The chapter was written and ready to post but life struck. My internet went down and then something worse happened. Sorry for promising to deliver when I could not, even if it wasn't my fault really.

I don't think you guys will like this chapter. I know I don't.

Chapter 67

"So are we having fun yet?" I looked at Sidney mischievously.

"Oh yeah!"

"And what exactly is so fun about this place?"

"Gambling, drinking and of course, Klinger." Sidney cryptically answered.

"There hasn't been much poker lately. You guys finished early last night? When I came back, BJ was already home."

"No. He left early but you and BJ are not the only players around." Sidney said with a knowing smile.

"Yeah, I guess. Looked like he lost plenty on the table." What was with the verbal hopscotch?

"He cleaned up all of us. It helped that he wasn't as drunk as the rest not to mention, your absence. "

Sidney's information sent my mind into a thinking spree. BJ wasn't drunk. He wasn't broke either. So was he just mean for the hell of it? Holding the thought, I returned my attention to Sidney again. My nausea was subsiding, I noticed. I could have used something light to eat. Maybe I could ask Colonel Potter to let me go for a short RnR. I knew he wouldn't refuse me. But it had to wait till BJ returned because of the impending push.

"Then maybe he did not want you to win it all back." I spoke without much thinking.

"Why are you trying to explain his early exit?" Sidney poked at the still and then looked at me.

"Me? I'm not trying to...I just want to...Oh NO! You cannot bait me into talking, Sigmund!" I suddenly checked myself before I started thinking out loud. Lately, I had stopped doing it, reasons notwithstanding. I needed to pace to think and talk and right now, I could not fathom the reserves of that manic energy I had that not only got me all worked up but also help me pace and talk and be angry.

"I know. But it might help." Sidney spoke in a conversational tone.

"Help? Help whom? I don't need it and he doesn't want it." I knew he was right but in all honesty, I did not know what I was thinking. I was worried about too many things and almost none of them I had control over.

If only I could stop thinking!

"Hawkeye! You are trying too hard. You turned off the still. So? He can get the drinks from the bar. From Rosie's. Hell, all the money he won last night, he can all the liquor in Seoul PX." I could hear exasperation in Sidney's tone. I never heard him exasperated. Maybe I was just projecting.

"I know that Sidney. That was not what I was playing for." And I saw comprehension dawn on his face as he gave me a smile.

"You are one devious son of a ...Hawkeye! I knew you were devious but even I didn't know how devious." I grinned at this compliment.

"Now if you don't mind, I have a date with Morpheus. We are hoping to kiss and make up."

"Too much information, fella! You mind if I wait for still to produce some lighter fluid?"

"Nah! Be my guest. Better yet, be still's guest. I don't mind. Neither will she." I informed him, yawning.

Sleep came easy this time. There were a few weird dreams but when I woke up a few hours later, I could not remember any and was grateful for that. Sidney was nowhere to be seen though still was still gurgling. I turned it off again before heading out for mess tent.

Dinner was a semi-decent affair and for once, I ate an almost grown up serving of everything on my tray. As I was leaving the mess tent, I saw Margaret sitting alone at a corner table. She looked at me and I wasn't sure if I was imagining it but I saw sadness and then she averted her eyes. Just for a second, I considered the possibility that I was just going by something I already knew of her which was, she was feeling bad about being open to me. It could have been something else.

"Hello Major!" I sat next to her.

"Captain!" Came the curt response.

"What happened to overgrown oaf?" Maybe levity would come helpful.

She looked at me and this time I was sure she was hurt at something. But what? Surely I didn't do anything this time.

At least I think I didn't.

"What happened Margaret?" I asked her as I checked her ring finger. The ring was still there so that meant that pond scum was still engaged to her.

And why the hell are you so protective of her?

Cz she's a a friend!

"You sleazy slimeball!" She angrily looked at me before attacking her food again reminding me of lunch time and her similar vengeance towards mystery meat. Was she seeing me on her tray instead of whatever animal that meat came from?

"Uhh, that was enlightening but would you mind telling me what is it exactly that I did? Besides sitting with you last night and listening to you?"

"Gah! You...You...Pierce! You are all the same. And you are the worst of the lot!" And with that, she slammed her knife and fork on the tray and started getting up.

I grabbed her wrist and forced her to keep sitting.

"You mean you regret talking to me? Is that it? Pardon me for living, Margaret!" I asked her heatedly this time.

"Let go of my arm, buster. You don't want it dislocated!" She pulled her arm with considerable force and maybe she had a point. The way I was, she may have taken my arm with her.

"What the hell! Fine. Go." I let her arm go and vowed never to be there for her again. The woman was insane!

"Pierce!"

"What?"

"Of all the cheap tricks and games you have played ever since you came here, this one was the worst!" She sounded hurt again. And I was lost.

"What the hell are you talking about? What did I do to you this time?" I asked her in genuine surprise.

"Nothing, Pierce! You didn't do anything!"

Shaking my head in incredulity, I just decided not to ask her again. She could live in the cocoon of her insanity. I did not want any part of it. I had a whole bunch of such cocoons myself.

As I left the mess tent, I saw Brendt. Tonight's movie was The Maltese Falcon and even though I had seen the movie, it was a rare thing to have a regular length, unspliced, real cool movie on our hands. It was late but when were my dates long thought out and premeditated? Spontaneity was the life and soul of dating.

"Hello Lt." I greeted her as I fell in step with her.

"Hello Soldier!" She looked at me and gave me a smile to kill.

"Wanna watch the movie?" I asked her with a somewhat lecherous undertone and a smile to match.

"Yeah. Why not." She smiled and I just felt maybe, just maybe, today would not end up as a total fiasco! That was the recent pattern of my life. One good day followed by a day completely shot to hell. Shaking my head, I told her I would get her at 7:20pm. Movie was starting at 7:30. That gave me enough time to get all spruced up. I was busy shaving when I heard the door open with a jerk and somebody whooshed in.

"You dog!" I looked around to see who it was and where was the dog. With only Brenda and myself in the tent, it did not take the mind of a rocket scientist to figure out the recipient of this current affection.

"Me?" Just for confirmation.

"Yes YOU!"

"Uhh, OK. And why this premature love? Movie does not start in ..." I never reached my watch.

"You just cannot keep your hands to yourself for one day, can you?" Acid rain. Thats what it was.

"Excuse me?" There was a shadow of echo in this conversation but I still hadn't made any solid connection.

"I thought...God, I'm such a fool." Hoping she wouldn't start crying, I said the first thing that popped in my had.

"You are?" Before I could check myself, the question escaped my mouth. Good thing she was not holding anything heavy.

"Oh go to hell, Captain Pierce!" She spat the words out.

What the hell was going on? It was like, in my sleep, I had detonated a mine of irrationality. Trying to remember all the conversations since last night, I realized there was only one common denominator : Insanity. And I was the one at its receiving end.

"Would you mind telling me what I did do wrong? I am willing to apologize and hopefully, not to repeat the mistake any time soon." I tried to sound sincere.

"You won't charm me. Not anymore. Find someone else who is stupid enough to go out with you."

"So our date is off?" I asked her, confirming. Maybe I had a death wish.

The answer was a slam of the door. I was sure after all the abuse it had taken, it was ready to fall apart. Same could be said about me too.