Warning: Implied Slash.
Disclaimer: I own nothing concerning The A-Team. No money is made. I am just a fan having a bit of fun.
Rating: T (just to be safe…some people aren't into the whole guy-on-guy thing…or so I'm told.)
A/N: So this is a late birthday present for my friend, highland-daughter. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as my friend did and as always please review.
oOoOoOo
When she got the news the phone hit the floor
She fell to her knees and cried his name
He had just kissed her lips and both of the kids
Their lives will never be the same
The end of her hardest day
And the only words she could say were
The phone rang and Shiloh raced to answer it. His bare feet slid across the hardwood floor. He nearly crashed into the kitchen table. But that's what he got for jumping out of the shower to run for the phone. He was panting as he answered. "Hello?"
"Is this Shiloh Wells?"
Shiloh's heart began to beat faster. "Yes," he said, knowing something was wrong. "Who is this?"
"My name is General Richard Moss, I'm…"
"I know who you are." Shiloh felt fear grip his heart in a vice like grip. He'd dreaded every getting this phone call. For the last six years he'd dreaded this phone call. "What do you want?"
"I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this but…" There was sudden static and Shiloh missed part of what the General said. "…his team have been missing for three days now…" More static, meaning the General was calling from the field. "…we fear that our rescue mission is now retrieval based."
Shiloh swore his heart stopped. "I…I…" he tried to figure out what to say. This wasn't happening. No. Not after nearly six years. They'd always come back. No matter how crazy or unlikely the mission. They'd always come back. "I understand…I…I need to go…I…"
"Son," the General said calmly. How could he be freaking calm? Shiloh was about to have a heart attack and the other man acted like he was talking about the weather. "If you require…assistance, for anything, you can call the local base. They'll help."
"Thank you." It was all Shiloh said before hanging up. The phone fell from his numb fingers even as he sank to his knees, a sobbing scream tearing free from his throat. He buried his face in his hands as the tears began to fall. This couldn't be happening. It had to be a dream. It just had to be.
"He'll be okay," he whispered as Billy, the scraggly mutt of a dog came walk over, nudging him with a cold wet nose, whining faintly. "They'll all be okay. They have to be okay."
It takes all of her strength to go through his things
It feels like she's holding him again
The letters he wrote and the books that he read
Some of his shirts still have his scent
The picture in Florida she holds to heart and cries out loud
Two days after getting that damn phone call and Shiloh was an emotional wreck. He'd tried to distract himself with cleaning the bedroom but that had become a disaster when he'd started straightening up the closest and a shirt had fallen on him. It still smelled like the man who'd worn it. It had taken three hours to stop crying. Three long hours that only ended when Billy had barked to be let out.
He'd then tried putting the office in order, but the moment his hands touched the papers, the letters he'd kept, and the books and manuals, he'd broken down. His sob fest had only lasted an hour. Again because Billy had demanded his attention. After tending to the dog he'd walked through the living room, debating about turning the television on when his gaze had fallen on a photograph, sitting on the bookcase. He knew he shouldn't, but he picked it up and gazed at the face in it.
January in February. The trip had been a birthday present. Two glorious weeks spent in a beach house. Swimming in the morning surf and laying on the beach, watching the night sky. He sobbed softly, dropping into a chair and hugging the frame to his chest, even as Billy jumped up next to him. He didn't even push the dog away when it licked at his face. Instead his hugged the mangy little thing closer and cried harder.
Laying awake in the middle of the night
Trying not to let the kids hear her cry
She prays for answers some little sign
And closes her eyes and swears she hears him say
It had been two weeks and no word.
Shiloh lay awake and tried not to cry. All he'd done for the last two weeks was cry. He couldn't keep crying forever. He had to be strong. Everyone kept telling him it was hopeless. That he had to move on. But he couldn't give up hope. He had to believe they'd be okay. That any day now they'd be home. Tears filled his eyes at the thought of never seeing them again. He wouldn't survive it. He knew he wouldn't.
Billy suddenly sat up at the end of the bed. He tipped his head and then let out a bark before jumping from the bed and rushing from the room. Shiloh sat up and listened as Billy ran, barking the whole way, down stairs. "Billy?" He kicked the covers back and followed the dog. Noticing the glow of the kitchen light even as he walked down the stairs. Had he left it on? He didn't remember even being in the kitchen before going to bed.
"Billy," he said as Billy ran back to him and then towards the kitchen, still barking. "Billy, what's gotten…"
His words died when he saw what was making Billy act like a nut. A happy sound tore from his throat as he rushed forward. Strong arms wrapped around him, hugging him even as two more sets of arms embraced him. "Shh," came a slightly accented voice. "It's okay buddy, we're back. We're here."
"Murdock," Shiloh cried softly, smiling and laughing even as Murdock ruffled his hair in that affection way. "Oh God…I never…I thought…"
"You know better than counting us out, silly little fool." The deep rumble that reminded him of thunder held more tenderness than usual.
"The thought never crossed my mind, B.A.," Shiloh said, looking up at the man's dark eyes as B.A. hugged him tightly. "Not once."
"Whatever fool."
"Be nice, Bosco." The happy sounding voice and spicy cologne drew Shiloh's attention to the smiling, yet bruised, face of one of the most handsome men on the planet. "Or I'll get Murdock to sic Billy on you. Our boy is allowed to worry about us."
"Thanks Face," Shiloh said, the tears still rolling down his face. "God it's…it's…I'm so happy you're home."
Face smiled brightly, kissing Shiloh's temple, rubbing his hands up and down the smaller man's back. He pressed as close as he could to Shiloh. Needing to feel him just as much as Shiloh needed to feel them. The last few weeks hadn't just been hell for him and the team. It had been hell for Shiloh as well.
"There's no place we'd rather be, kiddo."
The warm voice, holding the slightest bit of brogue, had Shiloh looking around the others and more tears slipped down his face at the sight of the man leaning against the kitchen door. He let out a soft sound, even as the others dropped their arms, knowing he was about to run to the fourth member of their team.
Shiloh didn't disappoint them. The moment he was free of their embrace he rushed to the man who was even now holding his arms out, waiting to hold him. To offer all his love and acceptance. "John, oh God, John," Shiloh sobbed, holding tight to the older man. Needing to make certain he wasn't dreaming. "I thought…I thought I'd lost you."
"Never, Shi," Hannibal whispered in his ear, smoothing Shiloh's honey brown hair back. "Never. We're a family. You, me and the boys. Always."
Shiloh let out a soft sound, leaning up to kiss Hannibal's lips. It was quick, just enough to reassure Shiloh that Hannibal was really there. "I love you," he whispered as the others moved to encircle him in a shared embrace of love and comfort. "I love you all so much."
"And we love you," Hannibal said as Shiloh pressed his face into his shoulder. "No matter what, Shi, we'll always come home. We made a promise, remember? We'll always come back to you. And to each other."
Shiloh nodded. Finally finding himself relaxing for the first time in two weeks. "I love you all," he said as Murdock and Face nuzzled either side of his neck, even as B.A. kissed the back of it and Hannibal's lips traced faintly over his forehead. "So very much."
"Love you too, squirt," Face said.
"With all our hearts," B.A. added.
"And our souls," Murdock threw in.
"Forever and always," Hannibal ended.
oOoOoOo
A/N: And there you have it. I hope it wasn't too sappy or anything. I wanted something tender between my friend's character, Shiloh, and the Team. I plan on using Shiloh in another A-Team fanfic so be on the look out for that.
Also, because my friend pointed it out, I'd like to take and explain the items (shirt, letters, books, photo) belonged to which Team member and all that jazz. So here it is:
1) Shirt – Hannibal (no real reason, I just always pictured it as Hannibal's shirt)
2) Letters – All (because the entire Team would have written to Shiloh)
3) Books – B.A. (because I don't think people give his intelligence enough credit)
4) Photo – Face (because he would do it, plain and simple as that)
5) Billy (the dog) – Murdock (because it's a bit of a throw back to the TV Show, even though in this the dog is real)