The Hospital Nurse Affair

Disclaimer: I do not own The A Team movie or television series or any of the delightful characters found on The A Team.

Chapter 10 Fever

Murdock awoke from his sedated sleep, darkness surrounding him. Somewhere close by, someone snored lightly.

His head was exploding with a serious headache and he shivered. A blanket had been draped over him and he clutched its scratchy thick warmth up to his chin. He couldn't stop shaking.

Rolling onto his side and curling into a ball, he tried to think of a sandy beach with the hot summer sun blazing down upon him. His visualization technique didn't work. His teeth chattered anyway.

The snoring stopped. Someone was moving toward him in the dark. For a moment, he was back in the jungle listening for Charlie moving in the underbrush. Then he realized there were no leaves brushing against him and the ground felt more like a couch than dirt and dew-laden grasses.

"Murdock, buddy, you finally awake?" A hand touched him on the forehead. "You burnin' up, man. Sure wish Hannibal and Face'd get back here."

Buddy? Did B. A. just call me buddy?

"B. A.? Where am I?"

"At the youth center. You're safe now." B. A. turned on a small table lamp that did little to dispel the shadows in the room.

"Where's . . ." Murdock struggled to remember something he heard that he knew was important. The effort of remembering was too much. "Where's Donna?"

"Faceman said she's gone. Don't you remember?" Murdock felt something cool and wet wiping the heat from his face. He winced as it passed over the bruised and swollen right eye.

"Donna's gone?" Nausea and dizziness flooded over him.

"Three guys, looked like mob, Face said. Don't know what your nurse is into but it ain't lookin' good. Don't you remember nothin' 'bout what happened?" Through the haziness clouding his vision, Murdock could just make out the black man's massive figure seated next to him. The gold around B. A.'s neck glowed softly in the dim light.

Something about the gold chains sparked a vague memory. "Jewelry. He threatened Donna if she didn't tell 'em where it was." Murdock attempted to sit up but the pain from his ribcage made him collapse back onto the couch. "We gotta go look for her, big guy."

B. A. shook his head, a scowl on his face. "You can't go nowhere, fool. You burnin' up with fever."

"I gotta find her, B. A. I gotta."

"Listen here, Murdock. You tore open so many stitches Hannibal had a heckuva time fixin' 'em up. They was all infected. Plus, you got a bruised rib. You ain't walkin' nowhere."

Murdock gazed at B. A. and realized the gruff voice was edged with concern and fear. He closed his eyes and sighed. He was so tired and every joint in his body ached.

"I don't remember any of that. I was knockin' at Donna's door one minute and now I'm here. There's somethin' I gotta remember but I can't."

B. A. rinsed out the white dish cloth and applied it to the pilot's forehead. "Yeah, well, you was pretty out of it when Faceman found you. Sure glad you didn't wake up yellin' at me in Vietnamese like you was back there."

"A flashback?" Murdock grimaced. "Sorry 'bout that." He caused his team members so much worry when he weakened and slipped into a flashback. They were always relieved when he managed to find his way back from his terror.

B. A. placed one bejeweled hand on the pilot's shoulder. His eyes were understanding and unusually gentle. "Hey, man, it's okay. You don't get to see my flashbacks. Still get 'em sometimes. Nothin' to be ashamed of. Don't mean you're weak. Got that, fool?"

The door opened and shut. Hannibal and Face approached the couch where Murdock lay. Face's usually impeccable appearance was marred by a bloodied lip and torn shirt.

Hannibal was grim-faced as he removed the cigar from his mouth. "It's good to see you back, Captain. Now what do you know about Daniela Scalatini and her brother Eddie?"