Face ran a hand quickly though his hair as he stepped away from Ellen who sought comfort from Maggie's reassuring words.
"Hey kid," Hannibal said as Face looked up. "He'll be fine."
"Yeah man," BA said coming up beside the Colonel. "You know Murdock, he's to crazy a fool to be down for the count."
"Sure he will," Face said absently meeting their eyes. "I mean...we just almost lost him, that's all! And, it would have been my fault dammit!"
Hannibal exchanged glances with Maggie as Face fled the room. "No," he said grabbing her arm when she started to follow. "I'll handle Face, you stay with Ellen."
"Thanks, John," Maggie replied with a knowing nod as the colonel went out the door.
Looking one way and then another and not seeing Face any where, Hannibal saw the sign indicating an exit and figure that was going to be his best bet for finding his former Lieutenant. Stepping outside into the cool night air, he seen Face leaning against a tree in a grassy grove about a hundred feet away.
Hannibal lit a cigar for himself before handing a second one to Face. "Ain't easy, is it?"
"What?" Face said rolling the cigar between his fingers.
"Making decisions that affect other people's lives," Hannibal replied quietly.
"I don't know how you've done it for so long," Face said shaking his head. "This job isn't for me Hannibal. I can't do it. I'm not that strong!"
"Sure you are kid," Hannibal replied with a grin. "You're one of the smartest and strongest men I know."
"No, I'm not," Face said with a sigh. "I'm a coward Hannibal!"
"Coward?" Hannibal said aghast. "I seriously doubt that!"
"It true," Face confessed. "I was scared the whole time you were gone and I still am. I'm scared of losing Murdock, scared of you, BA and Ellen hating me for what happened!"
"First, you're no coward," Hannibal said angrily. "And second, we could never hate you, Face. What happened wasn't your fault! So get it out of your head right now or do I have to kick your ass to give you something else to think about!"
Face sighed angrily but bit back any retort he may have made when he saw the serious look on Hannibal's face. Turning away, Hannibal watched his body tense up.
"I know it's ultimately up to you, kid," Hannibal said gently. "But, if you quit...it'll be bad for Stockwell." He didn't say that it would be bad for all of them, he didn't think he had to.
"I wish Stockwell would wake up, be okay and take over so I could get on with my life again, that's what I really want," Face said softly. "But, I think we both know that won't happen. At least not anytime soon."
"Nope," Hannibal said taking a drag of his cigar. "So the question is, are you going to man up and accept this responsibility or continue to act like a kid who's father won't let him out of his room?"
Face smiled sheepishly as he turned around. "I guess, I'm going to have to take responsibility and man up."
"Now that's what I wanna hear," Hannibal said lighting Face's cigar. "You know, I think Stockwell, Carla and even the President underestimates you."
"You think so?" Face said meeting his eyes.
"And, I think it's past time, you showed them all exactly what you're really capable of, Face!"
"I think you're right," Face said slowly. "As soon as Murdock can be moved. We're going home and I'll be calling the shots from now on!"
"Right," Hannibal replied with a grin. "C'mon, lets go back in before Maggie comes out raising hell."
By the way, your girlfriend drugged me," Face said as Hannibal smirked.
"She did?" He asked as Face nodded. "Well, you're going to have to have a talk with that woman!"
"Me," Face said pulling Hannibal to a stop. "She's your girlfriend. You talk to her!"
"Not me," Hannibal replied with a smile. "You're the one that's taking responsibility, remember?"
"Your afraid of her, aren't you?" Face said with a mischievous smirk.
"Damn straight," Hannibal said starting toward the door as Face followed with a laugh.
Doctor O'Fallon met them at the door to the waiting room and followed the two men inside. "Mrs. Murdock may see her husband now," he announced as Ellen looked around nervously.
"Maggie," she said looking from the Doctor to Face. "You and Face will come with me?"
"Of course," Maggie said as Face agreed with a slight nod.
Face would have preferred to wait as he really wasn't prepared to see Murdock in the hospital's critical care section with a thick bandage covering the middle of his chest. But, after seeing the look on Ellen's face, he knew it was the right decision to accompany her.
"I didn't realize you had preformed a resuscitative thoracotomy?" Maggie said as she glanced at the various machines.
"Time was essential Doctor Sullivan," O'Fallon replied smugly. "But, as you can see the patient's vital signs are stable."
"Yes," Maggie said watching Ellen as she slowly approached Murdock's side. "He is doing quite good."
Wrapping her hand around her husband's, Ellen saw the tube that connects the respirator coming out of his mouth and her own chest tightened at the thought of it being inside Murdock. "Is he in any pain?" She asked timidly as Maggie put an arm around her shoulders.
"No honey, he's completely sedated," she said glancing at Face's pained expression. "I'm afraid, he won't even know that we were here."
"Exactly," O'Fallon said dismissively. "If he does this well tonight, we'll start bringing him out of the sedation and remove the respirator tomorrow. I suggest you come back then. There's nothing more you can do for him tonight."