Margaret opened her eyes and saw Hawkeye sitting beside her sleeping. She tried to push herself up but shooting pain emitting from her shoulder caused her to sink back helplessly into the thin pillow.
BJ noticed her and quickly walked over to her, sitting down on the side of her cot.
"How are you Margaret?" he asked her gently, keeping his voice low. Margaret nodded, making sure her face showed no emotion.
"I'm fine." BJ nodded and squeezed her hand comfortingly.
"You had us worried for a while, Hawkeye refused to leave your cot for the past nine hours." BJ said, fishing slightly for a reaction.
"I was out nine hours?" she asked in surprise, ignoring the bit about Hawkeye. BJ nodded and motioned to Hawkeye who was waking up. "I'm sure he'll fill you in on the details if you want him to." Margaret nodded and stared uncomfortably at the ceiling.
Hawkeye opened his eyes and saw Margaret's eyes wide open, the cold look in her eyes made him shudder.
How do you feel?" he asked gently.
Margaret glared at him, her blue eyes staring back into his own. "I'm fine Doctor," she responded firmly. Hawkeye searched her eyes for some sign of fear or uncertainty, anything that would correspond with what she had been through. He only saw anger. White-hot anger flashed from her eyes and seemed to be directed solely at him.
He stood up and nodded at her. "Let me know if you need anything." He said coolly and with that, he pulled off his lab coat and exited the building.
Margaret closed her eyes as she heard BJ walking towards her.
"When can I get out of here?" she asked. There was a long pause and then BJ sighed.
"You can go back to your tent now if you feel like it." He responded slowly. Margaret nodded as she opened her eyes. She winced as she pushed herself up.
"I can get up myself Captain," she snapped as BJ tried to help her up. She wrapped her robe tightly around her and then painfully limped outside.
Colonel Potter sighed loudly as he hung up the receiver and Radar quietly slipped into the room.
"Radar," he called loudly.
"Yes sir?" he mumbled, as Potter jumped and then rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Radar go get Captain Pierce and Major Holihan." Radar nodded and walked out, pausing at the door.
"Is this about Major Burns sir?" he asked. Colonel Potter nodded and stood up to retrieve a bottle of scotch.
"Well I sure hope he gets in a whole lot of trouble." He stated emphatically. Colonel Potter smiled at the boy's simple way of stating his feelings.
"So do I Radar, so do I."
Radar shuffled out of the office and headed over to the Swamp, he was putting of his encounter with Major Houlihan until absolutely necessary. Since the incident four days ago, she had become even more unbearable than usual. Everyone had watched her closely for some sign of recognition with what had happened, but she showed no emotion at all.
"Cap'n Pierce," Radar whispered softly as he walked into the swamp. Hawkeye was lying on his cot, a blanket slopped around his scantily clothed body.
"Hawkeye? Hawkeye, Colonel Potter wants you." He said, poking the surgeon in the shoulder. BJ laughed from his corner of the tent as Hawkeye angrily swatted Radar's hand away.
"That's not the way to wake him up Radar." He said, still chuckling to himself. "Let me teach you how." BJ pulled himself off the cot and sat down beside his bunkmate.
"Hawkeye sugar, come on, wake up darling." BJ whispered into the man's ear, affecting a woman's tone of voice. Radar made a face as BJ continued whispering such things to Hawkeye
"Hello darlin'. Hawkeye said sleepily, his eyes still closed. Hawkeye rolled onto his back and wrapped his arms around BJ's neck. His hands froze as he felt the rough stubbles on BJ's neck. He jerked his eyes open and yelled loudly, before falling off the cot.
BJ stood up and laughed heartily. "Dreaming about another nurse Hawk?" he asked teasingly.
Hawkeye glared at his bunkmate as he nodded. "Yes I was, and now thanks to you I can never look at her in the same way again."
Radar snickered and Hawkeye glared at him. "What's up Radar?" Hawkeye asked, pouring himself a drink.
Radar nervously looked at his shoes. "Colonel Potter wants to speak with you and Major Houlihan." Hawkeye's head jerked up and he sat down his untouched martini and began to pull his clothes on.
"Uh Radar, do you know if it's about…"
"Yes sir it's Major Burns."
Hawkeye nodded and began to hurriedly lace up his boots. Radar nervously shuffled his feet and looked as if there was something else he wanted.
"What is it Radar?" Hawkeye asked, feeling slightly agitated, mostly because he was worried about what Colonel Potter wanted him for. Much to Hawkeye's despair Margaret had completely shut out everyone in camp, especially him. Hawkeye was at a loss with what to do.
"Well sir I was wondering if you would tell Major Houlihan for me."
Hawkeye sighed and shook his head. "I don't think she would like that Radar; besides it is bad for my health to go anywhere near her, I'd like to keep my head for a while, I've become rather attached to it."
"Aww please sir." Radar begged. "The last time I went to her tent she knocked my glassed off with one of her slippers."
Hawkeye laughed and relented. "Alright Radar, I'll go get her." Radar smiled his thanks and fled to the safety of the office.
Hawkeye stood up and grabbed at his razor, quickly shaving the unwanted hairs over his face.
"It's a meeting with the Colonel, not a date." BJ commented dryly from the corner. Hawkeye shrugged.
"Well at least I'll be clean shaven for my funeral." He ran a comb through his hair and stepped outside. Hawkeye walked the few feet across the compound to Major Houlihan's tent, knocking lightly on the door.
"Get lost Klinger!" she shouted. Hawkeye chuckled, wondering what the corporal had done to deserve the Major's wrath.
"'Tis me Madame," he yelled back. He heard her groan softly and he knew she was rolling her eyes.
"What do you want?"
Hawkeye put on a thick British accent. "Colonel Potter is requesting an audience with your majesty and myself."
There was a long pause, "Alright, I'll be there in a few moments." Hawkeye knew that that was Margaret's way of telling him to get lost, she would meet him there; but Hawkeye was just as stubborn as the Major was, if not more. He quietly waited outside her door for almost ten minutes when she finally emerged.
"What are you still doing here?" she asked in annoyance.
"I'm escorting you," Hawkeye responded cheerfully, offering her his arm. Margaret ignored his nice gesture and stomped towards the Colonel's office.
When the two officers arrived, Colonel Potter poured them each a drink and told them to sit down. Margaret sat in one of the chairs and Hawkeye lounged on top of a small table.
"I just got a call from headquarters about Major Burns," Potter began rather uncomfortably. Margaret shifted in her seat nervously and poured herself another drink.
"There will be a hearing tomorrow at thirteen hundred hours, in Seoul. I would like to go but I'm afraid we can't spare more than one surgeon at the time."
Hawkeye and Margaret both looked up in shock.
"I'm going?" Hawkeye asked dumbly.
"I'm sure that isn't necessary," Margaret interjected before Potter could speak.
"I'm afraid it is Major," Colonel Potter said loudly. "They asked Captain Pierce to accompany you as a witness."
Hmmm, intresting isn't it? lol. Well next chapter will be up soon I hope. What will happen at the hearing? Why is Margaret acting so angry? Lot's of answers coming up next! (Wow, that sounded like a commercial. lol.)