(A/N: Just a short, boring chapter to make up for the fact that I've been experiencing more writer's block and haven't been updating. Next one to come soon, I hope! Or you can shoot me with an... 04 WW nug. *Grins* I watched 5 O'Clock Charlie today... haha. "This is insane! No one bet on the Battle of Britain! 'He who controls the skies controls the war'! Herman Goering said that!" "Yeah, well he also wore tutus and ate whole bakeries, Frank." [AEM1- THANKS! YOU SAVED ME FROM MORE HUMILIATION! :D])

Chapter Twenty-One

"Hawkeye!"

A few startled nurses quickly pulled their shirts the rest of the way on, changing into warmer clothes for the approaching weather. He simply smiled and wiggled his eyebrows, appearing back to his old self, sat the luggage down, and said

"Thank you, ladies, I know you're all just so glad to see me, but I'll leave you to your nurse." And he hurried out of the tent.

Looking perplexed the nurses stared after him, at the door swinging shut. Lori shrugged off her poncho and let it drop to the floor, hoping that someone would say something. Finally, Kellye said "Well, welcome to the 4077th, your temporary home. How do you like the place so far?"

Lori ran a hand through her short brown hair and said "Is it always this dark here?" The other nurses looked somber. "Don't know if you heard, but there's a tornado warning out for our direct area." "It's really coming down just outside of Pusan." Lori said, nodding. "We went through on the way here, and it's awful out there. The clouds are almost black, and..."

Just then there was the patter of a few stray drops on the canvas tent, and they soon became regular, growing heavier by the moment. "Come on," Anderson said "Major Houlihan's got most of us off duty. Care for a drink in the Officers' Club?"

"But... we're not Officers. Or are you? I'm just a Lieutenant."

The nurses laughed and explained "When the O-Club was first erected, Hawkeye and Trapper argued to have all personnel allowed in. And now... they are."

"...Trapper?"

"He was Hawkeye's best friend, but he got shipped stateside. BJ's here now. He and Hawkeye were friends from the start."

"Oh."

"So how about that drink?"

"I'd love it."

Each nurse had an olive green poncho like Lori's, and they all put them on and pulled the plastic hoods up in preparation for what was to come. As Anderson pulled the door open, a ferocious gust of wind entered the tent and slammed the door against her shoulder.

"Ow!"

Ginger caught her as she stumbled backwards, and grinned. "Third time today. Can't you think to have someone else open the door, hon?" Anderson laughed slightly and rubbed her arm. The six nurses that bunked in that one tent pushed out into the high wind and the heavy rain that was growing worse by the moment. Black clouds swirled over the peninsula of Korea as far as the eye could see, like someone had accidentally charred the sky.

"This way!"

Someone shouted, and Lori followed her, trying to see through the thick rain spattering against her glasses.

"HOLD IT!"

There was a collective groan that rose over the howling of the storm. An unidentifiable woman appeared next to Lori and muttered "Hot Lips found us."

"Lieutenant Wilber, I presume? Just what do you think you're doing? All new nurses report to my quarters at their time of arrival! Do you know just how serious this situation is?"

Scrubbing off her glasses to see the blonde-haired Head Nurse better, she tried to stutter an answer. Unfortunately the first thing that popped into her mind was the aforementioned nickname, and she had no idea that it was so hated by Margaret.

"I-I'm sorry, Major... Major Hot Lips, I didn't know..." And she saluted.

Margaret turned a furious shade of scarlet that was observed by everyone there, and each nurse gasped. Suddenly Baker grabbed Lori around the waist and pulled her backwards, toward the Officer's Club. Shouting orders, Margaret was about to run after the escapees, but gave up. It was wet out, anyway, and she wanted to get back to her own tent before the storm got much worse.

"Gah!"

Six nurses, Anderson, Baker, Baliss, Donovan, Kellye, and Wilber burst into the O-Club, but their sudden entrance didn't seem to phase the large collection of drunks that seemed to have accumulated within the establishment. They sat down and ordered drinks, beginning to giggle at what had just happened. Lori was a very, very embarrassed shade of pink and currently sipping a glass of scotch quicker than usual.

~*~

Frank trudged irritably through the mud towards Margaret's tent. Pierce and Hunnicutt had been getting on his nerves again. The degenerates had been watching his every move in the most annoying way. He was getting nervous. Very nervous.

He walked into Margaret's tent without knocking, rather than waiting for her to answer the door while he stood out in the rain. At first she gasped in surprise and anger, and then there was a rather forced smile as she saw who it was. She saw him and walked over to give him a kiss. A different kiss, of course, than she had always given him... Frank sighed.

"Margaret, darling, will you come to the O-Club and dance with me?"

For once, he was sincere, and that look made Margaret nervous. As sad as it was, she had realized that, every other time, his expression was one of a desperate man trying to get into her pants. But for once, he looked like he really loved her.

"...Of course, Frank."

Frank gave a small smile. He didn't want to think about what could happen in the future.