The doctor's reassuring smile alleviated some tension in the room."We saved them. The damage wasn't that extensive as originally thought and he has his friend to thank for that." All exchanged puzzled looks. "One more hour pinned under than van and it's unlikely he would have survived at all. The released tension allowed some blood flow, thus limiting the tissue damage."
"So he'll be able to walk again?" Amy queried expectantly.
"We don't know," he said contritely. "At the moment there's no reaction, but that's to be expected. There's swelling in the lower back and some minor nerve damage, which both can cause paralysis. We'll know more when he regains consciousness. Right now he's resting in a stable condition."
"That's good news." Amy sighed.
"Can we see him?" Face asked.
"We're settling him into his room as we speak. Let's say in twenty minutes?"
"Sure."
"As for Mister Baracus, barring any complication, I expect he should be able to leave the hospital tomorrow."
"Thank you again, doctor," Hannibal said as he shook the doctor's hand.
"My pleasure."
"So what now, Hannibal?" Face asked when the doctor was out of earshot.
"We stay outta sight and lay low for a while until the dust settles. By now Prescott must have tipped the authorities about us and they'll be out patrolling the area, and I bet you Decker won't be far behind. Hopefully B.A'll be out of here before all hell breaks loose."
Later the next morning, B.A. groaned awake in his bed and blinked his eyes open. First squinting against the glare of the sunrays coursing through the window, he then slowly adjusted his focus and began scanning the room.
He glanced down at his right arm stuck in a cast and frowned in puzzlement. "What the hell...?" At that moment, the memory of the accident came rushing back like a tidal wave. Overcome with dread, B.A. flung the covers aside and slid out of bed. No sooner had he put his slippers on and donned his nightrobe that he was out the door and searching frantically for Murdock's room.
"Can I help you, sir?" an attending nurse asked.
"Yeah. You have a patient named Murdock here? I'm his friend. Was in the accident with him. Want to see him. Where is he?" B.A. ranted and raved.
"Calm down, mister. I'll get you to see him, but you must promise to be quiet. Your friend needs his rest. Follow me."
B.A. followed the nurse with some remorse at his unwarranted outburst, but the mere of thought of Murdock dead sent his senses reeling and his emotions went flying out of control.
"Here he is," the nurse pointed to the slumbering patient on the bed. "He's resting in stable condition at the moment."
"Is he gonna be alright?"
"The doctor is confident he will pull thru. There's just the small matter of swelling in his lower back causing the paralysis, which should subside eventually."
"So he ain't gonna be a cripple for life? Thank God for that."
The nurse offered a timid smile instead of dashing the big man's hope for his friend's full recovery and walked away.
B.A. padded up to the bed where he stood and ran a cursory look over the patient to assess his condition. "You don't look worse for wear, from the outside anyway." B.A. walked to the end of the bed and rounded to the other side to get a closer look at the sutures on the head gash. "Nasty bump there, pal."
"Yeah and I've got the killer headache that goes with it," Murdock mumbled, causing B.A. to react in surprise.
"You awake?"
"Sadly yes," he whispered feebly as he fluttered his eyes open. "Pull up a chair and sit down. How you fairing, Big Guy?"
"Me? Just a busted arm, but it ain't nothing compared to what you went through."
"Doc says I'll survive," he assured weakly, trying not to move to exacerbate the pain.
"Sure you will!" B.A. blasted."You may be loony tune in the head, but you're tough as nails."
Amused by B.A.'s mocking statement, Murdock let out a small laugh that sent him gnawing in pain. "Don't make me laugh. My ribs hurt like hell."
"Sorry."
"The rest of you is okay?" B.A. nodded. "Good. At least one of us isn't mangled up."
"What kinda talk is that, fool?" B.A. lashed out. "You too are okay and you're gonna walk again, It's just a matter of time," BA stated assertively.
An eerie silence fell between the two friends as each carefully pondered their next thought.
"It doesn't look good, Big Guy," Murdock simpered. "The doctor was here a while ago to check my legs and..." he faltered and closed his eyes. "I have absolutely no feeling below the waist. Don't get me wrong I'm grateful they're still attached to my body but..."
"That's only temporary! Apparently the paralysis is caused by some swelling in the back and all that jazz. Once it's gone you'll be able to stand on your legs."
Murdock turned to BA and stared, "You're very bad at lying."
"I ain't lying, sucker!" BA roared.
"Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Big Guy," Murdock smiled gratefully.
"Once the doc gives the ok I'm taking you to my mama's farm."
"What? But I was under the impression you were going there to get away from me."
"Well yeah...no...not...ah hell since when you listen to anything I say? That ain't true. Beside you're part of the team and the unit sticks together." Murdock frowned. "We're all going to my mama's farm to get some time off to heal the scars."
"You mean you, me, the Colonel, Face and Amy?"
"Yeah, everyone. Mama insisted. She bought this little farm where she takes care of stray animals."
"That's a very noble cause. I do love that sweet woman," Murdock reminisced. "She's a very strong lady."
"Yeah, well, she likes you too."
"Tell her thanks for the offer, but I'll pass."
"You don't wanna go?" B.A. asked indignantly.
"It's not that I don't want to it's..."
"What?"
"Come on, B.A.! Look at me!. I'll only be in the way."
"DON'T SAY THAT!" B.A. threatened. "You'll walk again."
"MIGHT walk. There's a difference," Murdock sassed back, annoyed by his friend's misplaced confidence.
"Since when you're a wet blanket?"
"I'm a realist. I don't want to lie to myself."
B.A. stood from his chair and stepped up to the bed with a menacing look. "Look...you're coming to my mama's house and that's that!"
"Is that an order, Sergeant? Remember, I outrank you."
"Oh yeah?" B.A. thrust his fist in Murdock's face. "THIS outranks you, fool!"
"You wouldn't hit a cripple man, now would you?" Murdock joshed.
"Don't tempt me. I've hit worse."
Murdock cringed.
"You okay?"
"My back's acting up again."
"Want me to call the doctor?"
"No...no it'll pass." Murdock swallowed hard and sank into his pillow. "Alright, if I go, can I name a bunny?
B.A. smiled. "Yeah but you'll be in charge of scooping his poop."
"Deal!...Scooter"
"Hey! Don't you be calling me Scooter or I'll stuff that wheelchair down your throat." With a growl he started for the door. "Now you work on getting those legs back into shape."
"It might be a while."
"I say it won't, I'll make sure you do your exercises and don't sit on your sorry butt!"
"Thanks B.A."
"For what?"
"For caring."
"Don't spread it around."
"It's our little secret."
B.A. winked at Murdock before walking out of the room. Murdock responded with a friendly smile that rapidly faded once his friend was out the door.
"B.A?" Hannibal hailed from down the corridor as he approached Murdock's room.
"Hannibal, whatcha doing here?" B.A. asked, surprised. "I thought you'd be working at getting the Evans girl back."
"We did. She's back at home with her folks, save and sound. Not a scratch on her"
"How d'you pull that off?"
"Amy. The foolish girl prowled around Prescott's hideout and got caught, which screwed up the original plan but surprisingly, the rescue went a lot better that we anticipated. She found a secret tunnel in the basement where they were held. She and the girl escaped through there and once they were out to safety, we went back and collared Prescott as he was sneaking out of the rabbit hole. Unfortunately his goons had fled the coop."
"That's great, man," Tired, B.A. spotted a chair and sat.
"You ok?"
"Yeah, just a bit bushed." He glanced down the hall with a concern look. Hannibal followed the gaze to Murdock's room.
"You've been to see him?"
"Yeah."
"How's he doing?"
"He's down in the dumps. I invited him to go to my mama'a farm when he gets out of the hospital. No, I ordered him to come seeing how he thinks he's gonna be a burden and all."
"Do you think that's gonna do him any good?"
"I don't know but at least he won't be mopping around feeling sorry for himself. By the way you're invited too, Hannibal."
"I am?"
"Yeah, mama insisted I bring all of you."
"But I thought you wanted to go up there alone."
"Well I changed my mind. Under the circumstances I think it'd be better to stick close together and get some time off from all the Prescotts of this world, for a while anyway."
"Quite agree. Just don't want to impose on your mama's generosity."
"She welcomes the help."
"Help?"
"She takes care of stray and beaten animals. We can all pitch in while we're there."
"Might be fun."
B.A. took a deep breath to summon his energy and hauled himself to his feet.
"You ok?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Let's get outta of here before Decker gets wind of us being here. I'm surprised he hasn't shown up yet."
"Knock on wood," Hannibal sighed as he assisted his friend down the hall to his room.
A week passed and still no improvement in Murdock's condition. The Captain lay in his bed staring at the ceiling, resigned to the fact that he might be bound to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He was done being angry at the world for his plight. He was grateful that the Evans girl had been safely returned to her parents. The only downturn was Prescott's escape from prison where he was held pending his trial. The A-Team stuck close by the Evans' to insure their safety while the fugitive was on the loose.