Authors' Notes: Firstly we'd like to say thank you for the few more detailed reviews we recieved recently and now to answer two of them that couldn't be answered via e-mail. Also we appreciate the other reviews we get as well, after all it tells us that yes people are reading our stories. But we do enjoy feedback!
Sam- This chapter should clear up your confusion.
Garine- Thank you! We'll keep up the good work, promise. :)
Now in this chapter Murdock has a flashback and Hannibal lies with amusing results.
At first her heart stopped, she thought he was talking about Face until she really looked at him and saw he seemed to be far away, "No. No. Don't talk like that… it's going to be okay. Face will be fine, he'll pull through. He has to." She blinked her eyes rapidly a moment and then wrapped her arms around the spooked Pilot resting her head on his shoulder, "Come back Murdock." She whispered, tightening her arms around him.
"This should be good." B.A. muttered with slight amusement across his face as the nurse came up and began to speak with Hannibal.
"They're getting him stabilized, the bullet didn't go through but he lost a fair amount of blood so they're giving him transfusions right now. I just need you to fill out this paperwork and return it to the desk when you're done. Any questions please ask." She handed Hannibal the clipboard that contained a small book of paperwork attached to it.
"Marko. I lost him. He's dead." He kept rubbing his hands, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I couldn't save him, I couldn't - "
Hannibal raised an eyebrow, then held the pen up in the air, clicked it with the pad of his thumb, then began to write.
"Murdock. Stop." She removed her arms from around him and held his face between her hands, "Look at me, whatever you're talking about is over, it was a long time ago. Please, I need you. Me, Charissa and Face needs you too. Your best friend needs you to be here right now for him. Please." Her thumbs were moving back and forth gently against his cheeks as she looked straight into his far away eyes.
B.A. kept looking towards the women's bathroom and back at Hannibal, "Sure is quiet in there…"
"I don't wanna lose somebody else." He said, almost meeting her eyes this time, "Was my fault. Was all my fault. I coudn't."
"It is." Hannibal glanced up for a moment, "Would you believe that Face's new name is Melvin?"
She kept a good grip on his face, "You won't. I won't let that happen and this wasn't your fault, this was me. He was saving me…" It was then she realized she had put them all in so much danger, "I'm so sorry Murdock." A single tear escaped and slowly rolled down her cheek as she took a deep and shaky breath trying to keep everything in check, especially right now because someone had to be strong for the poor man in front of her.
B.A. snickered, "Oh he'll love that." His attention was now fully on the women's bathroom door.
Murdock met her eyes for a moment, then he seemed to realize where they were. Cheeks going red, his hands flew to the sides of his face to make blinders as he did an about-face and marched out of the ladies' room.
"Melvin...Jenkins." Hannibal was filling in made-up information and incredibly rich and detailed medical and family histories, "I just hope that Face isn't conscious to confim any of this."
She let him go and watched him leave, it was odd even for him and she made a note to ask Hannibal about it later… if she got the chance. She moved slowly to the sinks and washed her hands until the water finally ran clear and then slowly left the restroom as well, her arms wrapped tight around herself.
B.A. sat up seeing Murdock emerge and Sosa a few moments after him, "Hey fool, everything okay?" He eyed Charissa, he knew she wasn't going to be okay for a while so he didn't even bother to ask.
"I'm not a lady!" Was all Mudock said before sitting down beside the larger man, clearly still embarassed.
Hannibal finished the paperwork and handed it back to the nurse's station, relaxing on the chairs.
"Crazy fool." B.A. muttered shaking his head slowly and kept his eyes on Sosa as though he was sure she was going to run or something.
Slowly she sunk into a chair and stared at her hands for a moment, "Any news?" She looked back up, her brown-green eyes a mix of emotions.
Hannibal nodded and filled her in. "He's being stabilized. They have to get the bullet out, and he's lost a lot of blood. They didn't mention anything about hitting vital parts or muscles, so I don't think he'll be paralyzed."
She let out a rush of air she didn't realize she had been holding in and sat back a little less tense, "That's good." She nodded slowly then stood and began to pace unable to sit still.
B.A. watched her walk back and forth until he was sure he was getting dizzy, "Girl. Sit your ass down, I'm getting' dizzy here. And what made you go apeshit on the women's room anyhow?" Since no one else was asking he figured he might as well.
"That phone call was my boss, the Director wanting me on a plane and back in D.C. asap. I told him no, so he told me to take six months off, no pay. And informed me in six months we're all going to have a nice little chat about my ethics as of late." She ignored B.A.'s request to sit down however and kept pacing.
Hannibal made an uncomfortable noise and sighed, "This is our fault - we keep bumping into each other and while I'm glad it tends to work out...it's been getting messy as of late and it's obviously not doing you much good either. Perhaps we should make more of an effort to stay an arm's length away, hmm?"
Murdock shook his head, "Nuh-uh, boss-man, I think she does us all some good."
She eyed Hannibal then looked to Murdock, "We've done good yes, but it has gotten messy you're right, Hannibal." She sighed looking at the Colonel now pausing in her movements and crossing her arms, "But I will make it understood that I haven't done anything I haven't wanted to do." She gave Hannibal a sure and hard stare then slowly sat down, "I take it Face didn't tell you did he… he wants me and him to go off, just the two of us somewhere for a while. Of course that's going to have to wait now but I really think it might be a good idea not just for he and I but for all of us."
B.A. looked from Sosa to Hannibal and back, he had no idea how that one was going to go over with the Colonel at all.
At that moment a Doctor emerged from the double doors and came towards them, "You're Mr. Jenkins friends?" He questioned looking at them all curiously, they did make quite the group.
"Yes, how is Melvin doing?" Hannibal stood up, concerned.
Melvin? Murdock mouthed to B.A. in question, quirking an eyebrow - you can't be serious!
Even Charissa had to snicker at the first name a little, "Is he okay… can we see him?" It was then she noticed she had stood again and so quickly she hadn't even registered it.
B.A. shrugged at Murdock, "Don't look at me fool, it was all Hannibal." He whispered just loud enough for the Pilot to hear.
The Doctor nodded, "He's in recovery right now, you all should be able to see him in an hour. His surgery went well; we removed the bullet with no problems there was some minor damage to the muscle tissues where it entered but after a little physical therapy he'll be good as new. He also lost a good amount of blood, close to a pint because the bullet nicked an artery, so he'll be in a weak state for a couple of weeks." The older man looked at each of them, "If there is a family member or…" He eyed Charissa curiously, " spouse I can allow them to go back into recovery so he sees a familiar face when he wakes up."
Charissa looked at the guys and back to the Doctor and then solely at Hannibal, "Should I… or do one of you…" After all she was technically now his wife... as weird as it seemed, but if one of them wanted to go in she wouldn't stand in their way.
Hannibal gave her a small smile, amused but trying to hide it, "You're his wife. You should go and see him. We'll catch up. Come on, Murdock, let's go get some coffee." He led the pilot away and began to explain their new alibi
We're almost to the end of this part, and again thank you to those of you reading this it means a lot to us. And please keep reviewing and giving us feedback! We like to hear what you think along with the pleas to update.
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