"If there was one thing Genevieve McCullough had, it was willpower. Even in the most trying times she could steady herself and most of all, know when to keep her mouth shut, even when every fiber of her being was screaming to speak out. That was how it was about two hours into her first day at the 4077th. Just after she had met Major Houlihan for duties, routines, and tasks, Radar made the famous yell.

"CHOPPERS!" He screamed before the slightest sound from the air could be heard.

Major Houlihan wasted no time in putting Vivi to work. She came with high regards, then prove it, was Major Houlihan's thought process. Vivi was to assist, of all people, Major Burns who thankfully did not utter to her Vivi's earlier indiscretion.

"Okay ladies and germs, bring out the first contestant."

Vivi looked up and saw Captain Pierce making his way to a table. Soon enough the boys were brought in, bloody, broken, some unconscious, some moaning in the throes of pain and beginning effects of morphine and other analegesics. In the process of everyone getting prepped, Colonal Henry Blake came in. He displayed a comforting yet professional demeanor that Vivi felt a bit relieved to see and as she would soon learn become a bit "too comforting" after the alcohol kicked in when they were outside the operating room.

"Her thoughts quickly changed to the soldier brought to Major Burns table. He was a complete mess and probably no more than twenty years old. His innards were nearly exposed has the bandages were lifted from his abdomen. In her mind Vivi was x-raying this boy, abdominal perforations, definitely some broken ribs, possible kidney damage, definitely shrapnel needed to be pulled.

Immediately Major Burns was barking orders to her and Vivi complied. She watched intensley as Burns began operating. But as he continued, Vivi felt herself beginning to perspire. Major Burns was moving way too fast, too fast even for army surgery. While his stitches were tight, they had a bit of a sloppiness to them. It got worse as Vivi noticed Burns was not checking for schrapnel as thoroughly as he should. In the corner of her eye she could make out small bits still protruding out of the boys intestine.

And as it continued, her nerves turned to annoyance. Major Burns was easily irritated and would screech loudly in her ear almost every time Captain's Pierce and McIntyre would try to lighten the mood.

"Ah everyone." Captain McIntyre called out. "Have you all said hello to our new nurse, Miss Genevieve? Give us a wave dear!"

Vivi kept her eyes on the patient, but acknowledged by a small wave of her free hand as the nurses and doctors gave her greeting. As much as she wanted to acknowledge them she knew Major Houlihan was watching her and made sure to stay focused.

"Miss Genevieve also known as Vivi hails from somewhere in the good ole U.S. Of A. Brunette, green eyes, and about the height of Radar, measurements we hope to find out later!"

"Enough flirting Captain Pierce!" Margaret yelled.

"Sorry Hot Lips, I didn't mean to take attention away from you. Major Houlihan's measurements are.."
"PIERCE!" Burns yelled. Vivi thought her ear would bleed. "Leave the vulgarity out of the operating room!"

"I would never call a woman's figure vulgar!" Hawkeye said as he stitched away at a head wound. "Margaret, you have lovely figure."

Major Houlihan blushed angrily as the staff broke out into laughter. Even Vivi with her head down stifled an inaudible chuckle.

"COLONEL BLAKE!" She screeched.

"Alright, settle down Pierce." He said as he pulled pieces of shrapnel from a boy's leg. "Nurse McCullough, it is a pleasure to have you here. After surgery please come see me in my office so we can go over the rest of the formalities."

"Yes sir." Vivi said.

"I already went over the formalities with her Colonel." Margaret protested.

"He means the good formalities." Trapper said. "You know, where we treat her like a human being?"

"Now that is enough." Burns hollered. "Major Houlihan gave this lieutenant everything she needs to know. Last thing we need is another nurse corrupted by the likes of you."

He pulled up a stitch.

"Nurse McCullough, I hope you will take Major Houlihan's guidance seriously. It may not seem like it from some, degenerates, but we take our jobs here very seriously. You maybe a woman, you maybe a nurse, but you are in the army and as such you should adhere to army rules."

"Yes doctor." Vivi remarked. But she could feel it. The insult, the nerve. Vivi had suddenly been risen above the other nurses and she feel their anger and she could not blame them. Major Burns treated the seasoned nurses as second class because they displayed human emotions. They laughed, they joked with Hawkeye and Trapper, but they also displayed efficiency and skill. Efficiency and skill which Frank only saw in Major Houlihan, among other things. They were not his rank, so he they should obey. It was the old adage, women were meant to be seen, but not heard.

As the night would wear on, Vivi found Major Frank Burns to be, well, unbearable. He wasn't the first pompous doctor she had worked with, but what really bothered her was his technique. He was too quick, not thorough. It got even worse when she noticed a piece of shrapnel, while not very noticeable, was still lodged in a soldier's arm. That arm Frank was currently closing up.

"Next patient!" He yelled.

Vivi stood in shock as the boy was lifted and stretchered into post-op.

"Oh, uh." She uttered a bit loudly.

"Yes Nurse?" Frank asked. She could already hear the annoyance in his voice.

"Um, huh." She found herself unable to speak. She knew, if she pointed out Frank's missed shrapnel, she would hear it. She could tell the man did not like to be told he made a mistake. She could also feel Margaret Houlihan's eyes on her, blazing.

"Nurse McCullough, you okay?" Hawkeye asked.

"Oh yes, I'm fine, Captain!" She exclaimed nervously. "Just a frog in my throat. Dry air you know."

"Take a lozenge then when you are off shift." Frank said. "Now prep this patient."

"Yes sir." She said a quietly. Inside, she was kicking herself. She might as well had injected the boy with bacteria due to her cowardice. Now his recovery was going to take longer thanks to her silence. All because she couldn't stand up to what she now considered a poor doctor.

What she didn't know was eyes belonging to two Captains were watching her closely.