25

BJ observed the pair for a moment. "You do make a beautiful couple."

"Does that mean we have you're approval, Dad?" Hawkeye teased his friend lightly.

"Well how could I stand in the way of two crazy kids who want to get married." BJ's expression suddenly turned serious as he commanded. "Just don't make me a grandfather too quickly. I'm only 31 years old."

"Yes, Dad." Hawkeye laughed slightly in amusement.

"So when did you say the wedding was?" Peg questioned eagerly.

"A week from Sunday." Margaret replied with an excited smile.

"That's the day before we leave." BJ remarked thoughtfully.

"We know." Hawkeye nodded slightly. "We wanted to make sure that you'd be able to attend." He paused slightly as he looked at his friend seriously. "I'd like you to be my best man."

BJ smile broadened greatly as he replied. "I'd be honored."

Margaret looked at Peg and asked. "And would you be my Matron of Honor?"

"Me?" Peg exclaimed in surprise. At Margaret's confirming nod she added. "We...we hardly know each other, surely you have someone else that you're closer to..."

Margaret rose her hand to stop her protests. "The way I see it, I probably know almost everything there is to know about you. In fact BJ spoke of you so much that I think I know you better than I've ever known anyone outside of the staff at the 4077th. And with Hawk and BJ being such close friends, I'm hoping that you and I will be friends as well." Giving the other woman a friendly smile she pressed. "So, will you do me the honor of being my Matron of Honor?"

"I'd love to." Peg replied as she reached out to squeeze the other woman's hand warmly.

"Margaret this meal is fantastic!" BJ exclaimed in delight as he reached for another piece of roast beef. "I didn't know you were such a wonderful cook." Looking at Hawkeye he joked. "We should have gotten her reassigned to the kitchen. She could have shown our cook a thing or two."

Hawkeye smiled mischievously and looked at Margaret out of the corner of his eye as he teased. "If you think that's good, you should see what she does with leftovers." Margaret shot him an amused smile, immediately catching his reference to the cracker and jam breakfast they'd shared while in the abandoned hut. "Seriously though," He looked at her and grinned. "I could get used to this."

Margaret put her elbow on the table and leaned towards him, resting her chin in her hand. "Well, don't get too use to it." She warned with a small smile. "I'm not going to be doing this every night." Hawkeye feigned disappointment, causing Margaret to chuckle and give him a light slap on the arm.

Before anything else could be said the front door of the house opened and a voice called. "I'm home."

"In here, Dad." Hawkeye called back to the newcomer.

"Something smells wonderful." His father replied as he quickly removed his coat and boots and headed for the kitchen. Looking at the table loaded with roast beef, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, fresh buns and salad he licked his lips in anticipation.

"Have a seat." Margaret gestured to the empty place on the other side of Hawkeye. "There's plenty of food."

"So I see." Daniel commented as he settled himself down beside his son. Glancing at the various dishes set before him he looked back to Margaret and said admiringly. "You've really outdone yourself tonight."

Hawkeye leaned closer to his dad and in a stage whispered warned. "Careful, Dad, don't get use to this. Margaret just told me that she won't do this every night."

Daniel gave Margaret a look of intense disappointment. "What a shame." He said. "I was so hoping." Margaret couldn't help but laugh when the older man put a childish pout on his handsome face.

"Didn't your mother tell you that pouting won't get you everything you want." She scolded teasingly.

"It always worked for Hawkeye." Daniel told her, giving his son a sly look. "In fact it worked very well."

"I know." Margaret remarked lightly. "Why else do you think I agreed to marry him." The rest of the group laughed heartily as Hawkeye gave her a look of mock hurt.

"What about my winning personality, my exceptionally good looks, my wonderful sense of humor." He asked in a sulky tone.

Margaret looked thoughtful for a second, then shook her head lightly. "No, that wasn't it." Everyone laughed again as Hawkeye said.

"Oh, you want to play do you?" He picked up his water glass and held it threateningly over her head.

"Hawkeye don't!" She cried in alarm as she tried to lean out of the way, but the glass followed her.

"Not until you tell everyone why you agreed to marry me." Hawkeye told her, tipping the glass a little more.

"I don't know why." She lied, squirming again in her chair. The glass tipped ever more. "Okay, okay." She gave in as a drop of water fell out of the glass and onto her shoulder. "I agreed to marry you because I love you, you idiot!"

"Thank you." Hawkeye said in a pleased tone. He jerked the glass quickly before moving it away from her, causing a few more drops to fall on her shoulder.

"You creep!" She exclaimed as she brushed at the wet spots, giving him a slightly angry look.

"Well you certainly didn't think I was going to let you completely off the hook." He looked at her innocently and gave her a slightly wicked smile.

Daniel turned to the other man that was sitting across the table from him. "So, you must be the famous BJ Hunnicutt that I've heard so much about."

"That would be me, sir." BJ gave the other man a friendly smile.

"Well, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." The older man commented, returning the warm smile with one of his own. "Hawk's told me a lot about you."

"And he's told me a lot about you too." BJ replied. Then gesturing towards his wife he introduced. "And this is my beautiful wife Peg, of whom I spoke about to Hawk all the time."

"And he's not exaggerating when he says 'all the time'." Hawkeye gave his best friend a teasing look.

"I have already had the pleasure of meeting your charming wife." At BJ's puzzled look Daniel reminded. "At the Family Reunion that you set up while you were still in Korea."

"That's right." BJ exclaimed in recollection. "How could I forget."

"It's a pleasure to see you again, my dear." The old doctor gave Peg a friendly smile.

"It's a pleasure to see you too, Dr. Pierce." Peg replied, a little shyly.

"Please, call me Daniel." The man said warmly. Then he turned his gaze to Erin who was sitting between Peg and BJ starring at him with wide blue eyes. "And this must be your adorable baby girl."

"That's right." BJ replied proudly. "This is our pride and joy."

"How was your flight out from California?" Daniel Pierce asked curiously as he started into his meal.

"The flight went well." BJ replied as he reached for another homemade roll. "It was nice and smooth - a lot smoother than the one that I had coming home from Korea."

"Well I warned you Beej that you shouldn't jump up and down while the plane was in the air." Hawkeye teased his friend giving him a mischievous look. "You were suppose to wait until you were home to do that."

"So has Ben showed you any of the sights yet?" Daniel asked as he poured himself a glass of wine.

"No, not yet." BJ replied, then looking at his best friend he chuckled lightly. "But he did have a surprise waiting for me when we arrived." He shifted his look to Margaret and chuckled again. "A big surprise."