Margaret groaned as Sarah gathered up the chips. They weren't even playing for money but Sarah was still gloating. It was almost five thirty and they weren't even close to ending. Margaret had been surprised to find that she was thoroughly enjoying herself. It wasn't very often she got to be with other women on friendly terms.
Margaret groaned. "Well I'm out." She said in defeat.
Most of the nurses grinned and eyed her mischievously.
"That's Hawkeye's robe isn't it?" Kara asked casually. Margaret nodded.
"Yeah he loaned it to me until I can get a new one."
"What's wrong with your old one?" Kellye asked innocently, frowning as Kara and Sarah jabbed her roughly.
Margaret chuckled. "It's okay you guys." She dismissed, looking at Kellye. "My old robe has a bullet hole and blood stains."
Kellye blushed. "Sorry," she mumbled.
Margaret shook her head, "its fine."
Sarah smiled and tried to get back on track. "I'll give you some of my chips if you'll let me use the bathrobe and you can use mine."
Margaret frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh come now Major," it was Jessica this time. "Every nurse here would kill to get their hands on that bathrobe you're wearing."
Margaret rolled her eyes. "You have got to be kidding me! It's all ragged, and thread-bare, and it smells like old spice and gin."
Emily moaned in pleasure and swooned dramatically. "Oh don't keep torturing me." Margaret laughed and shook her head.
"You have very odd taste."
The nurses looked at her hopefully but Margaret shook her head. "Sorry ladies but I don't loan out thing that are being loaned to me." Sara smiled devilishly. "Oh really? Could it be that you just want the robe for yourself?" Margaret rolled her eyes and stood up.
"Very odd indeed," she mumbled while walking back to the spare cot.
"Oh come back Margaret," Kellye called. "I'll loan you fifty dollars worth." Margaret smiled her thanks and walked back to the circle.
Margaret threw a chip into the center of the floor and Kellye began to deal.
Margaret smirked to herself as she looked at her cards. Kellye had just dealt her a straight.
A gunshot went off and the women screamed, all throwing themselves to the floor.
Two tents away Hawkeye jerked out of bed, automatically thinking the worst. He ran outside, not bothering to put on shoes or his housecoat. He burst into Margaret's tent and was horrified to find it empty. BJ came in behind him, who was followed by Colonel Potter. Hawkeye dashed out of the tent, frantically looking for some sign of Margaret.
"Pierce!" Colonel Potter's voice drew him back inside. "I think you better look at this." Hawkeye reluctantly went back inside the tent. Someone had turned on the light and Colonel Potter was standing next to Margaret's cot.
"Look at the pillow Pierce." Hawkeye shivered as he saw a hole in the soft pillow, feathers surrounding it.
"He tried to kill her," he whispered angrily.
Colonel Potter sighed, knowing it was true but not wanting to believe it. "We don't know it was Burns."
"Who else would do this?" It was BJ yelling now. His face was red with anger, his arms folded across his chest. Hawkeye didn't seem angry; he couldn't take his eyes off the pillow.
"Where is she?" he asked quietly. The other two men glanced around the tent as if Margaret would magically appear.
"Colonel Potter?" Radar called nervously from outside. "The nurses want to know what's going on."
The colonel sighed and walked outside, heading for the large tent. He opened the door and smiled at all the nurses huddled on the floor.
"It's alright ladies, you can get up."
"There's no sniper?" Margaret asked from the corner. Colonel Potter's mouth dropped open and he sighed in relief.
"You had us scared to death." He muttered while Margaret only stared at him in confusion. Potter opened the door and shouted towards the swamp.
"Pierce; she's in here."
All the nurses watched in fearful curiosity as Hawkeye and BJ burst into the tent, both heading directly towards Margaret. The pulled her to her feet and began to drag her quickly across the compound.
"What the hell are you doing?" she asked, struggling to get away. "Let go of me this instant." She screamed.
Hawkeye and BJ kept a firm grip on her arms, both men worried that Frank would still be lurking in the shadows.
They had made it halfway across the compound when there was another gunshot and Hawkeye crumpled on the ground.
BJ threw himself on top of Margaret and the three began to crawl towards the main building. Two more shots went off and both BJ and Margaret screamed.
One more shot went off from directly behind them and then everything was quiet. The group tentatively looked up and saw Klinger standing in his sliver evening gown, a rifle in his hand.
"I think I got him!" he shouted victoriously, as if it was a game. Colonel Potter, Igor, and Rizzo took off towards the brush and stumbled upon a whimpering Frank Burns.
Rizzo and Igor jerked him to his feet and dragged him towards pre-op. Colonel Potter and Klinger quickly checked on the group still huddled in the middle of the compound. BJ had caught a bullet in his leg, Hawkeye had one in his lower back, and Margaret had managed to avoid anything more than a small scratch. She groaned and pulled herself to her feet and supported BJ as they headed for pre-op. Klinger stayed behind and helped Potter with a stretcher for Hawkeye.