"Gimme another BJ." I said, waving the empty glass under his nose. We'd just got back from the O-Club where my birthday was celebrated. We'd returned to the Swamp for a private toast that had basically become a binge.

"Hang on Anne how many have you had?" He asked, trying to focus his eyes on me. The green-blue eyes were bloodshot and blinked several times before coming to rest on my face.

"What Hawkeye would've drunk if he'd been here." I said, showing five on my fingers. "Plus the ones I would have drunk, I put up three more fingers, that equals twelve!" It was true, in the hour that BJ and I had been in the Swamp, I had had a lot more alcohol than was good for me, or the baby.

"What you said equals about nine, Annie, Hawkeye would've had more than what you said but that's beside the pointy, point, I think you should lay off the booze, you're not supposed to be drinking, you're pregnant after all. It can't be good for you."

"I've developed an immunity!" I announced with a proud giggle, patting my stomach before keeling over, falling backwards off the crate I was sitting on. BJ dragged me up with another plea to stop the drinking.

"Okay." I agreed, "D'ya wanna dance?"

"Thought you'd never ask." He helped me onto my feet. The lack of music didn't register in our drunken minds, as we wrapped our arms around each other tightly and began to rock to a rhythm we both set.

"Mmm. You're good at dancing." BJ sighed, and I could hear his deep voice in his chest, where my blonde head rested, his arm coming around me tightly, giving me little choice but to rest there, listening to his heartbeat. I wasn't in a hurry to try and move though; the deep vibration against my face was soothing and relaxing.

We were so utterly inebriated, that we were completely helpless to what out bodies told us to do and at the moment, they were telling us to get as close as was physically possible short of fusion. That was what we were doing, as I stood on my toes, and BJ slouched a little so I could rest my head on his shoulder.

If anyone found us they would have thought nothing of it, and looked around to find Hawkeye and Margaret doing the same. BJ and I thought nothing of it either; we'd often close-danced before, while Hawkeye and Margaret were together, it was par for the course, everyone in camp danced with everyone else. Hawkeye and BJ danced with the nurses, and I danced with the men. Once, Hawkeye and BJ had taken a turn around the floor, while Margaret and I danced - all of us cheek-to-cheek. It was a sweet moment for the four of us and brought us closer together.

I turned my head and nestled a little closer, my lips accidentally brushing the exposed skin on his neck, causing an immediate reaction in both of us. BJ stiffened at the touch, pulling me tighter against him and I inhaled sharply, the smell and slight taste of the cheap cologne and maleness was winning me over. That was when our innocent, drunken fun of a close dance tipped overboard.

"That was good. Do that again." BJ whispered as his hand tangled itself in my hair, pushing me closer. I complied, kissing my way up his neck and along his jaw. In our drunken states, the only things we noticed were the male body, and the female body that pressed tightly against each other.

He dropped his head and our lips met, from then on nothing was important except each other. We held each other tightly, kissing and finding relief and comfort from the stress that seemed to be at its highest since Hawkeye'd been admitted to the hospital.

Without a word, we fell onto his bunk, and kept kissing. We already knew exactly how far it was going and at that moment, there was no guilt, or second thoughts. We wanted what was happening and threw caution to the wind.

For two people who'd only ever shared one kiss, that wouldn't have qualified as romantic, we knew exactly what we were doing. I decided BJ and Hawkeye were sharing secrets, he knew what I liked best. A slow disrobing game started, and we were getting down to our birthday suits, no intention of stopping in our minds.

"God I want this Annie."

"I want it just as much as you BJ." The use of names meant we knew whom we were with, and we still didn't care.

"This is a close second to going home right?" He queried with a smile.

"You got it one" I sighed. He slid his arm under my back, his weight beginning to fall onto me in a slightly possessive way that I had always found comforting, now was no exception, I needed the comfort more than ever. I shifted a little, wrapping my arms around him.

"Captain Honnicut! You are a married . . . Captain Pierce! What the hell are you doing here?" there was a shriek from the door, I knew who it was at once, Margaret. She stood there, her face a picture of surprise, hands on her hips.

"You are a respectable doctor Captain, and you Pierce, are my best nurse! What the hell did you think you were doing?" She slammed the door behind her, scaring away anyone who came to see what the noise was with a 'look'.

"Oh god, BJ!" I'd put my hands up to push him off me, but that wasn't necessary. He was already drawing back, taking a pillow that he put over his lap.

"Annie, I'm sorry! Oh god, what got into us? Here." He tossed me the end of the blanket, and I sat up, facing Margaret, both of us using the blanket a shield. Not that she hadn't seen it before mind you.

"Captains! I am appalled at your behaviour! Put these on!" She threw BJ his robe and Hawkeye's to me. "Let's go!" She grabbed us by our wrists once we were decent and dragged us, scolding furiously over to the showers.

"In!" She ordered, practically throwing us into the cubicles and yanking on the water. I hurriedly rescued Hawkeye's robe from an unnecessary washing. I guess even Margaret saw sense in that and helped me before it got wet.

"I'm disgusted by the pair of you! How could you do that? You're both married! I thought you were respectable and that you had morals, but I guess I was wrong! You two can stay there until you're sober and you've learnt your lesson!" BJ settled down faster than I and she threw a towel at him, while holding me under the spray.

"Captain Honnicut, I think the best thing to do is to confine you to your quarters for the rest of the evening! Put your robe back on now!" She threw it at him and he dragged it on. "Now get to your quarters!" BJ slunk out.

"As for you, Captain Pierce, need I remind you that you are a married woman? You are going to have a lot of extra work for a while, just be grateful I'm not putting you on report! Don't think that Potter won't hear about this though! Put on your robe immediately!" She got me into my robe, and dragged me out. "Go and dress Captain!"

I went back to my tent and found some clothes. "Pierce, I want you in my office pronto!" Potter bawled, bursting into the tent. Normally he would have knocked, but in his already infuriated state he'd forgotten his manners and barged in, not even noticing that I was wrestling with an obstinate shirt.

"Soon as I'm dressed sir." After I'd got on some clean clothes. I reported to the office, BJ was already there. Margaret was there too, giving her account of the events, while Potter listened red-faced.

"Good to see you respectable again. Park your patoot!" I sat down on the chair next to BJ's. Our arms brushed and we stiffened at the touch, shifting our chairs away from each other. Our eyes wouldn't meet and already we knew it would be a while before we could handle each other's presence.

"Now what the hell happened, and as much I wouldn't like to see Margaret turned into a liar, tell me what she's saying did not happen!" The Colonel looked at us for an explanation, but BJ and I turned scarlet and our eyes hit the floor. "Well, Captains one of you answer me!" He roared.

"Well," BJ and I started together. "It's just that . . ." we both fell silent.

"One of you answer me! You know what? We'll take it turns, Pierce, you're first. What happened? And look at me when you talk!" I lifted my eyes.

"See, sir Captain Honnicut and I were . . . are a bit intoxicated. We decided we'd have a dance, oh god I can't believe I did that to Hawkeye!" I buried my face in my trembling hands.

"Would someone fill me in? How far did it go?" Potter bawled, now thoroughly furious. Margaret began to answer but Potter cut her off. "Silence Major! Honnicut, HOW FAR DID IT GO?"

"Not, not that far." BJ's voice was barely a whisper. "But to far to pretend it didn't happen."

"Beaver Biscuits! All I want is a simple yes or no, because the Major doesn't know herself, did you have inter . . ."

"God no!" I gasped. "And thank goodness it didn't. I mean nothing against the Captain, no offence meant."

"And there is none taken." BJ told the Colonel. "I understand how she feels. In fact I feel the same as she does. Just because I don't want to with her, doesn't mean that she's not a very attractive . . ."

"Silence Honnicut! Why don't you tell her yourself? And why didn't you tell the Captain you meant no offence Pierce?" Potter bawled, thoroughly angry by now.

I lifted my head and looked the Colonel square in the eyes. "Captain Honnicut and I are disgusted and ashamed of what we did, it's going to be a long time before I can look him the eyes again."

"Or I, her." BJ finished.

"I see you're already repenting your sins, however, there's more in store. Pierce, you're at the mercy of Houlihan for a week. Honnicut, I'll see about extra duty in the morning. And if it happens again, I'll have the pair of you transferred! Not a word to anyone, even though they probably know already. In the meanwhile, you're both confined to your quarters until 0500, Pierce, we can't put that on the nurses, you're in the VIP tent."

"Yes sir." I stood up, "Permission to talk to Mulcahy first? I'm Catholic." I explained seeing his puzzled look.

"He'll come to you. As will Sidney. Major Houlihan, see that one of the nurses gives Pierce whatever overnight things she'll need. Now DIMISSED!" BJ and I left, still unable to talk to each other.

Father Mulcahy had come to my tent. Now he sat on the end, while I tried to begin talking. "Forgive me Father for I have sinned." I said after a few minutes silence while Father Mulcahy waited patiently.

"What is it my child?" He asked softly. Normally if I said something like that, he'd call me Annie, hold my hand and tell me it would be okay. But there my voice told him I needed a serious Catholic confession.

"You see Father . . ." I filled him in, my voice quiet and shaky. I deliberately skipped whom I had been with, and then went on to start telling about how nervous I was about Hawkeye being told by someone else first.

"My child, I can only help you find forgiveness in the eyes of the Lord." He stopped me. We talked longer and I began to feel better as I got it all off my chest. It was a proper confession and by the end, I felt far better, still guilty but better.

"Can we take this personally now Anne?" He asked.

"Yes Father." I could just tell he was itching to tell me off.

"Good, that is the most incredibly stupid thing you've ever done! I don't mean to be judgemental, but where were your brains?" If he could have yelled, he would have.

"I don't know Father." There was a knock at the door.

"Can I come in Captain?" The use of my rank already told me that Sidney was not happy.

"Honestly Annabelle, I thought you had more brains than that!" Father Mulcahy was quite irritated now.

"Sure Sidney," Father Mulcahy left, saying that he probably had a few million rosaries to do now and Sidney came in, his already dark eyes black with fury.

"Good way to end your birthday." Sidney's words were cool, almost scathing and told of extreme disapproval. "It's not really my place to tell you this, although the Father already seems to have, that is the stupidest thing I have EVER heard about you doing!"

"I know Sidney!" I burst into tears. "You have no idea how bad I feel! I've done some crazy things in my life, and even some downright silly ones but this is the worst mistake I have EVER made. How am I going to tell Hawkeye? And how will he take it? Do you think I should ever tell him?"

"Yes! He's going to want to know why you and BJ are acting so oddly. And probably why Margaret is in such a bad mood she could kill with her bare hands. He won't take it well, and you can't expect him to."

"I don't." I was still crying. "I really hope that I can make up with him though."

"Shh girl, it's going to be okay." Sidney was suddenly warm and caring. Even though he was mad, I was still his friend and my tears moved him. The name he called me, girl, he never called me that before, and the surprise was enough to stop my tears in their tracks.

"It'll take a while, he trusts you and cares for you deeply Anne, hearing this will hurt him a lot and he's going to be very unwilling to know you for some time, he's likely to turn away from BJ too. However if you just take your time, and let him know you're really sorry, it should work out. Now listen, this is still the silliest thing I have ever heard you do, but if you need a friend, no matter how disgusted, I'm here okay?"

"Thanks Sidney." I gave a teary nod, and he rubbed my back.

"You've got a fair bit of work ahead, so get some sleep." He gave me a hug and kissed the top of my head.

"Goodnight Sidney," I lay down and he left, turning off the light as he did. I fell asleep at once, but it was a fitful, restless sleep, plagued by nightmares and by 0500, when Margaret woke me, I felt as if I hadn't slept at all.

"Alright Pierce, get up and get dressed, first order of the day is a round in Post-Op, you're there until 0900 when you will be starting a complete clean up of the hospital. You are on that until it is completely clean. Be in Post-Op in 10 minutes!"









I hurried to dress and arrived in Post-Op at 8 past 5 with a cup of coffee in my hand. The room was quiet, but a few people were waking up.

"Good to see you on time, some patients need morning medication, some need help with the latrine duties, and watch the patient in that bed there, he's been vomiting again." Margaret gave a crisp order and left.

"Good morning Annabelle." Charles looked up. "You really have got Margaret in a temper, however, were I in her position I too, would be extremely upset about . . ."

"Charles, I don't want to hear about it!" I snapped, causing every head in the room to turn my way. "I'm sorry Charles, I just really don't want to hear about it." I turned and started towards the nearest patient, checking their stats and administering medication as necessary.

"Nurse Anne." I bent down to a youngish boy. Every patient who came through was under orders to call me Nurse Anne; it was more relaxed and helped me feel closer to them. "My arm hurts something dreadful, is there anything you can do?" He'd received some pretty serious injury, and it was touch and go whether we could keep his arm.

"I'll get the doctor to see about some more morphine. Charles!" I motioned to the patient and there was a tug on my sleeve and I turned, a tracheotomy patient was trying to get my attention.

"Yes Rogers?" He made a scribbling motion with his hands and I handed him a pen and pad from my pocket. He started writing and showed it to me. 'What's up?' His hazel eyes were curious.

"Oh, nothing much, I just did something that got the head nurse and the CO, upset. I'm not going to worry you with it." He wrote some more, and showed it to me. 'What about the other doctor, BJ, he's in strife too.' I could hear Potter roaring at him last night. Potter had had some 'words' to BJ later on.

"Hmm? Never mind, you focus on recovering, okay?" He handed me the pad again. 'If you ever want to talk I'm a good listener.' I smiled, "Thanks. Look, I've got a lot of work, so I'll just check you out, when I cover your tube, let me see how you're breathing okay?" He took the pad back from me. 'What about Pierce?'

"I'm in charge of his patients, he's temporarily indisposed." That was true, every patient in Hawkeye's name had been put in my care when Hawkeye had gone. "I'll just see how you're breathing. It shouldn't hurt." I covered the tube and after a choked breath or two, let it go.

"It's better, hang in there, two, maybe three more days, you should be okay. I reckon your voice will come too, just as soon as that swelling eases a bit." He smiled slowly. "Gotta keep going." Four very long hours later, Margaret came back into the room.

"Okay, move, start in on cleaning the OR, go!"

"Yes Major." I began to work on the OR, cleaning and scrubbing, and although it was hard work, I was grateful for it, as it gave me space from the equally hard-working BJ, time to think things over, and - I hoped - solitude.

"Hey Anne, I heard about you and BJ," Lori came in, and was about to continue.

"Out! I don't care what you think, just get out and leave me alone! That is an order!" Lori obeyed.

"Annie, Annie, Annie. I never knew you were a Delilah."

"Get the hell away from me, I don't care! Just get out and leave me be!" I chased whomever it was out, without even registering their identity. I evicted the next three visitors the same way. I slammed the door after the last of them, a voice behind me making me jump. Potter had come in, red- faced and furious, as my shouting had been audible through the entire camp.

"Captain Pierce, where in Carrie's Corset are your brains lately? Who are you to give orders like that?"

"I'm sorry sir, it's just that everyone keeps coming in and saying things that I don't want to hear or even think about. I'm just getting a lot upset." I turned away from him, scrubbing vigourosly at an operating table.

"Well, in the future watch your mouth!" He left and I kept scrubbing. Shortly after that, there was a tentative voice at the door. I threw down the brush and whipped around.

"WHAT? Oh, I'm sorry Sidney, I thought . . ."

"You thought I was someone else coming to taunt you. I'm just coming to say goodbye, I'm going back up to Tokyo, to deal with your husband and hopefully get him back here. I won't say a word about you and BJ, but I do want to know if I can tell him about the baby, it might get us somewhere."

"You can Sidney, and let him know we've decided that I'm due March 20."

"Thankyou Annie, now I've got to go, or I'll miss my flight."

"Bye Sidney and thanks for the talk about the baby and about the little, episode last night." He gave me a hug and left. I kept cleaning, he'd made me feel better, but when someone else came into ask about the previous night, I yelled at them too. By the time I'd finished cleaning the already clean hospital, I'd told off the entire nursing staff, most of the enlisted men, even a few of the patients, and threatened to put them all on report. Not surprisingly it wasn't making me popular.

I sat in the Mess Tent, having lunch in the afternoon, three days later. Nothing changed, BJ and I weren't happy near each other, Margaret was scolding me all the time, no one was talking to me, some people weren't talking to each other, and Potter wasn't talking at all. All up, we were a very unhappy, over-worked, over-tired camp.

"Can't believe it,"

"And now look at her."

"She's having Hawk's baby!" Snippets of whispered conversation floated around me. The last one I caught sent me right over.

"Listen to me! I am NOT proud of what I did, now would you all kindly drop it, or drop dead!" I shouted; slamming my fork down so hard food splashed everywhere.

"Pierce! You just watch your darned mouth!" Potter shouted at me. I gave a highly rude reply and walked out.

"Dammit! Pierce, you just listen to me, you've got a day as clerk tomorrow for that!" Potter roared, once he'd caught up with me. "And consider yourself lucky I don't put you on report!"

"Yes sir, I'm sorry sir." I replied meekly. The next day no one was a bit nicer to me, and I was just as cold to them. I was filing some papers, phonetically of course, and the phone rang.

"M*A*S*H 4077, Captain Pierce here."

"Annie, my love, what's wrong, you sound so grumpy!"

"Hawkeye!" My tone lightened immeasurably. "Hawkeye, darling, how are you?"

"I'm coming home!" He sounded miffed.

"Here home, or there home?" I had to ask.

"Here home you silly, to you and my baby! Sidney told me, March 20! They're sending me back to the camp!"

"Yep, March 20." I agreed half-heartedly. "Listen, I did the dumbest thing . . ."

"Is that why you sound so upset?

"Yeah the camp is a huge argument, I'm not talking to ANYONE here except to yell at them, and no one's talking to me period. Look, I was so stupid . . ." Hawkeye cut me off.

"Tell me when I get back, there's a plane tonight and I'm coming back tomorrow morning! And as for the dumbest thing, unless you've been with another man, don't worry!"

"Yeah, sure, I've gotta get back to work." I tried not to sigh; I'd done the one thing he worried about.

"Love you."

"Bye my love." We hung up. Choppers then buzzed into hearing, and the very grumpy 4077th began to work.

"Scalpel." As long as Hawkeye was gone, I was a surgeon, and took cases that couldn't wait, stabilising them, and keeping them alive until Potter, Charles or BJ could fix them up properly. It wasn't close to orthodox, especially as I wasn't a qualified surgeon by any means, but it helped keep patients alive. Margaret handed me the instrument silently. Around the OR we were quiet, working in angry silence.

"Suction Bigalow, in there, move it!" I snapped.

"Pierce watch it!" Potter warned with a shout, every time I bit someone's head off, he was there to jump down my throat and tell me off again.

"Sorry Bigalow, it's just that I want something as soon as I ask for it, clamp." Margaret had the clamp in my hands immediately, showing Bigalow what I meant.

"You alright there Pierce? More importantly is your patient okay?" Although mad, there was concern.

"He's okay, but if someone doesn't get in here soon, you'll have to talk me through a ruptured spleen." I responded grumpily. I was dying for Hawkeye to get back, I missed him terribly and being a doctor was a lot harder than being a nurse.

"Can anyone take him?" Potter called.

"Up to my elbows in femoral artery." BJ responded.

"Winchester?"

"Wrist-deep in thoracic cavity." He replied. "Sutures."

"Hold on Pierce, someone will get you." There was a slight comfort in his voice.

"I feel like I've been holding onto patients all night. What's the time?" I asked.

"Roundabout 0800, we've just done a 16-hour shift." Klinger, probably the only person I hadn't infuriated replied.

"Damn, why do I feel like I've had the same patient the whole sixteen hours?" I moaned, trying to stretch.

"Need an extra surgeon?" A muffled voice came from behind. The muffled-ness was because they were wearing a mask, but I recognised the voice at once.

"Hawkeye!" I couldn't turn, because I was otherwise occupied, with the patient's innards.

"Pierce! Scrub and relieve your wife, it's good to have you back!" Hawkeye disappeared again and returned in his scrubs. He took over at once, moving in and completing the job far faster than I could have."

"Metz."

"All yours Hawkeye." I handed them to him.

"Is it just my imagination or is the most volatile couple in OR working peacefully?" Charles asked.

"Come on Chuck, not as if I could safely work with anyone else." I replied. We'd relaxed a bit since Hawkeye'd returned and we knew that griping at each other wouldn't save lives, but very few people were talking to me and any conversations were purely medical based.

"What's wrong Annie? The whole camp is in a giant mess, you're grumpy, and Beej hasn't said a word, and none of the nurses are talking to you. Don't tell me something isn't wrong."

"Okay I won't. I've done something wrong and I'm suffering because of it. I can't fill you in now."

"Why? Suction, in there, keep it clear."

"It's not the best topic of conversation for OR."

"Wise move Pierce." Potter growled from the other end of the OR. We kept working and about four hours later got out of surgery. I headed for the Mess, removing my mask and cap in a swift movement. I got a cup of coffee and fell at a table, ignoring the coffee I rested my head on the table and fell asleep.

"Annie, beautiful girl, wake up." There was only one person who'd talk to me with that soft tone at the moment, it had to be Hawkeye, I opened my eyes, and it was Hawkeye. He was running a hand on my cheek, his eyes studying me thoughtfully.

"Mmm, must've fallen asleep." I sighed, sitting up. He surprised me with a kiss. I returned it briefly.

"Yeah! You've been near unconscious on the table for eight hours, it's nearly 5pm. Now what was it that's so bad for the whole camp? BJ won't tell me, he'll barely even talk, Margaret's in such a bad mood, it's deadly to approach her and Potter said it's not his place to tell me."

"Honey, you are going to hate me for this." I shifted so I looked him fully in the face with my sleepy blue eyes.

"Don't be silly my Anne, there is absolutely nothing that you could do that would make me hate you."

"Well, if you're sure." I took his hands and told him in a low, trembling voice what happened. I tried to keep his gaze, even as it grew colder, filled with pain and disgusted, but there were moments when I dropped my eyes. "I am so sorry, I had no idea I was doing anything, it was just what happened. And I'm sorry."

"Who, who were you with?" He said slowly, his hands gripping mine tightly. I'd not mentioned BJ yet.

"Umm, I was with, with BJ." I swallowed and tears started sliding down my cheeks.

"There is nothing that could make me hate you." He said quietly, coldly. I relaxed a little. "Except this."