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Theory Of Revolution Missing Scene
by elamae
Title: Untitled Intimacy Challenge Response
Status: Final draft
Author: Elamae
Warnings: Spoilers for Season 5 The Theory of Revolution
Feedback levels: UP TO LEVEL 1
Author's notes: My response to the Intimacy Challenge set by Elizabeth on A Slash - 'The missing scene needs to involve all the members of the team as well as one or two non-team characters from the episode. Write your new scene using whichever kinds of character traits or actions you believe indicate a deep level of intimacy (which we might want to restate as familiarity or ease) without being sexual.' My missing scene set during the trek back to the boat after they rescue both Face and the CIA guys from the Dictator in season 5 ep 4, The Theory Of Revolution.
Pairing: At end of story.
Many thanks to Elizabeth for a short notice beta!
~~~
The trek through the woody underbrush was hard going. The heat and humidity made it difficult and more than once Hannibal turned at the sound of a stumble to see Face wobbling, even when his actual course through the undergrowth didn't stray. After about 5 minutes he noticed that BA up on point had slowed the pace. Only a fraction, not enough for Face to notice but enough to take some of the pressure off.
Somehow, all of them had unconsciously barricaded Face in between them. BA having taken point, Frankie next with Face behind him, Murdock pretty much on Face's heels and Hannibal bringing up the rear. The CIA guys were trailing behind, keeping their trail within the team's.
After another five minutes the sound of a stumble was followed by the louder sound of a fall and Hannibal quickly caught up to find Murdock bent over Face, who was even now climbing to his feet.
"Face, take it easy," Murdock's quiet voice could be heard.
"I'm fine," Face's own quiet, easy reassurance came back. "Just caught a tree root." He pushed himself to his feet but the immediate sway to the side belied his words.
"We'll take five anyway," Hannibal cut in. "We're half way there. We can afford to catch our breath for a moment." He caught Murdock's eyes and nodded, reading the silent gratitude there.
BA had come back, Frankie at his shoulder, and nodded his agreement. He caught Frankie's shoulder and the two of them returned to the rear to take up guard.
The three CIA men had retreated to the side and were quietly waiting. As Hannibal glanced over, Blake stepped forward and when he saw that everyone's attention was elsewhere, spoke quietly to Hannibal.
"Keep an eye on your man there. He took quite a pounding when he was in the cells."
Hannibal flickered his eyes over to where Face was bent over at the waist, back against the tree and head now resting against Murdock's stomach. He looked back to the tall blond man and nodded his thanks once, his expressions serious. "We always do."
He threw the man a small smile before walking over to where Murdock stood in front of Face, supporting the other man with both his presence and his touch. One hand was resting gently in the nape of Face's neck, long fingers lightly stroking through the short hair there.
Hannibal could hear the slightly laboured breathing from his Lieutenant, read the exhaustion and pain in the tight lines of his shoulders and trembling in his arms, hands braced against his knees. Murdock met his gaze and he saw the concern in their brown depths. He brought his own hand up to squeeze Murdock's own shoulder before resting his other on the damp t-shirt covering his second in command's back.
Though he was in his thirties, a Vietnam vet and an extremely adept member of the elite Special Forces, his Lieutenant could whine like a four year old. It was never serious though and Face would normally carry on with whatever he had been asked to do anyway, but Hannibal had never heard his name stretched out so much or so well in all his years in the Army or in his personal life. It never failed to bring a smile to his lips.
However, like the rest of the team he knew that when Face stopped actively complaining was normally the time for them to be concerned. When he was really hurting. Face always seemed to find his other inner child in these instances. The one that insisted everything was okay and nothing was wrong. The one that would go away and hide in the corner with his stick stomach or hurting head. That would deny that he needed to see the doctor or have any of that nasty medicine. It was the inner child that was more adult than the actual adult. The only problem with that was that Face could have an arm hanging off and he'd still insist that he was okay.
Hannibal knew that Face had taken quite a beating whilst in the care of the Dictator and although he was up and moving, knew that all sorts of unknown injuries could be lurking out of sight. Unless it was something that he knew would put the other members of the team in danger, Face would keep quiet until he either passed out or fell over. This time, thankfully, at least he'd chosen falling over.
The fact that Face neither started at his hand nor shrugged it off, suggested Face was hurting worse than he was letting on, in that normally he wouldn't stand for public displays of affection. Public equalling the three CIA guys sat patiently to their left. Face had never been very comfortable with being tactile, particularly in a public setting, and had guarded his personal space tightly right from the start. It had been years before any of them had managed to break down those barriers and even now Hannibal occasionally bruised himself banging up against an unseen obstacle.
But here, in this deserted patch of woodland, miles from anywhere, Hannibal indulged in the freedom to touch and soothe, even now feeling the slight lessening of tension in the muscles under his hand.
He looked over to where BA and Frankie were crouched a short distance away and met BA's gaze. No movement from behind as yet. They could afford to stay a few moments longer, but he also knew the sooner they made it to the beach, the sooner they could all rest in a less stressful location.
"Okay, guys, let's get moving again." He gestured for BA and Frankie to come up and pointed out in front. "Same alignment as before. BA on point. We should be at the boat in less than thirty minutes."
He moved his hand from Face's back as the others neared and noticed Murdock removing his own, gently pushing Face into an upright position. Blue eyes met brown and almost immediately crinkled into a bright, if somewhat pinched smile.
"I'm good Murdock, honest." Eyes closing briefly, as he regained his balance, he left one hand momentarily gripping the side of Murdock's sleeve before turning and walking after BA and Frankie, footsteps accurate if a little slower than normal.
Murdock set off immediately, near enough to be on hand but not so near as to trigger Face's unease. Hannibal exchanged another look with Blake before bringing up the rear.
Sometimes words were not needed.
The pairing I had in mind when I wrote this was Face/Murdock.
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