BA's head was bandaged, but intact - as he had known right from the start it would be. Now he was waiting at the runway for his team to return. He knew it was a remnant from the camp, and therefore probably stupid, but he just didn't feel at ease with them being further away from him than he could run in five minutes. Tops. More like one minute.

Tops.

He knew immediately that something had happened when they climbed out of the plane. They were all too silent. The one thing he cherished about his team was that they did not give each other the silent treatment; unless something was seriously wrong. And judging from the way Murdock looked the other way and kept a distance between himself and the other two... Although, on closer observation, he kept a distance from Face. Oh, them idiots.

Ever since Face had returned, they were doing a dance around each other that was as subtle as it was weird. Murdock avoiding Face, Face avoiding Murdock... and now all over again.

"Hey Faceman, c'mon and help me with somethin'." BA was determined to do something about that. It was not yet affecting their team-work, but it might in the future.

"Sure. I'll be right there. Just wanna change and shave first. You have that much time?"

BA nodded. "I'll be working on the jeep."

Face showed up a half hour later, about a quarter hour longer than changing and shaving would have warranted. Except if he had thrown in a quick shower as well, which was very possible. Face had always been a bit of a neat-freak, but since the camp he was borderline compulsive.

"So, what do you need from me?" Face asked placidly.

BA scrached his head for a moment. He had spent the wait thinking about how to start. This was a very delicate matter, he had to tread carefully, so Face wouldn't rush off. He was the running-away-type of guy. "Face, you gotta promise me something before I start."

Face paused for a second, but then nodded and, still calm and unruffled, said, "sure, what?"

"All I'm asking is that you listen. I mean, it's up to you, what you do afterwards, but first listen, got that?" That pretty much was a trap. If Face didn't want to lose face, he had to agree.

True enough, Face nodded, even though his suspicions grew visibly stronger.

"That fool, Murdock."

Face so painstakingly did not react, that BA knew he'd hit the the poblem head-on. Not that there had been much doubt about it before.

"I don't know what that thing between the two of you is, and I don't want to know, but get it straightened out."

"Tell him, not me."

Wow, a real answer. BA had not dared to hope for that.

"Well, I'm telling you. Remember, you promised to listen."

Face nodded reluctantly.

"What's the matter with you and him anyway? You used to be friends. Now it looks you got something 'tween you, something big. As I said, I don't care what it is, just get it fixed. You two need to talk to each other again. If you don't, you might kill the Team."

Face looked at him reproachfully. "It's something personal. And I know how to tell personal from professional. And so does he."

BA did not doubt that, but personal animosities and problems had a tendency to permeate all aspects of life, no matter how hard you tried not to let it happen. "Look, I don't want to preach you. But you guys need to get your act together. Not just 'cause it's safer for the team, but 'cause it's a shame, letting a good friendship go to waste. So stop being so pigheaded, and start doing something about it." Deeming the matter closed as far as he was concerned, BA looked around. "You haven't seen a tin with some screws in it, have you?"

It was late and Face slowly returned to the room he shared with Murdock, BA's pep-talk still on his mind. He was not wrong, Face had to admit, but what to do when Murdock didn't play along? How was he supposed to clear the air between them when Murdock wouldn't even talk with him? He couldn't do it on his own.

He had done his best, giving it another try just after dinner, but to no avail, Murdock had still been distanced and weird. So... Face sighed. So now the ball was in Murdock's court. He had done his best, but there just came a point when things became futile.

Face had played cards, purely for the distraction it offered, and for the first time in ages he had lost without intending to. Cheating at cards was second nature to him, but tonight he had kept messing up the cards. This whole mess with Murdock throwing him off his game.

The room was dark, and a soft snore told him that his roomie was in, and fast asleep. Good. Face really had no energy left for another encounter with this stranger who was supposed to be his friend.

Lying in bed an hour later, Face still listened to the sounds of the night. Insects buzzing, wind rustling in leafs, creaking in the woodwork above, Murdocks even breathing. "Please, I want to sleeeeeep", he mouthed in soundless agony. He was dog-tired, but sleep just didn't come. He turned to the other side. More sounds of the night, another turn.

"Can't sleep?"

Face half jumped out of his skin. "You're awake?"

"With all the ruckus you're making? You bet."

"Ruckus?" Face coplained loudly.

Murdock chuckled softly. "Alright, alright, sorry, no ruckus. Can't sleep, not your fault."

"You were sleeping when I came in."

Murdock cleared his throat. "Well, reasons to wake up besides you being noisy."

"I was not..." Face huffed, then halted. Murdock was being himself again. Approachable, friendly, talkative.

"Is that you again", Face asked rather outspokenly. "I mean, are you you? What is it, do you need the dark to hide in to be really you?"

There was a lengthy silence from Murdock, until Face almost believed that he had shocked his friend away.

"Sorry for today", Murdock said softly. "Don't know what got into this Captain. I mean, there I am, promising to never hurt you, and then I go an do exactly that. I mean..."

"You didn't," Face lied. "You confused me." And for what it was worth, that bit was also true.

"I..." Murdock sat up. "The thing I said yesterday, I meant it," he said softly.

Face sat up as well, and for a while they just sat there, in almost complete darkness, looking at nothing and listening to silence.

TBC