At first, the team has to get used to the fact that Murdock now had a girlfriend. This isn't helped by the fact that his girlfriend is Cassie, a member of the team. But as time goes on, everybody slowly gets used to the idea. Murdock and Cassie continue to behave like they have always done. She still calls him Murdock when the team is around and after a while everybody relaxes.
Missions go by and it becomes Cassie's job to get Murdock in and out of the VA. When Face used to do it in the past, they often had to escape with doctors chasing them out of the building. It doesn't happen like that anymore. Cassie just walks in through the front door as Murdock waits for her at the reception desk. He gives her a kiss and they slowly walk out of the building holding hands.
It irritates Face to not know how she does it. Before the start of one mission, he sneaks in the VA hospital, sits himself down and waits for Murdock to arrive. He makes sure his fake nose is secure, his wig is in order and he wears clothes Murdock would never, ever suspect him in. He sits there waiting for Cassie.
It's not long before she turns up with a massive smile on her face. As she walks towards the reception desk, Murdock intercepts her and holds up a rose.
"A rose for my beautiful lady." he says, bowing down low. Cassie laughs as she takes the flower and smells it. Face looks up to the ceiling in an attempt to show his newspaper just how corny the gesture is. He can't deny it's working though.
"Cassie Smith to pick up Captain Murdock miss." Cassie says to the lady at the front dest.
"Aren't you a lucky one Murdock." the lady sighs, smiling at him. "Go and have a lovely time with your girlfriend. You're expected back here next Tuesday at 12:00 sharp." She then turns back to Cassie "Be sure to bring him back on time, because there will be a special group session later that day."
Cassie smiles at the lady as she takes Murdock by the hand. "I'll make sure he's back on time thank you. Have a lovely day!"
"Bye Doreen!" shouts Murdock. Together they calmly walk out of the hospital.
Face sits there lost in thought.
"Sir, can I help you at all?"
A lovely young nurse stands right next to him. Face smiles at her. "No thank you, I'm late for a different appointment anyway. I sell syringes to hospitals, but I think John's not coming to collect any." He starts to get up. "He must be late, and I'll come back some other time. You have a lovely day now."
He turns on his heels and walks out. That's that mystery solved.
The members of the team all do different things with their pay. Murdock saves most of it, but for his bills to the hospital. The hospital doesn't know he's the one paying them off course. They think it's his aunt Mildred from Florida.
Face pulls many scams with his money. Looking the part is a costly affair however and sometimes things don't go according to plan. There was that time he tried to be a Hollywood producer. He had to buy a script for that particular scam and it didn't go too well. He never managed to produce the movie.
BA gives a lot of his money away. He doesn't live like a rich man, but he actively tries to make everyone else's life better on his block. Most notably his own mum and the kids at his youth centre.
Nobody really knows what Hannibal spends money on, he's quite a private person. The team does know he acts in monster movies, so that's another source of income for him. Hannibal owns a small flat and it's rather cosy. He usually saves his money and doesn't spend it without thinking. It's his nest egg for when the military clears their names and he'll be free from prosecution. He intends to take a long holiday when that happens.
Cassie only recently joined the team, but because she has always lived on the street, she isn't used to much luxury. She was always cautious, in the past good things had a habit of disappearing. She usually didn't spend her pay, just because there was the possibility everything would go tits up and she'd end up on her own on the street again. She had made a vow to herself that would never happen. After her relation with Murdock, or Henry as she calls him, became a genuine long term relationship, she started to look around for a house.
She bought a house not far away from the VA and after a while all the doctors and nurses knew who she was. She also had a great effect on Murdock's temperament. When he was with her, the craziness was still there. But he had lost that fever pitch of madness that sometimes would overtake him in the past. She calmed him down. The doctors saw that as well.
Months have passed since the oil baron's job. The team comes together in one of Hannibal's warehouses. It has been two weeks since their last mission and Hannibal is eager to start the meeting.
"Ok, so this is the situation guys." Hannibal starts the meeting. "Tomorrow I'll meet the client for the first time. I need Cassie outside of Mr Lee's, you know the drill. Face..."
"Euh Hannibal, a moment?" interrupts Cassie.
Hannibal looks thrown off balance for a second. Most of the time, the team doesn't interrupt him when he's explaining a plan of his. "Yeah girl?" he ask her. He studies Cassie as she stands there with Murdock holding her by the waist.
She breathes in deeply, looks at Murdock and looks back at the 3 men. "This is my last mission for now."
Face and BA just stare at her, completely taken aback by her comment. Face tries to come up with some arguments but just turns red and starts stammering. BA looks cross, but it's different from his usual look. There is a great deal of sadness in his eyes. Hannibal just stands there, his face blank. He's sure there is more to this and patiently awaits Cassie to explain.
She breaks out in a grin and says "We're expecting a baby."
Murdock looks incredibly proud as he hugs her tight and smiles at his friends.
Hannibal, Face and BA all start cheering at the same time. Hannibal grabs Cassie in a massive hug. He's almost in tears. BA and Face have Murdock in a bearhug and are jumping up and down.
Hugs fly around, tears fall down and joy is all around. When everybody has calmed down they sit for a second. The mission is momentarily forgotten and Cassie and Murdock are now the focus of the meeting.
"How far are you?" asks Hannibal.
"I tested it last week. I'm 6 weeks in. I immediately told Murdock and we agreed to tell you guys today." she explains.
Here she pauses for a moment. "I can't endanger the baby, so this one will be my last mission. Murdock and I talked about it. He will keep going on missions with you guys."
The team looked at Murdock. "Don't you want to stay at home with your girl and child?" asks Hannibal.
Murdock looks at his girl and smiles as he shakes his head. He looks his commander straight in the eyes. "If I stay home and one of you guys gets hurt, I'll never forgive myself for not having been there." he explains.
Cassie now takes over. "I totally believe him when he says that. He'd hate himself if that happened."
Face starts nodding his head. He knows his friend very well and it would eat the good pilot up from the inside. He looks Cassie in the eyes. "Won't you be scared when he's on a mission with us?"
Cassie smiles a sad smile. "Of course I'll worry. But I won't worry any more than any other army wife. And you'll keep him safe for me, I'm sure of it." She looks the team in the eyes. "I absolutely believe you four idiots will keep each other safe." she declares.
