As promised, something a little more normal.


What, how... what...

Face stood with his gun pointing at Clayton on the ground, but he had no clear idea yet what had really happened. All that had registered with him was a gunshot, and gunshots prompted an immediate, automated reaction in him: duck for cover, pull your gun and get ready to shoot. Since there was nowhere to duck, Face had pulled his gun and stood ready to jump out of harm's way. But first he had to find out what the heck was going on.

There was Clayton on the ground, and there was Murdock on the ground.

Murdock was rolling, rolling away from Hannibal's touch.

Murdock had shouted something, right before the shot had rung out. Just what had it been? Face couldn't remember, not for the life of him. He drew a complete blank.

Then there had been the shot, and then some hustle.

Just what, by all saints, had happened?

Face pulled himself together and put the things in order, that were kind of fluttering wildly around in his head. There had been a shot, Murdock lay on the ground, rolling away from Hannibal...

Murdock had been hit. He was shot. He was in pain.

The realisation hit him like a punch to the gut, and Face quickly re-holstered his gun. He scooted over to Murdock, wishing he was drawing the wrong conclusions, and that Murdock was okay, but he knew that it was silly. Murdock was most definitely hit, and Face was wary to touch him, because he just had no idea how to without giving things away.

What Face wanted to do was yell at Murdock for being such a stupid ass to let a dope like Clayton shoot him. And then he wanted to gather him in his arms, press him close to his chest, and just hold him tight. Hold him.

But, of course, he couldn't. There was the fact that Murdock was hurt, and hugging him would hurt him even more. And also there was the fact that hugging Murdock fiercely would hint that his feelings went beyond acceptable comradeship.

"It's Decker," Tawnia quipped.

Perfect, Face thought. But on the upside, the mention of Decker brought him back to reality, and his mind started working properly again.

They had to get away from here, away from Decker.

If anyone other than Murdock were hurt, they'd let Decker get them, so the wounded man could get the needed medical treatment. But Murdock? Murdock wouldn't let them, his cover would be blown, and he wouldn't let that happen. Probably couldn't. Because despite his abilities and general functionality, he did have problems, and he did need help. He needed a place where it was safe to hand off responsibility every once in a while.

Face took Murdock's arm and helped Hannibal get him into the van.


TBC