A/N- Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. They make me smile.
Pierce Home early the next morning
Crabapple Cove Maine -1953
Hawkeye blinked open his eyes, letting them adjust to the bright sunlight streaming into the room, he stretched his arms and legs as he sat upright in bed, glancing over at the empty spot next to him. No sign of Margaret, he now began to wonder if his mind had made everything up. Until he heard the door open up, and saw her and Kim come back into the room.
"I thought I'd imagined you both when I didn't see you."
"She woke up crying and I didn't want her to wake you."
Hawkeye patted on the mattress next to him, and they both walked back over sitting down on the bed. "I don't mind getting up in the middle of the night or early in the morning I'm used to it."
"I know, I'm used to it as well, I remember my mother taking care of my sister when she'd cry, so that dad wouldn't wake up."
"That's not how this is going to work here, we both can take care of her. That's what we do, take care of people and kids."
She gave him a small smile, "Are you sure Ben?"
"100% sure, you should know, Think back to Korea."
"I know, but this is different."
"The only difference is this, is permanent not one night."
"Permanent is what we both wanted, before the bu..."
"Bus, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about that a million times since I've been back here. I even found myself wondering how I might react when and if I ever had children. Honestly, it scared me. But after yesterday and hearing her whimpering, I knew I'd be okay, 'cause I didn't hesitate I didn't freeze up, I just picked her up and held her close, from that moment on I knew I would be alright."
"I know you'll be fine, I've just had different experiences with babies, as much as love my dad, he used to get mad at my mother when my sister cried. He'd yell at her to keep her quiet. Mom did what she could, still sometimes it wasn't enough, and Dad would storm out of the house. Mom would start yelling at me to help quiet her down so Dad wouldn't be angry when he came home. I'd ask Mom why he would get upset, she said he likes order and discipline."
"So that's why..."
"Yes that's why I demanded perfection out of my nurses, Now I understand that I didn't need to be perfect. You showed me that. Hank."
"Well Darleen, deep down you are perfect just the way you are, just like our little bundle is, she's perfect."
Margaret smiled, "So what's the plan doctor? How's this going to work?"
Hawkeye moved closer to his family, "Now I'm just thinking out loud here, how about we get married."
"Why the rush?"
"Why not?"
"I've rushed into marriage before, and look how that turned out."
"We aren't strangers, we've seen each other at our best and seen each other at our worst, held each other when we were scared, and sought comfort in each other, when we both needed it the most. We know each other better than most people know us, I don't feel that we are rushing into this, I don't think you honestly feel that way either or you wouldn't have come here" He reached over and took his little girl out of her mothers arms, looking down into her little face.
He smiled at her, and she smiled back at him, suddenly she reached up with her tiny hand and started acting like she wanted to pull at something, Margaret watched her as did Hawkeye, both trying to figure out what she was reaching for. Suddenly it dawned on Margaret. "Hawk, where are your dog tags?"
"My dog tags? Why on earth do you..." Then a light bulb went off, that's what she was reaching for, she remembered he wore dog tags, she had played with them. "They might be in the top drawer of the tall Chester drawer unit next to the closet."
Margaret turned back the blanket and sheet, As she stepped out of bed, she reached over and grabbed Hawkeye's red robe putting it on as she made her way over to the unit, "You said the top drawer?"
Hawkeye looked up, he smiled when he saw what she had put on, "Yes, by the way, my robe looks fantastic on you, I always thought it might." He smirked..
Margaret glanced over her shoulder, "Thank you, doctor." She said as she opened the drawer and started to look for his dog tags, She stopped when she spotted cases. "Ben you received medals in Korea?"
"Oh those, it's no big deal. I just tossed them into my footlocker, You know me, I don't care about that stuff."
"They are a big deal, it shows the outstanding work you did. How valuable you were."
"All they are is a reminder of that hell hole I was forced into." He regretted his choice of words as soon as he'd said them.
Margaret turned around, "Is that really how you feel? When you look at us do you feel that way as well? After all, we are part of that hell hole."
"No! I don't see you or Kim that way, I never could. I love you both, I don't see the 4077th as a hell hole, I'm talking about the war, It was hell there, you know that as well as I do. Look at all the kids we patched up and sent back out, even the little ones, that were innocent victims..." Hawkeye ducked his head, rubbing his eyes. "God Margaret some were just babies, like her."
Margaret ran back over to the bed, quickly taking him to her arms, he nuzzled her neck, just like he'd done on their last night together back at the 4077th. "Hawk, it's okay, let it out..I'm right here, I'm not going to leave you."
He pulled back and looked into her blue eyes, "Margaret I..."
"I know, deep down I've always known, I was just too focused on my career back in the beginning to appreciate you for who you are. I learned from my own mistakes and saw you for you. The tender loving caring and compassionate man that you are, I have even come to love your sense of humor."
"And don't forget my devilishly handsome good looks." He said as he shot her a wicked smile." They both smiled as their baby girl let out a small giggle, "See she already takes after me." Margaret looped her arm through Hawkeyes as they sat there and watched their little girl.
4 Hours Later
After everything from earlier had settled down, Hawkeye and Margaret decide to take a walk into town and go baby shopping. After all the newest little Pierce needed some cute little clothes to wear, plus the proud daddy and future husband wanted to show off his girls.
As they entered a small baby boutique, more than a few women turned and looked at them. ( Especially the older ones ) one in particular made her way over. "Why Dr. Pierce what brings you here today, and who do you have with you."
"Ah Mrs. Appleton, nice to see you. I'd love for you to meet my beautiful fiancé Margaret and our beautiful little girl Kim-Lee."
The older woman looked both of them over, especially the baby, "Your daughter you say Dr.Pierce?"
"Yes isn't she the most beautiful little girl? We're very happy to have her back with us, we thought we'd never see her again when we had to leave her in Korea. Isn't that right darling?"
"Oh yes dear, we were both heartbroken at the thought of leaving her behind."
"I see, Well she seems happy. Dr. Pierce I wasn't aware that you are engaged, you're father never mentioned it to Ralph."
"Oh well, I asked him not to, at least not until Margaret was able to make it back stateside. You know how the Army is."
Mrs Appleton looked over at Margaret, "So you served with him in the Army as well?"
"Yes, I was the head nurse at the 4077th."
"And a mighty fine one she was. She kept that place on top shape."
Margaret blush. "Ben"
"It's the truth darling."
Mrs.Appleton just stood there watching the pair interact with each other, glancing down at the small little girl laying in the baby buggy, "Well Dr.Pierce she certainly is a sweet-looking child." (The older woman was trying not to pass too much judgment )
Hawkeye faked a smile, "We think so, Come on darling let's get our little angel some cute clothes, I want to find her a blue and white Hawaiian dress to match my shirt."
"Oh no you don't Hawkeye, One Pierce wearing something like that is enough for me."
"Sweetchecks, you know you love it, after all, you've ripped it off me enough." He said flashing her a quick smirk.
Margaret caught on, "Well I had to get you out of it somehow."
The other women in the shop, stood there looking appalled at their behavior, and the way they were speaking to each other, but neither one of them seemed to care, they just went about picking out the items that their little girl would need.
Once they were done, Hawkeye went up front to pay for everything, Margaret was close behind him. She went to open her purse to help him when he reached and stopped her. Leaning into her ear, "Trust me I've got this." She shot him a look."I explain later"
"Mrs. Appleton please make sure all this is delivered to the house today, Thank you."
"Yes, Dr.Pierce." She watched them exit the shop, now very curious about Dr.Pierce's suddenly instant family.
Hawkeye linked his arm through Margaret's as he pushed his little daughter in her buggy toward the local park. It was a beautiful spring day, and he was on cloud 9, his life was perfect now. He finally found the rest of his heart that he'd left behind in Korea.
His girls were back with him, his life was perfect, he led them over to a bench, he had to be truthful with Margaret. He laced her hand with his, lifting it to his lips and placing a soft kiss on her ring. He watched as her eyes lit up."I need to be truthful with you. The Pierce Family is not the average American middle-class family, we are extremely wealthy, we just never show it. I've never told this to anyone, not even Trap or Beej. That was one of the main reasons I disliked Frank, he felt the need to brag about his wealth. I've always felt it was more of a burden, that's the reason I act like wealth infuriates me."
Margaret sat there stunned beyond words. Of all the things she'd expected him to tell her, this certainly wasn't it. Hawkeye watched her with bated breath hoping he'd made the right decision to be honest with her and tell her. She squeezed his hand, "Money or no money doesn't change the way I feel about you, and it certainly doesn't change the man that you are. The man I love and the man I'm going to marry."
He pulled her close to him."Speaking of weddings, are you busy on Saturday? Seems like a great day for a wedding!"
... To be continued...