Title: If Somethin' Should Happen

Summary: Years after they've been pardoned, Face and Amy have built a life, and Face asks Murdock to look after his wife and daughter, if something should happen.

Disclaimer: A-Team isn't mine, title isn't mine. Don't sue; I'm poor and I'm not making money off this thing.

A/N: This was a songfic, but ff.n has a habit of taking my songfics down, so I took out the song. If you're curious, see it with the song at my web site.

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Face sipped his beer in between words, speaking slowly in an effort to keep emotion out of his voice. He wasn't sure he'd be able to manage it, but he had to try – for the sake of his own sanity. "Got the results of the biopsy last week," he said softly. "It was positive."

He'd taken the phone call from the doctor sitting at the kitchen table, Amy next to him, holding his hand. They hadn't told Jackie yet; he wasn't sure how to explain cancer to a five-year-old. Six-year-old, he corrected himself mentally. In two weeks she'd be six, and she'd decided that was close enough that she didn't have to be five anymore.

"How'd Amy take it?" Murdock asked.

"She… she's amazing," he replied. "She keeps smiling, keeps trying to find ways to keep my spirits up, keep me busy." He paused. "I think she's doing it as much for herself as for me, but I appreciate it anyway."

"It'll work out," the pilot said after a moment. "You're in good shape." Face glanced over at him and saw him wink. "See, all Hannibal's training'll pay off." The conman chuckled for a second, before growing serious again.

"I have a favor to ask you."

He looked across the yard to Amy, sitting on the grass, legs folded underneath her. He watched her pull her hair back, then move her hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she watched Jackie attempt a somersault for the fifth – or fiftieth – time. Eight years they'd been married, and as cliché as it sounded – and as much as Murdock laughed at him – he couldn't help but think she'd gotten even more beautiful as time had passed.

"Anything, muchacho."

Face shook his head. Some things never changed, no matter how many years went by. "Look after her. I might be flattering myself, but I'd think that if… if anything happens… she'd have a hard time with it. I just want someone to be there, and you and Annie…"

"Don't have to ask, Faceman," Murdock replied. "S'what friends are for."

Face shifted, a little uncomfortable. "I know, but…"

"You got nothing to worry about, Face," the pilot told him seriously. "Amy won't be alone."

Face's attention drifted back to his wife and daughter. "Surgery's a week before her birthday," he said softly, watching as Jackie attempted a cartwheel and promptly fell sideways. She sat up laughing, though, and started picking grass off her shorts, making faces at each blade.

"Nice present, have her dad home," Murdock commented pointedly, and Face shook his head, eyes still on Amy as she let Jackie drag her to her feet.

"No guarantees, Murdock. There's never a guarantee." Some people might call that pessimism. To him, it was realism, and he probably owed it in part to Vietnam.

"Don't I know it, muchacho."

"We'll look after her, Face," Murdock promised. "I'll look after her."

"I just don't want…" He trailed off. He didn't want her to grow up without a father, without someone to stand at the front door and scare her first boyfriend half to death, or to wait up with a baseball bat when she was late coming home.

And he didn't want her to forget him.

"She's her daddy's girl, Face," Murdock told him, reading his mind. "And she's gonna stay that way. No matter what happens, now or whenever." Face looked over at him as he felt his hand on his shoulder.

"If… if something happens, Murdock, will you… not take my place, but sort of be there, where I would have?"

"She won't date 'til she's thirty, muchacho," the pilot said with a grin.

Face smirked, but just smiled internally. Murdock knew him well, and it made him feel a little better to know that his best friend would be there for his wife and daughter if he couldn't be.

Their conversation ended there, as Jackie finally noticed her "Uncle Murdock" and came running, shouting his name. She flung herself at him, climbing up onto his lap and throwing her arms around his neck. Then, just as quickly, she scrambled off of him and over to Face. "Did you see me, Daddy?"

"Yes I did, munchkin," he murmured, ruffling her hair.

She shifted on his lap and looked over at Murdock. "Mommy told me I get to join gymnastics. We do whole big comp… comp…" she scrunched up her face and looked over at her mother.

"Competitions, sweetie," Amy told her, sitting down next to Face on the step.

"Yeah, those." Jackie looked between Face and Murdock. "Will you come see me? We get to do flips and stuff and go on the balance beam."

"I sure will. Wouldn't miss it for anything," Murdock promised, as Face nodded. "Saw you over there, actually. Want to teach me what you were doing?"

Face groaned, leaning his head on Amy's shoulder, but Jackie's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Yeah!" She jumped off of Face's lap and grabbed Murdock's hand. The pilot made a show of stumbling after her, complaining about her pulling his arm out of his socket.

"How you doing?" Amy asked softly, squeezing his hand lightly.

Face watched Murdock's sorry attempts at cartwheels and rested his head on Amy's shoulder. "Better."