If I Should Forget...
A/N: Hello, this is my first A-Team fanfic so please go easy on me. Fight scenes and action are not my strong point but I have tried my best, so please if you have any criticism, try to make it constructive. This plot bunny just wouldn't stop hopping around up there in my head so I decided to post it. I hope you enjoy it. No offence is meant towards anyone who may be suffering with SAD, and it is not a central part of the story. Also this is set post movie, and there are a few small references to the TV show, Billy the dog makes an appearance. I think that's it, hope you enjoy the story.
A/N2: I was having a little trouble with my tenses with this story, for some reason. Anyway, if you notice anything, could you point it out to me constructively because it will help me improve my writing.
A/N3: Last one now I promise. Just to say that I haven't included Sosa in this story.
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own the A-Team, but if I did there would definitely be a sequel to the movie. Coincidentally, does anyone know if there is going to be a sequel?
Chapter 1.
Grey. The colour that dominated the sky that November day. Usually vibrant fields of green dulled by fat drops of rain. They fell diagonally, their path dictated by the wind. It was days like this when Murdock wondered if, as well as his many other psychological faults, he may also suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or as it is appropriately called SAD. He found the dull days of winter dragged his mood down, especially in the days where he had nothing to occupy his mind, which was often as of late.
Since their second escape from the law the team had been moving from place to place quite successfully for about two months now. With, surprisingly, only one brush with Lynch and the CIA, which they had escaped with ease. Now, with winter setting in, stuck in a farmhouse which they would inevitably have to leave in a few days, Murdock almost missed the excitement of recent events. He wasn't one to sit around. And being unable to fly just made it worse.
It would be an understatement to say the house was in the middle of nowhere. Fields surrounded the farmhouse, for at least a two miles each way. But not a single sheep, cow or pig could be seen. Only once had a car been seen going by on the road. An old green Austin Heeley sprite, which looked as if it wanted to give up on life. But even though it was unlikely they would be found for a while, the owners of the house returned in a couple of days, and they would have to move on again. Murdock sighed, wondering for the millionth time if this would be how they would live for the rest of their lives.
There was a knock at his door, which opened to reveal Face.
"How you doing Murdock?" Face asked, sitting down beside him on the bed.
"Good, I'm goooood." Murdock replied with a smile, "I think I'm goin' stir crazy though! How 'bout you?"
Face chuckled, "I'm good too. Maybe we should go out somewhere. This last year has been tough," Face looked out the window, deep in thought, before he continued, "I mean not for me, I had all the home comforts in prison. How was the VA?"
Murdock shrugged but wouldn't look him in the eye, "It was alright. It's great stirrin' things up in there. You start those crazy people chantin' and they can go on for hours. It almost drove the nurses nuts!"
Face sighed, "And what about the rest of the time?"
"I might've got a bit bored some of the time, but it wasn't that bad," Murdock still seemed very interested in the floor.
"Murdock?"
The pilot looked up and cautiously met his eye, his voice soft, "I missed you guys," his voice began to crack, "I thought," he took a deep breath, "I thought I'd never get out. I could've got out by myself, maybe. But what would've been the point? They would've caught up with me again anyhow. I tried to tell myself, Hannibal always has a plan...but, there were times when I gave up hope."
Face looked at his best friend for a moment, blue eyes searching brown. He was wearing his red baseball cap as per usual, but he looked so sad and vulnerable. Acting on an uncharacteristic impulse, Face leaned forward to hug the pilot.
Murdock didn't react for a moment, confused when Face wrapped his arms around him. Slowly, Murdock put his own arms around his friend.
"Don't get all sentimental on me Faceman." He felt Face shake his head.
"It's alright now." Face broke away, relieved to see Murdock smiling again, "Just don't tell Hannibal that you doubted him."
Murdock chuckled, shaking his head.
Face's expression dropped, "But you trusted me?"
Murdock frowned, "What'd ya mean?"
"At the docks, when you were posing as Morrison. You trusted me, and the plan went to pieces."
"I'm still here aren't I? Just so long as you stick to letting Hannibal make the plans from now on." Murdock smiled slightly but Face didn't return the gesture.
"I was so sure, so convinced that the plan was brilliant. That it couldn't go wrong. That it was so insane it was genius."
Murdock shook his head, still smiling at Face's unusual insecurity, "That's what Hannibal thinks all the time, and how often do his plans actually go accordin' to the brief? But we're all still here, after all this time."
"Of course you can trust Hannibal, he's never let us down. But me? Why would you trust me?"
"Look Facey, you're my best friend, if I can't trust you, who can I trust?"
"Yeah," Face ran a hand through his hair, but his smile was weak and didn't reach his eyes, "Yeah."
There were a few moments of comfortable silence before Murdock asked the question that had been haunting his mind for months now, "Do you think it will be on the run like this forever?"
"I don't know Murdock," Face sighed, "I honestly don't know."
Face left and Murdock pondered on their conversation for a while, watching BA out of the back window from his room. The mechanic was lovingly polishing his new van, courtesy of Face. They'd needed a vehicle and as much as Hannibal had argued that the van was very conspicuous, BA had been insistent that they got one just like his old one that he had 'lost' the first day they had all met.
Hannibal was at the front of the house. He knew they would hear anyone coming, but old habits die hard, and the Colonel still had them on a rotating watch every day and night.
He heard it at the same time as BA. The sound of a car, cars, very nearby. He watched as the man grabbed his M16, abandoned his van and hurried to the back wall so he couldn't be seen. He peered round, watching something Murdock could not.
Murdock made his way out of his room into the living room, after retrieving his own rifle. He watched from the window, making sure he could not be seen.
Hannibal had been taken. The six black CIA cars that had pulled up contained about 25 men and he didn't have a chance against them, although by the looks of it he had taken down at least three, who were being carried away into one of the cars. His rifle had been taken away from him, currently held by one of Lynch's men, while four others held Hannibal. The Colonel's face was neutral, Murdock knew he was assessing the situation, coming up with a plan.
From where he was standing, Murdock could not see BA, who, he assumed, was still hidden behind the back wall of the house. Lynch had not yet sent his men to search. So Murdock crept down to the front door where he found Face. The Lieutenant looked grimly determined but relief swept across his face when he saw his friend.
"Murdock," Face let out a deep breath, "I thought maybe they had you too. Have you seen BA?"
"Yeah, he's 'round back, waiting. They've just got Hannibal. Any ideas?"
Face shook his head, "There's too many of them, and they've got a hostage."
Murdock gulped. It was odd thinking of his CO as a hostage.
Both men turned to the door, straining their ears to hear Lynch as he began to speak. His voice was raised and he obviously meant for them all to hear this.
Hannibal kept his face neutral as he stared at Lynch, who was looking quite smug.
"Smith, long time no see. I have to say you are a difficult man to find. But maybe you're finally losing your touch? Getting a bit," Lynch paused, sneering, being outwitted had made him bitter, "old?"
Hannibal didn't rise to the bait, kept his expression blank.
Behind the door Murdock and Face winced.
"Hearing loss?" Lynch chuckled at his own joke, and a few others let out reluctant sniggers. "Well," Lynch raised his voice, now talking to the house, "Peck, Murdock, Baracus. You'd better get out here now, I have no qualms about killing Smith now, it would be easily explained." One of Lynch's men raised a handgun to Hannibal's head, the CO didn't react.
He waited a few seconds before BA rounded the corner, shuffling slowly towards them, rifle gripped tightly.
Hannibal stared at the Sergeant, trying to tell him to run without actually speaking.
"Drop the weapon Baracus," BA carefully placed the M16 down on the floor before continuing forwards. "Take him."
Six men hurried forward to secure the strong man, they were cautious, but saw, after his initial angry struggling, that he wouldn't do anything drastic because of the gun pressed into the Colonel's temple.
"Peck! Murdock!"
Inside the house Face reached for the door handle and Murdock placed a hand on his shoulder to try and stop him.
"Don't worry," Face whispered, "I've got a plan, follow my lead."
The two men left the building, and their cover. They could see Hannibal almost imperceptibly shaking his head at them as they dropped their rifles and were secured by Lynch's men.
"Ok, let's go."
Face watched carefully as the gun aimed at Hannibal's head was lowered, as it reached the man's side he used the temporary weakness of moving and changing position as his chance. He slammed his head back into the face of one of the people holding him. As the man's grip loosened he pulled his right arm free and used it quickly to slam a right hook into a second man before he was free completely. Pushing the second man away, he grabbed the recovering first man round the neck, pulling a small knife from his waistband and holding it ready.
"Let them go Lynch," Face panted.
"You're bluffing," Lynch looked confident but there was a slight flicker in his eyes. The man in Face's grip held absolutely still.
"Let them go," Face repeated, his voice low and venomous.
Unfortunately Face had not bargained for the man using his own trick against him. He was taken off guard as the man thrust his head back into his own, dazing him as the knife fell from his hand. The man sent a punch straight into his face, causing him to topple backwards. He was unconscious the moment his head hit the ground, causing an audible crack.
The rest of the team used this momentary distraction to break free, knocking the weapons from their captors hands. Most of the men earned a kick in the groin for their attempts to recapture the three men. Now on equal ground with the men they sent punches and kicks in all directions.
Lynch knew a lost cause when he saw one, but he also knew an opportunity. Here, today, he could see both. He grabbed one of his men and together they carried Face to one of the cars, placing him in the back seat and buckling him in before Lynch called, "Retreat!"
All the men hurried to their cars immediately, leaving the three conscious members of the team confused. Murdock looked to where he expected Face to be lying, and then to the cars, as he saw the grin on Lynch's face as the cars drove away at speed, he knew what had happened.
"They've got Face. I told him he should let you make all the plans Hannibal."