Chapter Text
Although he is upset over her engagement, Hawkeye is happy to see a glimpse of the Margaret he meets in Central Park. She is still Regular Army, but he can look past that for now. He is just happy she is laughing a little more and smiling. Whenever he gets the chance, Hawkeye tries to flirt with her. She may be engaged, but engaged is not married in his books. Thankfully, she takes the teasing lightly and becomes closer friends with both B.J. and Hawkeye. Every now and then, Margaret feels old feelings resurface around Hawkeye, but is not too shy to not wear boxers to a poker game one night. She can catch him looking when she walks in for the game, but easily sits beside someone who is not him. Although she is flattered by the attention, Margaret is too afraid of what may happen if they get too close, especially since she is engaged. He still pays attention to her though. What surprises her most is when he notices her perfume after he blinds himself with the nurses' camp stove. Using the latrine, Hawkeye is unaware of Klinger leaving and Margaret taking his spot. Once he exits, he smiles happy to have the Major walk arm and arm with him. She is happy, too. Lying to Klinger about Colonel Potter needing him is purely selfish on her part. Secretly she is worried about him, and may still harbor some affection.
"'Where do you want to go?'" She questions once she corrects Hawkeye on the name of her perfume.
"'Mess tent'," Hawkeye answers adding as they start walking, "'Then after that we can go to your place and play Blind Man's Bluff.'"
Simply happy to see his sense of humor back, Margaret sarcastically answers, "'Savage.'"
Taking him to the mess tent, she stays with him until he starts singing to her. Then, she drops him off with B.J. for a quick escape. Never leaving him for long, Margaret still continues to check on him until he grabs her hand one afternoon. Stopping she looks at him questioningly. Gently, Hawkeye states, "Margaret, I'm fine. You don't have to keep checking on me."
Nodding, Margaret answers, "I know."
For a split second she imagines herself kissing him, but instead squeezes his hand in reassurance. However, she is the first to fully hug Hawkeye after he gets his sight back. The lingering hand on his back does not go unnoticed by either of them, but there is no time to share any awkward glances. Soon a portion of the camp members are going after Frank Burns.
A few days after his sight returns, Hawkeye and Margaret are given the task to check supply. Grumbling, Hawkeye remarks, "I just got my sight back and they want to destroy it again."
"Stop complaining," Margaret states as she heads into supply. Both tired from a long day of surgery, they try to quickly get everything finished. Instead they come up with terrible puns and jokes, which is a side of Margaret that Hawkeye is unfamiliar with. Smiling, Hawkeye commends her wittisisms.
"Is that all?" Hawkeye asks as he looks to Margaret who holds the clip board. Nodding, Margaret tells him the list is complete.
"Good," He states leaning against the shelf. The nurse parrots his words before setting the clip board down. Standing up from the shelf she sits on, Margaret stretches just a little to relieve any stiffness when she accidentally hits Hawkeye in the face. After he gives a small cry of pain, Margaret immediately makes sure he is okay. Brushing away any hair that impedes her vision of any bruise she gives him, Margaret assesses the injury. Smiling at her compassion, Hawkeye easily reassures her that he is fine. When she does not listen to him, Hawkeye takes her elbows stating, "Really, Margaret. I'm fine."
Searching for any trace of a lie, Margaret quickly gets lost in his eyes. Neither is aware of anyone coming into supply until a minute later.
"I just came for some penicillin," B.J. announces wondering if Margaret and Hawkeye are together due to how intense their gazes are. Stepping apart, Margaret deflects, "I'm going to head to my tent."
Nodding, Hawkeye answers, "I'm going to check on my patients."
However, following his Swamp mate, B.J. asks, "What was that between you and Margaret earlier?"
"Don't know what you're talking about," Hawkeye answers not wanting to explain his feelings for a woman he is only just now getting to know despite a whole night of getting to know her years ago.
"Okay," B.J. exaggerates knowing he needs to get back to post op. Wounded come in out for the the next two days until Colonel Potter decides to quietly get ride of the hepatitis Father Mulcahey somehow contracts. Stuck with check multiple camp members in a 24 hour period, Hawkeye soon grabs the necessary instruments.
Looking over a letter from Donald, Margaret quickly folds it up and puts it under a picture when there is a knock on her door.
"'Come in!'" She calls out hoping the person is not Frank.
"'I have to get a look at your body, Margaret'," Hawkeye states once he comes into the nurse's tent. She gives a halfhearted chuckle before teasing, "'Don't you wish.'"
Not in the mood for games, the surgeon tells Margaret to lay down on her bed so he can check her liver. Sitting at her dressing table, Margaret crosses her arms and refuses. She does not want the man to ogle her scars again, especially if she is awake for it.
"'Margaret, we may be facing a hepatitis epidemic. I have to examine you. You'll get a shot, too'," Hawkeye explains not wanting to do this as much as she, but equally happy to make a joke. Pointing her brush at him, Margaret counters, "'So are you, kiddo.'"
Deciding not to question the woman's use of 'kiddo', Hawkeye begins, "'Let's start small. Show me your eyes.'"
Unable to get a clear look, the surgeon asks her to step outside due to the tent lamp's yellow bulb. Surprised that it is not a joke, Margaret stands up to follow him asking, "'You're serious, aren't you?'"
"'Believe me! I wouldn't be going around poking people's livers if I didn't have to'," Hawkeye states as he opens the tent door. Margaret looks up at him so he can check her eyes. When Hawkeye asks her to stick out her tongue, the nurse disagrees.
"'How 'bout I show you mine first?'" Hawkeye volleys as he shuts the tent door and follows her back to her dressing table. He lets her check her own tongue, compliments it, and then asks for a vein so he can draw blood. While he draws blood, Hawkeye makes small talk about Frank and Margaret's fiance Donald. Finally, Margaret asks if she can confide in him. Hawkeye caps the blood vial while Margaret explains she is getting passive aggressive notes from Donald's mother. While she bends her arm to keep the pressure on the wound, the nurse grabs the letter she hastily hides under the picture. Reading the letter that obviously shows how badly Mrs. Penobscott thinks of her, Hawkeye points out, "'What difference does it make? He loves you. He's not in love with the chauffeur.'"
When it comes to giving her a shot in the butt, Hawkeye grins knowing she gets to give him a shot there almost a year ago. Quickly realizing what the man is grinning about, Margaret turns and pulls up the sleeve of her robe. Telling her she is taking the fun out of his current job, Margaret answers, "'That's right, I am.'"
"'Margaret, this is not merely a dream come true. Gamma globulin goes better in a person's caboose.'"
"'Not this person's'," Margaret remarks wishing he will just give her the shot already. His voice loosing any humor, Hawkeye remarks, "'Margaret, you're a nurse.'"
Knowing he is right, Margaret puts her sleeve down and reluctantly agrees. Pulling her pants down, Margaret asks that they get the shot done quickly. Hawkeye agrees, but not before verbally admiring her backside. Once he is finished, Margaret pulls her pants back up and berates him for ogling her. When he asks what she wants, she replies, "'Respect. Simple respect. I expect nothing more, and I'll accept nothing less.'"
Marveled by her words, Hawkeye tells her to use the confidence she shows him on Donald's mother adding, "'That attitude. Simple respect.'"
"'Maybe'," Margaret answers still not sure how to say something like that in a letter. She is also caught up in Hawkeye's eyes. Noticing some sort of adoration, Margaret is equally surprised when Hawkeye truthfully tells her, "'You know in some ways you really are magnificent. And not just on the outside.'"
"'Thank you'," She nearly whispers. However any nice moment they have is stopped by Hawkeye asking if she will give him a shot. Not truly angry, an amused Margaret asks the man to leave her tent. Respect stays in her mind, but she is unable to pen a letter for a few days due to wounded. As she sits with a few soldiers one afternoon, she tries to block out Frank and Hawkeye's bickering while the soldier tells her about how he receives his wound. Then, she pens a letter to his mother for him. Once the letter is finished, Margaret wishes the boy well before leaving Post Op. Walking back to her tent, she sees Hawkeye with a concerned look on her face. Sidling beside him, she asks if he is okay. Nodding, Hawkeye asks, "Are you?"
With a heavy sigh, Margaret answers, "I had to pen a letter for a soldier to his mom, and it made me think about what I want to say to Donald's mother."
"Yeah?" Hawkeye asks with an eyebrow raise. Nodding, the nurse answers, "I think I am going to ensure that we do not come from chauffeur and maid stock, but I doubt we'll ever have a good relationship like that boy and his mother."
"Well, we can't win them all, Margaret. Like I said, Donald loves you. That's all that should matter," The surgeon reassures even though he has his reservations. However, as Frank frowns and jibes, Hawkeye grins and bears Margaret's happiness to a family she may not actually fit into. She gives him a small smile and a thank you before heading off to her tent to write her own letter. Hours later, the nurse goes in for Post Op duty to find a soldier hit on her.
"'Do you know how many times I've heard that line?'" Margaret asks unfazed. It happens to her at least once a week, but usually more. Finally, she leaves the man and eagerly gives up some of her blood once her shift ends the next morning. However, as she lies alone in her tent, his words about an engagement being a trial period echo in her mind. When Frank mercilessly jibes that no wedding date and no ring means he forgets about her, Margaret is as determined as ever to see Donald again. Getting him to have a two day pass, Margaret happily throws her arms around Donald once he gets to camp. While Margaret and Donald take a walk around the compound, Hawkeye tries to hide his own disgust at the Father's remark about how well Donald and Margaret fit together. The snide comment in his mind tells Hawkeye that he can look just as handsome. Thankfully, B.J. does a mock play by play of the happy couple's conversation which distracts Hawkeye from his jealousy. What throws him over the edge is Margaret announcing her marriage will be the next day.