DISCLAIMER: I'm sure you'll be shocked to discover this, but I don't own M*A*S*H!

It had been about a week since Hawkeye had returned home from his visit with B.J and Peg. He and Margaret had both been busy since then, so they had not made time for a date until now. This evening, Margaret drove to Crabapple Cove, and Hawkeye took her out for a delicious dinner at Eddie's Bar and Grill. The two of them were now enjoying each other's company by taking a stroll in the brisk November weather.

"You know, I'm still not used to the cold weather here in Maine." Margaret said as she pulled her jacket tighter.

"Oh, you mean compared to the ridiculous weather that we had in Korea?" Hawkeye asked. "One day 100 degrees, the next day 100 below. I really miss that war you know."

Margaret laughed. "No, I mean like in California. That's where I spent a lot of my time when I was growing up. How was the weather there when you went to visit B.J. and Peg?"

"It was nice." Hawkeye said, reflecting back on the 70-degree days he had enjoyed while in California. "Nice enough to eat ice cream, anyway. I took Erin out for ice cream while I was visiting them. Here I just feel like a popsicle."

"I still can't believe everything that's going on with B.J. and Peg." Margaret said slowly, thinking about everything Hawkeye had told her. "The fact that such a strong man like B.J. would struggle like he is right now frightens me.

"Yeah, well it happens to the best of us and the worst of us, I guess." Hawkeye said, thinking on his mental breakdown while over in Korea.

"Not only that, but Peg ended up pregnant while he's going through all of that. I can't imagine how scared she must have been: carrying the baby of someone she wasn't even sure was going to step up and be a father."

"Margaret, this is B.J. we're talking about." Hawkeye interjected. "Fathering is in his blood. I don't think that man could be anything but a great dad."

"You're right." Margaret said with a brief pause. "I guess it's just that situations like this one really make you want to look at your life and hold on to what you have."

"What are you talking about?" Hawkeye asked while giving her a confused look.

"Well…" Margaret said slowly. "B.J. and Peg were separated because of him being drafted to Korea. That wasn't anybody's fault, but they couldn't be there for each other, and look at the two of them now. Everything almost fell apart. It would be a shame if two people let something special fall apart because they didn't hold on to what they had."

"Margaret, are we still talking about B.J. and Peg?" Hawkeye asked firmly as he looked at her, starting to see where she was going with the conversation. "Or are you talking about somebody else?"

"Well, maybe it doesn't only apply to B.J. and Peg." Margaret said, trying to be discreet. However, Hawkeye could see straight through what she was saying. "Ok, fine. Maybe I'm talking about us. Maybe it's time we talked about where this relationship is going."

"What do you mean, where it's going?" Hawkeye said with a nervous laugh. He was starting to panic a bit, since he was still unsure if he would be able to make a serious commitment to Margaret like she deserved.

"You know exactly what I mean!" Margaret said, starting to get a bit flustered. She softened her voice before continuing. "We've been going out for a couple of months now, and I've really enjoyed our time together. But –"

"Are you breaking up with me?" Hawkeye said jokingly. "Because you know you're not the only M*A*S*H follow-up I've seen, right? I ran into Baker in a small joint a few months ago. Nurse Able and I have hooked up several times since I came home. Ginger…well, she's a real treat. Plus, don't forget about that overseas thing I have with Peg. I mean, c'mon, she traveled across the country to meet me."

"This is exactly what I'm talking about." Margaret yelled as she angrily gestured toward Hawkeye. "I try to have a serious conversation, and you start going on about random flings with hordes of women."

"Margaret, I was joking!" Hawkeye said in self-defense.

"Well, I'm not." Margaret yelled in her shrill, angry voice. "You can just list off half-a-dozen names of other women like it's nothing. Do I mean anything more to you than your fictional flings? I'm done being second fiddle." She paused for a moment before continuing. "I spent years trying to please my father, but I was never good enough for him. Then I wasted time on stupid Frank Burns, who's now a lieutenant colonel running a hospital in Indiana. Did I mean anything to him? Obviously not! And don't even mention dumb ol' Donald! Don't forget, I was a sturdy housewife, one who he cheated on. I'm done with men like that! All I ask for is simple commitment, and I can't even get that from you!"

At this point, Hawkeye was starting to get frustrated. "Hey, don't look at me like I'm the only one who can't commit to anything." Hawkeye yelled back. "The only thing you're committed to is the damn army. I mean, you don't even know how much longer you'll be stationed in Maine. You'll just be following wherever the army leads you next."

"Look where the damn army got me!" Margaret continued to yell. "I went to school to become a nurse. And I became a good one. But the army just moves me around from place to place, never letting me live my life the way I want to, leading me to one idiotic man after another." She sighed, and was quiet for a minute before she finished talking in a softer voice. "Well, maybe not all of them were idiotic. I suppose I did meet you. But your right, the army is a big commitment. I'm actually considering retiring from the army, to focus on my own life. Maybe I'll even settle down…" As she said this, she looked directly at Hawkeye.

Hawkeye sighed, and spoke softly. "Alright, I'm sorry. I guess I owe you an explanation as to why I'm acting so casual."

"I'm listening." Margaret said firmly.

"Well, I do think that we have something really special." She smiled, but he paused for a second, unsure of how to continue. "But I'm scared. Like you said, you've had to deal with idiots like Frank and Donald. Any idiot can see that you deserve better than that, including the one standing in front of you."

"Then what's the problem?" Margaret asked.

"I just don't know if I can give you what you deserve. You're right, I am a flirt. I've always kept things casual with women. Except with Carlye, my girlfriend when I was in medical school. But she left me because I thought medicine was more important than our relationship. I was okay with it back then. I mean, it hurt like hell, but I moved on. But Margaret…" he said as he took her into his arms, "you're special. You're warm, kind, strong, intelligent, sexy, and a good nurse. You're so great, and yet I don't know if I can give you what you deserve." Margaret was listening intently, but Hawkeye could see that she was shivering. "Here, take my coat." He said as he took it off and draped it around her.

"Hawkeye…" she said softly as she burrowed into his jacket. "You're being ridiculous."

"Come again?" Hawkeye asked, unsure of where she was going with her statement.

"You're overthinking this. Remember, I'm a strong, independent woman. I don't need you to take care of me, or give me what you think I deserve. I'm not looking for a marriage proposal: I just need to know that you are about as serious about this relationship as I am. I need you to tell me that it's not just some random fling that you're involved in simply to pass the time."

"No, it's much more than that." Hawkeye said quickly. "I mean, I'm really glad we reconnected after Korea. Like I said, you're one in a million, Margaret." He paused for a moment, debating on whether or not to tell her about Peg's perception about their relationship. Finally he realized that he had to. "You know, Peg said something interesting the other day."

"What?" Margaret asked, wondering why he had changed the subject.

"Well, when she saw you meet me at my office, she said she noticed something different in my face. A different smile, I guess. She thinks it means that I'm more serious about you than I realize."

"What kind of a smile?" Margaret asked as she stayed in Hawkeye's arms.

"She said it was the same kind of smile that B.J. used to give her." Hawkeye said slowly as he gazed at Margaret.

"You mean that same stupid smile that we used to see on B.J.'s face whenever he used to talk about Peg?" Margaret asked with a grin. "So what you're trying to tell me is that you feel the same way that B.J. feels about Peg, and you still don't think you're good enough for me? I'd be lucky to have something like that. Now where's that ego of yours that I've come to know and love?"

"Love?" Hawkeye asked with a shocked expression.

"What?" she said in a nervous tone as she stepped back. "I said I loved your ego, not you. Those are two completely different things." However, it was clear she was regretting her choice in words.

"I'm not sure that they are." Hawkeye said. "I mean, I'm no Charles Emmerson Winchester the Third, whose whole identity is basically his ego. But still, it's pretty hard to separate the ego from the person, if you know what I mean. And if you love the ego…"

"Fine." Margaret snapped. "I said I loved something about you. Is that so bad? You know what? We'll treat this like one of your stupid little poker games. I'm raising the bet. I want a relationship where I can say I love something about you without you cowering away like I'm the enemy. I want some commitment. So, what do you say?" For a minute, both of them intently stared at each other in silence. Finally, Hawkeye stepped close to Margaret and spoke.

"Ok. I'll see that bet."

Margaret looked shocked, and it took her a moment to speak. "Well, I guess I guess it's time for us to show our cards."

"No bluff on my end. You?" Hawkeye asked quietly.

"I'm not bluffing either." she said. "So, who wins?"

"I guess we both do." Hawkeye said with a smile. They looked at each other for another moment. Finally, Hawkeye took her in his arms, and the two of them began a slow, passionate kiss. As they kissed, it started to snow. The cold flakes were enough to break apart their kissing, and the two of them looked up at the sky and smiled.

"It's beautiful." Margaret said, looking at the snow that fell from the dark, starry sky.

"Well, it's certainly better than the atmosphere we had in that hut." Hawkeye said with a smile, remembering the shelling and the abandoned hut where the two of them had first been together. "I'll take snow falling over artillery any day."

Margaret smiled. "You know, I really like being here with you."

"I like it too." Hawkeye said as he continued to hold Margaret in his arms. "And don't worry. This isn't some one-night stand with any old nurse. It's much more special than that." Margaret smiled, and Hawkeye kept talking. "Since we're talking poker, want to come back to my place and make it strip poker? After all, I have to get my jacket back somehow."

Margaret rolled her eyes, but kept smiling. "If you had tried that line on me back in Korea, I would have pulled out my whip on you."

"I don't think I'd mind that too much right now." Hawkeye said with his usual cocky grin. Margaret pulled away and smacked him. "Only joking." he said as he took her hand. Together, the two of them held hands and continued walking in the snow, simply enjoying each other's presence.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I've actually had it written for quite a while, but I didn't get around to making final edits on it until today. Hawkeye and Margaret are so much fun for me to write (I always love writing the sappy stuff), so let me know what you think of their relationship so far.

Anyway, below are the references to M*A*S*H episodes in this chapter.

"Mail Call…Again" (S4, E14): Eddie's Bar and Grill, the restraint Hawkeye takes Margaret to, is mentioned in this episode.

"Fade in, Fade Out" (S6, E1): The fact that Frank is promoted and sent home in charge of a local VA hospital is mentioned in this episode.

"Comrades in Arms" (S6, E14): Margaret's mention of being a "sturdy housewife" is first penned in this episode. Also, the kiss in the abandoned hut mentioned by Hawkeye takes place in this episode.

"The More I see You" (S4, E23): In the chapter, Hawkeye mentions his girlfriend from medical school (Carlye). We actually get to see Carlye during this episode and learn more about her and Hawkeye's history.

As always, thank you so much for reading! Things are getting busy again, so I'm not sure when I'll be posting again (I start a new job on Monday, and I'm moving at the end of the month). I do hope I can update the story soon. By now you all have probably realized that the "ASAP" in my username is slightly ironic, lol. Thanks again for reading, and please comment with any compliments, questions, or constructive criticisms you may have.