(Reposting this under my new, correct account. Will be deleting the original one shortly. Hope you're a C/M 'shipper.)
Chapter One: Battalion Aide
Potter waited impatiently for the rest of his senior staff to arrive for their daily morning meeting.
"Klinger, where are Pierce and Hunnicutt?"
"If last night at Rosie's was any indication, sir, they're probably in the Swamp unconscious."
"Winchester?"
Charles feigned indignation and surprise. "How would I know where those two cretins are? Last I saw, they were heaped on their bunks like last week's dirty laundry. In fact, I think they WERE last week's dirty laundry!"
Margaret smiled. "They staggered back to the Swamp this morning after Rosie finally managed to chase them out with her broom! I heard them when I was in Post-op."
Potter harrumphed, clearing his throat. "If those two can't be here for this morning's meeting, then they have no right to raise an objection. So I'll tell you two Majors."
Charles and Margaret waited expectantly.
Potter glared at them both, daring them to change his mind. "I'm going to Battalion Aide for three days, for our monthly rotation. Winchester, you're in charge."
Margaret was furious. SHE had seniority over Winchester, yet HE would be in charge? One more sign that although she was of an impressive rank, it was still This Man's Army. And she knew that unlike with Frank, when he was "in command," she could not rule the unit through Charles. Dammit, she thought.
"COLONEL! You CAN'T go to the Aide Station, you're...you're..." she faltered.
Potter got very quiet, with a dangerous look in his eye. "Yes, Major?" He was daring her to say it..."You're TOO OLD, sir!"
Margaret wasn't that stupid. And she knew Potter wasn't stupid either, nor careless, nor frightened. He'd been in the Army since before she was born and knew the danger of a warzone. She also knew that he was a caring and excellent physician and would go where he was needed to help others.
She settled back next to Charles, resolved to the inevitable. "Nothing, Colonel."
Potter would be gone, WINCHESTER would be in charge, and she'd be Head Nurse. As usual. She pondered on what she'd thought of before: that she couldn't sway Charles when he was in command, as she could Frank Burns. For some reason, that appealed to her, the fact that she could NOT do so.
The authority Margaret had in camp was not unremarkable, by any stretch. She was completely in charge of the nursing staff, and Potter only very rarely put in his two cents' worth. Hawkeye, as Chief Surgeon, had long ago learned not to interfere with her and her staff. Why fiddle with what's working perfectly well? The doctors in the camp at least gave her that: they knew she had the best nursing staff in all of Korea.
She turned her glare on Winchester, who was grinning in anticipation. This was going to be FUN to break the news to his Swamprat roomies. He'd been in command before, of course, but his command style tended to be similar to Potter's: Just let the good men and women of the camp do their usual routines, and be there if a command decision was needed. Charles didn't turn into a tyrant as Hawkeye had the couple of times it was their misfortune to have him in command. Bad enough he's Chief Surgeon, Charles thought, let alone running the camp!
When Charles first took over, as Second-in-Command, the rest of the camp was on edge, not knowing him very well but knowing he tended to be condescending and snooty. His easy command routine had surprised them. He likened it to dealing with the help: Let them do their thing, and interfere when needed. Of course, he didn't feel the need to tell the MASH personnel that that was where he got his command attitude and style! He was fairly sure they wouldn't want to be refered to as "the help."
Potter wrapped up the small meeting and dismissed the two Majors to begin their morning routine in charge.
"Klinger, come get my stuff in my quarters. You're driving."
"Yes, sir," he said as the two went off.
Charles remained seated, Margaret next to him. The glint in his eye was still there, as he pondered the most rewarding way to break this to Hunnicutt and, most importantly, to Pierce.
Margaret watched him thinking, a slow grin spreading onto his face.
"What, Major?"
Charles started out of his reverie. "Oh, Margaret, I was pondering the best way to tell those bores that I am in command during the Colonel's absence. 'Best' as in 'most entertaining to me,' and to you as well if you would like to join in on this!"
She laughed. She loved when Charles got devious, it was always so brilliantly executed.
"Sure, count me in, what should I do?"
He peered through the netting of the Mess tent, as he saw Klinger load the Colonel's gear in the jeep, the two men climb in and drive off.
He leaned over to tell her what she should do.
Hawkeye and BJ were stunned out of sleep by Margaret kicking their bunks. Hard.
"Up and at 'em you lazy slobs," she yelled, like they were in boot camp again. "The CO wants you in his office NOW! You two clowns missed the morning staff meeting, and he has something to tell you!"
They both groaned as they reached for the overshirts and pants they'd managed to throw off in the early morning hour, before they slumped into their bunks.
"What's he want? Are there major casualties expected?" Hawkeye asked.
"'Major' casualties?" She thought about how apropos that innocent question was. "I'd say that's a very good possibility!"
They were standing upright within minutes, dressed (if you could call it that) and followed Margaret to the CO's office. She pulled ahead of them slightly, and burst in through the inner door.
"Captains Pierce and Hunnicutt, sir."
Hawkeye and BJ were wondering why all the formality when they walked into the CO's office.
"So? Where's the Colonel? I thought he needed to see us."
Margaret laughed while Charles remained seated, leaning back in Potter's chair, grinning at the two Captains.
They looked at her, wondering what was so humorous.
"Pierce, I said 'The CO' wanted you in his office. I didn't say 'Colonel Potter'!"
The two looked at Winchester, who was grinning like the cat that ate the canary.
"Oh, gawd, NO!" Hawkeye whailed, "YOU'RE the CO?"