2

"She was my sister. I told her about Julia...she is...was...convinced that Julia is evil...I think I know how she really died," Margaret said. She began to cry. Hawkeye pulled her close to him. He was beginning to understand what had happened. Vaguely understand, that is. He had a lot of questions, but knew that now wasn't the time to ask. Until six o'clock they sat there. By then, Margaret was able to talk, so she decided to clarify her earlier statement.

"Somehow, Julia must've found out about Ana's wanting to get rid of her," she said.

"How, though?"

"I'm not sure..."

"Who else knew?"

"Tori and Kate, but that's it."

"Oh. That doesn't help."

"I cannot believe my sister is dead," Margaret said. She turned to face Hawkeye who once again opened his arms to her. Tears streamed down her face from once again realizing the harsh reality of her sister's death. In the next room, Mickey slept peacefully. How Margaret envied him! Mickey was unaware of people dying and all of the other unfair things in the world. At about quarter to seven, Mickey woke up. Margaret moved as if to stand up and go say good morning to Mickey and feed Daisy, but Hawkeye insisted that she stay in bed the rest of the day. He knew how it hurt to have someone close to you die, so he could sympathize with her. He wished that someone had done that for him when he was ten. Margaret began to protest, but he insisted. She gave in.

"Lay down and get some sleep," he commanded. She laid down. Hawkeye reached down and gently squeezed her hand. She gave him a weak smile. He closed the door as he left.

"Daddy, why were you up so early this morning?" Mickey asked as Hawkeye came into his room.

"Oh. Mickey, Margaret's sister died last night and I was trying to make Margaret feel better," Hawkeye said.

"Oh."

"So, how about some breakfast?"

"Yea!! Can we have pancakes?"

"Sure," agreed Hawkeye.

At about two o'clock that afternoon, Hawkeye walked into the room to check on her. She was asleep, as he had suspected.

Washington DC, July 20th, 1958

"Margaret, I'm sick of this! You haven't been around much since May. You're working twelve hour shifts at the hospital, seven days a week, and then, you go and play detective! You're not going to find a connection between Ana's death and Julia, face it. I don't know how long ago you slept and you haven't eaten much, either. I think you should stop this," Hawkeye said. He was incredibly annoyed.

"Well, I'm sor-ry!" she snapped.

"I'll bet. And another thing - " before he could finish, Margaret slammed the door in his face and left. "I don't want you to come in at such ridiculous hours anymore," he said to the door. There's one difference between Margaret and the door, Hawkeye thought, Margaret's much more dense. Oh, you don't mean that! Hawkeye scolded himself.

A while later, Margaret came home, but she didn't say anything to Hawkeye. She shoved by him and locked herself in the bedroom. She laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She was awfully annoyed at him. What, did he think he was her father? She could do whatever she felt like; she didn't have to listen to Hawkeye.

Hawkeye sat on the couch in the living room. What was her problem? She didn't realize, but I was trying to help her before, he thought. Well, she doesn't have to listen to me. She can just ignore the fact that I'm right, Hawkeye thought.

"Hawkeye, I'm sorry...I've been awfully stupid the last few months," she said. No, that's not very good. Margaret was staring in the mirror, trying to come up with something to say to him. So far, it wasn't looking to good. After a while, she gave up and decided to say whatever came to her mind. She opened the bedroom door and walked out to where Hawkeye was. The first thing that came to her mind was to suck up to him; that would work. Ugh, no way! I won't do that, she thought. Since when do I suck up to people? Never. She had another plan, though. He was looking out the window and watching the traffic crawl along on the maze-like streets. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Hi," she whispered.

"What do you want?" he asked, grouchily.

That was hardly the response she had expected.

"I'm sorry...I did some stupid things the last few months...will you ever forgive me?" she asked.

"Lemme think it over," he said, turning to face her. She began to walk away so he could mull it over, but was instantaneously pulled back by him. "Margaret, you haven't spent any time mourning her. Let her rest." Hawkeye sat and pulled her onto his lap.

"I.....I just don't know how....."

"You cried when you found out......but you haven't shed a tear for her since. You have no emotion. I'm worried about you. Margaret, show me you are in there somewhere." Hawkeye held her fiercely and rocked her. "Please show me you are there!"

"Hawkeye...I'm sorry...I've been under....stress....I....Oh God....Ana...." Margaret, for the first time, cried for her sister. Hawkeye cried, but he cried for Margaret. He cried for the woman he snuck out to see when Mickey was sleeping. He cried for her because she had changed so much and she wouldn't let him even hold her at night. "Ana..." she whispered again.

"Margaret, are you going to be all right?" Hawkeye sniffled and brushed the hair from her face gently. She nodded and, for the first time in months, they kissed. One soft, tender kiss. Hawkeye held her the rest of the afternoon.

That evening, Hawkeye came into the living room after he got Mickey ready for bed. Margaret was sitting on the couch, mesmerized by a movie that could very easily be considered X-rated. Hawkeye walked up to the TV and shut it off.

"Hey! I was watching that!" she exclaimed.

"That's exactly why it isn't on anymore."

"But, Hawkeye, Jake was about to find out that Cassie was with -"

"Margaret."

"Sorry."

"It might interest you to know that I could hear that when I was in Mickey's room."

"Oops."

"Yeah."

"Anything you'd like me to do?"

"Yeah..." he said as he sat down next to her and pulled her closer to him. She giggled.
He leaned over to kiss her.

"Daddy!" yelled Mickey.

"I'll be right back...don't go anywhere," he said to Margaret. He got up and went into Mickey's room.

"What is it, Mickey?" he asked.

"Where's Daisy?"

"I don't know."

"Find her, please."

"How 'bout if I get your teddy for ya?" Hawkeye suggested.

"No. Daisy."

Hawkeye sighed and went off in search of the cat.

"Re-ow!" Daisy said when Hawkeye stepped on her tail.

"Hawkeye! What did you do to that cat?" Margaret yelled.

"Nothing, dear!" he called back.

Hawkeye kneeled down to pick up the cat.

"C'mere, Daisy," he said. He carried her into Mickey's room and set her on the bed.

"G'night, Mickey," Hawkeye said.

"'Night."

Hawkeye left Mickey's room and closed the door behind him.

"Now, where were we?" he asked as he sat down on the couch.

"I'm kind of tired...I think I'll go to bed," Margaret said

"Margaret! I don't believe I just heard you say that! C'mon!"

"I'm going to bed. Good night." She stood up.

Hawkeye got up and stood in front of her.

"What's your problem?" she asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

"I'm tired. Does that satisfy your curiosity?"

"Yeah. Okay, I'll let you go to bed - "

"Goody."

" - under one condition."

"Name it."

"We go out partying this weekend. You, me, Tori, John, Kate, and Tom, okay?"

"Deal. G'night," she said as she stood on tiptoe to kiss him goodnight.

She closed the door once she got into the bedroom. He waited a minute and then went in, letting the door slam shut behind him.

"Hawkeye!"