Title: At Face Value

Note: Liauno sent me the story idea (thanks Lia!) with the basic guidelines and I took it from there.

"I wish you didn't have to go back tomorrow," Face lamented as he laid face-up on his bed staring at the ceiling. "The weekend is going by so quickly."

"Time flies when you're having fun, Muchacho." Murdock turned his baseball cap backwards on his head, leaned forward and grinned mischievously. "Speaking of fun, how'd you like to play a little game?"

Face propped himself onto his elbows and returned the smile. "Sure, what you got in mind?"

"Ever heard of Cops and Robbers?"

"Murdock, I was raised in an orphanage, not a cave! Of course I've heard of cops and robbers."

"Well, I got my own little version. I like to call it Fugitive and M.P.!"

B.A. groaned, overhearing the conversation as he passed by the door. "Oh brother…this oughtta be good," he mumbled shaking his head.

Hannibal listened to the laughter coming from the small bedroom and couldn't help but smile. There hadn't been much for them to laugh about lately and it was starting to take its toll on the team. Laughter is one of those things people sometimes take for granted; something they don't realize is missing until it is gone. One of life's simple pleasures, the old cliché is often true: it is the best medicine.

In the three months since they had escaped from Fort Bragg, Hannibal had noticed a rapid change in his men. Murdock had been committed to the Veteran's hospital psyche ward, B.A. was doing his best to live up to his "Bad Attitude" name…and then there was Face. Face had just about completely withdrawn into himself. When Murdock was committed, it was as if he took Face's personality with him. The kid had even stopped whining...Hannibal never thought the day would come when he would actually miss that!

The only time Face would come alive was when he was scamming something for the team. He had no problem pretending to be someone else. But when he had to be himself again, he would shut down; the walls would go up and he stayed locked inside. Hannibal didn't know what was worse: B.A. telling him off multiple times a day or Face just sitting there. At least B.A. was getting some of his anger out; Face was just internalizing it all and sooner or later he was bound to crack.

They were all nervous the first time Face sprung Murdock from the VA to spend the weekend with them. This being the third time, they knew what to expect and were looking forward to it. Even B.A. was happy to see the man he often referred to as "the fool", although they would have to string him up by his ever increasing gold collection to get him to admit it.

Hannibal and B.A. were sharing the larger bedroom inside a tiny apartment Face had scammed for them, leaving Murdock to bunk in with Face in the smaller room. It was tight living; calling it too close for comfort would be putting it mildly, but it sure beat the alternative of a 10 X 10 cell inside of a military prison.

In many ways Murdock seemed to be the same man he was before his little breakdown. He had always been a bit eccentric; some would say he walked to the beat of his own drummer. It was a little more challenging these days, however. Murdock could be fine one moment, and the next would be talking to an imaginary friend.

But, Face liked having the pilot around; they were good for each other. Murdock gave Face an opportunity to play and be carefree; to catch up on some of the things he didn't have the opportunity to do as a child. And when Murdock wandered off a bit too far in his mind, Face was able to bring him back to reality. Conversely, Murdock helped Face relax and escape from his.

B.A. watched Face and Murdock over the course of the weekend with mixed emotions. On one hand it was great having the whole team back together. It was true in the team's case: the sum of the whole was greater than its parts. Something was missing when Murdock wasn't around, and that something wasn't an airplane…that B.A. would gladly do without! Seeing his friends goofing off reminded him of the good times they had in Nam. In spite of all the bad they had lived through and the horrors of war, they managed to have lots of laughs along the way. It was nice to have that feeling back again…even if only for a little while.

But, on the other hand, being together was a reminder of just how serious their current situation was…and how much it hurt them to be apart. B.A. knew that on Monday morning Murdock would go back to the VA, Face would clam up, Hannibal would worry and the laughter would end. It was like in that fairy tale Cinderella, the clock would strike midnight and the magic would be gone. They would go back to being fugitives, struggling to survive.

By Sunday night, all Hannibal and B.A. wanted to do was sit back with a couple of beers and watch the game on TV. When football was on, B.A. could tune everything else out and get lost in the action. Hannibal, however, was having a harder time blocking out the noise of Face and Murdock running around the apartment in the midst of an epic pillow fight. The novelty of watching their horseplay had worn off hours ago and now he felt himself growing increasingly irritated with their antics.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash and it was snowing feathers inside the living room. Face and Murdock lay sprawled out on the floor, both men covered in a blanket of white and laughing uncontrollably. Tears ran down Face's cheeks and his sides ached something awful...but he couldn't remember the last time he felt so good. That is until Hannibal came storming over holding what was left of the pillow that sent the lamp on the coffee table flying.

"What is wrong with you two? You are grown men…soldiers…you shouldn't be acting like little boys." He pointed to a long gash down the middle of the pillow from which feathers were still leaking. "What if one of you had been cut instead of this pillow, huh? What would we do then? Escaped prisoners can't exactly go wandering into the local E.R. "

Both guilty men stood up and snapped to attention at the Colonel's "I mean business" voice…until a feather got into Murdock's nose and he sneezed sending feathers flying once again.

Murdock continued sneezing while Hannibal pointed to Face who had turned red trying to hold it together. "And you're supposed to be the sane one. You shouldn't encourage him like this."

Murdock stopped sneezing long enough to look up and say in an innocent tone, "I'm the crazy one...I know not what I do."

"Murdock," Face hissed under his breath, "you're not helping me here."

The sneezing resumed, Face groaned, and Hannibal rolled his eyes and continued laying into Face. "Lieutenant, your face is your contribution to this team. If you start getting reckless and mess up that contribution of yours, how would you function and be able to supply our needs?"

Face felt as if he had been punched in the gut; for a moment he thought he might be sick. A chill ran through his body and he broke out in goosebumps. He wanted to speak, but his breath caught in his throat and he had to focus on his breathing instead.

Face's severe reaction didn't go unnoticed by Hannibal or B.A. who shot the colonel a worried look. Even Murdock sobered up and put his arm around Face's shoulder.

"Sorry Colonel...we'll clean up the mess," Murdock said, giving the shoulder a squeeze before releasing his grip on Face and turning to find a broom.

Finding his voice, Face mumbled, "Sorry sir," before bending over and picking up what was left of the lamp.

The living room remained silent except for the sound of the TV. After cleaning up the mess, Face and Murdock retreated to their room. Hannibal welcomed the quiet, but still couldn't get the look on his Lieutenant's face out of his mind.

"You know you was a bit rough on the Faceman, dontcha?"

"Oh, you're a fine one to talk about being rough, B.A."

"I know I ain't been easy to live wit' lately," B.A. admitted, "but you was out of line, man. Sure, Faceman's looks may get us stuff, but I seem to remember they also gettin' him lots of stuff he didn't want in the camps, if you know what I mean."

Unfortunately, Hannibal did know what he meant. "Damn! I know," he sighed rubbing at the graying stubble on his chin. "It's just that I feel responsible for you boys...when that lamp went flying I snapped."

"All due respect, we may have gone to Nam as boys, but I'm pretty sure we came back as men. Plus, we a team, Hannibal. We responsible for each other. It ain't all on you."

"I didn't mean for it to come out the way it did...I'll talk to Face in the morning." Hannibal cocked his head to the side and gave B.A. a curious look. "When did you get so wise B.A.?

B.A. shrugged and smiled, "I always been wise, I just pick my moments to enlighten you is all." He turned his attention back to the T.V. "Now, nuff' with all the jibber-jabber...let's watch some football!"

TBC…