notjustaface | Alone Time

Alone time is rare at best, and as he clutches the co-pilot's seat of the salvaged Cessna - only a little nervous each time Murdock tries a trick - the fact that they're getting almost a whole day to themselves is more or less the best thing on his mind. They're on a job, of course - they're coming more frequently over the last few months and while the pay seems to be lower at least it's keeping them moving since their close call back in Chicago - but he'll take what he can get.

Even if what he can get is spending the night together in a lean-to in the backwoods of southern Oregon with a few sleeping bags and a cooler while they wait for the boss' call to pick up the other half of the team in northern California. It's still nice to have a little downtime.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

notthatcrazy

"Guess someone has to be."

The A-Team: Forever giving each other crap whenever necessary.

"Please make sure your tray tables are in their upright and locked positions, we are clear for landing."

From:

notjustaface

He's one of the very, very few.

"I really... really don't like how close those trees are. I know this place is abandoned and everything... but could they possibly make it any more dangerous to try and not crash?"

From:

notthatcrazy

"I think the whole point of it bein' abandoned is they don't want anyone landing here at all."

Not that that's ever stopped them before.

From:

notjustaface

Swallowing back a small knot of fear - always eager to appear fearless in the face of a nervous landing - Face watches in silence as Murdock easily brings the small plane down, letting it taxi until they're almost nose to door with the locked down hangar.

"I'll open it up - you bring her in."

As he stumbles out of the cockpit, he tries his best not to make it look like he's relieved to be out of the air (for Murdock's sake rather than his own) and then cuts the bolt before forcing open the rusted doors. It's pretty much the last place anyone would come looking for a plane, dusty and cobwebbed and more or less not a pretty sight.

From:

notthatcrazy

He's used to that look enough to not take it personally .

"See, I told ya."

Shaking his head at the condition of the hangar, he gives the plane's fuselage an affectionate pat as he exits. "Stay here and be good."

From:

notjustaface

The dropzone itself isn't really much to look at, the rust old hangar and what vaguely passes for a landing strip cut in the middle of the trees are paired with a small building that looks vaguely like a lean-to doing it's best impression of a shack.

"I've got to work on getting better accommodations on these trips," he mutters to himself, shifting his heavy rucksack into a more comfortable position across his shoulders. If it looks any worse on the inside they'll be better off sleeping outside.

From:

notthatcrazy

"Ah, it won't be so bad. We should get a good view of the stars when it gets dark."

He grabs the small cooler with their night's provisions and whistles. "Hey Billy, c'mon boy."

From:

notjustaface

He rolls his eyes, subtly, at the sharp whistle. Billy. Billy, the dog that he's not entirely sure that Murdock even believes in but will go out of his way to make real enough on the off chance he really does see something there.

"Dog's sleeping on your half of the sleeping bag." He mutters, hiking across the overgrowth toward the shelter.

From:

notthatcrazy

"Fair enough," he shrugs, as dust rises and twigs snap under their feet. The place really is kind of a dump, but at least there's good company.

From:

notjustaface

And at least it's quiet, and cool with no sign of rain in the near future. Small blessings.

"I saw a stream on the way in, a few miles from here. If you want to, we can hike over and check it out?"

From:

notthatcrazy

"Yeah, sure. Let's check out the accommodations first, though."

As crappy as they are.

From:

notjustaface

'Accommodation' is putting it lightly. Inside the building, shafts of morning light cross over warped wooden flooring that's seen more than it's fair share of rain. A set of stacked cots takes up the end of the room that looks like it's at least been kept dry if the layer of dust on them is any indication.

But, there's running water and if need be shelter.

"Camping, then?"

From:

notthatcrazy

"Camping it is."

You know he's got s'more fixings in that cooler.

From:

notjustaface

At least as far as camping goes, he's had worse places to set up. It's not the middle of the desert, or raining, or with a dozen other guys. Besides, he's getting used to roughing it without his skin care routine, gym access or tanning beds.

"You think we should throw down here or closer to the creek?"

From:

notthatcrazy

"We probably shouldn't get too far away."

Experience has taught him that you never know when you might need shelter in a hurry.

From:

notjustaface

True enough, and sensible. In as close as he gets to mountain man form, Face digs a dusty, faded blue tarp out of a box of odds and ends by the open door and says; "We can tack this down from the overhang outside to the ground in case we actually need shelter a little more likely to hold out water." It is Oregon, after all.

"Shouldn't be too bad."

From:

notthatcrazy

"After we get set up, we can go explore."

He's looking forward to seeing the sights, such as they are.

From:

notjustaface

Unfurling the tarp, he can't help but laugh under his breath.

"You know, I don't think I've actually built a shelter since basic. There's always been grunts to do it."

From:

notthatcrazy

"Rank does have its privileges."

But it's just the two of them, so they'll have to make do. Between the two of them, they manage to get the tarp hung and their makeshift shelter put to rights fairly easily.

From:

notjustaface

Not that Face minds a chance to strip off his polo and actually do some real work - it's been a while. And as the afternoon nears, it's just warm enough to warrant an excuse to strip down.

"Now..." he says, dumping the mallet he'd been manhandling stakes into place with, "...I believe I was promised a walk?"

From:

notthatcrazy

And Murdock's definitely not going to complain about seeing him shirtless.

"As you wish." He holds out a hand, smiling at the old joke.

From:

notjustaface

Nobody ever complains... except maybe Hannibal who seems to always have a joke about running out of shirts.

"Hey, that's my line. Right, Buttercup?"

From:

notthatcrazy

He's pretty sure Hannibal doesn't like the distraction caused by said lack of shirt.

"Why am I always the girl?"

He's not the one who moisturizes regularly.

From:

notjustaface

Moisturizing is a very important part of the image.

"I think it's the hair," he teases, reaching over to playfully ruffle Murdock's increasingly long curls. "Or the increasing number of stuffed animals in our luggage."

Hoping he hasn't taken it a step too far, he adds; "Which is fine, by the way."