2

It was the next day and Hawkeye shook his head."Henry....you should just not go."

Frank laughed."Ha!"

"Ferret Face... clip your nose hairs."

"Well... I never."

"I can't disobey a General."

"Just don't do it."

"We're going out with the General."

Frank followed Henry to the Officer's Club.

Inside Trapper and Martin were stacking pretzels and they laughed.

Henry stood there and cleared his throat."This is Captain McIntyre and Lieutenant Martin Michaels."

The General looked at them."At ease."

Trapper and Martin resumed the pretzel stacking.

"What are you doing?"

"Pretzel stacking.. the one who missed the pile of pretzels...loses"

"Wasting food." The General took a pretzel and tried to put it in the stack and the pile fell down.

Trapper looked at Martin and then away.

"Waste." The General walked out.

"Sir?"

"I want a new location for this unit."

"Now?"

'M is for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital."

It was later afternoon and Henry sat in his office and frowned.

Radar walked in and stopped."Sir?"

"General Steele is flipped."

"Sir?"

"He took us to a new location and we got fired at."

"I see."

"Radar.. um.. you hear something?"

"Now I do." Radar walked out and to the Post Op.

Hawkeye had the patient ready to go and Margaret followed him. She sighed and they headed up to the chopper. She stood by and helped strap the patient in.

Hawkeye gave the thumbs up to the pilot. He didn't see the jeep drive up. He walked to the side with Margaret. She looked at him and smiled.

"Margaret..."

"Hawk?"

He put his arms around her and they hugged. He heard someone clear their throat.

"Sir?"

"Why did you give the orders for that chopper to go?"

"I'm a doctor."

"I give the orders."

Margaret backed away and stood there.

"It's my patient.. sir"

"You're insubordinate."

"YES!"

"You're incorrigible."

"YES!"

"You're insolent."

"And you're crazy!"

The General's mouth dropped. Margaret sighed and knew Hawkeye was in deep trouble.

It was later and Hawkeye sat next to Henry and Margaret. She wanted to say something.

The General looked at them."Read the charges."

"Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce....you are under arrest for the following..."

"Get on with it."

"The charges are as follows....disobeying an order.....and impersonating a civilian."

The General looked at Hawkeye."Tried to put it past me.. did you?"

Hawkeye sighed.

"First witness....Major Margaret Houlihan."

She shook her head.

"Major....you're not in trouble....you just... happened to be there...in fact.. you were there all the time."

"Yes sir."

"I'm suspecting something going on here."

"Sir?"

"Just what kind of outfit do you people run? Doctor's and nurses....at all hours...doing personal house calls? This is not a MASH unit....it's.... a... a......well..no better than a social club."

Henry sighed.

"Well heck.. why don't we get up and dance."

The General stood up and sang a song and did a little dance and skipped out the door.

"Come along and listen to.. the lullaby of broadway.. goodnight.. sweetheart.."

Hawkeye looked at Margaret and smiled. She smiled back. The sergeant put the things away and walked out.

Henry got up and stood there."Pierce..you're off the hook for now."

"Henry.... he said this is a social club."

"It should be."

"You charge to get in there for ....."

"Right....why not?"

"Henry?"

"I think we're all going to the dogs."

It was a week later and Hawk sat on the cot reading.

Margaret walked in and sat down.

"What are you reading?"

"Stars and Stripes. General Steele was promoted."

"Figures."

"He goes off his rocker and he gets his name in the paper."

She took the paper."Well...you didn't write this."

"I know that."

Henry walked in."Oh, great.. not you two again."

"General Steele got promoted."

"I knew it."

"Come on Henry...just relax. Margaret, let's show Henry how to relax."

She stood up and took his arm.

Hawkeye had her in a dip and she started to laugh. Henry laughed too.

"See?"

"Pierce...I don't know."

Hawkeye had his arms around Margaret."What do you have to worry about?"

"Not a thing...but you do."

"What?"

"Frank."

"No.. what is he up to?"

"He's in my office...sitting there with his feet on my desk."

"Frank?"

"Yes...Frank."

Margaret smiled at Hawkeye."Maybe he'll go crazy too."

"He already is.."

"Pierce.. I'll go back and make sure he doesn't make trouble. You've got to stop this clowning around...especially with her."

Margaret sighed."What?"

"I can't...I'm stuck on her."

"Great, Pierce."

Henry walked away and Margaret frowned.

"Hawkeye, I swear.. you just can't do as you're told."

"You want to give me an order?"

"Yes." she tried not to smile.

"What is it.. I promise I'll do my best."

"Hmm...well..in there."

"Your tent."

"That's right...for now we have no wounded...and...well.."

"I hear you loud and clear, Major."

He walked with her to her tent. She opened the door and then they were inside.

"You know.. Hawk...you told that General you were interviewing."

"Oh, yeah.. I did.. well I was..and I didn't finish."

"Can I interview you too?"

"Yes."

They hugged and then shared a kiss."Well?" she said.

"You want me to write it down?"

"No I don't.. you're not going to say a word..."

"That goes for you too."

"I'm not saying a thing...so are you going to stand there?"

"No." he kissed her again.

She kissed him back and they stood there. The door opened and Henry stood there. He rolled his eyes.

"PIERCE!"

Hawkeye moved away."Henry...leave us alone...we're not done interviewing."

"Interviewing my foot...you and she are not interviewing...it looks more like.. well.. it looks like.. something you can't print."

"I hope not, Henry... just close this door."

"Hawkeye, when are you going to follow orders."

"I am.. with her...she gave me an order and I'm following it."

"Okay... fine." Henry closed the door and leaned against it.

Inside, Hawkeye looked at her."Hmm."

"Hmm..." she put her arms around him.

Hawkeye could follow her orders anytime...at all. As long as he wasn't called for surgery. And he wasn't worried any time soon to be on report from any superior officer. And that was just fine by him.