collect items. Hawkeye then decides to make his own time capsule.
As Margaret and Hawkeye battle over their time capsules, the rest of the camp enjoys the entertainment. By now everyone is well aware of the couple's relationship, or at least that they are in one. The couple is very aware how they are acting and are well aware they are not fooling anyone since the baby left the camp. For Margaret and Hawkeye, the time capsules are a fantastic distraction from their current predicament of trying to figure out how to have a relationship in front of an entire camp after trying for over two years to hide one. Finding items, the couple is able to avoid each other and their issues. Days that she is unable to talk to anyone about her problems are days Margaret actually misses Frank Burns. He at least was a sounding board. Alone, Margaret lets her anger fester. When she finds out about the Scarlett O'Hara dress, Margaret is livid. Finding Hawkeye in the middle of the compound, Margaret marches up to him seething. Yelling at him that he has no respect for her idea nor for the army, she is stunned when Hawkeye quietly and angrily answers, "Careful Hotlips. We don't want the whole camp to see that careful Major façade crumble."
Both know the blow is too low. No one has called Margaret "Hotlips" in over a year. Not only that, but Hawkeye's face shows he immediately regrets the remark. Pressing her lips together, Margaret turns on her heel and stomps away hoping Hawkeye cannot see the tears forming in her eyes as she heads to her tent.
Complaining about Margaret to B.J. later after explaining that he calls Margaret "Hotlips", Hawkeye asks, "How do you and Peg resolve your arguments?"
With a smirk, B.J. asks, "Trouble in paradise?"
Rolling his eyes, Hawkeye answers, "You're the only one I can think of who can help with this issue. Between man and woman, I mean."
"Uh huh," B.J. starts wondering why Hawkeye and Margaret cannot just tell them they are married. After a moment, B.J. answers, "If it were me and Peg, I'd get a nice bottle of wine and a candlelit dinner."
"I'm trying to have a conversation not avoid one. Besides, what makes you think I'm trying to woo Margaret?" Hawkeye asks. Seeing his friend's eyebrow raise, Hawkeye remarks, "Besides, that's the furthest thing from her mind. I'm serious."
"So is she."
"Hey! Whose side are you on? I'm taking this time capsule thing just a serious! In fact, if she doesn't, then I'll throw in Radar's teddy bear so she can add in my childishness!" Hawkeye exclaims before stopping short. Turning toward his foot locker, Hawkeye opens it and starts to take some items out.
"What are you doing?" B.J. asks when he notices Hawkeye take out the man's contribution.
That night as Margaret goes through her time capsule, Hawkeye, B.J., and Charles bring the foot locker out to bury. Trying to stop the men, Margaret is surprised when Hawkeye sites the importance of each item he holds up and hands to her. A broken fan belt, Radar's teddy bear.
"'That's very lovely'," Margaret admits realizing how dumb their argument has been. As B.J. hands over Henry's fishing lure and Father Mulcahey the boxing gloves, Margaret gives in and tells Klinger she wants his black dress and not the Scarlett O'Hara ensemble.
"'I figure if we're burying everything else, why not the hatchet?'" Hawkeye answers hoping to end this fight he's been having with his wife. Later that night as Hawkeye and Margaret watch Soon Lee and Klinger interacting, Hawkeye leans into Margaret's side and apologizes. With a small smile, Margaret apologizes as well before nodding toward the door. Smiling as his friends leave, B.J. realizes he does not have too bad of advice after all.
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