I crawled into my tent that night, trying to tiptoe. The others were already asleep, but I tripped over a boot, most likely mine, and received a pillow to the head.

"Sorry girls." I whispered, dragging myself into my bunk, we had just received a blasting from Major Houlihan and had to clean and scrub the entire hospital.

I'd just laid my head down and closed my eyes where there was a knock on the door.

"If it's Hawkeye, tell him you're busy." Angie ordered.

"Tell Hawkeye I'm busy." I yawned obligingly and Klinger came into the tent.

"I'll pass on your message, Cap'n Pierce, but Major H. is crying, so his royal Colonel-ness sends his respects and appreciates that you're tired but politely requests you -"

"Just get to the point and get out Klinger!" Caitlin demanded.

"Seesh, some people. Potter wants you to talk to her." Klinger muttered and finished his sentence, leaving quickly. I slid off my bunk and dragged my blanket around me.

"Annie, can you not come back tonight, I mean that in the nicest possible way?" They had a point, I'd probably be back about midnight and disturb them all again.

"Don't worry, I'll sneak into the Swamp." I called over my shoulder. I shuffled to Margaret's tent where I could plainly hear her crying.

"Margaret, it's Annie!" I called before going into the tent. She lay on her bunk crying.

"Annie, not now." She rolled over to face away from me.

"All right Margaret, I'll go then okay?" I made no effort to get up, her sobs paused, and she rolled over so she lay on her back. She began to talk just like I knew she would

"You're so lucky, I never thought I'd be, but I am. I've been this way before but yet sometimes it gets so bad I hate you for it, it's such a silly thing to be."

"Margaret, what are you?" I had to ask.

"Jealous! I'm so jealous of you and Hawkeye, you're so much in love, everything you do, I can see how wonderfully happy you are, and I think it's so unfair. You know, the first man you met, he loves you and you love him, why can't I have that?"

"Margaret, you don't have to be jealous, Hawkeye and I are very happy but there's a lot more to us. We know it'll be very hard for us to have a baby, and we're worried that when we finally get out of here, we won't be able to adjust to living together, we've been able to escape to other people whenever we've wanted, but once we're on our own things are going to be different. So it's not really so simple as it seems. You've got such a better chance of having a baby than I do." She poured a scotch and offered me one.

"I'm not getting any younger! And how am I ever going to have kids if I don't have a husband? You'll be fine, I've never seen two people more in love. Once you get home things will only get better, nothing is going to stop you from being a mother, it's going to be brilliant for you. What about me, will I ever be that happy?" She finished with a sob. Margaret moved over and I stretched out so we half-sat, half-lay on her bunk.

"You will be Margaret, one day, you will find that man, maybe you need to lower your standards a little, not a lot, just enough. Do you know there is not a man in this camp who doesn't find you attractive?" She had three shots in quick succession.

"Really? There are really men HERE who are attracted to me, I'm so old!"

"Are you crazy? The only people who don't think that you are beautiful are dead! And more specifically, every man wants to know what you're like, Bedroom Olympics-wise I mean. And mum always used say this 'A sweeter, kinder and prettier woman, the happier bride will be' and Margaret, you're sweet, you're kind and you're pretty, on a scale of one to ten, ten being perfect, you're 11!" She gave a drunken laugh, we hadn't been chatting long, but she'd consumed almost a quarter of the bottle.

"But how did you do it? What do I do wrong?" Margaret's tears had stopped completely now.

"Can I tell you honestly? I'm not trying to insult you, it's just my opinion."

"Yes of course Annie,"

"You shouldn't be in it for the sex. I mean you and Donald, you slept with him before you were married, or even engaged right?"

"Yes, more than I did once we were married." Margaret admitted grumpily.

"Well, if you leave it off, so he gets to know you, as a person, not as a body." Margaret nodded, having another drink and I removed the bottle from her grasp.

"It's a good thing Donald's not here," she slurred crawling over me and standing up. I stood up quickly, just in case she fell, as she stood swaying on the spot.

"It's a good thing Donald's not here," she continued, "Or I'd take him by his collar," Margaret approached menacingly, grabbing the front of my Pyjamas.

"Margaret, easy now." I tried to free myself as Margaret continued.

"Or I'd take him by his collar and sock him!"

"Now Margaret, there's no need for that." I began, she'd done this once before and I was trying to free myself as she drew back her fist. I went reeling backwards, falling over her dressing table. Klinger rushed in as he heard the crash, shouting for backup.

"Cap'n you alright?" Klinger asked as I picked myself up. Father Mulcahy and a couple of sleepy-eyed nurses joined the group outside.

"It's a good thing he's not here." Margaret concluded.

"Doctor coming through, excuse me ma'am, pardon me, I'm a doctor, let me through!" Hawkeye and BJ barged their way forward.

"I'd hate to have you mad at me." Hawkeye commented to Margaret who sat, looking rather stricken, on her bunk.

"What in the name of Marco BLESSED Polo is going on?" Potter had come in, and the crowd hastily dispersed, leaving Hawkeye, BJ, Margaret and I to explain.

"Margaret and I were having a little heart-to-heart which became a little more than just talking." I explained briefly.

"You'll be okay, probably come up a good bruise though," BJ concluded.

"Well, if that's all this ruckus is about I'm hitting the sack! Margaret, easy does it next time, goodnight company." He left, followed by BJ.

"That's two Annie, I'll leave you guys alone now." Hawkeye kissed me.

"Wait, is there room in the Swamp? I'm not to wake the girls if I can help it."

"We'll make room," Hawkeye winked and left as I sat down next to Margaret again.

"Okay, better now?" I asked, and she began crying messily.

"I'll never find someone, why would anyone marry someone like me? I get drunk and I hit innocent people, like this!" She was still out of it and swung at me. I ducked, caught her fist and twisted her arm up behind her back in a smooth motion.

"Uncle! Uncle!" I released her and she rolled her shoulder, easing the pain from the sudden twist. She was still crying and I gave her a tight hug.

"Margaret listen, you'll find someone, just when you meet do practise abstinence." I said and she stopped crying, settling for a few sniffles to punctuate her sentences.

"Do you really think that will work?" She asked, and I handed her a hanky.

"I make no promises, but I think that you should go into these things slower than you do." I told her honestly. She'd calmed down and listened seriously.

"Like you did, I understand you, sort of." She gave one last sniffle and hugged me.

"Annie, I guess I should tell you. I'm so proud of you for finding someone the way you did, you two will be happy always, as long as you have each other."

"Margaret, will I ever have a baby, I lost my ovary and I miscarried?" It was my turn to ask the questions.

"Annie, you got pregnant once and you will again, I think you'll have a child within a year of making it back home, that is if this damned war ends" She added thoughtfully.

"Margaret, you always know how to make me feel better, thanks." I hugged her.

"Come on, girls' night, let's have some fun!" She declared suddenly. I never got to the Swamp that night, Margaret and I were too busy having fun.