Part 2 (over 1300 words):

Alone on the ship that was to carry them back to the mainland Murdock was worried sick. What if something went wrong? While Frankie had proved his loyalty by now, he felt uncomfortable to trust him with something that important. Frankie took it all too easy (get it?), to him it all was just a game.

It felt as if a great weight had been taken off his shoulders as the special effects expert got on board, at least he hadn't been detected.

"Did you make the switch okay?", Murdock greeted him, there was no time for niceties, he just had to know.

The answer wasn't what he had hoped for, but it was what he had expected.

"What'll sound better, 'I think' or 'I hope'?"

And again Murdock felt the strong need to strangle the younger man. How could he not be sure? How could he still think this a game? It was a matter of life and death, one, only one mistake and he would never see HIS guys again!

Instead Murdock just rolled his eyes in annoyance, it was to late to change anything, all he could do now was to wait and pray. Maybe his outfit was going to help him with the later.

The ship had left the island behind when he heard the sound, the worst sound in the world. He had been waiting for the guns to go off, since they Frankie and him had both entered the ship.

Had wished to never hear it, but at the same time had yearned to hear it, so he would know that it was over. He just wanted the unbearable tension to ease.

Still, as the pilot heard the sound of gunfire it came as a shock to him. His breath caught in his throat, it felt as if the bullets fired that far away bore their way into his heart. He fought to regain control over his breathing, tried to fight away the pictures in his head.

BA, dead, lying on the floor, looking so much smaller in death than he had ever looked alive. Face and Hannibal standing beside him, alive. Digging their accusing glares in his eyes, blaming him for BA's death. Turning around, never wanting to see him again.

The funeral, all of their clients present, pointing their fingers at Murdock, not letting him through to see the boys one last time, voices shouting at him, chasing him away.

Murdock standing at the coffins, suddenly his friends open their eyes, Murdock wants to hug them, tell them how glad he is that they are alive, but they aren't, they are mere shadows. They brush him off, tell him they never want to see him again. They are going where he cannot follow them. He begs them to take him with them, but they just turn, walking away, leaving the pilot behind, rooted to the spot.

Murdock fights to snap out of it, "They are not dead, they can't be dead!", he keeps telling himself in his head. Only Frankie's presence keeps him from rocking back and forth in distress. He can't show any weakness in front of him, he has only ever shown weakness, when he was alone with the boys, because he knew their demons were the same, they would understand him. Only now even they wouldn't. They didn't know how Murdock felt right now.

Suddenly a sharp pain erupted in his shoulder, his body remembering how he had been shot in the shoulder on a mission all that time ago. He closed his eyes in pain. But as he does, he feels Face's comforting hand on his uninjured shoulder, feels Hannibal's worried gaze upon him. He remembers the feeling when BA tugged him in, the big, angry man for once as gentle as a kitten.

The throbbing pain in is shoulder eases, Murdock begins to calm down.

The harsh reality fades and he gets lost in his mind.

Again images begin flashing up in front of his inner eye, at first fast, barely recognizable, he saw his life with the team.

Hannibal, lighting his cigar, smiling, on the jazz,

Face, kissing a pretty lady, looking so carefree,

BA, for once not scowling, but smiling at a little girl...

Hannibal, looking at him with that proud look in his eyes, the one only a father wore,

Face, high fiving him after a job well done,

BA, unconscious in a plane with him...

Slowly the images got plainer, more detailed.

Murdock saw himself surrounded by his friends, they were throwing him a surprise party, after they found out about his birthday. He heard them sing "Happy Birthday", even BA...

The image faded.

He was back in 'Nam, an inexperienced new pilot, but with great skill, always getting in trouble because of his cocky nature. He remembered. Hannibal, calmly guiding him, teaching him how to stay alive, Face, always at his side, talking him out of trouble on a daily routine, BA, backing them up in a fight, always complaining, but always there to help them, like a big brother.

He remembered all the times the team saved him in war and all the times he had got them out of heavy enemy fire with his chopper. Remembered all the times they were crouching in the dirt to hide from view. And he remembered that he had never truly been afraid, when he was with his team, because he knew he could depend on them, always. They would look after him and he would look after them, that was the way it worked, not only back in 'Nam but also back in the States.

More images came to him, this time memories from the missions they took on back home.

He remembered all the crazy plans Hannibal had had, all the times they had to knock out BA, so Murdock could fly them somewhere.

Hannibal had always given the pilot an important role in his plans, despite him being officially declared insane.

He thought about all the scams he and Face had pulled together, how his best buddy would always spring him from the VA. He remembered the time he had dressed up as a General, wearing the uniform of a road patrol guard, how he and Face had talked that guy, selling dynamite, into giving them what they wanted. It worked, like every time, they were unstoppable. And if it would not work for once, they knew, they had each others back.

And finally he recollected all the times BA had nearly strangled him, because he was talking to his socks, because the big guy woke up in a plane or with a plane nearby, because of Billy and one of his favourites: because Murdock had been talking to "Mister Ed". Despite all their differences they were the best of friends. And Murdock knew that BA liked him, even if he always threatened the pilot.

A feeling of warmth and comfort seemed to be spreading from his stomach all over his body now, they had had a hell of a good time!

Murdock savoured the feeling for a moment, then his mind began to wander again.

The next image though wasn't a memory, Murdock ran along a long hallway, on and on he went, until it ended in a big hall, a plane standing in the middle.

Slowly he neared the plane, inside was his team, even BA and fully conscious. But Murdock had no time to wonder, because they invited him in. Hesitantly Murdock entered. They led him towards the cockpit, made him sit in the pilot seat. He looked at them confusion evident in his big, brown eyes. They just smiled at him, told him to get it up. Murdock looked at BA questioningly.

The big man nodded, "Time to get you back", he said, unusually gentle.

Murdock took off and as the plane neared the sky the plane around him began to fade, the sky got more real and a few moments later Murdock returned to reality, to Frankie gently prodding him, wearing a concerned expression.

"We have arrived at the mainland", he informed him with one last odd look.

Together with Frankie Murdock left the ship. The moment of truth was about to come, but now Murdock felt strangely calm about it. It was as if somehow he knew everything was okay. He knew that was irrational, but he refused to think about other possibilities. His guys had to be okay and deep inside he knew they were.

Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it and it isn't too crazy..., please review.

More updates may take some time, my final year at school is nearing it's end and with it the Abitur is nearing. Please bear with me.