Margaret cautiously lifted her head from the wooden tabletop as she heard someone sit down across from her.
"Go away," she moaned when her eyes met those of Leah Thomson's, a rather new nurse. The young woman smiled apologetically.
"Sorry Margaret I can't." she said boldly. Unlike the other nurses, she had no experience with the harsher side of the Major. Leah had only been at the 4077th for under a week, quite a bit after Hawkeye had left the unit.
"We pulled straws and I lost," Leah sipped casually on her coffee and grinned.
Margaret was a bit hurt by that statement, although she tried not to show it. "You pulled straws to see who had to sit near me?" Margaret asked coldly.
Leah's eyes grew wide and she reached across the table and gently grabbed Margaret's hand. "I didn't mean it like that," she said hurriedly. Her smile returned and she let go of Margaret's hand, tracing the ring on her right hand tentatively.
In spite of herself, Margaret felt a smile tugging up the corners of her mouth. This young girl was fresh out of medical school, still very sweet and innocent.
"Alright, what did they sucker you in to asking me?" Margaret asked kindly.
Leah smiled and leaned forwards confidentially. "Is it true that he proposed?" she asked excitedly.
Margaret's face went completely white. "Prop… uh, what… who?" she finally stuttered.
Leah rolled her eyes and looked back to the other nurses who smiled encouragingly. "Dr, Pierce."
Margaret jumped up and her mouth dropped open as she tried to formulate an answer. She stood still for a moment gaping and staring towards the nurses who were watching her expectantly.
"No!" she finally squeaked. The nurses looked down at their food disappointedly.
"But he did just kiss you," Leah argued half-heartedly. Margaret only shook her head and walked outside. It was early, but she headed for the officer's club anyway.
"Scotch," she croaked out, feeling rather foolish when she realized no one was there. She sighed and hesitantly slipped off the bar stool, grabbed a bottle of scotch and a glass and poured.
While she was in the middle of pouring her third glass Leah, Sarah, Kellye, and Kara walked in.
"I knew one day there would be a mutiny." She mumbled. Sarah Baker smiled kindly and walked towards her.
"Margaret we didn't mean to imply anything. It's just that when we saw that ring…"
"Why are you people always so eager to gossip?" Margaret moaned. "It only encourages him you know," she added.
The other women sat down at a table and Sarah dragged Margaret to them. "Come on, sit down." She urged. Margaret sighed and flopped down dramatically.
"How did you get that ring?" Kara asked bluntly. Margaret frowned and crossed her arms.
"I don't see how it's any of your business." She replied flippantly. Kara also crossed her arms and stared directly back at the Major.
Margaret looked at the women's curious faces and she threw her arms up in defeat.
"Alright; I'll tell you how I got the ring. But, I have to warn you that it's going to spoil you little fantasy proposal. Dr. Pierce threw the ring at me this morning."
Margaret raised her eyebrows waiting for their response. Their mouths hung open in disbelief, as they looked at one another in puzzlement.
"But… you mean he didn't propose?" Kellye asked disappointedly. Margaret didn't even bother answering; the conversation was beginning to irritate her.
"But then why did he…"
"She doesn't know." Sarah cut Kellye off bluntly; a large grin creeping across her face.
Margaret frowned, leaning closer to the table. "What don't I know?"
Sarah covered her mouth as she laughed in disbelief. "How can you not know?"
"What don't I know?" Margaret asked, her voice betraying a touch of desperation. The three other women began to snicker slightly, all amused with their "secret".
"You've never seen that ring before?" Kara asked, just making certain Margaret didn't know what they were talking about.
Margaret shook her head dumbly.
"Well just about every other nurse who has been through this unit has" Kara chuckled and shook her head as she stared at the glittering band. "We've all been drooling over it too, although, we knew we would never be lucky enough to get it."
Kellye snorted loudly in agreement and Sarah picked up the conversation. "He keeps it around his neck, Margaret; with his dog tags. Or at least he did until today."
Leah smiled broadly. "I remember seeing it when I was with Dr. Pierce in Tokyo." She realized what she said and blushed hotly.
Margaret smiled for the first time. "Don't worry; we're all quite aware of what goes on during Dr. Pierces' trips to Tokyo."
Leah smiled and shrugged, still somewhat embarrassed. "Yeah well, I asked him, what it was and he told me it was for his wife; which made me boiling mad."
"His wife?" Margaret asked, her throat tightening.
"Don't look so nervous," Kara teased, winning a bright blush from Margaret.
"It's for his future wife." Sarah told her. "Apparently, it was his mother's and she told him to give it to the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with." She leaned back in her chair and sighed dreamily. "That was the most romantic thing I have ever heard."
Margaret's face went from deathly white, to bright red and then pale again with a twinge of green. "You're wrong." She said firmly. The woman laughed at her extreme discomfort.
"Margaret, we've all heard that story." Kellye said gently.
"But he didn't…" Margaret began to feel very warm and she pulled at her collar nervously. "He didn't propose, he just… he just…oh my god."
Margaret began to feel very sick and she laid her head onto the tabletop. The nurses shared a victorious smile and then turned their attention towards Margaret.
Kara leaned down to whisper into Margaret's ear.
"I'll play you for it." She teased. Margaret sat up and bit her lip anxiously. She looked around at the women's smiling faces and she suddenly began to feel better. The corners of her mouth began to twitch and she shook her head.
"Oh my god," she sighed. "What am I going to do?" Margaret finally broke down and began to laugh. Sarah stood up and retrieved the bottle of scotch from the counter, along with four more glasses.
Kara took the small hint, grabbed a deck of cards, and began to shuffle without saying a word. Margaret dried the corners of her eyes and accepted the glass of scotch.
She looked at Kara and frowned sternly. "Don't bother getting me drunk." She warned. "The ring is mine."