Test of Friendship 

by Susie and Red  

Warning: Main character death...with recurring role. Swearing, and lots of
 

angst... Some m/m love in future parts. 

Disclaimer: We don't own the guys but we sure like to play with them... 

Comments: yes, please 

Summary: After the Death of a character Face begins seeing things when he
wears  

a certain object. Don't want to give too much away here. 

Copyright: 2001 

Part 1 

It was raining hard that day. But it didn't matter to Templeton Peck. His
whole  

world had shattered three days ago. He sat there at the cemetery numbness 


penetrating through his body as he watches the coffin of his best friend
being  

lower into the ground. He watches as his Colonel and friend lead a small
gun  

salute in honor of their friend. He stared at him as he presented him the
flag  

from the coffin and salutes him. Templeton Peck slowly rose and numbly
returns  

the salute. As his Colonel steps back, Templeton thought back to that day.
The  

day his world ended. 

*Flashback* 

HM Murdock lay on the sand with his best friend Templeton Peck or Face.
They had  

both just returned to LA after the team had been given full pardons. They
were  

now free men no longer on the run. Face with the money he had saved had
brought  

a beach house where he was staying and Murdock had decided to visit. Face
smiled	

down at Murdock as he lay on the sand.	

"Hey Faceman, penny for your thought."	

"It's nothing Murdock I was just thinking about the fact that we are now
free. I  

didn't think Stockwell would lived up to his promise." 

Murdock sat up and gazed at Face. "You know I was beginning to wonder
about  

that myself. But then out of the blue he gives you your pardons. Then  

practically throws you out of the house." 

Face laughed and threw sand at Murdock who suddenly jumped up and tackled
Face  

into the sand. Both men started laughing neither one noticing the pair of
eyes  

watching them. 

"Come on Murdock we promised Hannibal to see his comeback as the
Aquamaniac." 

"Face do we have to? I'm hungry. How about something to eat first?" 

"I could run up to the house and get something."  

"Oh I was hoping for on of those cheesy chili dogs." 

"Murdock those things are messy." 

"Please Facey. I want one real bad. I mean the taste just won't leave my
mouth.	

It like I will die if I don't get one."  

"Murdock you won't die if you don't get a cheesy chili dog." 

"What Face? I can't hear you. I think I am fading away. I need that cheesy
 

chilidog. Say good bye to Hannibal and the mud sucker for me. Tell them I
died  

with honor." 

"Okay, okay knock it off. I'll get you your cheesy chilidog. But you own
me  

Murdock big time." Face headed toward the hot dog stand. He brought
Murdock his  

disgusting cheesy chilidogs. Face hated those things. They were messy and
always	

dripped down his hands and they were hot. Face could not understand how  

Murdock's stomach didn't dissolved after eating one of those. He started
back  

when suddenly a girl ran into him causing him to drop the cheesy chilidogs
in  

the sand.  

"Oh my. I am sorry. I didn't see you," she exclaimed. Face smiled at her. 

"Hey that okay I can always buy two more." 

"No I will buy them for you. I insist after all it is my fault that you
lost  

those." Face except her offer and she bought him two more and they enjoy a
cup  

of coffee together.  

"Thank you for letting me treat you Face, maybe I'll see you around." 

"You can count on it Misty. I will be around." 

Face headed back to where Murdock was waiting. As he approached, he
noticed  

that Murdock had turned over on his stomach probably because the sun had
been  

shining in his eyes. Face walked up to him.  

"Hey Murdock wake up. I got you your cheesy yucky chilidogs." 

Face waited for Murdock to roll over and sit up. But he didn't.  

"Murdock? Faces asked as he knelt down beside him and turn him over. All
Face  

saw was a pair of dead eyes staring at him.  

"MURDOCKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!" He screamed.  

*Present* 

Face realized that he had screamed out loud and Hannibal was at his side
in an  

instant. Face stared at him then crumbled into his arms and bawled like a
baby.  

Hannibal held his friend tight.  

"Come on Face let it out you hadn't cried since it happened come on son
let it	

out."  

BA stood away and just watched. He didn't know what to say. Two days later
the  

teams was at Murdock's apartment. They were packing up Murdock's snuff to
give  

to the Goodwill as Murdock request in his will Face sat on the bed
clutching the  

jacket. The jacket had been given to him at Murdock's request. Face slowly
got  

up and walks out of the room. Hannibal and BA just watch. 

"Is he going to be all right, Hannibal?"  

Hannibal sighed. "I don't know BA. I hope so. It's been two days since the
 

funeral and Face hasn't eaten or spoken a word. Let's give him time."  

BA nodded his head. Face sat in his car staring intensely at the jacket.
"Why  

Murdock? Why did you make me go after those stupid chilidogs. If I had
been  

there I might had been able to stop what happened." 

Face slammed his fist on the steering wheel to calm down .He was so angry 


inside. This was so unfair to finally get their pardons only to loose his
best  

friend. He held the jacket closer hoping to smell Murdock scent on it but
he got	

nothing. Suddenly a cold breeze came up and Face felt chilly so he put the
 

jacket on. 

"Hey Faceman long time no see."  

Face jumped as the familiar voice drifted over to him from the back seat. 


Startled, he lifted his eyes to the rearview mirror but saw no one there.
"I  

must really be losing it." He muttered feeling his heart beat slow back
down to  

its normal rhythm. The imaginary voice seemed so real, to clear. He could
almost	

hear the giggle coming from thin air.  

He zipped up the jacket folded his arms across his chest and closed his
eyes  

picturing Murdock's face. The way his laugh lines crinkled as he was
amused or  

the way his goofy grin would appear whenever he had pissed of BA one to
many  

times. Despite himself, Face smiled at the memories. Memories were all he
had  

now, bittersweet memories.  

"Calling Faceman, come in Faceman." 

Face smiled as the familiar drawl invaded his thoughts. He could hear the 


twinkle in the voice as it giggled at him. So clear, so close. 

"Come on Faceman, you can do it." 

Face opened his eyes and frowned. That voice, had he imagined it? He
looked	

around him in confused agitation. How dare someone mock his grief buy
trying to  

imitate his best friend's voice! "Who are you?" He called out in anger at
the  

unknown perpetrator. He tried to see out of the windshield but raindrops
made  

viewing impossible. 

"Whoa, Muchacho, calm down, it's only me." A deep melancholy drawl echoed
so  

close that he felt the warmth of a voice next to his ear. 

Face jumped at the voice and nearly leaped out of the corvette. His
unconscious  

mind reached for the gun that he no longer needed to carry since his
pardon. But  

since Murdock's death, those long three days ago; he had begun to carry it
 

around again. He wanted the son of a bitch who had killed Murdock. Wanted
him  

badly, so badly that he could feel his rage boil turning his blood into  

molasses.  

"Who's there?" He called out again casting his vision out in all
directions  

drawing his weapon closer, holding it at the ready.  

"You gonna use that on your best buddy?" 

Face whipped around in his seat and glanced at the back seat. Empty. "Who
are  

you? Why are you doing this?" He screamed out in anguish. Tears burned
behind	

his eyes, but he refused to allow them to fall at that moment in time.
Plenty of  

time for that later in the privacy of his own home. 

"Facey?" 

Face raised the weapon and pointed it at the back seat towards the voice.
He  

must really be losing it. There was nobody there.  

"Facey?" 

"Damn it!" Face screamed covering his ears. "Stop it! Leave me alone!" 

"No can do, buddy." 

Face opened his eyes slowly at first then widened in alarm at the pair of
eyes  

staring back at him. 

"It can't be." Face muttered staring in horror at the figure sitting
comfortably  

in the back seat. The figured grinned that all to familiar lopsided grin
at him	

that made his stomach turn. "You're dead. I saw..." 

"I know, Faceman. I am dead." Murdock leaned forward reaching out to
comfort the  

shaken man before him. "And, I'm so sorry you had to find me like that." 

Face closed his eyes against the image. "You're dead...you're dead." He
chanted  

unable to believe his own eyes. "You can't be here." 

The Murdock image grinned reaching out to push back the damp fallen fringe
off  

the blonde man's forehead. He frowned as his hand passed right through.  

"Um...Facey?"  

"Yeah?" Face automatically replied. 

"Are you okay?" 

"No I'm not. You're dead. I've lost my best friend, and now I'm
hallucinating.	

Does that sound like I'm all right to you?" 

"Well, at least you're talking to me. Man, I've been trying to get your  

attention since day one." Murdock said leaning his arms against the back
of  

Face's seat. He leaned forward laying his chin on his arms looking up into
 

Face's eyes. "You look great in my jacket." 

"It's a little big." Face replied pulling the jacket a little snugger
around	

him. "But, it's warm. I can see why you wore it all of the time." He
grinned at  

the thought. "And to think that I used to get onto you about wearing it."
He  

looked up back into his best friend's eyes. "Are you really here? Or do I
get  

you're old room at the VA." 

"I'm here Face. I haven't left you. I promised you once that I would never
leave  

you alone, and I am keeping that promise until you are ready." 

"Ready?" Face shivered. "Ready for what?" 

"To let me go." 

"I can't do that, Murdock, you've meant the world to me...I...I don't
think that I  

can ever let you go." Tears began to cloud his vision...and Murdock began
to fade.  

"Murdock? Wait! Don't go!" Face screamed reaching out to the vanishing
figure.  

"Murdock?!?" 

The passenger side door opened and Hannibal looked in concern etched
deeply into  

his lined face. Face glanced between him and the empty back seat. His
tears  

freely falling. 

"Are you okay, Kid?" Hannibal asked getting inside of the car. 

"No, sir." Face shook his head and began sobbing heavily.  

Hannibal reached out and gathered the broken man into his arms. 

Part 2 

Hannibal drove from the cemetery to Face's Malibu home. The long winding
drive  

in the rain kept Hannibal's attention on the slick road before him. Beside
him,  

quiet sobs were heard above the pattering of rain. Face hadn't been able
to calm  

himself down. Usually he was able to hide behind a façade of masks and	

barriers, but not this time, this time it was harder to pull that curtain,
that  

drapery of camouflage that he tends to hide behind far too much. Hannibal 


reached over and gently took Face's hand in his, letting him know that he
was  

there for him. Face hiccupped softly and squeeze the hand once before
releasing  

it, embarrassed by the gentle reminder. Hannibal risked a quick smile in
his  

direction before turning his attention back to the road leaving Face alone
with  

his torments again.  

Once he had parked Face's vette in the garage, Hannibal led him through
the  

plush living area into the master suite. Inside he removed Murdock's
jacket from  

the broken man and ordered him to lie down. Obediently Face slipped
between the  

silk sheets, too tired to argue or to change into his pajamas so, fully
dressed,  

he quickly fell into a deep troubled sleep.  

Hannibal started to place Murdock's jacket onto the bed frame when he
stopped.  

The jacket that he knew so well. He held the familiar jacket close to his
chest  

as a pain of loss ripped through his chest. He had missed seeing his
friends,  

had put it off for far to long. Now, there would never be another chance
to talk  

to Murdock. Maybe not a chance for Face as well, at least not for a while.
He  

had been too broken, too shattered. It will be a long time for his pain to
heal,  

as it will for himself and for BA. 

"Why you of all people?" He thought angrily, clenching tightly to the
leather  

coat like it was a lifejacket, holding onto his lucidity in the ocean of  

abandoned rationality. "Why did this have to happen to you? Who did you
ever  

hurt to be treated like that? To be so ruthlessly murdered. Who could have
done  

that to you?"  

He hugged the jacket to his chest remembering the last time that he and
Murdock  

had talked. It had been three weeks ago yesterday. He had been in Bad Rock
with  

Maggie when Murdock called wanting to get everyone together for a weekend
away  

in the mountains. 

"To catch up on old times. Hannibal, Just for old times sake. Whadaya
say?" The  

Familiar voice drawled through the telephone line. "Get you, me, Faceman
and the  

big ugly Mudsuka together once again. Out in the woods just us four. It
would be  

fun. Whadaya say, you in?" 

"Sorry Captain," He had said, "Sounds like fun but, I couldn't get away
just  

now. How about some other time, Okay?" he had replied and that was it. He
could  

hear Murdock grin and say that it was fine, that they could do it some
other  

time. No argument, no complaining, those things just weren't Murdock's
way.  

Agreeable, as always, to the end.  

To the end. 

That was it, the last time he had heard that wonderful voice. There will
never  

be any more communications with him ever again. No more personas to play
along  

with. No more goofy grins or opera ditties that he loved to sing. Songs
that he  

sang so beautifully even Face was clearly impressed. Now that voice was  

silenced, forever. A powerful force grabbed at his heart and he bent over
from  

the memories. The loss brought forth an emotional groan as he held onto
the  

jacket with his life. They should have gotten together, should have gone
away,  

spoken to each other, tried to say goodbye. But it was over, no more
Murdock, no  

more of his crazy, humorous antics, no more silly songs and no more Billy.


Slowly, ever so slowly, with tears streaming down his face, he carefully
draped	

the jacket over the bed frame and reached out to touch his last link to
Murdock.  

Hannibal gently swept a tousled lock of hair back from his forehead.  

"You need a haircut Kid." He muttered smiling through his tears. Face
moaned and  

twisted away from the gentle caress. A look of sadness fell across his
face as  

whatever dream he was in took control. Hannibal sighed and carefully
closed the  

door behind him as he left. He let the tears fall unhindered as he leaned
his  

forehead against the cool wood of the door.  

"We will find the Bastard who did this." He pledged as he clenched his
hands  

into fists resisting the urge to pound on something or someone. Anger
filled his  

body as the tears rolled down his cheeks. "I promise you, Murdock, he will
not  

get away with this."  

He didn't notice the slight flutter of the drapes as he passed by or the
soft  

moan of anguish from them.  

"I know you will." Murdock thought sadly watching his friend's tortured
form  

walk across the hall to the 

guestroom. "I know you will." 

***** 

Murdock stared down at Face who was now in a fit full sleep. "Oh, Face, I
am so  

sorry I left you the way I did, but I am here now, and I like I promise, I
will  

be here as long as you need me. "Face clung to the pillow in his sleep.
Murdock  

sat by his bed and watched him. "I love you Face." 

He kept on driving. He didn't know where he was going and he didn't care.
He  

just had to get away. BA Baracus had faced death so many times but this
time it  

had been personal and it hurt so badly. He had been working at the garage
when  

Hannibal called him on the phone.  

"Hello?" 

"BA this is Hannibal. You had better come to Face's house. He needs us."  

BA could tell something was wrong. "Hey, man, what wrong?"  

"BA. Please just come. I don't want to discuss this over the phone." 

BA drove to Face's beach house. When he got there, police were all around.
He  

made his way past them and came into the house. He stopped at the sight he
saw.  

Both men were on the couch. Hannibal was holding on to Face who was in
shock.	

Face kept repeating over and over again. "Why, Hannibal?" 

BA hurried over to them. "What happened to Faceman? Did that crazy fool do
 

anything to him?" 

Suddenly, Face got up and pushed BA up against the wall "He not a fool
stop  

calling him that. He is a better man then any of us. Do you here me BA?"
He  

clenched his hand into a fist. "If you ever call him a fool again, I will
break  

every bone in your body." Face released BA and walked away. BA stared at
him  

then at Hannibal. 

"What wrong Hannibal and where Murdock?" 

Hannibal got off of the couch and placed his hand on BA.  

"He was murdered." 

BA shook his head. The word still echoed in his mind. He was murdered. He 


remembered what he had done. He ran out of the house and he screamed at
the top  

of his lungs ripping his shirt and clawing at his chest. He barely
remembered  

Hannibal trying his best to comfort him. But BA would not be comforted, he
had  

cried so hard. He suddenly pulled away from Hannibal and went after Face. 

"Why didn't you protect him?" 

Face stared at him. "Why do you care? He gone. No one to get on your
nerves any  

more." 

The minute the words came out Face regretted it. "Oh, God! BA, I am so
sorry. I  

didn't mean it." 

BA nodded at Face. "It's okay." 

Hannibal looked at his men. "Face, can you show us where it happened? 

Face shook his head. "I can't Hannibal, please don't ask me too."  

Hannibal nodded his head. He then asked one of the policemen to show him, 


leaving BA to watch Face. 

********** 

BA drove all night, by morning he found himself in front of Face's beach
house.	

He didn't remembered driving this way. He parked the van and climbed the
stairs.  

He knocked on the door, and soon Hannibal came to the door.  

"Hi, BA, come on in."  

"How is Face?" 

"Tired, confused, devastated, take your pick. I don't know what to do BA.
I  

feel so helpless. I had lost many of my men, in Vietnam but this hurts
more."	

"I know man. Murdock's death was senseless and it wasn't fair. Whoever
killed	

him was a coward. He shot him in the back of the head." 

Hannibal started to reply when Face came into the kitchen. 

"Good morning gentlemen. Isn't a beautiful morning?"  

Hannibal and BA stared at Face. He was very badly dressed, not in his
normal	

way. His pants were slightly twisted so that it looked very uncomfortable.
His  

shirt was on inside out, from what they could see of it and his shirttail
was  

hanging loose. But the one thing they stared at the most was the jacket.
The  

only piece of clothing Face had on neatly.  

"Good morning, Face," replied Hannibal.  

"Hey guys did you stay over all night?"  

"No man, I just got here." 

Face smiled. "I really think that was nice of you, but it not necessary." 


Hannibal walked over to Face. "Kid, I really don't think you should be
alone  

right now." 

Face smiled at Hannibal and BA. "But I am not alone, Murdock is here."	

BA suddenly lost it and grabbed Face. "Stop it! Murdock is dead! He gone!"
 

Face suddenly found inner strength and stuck BA who fell back. "Don't you
ever  

touch this jacket again! Do you understand me?"  

Murdock gently placed his arms around Face. "It all right, Facey, calm
down. BA  

can't see me." 

"Hold me, Murdock, please hold me," cried Face. 

"I am Muchacho. I am." 

Hannibal stared at Face. He needed help or they were going to lose him
too.  

Part 3 

Hannibal stared intensely at Face. "Hey Face, why don't you take a shower?
I  

think you could used one." 

Face nodded his head. "I guess a shower would be a good idea. I'll go do
that  

now." Face headed into the bathroom when Hannibal called him back.  

"Hey Face give me the jacket. You can't wear it in the shower." 

Face hesitated for a moment pulling the jacket tighter.  

"Face, Hannibal's right you can't take it in the shower."  

"But if I take it off you will leave."	

"Face, I won't leave, I will be here. I promise." 

Hannibal knew that Face wasn't speaking to him. "Face, I'm sure Murdock
will  

stay."	

"You don't believed Murdock is here do you Hannibal?"  

"Face, I believe that you believe he is here." 

"Hannibal, he is here." Face took off the jacket and gave it to Hannibal. 


"Here. Put this on and you will see him." 

Hannibal just stared at the jacket. "Face?" 

"Hannibal, please, just put it on." Hannibal took the jacket and he put it
on.  

"Well?" Face asked. 

"Well what? It's a little tight." 

"Do you see Murdock?" 

"Face, all I see is you." 

"That's impossible. You are wearing the jacket. Why can't you see him?" 

"Because I think this jacket has nothing to do with you seeing Murdock. I
think  

you blame yourself and that's why you are seeing him." 

Face glared at Hannibal. "I don't care what you say. I can see him. I am
going  

to take my shower please take care of that jacket for me." 

"Sure kid I will." 

Murdock watched as Face went to take a shower and Hannibal places the
jacket on  

the back of the couch. The jacket fell into the box lying on the seat of
the  

couch. Murdock tried to get it out but he couldn't touch it. This made no
sense.	

He could touch Face but not the jacket. Suddenly there was a knock on the
door  

Hannibal went to answer it.  

"Hi I'm from the Goodwill. I was told to pick up some stuff." 

Hannibal nodded his head. "Come on in the box is in the living room on the
 

couch."  

"Thanks." The girl walked in and saw the box. She picked it up. "Thanks a
lot." 

Hannibal waves at her because he was on the phone. The girl nodded her
head and  

left. When she got out, she got into the truck. 

"Hey, Angel, look at this jacket."  

The other girl looked at the jacket. "Too old. We wouldn't get a buck
fifty out  

of it. Ditch it." 

Misty shook her head. "I kind of like It." She replied as she put in on. 

Murdock didn't know what to do. Without the jacket, Face could not see
him, and  

the jacket was gone. He listened to the water running. What was going to
happen	

now?  

************* 

The water stopped and a few minutes later Face emerged clean and dressed.
His  

hair was still damp from the shower, but clean and combed. He looked
around for  

the jacket and not seeing it approached Hannibal. "Where's my jacket?" 

"It over on the couch." Hannibal pointed. 

Face frowned, he didn't see it there but he went to go check anyway. The
couch  

sat empty. A shiver went down his spine as he stared at the empty space.
He  

remembered that there had been box there before and now it was gone as
well.  

Realization flooded over him at the meaning of the missing box. "Oh No!  

Hannibal?!?" Face screamed out falling to the floor. "Where is my jacket?
What  

did you do?" 

"It's there on the couch, Face..." Hannibal said moving over to the sofa.
He  

stopped when he saw the empty sofa as well. "Well it was there. That's
where I  

left it." He turned to BA. "Did you move it?" 

"Naw, not me." BA answered joining the other two. 

"Where's the box!" Face screamed in pain and anger.  

"Two girls from the Goodwill came for it." 

"You gave it to Goodwill?" Face couldn't believe his ears. "How could
you." 

"I didn't give it to anybody, Lieutenant. Calm down. It must have fell
into the  

box by accident. I'll give them a call and get it back." 

Face slumped down onto the offending sofa. He felt the depression
cascading down	

on him like a fast running waterfall. One he couldn't swim away from. The
water,	

crushing him, slamming him hard against the rocks. He felt helpless.
Without  

that jacket, there is no Murdock and without Murdock, there was no Face. 

"Its Okay, Faceman." BA sat down next to the anguished man and draped his 


massive arm around Face's shoulder. It was awkward but he was trying to
console  

him as best as he could. "We'll get crazyman's jacket back for you." 

"I see. Thank you." Hannibal replaced the receiver back onto the hook and
turned	

towards the men. "Well, the box hasn't gotten there yet." He said
returning to  

stand before the two. "But, they said that they would keep an eye out for
it." 

"I need that jacket." Face moaned rocking back and forward, holding onto
his  

stomach as if in pain. "I need that jacket." 

Hannibal and BA glanced worriedly at each other. A silent agreement passed
 

between them. BA stood to his feet and gathered his keys from the hall
table.	

"I'll be back." He said walking to the door. "I'm gonna go find those
girls."  

And with that he slammed the door behind him and bolted to his van. 

Hannibal gathered the broken man into his arms trying to comfort him. It
was so	

strange how Face had taken to that jacket. It was like an attached limb
now. A	

lifeless limb that hung useless, but a limb none the less. Its usefulness
long  

forgotten but, still there. Just in case it may someday be needed again.
That  

was the jacket in a nutshell. Once a part of Murdock, now dead, again,
like  

Murdock but he'd be damned it that jacket was useless. As long as it was
around,  

Face felt that Murdock was around, and to Hannibal, that was close enough.


"Come on Kid." He said standing and pulling a protesting Face to his feet
as  

well. "Let's go out to the beach and get some sun. You're looking mighty
pale." 

"Don't want to." Face whined trying to remove his arm from Hannibal's
grip. 

Hannibal tugged harder forcing the man to stand. "Doesn't matter if you
want to  

or not, you're going out there. Sitting around here all day is doing
nothing for  

your attitude or you appearance. You haven't done anything since Murdock's
 

death. That's not like you." 

Face blanched at Hannibal's words, turning him a new shade of white. 

He looked around hoping to see Murdock nearby, but except for them, the
room was  

dejectedly empty. Tears formed behind his eyes as he thought of Murdock.
Without  

the jacket, there was no Murdock. He had to get that jacket back. He just
had  

to. Living without Murdock was not a life worth living. He felt a soft
flutter  

in his head and looked around. 'Murdock?' He whispered. 

BA drove around the neighborhood looking for the Goodwill truck. It had to
be  

somewhere nearby. He drove aimlessly keeping an eye out for the truck but
his  

mind was somewhere else on another problem. He was worried about Face very
 

worried. After Murdock had died, The conman had not been the same. 

BA had known that the two friends were close, but he never looked to
earnestly  

as to just how close they really were. There were telltale signs that they
were  

more that just mere friends however, he figured that that wasn't any of
his  

business. What they did in their own time was their business, or used to
be  

their business.  

He remembered a time where he almost caught them in the act or close to
doing  

the act. It was years ago, after a particular disastrous mission where
Murdock  

had been shot. He shuddered at the thought. Shot. It was only a matter of
time  

before destiny took him that way. He had a bullet with his name on it. It
just  

took several bullets a few times to claim that life. Murdock had been  

recuperating at Face's place when BA drove up unannounced. He grinned at
the  

memory. He had just opened the door and walked in. There was a scurry of  

movement, a few quiet curses and Murdock and Face's head popped up over
the top  

of the couch.  

"Don't you ever knock?" Face complained getting to his feet smoothing down
his  

shirt in the process. Murdock grinning maniacally beside him. 

"If you would answer you damned phone I wouldn't have to." BA had said
entering  

the room. Murdock's head ducked down again to return with his baseball
hat.  

"Hannibal's been trying to get you two all day. Wanted to know if
crazyman's  

ready to get back to the VA." 

Murdock sighed gaining his feet. "I guess I had better." He said gathering
his  

jacket and slipping into it.  

"You sure?" Face asked hopefully. 

"Yeah. Don't want them giving away my room to somebody else." He had
grinned  

slipping his hands into his khaki's pockets. BA saw the disappointment on
Face's	

face, but Murdock only grinned and slapped his arm around the blond man's 


shoulder. "Hey, don't fret Muchacho, besides those frowns don't look to
nice on  

your features Facey." 

Face glanced sheepishly up at Murdock before sighing heavily and forcing a
grin.  

"Fine." He relented, pushing the pilot away and walking to the doorway.
"But if  

anybody's going to take you back it's going to be me." He grabbed the
vette's  

keys and walked out of the door without looking back. BA and Murdock
exchanged  

looks. The dark eyed pilot shrugged his shoulders and followed. BA shook
his  

head made sure he locked up and left in the van. 

Now, many years later, here he was, still in the same van. He shook his
head at  

the turn of events that has taken place within the last week. 

A broken man down at the beach house. A good man dead and buried. Now a
hunt for  

Murdock's leather jacket. The familiar leather jacket that Faceman can't
seem to  

live without. Face was hurting. BA knew that he had better find that
jacket or  

else Faceman might be lost to them all. He shook his head at the thought.
He  

needed Face. Hannibal needed Face. They couldn't lose him as well as
Murdock. He  

had to find that truck. 

Part 4 

David Summers strolled quietly up the beach. The hot morning sun reaching
its  

peak. Its heat blazing down on top of his baseball cap. It was later than
normal	

for his morning jog so he strolled instead, watching the beachcombers
gathering  

for a busy day of sunbathing. 

He wondered up past the refreshment stand onto the nearest private beach.
That  

beach belonged to the infamous Templeton Peck. A man of incredible  

self-confidence and the most composed man he had ever had the pleasure to
have  

met. Templeton Peck. A man's man to be sure. Member of 'The' famous
A-Team,  

now, no longer wanted by the government. The four former fugitives had
moved on  

and went their separate ways, all except for Templeton Peck and HM
Murdock.  

Templeton had decided to stake up residence in Malibu, not far from his
own  

little home off the beachfront. He had found this cozy little beach house
and  

moved in. Murdock was a constant visitor there always around somewhere.
They  

were firmly determined to stay together after so many years of being on
the run.  

The first time he had seen them together he knew that they were the best
of  

friends and, of course, lovers, had to be. They didn't flaunt it in public
mind  

you but they didn't try to hide it too hard either. Not that anybody would
have  

minded, homosexuality and even bi-sexuality was second nature to a lot of
people	

living here. However, he had noticed that whenever the other two other
members  

of the team were around they cooled it off somewhat. His guess was that
they  

either didn't want the others to know about their affair or that the
others	

weren't comfortable with it. Either way, they kept it in check at those
times. 

He had further learned that all of the former A-Team members lived in LA
or  

nearby, never too far away from the others.  

"A nice little family indeed." He thought as he walked on eyes staring
ahead. 

He had also found, to his dismay, that wherever one went the other wasn't
far  

behind. Always doing things together, swimming, eating, exercising,
everything,  

together. He was happy to learn that both Templeton and Murdock were
fitness  

freaks. 16 years of hard, dangerous living made them that way. Caution and
 

discipline evoked by all their military existence provided their
determination  

to stay in shape. Even in the early onset of middle age, they were just as
fit  

as any twenty-year-old was. Both men liked to jog and, not unlike him,
enjoyed  

their own morning runs along the beach shore.  

That is how he came to meet Templeton and Murdock early one Saturday
morning  

three weeks ago. He left his cozy little home and came to the beach to do
his  

early morning running. Halfway up the beach he noticed two other men
galloping  

toward him. They were pacing each other, each one huffing and puffing.
Sweat  

stains on the front of their matching blue sweat suits. Murdock in his
blue  

baseball cap turned backwards and Templeton's hair uncovered but soaked
with  

sweat. They hadn't noticed him as they got closer. It wasn't until David  

stumbled and fell face first onto the sand when Templeton stopped and
quickly  

went to assist him. 

"You okay?" He asked helping him up. He was barely puffing after running
on the	

beach. 

"Yes. Thank you, just tripped over something." He mumbled looking up into
the  

bluest set of eyes, he had ever seen. 

"Okay then..." Templeton smiled and started to turn away. 

"You're new here aren't you?" David said suddenly. 

Templeton turned back smiling even more. "Yes we are, moved here just the
other  

day." He made the introductions quickly, gesturing for the dark eyed man
to come  

over. "I'm Templeton Peck and this is HM Murdock." 

"Nice to meet you. I'm David Summers." He extended his hand out and shook
both  

the men's hands. "Pleasure to meet two more running freaks."  

"Have to run...keeps the blood circulating." Murdock managed through heavy
 

breathing from his jog. "Don't want to stagnate." 

Templeton laughed gently at that and patted his friend on the back. "When
you've	

caught you breath we'll be off again." 

Murdock shook his head and with another grin suddenly stopped with all the
heavy  

puffing. "Hey. Don't worry about me. I can run with the best of the pack."
All  

of the tiredness in his eyes vanished instantly the play-acting gone in a
rush. 

Templeton shook his head at the fakery and chuckled. "Should have known,
you  

faker you. Trying to make me look good aren't you." 

Murdock grinned mischievously and took a step back. "Com'on Faceman, we
still  

have two miles to go." 

Templeton nodded said goodbye and they were off again. Like two graceful
cats,  

running up the beach towards the boardwalk. He watched them go before
turning  

back towards his own home. His mind dwelling on those blue, blue eyes. 

When he got back to his house Misty was already up preparing breakfast. 

"You're back early, Dad." She smiled setting the places at the table.  

David stopped in his tracks, memory forgotten, when he saw two figures out
on  

the private beach, Hannibal Smith and Templeton. The older man sat quietly
 

watching as the other man stared, stared out over the vast waters,
probably deep  

into his own mental anguish and precious memories.  

David approached quietly, nodded at Hannibal and sat down next to
Templeton.  

"How are you doing buddy?" He asked placing an arm around his shoulder. 

"Not so good, Dave." Templeton shook his head slowly never taking his eyes
of  

the rolling waves.  

David nodded in understanding. Ever since Murdock's death, Templeton had
become	

a zombie. He wasn't quite the same man now. His blue eyes now empty and
hollow.  

His own life snuffed out just like his lover's.  

David shook his head at that thought. He never realized how much they
loved each  

other. 

*************** 

BA Baracus pulled up in front of the beach house. He had been looking for
the  

Goodwill truck all morning without success. As he gets out of the van he
picks  

up the package he brought and walks inside the house. He did not see
anyone in  

the house so he went out onto the deck and saw them down on the beach. He
went  

down the stairs and walked towards them. Hannibal turned to see BA coming.
He  

looked at him but BA shook his head. BA sat down beside Face.  

"Hey little brother." 

Face stared out at the ocean. "Did you find the truck?" 

"I am sorry man I tried. But I did get you this. Now it not the same as  

Murdock's because it's brand new, but after we get a tiger painted on it.
It  

will be just as great." 

BA handed Face the jacket. Face stared at it. Hannibal and BA both held
their  

breaths.  

"Thanks BA." Face picked up the jacket and walked up to the house. 

BA smiled at Hannibal, but Hannibal only watched as Face walked up the
stairs	

into the house. 

David walked back down the beach to his house. He had to find some way to
get  

Templeton to need him, to come to him, not Smith or Baracus. Templeton
needed	

him. They were destined to be together. When David walked into his house,
his  

daughter and her best friend were there. He did a double take when he saw
what  

his daughter was wearing. 

"Where did you get that jacket?"  

Misty smiled at him. "From the goodwill truck."  

"I want it. I want it and I want it now." 

Angel, Misty friend steps up to David. "Why do you want it?"  

"This jacket belong to Murdock and for some unknown reasons is very
important to  

Templeton. If I gave this jacket back to him I would have him for my very
own." 

"Hum." replied Angel. "The jacket is mine. Misty is only wearing it, you
can  

have it for a hundred thousand dollars." 

Misty dropped her mouth. Her father would never pay that much for a
worthless  

jacket. 

David only took out his checkbook and wrote out the amount giving it to
Angel. 

"Now please give me the jacket." 

Angel took the check and gave the jacket to David. 

"Nice to do business with you." 

Face sat down on the couch looking at the new jacket discard on the floor.
BA  

and Hannibal did not understand. They saw he was sad about Murdock, yes he
was,  

but the jacket was the connection.  

He shook his head and left the house starting down to the ocean. He had
nothing  

left, Murdock was gone and so was the jacket. Face looked out over the
waves. He  

took a deep breath and started walking out into the ocean. 

Murdock had been with Face trying to get him to notice him but it was no
use. 

"Face listen to me this is not the way. If you kill yourself, we will not
be  

together. Please Face listen to me." 

But Face could not hear Murdock he kept right on walking into the ocean.
Then  

suddenly David grabbed him and pulled a fighting Face out of the water. 

"Let me go! I want to be with Murdock."  

David placed the jacket around Face and suddenly Face could see Murdock
staring  

at him. 

"I love you," he said. 

"I love you too baby," replied David as he kissed his Templeton.  

Part 5 

Face's eyes widen at David actions. David was pushing his tongue into his
mouth.	

Face pulled away from him. 

"W... w...w... what the hell do you think you are doing?" Face asked in
anger.	

David pulled Face in closer. "Don't fight it Tem. I am here for you. I
know you  

love me I heard you say so." 

He began kissing Face again running his hand down his pants. "Oh, you feel
so  

good Tem."  

Face's eyes now blazed with so much malignity. The next thing David knew
he was	

on the ground with Face raining blow after blow on him. He covered his
face to  

protect himself. He could hear Face's voice and could feel the pain.  

"No one calls me Tem! Only Murdock! No one touches me! Only Murdock! I
don't  

love you! I only love Murdock!" 

"Face! Face! Face! Calm down," cried Murdock. But Face did not hear him
because  

of the rage in his heart. David tried to get away but the blows kept
coming.  

"Face! Stop it! You're going to kill him." Murdock begged.  

Suddenly Face was thrown to the ground. He jumped up and attacked the
person who  

threw him. 

"Face, stop it! It's me, Hannibal!" Hannibal shook Face to get his
attention.  

Face blinked at Hannibal and then looked past him to David who now lay
still on  

the ground. 

"He kissed me and touched me. No one does that to me. No one!" 

Hannibal looked over to BA. "Is he all right BA?" 

BA tried to check on him but David slowly waved him away. "I am all right.
Just  

leave me be." He got up and stared at Face. 

"You are crazy! I am going to sue you for damages Peck!" 

Hannibal looked at the man. "My boy said you touch him. I'd think again if
I  

were you Mr. Summers." 

"It is his word against mine, Mr. Smith and I am a very important person
around	

here. You take my advice, he needs help." At that, David Summers hobbled
away. 

Face glared at him then turned to Murdock. "I am going back to the house.
Are  

you coming?"  

"We will be there in a few minutes Face," replied Hannibal.  

"I WASN"T TALKING TO YOU DAMN IT! I WAS TALKING TO MURDOCK!"  

Hannibal, BA and Murdock stared at Face. Hannibal shook his head. "BA give
me  

the keys to the van. BA, with no argument gave Hannibal the keys. Hannibal
then  

grabbed Face and pulled him into the van. 

"Hey, what's going on?" 

"You need help Face. Help that BA and I can't give you." said Hannibal. 

"I don't need help. I just need Murdock." 

"Murdock is dead kid! He is dead!" 

"I know Hannibal! But he is still with me!" 

"I know that kid," Hannibal replied calming down. He pointed to his heart.
 

"Murdock will always be in here, Face, he knows you will always remember
him.  

But he is gone, Face and acting like he is here just means you need
professional  

help." 

"But Hannibal he is here. He is sitting right here, right beside me. Why
can't  

you see him?" Face could feel the tears coming. He could also feel Murdock
hold  

him.  

Face suddenly turned to stare at Hannibal. "You don't care about Murdock.
He was	

murdered a week ago and you have not even tried to find out who did it.
Why?" 

Hannibal shook his head. "I've been too worried about you, Face. The
police are  

investigating it." 

"Since when have we asked for help from the police?" 

"Since we no longer do what we did." 

"Well, it's about time we did." 

"Face, I will make a deal with you. If you talk to these people, I am
taking you  

to. I promise we will find out who murdered Murdock." 

Face turned towards Murdock. Murdock looked at him.  

"It's up to you Face. But Hannibal is worried about you." 

Face stared back at Hannibal. Hannibal held his breath waiting for Face's 


answered  

"Fine, Hannibal. Let's just get this over with." 

Face slumped in defeat leaning against the warmth of his lover that no one
else  

could see. 

"You are here aren't you?" He whispered. "Not my imagination?" 

"I am here, Facey, for as long as you need me." 

"I will always need you HM, always." 

"Then I will be here, Muchacho, I promise." 

Murdock reached out and caressed the blond man's cheek lovingly. 

Hannibal heard Face's quiet one-sided conversation with, which he knew,
could be  

only his imaginary Murdock. He sighed silently holding back the anger. He 


promised Face that they will find the murderer, but where would he start?
Who  

would want Murdock dead? Out of the way?  

"Face?" 

Face tore his unseeing eyes from the passing scenery. Looking up, he
turned his  

attention to Hannibal. 

"Yeah?" 

"How much do you know about this David Summers?" 

"David?" Face's eyes narrowed in anger at the man's name. The hateful kiss
still  

burning on his lips and memory. He shuddered outwardly and wrapped his
arms  

tightly around himself. He felt Murdock's arms go around him in a tight
embrace.  

Tears formed behind his bright eyes and he glanced back at his true love
filled	

with both shame and embarrassment. 

Murdock smiled, silently saying that everything was fine, that they were
fine. 

Face drew himself back from the brink of despair again, cursing his own  

weakness. 

OK. This isn't working. I need to concentrate now. 

Face chided himself and sat up straighter smoothing down his wayward blond
hair.  

Taking a deep breath to compose himself he pulled out a comb and pulled
down the  

sun visor running the comb through his hair. 

"What does he do for a living?" 

Hannibal smiled inwardly as Face tried to compose himself pulling the
visor down  

and smoothing his hair out in the mirror. Trying to get his appearance	

straightened out. 

When he was satisfied that he now looked composed, back together, Face
replaced  

the visor tucked the comb back in his pocket then turned his attention
back to  

his CO trying to remember what he had learned over the last few months.  

"Well," Face started. "He's a life insurance salesman first off. He works
with  

State Security and Health Life Insurance Company down on Sun Coast
Boulevard." 

Hannibal chuckled at that. "A life insurance salesman?" 

"Uh, yeah, Murdock and I even bought a policy from him." 

"A big policy?" 

Face nodded turning away from the questioning look. 

"Pretty big." 

Hannibal nodded in understanding. "Any clauses against murder?" 

Face shook his head not wanting to think about that just yet. 

"Summer's was your agent?" 

Face nodded. 

"Did you know he was in love with you?" 

Face shook his head in disbelief. "I had no idea. He knew Murdock and I
were  

together. He seemed at ease with that. I can't believe he.." He let the
words  

trail off. 

Hannibal reached out and gently gave the man a pat, not knowing that his
hand  

passed right through Murdock's own arm still wrapped tightly around his
lover. 

Murdock watched the hand pass through his and sighed. He knew what
Hannibal was  

thinking. In a way he could always read Hannibal, was always able to see
what  

was going on in his thoughts most of the time. Except for when he was on
the  

jazz. Then no one could read his devious thoughts.  

But this time, he knew, definitely, and he agreed. 

"OK. Something I don't get then." Hannibal said turning the corner onto  

Silverstar Rd.	

"What?" Face asked. He watched the familiar scenery pass by. He knew this
way,  

knew where Hannibal was taking him now. He took this way a lot when he
went to  

break Murdock out of the VA. 

"Why did Summer's say that he was an important person around here. I mean
a  

typical insurance agent can't have much clout." 

Face shook his head. "I have no idea. Um Hannibal?" 

"Yeah kid?" 

"The VA?" 

"Dr. Richter." 

"Oh. Okay." 

************* 

Meanwhile, elsewhere. 

David Summer stood before Alvin Coronado stating his case as best he
could. 

"I've been good to you Mr. Coronado," He stammered at the big man. "I have
never  

asked anything of you. I just ask that you consider my problem." 

Coronado frowned staring down the smaller man. He didn't like it when his 


employees used his connections with the family for their own problems. But
as  

Summer's had said, he has been good to him, very, very good. 

"Very well, David, I will look into this." 

"Thank you. Mr. Coronado." 

"Meet me at my house tonight." Coronado leered. 

David gulped looking down at his feet. 

"Yes sir." He stammered and backed out of the door. 

Part 6 

Face sat quietly in the overtly large office, his glance wavering between
Dr.  

Richter and Hannibal as they conversed quietly, about him he could safely 


assume. He looked fearfully at Murdock, who hovered over him smiling
sweetly and  

whispering soothing words. 

"It's gonna be all right baby." Murdock cooed. "Don't worry your pretty
little	

head over any of this. They only want to help you." 

"Yes, I know." Face whispered in agreement, leaning closer to feel the
warmth of  

his lover's strong arms. "But, I don't want them to help me, Murdock, I
don't  

want you to leave." Face looked up fearfully into the other's deep warm
eyes.  

"Please, promise me you won't leave me!"  

"I've already promised that, Muchacho, for as long as you need me I will
be  

around." Murdock sighed deeply, letting his loving glance linger on Face's
 

scared blue eyes. Bringing up a finger, he traced the worry lines across
the  

man's forehead. Concentrating, he succeeded in lifting and pushing a stray
 

strand of hair from Face's eyes.  

At a distance, Hannibal watched the invisible finger move the blonde lock.
His  

heart almost skidded to a stop as he watched in disbelief as the lock was
pushed	

up and swept off to the side. A chill ran through him as he watched Face
look up  

at something, smiling softly.  

"Oh, God!" 

Richter looked up at the exclamation and followed Hannibal's gaze to Face.
He  

saw the happy look on Face's face but didn't see what Hannibal did. 

"What is it?" He asked. 

"Murdock?" 

Face looked over when Hannibal spoke Murdock's name, confusion entered his
 

muddled thoughts. Beside him, Murdock chuckled lightly.  

"I think he is beginning to believe, Facey." Murdock grinned and pointed
to the	

wide-eyed man now striding over to them. 

"Is he here?" Hannibal demanded, his face white as a ghost. "Tell me, is
he  

here?" 

Face looked between his lover and his commanding officer, not
understanding what  

had just happened. He slowly nodded and looked back into Murdock's very
pleased  

expression. 

"Murdock?" Hannibal's voice cracked as he felt the tears form behind his
eyes  

and his hands start to shake uncontrollably. 

"Hannibal?" Face leapt forward and took the older man by the arms. "What's
 

wrong." He asked, confusion rattling his brain as he tried to understand
what  

was happening. Seeing Hannibal coming unglued like this unnerved him
greatly. He  

glanced back at Dr. Richter who was still sitting at his desk. Watching
and  

waiting. 

"He's really here." Hannibal whispered, staring at the spot where Face had
been  

staring at earlier. He couldn't see anything there but he knew, he * knew
* that	

Murdock was there. 

Face gasped audibly and looked back to the sofa as he noticed that Murdock
had  

fallen onto the couch face first. Face suddenly lurched forward, then
stopped  

himself from laughing out loud as Murdock regained some composure and sat
down  

properly. 

"You see him?" Face asked turning back to Hannibal. His eyes widened in  

disbelief. 

Hannibal shook his head no and Face's face fell. 

"But I know he is here." Hannibal grinned, wiping the tears away from his 


cheeks. His hands trembled more slowly now as he looked back to the empty
space.	

"How have you been Captain." He asked softly, taking an unsteady step
towards  

the space beside the couch. 

"I've been better." Murdock answered automatically, watching as Hannibal
moved  

closer, concern over his actions worrying him a bit.  

"Um....Hannibal?" Face giggled nervously and indicated to where Murdock
was  

sitting, watching his CO try to find him. "He says that he's been better."


Hannibal grinned, not in the least embarrassed at finding himself talking
to a  

wall. He turned to look at the invisible specter...." I bet that's the
damned	

truth. But its good to have you back.... Captain." He smiled as the tears 


dissipated back to the dam that held them in check. 

Face and Murdock exchanged grins. 

"Umm.... Hannibal." Came Richter's voice from his desk where he had been  

silently watching the unexpected exchanges. "I don't think that you should
be  

encouraging these delusions. Mr. Peck needs serious counseling here.
Losing a  

member of your team is bad enough but losing the one you love is torture.
I can  

help him back into reality." 

"No, I don't think you can. At least not right now." Hannibal disagreed
with a	

shake of his white hair. "As for reality, we could all use a break from
that  

every once in a while."  

Later, back in the van, Hannibal turned to Face. "I'm sorry for doubting
you,  

Face, but now I believe you do see him." He looked around the van. "He
still  

here?" 

Face nodded and gestured to his best friend and lover. Murdock reclined in
his  

normal spot, his eyes watching both men. 

"Why do you believe me now?" Face asked curiously. 

"Let's just say that I witnessed the unexpected." Hannibal replied as he
turned	

the key in the ignition and headed back to the beach house. 

Murdock sighed happily as he closed his eyes, letting his energy conserve
as  

much as he could. It was getting more difficult, now, to sustain the
familiar  

image. He could feel his energy slipping every second. Soon his visible
energy	

would be extinguished and even his precious jacket would not help Face to
see  

him.  

He had to get Face to accept his death before that happened. To get Face
to let	

go and allow him move on to his reward. Murdock smiled as Hannibal glanced
 

between his seemingly empty seat and back to Face. Smiling like the cat
that ate  

the canary. *Don't know what changed your mind, Hannibal, but thanks.* He
sighed	

and Face glanced back at him with a worried expression, which he responded
with  

a grin and a wink. Face grinned back and turned his attention back to the
road  

ahead.	

As long as Face needed him, he would find a way to be there, no matter
what.  

Reward or no reward, Face needed him and that was all that mattered to
him.  

Murdock watched Face in quiet contemplation. I will never leave you, my
love, as  

long as you need me. 

When they arrived back at the beach house BA was waiting. "How was the
session?"  

"It was not necessary," replied Hannibal as he walk in. "Face is not
crazy. He  

can see Murdock."  

BA grabbed Hannibal. "Hey, sucker, we are trying to help him, not
encourage  

him." 

Hannibal twisted himself away from BA. "Murdock is here. I saw the proof
at  

Richter's office and if you were not so damn stubborn in not believing
what you  

can't see, you would know that too." 

BA looked towards Face as he sat, talking to himself. Hannibal went over
to sit	

by him. 

"Face? Does Murdock have any idea who killed him?" 

Face shook his head. "Hannibal, I wish you could see him." 

Hannibal nodded his head. "I think you see him because you bought him that
 

jacket. Maybe if I wear something that connected me to Murdock I will see
him." 

"Maybe you should wear Murdock's cap. You've worn it on a couple of your  

plans." BA interjected suddenly. 

Hannibal looked up at the big man. "BA that's a great idea. Face, where is
the  

cap?" 

"In his room. I'll go and get it." Face went into the room to get the cap.
 

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. 

"I'll get it," replied BA.  

Face began looking for the cap. Murdock had so many. He pick one up. "Is
this  

it?" 

Murdock shook his head. "I don't know. They all look alike. We need the
one  

Hannibal was wearing in Texas." 

"I know Murdock, I know."  

Murdock pointed to three of them. "One of those are it, Face." 

"Which one?" 

Murdock shook his head. "Don't know."  

Face gathered them all up. "I guess Hannibal will have to try all three."
Face  

had started out to the living room when he heard a familiar feminine
voice. 

"It would seen that Mr. Summers has connections. Mob connections. He knows
of  

one Alvin Coronado." 

"Alvin Coronado? That scum from Chicago?"  

"The one and the same, Hannibal. Oh, there is more. I think you will find
this  

interesting. It would seem that Summers has a thing for men with blond
hair and  

blue eyes. Take a look at these pictures." 

Hannibal studied the graphic pictures. He saw Summers with a lot of men.  

"Thanks, Amy. BA, I think we need to pay Summers a visit." 

Amy looked. "Do you think Summers killed Murdock?"  

Hannibal looked at her. "I don't know, but if he did he will pay." 

Murdock watched as Face grabbed the door frame, trying to steady himself.
Face  

clenched his fist. "Face, are you all right?"  

"That son of a bitch. He killed Murdock."  

"Face, are you there? Face, looked at me." 

Face turned and looked at Murdock. Murdock stared at him. Face had that
look in  

his eyes. The look that told him Face was not there. 

"Face, please don't do this. Please." 

Face walked out of the room and out the front door. Murdock hurried after
him.  

Face kept walking towards Summers house, checking his gun as he walked.
Murdock  

got in front of him.  

"Let Hannibal handle this Face. I know what you are planning to do. You
can't do  

this. Two wrongs don't make a right."  

Face said nothing. He just shrugged off the jacket and let it fall to the 


ground. Murdock stared at his discarded jacket before running to catch up
with  

Face. 

"Face, please. Come back to me! Face, please." Murdock cried in vain. But
Face  

paid no attention. Murdock was lost, he didn't know what to do. Finally,
he  

decided to go and get Hannibal. He knew one of his caps had to work. Face
was  

beyond his help now. 

Face stood in front of Summers house and knocked on he door. He heard
movement  

in the house and soon the door opened. Face stood there for a minute,
staring at  

Summers, all the blood rushing up to his head. Everything seemed to stand
still  

as Face heard the gun go off. He then dropped the gun and passed out on
the  

ground. 

Murdock entered the house and gave Hannibal a shove into the bedroom.
Hannibal  

felt the shove and nodded. "Okay, Murdock, I'll go into the bedroom."  

Hannibal went in first with BA and Amy behind him. He saw the three caps
on the	

bed and picked one up. 

"This was the one I used in Texas." He placed it on his head and stared.
There  

was Murdock. 

"You can see me. Good! We've got to go, Face is in trouble."  

Part 7 

Hannibal stared at Murdock. "Where is he, Murdock?" 

"He's heading to Summer's home." Murdock's face became blank. "Oh no!" 

Murdock touched Hannibal and they both vanished, leaving behind a very
confused  

BA. 

BA Baracus had no idea what was going on but he was going to find out and 


hurried out the door. 

Hannibal and Murdock reappeared near the discarded jacket. 

"Hannibal, please pick it up. Face will need it." Hannibal nodded and
picked it  

up.  

Murdock then led them to Summer's house. When they arrived, police were
all  

around and Face was sitting on the sofa. Hannibal pushed his way in.  

"Hey, you can't go in there." one of the policemen said. Hannibal ignored
him  

and walked right on in. He went right up to Face. 

"Kid, you all right?" 

Face stared at him for a moment. "I am no longer a kid." He paused for a
moment.  

"I killed a man." He looked up at Hannibal. "Now Murdock can rest in
peace, his  

murderer is dead."  

Hannibal gave Face the jacket. Face just looked at it, then gave it back
to  

Hannibal. "I can't wear this any more. I killed a man."  

Now you listen to me, fool. Hannibal is doing the right thing." BA
addressed the  

empty air where Hannibal had indicated. "If Face is in the asylum it will
give  

us more time to find the real killer. But if he goes to prison, there a
good  

chance he may get the 

chair." BA looked at Hannibal. "Is the fool listening?"  

Hannibal looked at Murdock and nodded his head. "Yeah BA, you got his full
 

attention."  

"Yeah, he's got my full attention but you two have lost faith in Face. If
he  

goes there, he will never get out."  

Murdock walked back and forth, wishing with all his might this was only a 


horrible dream and he would soon wake up. Hannibal looked at him.  

"Murdock, its the only way to help Face. We can find out what really
happened  

and Face will be safe."  

Murdock shook his head. "No, not in there. He will never get out. I know.
It  

took me years to get out. Face is not crazy!" Murdock screamed.  

******	

"Doctor, come in here quick . The patient needs to be returned to his
body."	

The doctor and a man entered the room. The man looked at the patient. He  

smiled." Everything is going according to plan ."  

The doctor looked worried. "This experiment is dangerous. We could kill
him for  

real."	

"So? Once Peck is insane we will have no further use for him."	

The doctor looked at the man then calmly pushed him aside and went over to
his  

machine. "Okay let's call Murdock back ."  

******	

Hannibal watched as Murdock suddenly disappeared. "Murdock, come back."  

BA looked at Hannibal. "The fool doesn't understand. Does he Hannibal?"  

Hannibal shook his head. "No, BA he does not."	

******	

The light slowly started to come back. Murdock blinked his eyes, trying to
 

focus. "Welcome back, Captain. Have a nice time?"  

Murdock blinked his eyes again. He knew that voice. He started to sit up
then  

realized he couldn't.  

"Ah Murdock don't bother sitting up, you can't anyway." The man leaned
down and  

looked at Murdock. "You do remember me, right?"  

"Your ugly mug is hard to forget, Daniels."  

"Ah you do remember. And do you remember what you and Peck did to me?"	

Murdock grinned at him. "Yeah, put you and your drug dealing business out
of  

business. We did a pretty good job, too."  

"Really? Then why do I have the upper hand? Murdock you have been my guest
for  

at least two weeks, maybe more. I lost count. You see Murdock, your
friends  

think you are dead."  

"That's crazy. The guys will come for me."  

Daniels shook his head. "No they won't. You are dead and thanks to Doctor
Otis  

over here with his out of body experiment, you appear to Peck and Smith
with the  

help of your jacket and hat. Too bad there is nothing so BA can see you.
Poor  

BA."  

"I don't believe you."	

*******  

"I don't care if you believe me or not. But, this time, I am getting my
cake and  

eating it too. You see Murdock; I paid David Summers to kill you. Wasn't
that  

hard see that he was in love with Peck. Why anyone would love him is
beyond me.  

Oh, wait! You loved him." 

He smiled crookedly at Murdock. "Well, we made it look like you were
really dead  

for Peck to find. Then before the burial we took you out of the coffin and
 

replace it with rocks."  

Murdock just stared at them in disbelief. "No, the guys will never believe
it."  

"Oh, but they already do, Murdock, they do." He turned on the Television.
"As a  

matter of fact, Peck is on trial for killing Summers, care to watch?"  

Murdock watched as they turned on the set and a picture of Face was
flashed up  

in a news report. A pretty, blond haired, blue eyed, news reporter stood
before	

the county jailhouse.  

*An escaped felon, once known as a member of the infamous team of do
gooders,  

known as the A-Team, was arrested for murder this week. After it was
learned  

that the man he is accused of murdering, a Mr. David Summers, murdered his
ex  

lover, a Mr. H.M. Murdock, another man who is now known to have been a
secret	

member of the team. It has been let released that Mr. 

Templeton Peck will be tried under a no contest plea under reason of
insanity.  

We will keep you updated as the trial continues... back to the studio.*  

Murdock stared open mouthed at the news report and glared at them.  

"But I'm NOT dead. They can't try him now. They can't."  

Oh, but they can, Mr. Murdock That is the beauty of this plan, no one
knows you  

are alive. No one."  

Daniels laughed loudly at that and flicked off the set. "You see, this is
a  

perfect plan. You get killed, Peck gets convicted and sent away, may
probably  

get your old room isn't that a hoot? Hannibal and BA lost and alone now
with no  

more back up support. Poor babies..." He laughed again and approached
another  

guy just behind Murdock, just out of his line of sight.  

"Is everything ready?  

The unseen man replied that everything was set to go. And his voice sent a
chill  

through his Murdock's voice. "You!"  

Quinn stepped forward. "Yes, me. Hey, but don't worry. I'm not going to
let him  

die. Just going to let him live the rest of his days in misery and denial,
I  

think that's a better plan than death. Don't you?"  

Murdock struggled to get released, to get his hands around his throat, to 


throttle the living shit out of him. "I'll kill you for this, Quinn. When
I get  

out of this."  

"Well, I certainly don't have anything to worry about then do I? Because, 


personally, I don't see you getting out of this any time soon."  

Murdock rained curses at him and continued to struggle until his muscles
ached  

and his face flushed from exertion. He finally lets his head fall to the
hard  

table giving in.  

"You won't get away with this, Daniel. When my form doesn't appear to them
 

anymore. They will start to investigate. They will find who is responsible
and  

they will get me out this prison. Just you wait and see."  

Daniels strolled over casually and grinned evilly at him. His teeth
stained with  

cigarette smoke and to many cups of coffee. "I guess we will, won't we Mr.
 

Murdock. We shall see how Peck and the others do now without you there to 


spiritually guide them."  

Daniels motions Quinn to follow him moving a few feet away from Murdock's 


physical self, barely in his hearing range. Straining to hear, Murdock
turned	

his head in their direction.  

"The judge has been paid handsomely for his time and trouble. You won't
have to  

worry about making a good save here, Quinn. You just have to make a good  

showing. Peck will go to the institute and he will be...well...taken care
of  

there. I made sure of that."  

Daniels turned his head and smirked in Murdock's direction. "Oh yeah, he
will be  

taken care of real well there."  

Laughing both men left the room with the doctor following behind leaving
Murdock  

alone and conscience and extremely pissed off. 

He could hear ticking from a clock and strained to look over his shoulder.
An  

old wall clock showed the time to be just before twelve. He couldn't tell
if it  

was midnight or noon being incarcerated in this claustrophobic, windowless
room.  

The air was stagnant with an odd smell that hung in the inert atmosphere,
a  

burning aroma that smelled faintly of burning hair. The scorched smell
lingered  

in his nostrils reminding him of something, but not sure of what.  

Exasperated, he let his head flop back onto the hard surface of the table 


wondering what the hell he was going to do now. Somehow, he had to get to
Face.  

Had to let him know what was going on. Tell him that he wasn't dead. That
it was	

all a lie, a ruse just to get even.  

As Murdock laid there trying to figure out something, he heard the door
open and  

a rustle of fabrics as someone came in. He waited till the person was in
his  

line of sight and saw it was Dr. Otis. At that moment, Murdock decided to
try  

and reach out to the doctor. It might be his only, and last, hope.  

"Why are you doing this? You took an oath, to save lives not destroy them.
With  

your knowledge of out-of-body experimentations you could help people."	

Dr. Otis looked blankly at Murdock as he placed a small bag down next to
the  

secured man and went about his work. "You don't understand. I have no
choice	

here."	

"You always have a choice. Just say no, and help me to get away."  

"I can't. I'm sorry. Please don't ask me."  

Dr. Otis shook his head and reached into the bag, pulling out something.
He  

leaned down and placed a slice of white bread in Murdock 's hand. "This is
all I  

am allowed to give you. I got to go." 

Murdock watched with open dejection as the doctor left the room wondering
what  

he was afraid of? What did Daniels have on him? He looked down at the
bread in  

his hand and noticed something in it. Curious, he squeezed his hand,
crumbling  

the bread up and found a tiny key. With a slight prayer of thanks to both
God  

and Dr. Otis, he smiled slightly. Twisting his hand at an awkward angle to
get  

the key to open the shackle to his right hand, he turned the key until the
 

mechanism released and the cuff sprang open. Once that hand was free he
then  

unlocked his left hand and sat up. Quickly he released his feet before
someone  

could come in and catch him. With great care got up unsteadily, on shaky
legs  

and headed for the door. He slowly opened it, begging for no creaks or
groans	

from the hinges, only to see an armed guard posted on duty.  

Shutting the door once again and leaning against it...	

Think Murdock! You've been in tighter spots than this before. There's got
to be  

a way past this guard. He thumped his hands against his legs, deep in
thought  

then noticed something he had been staring at but not really realizing
what he  

was seeing. He walked over to the contraption.	

"Was this the OOB apparatus? The Out of Body machine?" 

Murdock ran his hand over the metallic body and grinned. If he could
somehow  

figure it out, maybe he could contract his friends again. Daniels had said
only  

BA couldn't see him. He needed a fresh mind. After what had happened and
the  

emotions in Face and Hannibal, It had to be BA; the others wouldn't
believe him,  

but BA. BA would. He was sure of it. If he could only figure out how to
use this  

contraption, to appear before the big guy and get his attention.  

He had to try.	

He stepped up to the machine and looked at the array of buttons and
switches. It  

was almost mind-boggling. Reaching out, quite unsurely, his hand inched
towards  

a tinyish green flip switch, which he kind of assumed was the on button.  

Red means go. Green means stop. Oh, no wait that's the other way around.  

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves he reached out again and just as
he was	

going to push it to see what would happen The door swung open allowing Dr
Otis  

to come back in.  

The doctor looked over to the table and, seeing that the man was no longer
 

there, his eyes swept over the room quickly then fell on the tall lanky
man at	

the sensitive equipment.. His eyes opened wide and he rushed over in a
near  

panic waving his arms about. 

"No! Don't! You don't know how to used that. You could kill yourself."	

Murdock stopped his hands forward motion and glared at the flustered man.
"Then  

help me get out." He demanded not moving away from the instrument. "I have
to  

get out of here and there is no other way I can do it without your help." 


Dr. Otis looked over his shoulder quickly and Murdock saw that he was
extremely  

nervous. "Look, whatever your problem is, once I get to the guys and fix
this  

mess, we will help you. I promise."  

The man looked quickly back at Murdock then once more over his shoulder
clearly  

at a loss. The uncertainty showed in the dilation of his pupils.  

He was scared.	

Murdock watched him as the man's thoughts jumped back and forth. Finally, 


decision made, the doctor nodded slowly. "I will help you. Who do you wish
to  

appear to?"  

"BA. Can you do that?"	

Dr. Otis nodded his head quickly. "Yes, I can do that. I told Daniels that
the  

person you appear to must have something of yours in his or her
possession, but  

it's not true. I can do it but you only have a few minutes. Ten minutes
tops. I  

can't keep you out there longer than that. Your brain may not survive it
if you	

linger longer. It has gone through a great deal of stress following the
other  

outings you have made."  

Murdock rubbed at his chin, "Ten minutes ain't really a lot of time doc,
so we  

better hurry."	

******	

BA Baracus sat down rubbing his sore and tired eyes. So much had happened
in  

such a short time and for the first time, in a very long time, he felt
helpless.  

Murdock was gone and Face was going to be sent to an asylum. The way it
looks  

right now, he won't even be sent to the VA in Westwood. Murdock's old
hangout,  

but to a place that locked you up so tightly that there was no way out, A
place  

where you were just another number, another hole in the wall that they
have to  

let exercise and feed, not even a person.  

BA suddenly roared and slammed his fist against the wall making a nice big
hole.  

"Now what did that wall do to you, Big Guy?"  

Surprised by the voice BA swirled around and his eyes opened wide at the
sight  

of Murdock looking at him with a toothy grin, the big man automatically
took a	

step backwards.  

Murdock sighed at his reaction, "BA, we ain't got time for this. Now
listen to  

me. I'm not dead. I'm alive. Daniels is holding me at a summer camp that's
been  

shut down for years, Camp Hall. Do you know where it is?"  

BA nodded his head still speechless.  

"Good, then please come for me. I can't get out on my own. There's too
many  

guards and watch out for Daniels; he's crazier than I am.  

BA suddenly growled, his fear forgotten at the possibility of his friend
being  

alive. "Daniels! Right! I'll make sure that fool pays, Murdock. I'm on my
way."  

Murdock held up his hand to stop him. "WAIT! BA! Tell Hannibal Quinn is in
on  

this ruse. He and the judge are being paid off by Daniels."  

"I will, just hold on fool we're coming."  

BA watched in fascination as Murdock's image faded away, shaking his head
in  

bafflement he ran out the door and jump into his van picking up the phone
to  

call Hannibal.	

****  

Hannibal sat on the bench in the courthouse deep in thought when a smart
dressed  

woman came up to him related that he was wanted on the phone. He nodded
and went  

to answer it, eager for some good news for a change.  

"Hello?" He barked into the line.  

"Hannibal. It's me .I'm on my way to pick you up. I've got some news."	

"What's up BA?"  

"I'll tell you when I get there. Man...Hannibal, you are not going to
believe  

this."	

BA hung up his receiver without any more explanation leaving Hannibal to
stare  

into the humming phone on his end wondering what that was all about. He
shook  

his head after a moment before hanging up. BA could be a very strange man
every  

now and then. Standing up straighter he composed himself once more to go
down to  

see Face before leaving.  

He approached Face while he was sitting silently on the bunk in his cell.
The  

younger man looked up as his commanding officer entered along with a
policeman.  

"Hey Hannibal. How's the outside world?" He joked feebly.  

"Its kind of sad without you in it kid." 

Face stood up wearily and wrapped his hands around the bars of his cell.
"I  

really screwed up didn't I?"  

"Face, You lost control. It's just as much my fault as yours. I should
have  

watched you better."  

"Hannibal, did I really see Murdock?"  

"I don't know kid. Maybe we both wanted it so bad we imagined it."  

Face leaned his head against the bars feeling dejected. "The last time I
saw him  

he seemed so distant. I've haven't seen him since."  

"Yeah me neither, Listen kid, BA coming to get me he said he has something
to  

tell me."  

"Did he say what?"  

"No. He said he would tell me when he gets here."  

Face nodded "Okay."  

"Face, hang in there."	

Face nodded and turned away lying back down on his cot. His mind and body
just  

so tired it was a chore just to move. He watched Hannibal leave wondering
what  

was to become of him, or of the team. Not that there was a team any
longer.  

He thought back the night he had shot Summers trying to make some sense of
it  

all.  

He remembered standing in front of Summers' house and knocking on the
door. He  

remembered hearing movement from inside and soon the door opened. He also 


remembered staring at Summers, feeling an immense hatred for him, all the
blood  

rushing up to his head until he could hear nothing but ringing in his
ears.  

Everything seemed to stand still as he raised the weapon and heard the gun
go  

off. He didn't remember dropping the gun or passing out.  

Then something flashed in his mind...something that snapped.  

He sat up suddenly and closed his eyes trying to concentrate, to bring
back the  

flash that just passed in his mind's eye. He had remembered hearing a gun
go off	

but he remembered, being surprised and looking at his own weapon. He
hadn't been  

the one to pull the trigger. It wasn't even his gun.  

He felt an elation of that fact and thought some more. That
means...someone else  

killed Summers, But who? And why did he pass out afterward? Something was
not  

right.	

It hadn't been right for a long time.  

Even at the viewing at the funeral, Murdock's coffin was never opened.
They told  

them he had requested a closed casket. That he wanted people to remember
him, as  

he was, alive and kicking not dead and still. At the time, it made sense
but now  

Face was wondering.  

And, most of all, why was Murdock suddenly gone now? When he needed his  

companionship the most.  

Something was not right.  

*****  

BA pulled up in front of the courthouse spotting Hannibal right off. He
pulled	

up along side of him and waited until the older man climbed in.  

Hannibal gave the bigger man a look "Okay BA what's the mystery?"  

Gripping the steering wheel tightly, he grumbled out the words. "I saw
Murdock.  

He's alive Hannibal."  

"BA. I've got to deal with Face right now. I'm glad you had a chance to
see him.  

I really am, but right now we need to help Face."  

BA turned determined eyes to his leader. "Hannibal, the fool's alive he's
being  

held at Camp Hall and we are going to get him, now."  

Hannibal stared silently at BA who said nothing more but drove at top
speed to  

Camp Hall, dodging around cars and traffic jams. Nothing was going to stop
him  

from getting there.  

When they arrived at the camp there was no one at the entrance and they
were  

able to enter without any problems. Stashing the van behind a nearby
building,  

they moved quietly throughout the various buildings, one by one, looking
for any  

signs of life.	

They found it.	

Four buildings in and to the back of the camp they spotted a white van and
two  

men guarding the main entrance of a building.  

"That must be where they have Murdock." BA stated causing Hannibal to look
back  

at him from his crouched position. 

"How sure are you about him being in there?"  

"Two hundred percent, Colonel." 

"Hannibal sighed and looked back at the building.  

"Then lets go."  

It only took a few moments to overpower the guards then they made their
way to	

the main room. Once inside BA overpowered another guard and Hannibal bent
down  

to glare at the man.  

"Okay...scum...where is he?"  

The guard looked from one man to the other obviously deciding that his
life  

wasn't worth it, pointed to a large wooden door. Hannibal thumped the man
across	

the temple rendering him unconscious. He looked towards the door feeling
his  

stomach tripping in hope as they approached the door.  

"Hannibal this is too easy." BA complained as they walked over.  

"I know, but we can handle it."  

Just as he got the words out a shot rang out chipping the wood on the
door.  

Hannibal swung around, fell to the floor, lining up the target in his
site, and  

blew a hole in the man's leg causing him to fall to the ground screaming
in  

pain.  

"Knock him out, BA!"  

The big man grinned and strode over and slammed his fist into his teeth
sending  

him to La La land. "Shut the fuck up...sucka."	

"Nice, BA."  

Inside Murdock heard the shooting and grinned excitedly. "Hey Doc my
friends are  

here everything going to be fine."  

Dr. Otis only nodded. He knew men like Quinn and Daniels wouldn't let it
go to  

far, they were men who would stop at nothing to get what they wanted. He
strode	

to the door in hopes of getting away but was knocked back as the door was
thrown	

open and the fierce faces of Hannibal and BA burst though.  

"Hey guys what took you so long?"  

They both stopped and stared at the man they thought had been buried so
long  

ago. Hannibal reached up and felt his head .He wasn't wearing Murdock's
cap.  

"Captain is it really you?" 

"Yeah, I think so." Murdock grinned. "Hey big guy nice to see you."  

"Yeah, you too. Can you walk fool?"  

Murdock jumped from the table and approached with quick steps. "Come on
lets  

blow this popsicle stand. Face needs me."  

Hannibal grabbed his arm as he passed and asked the question that has been
on  

his mind. "Murdock what is going on here?"  

"I can explain." A voice came from behind them. Both men twirled around
and saw  

the same man they nearly ran over entering the room. Surprised that he was
still  

here  

Hannibal crossed his arms a glared at the man. "Okay, lets have it."  

Dr. Otis told them everything he knew.	

How they faked Murdock's death, which wasn't easy to fake a gunshot wound
to the	

head. Slipping him a solution mixed in his drink to render him unconscious
 

slowing his heartbeat to four beats per minute, so slow that he would
appear to  

dead. He also explained why it was a closed viewing, being there was no
body to  

bury. But mostly...how Daniels himself killed David Summers. And that
Quinn and  

the judge was paid for framing Face.  

"Then Face is innocent," cried Murdock.  

Hannibal nodded his head. He had knew it all of the time. "It appears that
way  

but we need proof, Doc, will you help?"  

Dr. Otis shook his head. "I can't...my family."  

"Look, we can help you and your family but we need your help as well."	

Dr. Otis looked down in defeat. "Daniels has them somewhere hidden in this
camp.  

My wife and two son, get them out and you have my help."  

Hannibal nodded. "Fair enough." then looked back at BA. "Go look for
them."	

BA nodded and left the room on his new mission leaving the other three
behind.  

Otis watched as the big man disappeared and sighed in relief knowing that
his  

family will be found and saved.  

He looked back at the other two and started to speak. "Okay first, you
need to  

talk to Jackson."  

"Jackson?" Came Hannibal's voice.  

"The district attorney, Kyle Jackson."	

"What about Face?" Murdock's own voice joined in.  

Hannibal sighed and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Murdock
right now  

Face is safe where he is we can't risk anyone knowing we have found you
yet."  

"Hannibal I got to let him know I'm alive." The lanky pilot complained.  

"One thing at a time Captain. Doc do you have any transportation?"  

"I have a car."  

"Then let's go."  

Hannibal looked at his watch and nodded. It should take BA some time to
get the  

wife and kids to safety. So he motioned to the doorway and all three men
headed	

for the parking lot unaware that they were being watched.  

The man picked up a radio and talked low into it.  

"Mr. Daniels, They are leaving now."  

"Good make sure they don't get to where they are going." A staticy voice  

answered.  

"You got it Mr. Daniels. They won't make it." The man said and placed the
radio  

back onto the car seat and followed them out onto the road.  

"Hannibal, we have company." Murdock said as he saw the other car pull out
 

behind him and fall in line behind them.  

"I'd be very disappointed if we didn't." Hannibal grinned big as he handed
 

Murdock a weapon. "Let's see how well he drives."  

Murdock smiled maniacally and took the gun leaning out of the car window
and  

taking careful aim. The first bullet hit harmlessly into the front grill
of the	

car and the driver swerved and returned a shot. Nonplussed, Murdock took
aim  

again and whooped as that bullet hit its mark, slamming into the left
front  

tire. The car ran off into a ditch and came to rest on its side.  

"Way to go Captain."  

Murdock grinned and rolled up the window. "Ah...I needed that." 

Neither man noticed another black car following.  

Hannibal grinned at his friend it was nice to have him back. The two
friends  

continued to talk about what was going on and who Daniels was. Murdock was
 

giving more insight into the situation. How he and Face had tag teamed and
put  

his drug dealing operation out of business and sent him up the creek for a
mere  

few years. But, obviously enough time spent to get this setup underway.  

"So, this is just a matter of bad blood?" Hannibal shook his head at the
story.	

"Yeah, sore loser."  

The men sat in silence as they pulled up in front of Kyle Jackson's office
 

building.  

"Let me do the talking." Dr. Otis said as he led the way in. The secretary
was  

obliging as she led the way into Jackson's office and the man smiled
extending  

his hand.  

"Dr. Otis...what can I do for you?" He asked looking at the other two men
in  

curiosity.  

"Jackson, it's like this."  

Dr. Otis told him everything explaining that everything that happened was
a set  

up and the wrong person was in jail. Jackson shook his head in disbelief.
"This  

is hard to believe. Do you have proof against the judge or Mr. Peck's
attorney?"  

"Hey, I'm alive. Isn't that proof enough?" Murdock held open his arms in  

frustration.  

"Mr. Murdock, all that proves is that you didn't die .It does not prove
that Mr.  

Peck, in his grief, didn't kill David Summers. I'm sorry gentlemen I need
more  

proof before I can go and discredit the judge or Mr. Quinn."  

"Perhaps we can be of help. " A strong voice spoke from the doorway.  

They all turn around and saw Al Coronado standing in the doorway with
another  

smaller, scrawny man. The voice belonged to the bigger, more powerful
looking  

man.  

"Mr. Coronado please let me handle this." The smaller man insisted before 


stepping forward into the room. "Forgive the intrusion, I'm Matthew
Blanks, Mr.  

Coronado's lawyer and he has something to tell you which, I have to say,
on the	

record is against my better judgment."	

"Now, now, Matthew. These nice people need to know the truth. Daniels is a
scum  

and neither worth my time nor protection. He the one who killed David
Summers  

and gentlemen I have the proof you need." He nodded to Matthew and the
scrawny  

man sighed pulling out an object. "A video tape of the day Mr. Summers	

died...observe..." 

Matthew Blanks handed Jackson the tape who than places it in his VCR.
Everyone  

crowded around the television as the image of Summer's front door was
shown  

first up. As they watch as they saw Face approach the door and pull his
weapon	

Murdock watched thunderstruck to see his lover about to commit murder.
They  

watched as the door opened holding their breaths. Then the voices."  

"Mr. Peck, what are you doing here?"  

They could see the older man looking at the gun and the fright in his
eyes.  

"I know you killed him." They could hear Face's voice, trembling as his
gun hand  

wavered.  

"Look...I have money..."  

"I don't want your money...I want revenge."  

"I don't..." Summer's voice quivered in fright as the man before him
raised his  

gun again.  

Murdock walked closer as Face seemed to pause...to think...then lowered
his gun.  

"No, you are not worth it. Murdock's right, killing you won't make
anything  

better."  

They watched as Face scowled and turned to walk away. They all gasped when
 

suddenly Summers slammed him on the back of the head with a wooden object.
He  

stepped out of the doorway and smiled at a figure that came out of the
shadows.  

"We did it Mr. Daniels, Peck's gone over the edge."  

"Yes, I agree, we did do it, however, you are a fool Summers." The
familiar  

voice spoke filled with venomous intent. "Now, unfortunately, you have to
die  

for this to come together."  

The video image showed David Summers backing away. "No! You can't mean it.
 

Everything gone as planned. Peck will go to the asylum. And you promised
he  

would be mine. I was supposed to be there for him."  

"Sorry, Summers. Change of plans." Everyone was glued to the television
screen	

as they all watched Daniels take out his gun from a side holster, aimed
point  

blank at David Summers and killed him on the spot.  

"Bastard." Murdock whispered as he watched the man place the used weapon
in  

Face's hand scooping up the one that Face had threatened with earlier.	

Jackson turned off the tape and stood in shocked silence deep in thought
before	

turning to address them all. "This...this definitely changes everything. I
have  

to take this tape immediately to Judge Freeman. He's honest and will stop
Quinn  

and Judge Thomas."  

Murdock stood back as the others talked about what needs to be done before
 

getting Coronado's attention.  

"Why?" He asked.  

"Pardon?" Coronado looked at him with indignation.  

"Why come forward now? After all this...why now?"  

Coronado looked over at the tape and sighed.  

"Summers...he was..." Pausing and wiping at his face either in exhaustion
or at  

a tear, Murdock couldn't really tell. "Summer's was more than a part of my
 

organization. He was family. His daughter was going to marry my son. It
was all  

arranged. But when Misty found out what happened to her father...she
blamed	

Julio. My family's future is up in the toilet all because of that  

man...Daniel's...he got in the way. Time to remove him...permanently."	

Murdock just listened and nodded his head at appropriate times.  

"Thank you, Coronado...for my life and I hope...Julio and Misty go get
back  

together." He smiled and extended his hand, which Al promptly took.  

"Thank you, what happens, happens. Its over...go get your friend."  

***********  

That night everything was taken care of.  

BA had brought in Dr. Otis's family who had somehow managed to make it
through  

without any harm. The Doctor rushed over to greet them sobbing with relief
as  

they connected emotionally.  

The guys left them on their own The crooked judge and Quinn, were in lock
up.  

The only thing left was Face and Murdock being together.  

***********  

Their reunion was not how Murdock expected it to be.  

When Murdock walked into the cell with Hannibal and BA, Face had not run
into  

his open arms. He just kept staring at him. When they walked out of the  

courthouse Face did not look back. This bothered and confused Murdock and
the  

others.  

Back at the beach house, Murdock sat quietly with Face opposite him. The
silence  

was deafening as Murdock watched his lover in agonizing silence. It was
late  

evening in the house and Face was sitting on an overstuffed armchair
nursing a  

drink.	

"Are you real?"  

Murdock jumped at the sudden question. "Face?"	

"I asked you if you were real."  

'Oh, Face. I am real, please believe me."  

"I don't know what to believe. I saw you dead. Shot in the head."  

"Face, I can't explain what happened exactly other than what I said
earlier. I'm  

not sure I understand everything myself. But believe me! I'm me! I'm H.M.
and I  

love you so much."  

"Don't! I can't take it. I won't take it!" Face cried out in anger and
fear  

tossing the drink glass across the room. "I won't go and fall in love with
you  

again and have the fear of losing you hanging over my head again. For any 


reason! Please don't asked me too."  

Murdock quickly moved over to him as his lover dropped his head and cried.
He  

gently took the sobbing man into his arms to comfort him holding him
close,	

kissing his cheek and lips.  

The broken man held onto him clinging onto him in desperation. "H.M.
Please, I  

didn't mean it, please don't leave me."  

"I won't Temp. I love you. Oh, Baby, mere words can't compare to my love
for  

you."  

"I missed you so much."  

"I know baby, I know. Come on let's go to bed. I missed holding you."  

Face nodded as Murdock helped him up and they head for the bedroom.  

"Murdock?"  

"Yeah baby?"  

"I took good care of your jacket." 

"Thanks Baby."	

The End