Disclaimer: See chapter 1
I'm too lazy to put a disclaimer on this chapter – you all know I don't own them anyways, so why bother. I'm slightly upset – "Abyssinia, Henry" was just on…*sniff*…which means no more Trapper, which means little inspiration for my stories. I'll have to watch my tapes more often. Anyways…
Chapter 3
As they got in line for breakfast, Hawkeye's nurse coldly removed herself from him, joining three more nurses at a table, who all whispered, staring at Victoria. Hawkeye made a face as she left, while Trapper grinned slightly. "You know something, Trapper, I think you're jealous," Hawkeye announced loudly, just to pick a fight for the entertainment of the troops. Trapper grabbed the string dangled in front of him firmly. "Me, Trapper John McIntyre, jealous? You mock me, sir." As the two captains continued their "argument", Victoria joined Radar and Henry at their table, flashing a smile at Radar as she sat across from him. Radar returned the smile as Hawkeye and Trapper clattered over noisily to the table.
"You guys are nuts," Henry informed the grinning surgeons. Hawkeye slung an arm around Trapper's shoulders. "Right," he confirmed. "Bananas, crackers and nuts." He and Trapper shared an indulgent look, remembering the scene in Margaret's tent. Watching Trapper lean slightly into Hawkeye's light embrace, Victoria shook her head. Both men were so dense – they were obviously perfect for each other, but they were just too proud – or frightened – to admit it.
Later that morning, Victoria walked into Radar's office, brain reeling. Trapper had just given her an extensive tour of the medical buildings, loading her up with info. They were expecting casualties within a few hours, and Trapper was giving her a rough idea of what she would be doing. She sat in the desk chair, studying the complicated switchboard in front of her. The door banged open behind her, and she twisted to see who it was.
"What are you doing here?" Frank demanded. Standing quickly, Victoria saluted. Looking annoyed, Frank returned the salute. "Nothing, sir, I was just looking at the switchboard," Victoria answered. Finding nothing to bust her on, Frank looked around. "Is O'Reilly here?"
Radar hurried into the office. "You wanted to see me, Major?" Frank frowned. "No, I just…oh, never mind." He stormed out of the office, leaving Victoria doubled over with laughter. Radar stared. "What did he want?" he asked. Victoria stopped laughing long enough to answer him. "To get me in trouble. He and Major Houlihan don't like it that I'm staying here, and they'd like to get me kicked out." Radar looked aghast. "That's horrible!" he exclaimed. "From the impression I get, the majors aren't the nicest people," Victoria commented, resuming her study of the switchboard. "How the hell do you use this thing?" she asked. Radar smiled. "I'm the only one in camp that knows how," he admitted shyly.
As if to prove his point, the phone trilled. Flipping some switches in rapid movements, Radar picked up the phone. "4077 M*A*S*H," he answered. After a few nods, "uh huh's" and "yes sirs", Radar hung up and nearly smacked into a livid Major Houlihan. Veering out of her path, he rushed into Henry's office. "Sir, that was Regimental. We're expecting an enemy attack!"
Henry slowly let the message sink in, before whirling into action. "Tell Major Houlihan. And get Torey in here, I need to talk to her." Most of the camp personnel had taken to calling her Torey, they just seemed to adopt it. She pushed open the doors. "You wanted to see me, sir?"
"Regimental called. We're expecting an enemy attack and I've gotta ship the nurses out. You've got two choices – you can go with them, or stay here with us. I strongly advise you to evacuate - if we are attacked, it won't be pretty."
Victoria almost said that she would go with the nurses, until she remembered the cold looks she had been receiving. "I think I'll stay here, sir, if that's okay. If there are casualties, you're going to need all the help you can get." Henry nodded. "I agree."
Victoria was in her tent that night. It was extremely quiet – everyone was at the Officer's Club, drowning their nurseless selves in alcohol. Captain Spaulding had been playing his guitar, but no more music floated from the club. She sighed. She was the only female left in camp, except for Fluffy, Radar's rabbit. Leaving the tent, she headed in the direction of the O – Club.
As she opened the door, whistles and catcalls rippled through the room. Trapper frowned protectively, but Victoria grinned. "You can look, but don't touch, boys. I'm young enough to be your daughter – or your sister," she shot at some young G.I's.
Someone started the jukebox, and one of the young corpsmen asked Victoria to dance. After about an hour, she had danced with almost all the men – even Frank gave up his grudge temporarily. Back in Radar's tentative arms, she sighed. It was rather nice to have all these guys fawning all over her – not something she would like to be permanent, but nice all the same.
As the time grew later, the club emptied slowly. Victoria sat with Radar at the back of the room, nursing a Coke. Trapper and Hawkeye – both slightly drunk, but sober enough to know what they were doing – were slow dancing, cheek to cheek. Perhaps subconsciously, Trapper's arms were locked around Hawkeye's waist, while Hawkeye had one hand twined through Trapper's curls. Victoria smiled. They made such a picture perfect couple – the honey brown head next to the black one providing some contrast, the closeness in height making it easy.
The two captains stumbled back to the Swamp, slightly ahead of Victoria and Radar, who were walking hand in hand. At the door of the Swamp – Henry advised that she sleep there tonight, just in case – Radar leaned forward to press a gentle kiss on her lips before disappearing into the night. Grinning, Victoria walked in to find Hawkeye and Trapper having a nightcap. She slipped unnoticed into the extra bunk, watching them closely.
She woke shortly after 3, hearing Radar's knock and call of "Choppers!" Sitting up quickly, she noticed that Frank was gone, and both captains were still sleeping. Sharing Trapper's bunk, bodies entangled, they slumbered blissfully, Hawkeye's arms wrapped tightly around Trapper. Hating to wake them, she shook Trapper gently, and as usual, he jumped slightly. "Choppers, Trap," she told him, before disappearing.
***TBC***
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