The whole camp knew that Hawkeye and Alex were fighting within a few hours. This was not Jefferson's doing, everyone had clicked to the fact that Alex and Hawkeye weren't talking to each other when the two avoided each other in the mess tent. No-one except Hawkeye, Alex, BJ and Jefferson knew what had really happened, the four all respected Hawkeye and or Alex too much to tell anyone. Several people had approached both Hawkeye and Alex, asking what had happened, but both refused to say anything or go talk to the other.
'Doesn't this camp have anything better to do than meddle into my personal life?' Hawkeye demanded after the eighth person tried talking to him.
'They're just trying to help,' BJ said from his bunk as the unfortunate corpsman made a hasty retreat. 'You know,' he continued when Hawkeye refused to answer him 'they'd probably stop bothering you if you went and talked to Alex.'
'We have nothing to talk about!' Hawkeye snapped.
'She's pretty upset, you know. Why don't you just hear her out?' BJ suggested. There was a knock on the Swamp door.
'I am not telling you what is wrong!' Hawkeye yelled towards it before sitting down on his bunk and angrily pouring himself a martini. Jefferson came in the door, looking nervous.
'I already know what happened,' she said quietly.
'Alex told you? How typical,' Hawkeye put his glass down and started pacing around the tent. 'She's always talking to someone else about her problems. She went to Frank when her brother died, why should she keep this to herself?'
'No, she didn't tell me. I over heard you and her talking,' Jefferson said. Hawkeye stopped and turned to face her.
'What?' he asked.
'She's upset. You wouldn't listen to what she had to say. You won't even look at her now.' Jefferson was crying under Hawkeye's angry stare. 'You don't know what it's like for her.'
'And you do?' Hawkeye asked, slightly softer now. The angry he had before was ebbing away as Jefferson cried shamelessly in front of him.
'No, but I understand how she feels. How was she supposed to support a baby with no husband? She'd have no money, she wouldn't be able to work because of the baby, and you yell at her for making the right decision,' Jefferson looked up, her blue eyes locked on Hawkeye's. 'Everyone told me you always fought for the underdog, and in this case, it's Alex,' she told him. Jefferson turned and walked out, as quickly as she could without running. Hawkeye watched her go, then groaned quietly.
'She makes a good point, Hawk,' BJ said from his cot.
'Shut up, I know, I'm going,' Hawkeye grumbled, picking up the pitcher half filled with gin and two martini glasses as a peace offering. BJ smiled at Hawkeye's retreating back. Maybe they could work it out.
Alex was laying on her cot, reading a magazine. Her other three tent mates had gone to see the movie, or so they had said. Jefferson had looked guilty and wouldn't look Alex in the eye when she had left the tent. There was a knock on the tent door, but Alex ignored it. All night people had been looking for her to see what was wrong between her and Hawkeye. She had sworn the other three nurses to secrecy to her whereabouts and ignored everyone who knocked on the tent door. But instead of going away, the person knocking opened the door and came in.
'Oh, Alex, I thought you weren't here,' Hawkeye said in surprise.
'What do you want?' Alex demanded, sitting up.
'I wanted to talk,' Hawkeye replied, holding up the two glasses and pitcher of gin.
'You think you can just show up with booze and I'll forgive you?' Alex asked, taking the pitcher and a glass. She poured herself a glass, hesitated and poured Hawkeye's martini as well.
'I'm sorry,' Hawkeye said.
'I'm sorry I told you,' Alex replied harshly, drinking her martini in one fluid movement.
'I was surprised, that's all,' Hawkeye said as Alex poured another drink for herself. 'I needed time to think about it.'
'Hawkeye,' Alex said in a softer tone, looking up at him. 'I would have wrote you, if I thought it'd make a difference. But it wouldn't have, and I made the decision by myself. I just wanted you to understand that.'
'I do now,' Hawkeye insisted, sitting beside her. 'We could just forget the whole thing, if you want.' Alex nodded.
'That'd be best,' she agreed, handing the empty martini glass back to Hawkeye. 'I'll see you in the morning.' Hawkeye stood and was gently ushered out the door, which quietly shut behind him.