Authors' Notes: We're almost done, just this chapter and the next one and be warned, you're about to see Hannibal pissed off. Remember how pissed he was about Morrison? Well... this isn't quite the same scenerio, but it gives an idea. Now for a quick reply to an anon reader/reviewer. :)

Ladyranger91: Thank you! Glad you like it, we try to make homage to the series a little bit by having similiar type adventures now and then with the new crew. :)

Now on with the show...

"Walk with me, Captain." Hannibal said sternly, as he turned and led her back towards the community center. He was normally a patient man, but this was testing his limits.

"I do feel sorry for her." Murdock admitted, as they pulled into the community center and Bobby rushed in with B.A. to find his little brother.

Face nodded in agreement.

Charissa did as told quietly and walked next to him and waited for the verbal onslaught that she was sure that was about to come. She didn't even try to defend herself, it was like this experience had brought to home some facts they had all been trying to make her understand for some time now. She did however hold her head up, she knew showing weakness wouldn't fly right now and it wasn't like her to show any as it was.

B.A. nodded, "Yeah, but she's got it comin'." He stated as they watched the two brothers, the elder apologizing profusely to the younger and making many promises to make up for everything.

"How could you even THINK of doing something this foolish?" Hannibal said, his voice tight, quick and loud; it took years of self-control to learn not to scream these things. "Knowing how much danger you could be in! This isn't some kind of game, Sosa - this isn't the army, this isn't rushing headlong just because you've got a gun - which, by the way, they got off you pretty easily." he soured. "If you want to be a member of my team, you had damn better well start acting like it; this is your last chance." he gave her a solid stare - full of cold fury and absolute control. "Your very - last - chance. If you go running off like this again I will not go after you. And I will not let Face to go after you, either. He's not expendable. Don't make yourself expendable, Captain Sosa, because if you do, I guarentee you it will be the end."

She had been yelled at before, but for some reason this cut deeper than any other… even ones from her own Father. She looked at Hannibal once he was finished, "I've learned my lesson, Sir." Was all she said, "It won't happen again." It was the truth, she knew now she had to back down, follow orders… something that had never been easy for her. But easy wasn't worth it and this, this was worth it. She knew by all rights she could tell Smith to stuff it and go on and never look back, but she was in too deep for that now for more reasons than just Face.

"No you damned well haven't learned your lesson." Hannibal rounded on her, hands clamped down on her shoulders. "Talk is cheap, it's fucking cheap," he swore, anger breaking through the calm facade, "and what I want most is for you to shut your mouth and prove it to me, soldier."

Prove it. Show it. Actions. She had almost forgot about that with Hannibal. He wanted to see it, words were nothing to him… words had never doing anything for him after all. She looked at the man, studied him and wondered if some part of him would never trust her no matter what she did or didn't do and if that part of him had grown just a little more thanks to this recent stunt. She also wondered if some of his anger was worry as well… but she didn't ask, that was none of her business. She knew without a doubt that Murdock and B.A. had been worried and Face was an obvious, but the Colonel was much harder to read. As they reached the entrance of Center she held back and let him go in first as a sign of respect to his higher status.

Hannibal knew he wouldn't cool down for several hours but he tried not to show it.

Face gave her a grave look and shook his head as she came near him: she wasn't finished yet.

She sighed, she had figured Face would be wanting to put his two cents worth in, but frankly Hannibal had yelled enough for all four of them in her opinion. She took it like the soldier she was from the Colonel because he had that right and she deserved it, but of course some part of her was still defiant towards it all, it was just her nature. But she shut that part of her up hard and stood there silently next to Face and waited for whatever was to go on now.

B.A. watched Hannibal enter, noticing the Colonel was indeed still hot under the collar and he didn't blame him, "I'll make sure the boys get home safe." He promised the others and escorted them out to his van to do just that.

Murdock went to shut the rest of the center up for the night as Face quickly fixed himself up and stood with Charissa, glancing at Hannibal for further prompts.

Yeah... Hannibal isn't done yet. This is after all the second time she's pulled something like this in a manner of speaking (see "Trial by Fire" chapter 8).

Don't forget to review. :) And the final chapter will be posted tomorrow.