Warnings/Content: Contains male/male SLASH. Also some full-bodied soldier type language. Adult themes are discussed here and relationships between men. If you don't like the thought of it please do not read. I do not wish to offend.

Part Ten

"I know who set me up, Murdock and I know why."

"You do? Then tell me who."

Face stroked his hand through his hair again before turning to look deep into the pilot's curious eyes. "Hannibal," he said softly.

"Hannibal!" Murdock howled, then he hit his head hard with the palm of his hand. "I heard you wrong, Face – must have the purple wobblies in my ears, I thought you said Hannibal set you up!"

"I did. I finally figured it all out."

"Figured out what?"

"I went through the files on the laptop we got from the Colonel's rooms. You remember Hannibal and me went on that computing course together about five years ago? Well, he made it easy for me - left all of his files neatly labelled so I could track him hacking into the Bank's system, accessing Stephens' account and setting up the switch. He did it all over two years ago but he only triggered the release date three weeks ago, when this nightmare started. Must have known his time was near and the effect that it would have on me. God I am such a weakling; a charity case! He left it all there for me to find cos he knew I'd look," Face sighed again. "Eventually when I got my dumb head sorted!"

Murdock gaped in the silver moonlight. "But why, I don't understand, Face. Why would Hannibal put you in such danger? He knew what Stepford thought about you, that he'd come after you."

Face nodded and smiled. "You're forgetting the jazz, Murdock."

"The jazz?" Murdock's face creased in puzzlement. "But…."

"Come on HM," Face threw an arm over the other man's shoulder. "Let's sit down awhile and I'll explain it to you."

They moved a little way up the beach to the drier sand and sat down so closely that their bodies touched all along their sides. Murdock drew in a deep breath, drinking in the scent of the man beside him as he rested his head languidly on Face's shoulder. "So tell me, Face," he prompted when the other man seemed happy to simply be in the pose and further enlightenment was not forthcoming.

"He remembered me, Murdock, even when he forgot himself. Even when his demons turned him into something he didn't want to be. Even when he couldn't help himself, he helped me, showed me the way back to the jazz."

"But why?" Murdock asked. But he could see the logic to Peck's words and he understood, for he more than anyone had worried about the effect the Colonel's death would have on the already struggling conman. Trust Hannibal!

Face sighed and lay back into the sand. He was silent as he stared up at the vast velvet night sky above them. A large full moon hung over the ocean to the west casting a silver stream across the black sea and elsewhere thousands of stars twinkled softly. "I wonder if he's up there somewhere, looking down on us. There's so much I needed to tell him. I tried but…." Peck mused. "I wish he was my father."

Murdock smiled. "In every way that could possibly matter, Face, he was."

Silence then, only the lapping of the waves and deep thoughts, deeper than the ocean before them; each to his own.

Face gulped. "Do you understand why he did it? Why I gotta run? I'm running to the jazz and without it I'm nothing! He saw that and he put a plan in motion to make me see. That last night I saw him in the Home, he told me he had a plan and I didn't understand. But he knew. I have to stay sharp, stay on the edge or I lose it. All those years I yearned for a normal life but when I finally got one, I couldn't cope, couldn't make it work." He shook his head. "I guess I was 'born to run' like Springsteen, only Hannibal could see what it did to me and only he could tame the flaw inside me." He sighed from the very depth of his soul. "I'm sorry about your money Murdock but I will pay it back."

"But where will you go? What will you do?"

Face shrugged. "There are still people out there who need helping, the good guys like Mo and her friends. I can still make a difference. All I have to do is keep one step ahead of the cops – done it before… piece of cake!"

"It's a lonely place to be, Face," Murdock breathed as he gently reached across and touched Peck's cheek. "Take me with you?"

Peck's eyes had been closed but they flashed open. "What did you say?"

Murdock smiled. "Read any good books lately?"

Peck stared at him, then matching the smile, he lay back down on to the sand. Something in the way the pilot was looking at him was turning on all of his switches; full wattage was blazing through him. He pouted, teasingly. "No, don't go there – remember what happened last time you said that! But, just so you know, I haven't read much at all recently. Been saving myself for awhile." He shook his head as if to clear it forcing away the want, the need, trying to stay focused. "Anyway you can't come with me – what about your business, you worked so hard to build it up and you haven't done anything wrong, you'd get yourself into trouble and I don't want that. I can't be responsible for ruining your life as well as my own."

Murdock had been leaning forward as his friend talked and he stopped now his head only inches away from Peck's mouth, his lips twitching. "Sold the business for bail money," he said and before Peck could react, he planted his lips on Peck's forcing himself downwards, ravishing with a masterful kiss. Peck acquiesced allowing Murdock to push him back into the sand and opening his mouth slightly. The pilot, riding the wave of long repressed passion that rolled through him, noted the movement and pushed his tongue inside.

The kiss was fervent and zealous as if all the years they had held back had suddenly crystallised in this one powerful expression of desire. Peck felt elation and craving crashing through him and he wanted so much to let himself go but he also felt a long-suffered fear so that when Murdock tried to place his hand behind his head and run his free hand across his body, Peck shifted and moved his mouth away.

He gulped trying to control himself but realising as he did so that he could not; he wasn't strong enough, not now. Amazed at the force of his feeling and his helplessness before it, he did the only thing he could, the thing he never dared to do before; he sought absolute solace and succour in his companion.

"I feel like I'm diving into the abyss. Murdock, catch me, please." Peck moaned, flushing slightly at his revelation even to his most trusted friend.

"Catch you! Aw, Faceyman I am going to teach you to fly!" Murdock promised.

Peck forced a giggle as Murdock enthusiastically nibbled his ear. He wanted this so much. Had wanted Murdock for years – ever since that shower! He was not going to throw it all away again, not going to wait for another time that may never happen. If the past few weeks had shown him anything at all, if Hannibal's intervention had taught him something; it was to reach out and grasp tightly and never, ever let go. He forced his fear away, forced his body to relax, taking control of his emotion and vowing to give himself finally and irrevocably. He realised it was the ultimate restraint; the circle was completed; so much in control that he could let go; that he could be comfortable with this man. Seeing and understanding that the electric passion that sparked between them could only grow in intensity. Peck groaned uncontrollably and a strange warm feeling grew within him – he would need to examine it later but he kind of thought it may be happiness

"Go on, do your worst, flyboy!" he breathed.

Between bites Murdock mumbled. "You bet, Faceyman." He lifted his head and began to undo Peck's shirt, slowly at first but then he began to rip. Peck groaned. "Your promise has been on hold for almost thirty years and I've been burning for you that long. I am going to explode! Prepare for me to send you into orbit, Templeton Peck!"

Murdock let out a long sigh and shifted his position. God he hated sand – it got into all the places that you didn't know you had until you got sand in them! But he was cranky only for a second, for thrusting the problems with sand out of his mind was the urgent, soul-revitalizing memory of the night before.

He turned and looked to his side and saw his companion, sleeping quietly. Face looked younger when the cares of the world were lost to him; golden hair flecked with silver, his handsome features innocent and angelic and finally showing signs of contentment. Murdock remembered all the times he had wanted this and all the bleakness when he thought it never would be. They had so much history and yet in the throes of their passion the night before they had been young again. They had laughed, giggling like teenagers, suddenly immune and untouched by the cares and frustrations of the world. It had been one sweet moment that would resonate through the rest of their lives.

Oh, how he loved this man! He sent a silent prayer of thanks to Hannibal, not only had he brought them together once, but he had done so again and this time ensured that they stayed together. Hannibal had been a fine, perceptive man, who cared deeply for his Team and Murdock would be eternally grateful for his intervention. If only for what he had done for them, the Colonel would be forever blessed. And even though he was gone, Murdock knew he was close and he watched over them. The pilot giggled softly when he almost heard the Colonel's chuckle and his voice; "About goddamn time!"

Murdock sighed, resisting the urge to kiss the soft lips beside him again; there would be plenty of time later. A lifetime of togetherness stretched out before them from this ecstatic night, already the sky was greying in the east and a new day was dawning. Murdock had no illusions; he knew it was going to be hard. He knew that Face was going to give him a difficult time about his decision, hadn't he already said as much but Murdock was ready and willing to give up everything for this man beside him. He knew deep down in his soul that he was doing the right thing.

Peck sighed softly; shuffling in his sleep, the pilot reached across and very gently stroked the pale cheek. He smiled.

"No buts Hannibal, not this time! Face like an angel and fucking gorgeous!"

THE END

But maybe a sequel later……..