Just something nice and easy for now. Things will pick up after Thanksgiving. Honeymoon period, so to speak, is over. But I might be unable to update too quickly.

Also, now I seriously think no one reads it. I made a glitch and said TG is on Sunday but maybe I am the only one reading it. Anyway, read and enjoy, IF you are reading it at all. And if not, what the hell, I'm still gonna post!

Chapter 41

Once I made it into post-op without further accidents or chance encounters, I found BJ sitting on the chair doing some paper work. He raised his head even before I got close enough.

"Where did you go?"

"What gave me away?"

"I asked you first."

"I went to post a letter."

"To your Dad?"

"Yeah."

"Good! Your boots."

"Huh?"

"Your boots gave you away. They are the ugliest, most scuffed pair of boots I have ever laid my eyes on."

"Yours are the biggest and ugliest feet I have ever seen. So your shoes are actually an improvement on nature!"

"That was not funny, Hawk. You need to polish your skills. And your boots."

"I just ordered some super strength glue."

"Yeah? To polish your skills? Or your boots?"

"I was thinking..."

"Yeaah?"

"Nothing neat. Or cool. Just basic dorm room stuff." I grinned.

"On Frank?"

"That's the idea but if you want, I can do it to you. Anybody but Col. Potter. Just name the person."

BJ snickered. I knew this would cheer him up.

"He will scream bloody murder."

"Nobody listens to him anyway, except Potter of course. And I won't let him know it. Actually, I am thinking of making him or Frank do it."

"I don't wanna know."

"Why does everybody always say that when I pull something on him?"

"Because you are the only one he will blame anyway. And also because you are both so good for each other."

"That was below the belt, mister!"

"Your PT came, by the way."

"Normal, I presume."

"Almost."

"Almost normal PT is like an almost pregnant female."

"OK, its slightly raised. Just 2-3 seconds. But your LFTs are improving. Maybe it was a lab error. I will check it again today."

"No, thanks! If anybody has to take my blood, it HAS to be a pretty nurse. How about that swank?"

"Which one?"

"The one at bed seven." She was looking at us with neutral expression.

"Your wish is my command, sahib."

And with that, he signaled her to come.

"Yes doctor?"

"Take this patient where nobody can hear him scream. He is squeamish around blood especially his own. Draw two vials of blood, one with EDTA and one without and bring them to me."

"What about him?" A sense of humor. I was in love already.

"You can leave him there. Janitor is not due in the pre-op till 10am. He can get rid of him once he goes to clean up that area."

"Come on, soldier." She started walking towards pre-op.

I looked at BJ quizzically.

"I think she is playing you. Your repute precedes you so she must know you are the infamous Hawkeye Pierce."

That was both flattering and disturbing. I could not believe that nurses spent all their time discussing me. That would seriously hamper my social life if they all found out about my generosity. But at the same time, it was pretty cool if they did.

I looked at BJ once before opening the door to pre-op.

"Sit down, soldier."

"Its Hawkeye!"

"Huh?"

"Not soldier." I pointed towards me as if really dumb. "Me not soldier. Me Pierce comma Hawkeye."

"Me First Lt. Brendt. Roll up your sleeve, soldier Hawkeye." She mimicked my gesture and tone before showing me what she meant by 'roll up sleeve'. I did as told, intrigued by this sudden influx of strange nurses with strange names for me.

"Where are you posted, Pierce?" She asked me as she prepared the skin for the assault.

"Korea. You?"

"Me too. What brings you here? All I see is this gash on your head. What happened?"

"I slipped on ice."

"Oh. You were not wounded in battle?"

"Nope. I don't like guns and war. Or blood."

"How long since you have been here?"

"Very long time."

"Have you been wounded before?"

"Once, my jeep toppled."

"Oh! No war injuries?"

"As somebody I know says, even if you get a blister here, its cz of war and you deserve a medal!"

"Have you received any medals yet?

"Not really. I can ask for a Purple Heart for this gash but my commander is a wily old bird and would probably make me go to the front to earn it first. I choose not to cross him."

"That's smart of him. Has it been snowing on the front? It only started yesterday here."

"Lt. You know something. You are good!" I looked at her for some sign of embarrassment that I had her. No such luck.

"Yeah? How?"

"I did not feel the first time you stick me." I was not sure if BJ was right or she really did not know me and it was fun.

"Do you always flirt with officers?" Her tone turned a little stern as she started to stick me again.

"Well, not really. I flirt with nurses whether they are officers or gentlemen. OW." She stabbed me. My timing needed some work especially around people with sharp instruments.

"I am not that good, really. Sorry! When do you get back to front."

"Huh?"

"You had hepatitis, right? Your eyes still have some yellow discoloration. Which one is your bed? Or are you in isolation?"

"You really don't know who I am, do you?"

"My first day here. I got in yesterday."

"So you were not...Never mind. I am Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce, Chief Surgeon MASH 4077. Pleased to meet you."

Her face changed color and the stern expression replaced by disbelief. I grinned.

"Oh God. Capt. Hunnicut should have warned me. I am sorry for any disrespect Captain. You were not wearing any insignia or bars. I did not know."

"I stole the jacket in the morning and forgot to put my bars on it. In any case, I have no clue where I last left them. And I am Hawkeye to friends and you seem like a good candidate for friendship." I smiled again, hoping my charms worked.

"Do you always flirt with nurses?" This time, she smiled too. Maybe the day had some good prospects after all.

"Of course I do. I respect beauty when I see it and you are a fine specimen of the said wonder!"

"I think we should get back to post-op." And I realized she had done her job and we were good to go.

"Oh. You are good. I did not feel a thing. Not until you stabbed me."

"I am sorry about that. You just distracted me. I never expected a soldier to be so articulate and lecherous at the same time." She smiled again. I did a mental cartwheel.

"I have much more to offer if you let me buy you a drink tonight. I can show you around too. When do you come off your shift?"

"3PM. And I would like that."

"I will pick you at 3 then. I can buy you lunch and then we can explore the camp."

She smiled and returned to work while I turned to an amused BJ who was listening to everything said while faking doing paper work.

"You seem to have a lunch date today." He commented wryly.

"Yeah. She stabbed me and I knew she would like me to ask her out. Every woman who stabs me ends up liking me."

"Stabbed you? What did you do?"

"Nothing. I did nothing. You know how innocent and sweet I am."

"Yeah?"

"You are the one reason why she stabbed me."

"Wake me up when you start making sense."

"You said she was playing me? She did not know I was, and still am, the great, the one and the only Hawkeye Pierce, resident chief surgeon MASH 4077. She thought I was an ordinary soldier with extraordinary articulation skills."

"Right!"

"Jealous!"

"Of you?" He snorted.

"Of course me. I did not fall for your gag."

"But you did." He spoke in a sing-song voice.

"I did not."

"You did and your big ego does not let you admit I got you!"

"I did not. And you did not!"

"Back to making nonsense?"

"The same can be said about you. Post-op looks vacant. Did Frank strike again?"

"No. Last patient intake was not so big and with weather and almost no fighting, we were just stuck with these few guys. Two of them had post-op atelectasis and I was worried about pneumonia so the extra shifts."

"Yeah. I think I have forgotten how to operate."

"Don't worry! You can always assist Frank and learn what to do."

"Ahhh. A man with a sharp wit. Someone ought to take it away from him before he cuts himself."

"Me or Frank?"

"Frank's wit can give molasses a run for its money. Hey, Beej! I gotta go get spruced up, ya know." I winked at him.

"Be careful, Andy! Always protect yourself."

"Yes dad, I won't let you down."

And with that, I left him and his company.