A/N: Well, it's been a while coming, but it's a bumper issue now that it has arrived! I struggled here, as you might notice. Feel as if I'm having to forcibly heave the narrative along to get it where I need it to be! So sit down with a nice cup of tea and a biccy and don't forget to tell me what you think!

All I want for Christmas is… ?

Father Mulcahy walked into the Mess Tent and a hush fell over the staff assembled within. In the cramped conditions of the 4077th MASH, it was almost impossible for people to keep a secret for long. By this stage, most of the camp knew exactly what had happened that morning, and it was clear to Mulcahy that most were hideously embarrassed at being caught between them. He noticed with a start that Sally was sitting alone in the corner of the tent, a large mug of coffee in her hand. The fact that she was drinking army issue coffee told him that she must be suffering. He took a step towards the lone figure, and as he drew closer he could see her red-rimmed eyes. His heart plummeted as he realised what he'd done. Swallowing what little pride he had left, he walked over to Sally, clutching his panama nervously in his hand.

"May I sit down?" he asked.

Sally shrugged and shifted over to make room for him to sit alongside her.

"I realise that I've made a bit of a fool of myself. I don't know what came over me this morning. I was so disappointed to be heading back without having my leave, but at the same time I thought how lucky I was to be heading back and having the chance to spend some time with you…"

Sally snorted derisively into her coffee. "Don't talk rot, John. You've hardly spoken to me in the last three weeks. We've been for drinks, but we haven't been on our own since we drove back from the orphanage that day. If I hadn't bumped into you yesterday, I wouldn't even have known you were gone. So please don't insult my intelligence by saying that you were hurt that I had turned to Hawk when you weren't here, because that situation is entirely of your own making. The only surprising thing was it took so long for it to happen."

Mulcahy sat stunned at this outburst. He'd never heard Sally speak so sharply to anyone before, and it cut deeply to realise that it was him she was aiming at. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. There was nothing more he could say. Silently, he stood up and walked away, his head bowed. After a few steps he turned round and looked back at her.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered and he turned to go.

"So am I, John," replied Sally. As he walked away from her, she could feel the lump in her throat growing and the tears welling in her eyes began spilling down her cheeks. "So am I," she repeated softly, as the Mess Tent door swung shut behind him.

As Mulcahy walked across the yard, the tannoy crackled into life.

"Would Father Mulcahy please report to Colonel Potter's office immediately."

His shoulders slumped, Mulcahy made his way over to his Commanding Officers quarters and banged his way through the doors. Potter looked up, and wasn't surprised to see the Padre looking so depressed. Hunnicut had filled him in on what was happening, and all Potter had to do was fulfil his end of the bargain.

"Morning, Padre!" he said cheerfully.

"Is it?" was the reply. Undeterred, Potter plough on.

"I've gotta give you this," he said. "It's your ticket for the Secret Santa. You've got to buy a present for the person named on the paper in the envelope."

Mulcahy opened his envelope and immediately realised that the world was conspiring against him. The paper read 'Captain Sally H. Lester'.

oOo

The following morning, things weren't looking much cheerier. A delivery of wounded at two in the morning had left everyone exhausted, and festive cheer was thin on the ground amidst the more pressing need for blood and supplies – both of which were also sadly lacking. Unable to sleep, BJ rose up from his cot around noon and made his way to the Mess Tent. It was deathly quiet around the camp, so he was surprised to see Father Mulcahy sitting alone with a cup of coffee and a magazine. BJ poured himself a cup and walked over to where the priest was sitting.

"Hey there, Father! How's it hanging?" he said, sitting down.

Mulcahy jumped nearly three feet into the air, and threw the magazine across the table. BJ picked it up and looked at it carefully. He read the title out loud.

"Women in Fashion? Father, is there something you want to tell me?"

Mulcahy laughed nervously. "Oh, just something that was left hanging around, that's all!" He took another mouthful of coffee. "You know, I'm not sure what this reminds me of. I think it's the taste of the tea my grandmother used to make, after she'd gone blind and mistook my grandfather's tobacco for her tea leaves."

BJ laughed. "I think I'd rather have tobacco leaf tea than this stuff." He set down his cup carefully. "So what's the story with you and Sally then, Father?"

Mulcahy began to study the brown liquid in his cup very carefully. He wasn't quite sure what the story was. "Well, I think I've offended her badly. I didn't mean to, but Hawkeye hasn't exactly got the best reputation in camp. I was worried about her, and she took it the wrong way." BJ smiled in response.

"Are you sure you didn't fall victim to the Ol' Green Eyed Monster? It seems to me that you two have been pretty close since Sally got here. My nose'd be put out of joint if I'd been passed over for a better offer."

Mulcahy set down his coffee cup. When he spoke it was in a very slow, deliberate voice. "BJ, I can understand why you might think that. But I'd remind you that I don't wear these for fun." He indicated the small lapel pin in the shape of a cross which he wore on his shirt. "I'm a priest, and Sally is someone I feel responsible for. I was disappointed when I though she'd had taken her relationship one step too far…"

"And now you're disappointed in yourself for thinking that she would?"

Mulcahy's silence answered BJ's question for him.

"BJ, what can I do? I've tried to apologise to her, but she won't listen to me. I know I made a mistake when I accused her, but you saw them. What was your first reaction? I don't know why it affected me so much… but I badly want to make amends."

BJ shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know how you can get back in Sally's good books. But I do know that you'll feel a whole lot better about yourself when you accept that Sally isn't someone you're 'responsible' for. She's someone that you care about, and she's your best friend in this place. And with that thought, I'm off to check my cross stitch from last night." He stood and drained the last of his coffee and then made to leave. "I'll be in Post Op if anyone wants me."

"BJ," Mulcahy called after him, "Thanks for the advice. It's been really helpful."

BJ smiled warmly. "Don't mention it! Just think on it as payback for all the good advice you've given out over the years" he called back over his shoulder.

Mulcahy mulled over these last words for a few moments. Picking up the magazine, he turned the pages slowly until he found the item he was looking for. Carefully, he tore out the picture of a tall, pretty, dark haired model in an emerald green dress. He folded it in half and placed it in the envelope along with the slip of paper with Sally's name. Then he rose from his place at the table and headed for the Swamp.

Finally, he had a plan.

oOo

Christmas 1952 arrived in Korea with much the same apathy as it had in previous years. Mostly, thoughts of the impending festive season were limited to disbelief. They were still out here, and there was still no chance of heading for home on the horizon. As Sally huddled in the corner of the Mess Tent, she was a little lacking in the Christmas spirit despite the fact that it was the morning of Christmas Eve.

Her peace and melancholy was shattered by the arrival of Hawkeye and BJ, drumming up interest in their Christmas Party. They were spreading the word about collections for the Secret Santa which would be handed out on Christmas Day.

"Come on then, let's be having it!" said Hawkeye, sliding into the seat beside Sally. "You don't need to wrap her, just have them send her round to my tent as soon as possible. I'm not fussy!"

Sally smiled at the anarchic surgeon sitting next to her. "Haven't you learned yet what trouble that mind of yours will lead you into? And anyway, what makes you think I'm arranging your present. If I were you'd be having a cold shower every morning until you get married."

"AAAARRGGGH!" he yelled, clutching at BJ who was sitting next to him. "She said the 'M' word! Doesn't she know what that does to me?"

As if on cue, Father Mulcahy came through the door at that moment.

"He's come to marry me off! Quick, be off with you!" Hawkeye got up and took off with his army issue anorak wrapped around his head. BJ followed, trying to stop him knocking down half the tent as he went. Mulcahy had his plate filled with an indescribable gunk and sat down at Sally's table.

Sally smiled across at him. Her attitude towards him had thawed considerably in the last seven days. She still felt hopelessly betrayed by him, and hurt by his actions towards her. But in the pressured conditions of the 4077th, both knew that they had to get over whatever differences they may have had and at least get along.

"Did you get some creamed rice?" she asked.

Mulcahy prodded a fork into the bowl in front of him. "I don't know. Does this look like rice pudding to you?"

Sally laughed, and he smiled to see her looking happy again.

"How have you been, Sally? It seems like ages since we spent time together."

"It is ages," she replied. "Weeks." She paused for a moment. "John, I miss you. I'm sorry for what I did."

Mulcahy moved round the table to sit beside her. "You don't have to apologise. It was my fault that everything went wrong. I guess I just got tired and took it out on you. You're the one nearest to me, after all."

Sally smiled when he said this. "Let's try to forget this. It never happened. We'll pick up where we left off, what do you say? Shall we have a drink tonight, together?"

Mulcahy nodded. "I'd like that very much!" he said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an errand to run while you're busy working."

As he walked past, their hands met in a modest embrace. It looked like nothing to anyone sitting nearby, but it was enough to ensure Mulcahy made his way to his waiting jeep with a spring in his step. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders and for the first time in weeks he felt able to laugh out loud. He jumped into his vehicle and started up the engine, and headed off towards Seoul.

oOo

Around 1800 hours, the casualties began to arrive. Sally and Charles stood grim faced as they watched the young men coming into the camp only hours before Christmas day.

"I don't know about where you come from Charles," called Sally, "But where I live, we plan for Christmas in advance. It helps to stop a last minute rush like this one."

Winchester said nothing in reply, but was concentrating on the young solider who lay in front of him with a massive hole in his chest.

"Pierce! Much as it pains me to do this, would you give me some advice on this wound please?"

Hawkeye was at his side in a second, his usual banter stopped for the time being while he dealt with a far more pressing job at hand. Sally left the two senior surgeons with their head bowed together over the stretcher while she went in to scrub up. BJ was there ahead of her.

"Well, this time last year I didn't think I would be doing this." She proclaimed as she soaped her hands and arms.

"No," replied BJ sadly, "Neither did I. It's Christmas Day at home. Erin'll be opening her presents soon. She'll be talking and everything. I've never even heard her say my name, and here I am… still." His shoulders slumped and he sank down onto the bench beside Sally.

"Oh Beej, I'd hug you but I'm sterile." This provoked a slight laugh from her depressed and homesick workmate. "Look, I know it must hurt like nothing on this earth to be away from your family yet again. But out there are some very sick young men, and it's your job to make sure that next Christmas they'll be at home with their families at the same time as you're at home with yours."

BJ gave a hollow laugh. "Excuse my cynicism," he said, "But I've been thinking that ever since I came here, and I'm STILL here!"

"I know," she soothed, "But I just get this feeling. Don't ask me what it is, maybe it's female intuition or British Optimism. I just know we'll be going home soon."

BJ stood up as the first of the casualties were brought through, and he swallowed the ball in his throat to get on with the job.

"What happened to British Cynicism?" he asked, laughing.

"Oh, it depends on who I'm talking to," came the reply as they walked through to face the worst in a long line of Bad Christmases. "And it also depends on whether or not I think they're talking through a hole in their… how would Potter put it? Tushy!"

oOo

At 2300 hours, Hawkeye finally rolled out of OR and into the Officers Club. Within minutes he was on the first of many eggnogs courtesy of Radar. The pile of presents in the sack under the tree was looking impressive, and they realised with a weary sigh of joy that it was almost Christmas Day.

Christmas carols blared over the tannoy as Klinger burst into the room dressed as Santa Claus. The assembled company gave a loud cheer at the sight of his jolly red and white costume, and the party began in earnest. Hawkeye shook off his exhaustion and grabbed Margaret round the waist.

"Excuse me Major, may I borrow your body for this struggle?" he said as he swept her off her feet.

"Captain!" Margaret cried in mock horror, "Don't you know who I am?"

"No, why, don't you?"

Sally looked on and smiled, sitting with BJ who was putting on a brave face. Her eyes scanned the room as she took in the scene before her. Klinger was still handing out presents, and Radar was keeping the eggnog flowing with his usual shy efficiency. Charles was sitting across from her, next to Colonel Potter. Both men looked thoughtful, and she knew they were thinking the same thing as everyone else – thoughts of home and what their loved ones were doing at that moment. Sally was thinking of her loved ones too, her mother and father back home in Hampshire. They would be spending the day with her brother and his fiancée. She wondered if they were thinking of her, whether they drank a toast to her, to 'Absent Friends'.

The door of the Tent opened and two Military Policemen stepped through. They passed almost unnoticed amongst the festivities, but Sally picked up on them immediately. They walked up to Colonel Potter who stood to accept their salutes, and the Sergeant whispered something into his ear. Then all three men walked from the Mess Tent looking far too serious for Sally's liking. As soon as they left, she was on her feet and following them, along with Radar, Hawkeye and BJ.

oOo

The MPs were in Colonel Potter's officer, and the three surgeons were using the tried and tested method of listening through the wall with their stethoscopes to hear what was being said.

"Around 1900 hours two of my men discovered a jeep abandoned on the road to Seoul. We're a bit worried because there's been a lot of enemy activity in the villages round there and we think there may be North Koreans hiding out. There were signs of a struggle and blood on the items we found inside. Do you have a man missing at the moment, Sir?"

Potter thought carefully. "Only my Priest, but he's not missing. He was headed to the local Orphanage. How did you come up with this unit?"

"We found some items in the back of the jeep," the Sergeant replied. He turned to his junior, "Go fetch them from the jeep, Reynolds."

Those assembled outside jumped away from the wall as the large Corporal came through the doors and headed outside. There was a rising sense of panic in Sally's chest as she remembered the conversation she had with Mulcahy that morning.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an errand to run…" She hadn't seen him since then.

The Sergeant and Potter came through to meet the returning Corporal in Radar's office. The assembled company gathered round as he showed them the retrieved items. There was a first aid kit with '4077th MASH' stencilled on the side. But it was the final item which made them gasp, and made Sally feel as if her world were being sucked away from her in a rush of wind and noise. Her words were a whisper, but they were what everyone else was thinking with horror too.

She took the battered panama in her hands and said "That's John's hat."