Hello All! This is my first attempt at a FanFic so be please be kind. I am actually having more issues figuring out the uploading process - I am sorry about the double upload (This was going to be called "Playing the Part" but after my issues it wouldn't let me call it that any longer) . I don't own the anything A-Team related or any other known characters that may be referred to during my story. O/C are mine.
"If you look the part, you can play the part...that's what Facey said" Murdock chanted his newly found mantra to himself as he sprinted across the base.
Rounding the bend, his housing complex came into sight and he cursed to himself for not just signing out a damn Jeep. He had been right there in the motor pool with BA, when that mouthy Lieutenant Carter started shooting his mouth off. Something about the MPs taking Peck in for questioning about a rash of thefts on base. As soon as Carter was gone Murdock took off running – leaving BA standing in the motor pool with a strange look on his face.
Murdock flew through the front door of the barracks and took the stairs to his unit two at a time as he fought to get his keys out of his pocket. After fumbling to get them into the door lock he wondered why he even bothered to lock the door. He didn't have anything anyone would want to steal in his quarters, other than his meds. The door swung open and he slammed it behind him not even breaking stride as he continued past the living room, kicking off his shoes, on course for the bedroom.
As he entered the room he nearly fell, but quickly righted himself.
"Damn it Billy! I'm sorry boy, but Facey needs me! I don't have time to play right now. I ain't even supposed to have a dog in here! If they find out about you I'll be in hot water too – why did I let Face talk me into sneaking you in here? You are such a good boy but the last thing I need right now is to get covered in dog hair. Go lie down."
He scooted the dog out of his room and ran for the closet, threw his red ball cap onto his bed and pulled his shirt off over his head and dropped it on the floor as he started chanting again this time aloud,
"If you look the part, you can play the part... If you look the part, you can play the part..."
He stopped in the bathroom, throwing a suit bag onto a wall hook and turning to the mirror to comb his normally wild hair.
Meeting the eyes of his reflection caused him to speak out, "C'mon, James! I need you – I gotta do this for Face. Hannibal left me in charge. He had faith. Why can't you be yourself? Is being your self really that damn hard?"
He eyed the reflection of his Class A uniform hanging on the wall hook as he wished the colonel was here.
2 weeks earlier
As the C130 touched down Murdock couldn't help but critique the landing of the young pilot. He hated not being the one flying but it wasn't Hannibal's call. Since it was out of the hands of his CO, he couldn't complain too much. The team was being stationed state-side at Fort Bragg for a while. After being together as a team just shy of three years the Captain finally felt that he was on an upswing.
He was part of a solid team that had become friends quickly, despite the fact that the first day they met he had set Face's arm on fire and almost dumped BA out of his chopper somewhere in the Mexican mountains while from escaping from General Tuco. That was something BA was never going to let him forget – even if Murdock had saved his life. He knew now it hadn't been the best of first impressions but he had been so jacked up on pills it was a damn miracle that he hadn't decided that he could ram the other chopper out of the sky bumper-car style.
Back on the runway the plane had come to a complete stop. The captain picked up his rucksack and went over to nudge BA awake.
"Hey c'mon Sleeping Beauty, we're here! It's time to go find our new quarters." He poked at the groggy man who was using his own rucksack as a pillow.
"Five more minutes Momma..." yawned BA.
Murdock smiled mischievously. He scouted out the ramp leading down to the tarmac, noting that Hannibal and Face were already at the bottom waiting for them to join them. He heard Hannibal holler "Captain! Get the Sergeant moving, let's go!"
"Comin' Boss-Man! Be right there!" He yelled down the ramp with a smile in his eyes.
Turning his attention back to the sleeping man, he bent down and whispered to BA "Alright but if you stay here you're going to find yourself waking up somewhere over Ohio... Scooter!" BA eyes' snapped open and with a manic laugh Murdock sprinted away knowing that BA would be right on his tail. BA hated that Murdock had learned his childhood nickname when he took a phone message from his Momma last year, but true to the Captain's word he hadn't told Hannibal or Face… yet.
Murdock cleared the ramp and he could see that Hannibal and Face were getting into a jeep that had just pulled up. As Face was climbing into the back the pilot threw his pack in and hurdled into the rear seat behind the driver, forcing Face to take the middle seat.
"Should I assume that BA is on his way out and that you don't want to sit next to him?" Face smirked at his friend.
"I just told him that if he didn't get up he would wake up somewhere over Ohio." Murdock laughed as he put his own spin on the truth.
"You owe me!" Face stated as he climbed in. Peck looked over his shoulder and noted that BA looked much like a bear that was woken up much too soon as he came clambering down the C-130's ramp.
