Responsibilities And Roles
Disclaimer: If you recognize it then I don't own it.
A/N: For Whumptober 2022 #20 It's been a long day- fetal position
The last few days of escaping, planning, and fighting felt like weeks, but the last six months apart in prison felt like years. They had kept going, burning themselves out from both ends, trying to clear their names and stop the men that had tarnished them in the first place. They had succeeded in that, yet still, they didn't win the war. They had to break the law to prove their innocence, and for that, they were handcuffed once more.
BA still wasn't sure what he believed, but he believed in his brothers. He would do anything for them, including killing for them. The Army Rangers had given him purpose. The A-Team had given him family. It had always just been him and his mom until he had met the other three men. They drove him insane, pushed his buttons, put him in situations he'd rather not be in, and nearly got him killed yet he couldn't imagine his life without them. He wasn't in the Army once again. He was a fugitive with no real future. He had tried to find meaning in prison when he had been separated from the team. There was no Hannibal and his crazy ass plans that got his heart racing. There was no Face and his schemes and indulgences, that gifted him punishment and rewards in equal measures. There was no insane pilot, Murdock, that loved to try and make him laugh and threaten physical harm in the same sentence. Before Mexico, he had been drifting with no real purpose. They, his brothers, were his new purpose, whether they were in the Army or not. He would follow them into hell without a second thought as long as he didn't have to fly there.
Morrison, the trusted man who had betrayed them had asked, "What are you fighting for now, you and those boys? Your ranks, your reputations?"
They had none of that left, it was all taken, stripped, and spat upon. They had been betrayed and left out in the cold by the country they had fought and killed for. The country they had sworn to protect had not protected them when they needed it most. All they had left in the world anymore was one another. The A-Team was abandoned and alone in their pain and need. The four men did what they did best, they fought for each other. They planned and acted while they covered and protected one another. They needed a place to rest and recuperate as they planned their next move, together. Now that they had reunited themselves they would not let anyone separate them again.
"Alright guys," Face ordered the team into the next stolen vehicle, they had had six already. He intended to see his operation to the end. Once his team was safe he would relinquish command back to Hannibal, "We're bugging out."
The team had been going all day, to put as much distance between them and pursuit. Constantly switching transportation, backtracking, and stopping only once to grab food to eat in the car. They were all reaching the end of their rope as the sun began its descent on the horizon. BA, who had done most of the driving, was getting grumbly, grumpy, and stiff. He needed ice and rest in the worst way. Hannibal also seriously needed rest. He looked aged and worn from his friend's betrayal and their continued status as fugitives. The few times he had been prodded out of his deep thought, he had been snappish and short. He was hurting and needed a quiet, private place to deal with all that had transpired and plan for their future.
"Close friends and bullets, where are they when you need them?" Pike had asked Face that. Where were Pike's spooks, traitors, and Black Forest goons? Face had his team, his brothers and they were right here, all together in this car. They were tired, injured, bruised, and on the run but at least they had one another.
Murdock hadn't shaken the dazed thousand-yard stare since they'd escaped. The only time he had spoken was when they had been arrested. His anger at the injustice of it all, and being touched, had given him the strength he needed to fight and find his voice. Once the team had escaped capture he had once again retreated back into himself. Once they had been safely driving away in their first car Face had told him to inform him if he started to feel worse. The head was a tricky bastard at the best of times when injured. But when dealing with a crazy person with a head injury, on the run when going to the hospital was dangerous if not impossible it was a whole new definition of complicated.
"Damn it, Murdock," Face hissed, fumbling to unclip his seatbelt. The once silent man was moaning holding his stomach. He had barely touched the food they offered him, grudgingly sipping at the water bottle Face forced him to nurse at throughout the day. Other than that small concession he had pulled his red hat low over his eyes and had huddled miserably against the back door of whatever car they had been in.
"Ah hell, no," BA hurriedly pulled the stolen car to the side of the road and parked, "You are not puking in here." His anger couldn't hide the worry in his eyes as he watched the suffering man closely in the rearview mirror. Strangling the still steering wheel in his helplessness to do anything to help. Hannibal hurried to the back door and held it open. Murdock wavered dangerously as his shaking hand against the door struggled to keep him semi-upright as he leaned out. Two sets of hands kept him from nose-diving.
"That is not going to taste good," Face winced in sympathy as Murdock wrenched painfully outside the car.
Hannibal laid a steading hand on his neck, squeezing the back of it gently as the dry heaving continued long passed there being anything left in the pilot's stomach. BA passed back a handful of napkins which Face used to wipe at the bile-coved lips. Murdock's eyes were shut tight against the pain and dizziness. Fine tremors ran up his body when Hannibal helped Face pull him back into the car. They lay the hurting man up against Face, leaning securely against his side as Murdock strove to find level footing inside his own head and against the persistent pain.
"Murdock don't you remember what I said," Face asked softly, brushing sweat-damp hair out of the other man's face. He used his exasperation to try and cover his concern, "You were supposed to tell me if the symptoms worsened."
"My bad, don't remember that," Murdock groaned. Without opening his eyes he waved his trembling hand by his head, "Instruments are a little wobbly."
"I'm sorry, Bud," Face rubbed his back, "I shouldn't have put you in that position. You're right Hannibal should have come up with the plan. He wouldn't have had you getting shot in the head. I should have thought of something else."
"What's wrong?" Murdock asked, squinting pained, confused eyes at him.
"I don't know man," Face sighed quietly. He rambled on as he gently pulled him down to rest his head in his lap. He needed to lay down and in the cramped back seat they didn't have a lot of options, "I know it all worked out, well mostly, we're all alive. But I can't help thinking I almost got you all killed."
"I know," Murdock murmured into his knee. He contorted his long limbs until he was laying in the fetal position. Making him look smaller and vulnerable as he relied completely on his team, on Face, to keep him safe and not let anyone come and take him away from them.
"Thank Buddy, that makes me feel so much better," Face said sarcastically.
Murdock poked him hard in the stomach, "I had the most to lose, I trusted you and I still trust you."
"I thought Hannibal should do the planning from now on," Bitterness leaked into his voice as he batted the hand away.
"Not cause your not good. You are. It's just because I don't like the way it weighs down your soul. You looked at me like you lost both engines and were heading down fast," Pained eyes tried to bore into his but they wouldn't focus.
"My soul?" He was lost.
He closed his eyes with a tired sigh like he was trying to explain something simple to a child, "You took the responsibility personal-like, right to your soul. You hurt when we hurt Facey, makes you reckless, especially if you're in charge."
"You don't like me in charge?" He tried to hide his hurt.
Another prod to his side to punctuate the point, "I just don't want to see you crash and burn under the pressure of trying to be Hannibal."
In a weird Murdock way, it made sense. They all had roles on the team. He had succeeded, mostly, in what he had planned but he was much happier following the Colonel's lead. Scamming and conning was his way to help his plan succeed. His way to help his team and he liked doing it.
BA parked in front of a motel, "We're here."
"Face," Hanibal looked at him. Face knew exactly what he needed, what the team needed. He carefully laid his friend onto the seat. Murdock scrunched even further in the seat, riding out the pain, nausea, and vertigo. Soon they would be in the room that Face had procured. Face would do his job, providing for his team, Hanible would plan, and BA would protect and keep them going. Murdock would recover and keep them flying upwards to give them all new perspectives and joy. No matter what happened next they would all be fine because they were together. Together they could handle anything because they all knew what they needed to do.
