The wounded continued pouring in for another 12 hours until Henry just snapped…”Radar?” “Yes sir?” “Where are these men from? Where were they fighting?” Radar’s radar mustn’t have been tuned in then? “Uh…well…you know how most of this area is enemy-owned? Well the North Korean Army gave us a strip along Ouijongbu and Seoul to take care of wounded…these guys took on hill 107 and were overrun…but I guess you already know that bit.” “How’s this for your first Korean experience Trapp?” “I’d prefer a nice geisha girl with magical hands…but this is well…hell” “So how many more are expected Radar?” continued Henry. “Uh…ICORPS expects the battle to continue for another 6-10 hours.” The Doctors and Nurses all groaned at this. “Girls…when we get the time, I’d like to have another meting, sometime this week.” “Okay Margaret” a few of them answered in.
OR lasted a good 9 hours more and for the first time, the swamp-rats hit their cots, still in scrubs…too exhausted to change. Thankfully…fighting had temporarily moved as there was a brushfire in the far hills. The camp was safe, so they wouldn’t need to bug-out. The doctors and nurses…especially those in the Swamp who hadn’t slept in almost 2 days, were catching up whenever they could.
5 Days Later
Life in general at the 4077th had been…liveable. Hawkeye and Trapper had not mentioned their past relationship to each other, Trapper had not told either Hawk or Margaret about his and Louise splitting up and Margaret had gotten to know Trapper really well. He was shy at first about telling her his side of the events of the last few years, but once opening up to her, their relationship as friends grew. Margaret also told him about her relationship with Lorraine and why she was in the army when it seemed she had little respect for it. The three of them had become very good friends within their first week in hell.
It was 11pm, when they had finished the latest batch of wounded. Thankfully, that only lasted a few hours with no fatalities.
The trio headed for the Swamp, wanting to get as much sleep as possible. They hadn’t had much time to unpack or get anything organised that first week due to casualties, sleep or the few conversations they had in the mess tent.
Suddenly, something dawned on Hawkeye, “Hey Mags, ya know we won’t get that canvas up till tomorrow or later?” “Yeah, so? I can control myself if you two can” “You need to get changed right?” Trapper knew this was a stupid question; of course she had to. “Nah…I usually sleep naked”
The other occupants of the Swamp had their jaws on the ground and eyes bulging out. “You don’t mind if I do?” Margaret asked as she began unbuttoning her shirt. “I mean…if it’s uncomfortable for you two…I can always wear pyjamas?” Margaret could no longer contain herself…she gave them both a cheeky, devilish smile as it dawned on them that she was kidding. “Ask a stupid question…get a stupid answer” “I found that quite arousing…you Trapp?” “Yeah I did too.” “You two are so incorrigible…gutter heads.” “You are just as bad as I am…when I asked where did you stand on sex, you replied you’re willing to try anything.” “Yeah…so? I can contain myself…can either of you is the question here?” Neither of them could give her an answer…they honestly didn’t know which way they thought. “About changing…I won’t look if you won’t.” She really didn’t care what either of them saw…she had a great body and knew it. She flaunted it any chance she got. “Now Maggie, you’re taking all the fun out of this” Trapper preferred ‘Maggie’ to Margaret or ‘Mags’ as Hawkeye called her. “Ya huh…well boys if you don’t mind.” They did as she asked and closed their eyes…or at least appeared to.
Margaret knew they weren’t and decided to teach them a lesson…a very embarrassing lesson.
She took her time getting undressed…making sure she appeared as appealing, sexy and voluptuous to them as possible. When both of her tent mates had an...ahem...’small problem’, they both rushed out, heading towards the latrine.
Margaret went straight to tears as she laughed the hardest she ever had in…possibly forever. Never had she seen two guys run away in such a rush before. The sight that she had just witnessed was the funniest thing she had ever seen. The best part was…SHE STARTED IT! She doubled over, holding her stomach as she had trouble getting enough breath in. After half a minute or so, she had settled down enough to quickly finish getting changed the rest of the way ‘Boy it wasn’t difficult to get them excited’, she could use this to get what she wanted…and not just both of them in bed at the same time either. She changed into a thin-sleeved top and short pyjama shorts. With what she had brought from Tokyo, this could be a common occurrence. She tried to stop her giggling before either one of them returned. Around a minute or 2 after she had finished getting changed, the two came back in…together. ‘Hmmm what had they been doing?’ she was wondering. She was enjoying playing with them and wanted to continue this for as long as possible. “Uh…had too much to drink today boys?”
Now Hawkeye knew Margaret better than anyone else in this camp, he knew she did that on purpose. Although she was down to just the last layer of underwear…so that bit of embarrassment was well worth it…Margaret looked incredibly sexy doing what she did…but he still owed her from the last time she’d done something…
Trapper knew a bit about Margaret…that she preferred dancing, drinking and music to rules, regulations and roll call, but not much else.
Hawkeye knew she had a wild side…he was yet to see her at her wildest…but she had one.
Trapper just thought he let his guard down while watching her…God she was gorgeous…but so was Hawkeye…’God what am I going to do?’
“You could say that Margaret.” Trapper didn’t want her to know what really happened. Hawkeye knew well she had done that to get back at them and instead of replying to her comment, he tackled her to the ground and started tickling her. “Hawk…stop…PLEEEEEEEASE HAWKEYE” I’ve waited to hear that from you all week.” “Hawk, please…I’m very ticklish” She realised as soon as she said it, she was gonna regret it forever. “Did you hear that Trapp? Mags here is ticklish”. He was hoping that Trapper would get the picture and join in the torture. As it was said 6 months ago…Hawkeye was always the smart one. “By the way, she did that whole scene on purpose.” NOW he got it and joined Hawkeye, attacking Margaret. She was helpless...trapped under them, squealing from the sensations as they continued to tickle ever inch they could. “Say uncle Mags” “NO” “Okay then” Hawkeye sped up as the tickling increased. Margaret didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, she compromised. She let out an almost howl-like cry that was heard at the other end of the camp. “Uncle is it Maggie?” “Okay Uncle...UNCLE.” Both guys satisfied that she’d endured enough ‘torture’ stopped, but didn’t move from where they were on Margaret’s bunk. They were inches away from the other...not sure of what to do...or what to think. Margaret hoping that this would be it; lazily let a finger run across the boys faces...it looked as if it was going to go further than that. They were almost panting, close to...doing something when Henry, Frank, Father Mulcahy and Klinger on sentry duty came barging in. Thankfully they weren’t that few seconds late...or they might have witnessed something that none of them had ever or expected to ever see.
The two doctors quickly sat up, Margaret adjusting her clothes…they had ridded up during her ‘torture’ session. “Is everything okay in here?” asked Henry, seeing nothing wrong. “Fine Henry” Margaret looked at the both of them as they did to her “Just...fine” she reassured him. “We were just playing around.” Margaret was the only one who could speak. She was so sure she wanted this to happen, and now with what was happening…what had just happened, she wasn’t sure if they wanted to or not. “Well if everything’s okay…I guess I’ll go back to Post Op then. Night guys” “Night Henry,” FINALLY they find their voice.
“So uh, I guess you wanna get some sleep then?” asks Trapper…still feeling awkward about what just happened. “Uh yeah, g’night Trapp, night Mags” “Wait just a darn-freakin minute.” Margaret had bottled up her feelings for 22 years and had only recently learned that you can trust people and don’t keep them suppressed…get it off your chest as soon as possible. The guys thought she was angry at them, that they had done something wrong. Margaret saw the pained look in their eyes, and decided against her better judgement to leave it to another day, when things weren’t so awkward. How was she gonna cover? A smile came to her face as she thought of something “You saw me naked” “Ah correction Mags” “ALMOST naked” “And I deserve the same back.”
Hawkeye, who would just sleep in his boxers and shirt - except for tonight, as it was so hot - didn’t care what she did or didn’t see. Plus boxers hid an awful lot. “Fine you wanna see the same?” Hawkeye threw off his shoes and socks, undid his belt, took off his jacket and T-shirt, revealing a partially-muscular body, hastily removed his pants, leaving him in his boxers “Happy now?” “What kind of a reaction do you expect a gal to get when you do it as fast as that?” “A good night kiss would suffice.” Trapper finally found his tongue “I don’t remember you being that muscular Hawk?” “That’s because, in the 6 months we haven’t seen one another, I went back to toning up...like I did when we first met.” “I don’t remember you doing that?” “I kinda stopped then, there just wasn’t time with studying and…studying” “You two are impossible...why can’t you just say studying and playing doctor with you, or something more subtle like that?” Although Trapper had talked with her about his and Hawkeye’s relationship with Margaret…he didn’t want her to think he was less of a man if he’d…played-doctor with Hawk, like she said...he just didn’t like brining up the past. “Out of the three of us, I’d say you were the premium gutter-brain.” Hawkeye sharply remarked. He was angry with Margaret about how she’d reacted to what he said.
Margaret felt terrible…she knew what she had done.
Yet again…Maggie Houlihan the screw-up had done just that. She needed to talk to a friend…she needed to ring Lorraine. Whenever she felt insecure, Lorraine would hug her until she let it all out…then she’d tell her it was all okay and not to worry about it. But Lorraine wasn’t here…there was just the two guys she shared her tent with. Quietly she bid them goodnight and turned away from them…forcing the tears that were threatening to fall, back so she wouldn’t cry.
Trapper hurriedly got changed into boxers and a T-shirt and climbed into bed…wishing Hawkeye a good night, he soon fell asleep.
Hawkeye just lay there, thinking of the past week. He had met a wonderful woman, who he liked very much, who didn’t care that he had another relationship with a man, and who liked him for who he was. On the other hand...Margaret could be a real pain in the ass.
It was an hour later, and Trapper had been asleep for almost that same length of time, when he heard a noise from where Margaret was lying. He thought she was already asleep...apparently not.
Margaret was lying on her side, thinking of the past faces she knew...she couldn’t remember half of them…their smiles, their eyes, their voice...all she could remember, were names. Faceless names that were once a person she knew and at some point, cared for. That and all the days events finally brought her to tears. ‘Oh Lorraine...where are you when I need you the most?’ Margaret was sobbing softly at first, trying not to get the attention of either bunkmate...praying that they were both deep sleepers.
They were...but it only worked if they were indeed, asleep.
The Swamp contains 4 cots, two either side of the door, and two at the rear of the tent. Hawkeye had taken the cot on the front left, Margaret the front right, Trapper the back left.
Hawkeye heard her crying and silently made his way over to where she was lying. He sat on the end of her cot, “Mags...Margaret, what’s wrong?” Margaret didn’t answer him. Instead she flung herself into his arms, her once quiet sobs were now an uncontrollable flow of tears. Hawkeye just held onto her as she cried and cried and cried uncontrollably. He knew Trapper could sleep through anything, so he didn’t have to worry about her waking him up. No matter how hard he held her, she wouldn’t calm down. She was as tense as he had ever seen her be, shaking and almost hysterical. He changed his position and began to rock her, back and fourth singing softly to her. He remembered his cousin’s daughter used to get like this, although there was a 22-year gap in ages…he hoped that this would calm her down.
Margaret didn’t know why she was crying this hard…harder than ever before, but she had to, and Lorraine wasn’t here to comfort her. Hawkeye was nice though. His strong, warm arms were comforting, but she still couldn’t stop. He began rocking her and singing to her...that was nice. He had a wonderful voice…so soothing and reassuring. She had calmed down a bit, but was still crying.
Hawkeye knew she was starting to calm down. He slid his cheek against her head, all the time, rocking her back and fourth.
Margaret needed something from him; something that no-one else could give her. She needed to feel wanted. All her life she felt a disappointment to her father. She wasn’t born a boy, and she really only joined the army, because you got payed to see the world, and her father wanted her too. Her mother was always too busy with work commitments and meeting with the wives of other colonels and generals. Lizzy was still a baby the last time she saw her, fresh out of college and newly engaged. Lorraine even couldn’t make her feel that. She had used her for what purpose she wanted, and although that was fun, she waited a year to contact her. And every other friend she ever had, always moved away and they lost contact. Hawkeye was different. He confided in her about his deepest, most darkest secrets. He needed someone to confide in...and he chose her…
“Hawkeye,” Margaret looked up at him with her tear-streaked face, tears still falling. Hawkeye had both hands on either side of her head, gently caressing her face. “Hmmm” he asked her…lost in her expression. “Do you want me?” “Ever since I first saw you.” “Do you love me?” “Since the day I met you” “Now?” “Now” as the words escaped his mouth, he pressed his lips against hers, expelling all the feelings they had been bottling up for one another. For Margaret, it was everything she thought it would be...and more. Hawkeye’s hands went to her neck and back as Margaret’s went to his head. Hawkeye has the silkiest, smoothest hair she’d ever felt. Hawkeye deepened the kiss, trying to get further into her mouth, she responded with just as much want and need to feel him. Hawkeye moved his legs onto the bed as he pushed Margaret backwards, pressing her to the mattress. They now had better access to move, hands roaming up and down, all around, feeling, discovering every inch of one another like they’ve never seen another person before, and that other person was Trapper, who was asleep just metres away from them.
Or so he appeared to be. He had woken up just as Margaret’s loud cries turned into sobs and the kiss. Trapper was devastated, he now knew for certain, that neither one of them was interested.
Hawkeye and Margaret were too engrossed with one another to remember that there was another person a few feet away. Hawkeye’s kisses went from her mouth, to her neck bringing Margaret to a state of ecstasy. Hawkeye was intoxicating...each kiss he placed on her body caused shivers to run up and down her spine. Neither one consenting or rejecting to taking it further, Hawkeye began to slowly pull her top up. Inch by inch and Margaret didn’t realise this until he had lifted it up over her face and discarded it to the side. There they both were, half naked, lying on Margaret’s cot, in the middle of a camp full of people, one person closer than they realised. Margaret’s hands moved from his torso, down past his abdomen, towards his boxers. She didn’t care who was around, didn’t care who could see, who could hear. She needed to feel wanted. Her fantasy of the three of them could wait another day. Three of them? TRAPPER! He was still asleep “What’s the matter?” Margaret just smiled and captured his mouth with hers as she moved her hands lower, slipping his boxers off. Hawkeye’s arm moved from her waist, to the waistband of her shorts as he slowly began to slip them off. To Margaret, this was heaven, a place where she could go and forget everything that was said and done.
Trapper was very much awake for this...he turned away and tried to block out any sounds...they weren’t being very helpful or very quiet either.
When they were both completely naked, Hawkeye moved so his body was positioned squarely above hers. He lowered himself onto her as they began to rock with one another. As the two bodies became one, Margaret pulled the blankets around them, not because it was cold, but because she wasn’t in control of herself and anything that could be heard...she couldn’t control. She had lost herself in him…and all forms of space and time no longer existed.
Hawkeye was trying to get into it, to give it all he had, he couldn’t. It didn’t feel right. Trapper was just over the other side of the tent and here they were, going at it without another thought. He couldn’t do it, he wasn’t ready to let go of the past. Sure, he said he loved Margaret...and she was a great kisser, but he wasn’t ready for sex...not with her...not yet. “Margaret…Margaret wait” “Why? This is wonderful” Margaret didn’t know what she was saying, words were incomprehensible. “We have to stop.” Margaret abruptly stopped doing anything. What was he saying? What did he really feel? “Why?” “I...I can’t do this, not yet.” Hawkeye climbs off her, grabs his boxers and goes back to his cot, leaving Margaret sitting there, feeling horrible. Like she had done something wrong. She felt like crying again ‘Who can I talk to here? That’s right, I thought there was Hawkeye, but he...he’
Margaret suddenly jolted awake, almost throwing whoever was beside her off the bed. It was Hawkeye, that last part was all a dream. “Margaret, are you okay? What’s wrong” “I...I can’t remember what we did” she told him in all honesty. Hawkeye smiled “That good was I? You want details now or you wanna wait for the book?” “Last thing I remember was pulling the blankets over us.” “That was 2 hours ago” “How long have I been asleep?” “Not 10 minutes.” Margaret traced her thoughts to what had happened ‘She had pulled the covers over them both...Hawkeye had magical hands which, gave her Goosebumps everywhere they went. They had made love over and over until they were so tired that they drifted off to sleep, in each other's arms’ As the memory became clearer she said to him “God you’re good” Hawkeye let out a hearty laugh and Margaret joined in.
They then both remembered where they were and quieted down. “We need to get some sleep, it’s nearly 2:30am” “I don’t want you to go.” “I’ll only be across the room Mags.” Seeing the pleading look in her eyes, he finally gave in. “Okay I’ll stay…but we have to at least be dressed. We’re lucky Trapper didn’t wake up, and he’d be in a right state if he saw us.” “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” Hawkeye gets up and grabs his boxers, as Margaret slips her pyjamas back on. “Can I say something...don’t hit me, please.” “Depends on what it is” Margaret snuggles closer to Hawkeye, taking in his scent. A mix between aftershave, soap, sweat and her...it was intoxicating…everything about him was. “Can I just say...as a doctor and a wonderful lover, that you Maggie Houlihan are one wild girl!” Margaret smiled at that...it was a great compliment to heighten her mood. As much as she liked being happy, she needed to tell him what was bothering her. That could wait till morning. “Goodnight Hawk” “G’night Mags” Within minutes, the pair had drifted off to sleep, snuggled together, closer than ever.
The pair woke at 11:45am the next morning. It was strange for that time of day that there was no-one about...hmmm they all must have been asleep still. That was, everyone except a certain tent mate. Hawkeye opened his eyes and smiled when he spotted the gorgeous blonde by his side. As her eyes slowly opened, she saw him smiling at her. “Well good morning sunshine,” Hawkeye said giving her a kiss. Margaret smiled back, “It is isn’t it?” She asked knowing full well what the answer was. “Trapper’s not here?” she asked puzzled. ”Hmmm, he’s been in Post Op since 6am...should be back soon.” “Do you have to go?” “Yeah...promise you’ll visit?” “Of course” Margaret smiled…and although she needed to be with Hawkeye last night...a part of her felt like she betrayed Trapper.
She hadn’t forgotten the look they both gave her last night when she had said ‘uncle’ Trapper really liked her, and she really liked Trapper. She also really liked Hawkeye. She knew that Hawkeye loved both him and herself, but what did Trapper feel? About his girlfriend and daughters? She needed to speak to him today. “Come on Hawk, get up.” “Do I have to?” “Yes you have to, now come on.” Margaret pulls herself and Hawkeye out of bed. He gets changed into a pair of cut-off army pants and a blue Hawaiian shirt, which really brought out the colour in his eyes. She chose a pair of khaki short shorts and a light blue halter top, along with some black slip-ons: it was too damn hot for boots. “What will it be? The cowboys hat...or the glasses?” “I love the west.” “Cowboy hat it is then.” Margaret wraps an arm around Hawkeye as they kiss gently. They pull apart when Hawkeye spots Trapper coming towards the Swamp. Hawkeye had eased up around him, he never knew they could be best friends without the all the weirdness surrounding them.
“Hey Trapp, how’s Post Op?” “Great, they’re having a circus there!” Trapper was pissed at something and Hawkeye didn’t know what it was. “I’ll see you two later then?” Hawkeye makes his way over to Post Op. “Yeah Hawk.” Margaret let out a delayed response. “Trapper, what’s wrong?” “Nothing...absolutely nothing.” “Don’t jerk me around, I know when something’s up and something DEFINATLY up” “Yeah you can say that again.” “What? Are you angry about last night? Because I didn’t mean to sound like that. I have a bad habit of screwing things up” “Up, down, whichever way tickles your fancy, or is Hawkeye just a fling?” Margaret suddenly realises what he was so upset about. “You were awake?” “I heard you crying and when I wake up to help...you’re kissing him...” “Are you jealous?” That thought just dawned on her. He remained silent “Trapper, why didn’t you say something? I wouldn’t have done anything if you felt uncomfortable about me and Hawk” “It’s not just you I’m jealous of” Trapper leans forward and brushes his lips with Margaret’s. She leans forward and deepens the kiss ‘You can really tell these two were together can’t you?’ she thought to herself as both their kisses were the same, fulfilling experience. “You now see why I’ve been acting weird? I not only love Hawkeye, but I love you too.”
Margaret was speechless; she had only hoped that her fantasy would come true, now it was a step closer to certainty. Get you mind out of the gutter Mags...all three of you are thinking the same thing, and there’s bound to be problems admitting it.
“Margaret? Maggie?” “What? Oh yeah, the loves me and Hawk thing...look, I think we all need to have a little meeting...tonight, when Hawkeye finishes” “What, Why?” “So I can help us sort this predicament out that’s what.”
One piece of advice Margaret’s father gave to her will always stay in her mind, as fresh as the day he told her ‘To every action, there is a consequence...cause and affect. In war, there will always be death.’ Margaret certainly knew that was true.
