TITLE: A Box of Chocolate
AUTHOR: Sam (Lestrade42@aol.com)
RATING: PG
FEEDBACK: Send ice and an extra air conditioner. I need it!
DISCLAIMER: Stephen J Cannell and Frank Lupo own the A Team and Amy.

For Karen. Cause she asked for it. Plus there's a joke in it that only she will get.
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Amy knew something was wrong. She hadn't heard from the guys in almost a week. She went to the VA and Murdock was gone. Then she got home. All her lights were off, even the porch light. She always left that on. Oh sure, the bulb could have blown out. Then she noticed the door. There were scratches all over the lock like someone had picked it and the doorframe itself was chipped. Someone was in her house. Was it Lynch? No, he didn't work this way. Maybe somebody they took down? She took a deep breath. Calm down, Allen. She turned the knob and went in.

Every light in the house was out. All the clocks were off too. Amy reached next to her and grabbed a vase. Her ears strained for the smallest sound. She stepped softly and slowly around the room, her head swiveling in all directions. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she heard it. A small creek. From the kitchen. As she leaned against the outer kitchen wall, she saw a shadow peek around. The vase connected with it. The figure dropped to the ground quickly. Suddenly the lights went on. Amy threw up her arm over her eyes, blinded by the suddenly light. She blinked to clear them.

Hannibal Smith had his hand on the fuse box. BA was holding a small cake and Face was wearing a hat. Amy looked down. Murdock was sprawled at her feet, shards of ceramic covering him. He looked at her, half concused. "Happy Birthday Amy." Then his head hit the floor.

"Murdock! Oh God I'm sorry!" She bent down to help him. Face smiled. "Ya see, Hannibal. I told you she's been around us too long. Hey Amy." She smiled quickly at him. "You guys scared the hell out of me." Hannibal re lit his cigar. "Sorry kid. We wanted to surprise you." BA handed her the cake. "Yeah. Surprise."

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Amy refilled the ice bag and made her way back into the living room. BA was cleaning up the remains of the cake and Face piled up the presents. "Here Murdock. Fresh ice." He took it with a smile. "Aw thanks Amy. You know, your technique s getting better. But you gotta put more behind it. I was only out for 10 minutes." She smiled. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. You guys gonna crash here tonight?" "If you don't mind the company." Face wiggled his eyebrows at her. "No problem. As long as you do the dishes." Face frowned. Hannibal clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, Lieutenant. I'll wash, you dry."

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Amy opened the balcony window in her room. BA and Face had already gone to sleep. Hannibal mumbled something about 'watching just in case' and was wandering outside the front of the house. There was a knock on her door. Murdock poked his head around the side, then a teddy bear head appeared under his chin. Amy couldn't help but laugh. Murdock strode into the room. "I didn't get a chance to give him to you. You know BA. He might have hurt me. He's not much into the fuzzy side of life." He handed the bear to Amy. He was a light gray with a green bow around his neck. In his hands he was holding a small box. "Thanks Murdock. How's your head?" He absently rubbed the lump. "Getting better." Amy looked down at the bear in her hands. Then she looked back at Murdock. In a way he always reminded her of a child. He needed to be watched, but he was so fiercely loyal. He would give you the shirt off his back and then tailor it to make sure it would fit you. It was only when you looked into his eyes that you saw the horrors he had seen in war. All those terrible things that had driven him over the edge of sanity. But, then again, there were times she wondered if the insanity was just an act. But there was never anyway to prove it. He was good at his job, she smiled to herself. She opened the box in the bears hands. It had three small chocolates in it. The middle one was a chocolate covered pretzel log with a thin gold paper band around it.

Amy sat down on the bed. She offered the box to Murdock. "Want one?" He smiled, strangely it seemed to her, and sat on the floor by her feet. He took out the pretzel log. Amy frowned. "Aw, I wanted that one," she joked. Murdock looked up at her. She noticed something in his eye. He looked... no. He looked serious. Nah, it must be in her head. Murdock slipped the paper ring off the pretzel. He moved closer and took Amy's hand. "You can have this part." He slipped the ring on her pinkie finger. Amy smiled and was about to laugh, but then she looked into Murdock's face. His features was softened in the light of the window. There was still the mischievous sparkle in his eyes, but then she saw something odd. Her own reflection. She looked again at the small gold paper ring on her finger. Murdock had his own way of looking at the world. She always knew that. Sometimes his way seemed alot better to be honest. Murdock was on his knees before her, his head about on level with hers. He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Wanna be my girl?" Finally Amy did laugh. But then she leaned forward and lifted the brim of his baseball cap. "Yeah." They both leaned to each other. Then sirens pierced the night. Murdock's head dropped. "Aw, darn, I worked all week on this." Amy was about to say something when Hannibal appeared at the door. "Let's go Captain." Murdock jumped to his feet and made his way to the door. Amy followed him. "Murdock!" He grabbed the doorframe and spun himself around. Amy stopped herself an inch away from him. "Um... see you at the VA?" Murdock smiled and put a hand behind her head. Then he brought his lips to hers quickly and passionately. Then he pulled away. "Nah, I'm thinking of making the quintessential flight. Wanna come?" "Come on Murdock!," Face called. Murdock winked at her and ran outside.

Amy ran out onto the balcony. She heard the van's tires squeal and then they were gone. She made her way back into the house. Everything was clean. Hannibal and Face had done the dishes and BA had cleaned up the gifts and cake. For being on the run from the US goverment, they were some of the best friends that she had ever had. Then she looked down at the small paper ring on her finger. It had been the nicest present she had ever received. Because it came straight form the heart of a child, a psychotic, and the sweetest man she had ever known.

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Here Karen... You get the Kleenex... I'll buy the plane tickets :-)