Thirty-six hours later finds the A-Team stumbling back into camp exhausted. It was an easy assignment, by their standards, but the tension between Faceman and Murdock made it unnecessarily difficult. Beyond the required communication, Face hadn't spoken one word to the pilot and was even short with B.A.
"I don't care what you have to do; cry, fuck, I don't care! Just get over it!" Hannibal's had enough; he throws his pack to the floor. "Beat the shit out of each other if you need to but fix this."
He stomps off to his cot, muttering.
Bosco looks amused, glancing between his teammates who glare stubbornly at each other.
"Whatever, I gotta check on Sophie," Murdock spits dropping his gear and leaving the tent.
"Fuck!" Face erupts tossing his stuff, he scrubs at his face, exasperated.
"Don't try to understand it, Face," B.A. says gently, half smiling. "Just accept whatever the guy says."
Faceman rolls his eyes, "Yeah. Sure." He stretches and winces. "Ugh… I should go get stitched up," he grumbles.
"Pro'bly... heh, don't pity him, Face," Baracus arranges his things and heads to his cot. "Hannibal's right though, you gotta fix this," he calls over his shoulder.
"Alright! I know, I know," Face drops his hands, shaking his head, "I'll fix it." He strips off his shirt checking over the gashes in his side. "Son'ov'a," he mutters and stalks from the tent to the medics.
"The Captain's in there," a pretty nurse gestures as she tapes up Face's bandages. "Who's that woman he brought in?"
"Oh, lovely, it's a long story. Too long for right now," Face gives her a winning grin and pecks her on the cheek. "Thanks gorgeous," he says climbing gingerly from the table and heading in the direction of his lunatic pilot.
"No, I'm sure. You've done more than enough for her... Thank you."
Face cautiously approaches the screened off area that Murdock's voice drifts from. An I.C. nurse quietly makes her way out, there's a sympathetic sadness about her as she walks away.
Faceman pokes his head around the privacy curtains. "Hey," he says, taking in the sight of Murdock leaning over his sibling.
"Go away, Temp," Murdock replies wearily, not looking at his friend. "I don't want to get into it right now."
Never one to be easily put off Face moves to stand behind HM. He wraps his hands around the pilot's hips, bending to rest his head on Murdock's back.
"I know. I'm sorry for being a prick," Face says. HM tenses under him but makes no other moves. "I can't understand what this is like for you and I shouldn't even try. I should just be here for you when you need me, like B.A. and the Old Man are."
Murdock shivers in Faceman's grip, he seems hotter to the touch. Face, in turn, pulls his friend up and spins him around to look deeply into those lunatic-hazel eyes.
"I'm sorry I hurt you," Face says to the madcap and drags the smaller man into a strong embrace.
Murdock returns the hug, his lean arms circling the sculpted waist. Face hisses at the pressure on his new stitches but doesn't pull away, HM notices the reaction, though.
"Oh shit, Temp, I forgot you got hurt. And I was gonna ask if you were seducing me," the pilot jokes, loosening his grip; he sounds and feels more relaxed.
"Ugh, I was thinking about it," Peck grits through his teeth, "but I might need a rain check."
"Ha!" Murdock laughs, giving Face a gentle shove. "It's okay, man. We're shiny. You go get some sleep. The nurses have really taken care of my baby sister. I'm gonna go get clean then hit the hay."
"G'night buddy," Face says, strolling out of the privacy screens. 'That was easy...' he thinks.
Murdock listens to the fading sound of Face's steps before turning back to his inert sister, a wary look replacing the forced smile he'd given his friend.
"I know y'all can hear me in there," he says in a low voice. "And George, I swear if you even breath one word about me to my team, I'll have Sophie in a drug-induced coma so fast all your heads'll spin."
Sophie doesn't answer, neither does George.
The younger Murdock's brain is locked within itself, unable to respond to the outside world.
"I thought so," HM says meanly. He tucks the blankets around Sophie's still form and plants a kiss on her scarred forehead.
"I'll be back in the morning, sweetheart," he sighs and heads to the showers.