A/N:(posted in ch.1, but a reminder) This takes place in a complicated AU that I've managed to create in my head for other personal writings. Basically, this takes place about 5 years after the end of the show. The team is no longer wanted, having received their pardons. They've relocated to Bad Rock, Hannibal and Maggie have an on/off sort of relationship, Murdock has settled down with a woman named Emma and they have a young daughter together. It's AU. It's romance. It's taking a lot of guts to post this. (Seriously. A LOT.) If it's not your cup of tea, feel free to pass.
A/N take 2: 1 year later and I'm finishing this. Life got in the way, I lost interest in it for a while (see above note on complicated AU in my head...), but I've been inspired to finish this at last. Many thanks to those that encouraged me to do so, even though I'm not much of a FF writer anymore. I'll feel better at least finishing this.
Hannibal's eyes didn't close as he sat in the small hospital room in the early morning hours, and neither did Murdock's. Instead, they both stared at either Face lying in the bed before them or at the monitors attached to him. BA stood up against the wall, needing the break from sitting in the uncomfortable hospital chairs, and Amy sat as close as she could to Face's bed, her hand resting gently on his arm. Hannibal traded looks with Murdock, the unspoken understood between them. It was painfully obvious to them that there was more than guilty feelings that kept her by his bedside.
Murdock leaned up toward her. "Why don't you go home and shower, darlin. Get a bite of some real food. Get out of here for an hour. You know we'll call you if anything changes."
"No," Amy shook her head without even lifting her gaze from Face. "I'm fine here. I want to be here when he wakes up." The image of him slumped against the wall in the stairway corridor haunted her; she needed to see him awake before she could even think about walking away from him.
"We all do, Princess," Hannibal's use of her old nickname irritated her, knowing full well that he had always thought she couldn't keep up with the guys. "But that doesn't mean we can't step out for a minute here and there for our own sanity."
B.A. snorted at the sanity comment from his place holding the wall upright.
"I said, Hannibal, that I am just fine right here," Amy emphasized firmly. "And I'm staying right here."
Murdock turned to look at Hannibal, making his eyes large as he batted them at the Colonel with a smirk, both of them getting what he was saying. Hannibal just nodded in agreement. Amy had went from tolerating Face years ago to being in love with him now.
And if there was any doubt, it was erased when the joy on her face lit up the entire room when a seemingly unconscious Face finally moved ever so slightly and reached for her hand.
Amy stuck close by over the next few days as Face improved enough to be dismissed, but eventually she had to return to her job running the LA Times. As the first day back to work turned into the first week back to work and the first month back to work since it all happened, she found herself checking in with him or the others less and less. She found that it hurt less that way, knowing that they were there and living there lives and that no news was good news, especially with Face. She needed to keep her distance from him for fear that he would someday see her true feelings. She just wished she had the courage to confess to him how she felt, but since his recovery from the gunshot, she was as happy as she could force herself to be just knowing that he was fine and doing what he did best - being his charming self with everyone else.
It was that fear that finally made her call him early one morning, her hands shaking as she dialed.
"Hannibal..." Face groaned into the phone, his eyes still shut. "I thought you said we had a weekend off..."
"Well, good morning to you, too, sunshine," Amy was nervous as she spoke, but tried to cover it with her usual chipper self. "I take it you're not raring to go yet."
"Amy!" Face's eyes snapped open, glad to finally hear her. For someone who carried a black book of numbers, hers was one that he rarely called for whatever reason. "Haven't heard from you in a while. Everything ok?" He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. "Where you been lately?"
"Oh, you know. A newspaper doesn't run itself. But things have changed." She took a deep breath, nervous to finally tell him.
Boy, had they. He wondered how much she knew of his feelings for her as he stood and started to dress while still on the phone with her. He had a vague memory of her being at the hospital with him before he was really aware of what was going on, and a memory of waking up with her fingers in his. "What's going on? Want to meet for coffee? I've got a new place to scope out this afternoon and plans tonight, but we can grab coffee now."
"No, I...I can't," Amy stammered into the phone, for she knew that if she had to tell him face to face then there was a pretty strong chance she would change her mind. She took a deep breath. "I'm leaving the paper because I have a new job, and I'm moving this week." The words came out rushed, all in one breath so that she just had it done and over with as quickly as possible.
"Ames! That's great. Moving up, huh? Where to? Hollywood? Beverly Hills? You know, if you're headed that way, I know of some great places that I'm sure I can work a deal on for you."
"Manhattan." Amy dropped the single word quietly.
He stopped dead in his tracks. "Manhattan? As in New York?"
"With the New York Times. They're paying to relocate me."
"That's great news, Amy," Face sank down into the plush sofa in the living room, thankful he could convince her of that fact. "I'm happy for you. When are you leaving?"
"Thursday. Fly out then, get settled in over the weekend, and start at the Times the next week. Face, I..." she stopped. Truth was, she was scared to death to start a new adventure on her own, but it was a dream job for her, especially since she was desperately afraid of Face finding out her feelings. The more distance between them, the better.
Two days. He had two days left with her in town and that was all. Then she would be gone, clear across the country. "How about I take you out for dinner before you leave. Or maybe we can get everyone together last minute," he quickly added as an afterthought, not wanting things to become awkward if it was just the two of them.
"I'd like to, but Face, I have a lot to do and not much time left. I just don't know," Amy started in.
He cut her off. "Tomorrow night. Just a simple going away and good luck party. Come on, Ames, you know you can't say no to me."
She knew he was right. "Ok," she swallowed hard. Her original plan was to get out of town without having to face them all, but perhaps he was right and she needed to do so. Perhaps she could muster up the courage to say something finally.