Alex looked around the darkened compound, leaning heavily on the signpost. She'd had to stop when her leg started playing up again for no reason. From where she was, she could see Hawkeye and BJ in the mess tent, causing a food fight, hear Charles listening to his Bach record in the Swamp, smell strong coffee from a nearby tent. Alex walked a few steps to test her leg, and was relieved it was feeling less painful. She cast another look around the compound, and noticed Father Mulcahy's light was on. Before she could stop herself, Alex walked over to his tent, limping slightly. She gave a quiet knock on the door, then cursed herself. She didn't like going to religious figures, generally they preached to her the wrongs of her ways, and to change before it was too late. She reminded herself this was Father Mulcahy, and not one of the narrow minded priests she'd known in her home town.

'Come in,' Father Mulcahy's soft voice called from inside. Alex took a deep breath and walked in. She'd only been in his tent once, while trying to hide from Hawkeye and Trapper, the first time she'd been at the 4077th. It was simplistic, no signs of home on the shelves put up, or the table beside the cold looking cot.

'Ah, Alex,' Mulcahy sounded surprised. 'What brings you here?'

'Confession, Father,' Alex said.

'I thought you were atheist?' he asked.

'Yeah, but I respect other's views on God, and if confession can work for them, why not me?' Alex asked.

'What have you come to confess?' Father Mulcahy asked, motioning to the nurse to sit on one of the fold up chairs. Alex took the chair gladly.

'Hawkeye and I have been fighting, as you know,' she said. 'I told him I had been pregnant with his child, but had an abortion.' Father Mulcahy nodded, trying not to look disapproving.

'Go on,' he said.

'When I found out I was pregnant, I was at the other MASH unit. There was a man there, big believer in sins sending you to Hell. He made it his duty to make sure we were all sin free.' Alex made a face. 'Compulsory confessions to him, because he thought he was more God fearing than the priest there, he held sermons every time there was no wounded. I don't mind if other people look to God for answers, but I like to think I can control my own life, without divine interference.' Father Mulcahy nodded reassuringly, even though Alex was saying the opposite he believed in. Alex appreciated him for that.

'Anyway, this man found out I was pregnant and unmarried. Told me to go find Hawkeye and get married. Hawkeye wouldn't get married! I told him that, he said Hawkeye would pay later in Hell. He said there was one way to save myself, and it was to get rid of the baby. I couldn't do that,' Alex said, eyes pleading with Father Mulcahy.

'What happened?' he asked.

'He came into my tent one night, five weeks into the pregnancy,' Alex's eyes started to water with the memory. 'Covered my mouth so I couldn't scream. Pressed down on my stomach, made me have a miscarriage. I couldn't tell Hawkeye what had happened. He wouldn't believe me.' Alex shook her head, tears streaming down her face. 'An extremist,' she said with a sad smile. 'I'm lucky to know you, Father, remembering you stopped me from hating all religion.'

Father Mulcahy sat there with a stunned look on his face for a few moments. 'I don't believe someone could do that,' he said.

'Do I look like the type to have an abortion?' Alex asked. Mulcahy shook his head.

'Why tell me?' he asked.

'I don't know, prove to myself I still can accept other people and their religion,' Alex said shrugging. 'Plus, you're the only person I can trust not to tell Hawkeye and the rest of the camp.'

'You should tell Hawkeye,' Mulcahy said. Alex shrugged, still sniffing slightly.

'He wouldn't understand,' she said bitterly. 'He wouldn't believe me. He'd hate me even more for letting it happen.'

'Maybe you don't know Hawkeye as well as you think you do,' Mulcahy said. Alex looked up at the Father.

'You really think I should tell him?' she asked. Father Mulcahy nodded. Smiling he stood up.

'I'm glad you still feel you can trust me, Alex,' he said. Alex wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

'Thanks for listening, Father,' she said. 'So, do you send a bill for the confession, or do I pay now?' Father Mulcahy laughed at the joke, and Alex smiled. She walked out into the night, and headed for her tent. Noticing Hawkeye and BJ in the Swamp, annoying Charles, she changed direction and headed towards the officer's club.

'A dust storm? Here? But this is the largest mud hole this side of Japan. We don't get dust,' Alex said.

'I know,' Potter replied, 'and if we're lucky, it will miss us completely. However, I would like the camp to take the necessary precautions in case it does hit the 4077th.' He'd called Alex and Margaret into his office to talk about the coming danger. He'd already talked to the other senior officers.

'So me and Margaret are taking care of the nurses?' Alex asked.

'That's Major Houlihan to you, lieutenant,' Margaret snapped. Alex rolled her eyes.

'Sorry, Major,' she said, trying not to be sarcastic.

'I want you two to keep an eye on the other nurses and their whereabouts until I say,' Potter said. 'That means working together, not ignoring each other and doing your own thing.'

'Yessir,' Margaret and Alex said at the same time. Margaret saluted the Colonel, and Alex followed suit. The two women walked out of Potter's office together, and stopped outside.

'It might be good to get them all together now,' Alex said. 'Means if we're hit suddenly by this storm, we know where all the nurses are.' Margaret turned on Alex.

'I am the superior officer, Dustin, and you will not undermine me!' she yelled. Alex stepped back.

'Sorry, Major,' she said. 'It was just an idea. But if you want to play army, I don't have much choice, do I?'

'Come on,' Margaret said, walking briskly towards the nurse's quarters. Alex shrugged and followed her. Margaret went into the first nurse's tent. 'Atten-shun!' she said. Nurse Baker looked over lazily.

'Hey, Margaret, Alex,' she said.

'I want all nurse personnel in the mess tent, now,' Margaret said.

'Why?' Jefferson asked.

'NOW!' Margaret said. The three nurses shot each other dark looks.

'We're comfortable here, Major,' Kellye said.

'Hey, guys, Houlihan said mess tent now,' Alex said. 'Trust her, she's our commanding officer, and doesn't want any harm to come to us.' The three nurses suddenly looked worried.

'We're not bugging out or retreating, are we?' Jefferson asked Alex fearfully.

'Major Houlihan will tell you when she sees fit,' Alex said. Jefferson, Kellye and Baker all marched out of the tent quickly and toward the mess tent.

'How dare you!' Margaret exclaimed.

'I know,' Alex said. 'You're head nurse, and I shouldn't have done that. I just thought it'd be quicker if I said something.'

Margaret lifted her hand as if to slap Alex, and the red head nurse flinched. Margaret lowered her hand without hitting her. 'Go, lieutenant,' she said. 'I will get the rest of the nurses.'

'What, to the mess tent?' Alex asked.

'I don't care!' Margaret said. 'Just go!' Alex lowered her head in shame, and limped away.

Alex sat in the supply room, upset and sulking. Outside, the wind was picking up and blowing soil from small Korean fields all over the camp. Dust was leaking into the cracks of the supply room, and Alex sneezed a few times.

'I'll be ok in here,' she said. 'It's too late to move now.' The door to the supply room banged open, and someone stumbled in, coughing. He dusted himself off after closing the door, and Alex cursed quietly to herself. It was Hawkeye, the person she was trying to ignore.

'Oh, Alex,' Hawkeye said when he saw her.

'Is the storm bad yet?' Alex asked. Hawkeye nodded his head. 'Great, see ya,' Alex said, standing up and heading towards the door.

'Are you nuts?' Hawkeye asked, catching Alex's arm. 'The dust is so thick you can't see beyond a foot in front of your nose.'

'I have a big foot,' Alex said, trying to get to the door.

'You'll just have to sit it out,' Hawkeye said, not letting go of her arm. Sighing, Alex went back and sat down on the spare cot she'd been on before. Hawkeye went and sat on the other end of the cot, turned away from her.

'So,' Alex said. 'Is the Still safe?'

There was a loud noise before Hawkeye could answer, and there was a scream. It took Alex a moment to realise it was her. She clamped her mouth shut as dust swirled around, obstructing her vision. Hawkeye made her lie down and threw a blanket over their heads to keep the dust out. The wind stopped after a moment, and the dust settled. Hawkeye took the blanket off them, and he and Alex looked around.

Everything was covered in dust, and one of the shelves had fallen onto the supply room door so it was impossible to get out. The dust had come in a broken window with a piece of canvas nailed to the top of it, now trapped down and keeping the wind out by fallen supplies.

'I guess we're in here for a few hours at least. Alone. Together,' Hawkeye said. Alex had her head in her hands, cursing her luck. She looked up at Hawkeye to say something bitter, when she realised this was the perfect opportunity.

'Hawkeye,' she said. 'I have to talk to you.'

Kooshball: Yes, I finally made the story correct! People would not have accepted abortions in the 1950's, so hopefully I've made that more historically correct by having a few people apposed to it, but too polite to say anything. Woo! And Hawkeye and Alex have finally made up! (I can hear reviewers saying "About time")

And yes, I live by one religious rule: Live and Let Live. I love the fact that others have found the Lord, and I respect them for it, but don't try pushing beliefs onto me. It doesn't follow my Live and Let Live rule.