Kooshball note: Ok, yeah, I know it's probably not possible for someone to get two promotions like Alex did in a row, but I've been putting her through all kinds of hell. It's about time she got something nice, don't you think?

Alex held off telling anyone about her double promotion for a while. No doubt Colonel Potter would tell everyone the grand news sooner or later, but she didn't want to be treated differently. Not just yet.

She was waiting in Rosie's bar for Charles nervously, in the back room reserved for private parties. She gave a small shiver when she realised this was where Hawkeye, Trapper and Radar had said goodbye to Henry Blake, and Alex gave him a mental salute. She'd never known he'd put her up for a promotion. In fact, it should never have come through at all, since she was discharged from the army between when he would have put in for a promotion and the actual promotion. She fingered the pins in her pocket, wondering what the others would say when they found out. Margaret would be disgusted, and definitely complain. She wasn't so sure about Hawkeye and Beej, though. Would they be happy for her, or would they believe she'd become a strict army officer, like the other Majors they had encountered? She'd have to prove to them that she was still the fun loving woman they knew. Maybe she'd pull a prank on Charles or something.

Just at that moment, Charles came in. A tingle went down Alex's spine; it was eerie that he'd appear the moment she thought of playing a trick on him. Maybe even a sign not to do anything. Maybe he was psychic. He'd want to know what she had in store for him next, so he would be ready for it.

'Penny for your thoughts,' he offered, seeing her thinking.

'Holy cow, you are psychic,' she blurted out. Charles frowned as he sat down, obviously confused.

'What?' he asked slightly irritably.

'Nothing,' she said, blushing slightly. Charles gave her a look, but didn't say anything else. 'Oh,' Alex said quickly. 'I'm not pregnant.'

'How do you know? Are you sure?' Charles asked, leaning forward. Alex rolled her eyes.

'Charles, you call yourself a doctor and you honestly don't know how I know I'm not pregnant?' she asked. Charles sat back in his chair. 'Disappointed?' Alex asked after a while. To tell the truth, she had been slightly disappointed too. True, she didn't want to put Charles through the misery of having to admit he had gone to bed with the likes of her, but her sister's coming child put a certain degree of pressure on Alex to have her own.

Charles nodded. 'Slightly,' he admitted. Alex smiled a little, leaning back onto the wall. At least he had seemed willing to give everything up for her. It was always nice to know that she could mean that much to someone, even if it was only because he would have been sharing the genes with the child.

'I don't know if it's gotten around yet,' Alex started on her second big news, 'but I got promoted.' Charles looked up, either truly interested in this piece of information, or just feigning it. 'And I didn't just make Captain, either,' Alex continued. 'Turns out I'm now Major Dustin.'

'Congratulations,' Charles said excitedly. Alex felt kind of disappointed with his reaction. She had been expecting loud yells, dancing crazily around the room, that sort of thing. She'd half hoped she'd shock him into behaving normally. Or at least like Hawkeye would have reacted if they were still together. 'How did you get promoted twice?' Charles was asking. Alex shook her head to get out of her imagination, and forced a smile. It wasn't as hard as she thought it'd be.

'Two different CO put me up at different times, and they both got finalised yesterday,' Alex explained.

'I think this calls for a drink,' Charles offered. Alex perked up a little at the idea of a drink as Charles called for Rosie.

'What'll it be?' Rosie asked, sticking her head in.

'Alex?' Charles asked Alex.

'Whisky,' she replied. 'You know how I like it, thanks Rosie.'

'I'll have the same, then,' Charles said. The Korean woman nodded and retreated quickly. 'So what does this mean?' he asked.

'Well, I guess I'll have to help out in Post op more often, and the nurses will treat me like some sort of power monster for a while…' Alex said, counting off her fingers.

'No,' Charles said urgently. 'I mean, what does this promotion mean for us?' Alex gave him a strange look; she had no idea what he meant. Charles sighed, as Rosie came in with their drinks. Charles waited for her to leave again before explaining himself to Alex.

'I'm a Major,' he said. 'You are a Major. Surely this means you feel that you can be seen in public with me more freely?'

'Hell, Charles,' Alex said raising her voice. 'All you men are the same, aren't you? Find a girl and settle down, right?' She picked up her drink, and drained it in one go. She sighed, staring in the bottom of her glass.

'Sorry,' she finally said. 'I've just had so many bad relationships, it's not worth bothering any more. Even though, you have to be the biggest gentleman on the face of Korea.'

'It's worth it,' Charles said. Alex sighed again.

'Maybe,' she said, standing up. 'Look, Charles, I'll think about giving it a chance—'

'Alex, is that you?' BJ asked, coming into the room. He stopped when he saw Charles there. 'Oh,' he simply said. It wasn't hard to realise what he was thinking.

'It's not what you think, BJ,' Alex said quickly. 'Remember what sort of stupid mistakes I made when I assumed things.'

'What is this then?' BJ asked. Alex was stuck. What could she say?

'A celebration drink,' Charles said calmly. Alex and BJ both looked at Charles. 'Haven't you heard?' Charles asked BJ. 'Alex has been promoted.'

'A promotion?' BJ asked Alex excitedly. He gave the nurse a hug, and swung her around. Alex giggled. This was the reaction she'd been expecting. 'So that'd make you a Captain, right?' BJ was asking. Alex shook her head, smiling slyly.

'I got two promotions in one hit,' she said. 'I'm now Major Dustin.'

'Hell, Alex!' BJ said. 'How long were you going to wait until you told us?' Alex shrugged.

'I don't want the attention that comes with being a Major,' she said with a grin. 'And can you imagine what Margaret is going to be like when she finds out?'

'She'll flip,' BJ agreed. He was still grinning. Suddenly, he stood up straight, and saluted Alex.

'Cut it out,' Alex ordered, hitting him playfully on the arm.

'How long have you known?' BJ demanded.

'Since yesterday,' Alex said.

'How could you hold onto something as big as this without exploding?' BJ asked. He calmed himself down a little, still grinning maniacally. Charles was still sitting calmly in the corner, sipping his drink. He watched Alex interact with the other surgeon, and something flooded his mind. Was it love, with maybe just a hint of jealousy? It was sometimes hard to tell.

'You've gotta tell Hawk,' BJ said. 'We'll go to the officer's club to celebrate, and when we get kicked out, we'll go back to the Swamp. We'll have a hangover that lasts a week!' Alex glanced over at Charles, seeing him pretend to not mind being ignored. She knew he did mind, and for a split moment, felt sorry for him.

'As much as I'd like to celebrate with you guys,' Alex said, stepping back a little from the thrilled surgeon, 'I owe a night with the nurses.'

'Ok, tomorrow night then,' BJ said. 'You deserve that promotion, Alex, you really do.'

'You're just saying that,' Alex laughed. 'There are more people out there that deserve a promotion.' BJ left, probably to go find Hawkeye and everyone else in camp, and Alex stood awkwardly in front of Charles.

'Good thinking,' she said.

'They will wonder why you told me first,' Charles said. Alex shrugged.

'I'll lie,' she replied. There was a pause, and Alex shuffled her feet a little. 'Listen, I've decided I want to give this relationship a go, but it has to stay quiet for a little while at least, alright?' Charles' face lit up.

'What made you change your mind?' he wanted to know. Alex smiled gently.

'Why did I tell you about my promotion first?' Alex asked. 'Maybe, way down, I know Hawkeye is never going to settle down, no matter how much he thinks he loves me. He's not the commitment type. It's time I moved on and forget him.' Charles stood up and gave her a gentle kiss on the mouth. Alex gave him a smile before leaving the room. She had plans to make with the nurses.

Kooshball note: Now, a few people were commenting about the way my characters dance around fights/relationships, and I'm sorry about that. You're absolutely right. Hopefully, they'll stop doing this soon, and get on with it.